dreamy

I am currently in the process of deciding whether to go touring or not. I put all my thoughts in writing, so though I would post it here as well for anyone who has the time or interest to read it….any comments or suggestions would be much appreciated

Me
I’m a 35 year old Australian with a “good” job, earning a good salary. I am just completely sick of my current day to day grind, long hours and the corporate lifestyle I am stuck in. It has always been my dream to cycle across the US, and the opportunity has just arisen for me take some months off work, so am seriously considering following the AV Transamerica route this US summer. The main thing holding me back is the sense of guilt at going on holiday for 3 months by myself, spending money and not earning any in this time, and leaving my wife here to work and take care of everything by herself in my absense (she has no interest in accompanying me). She is encouraging me to go as she knows what a grumpy demotivated bastard I have become and thinks it would be good for me, and is getting sick of me always talking about it. This is still my main argument towards not going.

I know I don’t have much time to prepare, but following is the gist of what I am planning. I am not the sort of person who likes to plan things heavily in advance, so would just be happy to start and then go with the flow…
I have read just about every journal on crazyguyonabike.com as well as just about anything else I can find on cycle touring, and this has only motivated me further…

Bike
I will need to buy one of these, as my current bike is an old road bike, and although I do put panniers on it, it is unsuitable for fully loaded touring (I need a new bike anyway). I have done lots of research and narrowed it down to a Trek 520 or get the LBS to build a Surly Long haul Trucker (they say they can do it for slightly more $$ than the Trek). It is pretty limited here in regards to checking out any other options as shops around here don’t tend to stock any other touring bikes. I’m not too fussy though – I am sure they all work as long as the components are reasonable….
I know it would be good to source parts and build one up myself but I just don’t have the time or patience at the moment
The other thought I have is to buy it in the US from somewhere close to where I am starting, and have it ready by the time I arrive. This will be around $500 cheaper than buying it here and will save on the hassles of shipping. Obviously the problem is that I will be embarking on a 3 month tour on a bike I have never ridden before, but as long as I start slow I guess it should be OK, and I can make adjustments en route. Also there is always the chance of getting mucked around by the shop and finding it is not ready when I arrive in the US and having to wait around for a week or more.

Fitness and endurance
I’m not too worried here as I currently run around 40kms per week as well as 1 or 2 50-60km cycles. I have run numerous marathons, and have also cycled 200 kms in a day, so have experienced endurance activities before and would have a reasonable starting level of fitness.

Other equipment
I have lots of camping gear that I have used for hiking, so am fine there. I have a cheap set of panniers, but very little cycling gear. My plan would be to start with these and the bare minimum of gear and just chuck out, replace or buy other stuff as needed en route – I assume there are heaps of bike shops en route to buy gear?
I would plan to camp most of the time, with the odd room.

Touring experience
I have never cycle toured before, however have done lot of hiking and camping. I have also backpacked through Europe, parts of Asia and Africa when younger, so don’t see this as a major problem as I have experienced months on end camping and living out of a backpack.

Timing and direction
I’m not fussed on direction to travel, and have read the arguments for both ways. I may end up tossing a coin, although for some reason gut instinct says W to E…. I see most people start in May, although it would suit me better to start a month later. What is realistically the latest one could start to avoid really bad weather??

So there is my 2 cents worth, thanks for reading and any comments or suggestions would be much appreciated

Rowan

Do it.

Purchase over in the US is a realistic option. Depends where you start from. Harris Cyclery and Peter White Cycles on the East Coast spring to mind as shops with an empathy with cycle touring. They could still ship to the West coast for you. A tip -- measure your current bike (if it is comfortable and fits) for everything and use that to set up a new bike over there.

Your hiking, backpacking and camping experience will easily translate to cycle-touring.

Yes, do it.

Alekhine

The corporate lifestyle sickness seems epidemic among the tour set. It's interesting how many of us need to escape its grip from time to time with near-primitivism. It's like that sort of catharsis and soul cleansing you get from a nice bath or shower.

It sounds like you have a good general plan.

I would go east --> west, personally. IMHO, the Rockies are a sort of ideal climax after the comparative boredom of 1000 miles of plains, with the Pacific coast being a refreshing denouement to the whole trip. It's also kind of interesting to follow the historical direction of America's 'manifest destiny.' Not to knock the charms of the east coast, of course (I've lived here most of my life and have had most of my greatest touring adventures here), but the older hills of the Appalachian chain, while extremely beautiful, don't always offer quite the stark majesty of the newer, bigger mountains of the west, and are a little anticlimactic comparatively (again, *IMHO*). I must say, though, that West Virginia/Pennsylvania/Southern NY (in the heart of the Appalachians) are such pretty states that they would be a satisfactory mountain trip-ender, with Boston, MA as a great final destination, but it can be a little cold if you stretch your time frame well into Autumn.

jamawani 

Dear Dr. Eamy -

I've been touring most years since 1987 when I did my first of seven coast-to-coasts. I've been up in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Alaska. Nowadays I spend most of my touring time in the American and Canadian Wests mixing pavement and dirt. I'm sure you Autralians have your own share of dirt - red dirt. I'll do my best addressing each of your concerns.

Me - I can't begin to calculate the money I've spent and the money I haven't earned - the larger by far. But touring isn't about money - in fact, I would argue that it just might put you in another place regarding the role of money in your life. Of course, I'm single and you are married which is a huge difference. My Mom used to always ask when I was planning on getting a "real" job.

Bike - I've had my current touring bike - "Lucy" - since 1989 - - a Trek 8000. She has maybe 100,000 miles on her. I can't say enough good things about Treks. But, I've seen people crossing the country on three-speeds - so there are lots of bikes that can do it - just find one that is comfortable for you. You will need to build in a few days to get used to the bike and for potential delays if you buy it in the US.

Fitness - There are a number of types of touring fitness. I have no doubts about your physical fitness. Plus, you've biked a lot already. Going from day riding to touring is a significant mental transition as well. There can be issues of isolation, loneliness, even boredom to deal with. Plus solo touring can leave a person feeling extremely vulnerable - especially women.

Gear - I toured for years with super cheapo Performance panniers. You can do perfectly well with inexpensive gear. You might want to think about essentials and order from an online company and have it waiting for you at the start of your trip.
It would be a lot cheaper - plus you'd have a wider selection. Most of the bike shops in small towns along the way have a limited selection of gear. They are great folks in these shops who will ALWAYS get you back on the road if you have a broken spoke or snapped cable.

Experience - There is nothing in this world like the feeling one gets on a three-month tour - - it takes at least a week to get into the tranformation and you begin to come out of it in your last week - - so a two week tour just doesn't do it. Closest thing to Zen I've ever experienced. Not sure if your backpacking has been town to town or in the backcountry. I always tour with a mid-weight backpack so I can do wilderness hikes as part of my tour.

Timing - You can go in either direction. The Rocky Mountains still have a lot of snow in May - certainly on the ground and occasionally still coming down. If you want to go West to East and can start later - maybe like July 1 - that is better since you'll have perfect weather in the mountains and the East might be a little cooler. The one drawback is that the days start getting significantly shorter by August. I agree that hitting the West last is like saving your dessert. Plus I live in the West and find the East totally overpopulated. Even so, there are lots of relatively quiet places in the East where you can finish your tour - the C&O Canal is one of the best - historic, spectacularly beautiful, plus it puts you on the Mall in Washington next to the Lincoln Memorial without a single car for 186 miles. A tour from the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound of Washington to the islands of the Chesapeake Bay from early July to late September would have ideal weather all the way.

Drop me a line if you have any questions - johnegan (at) vcn.com
Here's my two cents worth over at Crazyguy - -
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journ...hnnyGunn&v=11n

Best - J

PS - The Great Plains can be truly great depending upon your approach - -

Alekhine

Wow, what a pretty pic. Where was that taken?

jamawani 

Loup River, Loup County, Nebraska - west of Taylor.
Hwy 2 across the Nebraska Sandhills is scenic, but has moderate traffic and a railroad alongside.
Hwy 92 from Arthur eastwards has almost no traffic until you get to Broken Bow and ranks as one of the most beautiful bike rides in the world!! Rolling grass-covered hills stretching out until eternity.

Best - J

Jacobino

Do this trip and you'll never regret it. I know what you mean about the guilt; I struggle with that every time I do a tour, but I always come back feeling completely renewed and uplifted. The trip will give you a new spirit, new motivation, and you'll come back infinitely more productive, kinder, and happier.

Regarding all the issues you discussed about gear, fitness, etc. You can get by with surprisingly little, and problems tend to get resolved in exciting ways. I think touring activates part of the brain that we don't normally use in modern society. You get more resourceful and come up with amazing ideas for packing and carrying your gear, preparing meals, finding the best route and dealing with the unexpected situations that inevitably come up. You'll amaze yourself.

Not only that, but bike touring seems to generate instant good karma. Food, shelter, and help tend to materialize out of nowhere when you need them. One time my rear axle broke, and five minutes later a woman in a VW bus pulled over. She was headed to the same campground as me, and when I got there I met a bike mechanic who had all the tools and parts I needed to get back on the road. Another time I got lost on a remote forest service road in Idaho, I was out of food, and shaking from weakness. There would be a car maybe once every hour, and I planned to beg for food from the first car that stopped. When a car stopped that afternoon, one of the passengers was a friend from college who I hadn't seen for 3 years. This kind of luck abounds on these trips. (Maybe we should all buy lottery tickets when we're on tour...)

You'll have such an amazing experience when you go on tour that you'll wonder how you ever could have doubted. All the guilt and uncertainties and financial problems will disappear. It will change your life. Seriously. This posting sounds incredibly hokey, I know, but it's all true. Go for it!

axolotl

Sounds to me like the risk to your mental health by not doing it is greater than your risk in going ahead with it. In fact, your situation sounds almost ideal: Your wife is encouraging you, and you'll still have your job waiting for you when you return, if I read your post correctly. The biggest risk I see is that since you've never toured before, you can't be certain you'll love it like the rest of us. Still, the odds are very good, given all of your prior travel and camping experience.

As for when to start, I'd say that depending on your route, June would be a better month to start than May, anyway. Do you have any idea of the route you'd like to take (regardless of the direction)?

As for purchasing in the US, there are a fair number of reputable shops in most cities on both coasts. I'm sure than folks here or on one of the other boards could help you find a good shop. Of course, there's some risk to heading off across the continent with a bike you're unfamiliar with, but $500 is a large chunk of change. One advantage with starting in the east is that you'll still have a fair amount of civilization (with bike shops) to ride through than if you start in the west, where you'll quickly find yourself in wilderness.

fks

Go for it.
I did this trip 4 years ago W>E, (84 days) and had a fantastic time. I planned my own route on a daily basis. I just had some places that I wanted to see and planned my route accordingly. I flew from Sydney to LA then on to Portland OR. There are good bike shops in this city and you could also look at second hand bikes here as well.

Personally I would take my bike with me as it can be taken as baggage with no extra charge if you fly SYD – LAX and you have no getting used to new bike hassles and you can have bike tweaked to your requirements.

Panniers or BOB: you can get panniers or BOB in USA, your choice.

Camping: get a good 2 man tent, a good sleeping bag, sleeping mat and stove.
Cycling gear: all you need is knicks, helmet, gloves and cycling shoes. Everything else can be normal gear used for bushwalking/camping

Fitness: I cycle daily so I did SFA training, my biggest problem was acclimatisation to the climate in the Pacific NW (I was living in the tropics at that stage, about 12 deg sth of the equator) so I was very cold for a few weeks.

FKS

dreamy

Thanks to everyone for the detailed responses...
I hope to make a decision in the next week or two - I know without a doubt it is something I want to do and will love, but just get bogged down with the logistics of actually getting to the start (and all the people telling me I am crazy).
The 3 months I would need is also a potential problem as it would suit me much better to only be away for 2 months. Then again, I really want to do coast to coast, so maybe the southern tier may be an option....

Rowan

You're afraid of making the decision. Admit it.

Do it.

Potential is a wonderful seed word for failure. It goes so well with problem.

Break free. If you *really* want to do coast to coast, you *will* find a way.

Oh, and as to logistics... one of the best analogies for me was: "How do you eat an elephant? Bite by bite". The logistics will take care of themselves. All you need is a start point.

Finally, the people who are telling you that you are crazy are whom********** Us???? No, they're most likely people who cannot see themselves venturing beyond the safety of their mortgage and suburban cul-de-sac.

Get booking now!!!!

timhines

"grumpy demotivated bastard"
I think you summed up my life!

At any rate, I wish you the best of luck if you decide to attempt this. One day I hope to attempt this as well.

JoeLonghair

Na I think you should stick around and work so you dont feel guilty..... that way you can become a even more grumpy bastard, grind your life right down and make sure by the time you have finished your wife cant handel you any more and leaves.
There you have it 2 options, go or dont go.......

I know what I rather do....


If you are off get a Brooks Saddle, essential for touring...

ride safe....

jamawani 

Dr. Eamy -

You can do a direct route in the north in about 9 weeks but I would dissuade you from doing the Southern Tier in the summer. Yeah, I know you Aussies are tough old iguanas - but you'd enjoy the northerly route more - plus you'd have scenery that is quite different than that of Australia.

If you are content to start in the islands in Puget Sound and end in the islands in Chesapeake Bay - you can do it in two months. Plus doing the islands rather than the surf option means that it is far easier to get to the starting and ending points.

Friday Harbor > Kettle Falls > Glacier NP > Yellowstone NP > Black Hills > Big Sioux Riv > Mississippi Riv > Tippicanoe > Ohio River > Smith Island

9 weeks - 300 miles first week, 400 other weeks - that averages out to about five riding days of 75-80 miles (125-130 km) with two days off for hiking, exploring historic places, leeway for bad weather, etc. From experience, it's much better to plan a midweek start and finish so that you have fewer folks on the islands. Also more places open and better public transportation.

If you were to do something like this - - you could fly into Seattle and be out to the the San Juan Islands on an afternoon ferry. (You'd fly back from Washington, DC) You know it's really incredible that it only takes an hour to fly from Australia to Seattle!! Hee-hee. But you could decompress on the bus ride to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal and the ferry ride out to Friday Harbor. Plus there are bike shops at Friday Harbor since cycling is so popular on the islands. I've included a pic from the campground on the west side of San Juan overlooking the Straits of Juan de Fuca. It's a great place for a sunset.

Best - J

Magictofu

About gears:

Touring in North america with bad/old/low quality equipment is not such a big problem. It is fairly easy to get replacements along the way...

Make sure however that you can find a way to strap your stuff on your bike in case of rack or pannier failure. I usualy carry a cheap non-padded light nylon bag with me for the occasional hike and emergencies and always have a few extra bungee cords.

dreamy

Thanks Jamawani, have just spent a couple of hours with a map of the US and reading other people's journals, and the North seems to be the way to go for me.....
I must be getting excited about this - I even went for a ride tonight instead of my usual run!

Travelinguyrt

Rowans advice is the best
'Thinking' about doing it is self defeating.
Commit yourself and things have a way of falling into place
When you get to America the things you see, the folks you meet will blow your mind.
Smile a lot, enjoy the scenery and us, and when finished let us know how you enjoyed the ride..........and us

Neil Anderson

Forget the comments from the peanut gallery. How about being cooped up inside year after year with windows that don't open, breathing recycled air, and looking at documents under artificial lighting? Now that's crazy! After my wife and I cycled across the States, folks asked us how we could afford to. Our reply: How could we afford not to?

dreamy

OK then, I'm in....apologies in advance for a bombardment of questions over the coming weeks...

Shopped around for bikes and flights today

Bike options so far look to be
- Surly LHT - LBS say will be around A$2,000 (US$1,600) for a basic build using Deore type stuff
- Trek 520 - A$1,999
- Fuji Touring -A$1,699 (US$1,350)
Given my history of knee trouble I think the safe bet will be bite the bullet and buy it here and have a month to get used to it gradually before I start my tour, particulary since I am going from a pure road bike.

Rowan

Fuji good (personal experience, but a 2001 model). Trek 520 good (as reported). Surly good (big following that can be tracked on this forum). Take your pick... and enjoy whatever it is.

On flights, check Qantas specials. You might get lucky. Their cheapest current fare allows only a month Stateside before you have to fly out again from the same airport. Wish it was the deal they're offering for France -- you've got 12 MONTHS. Hmmmm... France, US, France, US*???

It's OK -- I've picked the US one this time

Neil Anderson

Yep, Rowan's right ... any of those choices will get the job done with aplomb. In light of your knee concerns, you may want to choose the one with the lowest gearing ... or change the front rings and rear cassette with ones of your choice.


Bring 'em on.

Guy Burns

Hi from Devonport,

you sound a bit like me. I was your age when I started long distance cycling. That was in 1991. Since then my partner and I have toured throughout Australia, the US and Canada.

I don't know where the AV route is, but don't even think about crossing the northern US east to west in Montana. Heading west we encountered 800km of direct head wind and I'd say it was a constant 25km/hour wind. It didn't bother us as we have Sachs 30cc motors. But one day we met a fellow who had been on the road for five years, so he was pretty fit, and he was calling it quits for that day after pedalling 6 hours to ride 30km. That same day we met a group of cyclists heading east who had already clocked up 160km by midday. Go east, young man, go east. At least in the higher latitudes.

We call cycle touring 'bushwalking on wheels'. When we started we took everything that we normally take bushwalking: Thermarest, Macpac tent, four-season sleeping bag (we share one bag. Pity your wife is not interested). We bought NOTHING specifically designed for cycle touring. I like to put things together myself, so I bought day packs and rigged them up as panniers, for instance. Our bikes were ordinary mountain bikes that today you could pick up for $150, and we still use the same ones we purchased in 1991. You don't need a flash bike for touring - that's personal preference. Tyres though - get the best. After spending several days on the web during the last week, I'll be selecting Schwalbe Marathon tyres in future (about $45). I've had enough of cheapies.

On one of our US trips we started in LA in late April, avoided major highways and towns larger than Devonport, and stuck to the backroads. We got to Kansas, then doubled back via Montana, over to the west coast, and back inland to LA via Death Valley. Are you sure you want to follow a predefined cycle route? On the trip I just described we were four months and 8,000 km before we saw another cycle tourer (in Montana). When we got to the coast there were hundreds (thousands!) pedalling from Oregon to California or vice versa. Not to mention the cars, trucks, bridges, power stations... We turned off as soon as we could and headed inland. But that's again personal preference. Some people love Bondi Beach; I prefer the Western Arthurs.

Without a travelling companion you may want to meet other cyclists. Still, I'd suggest be bold. Pick the smallest towns, join them together with backroads, and discover the US your own way. Get a Rand McNally map ($5.95 Walmart, at least they were in 1997) and plot your own route. Advantage: small towns have the homeliest diners and cafes. We even saw the fabled 'first dollar earned' framed on a few cafe walls. The memory of US$5 breakfast plates overflowing with hash browns, toast, ham and eggs, juice and coffee will remain with me forever. Unforgettable! They were so good I even took photos of some of the breakfasts.

We've never followed designated cycle trails. We even avoid cycle paths. But we're strange that way.

Weather is more extreme in the US than here: the -40s in the Dakotas in winter to the +45s down south in summer. Even in early May, Arizona was getting too hot for us. Yet some roads over the Rockies can still be closed due to snow at the same time. June through September is probably the best time, though we cycled east to west along the Mexican border in Dec/Jan.

Let me know how you get on.

Guy Burns

acantor

Sounds like a smart idea. Every new bicycle I have bought has had at least one problem I would not want to have dealt with far from home, e.g., a loose bottom bracket, a frayed cable, a cleat positioned incorrectly, etcetera.

Better to ride a new bike for a month or two to give time to discover and resolve mechanical AND biomechanical problems. For me, it takes time to become really comfortable with a new bicycle.

Have a good trip!

Michel Gagnon

With any of these choices, get lower gearing than stock. For example, with the Trek 520, you could ask the shop to either change all rings for 48-38-24, or to install a LX crankset with 44-34-22 chainrings.

JoeLonghair

dreamy I just read about your knee trouble, if the problem is in the knee joint then I strongly suggest you start taking, now, Glucoseomine sulphate, now I am the last person on earth to take any pills of sorts, but after screwing up my knee do to saddel sore and avoiding the sore i peddaled outwards and thus ended with bad knees. I took this pill for 2 months and now the knee is good as new. This stuff increase the cartillage and the synovial fluids in the knee to easy the movement. Also get a Brooks seat, the 2 combination = no knee hassel.

Ride safe