Machka 

Short tours are great for those of us who can only spare a few days from our busy schedules to spend on a cycling tour ... or for those of us who want to do a quick exploration of the area where we live or an area we want to learn more about ... and for those who want to test equipment, bicycle setup, etc.

When you go on a short hub-and-spoke tour, weekend tour, long weekend tour, maybe even a week-long tour, or something similar, tell us about it here.

Where did you go? What did you see along the way? Would you recommend the area? What sort of accommodation did you use? What kind of bicycle did you ride? Did you learn anything new?

What short tours do you have planned for 2012?

Cyclebum

Just got back from the Texas Gulf Coast, Galveston to Corpus Christi. Was my first credit card tour. Did it with a buddy. Scenery from white sand beaches to miles of flat, black, Texas farm land. Lots of @#$@ chip seal, couple days significant head wind, several 'challenging' bridges, one crash, one ejection from a freeway. Warm weather of course, with just enough rain to make it more interesting. Being wimps, we waited out the rain in a plush motel.

All tours are fun and memorable. So was this one. Won't be any more credit card tours. Way too expensive.(Bags full just in case we ran out of motels.)

I did learn something new. I can pedal my Tour Easy bent much faster than I could pedal my DF, plus it is more aerodynamic. Could tease my riding buddy on his DF by dropping back and than speeding ahead of him. Couldn't do that before the TE.

Friendly copper serving and protecting crazyguysonbikes:

RedRider2009

LMAO at your picture! Out of curiosity though, why were you trying to ride on the freeway?

10 Wheels

Can you post a link when you get more pics and details of the tour?

Bekologist

I've got another 3 months of ski touring ahead instead of bike touring. the snowbanks are just too big.

MAYBE California over spring break. bike in box, tripping Marin.

Cyclebum

We didn't just try to ride on the freeway, we did ride it for 7 miles before being ejected. 6 ft smooth shoulder with a great tailwind. Clipping along about 18 mph. On it 'cause that's where the bridge/causeway from Padre Island dumped us, and there was a lake seperating us from the main part of Corpus Christi. It was not an interstate and there were no prohibited signage. Fun while it lasted. He forced us onto a feeder road that was more dangerous than the freeway. We did finally get to a side street that led us to Ocean Drive.

We suspect some motorist ratted us out. Link to journal when my buddy gets rountuit.

staehpj1

FWIW, riding on the interstate is legal in many places and quite common (out west). In some cases it is pretty nice riding. In others not so much.

Adrian74

On the weekend of Feb 4-5th, I undertook a three night tour from my home town of Bishop to Saline Hot Springs in Death Valley National Park to Lone Pine. The route was 163 miles and included paved and gravel roads varying from very good to very poor (both paved and gravel).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/n6vdr/6873855985/

I started on Thursday evening after work and was helped by a strong Northerly for the first fifteen miles South to the town of Big Pine. The winds were forecast to die down the following day, thankfully. From Big Pine I cycled East on the 168 for a short distance then up the steep Death Valley Road which goes over the White Mountain Range. As I had left Bishop at 3 PM I didn’t have much daylight but was happy to make 29 miles and set up camp after sunset in a wash along the road at around 6,200ft elevation. There was some snow on the shaded slopes and the water in my tent had started freezing in the morning. I was cold too and had everything I owned on and a jacket on top of my down sleeping bag. I had mulled only taking a bivy bag but was very happy to have decided on taking the tent which provided a vestibule in which to cook out of the wind.

On Friday morning I started cycling into a headwind at 9AM and covered the final four miles of the pass to the Waucoba Saline Road. From here it would be gravel and sand for the next 100 miles. The Waucoba Saline Road drops into Saline over thirty miles of mostly downhill. One spot is notoriously icy long after the surrounding snow has melted and it didn’t disappoint. I had to get off and walk my bicycle over three icy spots. The road starts off in fairly good condition and deteriorates quickly to stony washboard. I was constantly on the brakes which was hard work on the hands. One lesson I learned quickly was not to ride too close to the edge of the road. I caught the front pannier on a rock while going at a fair clip and the front wheel jumped about two inches into the road. Had I been closer it would have been ugly. After roughly thirty miles one comes to the junction with Warm Springs Road that leads to the hot springs. Another seven miles of loose gravel, sand, stones and washboard brings one to the hot springs. The place was not full and I found a superb campsite, set my tent up and headed for the pools for a soak. What luxury to end a hard day in such style! I had cycled 41 miles today. There is potable water at the hot springs however due to liability the National Park Service does not recommend drinking it. I started from Bishop with 6 liters and arrived at the springs with half a liter. The elevation at the springs is around 1,300ft and it was a warm night.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/n6vdr/6873856295/

Saturday I slept late and lazed around for the first half of the day. I packed up slowly and had lunch then headed out at around 1 PM. I had intended to cycle fifteen miles or so. I cycled West back to the Saline Valley Road and then South around the lake. Shortly after I got on the Saline Valley road again there was some very soft sand which brought me to a standstill so I let my tyre pressures down and that made a huge difference. I just hoped they were not too soft to cause a pinch flat or damage a tyre as there was a mix of sand, severe washboard and loose gravel/stones to come and I didn’t have a spare tyre with me. The worst stretch of road on the journey was the South side of the lake with stretches of severe washboard and thick sand over and over for roughly ten miles before the road starts climbing gradually off the flood plain and up towards the South pass. As the afternoon wore on and I did the calculations as to how far I would have to cycle on Sunday and I decided to carry on until evening as I didn’t know what the road conditions on the pass would be. I had driven the route a few years back and couldn’t remember how bad it would be for a bicycle. I ended up cycling till 7PM, well after dark and had covered thirty miles at an average of 5 MPH. I recently received a Bell Muni helmet and a Blackburn LED headlamp as a birthday present from my wife. The headlamp clips right onto the visor. It came in really handy for the last hour and even though there was a fairly bright moon I needed the extra light. I found a sandy spot next to the road and pitched my tent at around 4,000ft elevation. During the afternoon three cars and a motorcycle had passed me but it was a quiet night and no one came by. I love the desert.

Sunday. I awoke at 6AM and started the day with coffee and oats with raisins. It just seems to taste better on the road! Sunrise was around 7AM and I was on the road by 7:20. I had 63 miles to cover today. The South pass lay ahead and twenty three of the sixty three miles were dirt or broken potholed tar. I wound my way slowly up the pass and was pleasantly surprised at the grade and surface. I was able to cycle the whole thing, albeit slowly. There was some ice and rocky patches but nothing I couldn’t ride over or around. There were two water crossings, large pools in the road fed by a small stream. One I was able to cross by walking along the edge of the pool and push the bike through the water. The other pool was iced over with thick ice around the edge. Too slippery to walk on so I had to bush whack around through some thick brush. Luckily the stream is small. During the climb I managed to catch my front panniers three more times on rocks jutting out from the banks along the road and once was knocked to a standstill nearly falling. Seems I learn slowly! After seven miles and two hours I reached the top of the pass and the Hunter Mountain Road junction with a spectacular view South into Panamint Valley. From here the road climbs a little to just over 6,200ft elevation before mostly descending all the way to Lone Pine at around 3,700ft. This section of the road is roughly fifteen miles and starts out as good dirt then gets quite rough and rocky as it drops down to Lee Flat where the washboard is once again terrible before turning to broken tar all the way to the junction with the 190, a very good paved road to Lone Pine.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/n6vdr/6873856523/
This section took two hours. I aired the tyres back up to about three bar (44 PSI) at the highest point before starting the long descent. I would guess they had been around 1.5 bar (22 PSI). I stopped at the junction with the 190 for an early lunch. There is a large pile of sand at the junction which offered good protection from the wind. Now I was to join the busy 190 carrying the crowds who flock to Furnace Creek and the main tourist areas. The last forty miles to Lone Pine were into a stiff headwind. Fortunately it is mostly downhill with some long flat sections around the Owens Lake and I arrived in Lone Pine after three hours. I started from Saline Springs on Saturday with 6 liters of water and arrived in Lone Pine today with a sip. My wife picked me up later that evening on her way through. She had been in L.A. for the weekend and it worked out perfectly. Lone Pine is 60 miles South of Bishop on highway 395.

Equipment: Surly Long Haul Trucker. Apart from the handlebar, tyres, pedals and seat, the bike is the standard 2011 build. The handlebar is a heat treated Nitto Noodle drop, the widest I could get (48cm). The tyres are Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 26”x2.0” (I was waiting for Marathon Mondials which arrived the day after I left, of course), the pedals are Shimano M324 platform/clipless and the seat is a Brooks B17 Champion Standard. Surly Nice Racks on the front and rear and a full compliment of Arkel panniers; GT-54’s on the rear, GT-18’s on the front and a small handlebar bag. Fenders are SKS Chromo-plastic 65mm wide.

I weighed the fully loaded bike before leaving work on Thursday and it was around 115 lb. This included all tools, clothes, camping gear, food for three days, 6 liters water etc.

Overall a great short trip to some remote places with little traffic. Some of the riding is tough. Thick sand, severe washboard, steep climbs, big elevation changes, rocks and icy patches. Not for the faint of heart but definitely doable. My hands suffered a little due to the washboard but then I don’t wear padded gloves and my feet had some hotspots which were uncomfortable at times. I wore basic cycling shoes. My rear end was fine and I am very happy with the Brooks. I suffered some chafing from the chamois on my thigh on the last day.

The Arkel bags are superb with plenty of room. Zipper placement and many compartments make finding things easy. Very happy with the bike and racks too. Tyres could have been better but they worked. Riding in a straight line in the sand was a real challenge and sometimes I would find myself changing direction and there was nothing I could do about it. I am looking forward to trying the Modials on similar rides this Spring.

indyfabz

Hoping to do a three day from Port Jervis, NY starting on Good Friday. Down through the Delaware Water Gp National Recreation area to Worthington State Forest in NJ bear country. Continue following the river in PA and NJ the second day to a campground on an island in the river. Ride home third day. About 160 miles total. Just need to work out transportation. May offer to pay someone to drive us to the start, or we could ship the bikes and take a series of trains to the start.

egear

I am lucky. I own a piece of land thats 36 miles from my house. It's a nice ride so I do this on the weekends frequently. It's nice because the road into the property is dirt and the road out is aways varied. I have about 7 or 8 different routes to and from the place. It's like having reservations for a mini-tour.

Hot Rod Lincoln

As the weather warms I intend to do a short tour on the Chief Ladiga/Silver Comet trail that goes from Weaver Alabama to Smyrna Georgia. It is a 110 mile long paved bike path that passes through many towns along the way. I intend to stay in motels and to take 4 days to complete at a very leisurely pace. I will be riding my Surly CrossCheck and doing it alone.

rodar y rodar

Wow, Adrian- what a great trip! I see you also posted in December about planning a different, but equally adventurous loop in the south end of the park. Did you end up doing that too, or did it kind of turn into the one you just wrote up? I sure wish you had taken more pics! I have a trip planned for the park, leaving in not quite three weeks, but much tamer than yours. I hope to incorporate a Beatty-Titus loop and a triangle of Emmigrant, Wildrose, Panamint Valley from a start and end point near the middle.

mtnbud

I agree Adrian. Thanks for the trip report. Your pictures bring back good memories. I grew up in Huntington Beach and we used to camp in some of the same terrain though a little farther south. I spent many a summer riding my little Honda at Stoddard Wells. If I still lived in CA - your route would definitely be on my bucket list.

Adrian74

The trip in December didn't turn out as planned. My wife and I started it but had to cancel on day two after she developed severe pain and swelling in her achilles. We think it had to do with her fairly new cycling shoes. The tongues were digging into her shins so she started pointing her toes while riding. The following day she wore other shoes as she didn't want to be clipped in on the dirt. These shoes dug into her achilles and exacerbated the problem and we decided to hitch a lift back to the car at Furnace Creek and try it another time. I am waiting for work to slack a little before doing that route again, hopefully within the next month.
I have plenty more photos from the trip but didn't post them. I may put some more up on Flickr.
Your trip sounds great. Titus should be a fun ride, I still want to cycle it. I have driven the route. If you can do that you can pretty much do anything. I'd like to hear about your trip.

Adrian74

I added some more photos to a Flickr Album from my Death Valley tour.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/n6vdr/s...th/6873856523/

djb

adrian , sorry to hear about your wifes achilles, I once had an small achilles issue on a trip once and you certainly dont want to mess around with riding when parts are painful and sore, not worth it for long term. Unfortunately this does remind us never to use newish anything when heading out for a trip, its easy to forget that sometimes. Hopefully rest etc will solve her problem, in my case I was especially careful about keeping that area warm for a while after to help avoid any stiffness from being cold, as well as just being easy on it and careful of not overexerting.

alas, as for 2012, Ive only been on the trainer in the basement for some hours, can only dream and read of you lot.

rodar y rodar

Great stuff, thanks for posting! I`ve never been to Saline Valley before- sure would like to make a loop through up through the racetrack and back around the way you rode. Not this time, though. Hope your wife heals up okay.

rodar y rodar

I went on a one nighter last weekend, starting from CA Route 70 near Quincy, CA. Rode up a single lane paved road to an old hydroelectric plant and the former company town of Caribou- very cool place.

Then up gravel switchbacks to the partially frozen Butt Valley reservoir.

From the reservoir to Route 89 was a mudfest!
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Several miles of paved rollers on 89 followed, then back onto dirt, up and over to the semi ghost town of Seneca, CA.
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It was a kind of neat place, but not much to see. Backtracked about a half mile and camped on a little offshoot road. The next morning, I tried to connect to a road going back to my start point by way of the next valley over. The road was snowed over, but I was able to get by pretty well by following truck tracks....

...until the tracks stopped and turned around. I tried to continue on my own, but breaking trail through the snow was more work than I wanted to do, so I turned around too. Went back to Seneca, then a short cut to Butt Valley, where it was even muddier than it had been the day before.

EDIT: Aw, man. I can`t ever seem to get images to insert any more
Well, here`s a link to all of em if anybody wants to look.
https://s161.photobucket.com/albums/t...Seneca%20ride/

djb

frozen butt valley---chuckle, just couldnt help laughing at that one.

rodar y rodar

You wouldn`t be chuckling it it were YOUR butt valley!

djb

chuckle, no I wouldnt.....a frozen butt valley is no laughing matter.
Sure did get muddy there didnt it, hope you didnt have to ride all gunked up for too long.

robert schlatte

I'm planning a two day- one night out- tour of the west side of the northern lower peninsula of Michigan. I estimate total loop will be about 100 miles. Part of it will be along a beautiful section of Lake Michigan. I will camp at Wilderness State park and return via Mackinaw City and along Lake Huron. I know it's incredibly short, but that is about all I have time to do right now.

rodar y rodar

Well, that`s kind of the thing with short tours, ain`t it? Have a great time!

fietsbob

loop
north to south on the coast, Florence To Eugene, inland,
south to north either following the river to Portland.
or
You can train/bus the I-5 corridor, and Bus Portland to the North Coast.

zoltani

Love it!