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Las Vegas to Canada

Old 12-18-16, 05:41 AM
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Las Vegas to Canada

Hey everyone! So in March 2017 my partner and I are planning on cycling from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, then to Bryce and over to the Garden of Gods, Colorado where we'll then meet up with the Great Divide route to carry on to Canada. However, we're completely new to the cycling scene and I can barely ride a bike on my own so we'll be going on a tandem.

We've already bought the bike, which is a Dawes Double Edge and are working on kitting it out to do some test runs before the trip. However, due to our work schedules we're probably not going to be able to do nearly as many as I would like before we set off.

So the question is, does anyone know of any cycle trails along our route (rough idea provided in image) that would be okay on a tandem? My partner is a much better cyclist than I am so it doesn't have to be trails only okay for newbies either, especially since we'll probably get a lot better the further north we go due to experience (hopefully anyway ).

Also, any awesome attractions or free campsites that you know of? And do we need to carry bear canisters since we'll be camping out nearly every night? Are there any other laws that we should be aware of?

Cheers and thanks in advance!
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Old 12-19-16, 02:23 PM
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Post the map on a separate website where it is large enough to read. When I tried opening it, the image was still to small to see.

Check out the website for Sylvia Halpern Travels By Trike Home. She came through Las Vegas from Portland, Oregon last December on her way to the east coast. The route she took from Portland to St George should cover a part of you planned trip. She has made many of these trips around the US and in foreign countries. She probably has a pretty good idea of where to ride in all of the western states. She also knows how to plan an unsupported bike trek and probably could give a lot of pointers.

I's suggest your ride as much as you can between now and next March so that you are in good shape to go long distances and cope with some hilly terrain. If you live in the Las Vegas valley, there are some pretty good places to build endurance like the area south of the REI store in Henderson. If you don't do this, the first few days are going to be really rough. It will take months to build endurance so don't wait for winter to end.
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Old 12-19-16, 05:01 PM
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Thanks @VegasTriker !

You can see an enlarged photo at Travel Blog | 2016-17 United Kingdom I thought uploading it to this site would make it bigger than that...otherwise, why bother with an attachment button. lols.

Have sent a FB message to Sylvia so thanks a ton for that tip and will check out her message the first chance I get (bit late here and work tomorrow). I'm currently in England, but we're already starting to get in shape. Today was our second trip out on our tandem and we went 20 miles with about 1400ft rise and descent. We're definitely way less sore than the first day so hopefully that means we're making progress. (: We're hoping to get in at least one or two multi-day trips before we go so we can test all of our kit as well.

Would you happen to know how easy it is to get butane gas for a camping stove in the Rockies? Or should we buy one that can run on petrol? I've been on Walmart's website and they said they were out of stock of camping fuel and even if they weren't, that it was $61.24 a can!!! Is that just a mistype do you think?
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Old 12-19-16, 05:55 PM
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Two guys on a tandem fully loaded in the Rockies in March!?!?
I don't know about that. Sounds like you are going to get your @ss3s kicked.

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Old 12-20-16, 03:47 AM
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Originally Posted by trailangel
Two guys on a tandem fully loaded in the Rockies in March!?!?
I don't know about that. Sounds like you are going to get your @ss3s kicked.
Well one of us is a girl, so we'll probably end up doing the butt kicking under my awesome, newbie leadership.

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Old 12-20-16, 08:29 AM
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Ha!
If you have one of those small butane/propane camping stoves, you can probably find 200g cartridges at any store along the way.
As long as it is not CampingGaz brand stove. These are no longer imported into the USA. Not sure how you are getting the $60 price on butane.
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Old 12-20-16, 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by trailangel
Two guys on a tandem fully loaded in the Rockies in March!?!?
I don't know about that. Sounds like you are going to get your @ss3s kicked.
In another thread I have already let them know that, absent some incredible, much of the GDR will still likely be snowed in. The Great Basin in Wyoming is one of the most remote parts of the entire route. Literally days of riding between towns under normal conditions. In the event of an injury, who goes for help? How do they go for help? Cell phone coverage is only on about 5% of the route. Subfreezing temperatures, at least at altitude, are a virtual certainty, as is precipitation. Some of the U.S.F.S. sites will likely be closed, with the water shut off and the bathrooms locked. What could possibly go wrong here?


Part of the route warning:


"The remoteness of this route translates to long stretches of country without basic services, particularly emergency services. All services are minimal at best, except near larger towns, and cell phone coverage is only about 5 percent of the route. About one third of the overnights are characterized as undeveloped wilderness sites, and most others are Forest Service sites with pit toilets and a water source. Food sources are usually small-town establishments, convenience stores, and campground groceries with limited supplies. Towns are spaced every two to three days along most of the route. They tend to be extremely small and often have limited services. It is necessary to be flexible in what you eat. Showers, flush toilets, drinking water, and laundromats are sometimes widely spaced. It is good to have some back-country camping experience before riding the Great Divide to know how to minimally impact the land. The Great Basin in Wyoming and New Mexico both call for long-mileage days and carrying food and water for several days at a time.


'You should also carry bear repellent, available at sporting goods stores in the larger towns of Canada and Montana, and become familiar with its safe and proper use. Always be bear-aware, and follow these rules when camping:
  • Store all food, garbage, and other attractants in a bear-resistant manner, well away from your tent. This can include hanging them in a stuff sack from rope slung over a high, isolated tree branch, or storing them in a bear-proof container provided at some campgrounds.
  • Attractants such as food leftovers, fish entrails, and bacon grease should not be buried or burned in campfires. Leftover food and waste should be placed in a sealed bag or container and packed out with garbage. If leftover food or other attractants must be burned, do so in a contained fire stove or in an appropriate container over a campfire, then pack out the ash."
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Old 12-20-16, 12:00 PM
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Thanks for your concern @indyfabz and we did take your month/weather post into account. Due to that, we've decided to see what other routes are available. We're not just going to stick to the Great Divide trail even if there's a snowstorm brewing. If it's not impassable for our skill set, we're not going to attempt it. We have experience with remote hikes and the like and have the same safety issues to address. We've had an emergency beacon of sorts that we take on hikes or cross-country paragliding trips for years now and if needed, we'll be able to contact the nearest rescue service via satellite.

We're also going to get bear repellent and will take every precaution we can to not get eaten as that's definitely, by far, one of my biggest fears. Lols.
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Old 12-20-16, 02:31 PM
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Consider mapping your own route on regular road maps. Always better to choose what to see and where to go rather than following someone else's route. Enjoy the adventure of the road less taken. For general information on cross country bicycling see mindbiking.com.
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Old 12-21-16, 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by mindbiking
Consider mapping your own route on regular road maps. Always better to choose what to see and where to go rather than following someone else's route. Enjoy the adventure of the road less taken. For general information on cross country bicycling see mindbiking.com.
That's basically what we're doing. We're just getting some suggestions as we're completely new to the whole biking scene and don't know where to look. (:
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Old 01-16-17, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Mri G.
Thanks for your concern @indyfabz and we did take your month/weather post into account. Due to that, we've decided to see what other routes are available.

The other day I had a back and forth email exchange with someone from Adventure Cycling with whom I have had dealing regarding routing, etc. I was looking for some specific information regarding a particular part of a tour I have planned for MT and ID this June. She told me they have gotten a lot of snow so far this year and expect more.


One important thing you have to realize about the GD route is that if you may be days from the nearest highway and any services. Things may look fine at point A, but if you go out on a portion of the route, end up in the middle of one of those stretches and get hit with a storm or find the way impassible due to conditions that you didn't anticipate when you started the stretch, you won't simply be able to walk your bikes a couple of miles to the nearest paved, plowed highway. And as for being rescued, I would be concerned with being sent a bill. Choppers cost a lot to operate.
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Old 01-17-17, 08:25 AM
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Yeah, this winter has been a real ***** so far and more snow is supposed to be coming later this week. I'm guessing a lot of the seasonal roads will open later than normal this year. I'm wanting to go to Crater Lake and that will probably have to wait until late summer.
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Old 01-17-17, 08:55 AM
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Originally Posted by DXchulo
I'm wanting to go to Crater Lake and that will probably have to wait until late summer.

Have you ever ridden in the park? I have ridden up to the Rim Road, around and back down twice as part of Cycle Oregon. Once from Diamond Lake and once from Ft. Klamath and then down to Prospect. It's a tough ride around the rim. If you do it, make sure to ride the little out and back to Cloud Cap Overlook. Awesome view.
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Old 01-17-17, 09:20 AM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Have you ever ridden in the park? I have ridden up to the Rim Road, around and back down twice as part of Cycle Oregon. Once from Diamond Lake and once from Ft. Klamath and then down to Prospect. It's a tough ride around the rim. If you do it, make sure to ride the little out and back to Cloud Cap Overlook. Awesome view.
I haven't been yet, which is ridiculous considering how close I live. I might go on one of the car-free days, but sometimes dealing with other cyclists is more of a pain than dealing with cars.
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Old 01-17-17, 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by DXchulo
but sometimes dealing with other cyclists is more of a pain than dealing with cars.

Heh. So true. Cycle Oregon has about 2,000 people. Fortunately, when they do Crater Lake, many of them don't circle the rim, so it's not overly crowded. With that said, my first year I was on a small descent about to pass a scenic pullout when two clueless cyclist started to enter the road without looking to see if anyone was coming. Fortunately, I was able to avoid them. The event is held the weekend after Labor Day. That seems like a good time to go. Kids are back in school, so there was very little auto traffic both times. Mornings can be cold, but if the sun is out, it (and the hills) warm you up quickly.
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