A Cross-Country Adventure

[a_musinglife]

I am planning on riding my bike across the USA in Fall of 2008 (Aug-Oct). It is a dual birthday/celebration of finishing my dissertation present to me. My dog will be riding in a trailer with me (yep, I'm pulling her). I feel safer, since it will be pretty much just my dog and me.

My plan is to take the Upper Adventure Cycling Route from Seattle to New England. I'd like to find some women to ride with part of the way,or in patches. Anyone know someone who has been longing to do this ride or just wants to throw in their own sense of adventure and come along?

I believe that I will be the first woman to do this trip unsupported. Should be fun.

[Meg McKilty]

Where does the ride go through [in the country]?

I have wanted to do a ride of this sort for a while since beginning to ride, but I am too busy with my own education for a good while before I can think of taking on a bear such as this.

Being from the Southeast, I would also want to start from the east while traversing to the west.

Let me know and if you come close, I can support you if you need it.

[Tuckervill]

Sounds like so much fun!

Where are you going to carry your gear if you put the dog in the trailer? Unless it's a really small dog. My dog took up the whole trailer, pretty much.

Good luck! If you were taking the southerly route, I'd definitely try to hook up with you for part way.

Karen

[a_musinglife]

The ride will take the upper Adventure cycling route, which is Anacortes, WA, to Bar harbor Maine by way of:
Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, [added:Wisconsin], Iowa, Indiana, New York, and Maine

I have friends and an old bike group in Wisconsin so I added that. I have family in Rhode Island, so I want to end there abouts. I edtied this post to add that the total miles will be about 4500.

I am going LIGHTLY, not bringing much because of the dog accomadation. Only what I need to keep me, my dog and my bike happy.

[spokewench]

My suggestion is not to go too late in the Fall - you could get really cold weather and snow in some of those states!

spoke

[horsemom]

I would be interested in sharing some of your adventure. I have ridden my horse 950 miles across the Pony Express trail (2004) and 350 miles on the Santa Fe trail (just a few weeks ago). I would, of course, use my steel horse for this adventure!! I have experience and LOVE an adventure! I am in NY.

Email me if you are interested!!

Laura

[slmdunc]

OMG. That sounds amazing. What kind of dog is it? I miss my labrador, Mattie. Just driving across country with her in 2001 was a delight. She kayaked with me a lot as well (bought a tandem so she could!). Would have loved to have done the biking thing with her.

Have fun and keep us posted on your prep.

[bikerHen]

Hi, I'm in Spokane. Would be happy to meet and do what I can to help. I'd offer you a nights lodging too, but my dogs don't play well with others. :o If you need ANY information on anything in the area, just let me know. bikerHen

[Flybye]

Is it this route?
http://www.adv-cycling.org/routes/northerntier.cfm

[redrhodie]

Wow, it sounds to me like you could easily get lots and lots of snow on that route at that time of year. Will that hold you up, or are you thinking you'll be able to ride through it? Where are you thinking you'll spend nights?

You mention "dog accomodations". What is this? The trailer? Will the dog be sleeping in it in North Dakota or Minnesota in winter? I'm around a dog who doesn't like to go outside if there's dew on the grass, so I can't imagine he'd be happy on this trip, and he's a husky.

[a_musinglife]

Yep! That is the correct route. I am pretty excited about it. I have thought this through, and planned, but probably have missed some things.

I notice some concern about the snow and weather. I guess I said Fall and really I will be leaving in late Summer. Since I lived in Wisconsin and biked my bu** off all year round for 15 years, and I should hit the Midwest in September, I assume from experience that early Fall in the Midwest won't be naught but cold rain and some lovely crisp clear weather.:p

East Coast in October is also cold, rainy and clear with lovely colors. Very rarely does it snow so early (although it could...).:rolleyes:

I am less experienced about Upper New York and the Niagra Falls area, but this is where you all that live there can let me know. Does it really snow in September/October?

However, the least experienced part of my trip will be in the early part which will be in August and I really doubt there will be snow, though I am counting on a little of that good ol' Seattle rain.:D There will always be weather!

My dog is a Golden Retriever. She is a great dog and I look forward to this adventure with her. She has more training than I have had school (and that is saying something).;) My biggest challenge will be adding her poundage to my ride. I am practicing by pulling her behind me with my Raliegh 1972 3 speed. LOL! Instead of riding my lovely Waterford on weekends, I have been riding my 3speed with trailer and dog. My high-tech bike friends are looking at me like I have lost my mind. Any other training suggestions would be greatly appreciated. If I start training now I can certainly do it.

[Tuckervill]

A golden retriever! I'm impressed. That's a big dog!

So do you have any pictures of your set-up? (dog trailer or Bob or what?) I pulled my dog on the Katy Trail last month, but I used a baby trailer. (He only weighs 40 lbs...total weight of him and trailer, and very little gear was less than 100#.) I'm very curious about how you will carry a tent, clothes, etc., and the dog, too, in a trailer. Panniers?

Karen

[bikerHen]

Looking at your route, I'd say teach your dog to get out and walk. You will be riding some major mountain passes in WA, ID and MT! :eek: :D bikerHen

[velogirl]

bikerhen makes a great suggestion. I know a handful of folks who done longer tours with their dogs and that seems to be a good solution -- let the dog walk the uphills and ride the downhills. he'll get needed exercise and will be at a comparable climbing pace.

if you haven't already read some journals from folks who've make this trip, I would highly encourage you to do so. try the crazyguyonabike website. you can find folks who've taken this route and also solo women (or men).

as others have mentioned, you're starting a little late in the season. maybe you can find some journals from others who toured this route at a similar time of the year?

good luck to you! my dog and I are trekking cross-country in 2010.

Lorri

[a_musinglife]

bikerhen makes a great suggestion. I know a handful of folks who done longer tours with their dogs and that seems to be a good solution -- let the dog walk the uphills and ride the downhills. SHE'll get needed exercise and will be at a comparable climbing pace.

if you haven't already read some journals from folks who've make this trip, I would highly encourage you to do so. try the crazyguyonabike website. you can find folks who've taken this route and also solo women (or men).

as others have mentioned, you're starting a little late in the season. maybe you can find some journals from others who toured this route at a similar time of the year?

good luck to you! my dog and I are trekking cross-country in 2010.

Lorri

I have read some on line journals. That was a great suggestion. Lots of folks have done the middle route solo. But not so many this upper route..... (could be the mountains dauntingly present:eek: )

There are no women that have done this route. Zero, zilch, zip. Too bad. No women with dog, either. Adventure cycling has some great tips, though. And I will be hoping to meet people along the route that have knowledge of their own area. Two women are already being encouraging and helpful. At the kick off point and toward the end.

NOT late in the season!!!!! REALLY!!! Late JULY, August, September and October will be damp, maybe cold, but not snowy. Let that part go, someone misspoke and people are repeating it.

Bikerhen does make a good suggestion and of course she (doggie-girl) will walk up hill :p ! I do not want her gaining weight on this trip, being a woman of leisure! (I can picture her eating dog biscuits and saying 'Home James' in a pompous manner from her trailer.)
How do you post pictures? My dog weighs less than 50#. My gear weighs less than 40# with trailer. My own bike weighs less than 15# (WITHOUT ME ON IT LOL).
I could show you all the set-up, but I am techinologically challenged.:D

[redrhodie]

I'm sorry, I think I was the one who misunderstood your timeline. I thought you were leaving between Aug and Oct, not that that was your plan for completing the trip. My bad.

[KnottedYet]

How do you post pictures? My dog weighs less than 50#. My gear weighs less than 40# with trailer. My own bike weighs less than 15# (WITHOUT ME ON IT LOL).
I could show you all the set-up, but I am techinologically challenged.:D

I'm computer illiterate, but here's how I post pictures:

*when I get to where I want a pic in my message I click the little square "picture" of mountains and sun up in the toolbar above my message

*a little fill-in-the-blank box comes up, and I paste in the Photobucket URL of the pic I want

*my message now has the URL with appropriate HTML tagging so that the picture will appear rather than a clickable link

There are probably better ways to do this, but this is the only way I know.:D

[Flybye]

NOT late in the season!!!!! REALLY!!! Late JULY, August, September and October will be damp, maybe cold, but not snowy. Let that part go, someone misspoke and people are repeating it.

Hello there!
I live in Idaho and I just wanted to chime in - It really is technically late in the season for the northern states. We have lots of mountains and are typically colder than other US states.

In Idaho just know that you can get snow in July. Honestly, esp in higher elevations. It truly has snowed on tenters on the 4th of July. Not at all typical, but it has happened twice in my lifetime.

Not that a little snow would kill you, just be prepared IN CASE! We take coats with us when we camp in the hot summer.

Right now (8:15 am) in Cour de Alene, is it 46 degrees - which is perfect riding weather, here in southeastern Idaho, it is only 33 degrees and windy - cold and not great riding weather.

I can think of more Halloweens that we trick or treated in the snow than not, of course, that is late October.

I am not trying to put a damper on your plans, I just want to give you information because information is power. Weather around here is not predictable. Saturday, Pocatello, and Idaho Falls (southeastern Idaho) each received 2 inches of snow. It didn't stick for long, but it was cold. We were in Sun Valley, which is central Idaho, and they received snow there, too. Just be prepared. It is likely that you will see snow. Will you live through it? Yes! Will you have a great adventure? Yes!

Congratulations on your decision to do this adventure. If I didn't have other obligations (kids) (husbands) (college) I would consider it, too.

Infamous last words, I have never been on a bike ride I that I regretted! Even the ones that started out bad or had their mishaps were worth it in the end. Can you tell I haven't wrecked yet :eek:

[onimity]

Wow, that sounds like a great adventure and a great reward!

I'm wondering, though, about the weight? I am planning a 5 week ride and am amazed at all of the things that are necessary to bring to be reasonably safe. I am wondering how you are going to keep it all under 40 lbs minus dog...especially when you not only have to carry all of your gear yourself but also food & water for your dog? Granted, I am planning on camping most of the way on my trip & won't have regular access to bike shops, don't know if that is your plan...

I just ask because I am trying to get my gear down to < 50lbs, trailer included and that means going ultralight & very minimal. If your trailer weighs, say, 13lbs, that means that all of your gear weighs 27 lbs.

The daily water requirements for you and your dog on a normal day amount to ~8 lbs. And that doesn't account for the exercise...

Also, what kind of bike are you taking? 15lbs seems very light for that kind of load...is it capable of handling that? Not to be a buzzkill, but you might want to make sure the logistics are really practical before you get too excited/sure that taking your dog is a good idea without someone to carry a good portion of your gear. I would hate to see you and your dog get into danger on such a cool trip.

Regarding weather, keep in mind that you'll get much lower temps at high altitudes, I've had miserably cold camping experiences in August in both Colorado and Wyoming, so you'll want to make sure that you have good cold-weather gear for crossing mountains, even if it is only just-in-case. We're a lot further south and still can get snow in any of those months at altitude...

I'd love to ride part way with you but don't live near your route. Have fun planning! :)

Anne

[DeniseGoldberg]

There are no women that have done this route. Zero, zilch, zip. Too bad.
Edie Harbaugh did a large chunk of the Northern Tier this year. She did a variation though, and cut down to Washington DC as opposed to following the northern route all of the way across the country. Her journal is at Never a Bad Day to Ride: Washington State to Washington, DC (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Edith) if you are interested.

There are many women who are touring solo and self-supported. As a previous poster mentioned, I'd encourage you to check some of the journals on crazyguyonabike (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com). There are other women there who have posted Northern Tier journals too.

What bike are you planning on riding? I'm a bit concerned by your post saying that your bike weighs 15 pounds. That sounds like a super-light road bike, not something that I'd recommend for loaded touring. (But hopefully I just mis-read that post...)

--- Denise