Yes, it is. I've barely given CTC a passing glance because of my assumption that it's only a UK based organization.

Well, all this discussion spurred me to buy some maps for whatever that is worth lol.

It looks like the main feature, but not the only one, of ACA is maps. While the information about stores, campgrounds and free lodging sites seems worthwhile, I doubt anyone would be interested in them if not for the maps, and that is my main problem with ACA. For the places that I am intimately familiar with, the routes chosen are generally quite poor. They seem to value access to commercial resources higher than avoiding dangerous road/traffic conditions. I often get from A to B by more scenic and mountainous routes than what recommended by ACA and deal with orders of magnitude less traffic. That said, access to commercial amenities is probably more important to most Americans than it is to me, so they are likely serving their audience okay.

I am not a member but I do know this, I was a GIS major in college, and making maps is not cheap. Cartographers char ge a lot of money, on par with architects and engineers. I haven't a clue what ACA charges for maps oR memberships but it really isn't cheap to make and publish maps

I would be, in part for their advocacy efforts and their publication.

+1

Their maps have nothing to do with my membership, its all about their advocacy for me.

I won't say their maps have nothing to do with it for me, but I do maintain membership where I buy maps in a given year or not. Their advocacy efforts are a big part of it for me.

Me too. I just renewed my membership, and in their reply email I suddenly realized that I've apparently been a member for 14 years now! Even though I am not going on tours every year (not by a long shot), I just feel like this is one of those organizations that I have absolutely no problem supporting on an ongoing basis. The Adventure Cyclist magazine is just a nice bonus (and helps inspire me on dark winter evenings), but apart from that I know I am supporting an organization that is promoting something I care about. They bring a little bit of good into the world, and that's something worth supporting. I truly don't understand the hostility that some people here seem to feel, though they are of course entitled to their opinions. I guess on the plus side, that negativity probably spurs some of us to comment, where we might not have bothered otherwise.

When I think about the $40 I just spent... that's, what, a couple of pizzas? And in return I know I am supporting an organization that is developing some really awesome bicycle routes - most recent being the Sierra Cascades, which I really want to do:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/news...30.cfm?use=web

... and then there's the upcoming Route 66:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/news...22.cfm?use=web

I'll be really interested to see what they do with Route 66 - it's a difficult one because many parts of it are now overlayed by freeway. So you either bite the bullet and ride on the highway, or have to go off route and find a way around... I can't wait to see what they come up with. When you look at their route network, it's looking pretty impressive:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/network.cfm

This is an organization worth supporting, in my opinion.

Neil

While on tour around Lake Ontario last summer, we happened to stop at the same restaurant as a fellow cycling the lake in the opposite direction. We had done all the route research ourselves in advance - Google Streetview, Ride with GPS, and a LOT of browsing these forums and CGOAB. Peter was using an ACA map for his tour, and gave us the dime tour over breakfast.

Based on the map I saw, including all the reference material others have mentioned here, and the quality of the map construction itself, I decided right then and there that I will be using their maps for any future tours I do that follow any of their routes.

Beside, how can anyone slag an organization with ties like this.

Peace,
Brawny

Good stuff costs money and Adventure Cycling is good stuff. Now, there are a lot of ways to tour by bike, some of them are really cheap, fly by the seat of your pants ways of having fun! I wouldn't say a single bad word about the guy who borrows his sister's old step thu 10-speed, duck tapes an old Power Rangers sleeping bag to the handle bars and heads out tour. Ride what you got where ever you want! But if you have the money, the AC maps are really good. Heck, if you want the ride of a lifetime, get the AC coast to coast map (your choice of route), buy a new touring bike from the LBS, and new light weight camping gear at REI. Sure, you *can* do it cheaper, but the top shelf maps, bike and gear mean less worrying and more relaxing and enjoying the ride.

Jeeze, hating on AC is like hating puppies! Maybe you don't like dogs, but still.....