The Oregon Trail
12-19-05, 10:43 AM
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The Oregon Trail
This not an advertisement, simply an "fyi" because the tour organization of which I am about to mention has not offered this ride in a couple of years and are now doing so, once again.
I have wanted to ride The Oregon Trail for some time and have now been able to sign up to do so with HistoricalTrailsCycling.com because of their re-offering (August 2006) of this tour that they have done a number of times over the years ....anybody going to join me :- ) **********
I have wanted to ride The Oregon Trail for some time and have now been able to sign up to do so with HistoricalTrailsCycling.com because of their re-offering (August 2006) of this tour that they have done a number of times over the years ....anybody going to join me :- ) **********
12-19-05, 04:50 PM
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Hey now, give me some slack (this isn't the Religion and Politics section is it?).
Y'all are roasting me and it isn't even August (tour departure date) yet ?
Okay, Okay..... so none of you like 'organized' rides.
I agree that 'organized' has it downsides (e.g., like feeling 'institutionalized ! ?'); however, riding solo across the plains just sounds unimaginatively boring - so a group ought to liven it up ?
Y'all are roasting me and it isn't even August (tour departure date) yet ?
Okay, Okay..... so none of you like 'organized' rides.
I agree that 'organized' has it downsides (e.g., like feeling 'institutionalized ! ?'); however, riding solo across the plains just sounds unimaginatively boring - so a group ought to liven it up ?
12-19-05, 05:42 PM
#6
Hooked on Touring
I must confess that I am not one for organized touring.
I find that the larger the group - the less likely there will be any significant interaction with local folks. I have seen it over and over again. Not only do the cyclists tend to clump together, but locals view the cyclists as a herd. (Hmmm, Wyoming - - herd.) I would encourage you to break away solo or with only one other person so that you have a chance to talk with people along the way. That is one of the greatest parts of bike touring.
Also, I'm guessing that the tour is with road bikes. Most of the Oregon Trail sites are off road - not far - but a ways. Atlantic City and South Pass City in Wyoming are examples. Great saloon in Atlantic City - great historical site at South Pass - plus it's the Continental Divide. Don't miss them. Looking at the mileage and the number of days, it seems like there isn't much time set aside for exploring. Since you won't be carrying any paniers, consider a mountain bike with drops or a hybrid so you can take in what others will miss.
It will be brutally hot and humid in the Great Plains. Ride early and late and take the middle part of the day off. In fact, the earlier the better. You'll have headwinds in Wyoming for sure. The winds pick up after noon, so again, ride early. It will be hot as blue blazes in August along the Snake River in Idaho. Seems like ride early is the mantra.
If the breakfast crew doesn't serve until 7:00, ask them to leave some granola bars and fruit and leave before 6:00. Then you can lounge around in the shade in the town park while everyone else is roasting on the blacktop.
Have a great time.
I find that the larger the group - the less likely there will be any significant interaction with local folks. I have seen it over and over again. Not only do the cyclists tend to clump together, but locals view the cyclists as a herd. (Hmmm, Wyoming - - herd.) I would encourage you to break away solo or with only one other person so that you have a chance to talk with people along the way. That is one of the greatest parts of bike touring.
Also, I'm guessing that the tour is with road bikes. Most of the Oregon Trail sites are off road - not far - but a ways. Atlantic City and South Pass City in Wyoming are examples. Great saloon in Atlantic City - great historical site at South Pass - plus it's the Continental Divide. Don't miss them. Looking at the mileage and the number of days, it seems like there isn't much time set aside for exploring. Since you won't be carrying any paniers, consider a mountain bike with drops or a hybrid so you can take in what others will miss.
It will be brutally hot and humid in the Great Plains. Ride early and late and take the middle part of the day off. In fact, the earlier the better. You'll have headwinds in Wyoming for sure. The winds pick up after noon, so again, ride early. It will be hot as blue blazes in August along the Snake River in Idaho. Seems like ride early is the mantra.
If the breakfast crew doesn't serve until 7:00, ask them to leave some granola bars and fruit and leave before 6:00. Then you can lounge around in the shade in the town park while everyone else is roasting on the blacktop.
Have a great time.
12-19-05, 06:08 PM
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Originally Posted by jamawani
I must confess that I am not one for organized touring.
I find that the larger the group - the less likely there will be any significant interaction with local folks. I have seen it over and over again. Not only do the cyclists tend to clump together, but locals view the cyclists as a herd. (Hmmm, Wyoming - - herd.) I would encourage you to break away solo or with only one other person so that you have a chance to talk with people along the way. That is one of the greatest parts of bike touring.
Also, I'm guessing that the tour is with road bikes. Most of the Oregon Trail sites are off road - not far - but a ways. Atlantic City and South Pass City in Wyoming are examples. Great saloon in Atlantic City - great historical site at South Pass - plus it's the Continental Divide. Don't miss them. Looking at the mileage and the number of days, it seems like there isn't much time set aside for exploring. Since you won't be carrying any paniers, consider a mountain bike with drops or a hybrid so you can take in what others will miss.
It will be brutally hot and humid in the Great Plains. Ride early and late and take the middle part of the day off. In fact, the earlier the better. You'll have headwinds in Wyoming for sure. The winds pick up after noon, so again, ride early. It will be hot as blue blazes in August along the Snake River in Idaho. Seems like ride early is the mantra.
If the breakfast crew doesn't serve until 7:00, ask them to leave some granola bars and fruit and leave before 6:00. Then you can lounge around in the shade in the town park while everyone else is roasting on the blacktop.
Have a great time.
I find that the larger the group - the less likely there will be any significant interaction with local folks. I have seen it over and over again. Not only do the cyclists tend to clump together, but locals view the cyclists as a herd. (Hmmm, Wyoming - - herd.) I would encourage you to break away solo or with only one other person so that you have a chance to talk with people along the way. That is one of the greatest parts of bike touring.
Also, I'm guessing that the tour is with road bikes. Most of the Oregon Trail sites are off road - not far - but a ways. Atlantic City and South Pass City in Wyoming are examples. Great saloon in Atlantic City - great historical site at South Pass - plus it's the Continental Divide. Don't miss them. Looking at the mileage and the number of days, it seems like there isn't much time set aside for exploring. Since you won't be carrying any paniers, consider a mountain bike with drops or a hybrid so you can take in what others will miss.
It will be brutally hot and humid in the Great Plains. Ride early and late and take the middle part of the day off. In fact, the earlier the better. You'll have headwinds in Wyoming for sure. The winds pick up after noon, so again, ride early. It will be hot as blue blazes in August along the Snake River in Idaho. Seems like ride early is the mantra.
If the breakfast crew doesn't serve until 7:00, ask them to leave some granola bars and fruit and leave before 6:00. Then you can lounge around in the shade in the town park while everyone else is roasting on the blacktop.
Have a great time.
Will be riding a Novara Safari with Specialized's 1.9" width inverted tread Hemispheres so I can get it up to 80 psi.
I hate getting up before dawn; however, your admonishments confirmed my suspicions that I would, in fact, be doing so. Three days out I won't know the difference :- ).
Have been doing a good bit of reading and have seen the names of the locations you mentioned. It is my impression that this route west offers more historically interesting sites than wending along the Lewis and Clark.
Take care.
