First time distance rider

....er, to support the fight against MD and Parkinson's - sorry...

Toddorado said:

I tried to do my homework, folks, by reading other posts re: advice
on distance trips. I'm well-trained as a commuter (Colorado, 180
miles/wk) and am planning a trip to Dallas and back from Colorado
Springs. I'm not concerned about my health or my ride (currently a
Giant Rainer, all tricked out, considering the purchase of a burly
hybrid if needed). I figure I'll be sure to get some good, solid
wheels with some road-ish tires, panniers etc. My concern is more
for the 750 miles each way - what should I plan for? I have driven
this route over 20 times, so I'm more than familiar with the towns
and roads.

Do you really want to be cycling on those roads you have been driving?
What looks fine from the front seat of a car often looks very
different from the saddle of a bike. I don't know the roads in
question, so I'm just posing a question.

Maps. Check out the Adventure Cycling maps at their Website. They
might have some routes along the lines you're looking for.

Quoted message said:

What do I need for contingency plans - I plan on going solo. My off
the cuff thoughts are:

Medical supplies Hotels/Campgrounds Hospitals Train depots Bike
Shops

Google is your friend for this kind of information, but local
knowledge is even better. Hopefully you'll get some here! You won't
need the train depots, you've got your bike and you'll be in good
shape with 180 miles a week training. ;-) www.motels.com is a great
resource for mom 'n' pop motels. Carry a small first aid kit.

What you will need is a post office on your second day, to mail your
excess gear home. I'm serious.

Quoted message said:

My list ends there, and it seems short. I guess I'm looking for a
pre-formatted list of needs for a trip like this, if such a list
exists. Is that all, aside from the supplies I bring with me?

Check out the packing lists here:

http://www-math.science.unitn.it/Bike/Countries/Europe/#Packing_Lists

Quoted message said:

Is solo that dangerous when you know the terrain?

Touring is not dangerous unless you collude with idiots in creating
dangerous situations for yourself.

Toddorado wrote

Quoted message said:

What do I need for contingency plans

Thinking about what to do if things go wrong is good. And thinking about
extra things to bring that might help if things to wrong is good. But the
more weight you carry, the more likely you are to need a contingency plan.

Two things which provide lots of contingency options for little weight:
* mobile telephone.
* list of phone numbers of Taxi companies of major towns you plan to be
riding near. (easy to get from a search on superpages.com or yellowpages.com
in USA, or like for a trip in France I paste or print them out in advance
from searches on http://wga.pagesjaunes.fr/pj.cgi?lang=en)

Calling a true emergency number like 911 is good if you're already hurt and
bleeding. Knowing that I have an easy way to call a taxi is good for getting
me out of a situation _before_ I might get hurt and bleeding. Or in case of
unrepairable equipment failure.

Ken

Tim, thanks for the valuable input - I'll add those links to my arsenal
:-) As for the roads, that was one other question I meant to ask.
Interstate 287 pretty much connects the two cities (close enough), and
it is a very flat and well-maintained road. I figure I'll be taking
frontage roads or side roads when I can, but is it even legal to ride
on an interstate? There is plenty of shoulder, I'm just not sure how
much I turst motorists travelling at 70 mph from behind me. Is highway
riding common on these long trips, or do I need an atlas with
microscopic detail to plot a course on side roads only?

Ken, I like the logic - I am a minimalist, so I'll plan for what I need
only, not so much 'in case.' Sounds like both of you may have brought
the kitchen sink on a trip before and learned from it :-)

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Tim, thanks for the valuable input - I'll add those links to my arsenal
:-) As for the roads, that was one other question I meant to ask.
Interstate 287 pretty much connects the two cities (close enough), and
it is a very flat and well-maintained road. I figure I'll be taking
frontage roads or side roads when I can, but is it even legal to ride
on an interstate? There is plenty of shoulder, I'm just not sure how

That depends on the state; many western states allow riding on the
Interstate when there is no parallel route.

.....

--
Remove the ns_ from if replying by e-mail (but keep posts in the
newsgroups if possible).

Toddorado said:

Tim, thanks for the valuable input - I'll add those links to my arsenal
:-) As for the roads, that was one other question I meant to ask.
Interstate 287 pretty much connects the two cities (close enough), and
it is a very flat and well-maintained road. I figure I'll be taking
frontage roads or side roads when I can, but is it even legal to ride
on an interstate? There is plenty of shoulder, I'm just not sure how
much I turst motorists travelling at 70 mph from behind me. Is highway
riding common on these long trips, or do I need an atlas with
microscopic detail to plot a course on side roads only?

You don't want to ride on the Interstate. The vehicle noise will drive
you nuts. I think it's quite safe. The shoulder is very wide
(exit/entrance ramps require some finesse), but it really becomes
tiresome hearing nothing but the sound of high rpm tires on concrete and
engine noise. Use state highway maps, county maps when you can get them,
and check for state bicycling maps (many states have them). Then try to
get away where it's quiet. I find that to be the key factor in a
pleasurable route (the serenity of a quiet road - not the concern for
safety, but the ability to commune with nature. Not always possible, but
be on the look out for roads that will give you that experience.)

BTW, I cycled from Jackson to near Rawlins (Wyoming) on 287 and found it
nearly ideal.
http://cycletourist.com/Scenes/Wyoming_Open_Road.html

I've never brought along a cell phone (still don't own one), but I can't
deny it's weight and size to usefulness ratio. Touring in the states,
though, is really pretty easy and I still don't think I'd care either way.

Here's my packing list (from my first tour, but it has not changed
significantly):
http://cycletourist.com/Seattle_To_San_Francisco/#Checklist

Look for Colorado's Bicycle Map here:
http://www.dot.state.co.us/BikePed/maps.htm

Here are Texas County highway maps:
http://txdot.lib.utexas.edu/
(Texas counties: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/texas_map.html)

Asking locals for directions is always a good idea, but it you do, be
sure to ask more than one or two people. People's memories of driving a
route are not always very accurate.

Contingency plans? The only one I've ever kept in the back of my mind
was that I could rent a car somewhere along the route and be done with
it. I've never had the need or desire, though. I have my tent because I
prefer camping, but also because it frees me from being dependent on
finding lodging. If I get stuck between towns, I have my home away from
home right there with me (be diligent about keeping a decent water
supply if you think you'll be between towns over night).

Other than that, just be careful not to smile so hard that you break
your face.

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
Integrity is obvious.
The lack of it is common.
*****************************

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In article <[email hidden]>,

Toddorado said:

I tried to do my homework, folks, by reading other posts re: advice on
distance trips. I'm well-trained as a commuter (Colorado, 180 miles/wk)
and am planning a trip to Dallas and back from Colorado Springs. I'm
not concerned about my health or my ride (currently a Giant Rainer, all
tricked out, considering the purchase of a burly hybrid if needed). I
figure I'll be sure to get some good, solid wheels with some road-ish
tires, panniers etc. My concern is more for the 750 miles each way -
what should I plan for? I have driven this route over 20 times, so I'm
more than familiar with the towns and roads. What do I need for
contingency plans - I plan on going solo. My off the cuff thoughts are:

Medical supplies
Hotels/Campgrounds
Hospitals
Train depots
Bike Shops

My list ends there, and it seems short. I guess I'm looking for a
pre-formatted list of needs for a trip like this, if such a list
exists. Is that all, aside from the supplies I bring with me? Is solo
that dangerous when you know the terrain? Any advice, even if it is
repeated, is welcomed. I'm doing this (hopefully) with sponsors to
support Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinsons's Disease as they have both
touched my family. Thanks in advance...

_ You should check out this site

http://www.bicycletouring101.com/

_ Also if you have questions about specific roads,
the phred mailing list is quite useful. The best
roads by car are often the worst by bicycle.

http://search.bikelist.org/

_ Booker C. Bense

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Awesome. Beautiful. I have a map on the way from C-DOT and am
requesting one from Texas as well. I can barely contain my excitement
to get going later this year. Thanks for all of your help!

Toddorado said:

Tim, thanks for the valuable input - I'll add those links to my
arsenal :-) As for the roads, that was one other question I meant to
ask. Interstate 287 pretty much connects the two cities (close
enough), and it is a very flat and well-maintained road. I figure
I'll be taking frontage roads or side roads when I can, but is it
even legal to ride on an interstate? There is plenty of shoulder,
I'm just not sure how much I turst motorists travelling at 70 mph
from behind me. Is highway riding common on these long trips, or do
I need an atlas with microscopic detail to plot a course on side
roads only?

It is not legal to ride on Interstate highways, for the most part.
There are some exceptions, one of them being if there is no feasible
alternative route. However, IMHO it would be unpleasant at best and
dangerous at worst.

The Adventure Cycling Web site is one resource for maps with good
options, although they may not have a specific route in the area
you're looking at riding. Sometimes state transportation departments
have cycling maps (for example, Wisconsin has a superb set of maps
which even include downloadable county-by-county PDF versions).

Posting your intended route in this newsgroup may get you a wealth of
good information. There are thousands of people looking at these
newsgroups. Use a subject line like "cycling route from [censored] to [censored]
needed."

Googling for bike shops in the communities along your route can also
find you people with good local knowledge of the roads.

Toddorado said:

Tim, thanks for the valuable input - I'll add those links to my
arsenal :-) As for the roads, that was one other question I meant to
ask. Interstate 287 pretty much connects the two cities (close
enough), and it is a very flat and well-maintained road. I figure
I'll be taking frontage roads or side roads when I can, but is it
even legal to ride on an interstate? There is plenty of shoulder,
I'm just not sure how much I turst motorists travelling at 70 mph
from behind me. Is highway riding common on these long trips, or do
I need an atlas with microscopic detail to plot a course on side
roads only?

It is not legal to ride on Interstate highways, for the most part.
There are some exceptions, one of them being if there is no feasible
alternative route. However, IMHO it would be unpleasant at best and
dangerous at worst.

The Adventure Cycling Web site is one resource for maps with good
options, although they may not have a specific route in the area
you're looking at riding. Sometimes state transportation departments
have cycling maps (for example, Wisconsin has a superb set of maps
which even include downloadable county-by-county PDF versions).

Posting your intended route in this newsgroup may get you a wealth of
good information. There are thousands of people looking at these
newsgroups. Use a subject line like "cycling route from [censored] to [censored]
needed."

Googling for bike shops in the communities along your route can also
find you people with good local knowledge of the roads.

Tim McNamara said:

Toddorado said:

Tim, thanks for the valuable input - I'll add those links to my
arsenal :-) As for the roads, that was one other question I meant to
ask. Interstate 287 pretty much connects the two cities (close
enough), and it is a very flat and well-maintained road. I figure
I'll be taking frontage roads or side roads when I can, but is it
even legal to ride on an interstate? There is plenty of shoulder,
I'm just not sure how much I turst motorists travelling at 70 mph
from behind me. Is highway riding common on these long trips, or do
I need an atlas with microscopic detail to plot a course on side
roads only?

It is not legal to ride on Interstate highways, for the most part.
There are some exceptions, one of them being if there is no feasible
alternative route. However, IMHO it would be unpleasant at best and
dangerous at worst.

Not that I like to do it, or would usually choose to do it (there are
almost always better routes), but in the western US it *is* legal to
ride on the Interstate, for the most part. The illegal spots are the
exception.

Where this rider is going, it is essentially entirely legal.

Texas and Oklahoma have no policy. New Mexico allows bicycles on the
shoulders of the interstate highways (except in major cities)

I-25 from CO Springs south is open to bikes all the way to the New
Mexico border (except for Pueblo).

If you wanted to, you could ride I-70 almost all the way from Denver to
Utah, except near Denver where there is a parallel adjacent route
(within view of the Interstate) - and in Glenwood Canyon, where there is
a bike path. From Denver, east, the Interstate is open to bikes all the
way to the Kansas border.

That said. There isn't an Interstate route from CO Springs to Dallas anyway

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
Integrity is obvious.
The lack of it is common.
*****************************

Quoted message said:

My concern is more for the 750 miles each way -
what should I plan for? I have driven this route over 20 times, so I'm
more than familiar with the towns and roads. What do I need for
contingency plans - I plan on going solo. My off the cuff thoughts are:

Medical supplies
Hotels/Campgrounds
Hospitals
Train depots
Bike Shops

My list ends there, and it seems short. I guess I'm looking for a
pre-formatted list of needs for a trip like this, if such a list
exists. Is that all, aside from the supplies I bring with me? Is solo
that dangerous when you know the terrain? Any advice, even if it is
repeated, is welcomed.

I've done this type of touring by my self a few times, and recently
finished bicycling in all 50 USA states (see www.fietstocht.com for
tour journals). Here is how I approach it:

(1) If you can, do a three-day mini-tour as a shakedown ride. This
helps you figure out some style differences, packing lists, etc. For
example, there will be some choices you can make that don't have one
*right* answer:
-- Do you want to stay in motels each night? do you want
to camp? Do you want to cook your own food or get stuff
along the way? Between Colorado Springs and Dallas, towns
are close enough you can easily do either way...
-- How long each day will you want to ride? Any stops you
want to make? When do you want to start each morning?
On your mini-tour, try out some of these choices. Also, start with
someone elses packing list...and at end of three day mini-tour take
a good look at what you didn't use. Some of that is going to be
emergency stuff, but a bunch of the rest you probably also won't need
on the longer trip.

(2) Use the internet and your past knowledge of towns to research a
bit. A site such as www.motelguide.com lists Mom-n-Pop motels and is
also a good indicator of larger chains. Depending on how remote they
are, towns over 5,000-10,000 people will have a certain level of
amenities for motel, medical. Seems like 20,000+ is a good chance for
bike shop. When you are riding along, you can also occasionally look
up the local Yellow Pages to see what is out there. For the items you
list above, here is what I've done:

+ medical/hospitals; I don't worry about it...
+ hotels; motelguide.com or looking up chains. I don't make
reservations anywhere but instead have a list of likely candidates for
my likely route and then see where I end up each day. This way, I can
take advantage of tailwinds or wait out a rain day.
+ campgrounds; just bring a tent and sleeping bag. Small towns
frequently let you use the park. There are also enough open spaces to
camp or sometimes people to ask if you can sleep in their front yard.
+ train depots; Amtrak stations need to have "Baggage Service" to
load/unload a bicycle and it is a small number of places with those,
check the web. Bus stations are more common.
+ bike shops; I make certain my bike is in top condition before I
leave...and I know how to handle basic repairs (tubes, tires, spokes,
chains, cables...). If something more drastic happens, then I figure
it out as I go along.
+ equipment; my rough checklist:
http://www.mvermeulen.com/oneyear/equip.html

(3) I tend to have an attitude that divides things into two
categories:
(a) Those that if they happen will stop my trip. For example,
crashing or perhaps having my bike stolen... For these I do
everything I can to prevent them.
(b) Those that if they happen are part of the adventure. I budget
some extra time for these, e.g. weather, mechanical problems, ...

--mev, Mike Vermeulen

Here are a few points FWIW, trying not to duplicate the others:

1. I traversed Dallas once, and found routing difficult. If it hadn't been
on a Memorial day, when the arterials weren't too busy, I'd have had a real
tough time of it. Get some advice on routes there ahead of time.

2. If you get "off route" (i.e. lost) in a City, "pull over a cop" to get
advice; they are by far the most consistently dependable source of info.

3. Leave at "first light' in the morning; quitting time in the p.m. is
never dependable, because motels, campgrounds, etc have a way of not turning
up at the exact hour you'd like to stop. Be more conservative in selecting
a stayover place on weekends, when "no vacancy" signs are a greater problem.

4. In route selection, I've had fairly good luck riding old US highways
that are near enough to Interstates that the Interstates pick up most of the
traffic.

5 Carry lights and a reflector vest, unless you plan to stop well before
any danger of running out of daylight, which could leave you stopping quite
early in the west, where towns are quite far apart.

"Toddorado" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I tried to do my homework, folks, by reading other posts re: advice on
distance trips. I'm well-trained as a commuter (Colorado, 180 miles/wk)
and am planning a trip to Dallas and back from Colorado Springs. I'm
not concerned about my health or my ride (currently a Giant Rainer, all
tricked out, considering the purchase of a burly hybrid if needed). I
figure I'll be sure to get some good, solid wheels with some road-ish
tires, panniers etc. My concern is more for the 750 miles each way -
what should I plan for? I have driven this route over 20 times, so I'm
more than familiar with the towns and roads. What do I need for
contingency plans - I plan on going solo. My off the cuff thoughts are:

Medical supplies
Hotels/Campgrounds
Hospitals
Train depots
Bike Shops

My list ends there, and it seems short. I guess I'm looking for a
pre-formatted list of needs for a trip like this, if such a list
exists. Is that all, aside from the supplies I bring with me? Is solo
that dangerous when you know the terrain? Any advice, even if it is
repeated, is welcomed. I'm doing this (hopefully) with sponsors to
support Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinsons's Disease as they have both
touched my family. Thanks in advance...

That's an impressive resume' of long rides that you have. What do you do
for work to be able to manage to find the blocks of time required?

"Mike Vermeulen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My concern is more for the 750 miles each way -
what should I plan for? I have driven this route over 20 times, so I'm
more than familiar with the towns and roads. What do I need for
contingency plans - I plan on going solo. My off the cuff thoughts are:

Medical supplies
Hotels/Campgrounds
Hospitals
Train depots
Bike Shops

My list ends there, and it seems short. I guess I'm looking for a
pre-formatted list of needs for a trip like this, if such a list
exists. Is that all, aside from the supplies I bring with me? Is solo
that dangerous when you know the terrain? Any advice, even if it is
repeated, is welcomed.

I've done this type of touring by my self a few times, and recently
finished bicycling in all 50 USA states (see www.fietstocht.com for
tour journals). Here is how I approach it:

(1) If you can, do a three-day mini-tour as a shakedown ride. This
helps you figure out some style differences, packing lists, etc. For
example, there will be some choices you can make that don't have one
*right* answer:
-- Do you want to stay in motels each night? do you want
to camp? Do you want to cook your own food or get stuff
along the way? Between Colorado Springs and Dallas, towns
are close enough you can easily do either way...
-- How long each day will you want to ride? Any stops you
want to make? When do you want to start each morning?
On your mini-tour, try out some of these choices. Also, start with
someone elses packing list...and at end of three day mini-tour take
a good look at what you didn't use. Some of that is going to be
emergency stuff, but a bunch of the rest you probably also won't need
on the longer trip.

(2) Use the internet and your past knowledge of towns to research a
bit. A site such as www.motelguide.com lists Mom-n-Pop motels and is
also a good indicator of larger chains. Depending on how remote they
are, towns over 5,000-10,000 people will have a certain level of
amenities for motel, medical. Seems like 20,000+ is a good chance for
bike shop. When you are riding along, you can also occasionally look
up the local Yellow Pages to see what is out there. For the items you
list above, here is what I've done:

+ medical/hospitals; I don't worry about it...
+ hotels; motelguide.com or looking up chains. I don't make
reservations anywhere but instead have a list of likely candidates for
my likely route and then see where I end up each day. This way, I can
take advantage of tailwinds or wait out a rain day.
+ campgrounds; just bring a tent and sleeping bag. Small towns
frequently let you use the park. There are also enough open spaces to
camp or sometimes people to ask if you can sleep in their front yard.
+ train depots; Amtrak stations need to have "Baggage Service" to
load/unload a bicycle and it is a small number of places with those,
check the web. Bus stations are more common.
+ bike shops; I make certain my bike is in top condition before I
leave...and I know how to handle basic repairs (tubes, tires, spokes,
chains, cables...). If something more drastic happens, then I figure
it out as I go along.
+ equipment; my rough checklist:
http://www.mvermeulen.com/oneyear/equip.html

(3) I tend to have an attitude that divides things into two
categories:
(a) Those that if they happen will stop my trip. For example,
crashing or perhaps having my bike stolen... For these I do
everything I can to prevent them.
(b) Those that if they happen are part of the adventure. I budget
some extra time for these, e.g. weather, mechanical problems, ...

--mev, Mike Vermeulen

Quoted message said:

That's an impressive resume' of long rides that you have. What do you do
for work to be able to manage to find the blocks of time required?

Thanks. Ron, you've done a good set of longer rides yourself as well.
I remember reading of some of them and that your distance-per-day was
generally a fair amount higher than mine.

I work as a software engineer for a large computer company. I've
taken an occasional time-off-without-pay for long trips and otherwise
get an ok amount of vacation (for an american company, still small
compared to Europe).

--mev, Mike Vermeulen

:: Not that I like to do it, or would usually choose to do it (there are
: almost always better routes), but in the western US it *is* legal to
: ride on the Interstate, for the most part. The illegal spots are the
: exception.

I think you may be wrong about that. I have seen signs on Interstate 30,
Interstate 20, and Interstate 35 (just to name a few) all warning that
bicycle riding is illegal on the Interstate highway.

:
: Where this rider is going, it is essentially entirely legal.
:
: Texas and Oklahoma have no policy. New Mexico allows bicycles on the
: shoulders of the interstate highways (except in major cities)

They sure seem to have a policy here in North Texas and it's NO bicycles on
the Interstates.

Pat in TX

In article <[email hidden]>, "Toddorado"

Quoted message said:

I tried to do my homework, folks, by reading other posts re: advice on
distance trips. I'm well-trained as a commuter (Colorado, 180 miles/wk)
and am planning a trip to Dallas and back from Colorado Springs. I'm
not concerned about my health or my ride (currently a Giant Rainer, all
tricked out, considering the purchase of a burly hybrid if needed). I
figure I'll be sure to get some good, solid wheels with some road-ish
tires, panniers etc. My concern is more for the 750 miles each way -
what should I plan for? I have driven this route over 20 times, so I'm
more than familiar with the towns and roads. What do I need for
contingency plans - I plan on going solo. My off the cuff thoughts are:

Medical supplies
Hotels/Campgrounds
Hospitals
Train depots
Bike Shops

What roads did you take by car? Interstates are somewhat restricted even out
here. You can take I-25 a good part of the way to Pueblo and after that most
of the way to the New Mexico border, but do you really want to? hwy 115 would
be a better choice to start (a nice ride too). But if you want to start
heading east at first consider hwy 96 out past Peterson Field and through
Ellicott. That too is a nice ride.

If you get onto a route that goes through old railroad towns you will have a
town every 40 miles (steam engines could carry enough water for 40 miles and so
can a bicycler).

If you are camping look for the parks in small towns, they are freqently marked
by the town's water tower. Ask permission, it will often be granted.

Medical supplies: asprin, bandage material.

Hospitals: why?

Train depots: far and few between. If emergency transport is on your mind,
consider that the US bus system usually demands that your bike be boxed.

Bike shops: also far and few between. A bike that will use mountain bike tires
will be easier to get tires for at the local Wal Mart.

Tom Gibb <[email hidden]>

I used to live on part of the route you will take and there is one
thing you should be aware of. There is an imperceptable uphill grade
from Dallas to Denver. No big deal - just plan for it.

Truckers will tell you they use 1 to 2 more tanks of deisel going to
Denver than going to Dallas.

Tom

(TBGibb) said:

In article <[email hidden]>, "Toddorado"

Quoted message said:

I tried to do my homework, folks, by reading other posts re: advice on
distance trips. I'm well-trained as a commuter (Colorado, 180 miles/wk)
and am planning a trip to Dallas and back from Colorado Springs. I'm
not concerned about my health or my ride (currently a Giant Rainer, all
tricked out, considering the purchase of a burly hybrid if needed). I
figure I'll be sure to get some good, solid wheels with some road-ish
tires, panniers etc. My concern is more for the 750 miles each way -
what should I plan for? I have driven this route over 20 times, so I'm
more than familiar with the towns and roads. What do I need for
contingency plans - I plan on going solo. My off the cuff thoughts are:

Medical supplies
Hotels/Campgrounds
Hospitals
Train depots
Bike Shops

What roads did you take by car? Interstates are somewhat restricted even out
here. You can take I-25 a good part of the way to Pueblo and after that most
of the way to the New Mexico border, but do you really want to? hwy 115 would
be a better choice to start (a nice ride too). But if you want to start
heading east at first consider hwy 96 out past Peterson Field and through
Ellicott. That too is a nice ride.

If you get onto a route that goes through old railroad towns you will have a
town every 40 miles (steam engines could carry enough water for 40 miles and so
can a bicycler).

If you are camping look for the parks in small towns, they are freqently marked
by the town's water tower. Ask permission, it will often be granted.

Medical supplies: asprin, bandage material.

Hospitals: why?

Train depots: far and few between. If emergency transport is on your mind,
consider that the US bus system usually demands that your bike be boxed.

Bike shops: also far and few between. A bike that will use mountain bike tires
will be easier to get tires for at the local Wal Mart.

Tom Gibb <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I used to live on part of the route you will take and there is one
thing you should be aware of. There is an imperceptable uphill grade
from Dallas to Denver. No big deal - just plan for it.

On the other hand, I'd guess that during the summer months there are
more often winds from the south than from the north. Of course, I've
done enough riding *against* prevailing winds on tours to know that
doesn't stop it from being upwind both ways :-)...

I'd rather have that slight grade than headwinds.

--mev, Mike Vermeulen