Going Stateside
 

Yeah Dudes,

(amended intro due to inappropriate prior hello, if offence caused then a sincere apology xx). I know an explaination is not required but my writing style is only composed for the reader. I get bored with reading standard msg's, I like to read and write with a little more flare.

How the funk are you? English rider on your site. I have been using a more local cycle site until now but found it to be a little reserved and does not have a fundamental requirement of mine......namely Americans. My desire to communicate with our brothers (and/or sisters) across the pond is neither down to your flamboyant nature, nor is it due to those groovy 60/70/80s tracks that pumped out across the UK radio stations back when America ruled the World, well the bit between the Pacific, the Atlantic, south of The Great Lakes and north of Ciudad Juarez anyway. :p . No, the reason for my contact with the State-side fraternity is my desire to cross your great nation on two wheels. I have visited the USA some years back and missed so much due to time constraints.

I can say with some authority on the matter that while the World has many attractions worth visiting before you die, most of them are of natures doing. America has so much more of the fun stuff......man made stuff. Bright lights, big cities, casinos to die for, real aircraft carriers (with fancy futuristic names like the world famous USS Enterprise), and let's not forget the place we all want to visit before we die Area 51.

Anyway, I am looking for a travel swap shop. I want someone who can provide me with help like the purchase of a vehicle for my wife and little one to be able to accompany me on my tour, local knowledge of laws I may need to know for cycling, a base to navigate back to if need be, etc etc. I can offer the same thing in return. If someone out there wishes to cycle the length and breadth of the UK, I can provide support, a place to partake in some home cooked meals, maybe even a cycle buddy if work commitments allow.

Go on give me a shout :D

We're Australians and Canadians here. :)

You have one of the more entertaining writing styles I've seen in this forum. I like it.

Are you familiar with the warmshowers list? http://www.warmshowers.org/

I can't think of too many laws you need to be concerned with other than the obvious one of biking on the right side of the road.

As for attractions, America has more than its fair share of natural attractions. Some of the finest and most unusual scenery on the planet is located in the western US, and it's generally a lot friendlier for biking than most of the cities here.

It's important to time your trip properly. Most of the country has very hot summers (much hotter than you're used to), with high humidity in the east and very dry air in most of the west.

allo guv, I do have to tell you that "jungle bunnies" is a term that was used when I was a kid, to describe black people, and it isnt a very polite thing to say....
it would be like me walking in some part of London or Manchester and calling people "hey you lot of wanking chavs..."

just a wee heads up that you might want to strike that one off your vocab while in the US or Canada.

Yeah, funny how trying to be hip can be totally uncool.

It's best just to be yourself.

And it might be worth pointing out that there are quite a few English posters on this site. And Australians. And Canadians. And Netherlanders. And Irish. And German. The occasional French. And Swede. And Italian. Let alone ex-pats in Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Mexico.

Just off the top of my head.

So welcome to this international forum ...

What is your proposed route across North America?

The terms is still used and has made somewhat of a comeback during the last 3 1/2 years.

i would recommend detroit or cincinnati. harlem is also lovely.

chuckle , funny saddlesores.

I wonder if he is just taking the piss out of us? (translation, "pulling our legs")

You mean you want to arrive here and buy the bike after you get here?


You know this is the sink or swim no NHS wild west..
don't get sick or injured without paid up private medical insurance.

Jungle bunnies???

You might also like to note that duplicate posts are frowned on here. Jus' saying'.

Thanks to all of you for your comments. I will be purchasing a bike and van upon arrival in the states and will be heading Along the Transamerican trail and back along the northern side of the country so if I want to detour into Canada then I can xx

I've been to Harlem, I stayed up that end of town for a month in 2005. other than not going out too late at night, the place was nice. Very much like parts of London. I would love to go to Detroit but don't know much aboutcincinnati. I understand that you considered my opening as disrespectful and I apologise, I have also amended my intro, however to cite locations as areas where someone may wish to go if they have a racist bone in their body (which I do not), implies in itself that YOU consider certain factions of society to be less than pleasant and areas which are dominated by a certain creed, colour or race may be dangerous. Who is the racist? I don't care for your skin colour so long as you know how to enjoy life xxxx

What they were saying is that you might not want to stroll through the south side of Chicago or the Badlands of Philadelphia waving to folks and calling them jungle bunnies if self-preservation is an instinct which you possess. You'd almost certainly get similar advice regarding the use of the term "peckerwood" or "cracker" in certain parts of the south. Nothing racist about it. Just pointing out realities.

Austin Powers, International Man of Bike Touring.

Have you done any research on the amount of time you are able to spend in the US as a tourist?

Those who trumpet their ability to write with flair would do well to learn to spell it...