Guncutter

Folks,

I'm looking for some advice on the best options for a 4-6 week cycle tour in the USA in September?

Just some pointers in the right direction before I start researching proper...

We will probably use modified MTB's and look to camp.

I have done San Francisco to LA before and would repeat this as my friend is keen to do it... but perhaps a longer stretch of the Pacific coast starting as far as Seattle this time of year? Or a loop involving Vegas/The Canyon??

Any ideas welcome!

Thanks

staehpj1 

Astoria is a nice place to start.
FWIW, I didn't care for the ACA Pacific Coast Route in Washington State (I started in Seattle). Of course YMMV.

spinnaker

Lots of places.

Check out the Selkirk Loop out of Spokane Washington. In the east, there is the Great Allegheny Passage. Midwest the Katy.

simplygib

You're pretty much unlimited that time of year. Great time to be on the road. Much of the summer vacation crowd is back at the grindstone, yet the weather is stellar in much of the country. Maybe too hot in some places though.

Pacific Coast is great, but you could get more rain than expected (like I did last year). Then again, it could be fantastic, weather-wise. The Lewis & Clark could be a good choice, at least part of it. Cascades route, or maybe heading east out of Spokane incorporating the Coeur d'Alene trail into your route, into Montana and heading east or south from there. Or maybe Oregon, down through Klamath Falls and into Northern California, past Mt. Lassen, down to the eastern (or western) Sierra, eventually ending up down in Vegas or S. Cal somewhere. Or, maybe a tour of Utah. Utah could be fantastic - there's so much beauty in that state - Moab, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, Escalante, Zion, Bryce, etc. Wow. Now I want to go.

Cyclebum

Will be there next year in September. So, yeah, that's what I'd recommend. Bring hiking shoes.

Lewis and Clark would be another great choice. Read Undaunted Courage before.

Would recommend routing to Vegas/Grand Canyon through Death Valley, but too hot in September for that. Least for most folks.

Machka 

When do the leaves in the Vermont area begin to turn ... that would be a beautiful tour.

valygrl

I'm doing Sierra Cascades starting in the north in mid-september. Won't do all of it, probably end in Tahoe.

saddlesores

like deserts? you could bus to reno and start there.....take highway 50 across nevada,
then before you hit utah (leave that for a separate tour), south to vegas, then thru
red rocks and down to death valley.

you'd be short of time then, so would need to find the nearest amtrak station to get
you back to california.

Guncutter

Thanks all for the feedback, too many great sounding trips to choose from!!
Think it'll be a start in Washington State tho and heading down the coast from there. Now to work out the details!