Route Advice
 

Hello,

I need your advice on the route my brother and I will be travelling in the US. Since its our first time, we just want to cycle a 1000km stretch, give or take. Our plan is to stay at camping ground like KOA and others along the way. We have hybrid bicycles by giant.

Route;

Washington
Harrisonburg
(George Washington & Jefferson National Park)
Raonoke
Abington
(Cherokee National Forest)
Newport
Great Smokey Mountains
Atlanta

This is not the exact route but an estimate of places.
Please guide us in the matter.

Cheers!!

It isn't clear exactly what advice you're looking for - do you want suggestions on how to get between each successive pair of places?

I haven't toured in any of those places except the Great Smokies and Washington DC, and I took a very different route that didn't go through any of the other locations on your list. So I can't help you much with routing, other than to note that the Appalachians have some very steep hills, and you'll want to keep that in mind when you plan routes.

Another bit of advice: I wouldn't recommend KOA for a bike tour (or tent camping in general). You're better off camping in state parks, forests, etc. It will usually be quieter, cheaper, and more scenic.

Wouldn't it be a little dangerous in terms of animals? I mean, when it comes to wild camping, there are a lot of questions!
We were thinking of KOA and other campsites during the trip.

I was also thinking of buying Campingaz Stove for 190g Butane. But didn't buy it because I did not know if I would find Camping 190g Butane box in US. Are there any shops in NYC where I can get them?

Thankyou!!

KOA is an expensive option. That said, there are many private campgrounds to pick from. So, that option would work.

As for animals? There are a few. Bears - if you take normal precautions shouldn't be a problem. Snakes - rattle snakes/cotton mouths/ Copperhead. None an issue unless you hike in the woods. Deer ticks- not an animal but not to be triffled with. Wild camping this bug/pest will be your biggest/smallest threat. Its bite can make you very ill. And the the area you are going to is infested with them. Permethrin is the best deterrent. As is learning their habitat. Read up, use the bug spray, and you'll be fine.

I haven't seen Campingaz in any stores in 20 years. I think that version of canned gas is no longer available in the US. Perhaps Amazon.

The stoves here use MSR/Snowpeak/etc gas cans which have a different value/attachment method vs Campingaz.

I bought some at REI within the last 5 years or so as I have a small burner that I toured with in Spain 15 years ago. However, it's not now listed on their web site. Campmor doesn't list it either. I did some poking around and I think you might be right. The official Campinggaz site lists a bunch of countries but not the U.S. That sort of sucks as I have two remaining canisters that are running low. I like to take the burner when I car camping or do a supported tour where I just want to boil water for coffee. I did the latter just last summer during the Bon Ton Roulet.

A friend of mine had a Campinggaz stove back in the 70's. I remember the canister as being very tall and you had to use a snapon base for the canister. Gradually it appears that the alternative MSR/Snowpeak/Primus valve/tank became the norm. I have a MSR Superfly stove that is designed to fit both types of canister valves.

The Gaz canisters evolved to the point where they were much like the ones you mention. Mine burner screws onto the canister, which is small, although when I was in Spain you could get larger ones. Maybe my burner will fit something like a Snowpeak canister. I will have to check one out.

I thought the original Gaz canisters were puncture types, that once you mounted the stove, it could not be removed without all the gas leaving the canister. That was a big downside. Sounds like they changed the design along the way.

My old Bluet (Camping Gaz) threaded into the top stove section then penetrated the tank with a pin. The MSR threads directly onto the tank. The Camping Gaz hasn't been available in the US for decades. Even the MSR fuel cannister is getting hard to find. Walmart carried a Coleman version for a while but apparently no longer. You almost have to find an REI or EMS to re-supply. This suddenly makes it less desirable for an extended trip. You won't find a roadside retailer in a rural area.

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/a...kes/stoves.jpg

edit- Looks like Walmart now sells the Optimus version of the MSR style tank, but it has to be purchased in advance through Walmart dot com. You'd have to order ahead to have one waiting for you.

On one trip I had to buy one of these as an emergency replacement stove in a rural area...
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/a...an%20stove.jpg
Heavy and clunky, but every hardware store in the US has the tank!

Yes. They did. Look at the Bluet Bob G pictures. I have a similar one, but it's newer. The upper part looks exactly the same but the base is different. It screws on and can be removed without the gas leaking out. When I toured Spain in '00 it was actually difficult to find the newer, screw on canisters. When I did find them I would buy a couple to keep in reserve.

For camping: Campgrounds for Camping RV Parks, State Parks USA

Fiddle around at this site to filter what you want. Best I've seen. KOA's are often nice places, but can be expensive, and may not always allow tent camping. Wild camping is nearly always possible if not too picky and you know how to do it. Never had any problem with animals or humans.

The burner and Coleman gas cannister in BobG's post is inexpensive and practical, except for the bulk. Kinda depends on how much cooking you expect to do. I carry an MSR Pocket Rocket, but the gas cannisters are usually only available in the big, chain outdoor stores like Gander Mountain, Academy, and Bass ProShop. Expect about 10 days/large size, light to moderate amount of cooking. I usually just heat some water for morning coffee and oatmeal now and don't mess with much actual cooking. A lot of people seem to like the Jetboil system.

If there are any ACA routes that coincide with your path, it will probably save money to buy their maps just for the cheap or free campsites they list. Some churches allow tourists to stay overnight indoors, for example, or people will let you camp on their land. Fire stations are also good places to check to see if they'll let you stay.

Yep. As visitors to the US, you'll likely enjoy your tour more and learn a lot more by investing in the ACA maps. They do minimize the advanced planning required and you'll almost certainly meet more of your cycling peers.