Machka 

How did the 2013 plans go ... got any coming up before the end of the year?

jhawk

Unfortunately not. I had wanted to do a trip up to my LBS (about 80K away) over the weekend so they could take a look at the new bike. But the weather's getting too cold. Cursed Canadian winters - starting in October and finishing sometime in May!

staehpj1 

I went backpacking instead of touring this year, but still just might squeeze in a late Fall tour. I am planning a June/July dirt road/off road tour of Idaho for 2014 though.

Erick L

Quite well: https://www.borealphoto.com/vancouver...sunshine_coast

Over 2/3 of the pictures come from a 6-day hike on the West Coast Trail, dubbed "Wet Coast Trail" although it didn't rain during my hike. I did get rain almost every day on the "Sunshine Coast". I followed this loop, starting from Vancouver: https://goo.gl/maps/elZUm. The missing part is the West Coast Trail, done by foot. My bike was transported to the trail end by boat. I then too the naval shuttle to Port Alberni, biked to Tofino and took the same shuttle, but from Ucluelet, and then finished via the Sunshine Coast.

One of the coolest thing happened on highway 4 about 30km from the west coast. There was a little 500m trail to some giant trees. I didn't feel like walking at all but heard a bald eagle and wanted a break from the road so I went. A little further, the river had sockeye salmons in it. I went back to the bike to lock it and get my camera and tripod. I put the GoPro in the river with the timelapse on, hoping to get an underwater pic of the salmons. It started raining so I waited under a tree when a bear came out on the opposite bank. Unfortunately, it was coming my way so I came out from under the tree because I didn't want to surprise it after it got too close. It got scared and ran away before I could get any decent shot (like a salmon in its mouth). A little clip: https://youtu.be/6kJ9OBm3boA I saw more bears fishing salmon at Porpoise provincial park but it was dark and bears were skittish. All I got there is a bear butt pic.

indyfabz

Aside from spending two weeks in Italy at a cycling camp, I did a 3-day from Port Jervis, NY to Philly with a stop at a wolf preserve. Last month I did the GAP then went up to Bedford, PA and rode mostly PA Bike Route S to Philly. Took a day longer than expected thanks to heat and humidity and some unrealistic mileage goals. The GF and I also rode down to her parents' NJ beach house, did four day rides while there and then rode home. One night we saw the International Space Station fly over the roof deck.

Hoping for a warm, dry weekend before winter sets in. If I get one, I might do a three day to and from the house.

WonderMonkey

A few one-nighters is all that I think I'll be able to do this year given the weekends that are planned so far. I think it will be good training in transitioning my backpacking thoughts to bikepacking.

Machka 

So how was the touring in 2013?

lenA

Half circle of Lake Michigan pre-bug season

Stash car with relatives in Green Bay Wisconsin... then and across the Upper Peninsula and down to Ludington, Michigan for the ferry ride back across to Wisconsin

Recycle

^
We did a Lake Michigan ferry crossing around the south half of Lake Michigan in 2012. This year we just puttered around for a week in Lake Michigan Harbor Country, but only from Chicago to Saugatuck.

Our big trip was a 50th wedding anniversary Bike 'n' Boat on the Danube Bike Path from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary.

BobG

I did a two week trip from NH to VA with mostly sunny weather and pleasant temperatures, leaving my home in Jackson just after Labor Day. The first day was the longest and one of the toughest. 80 miles across the White Mountains including Bear Notch, Kancamagus Pass and Kinsman Notch finishing at Orford, NH on the CT river. From there I followed the CT River Valley south through NH, VT, and MA with stops at Ascutney and Brattleboro VT and Westhampton MA.

Then on into the killer hills of the Berkshires and south through NW CT to Litchfield where I took a rainy day off at Bantam Lake. From there west and across the pedestrian walkway bridge at Poughkeepsie with an overnight just across the bridge at Highland NY.

The next day I picked up the ACA Atlantic Coast Route and followed it most of 3 days through the Shawangunks and Delaware Water Gap to Riegelsville NJ/PA. Overnights were at Goddefroy NY and Worthington State Forest NJ. At Riegelsville, not wanting to get closer to Philadelphia, I left the ACA route and turned more westerly stopping for the night at a private camp near Quakertown PA continuing the next day to French Creek State Park and back to the ACA route. An overnight at a motel in Marietta PA, across the Susquehanna and off the ACA route again to Westminster MD.

The last full day of riding was from Westminster to Swain's Lock on the C&O canal. The final morning was an easy 15 mile cruise down the tow path into Washington and across the Potomac to Reagan airport where I had a rental car waiting to travel around VA to visit family.

iohan.gue

Against all common sense and logic I am heading out from Near Toronto, ON to Halifax, NS on dec 20. ~2000km for 20days, but I think I can do it especially with all the great tips from this forum!

this is the CGOAB journal which I plan on keeping up to date when/if can stay with a Warmshowers host.
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/CAN2013b

Ekdog

Did you make it to Europe?

What's a "y-be channel"?

iohan.gue

youtube channel

Ekdog

Thanks. How bizarre!