GeorgerinNH

Hello...

I am just trying to get an idea of what trip from the Atlantic to Pacific oceans would cost, taking a northern route? I don't plan on staying in motels, maybe once a week and I would like to stay at camp grounds whenever possible. What do you suppose the rough cost of a tour like this would be, not including money spent on a bike, and original supplies. Just money spent on the road.

Thanks,
Charlie

halfbiked

Where / what do you plan to eat? If you're camping, food will probably be your biggest expense. Eating at restaurants/diners for 3 meals a day could get very expensive. Cooking on a campstove every night can be tedious, 3 times a day is possibly the definition of insanity - its difficult to get good variety in the diet. If you're planning on cooking, are you buying freeze dried food at specialty camping stores? That will cost nearly as much as eating at restaurants.

GeorgerinNH

I will probably do most of the nightly meals on the stove, lunch will definatly be bought at a resturante, and I don't know about lunch yet. I don't plan on getting that much freeze dried stuff. Most fresh things from local supermarkets.

Charlie

CdCf

If you buy fresh veggies every day, and add in canned tuna and milk for protein, you have a decent on-the-road diet.

gpsblake

I spend around $10 a day on food, usually eating one fast food joint meal and two grocery store meals plus snacks/GORP per day. Fig bars from Dollar General cost a buck but will give 3,000 calories from a 2 pound box. But I plan on spending $20 a day. I take the $10 I save each day and either get a motel room once in a while or take the liberty of a real good meal at times. If you really want to budget, you can eat like the Appalachian trail hikers do, lots of Ramon noodles, rice, peanut butter, etc.

Cheers and Happy Miles,
BLake

Cyclist0094

The last two tours I spent an average of about $22 a day, that is paying an average of $10 per night camping, I cooked breakfast and dinner in camp, but eating lunch at a roadside stand or deli. a few drinks and snacks during the day. I included other incidentials such as laundry, postage, I also averaged 1 dinner and 1 breakfast a week in a restaurant.

If I were setting a budget for a cross country trip based on a 4000 mile trip, I would have at least $1400 available in cash and a credit card to cover emergencies. It could easily be done on less if one is frugal ( I did it on $350 in 1977 including the bus ticket)

Schumius

i do the canned tuna(or salami, or whatever that comes to my mind), pasta souce plus pasta everynight, and fruit of course, comes out very economical. and thereŽre lots of flavours to choose from so iŽd never got tired of this combination. as for breakfast i usually just have tea and cookies or breads with butter, lunch was about the same. i also ate lots of candies and cookies between meals.

drcrash

$25 a day on the road is about right, but the biggest expense is lost wages. If you work for a living, making the time to cycle cross country usually means you aren't earning, at least part of the time you're on the road. So, the cost can vary wildly. On the other hand, you'll pay, with unrealized dreams and regrets, if you don't make the time to go. Go for it and have fun.

CdCf

I know I could easily tour Sweden on (the equivalent of) $5-7/day.
But that includes no campsite fees and no restaurant meals.
It's legal to camp freely virtually everywhere and I don't mind "boring" food.
And stove fuel is cheap.
Cleaning can be taken care of by bathing in the many lakes and streams we have, or if necessary I'd pay for it somewhere.
If you have to spend almost every night at a campsite, it shouldn't add more than $10-15/day, right?

saddlesores

i begin with an 'average' budget of $20-25/day for planning purposes. always
come in under that amount in expenses, which gives me a slush fund for repairs
or bus transport or souvenirs, etc.

most of your camping can be free...blm land in the west, small town parks in the
middle, national forests in the east. small town motels run $15-20, campgrounds
$10-25. hot showers are a couple bucks at truck stops.

food can be as cheap or expensive as you like. ramen noodles get boring real quick.
why not pick up a can or two at the last town you go through each day? an extra
12-24 ounces won't hurt for a few miles. boy, you can't beat a big ole can of
baskettios after a long day in the saddle.

arijane

Five dollars a day. Stealth camp, because that way the animals and the campground freaks aren't stalking you. Eat out of the grocery store, nuts/raisins/m&m's, peanut butter, blocks of cheese, cans of beans, except for the noon cup of coffee.

It's a good time, and cheap livin' too.