Thoughts on riding across the USA (or touring anywhere!)

[DeniseGoldberg]

A friend just sent me a link to an article on cnn.com. It's worth a read if you're dreaming of riding cross-country, or thinking of touring on your own. It's not a long article, but the author does a really nice job of communicating how it feels - including the reactions (and kindness) of strangers.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/DESTI....ap/index.html

Join me in dreaming about touring!

--- Denise

[Trekhawk]

A friend just sent me a link to an article on cnn.com. It's worth a read if you're dreaming of riding cross-country, or thinking of touring on your own. It's not a long article, but the author does a really nice job of communicating how it feels - including the reactions (and kindness) of strangers.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/DESTI....ap/index.html

Join me in dreaming about touring!

--- Denise

Thanks for posting the link Denise. What a great story.

[Barb]

Thanks, like I need one more thing to day dream about at work!!!! Sounds like fun to me!

[annie]

Join me in dreaming about touring!

--- Denise

I'm dreaming, Denise, I am most definitely dreaming!!
Now I merely need to find a way to make the dream come true......... sigh.....

annie

[DeniseGoldberg]

I'm dreaming, Denise, I am most definitely dreaming!!
Now I merely need to find a way to make the dream come true......... sigh.....

annie

Annie -

Remember, the dream doesn't have to be something as big as a cross-country trip. I wanted to ride cross country when I did my first solo tour back in 1998, but I couldn't get enough time away from work without quitting my job, which I just wasn't ready to do. So my first solo trip was 4 weeks in the Rockies. It was awesome, and a perfect way to start. Oh, and if you want to bounce some ideas around - I'm always available to talk touring!

--- Denise

[MomOnBike]

Your dream doesn't even have to be as big as a four-week tour in a distant place. A week on a bike close to home is perfectly fine, too.

Or an overnighter or several to local attractions.

Some people have even done the TransAm in shortish sections over multiple years.

Allow yourself to think small (too) and a world (literally) of possibilities opens up.

Having said that, I'm still planning my Vancouver to Key West trip sometime in this lifetime....(details to be announced later)

[jobob]

Lee & I will be touring the Pacific Coast late in September or early October, starting a bit south of San Francisco and heading down to Santa Barbara. This should take us about 10 days at a leisurely pace. We'll be camping out most nights. Details to follow.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Lee & I will be touring the Pacific Coast late in September or early October, starting a bit south of San Francisco and heading down to Santa Barbara. This should take us about 10 days at a leisurely pace. We'll be camping out most nights. Details to follow.

That sounds great! I've ridden most of the coast north of San Francisco, but I've never ridden south of there. I'll be very interested to hear about your tour. (Of course I'd be interested even if I had ridden there... I love to hear touring stories!)

I haven't decided where I'll be touring this year (yet). I usually use our bad riding winters to dream about where I want to ride. Right now I'm thinking about either the Canadian Rockies or Ireland or somewhere in Atlantic Canada - but it's entirely possible that I'll dream up somewhere completely different!

--- Denise

[cindysue]

Lee & I will be touring the Pacific Coast late in September or early October, starting a bit south of San Francisco and heading down to Santa Barbara. This should take us about 10 days at a leisurely pace. We'll be camping out most nights. Details to follow.

Andrew and I did that tour June 2005. If you plan to camp on any of those nights, I highly recommend Big Sur campground. We were pleasantly surprised to find a very nice restaurant on the campground. Salmon and steak for dinner, yummy dessert, omletes and waffles for breakfast, a guest/sundry shop. The other campground that was really nice was Refugio - the hiker/biker campsite is practically on the beach. Just a few hundred feet away - amazing!

you're also welcome to borrow my book: "Bicycling The Pacific Coast" by Tom Kirkendall and Vicky Spring

and my Adventure Cycling maps