Anybody done this.

Gene Thibeault said:

I just joined the group. I am a recreational biker but have a dream of biking from my present home
in Auburn CA, to my boyhood home in New Hampshire. Has anyone cycled across the US in this general
direction., I have my wife who will pull the camper and sag for me. Any web sites on what to
expect from this type of adventure. Age is 57 I will probably leave in early Sept. 2004. Just
getting ideas now. I have done 14 100 mile adventures runs so know about endurance. Any help will
be appreciated. Geno

Search for "Race Across America (RAAM)." There are thousands of people who've done it. I bumped into
a group of college kids from Florida doing it last year for charity (and the experience).

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Thousands of people have biked cross country, alone or in small or large groups. With your wife
along with a vehicle, it should be no real problem, as long as she can fill her days. Adventure
Cycling of Missoula, MT has routes published, or you can get peoples individual routes finding trip
reports and examining them. Except near large cities, you can probably take any non-interstate
designated US highways. In much of the west, you can even use the Interstates, although I don't
recommend it too much because debris in the shoulder causes quite a few flats. Ron Wallenfang "Gene
Thibeault" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just joined the group. I am a recreational biker but have a dream of biking from my present home
in Auburn CA, to my boyhood home in New Hampshire. Has anyone cycled across the US in this general
direction., I have my wife who will pull the camper and sag for me. Any web sites on what to
expect from this type of adventure. Age is 57 I will probably leave in early Sept. 2004. Just
getting ideas now. I have done 14 100 mile adventures runs so know about endurance. Any help will
be appreciated. Geno
--
Gene Thibeault (t-bow)[email hidden]

Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.

Quoted message said:

I just joined the group. I am a recreational biker but have a dream of biking from my present home
in Auburn CA, to my boyhood home in New Hampshire. Has anyone cycled across the US in this general
direction., I have my wife who will pull the camper and sag for me. Any web sites on what to expect
from this type of adventure. Age is 57 I will probably leave in early Sept. 2004. Just getting
ideas now. I have done 14 100 mile adventures runs so know about endurance. Any help will be
appreciated. Geno

A web search should point out quite a few journals of people who have bicycled across US including
parts of your route. The organization Adventure Cycling (adv-cycling.orgadv-cycling.orgOpen ↗) puts out a good
magazine oriented at cycle touring and sells maps and other items. Their maps are oriented to
cyclists with elevation profiles (in hilly regions), bike shops, etc.

I would recommend trying a shorter tour (say three days to a week) as a way of trying cycle
touring. This is also a good way to try out equipment. Surprisingly, there isn't a huge difference
between what you need for a week trip from a month on the road. It also lets you see how the sag
setup works.

Personally, I've found the mental parts of a trip to be bigger than physical. If you take things
easy in first week or two, often I can ride yourself into shape if necessary. The way I think of it
is up front is to divide things into two categories: (1) those if they happen will stop the trip and
(2) those that are part of the adventure and try to put as much as possible into category #2.

Category #1 type issues include things like being hit by a car or straining knees too much (the #1
reason I've found people abort a trip like this). So do the sensible things to avoid accidents (e.g.
riding at night,...) and make sure bike is well adjusted and not giving yourself an impossible
schedule to meet that only invites knee injuries when headwinds or other things happen.

Category #2 includes a lot of things. On a cross country adventure you could have a week of rain,
strong headwinds on the plains. You could have mechanical problems with the bike not easy to fix on
the road. When these happen, they just become part of the adventure. Take appropriate rain gear,
brush up your mechanical skills and take items for common problems (tubes, tires, spokes even rims).

Overall, I've found a long cycle trip can be a wonderful adventure and get a real sense of the
country. A nice mixture of up front planning and take it as it comes...a mixture of goal driven
"cross the US" with a "day by day" adjustment...

--mev, Mike Vermeulen

p.s. My cycle touring web site with journals including two trips across the USA is located here:
fietstocht.comfietstocht.comOpen ↗

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

...

Quoted message said:

probably leave in early Sept. 2004. Just getting ideas now. I have done

How fast of a rider are you? Will you be able to finish before winter sets in in New England?

--

"Where was the ka-boom? There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering ka- boom!"
- Marvin The Martian

Thanks Mike for the great advice. I do plan some long multiday rides as a shake down. My wife has
done multiday runs(John Muir Trail etc.) so we have some experience with some of the aspects
involved. Gene

Mike Vermeulen said:

Quoted message said:

I just joined the group. I am a recreational biker but have a dream of biking from my present home
in Auburn CA, to my boyhood home in New Hampshire. Has anyone cycled across the US in this general
direction., I have my wife who will pull the camper and sag for me. Any web sites on what to
expect from this type of adventure. Age is 57 I will probably leave in early Sept. 2004. Just
getting ideas now. I have done 14 100 mile adventures runs so know about endurance. Any help will
be appreciated. Geno

A web search should point out quite a few journals of people who have bicycled across US including
parts of your route. The organization Adventure Cycling (adv-cycling.orgadv-cycling.orgOpen ↗) puts out a
good magazine oriented at cycle touring and sells maps and other items. Their maps are oriented to
cyclists with elevation profiles (in hilly regions), bike shops, etc.

I would recommend trying a shorter tour (say three days to a week) as a way of trying cycle
touring. This is also a good way to try out equipment. Surprisingly, there isn't a huge difference
between what you need for a week trip from a month on the road. It also lets you see how the sag
setup works.

Personally, I've found the mental parts of a trip to be bigger than physical. If you take things
easy in first week or two, often I can ride yourself into shape if necessary. The way I think of
it is up front is to divide things into two categories: (1) those if they happen will stop the
trip and (2) those that are part of the adventure and try to put as much as possible into
category #2.

Category #1 type issues include things like being hit by a car or straining knees too much (the #1
reason I've found people abort a trip like this). So do the sensible things to avoid accidents
(e.g. riding at night,...) and make sure bike is well adjusted and not giving yourself an
impossible schedule to meet that only invites knee injuries when headwinds or other things happen.

Category #2 includes a lot of things. On a cross country adventure you could have a week of rain,
strong headwinds on the plains. You could have mechanical problems with the bike not easy to fix
on the road. When these happen, they just become part of the adventure. Take appropriate rain
gear, brush up your mechanical skills and take items for common problems (tubes, tires, spokes
even rims).

Overall, I've found a long cycle trip can be a wonderful adventure and get a real sense of the
country. A nice mixture of up front planning and take it as it comes...a mixture of goal driven
"cross the US" with a "day by day" adjustment...

--mev, Mike Vermeulen

p.s. My cycle touring web site with journals including two trips across the USA is located here:
fietstocht.comfietstocht.comOpen ↗

--
Gene Thibeault (t-bow)[email hidden]

Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.

Hi Gene:

I completed a ride from El Sobrante, CA to Gilmanton, NH just two weeks ago. First cross country
trip for me, turned 49 the day after I rolled into Gilmanton. A quick synopsis of my route:

My route went through the Sacramento Valley on hwy 12 to 88, then across Carson Pass into Carson
City. Followed 395 N, east of the Sierra into Oregon until hwy 20. Followed hwy 20 into Burns, and
then through Jentura, and into Onterio. From Onterio, followed 95 through Idaho to Whitebird. From
WhiteBird to Lowell, ID on (hwy 95 -> 13 -> 12) then into Missoula. From Missoula, went out hwy 200
through Great Falls and followed 87 through Ft. Benton, to Havre MT. From Havre, follow hwy 2 into
Williston ND and eventually to Rugby ND where I got off hwy 2 and onto a quieter hwy, hwy 17.
Followed 17 into Grafton, and over the Red river into Minnesota. Got onto hwy 11 in MN and followed
that to Beaudette, where I entered Onterio, Canada at Rainy River. Followed hwy 11 to Thunderbay and
went North around Lake Superior on hwy 17 to Sault Ste. Marie. From the Sault, stayed on 17 to North
Bay, Sudbury, and Pembroke. Crossed into Quebec at Chenaux and followed hwy 148 through Gatineau,
and into Montreal. From Montreal followed hwy 112 through Chambly, Granby, and Magog. From Magog got
onto hwy 141 through Coaticoak and into Canaan VT. Immediately entered New Hampshire and followed Rt
3 to Rt 26 and over Dixville notch. Got on Rt 16 at Errol NH and followed 16 over Pinkham notch to
Ossippee. From Ossippee I got onto 28 to Alton, then turned onto Rt 140 to Gilmanton.

This route was mostly major highways which detracted from the enjoyment of the trip. A lot of
traffic, especially on California 12 E, California 395 N, Montana 2 E, and through most of Onterio.
The shoulders on the highways in Canada were nonexistent to decent. But mostly they were about 2
feet wide and broken up, sometimes badly. Had to replace my rear rim in Thunderbay. Make sure your
rear rim is of very high quality. It takes a beating.

This is a very northerly route. I followed it because of the time of year I left California.
Originally planning to go through Nevada, but determined that I couldn't carry enough water. Your
planned time of departure would make following my route questionable. Through Nevada might be more
reasonable. The morning I left Wawa, Onterio, the temperature was 4 degrees Celcius in the morning.
That was Aug 23, and the coolest it got on my trip. But if you go this route, it'll be October when
you get North of the lakes.

Entire trip was 3954 miles. I didn't record errand miles, miles where I took a lay-overday and rode
around taking care of business. Steepest grades encountered were in New Hamshire, but by that time I
had lost 30 lbs and had no problem pushing the bike up the hills. Bike weighed about 90 lbs with all
the gear and water. I weighed 117 lbs on the day I rolled into Gilmanton. Left July 7, got to
Gilmanton on Sept. 5, Sixty days with seven layover days.

All in all, I would not recommend this route because of the shear volume and speed of traffic that
you have to deal with, especially on the hwys mentioned above. Might be able to find alternates for
those hwys. You could follow hwy 200 out of Great Falls as an alternate to hwy 2, but it's more
desolate, and I wouldn't guarantee that it'll have less traffic. If you decide to go this route,
email me for more detailed info. I'd love to share more of the particulars. Met a lot of great
people who might be willing to put you up for a night or two.

Great trip! Love to have the opportunity to do it again one day.

b.o'd.

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

Quoted message said:

Gene Thibeault said:

I just joined the group. I am a recreational biker but have a dream of biking from my present
home in Auburn CA, to my boyhood home in New Hampshire. Has anyone cycled across the US in this
general direction., I have my wife who will pull the camper and sag for me. Any web sites on
what to expect from this type of adventure. Age is 57 I will probably leave in early Sept. 2004.
Just getting ideas now. I have done 14 100 mile adventures runs so know about endurance. Any
help will be appreciated. Geno

Search for "Race Across America (RAAM)." There are thousands of people who've done it. I bumped
into a group of college kids from Florida doing it last year for charity (and the experience).

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything we
could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP
in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Congratulations! I've always wanted to do something like that. Got any photos? (Gary - Boston)

bobbyod said:

Hi Gene:

I completed a ride from El Sobrante, CA to Gilmanton, NH just two weeks ago. First cross country
trip for me, turned 49 the day after I rolled into Gilmanton. A quick synopsis of my route:

My route went through the Sacramento Valley on hwy 12 to 88, then across Carson Pass into Carson
City. Followed 395 N, east of the Sierra into Oregon until hwy 20. Followed hwy 20 into Burns, and
then through Jentura, and into Onterio. From Onterio, followed 95 through Idaho to Whitebird. From
WhiteBird to Lowell, ID on (hwy 95 -> 13 -> 12) then into Missoula. From Missoula, went out hwy
200 through Great Falls and followed 87 through Ft. Benton, to Havre MT. From Havre, follow hwy 2
into Williston ND and eventually to Rugby ND where I got off hwy 2 and onto a quieter hwy, hwy 17.
Followed 17 into Grafton, and over the Red river into Minnesota. Got onto hwy 11 in MN and
followed that to Beaudette, where I entered Onterio, Canada at Rainy River. Followed hwy 11 to
Thunderbay and went North around Lake Superior on hwy 17 to Sault Ste. Marie. From the Sault,
stayed on 17 to North Bay, Sudbury, and Pembroke. Crossed into Quebec at Chenaux and followed hwy
148 through Gatineau, and into Montreal. From Montreal followed hwy 112 through Chambly, Granby,
and Magog. From Magog got onto hwy 141 through Coaticoak and into Canaan VT. Immediately entered
New Hampshire and followed Rt 3 to Rt 26 and over Dixville notch. Got on Rt 16 at Errol NH and
followed 16 over Pinkham notch to Ossippee. From Ossippee I got onto 28 to Alton, then turned onto
Rt 140 to Gilmanton.

This route was mostly major highways which detracted from the enjoyment of the trip. A lot of
traffic, especially on California 12 E, California 395 N, Montana 2 E, and through most of
Onterio. The shoulders on the highways in Canada were nonexistent to decent. But mostly they were
about 2 feet wide and broken up, sometimes badly. Had to replace my rear rim in Thunderbay. Make
sure your rear rim is of very high quality. It takes a beating.

This is a very northerly route. I followed it because of the time of year I left California.
Originally planning to go through Nevada, but determined that I couldn't carry enough water. Your
planned time of departure would make following my route questionable. Through Nevada might be more
reasonable. The morning I left Wawa, Onterio, the temperature was 4 degrees Celcius in the
morning. That was Aug 23, and the coolest it got on my trip. But if you go this route, it'll be
October when you get North of the lakes.

Entire trip was 3954 miles. I didn't record errand miles, miles where I took a lay-overday and
rode around taking care of business. Steepest grades encountered were in New Hamshire, but by that
time I had lost 30 lbs and had no problem pushing the bike up the hills. Bike weighed about 90 lbs
with all the gear and water. I weighed 117 lbs on the day I rolled into Gilmanton. Left July 7,
got to Gilmanton on Sept. 5, Sixty days with seven layover days.

All in all, I would not recommend this route because of the shear volume and speed of traffic that
you have to deal with, especially on the hwys mentioned above. Might be able to find alternates
for those hwys. You could follow hwy 200 out of Great Falls as an alternate to hwy 2, but it's
more desolate, and I wouldn't guarantee that it'll have less traffic. If you decide to go this
route, email me for more detailed info. I'd love to share more of the particulars. Met a lot of
great people who might be willing to put you up for a night or two.

Great trip! Love to have the opportunity to do it again one day.

b.o'd.

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

Quoted message said:

Gene Thibeault said:

I just joined the group. I am a recreational biker but have a dream of biking from my present
home in Auburn CA, to my boyhood home in New Hampshire. Has anyone cycled across the US in
this general direction., I have my wife who will pull the camper and sag for me. Any web sites
on what to expect from this type of adventure. Age is 57 I will probably leave in early Sept.
2004. Just getting ideas now. I have done 14 100 mile adventures runs so know about endurance.
Any help will be appreciated. Geno

Search for "Race Across America (RAAM)." There are thousands of people who've done it. I bumped
into a group of college kids from Florida doing it last year for charity (and the experience).

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything
we could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security."
--Microsoft VP in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Wow... sounds like a wonderful trip through some of the nicest countryside.

<thinking out loud> 30 pounds eh? i am impressed. If I were to do something like that it would be
from here - CAlgary to Wisconsin - that way I could stay at relatives places along the way. Maybe
next spring / summer, after spending some time training . </thinking quietly>

Congradulations on doing this!

take care Liz

Hey! Look what "bobbyod" <[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

Entire trip was 3954 miles. I didn't record errand miles, miles where I took a lay-overday and rode
around taking care of business. Steepest grades encountered were in New Hamshire, but by that time
I had lost 30 lbs and had no problem pushing the bike up the hills. Bike weighed about 90 lbs with
all the gear and water. I weighed 117 lbs on the day I rolled into Gilmanton. Left July 7, got to
Gilmanton on Sept. 5, Sixty days with seven layover days.

Unfortunately I'm a rookie at photography. I snapped two rolls of pictures, mostly landscapes, but
neither roll came out. Very disappointing, there were some pictures I would really have liked to
have had. Not sure if the film was ruined by exposure to excessive heat, or water. The western part
of the trip was very hot, plus 100 degrees most days, sometimes hotter. The day I rode into
Whitebird, ID, it was close to 110. The eastern part was wet, and even though I kept the camera in a
zip-lock bag in my handle-bar bag, it still somehow got water in it.

I kept a daily log throughout the trip. In the process of making it readable, in between looking for
work and getting my golf swing back in shape. 🙂

b.o'd.

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

Quoted message said:

Congratulations! I've always wanted to do something like that. Got any

photos?

Quoted message said:

(Gary - Boston)

bobbyod said:

Hi Gene:

I completed a ride from El Sobrante, CA to Gilmanton, NH just two weeks

ago.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

First cross country trip for me, turned 49 the day after I rolled into Gilmanton. A quick
synopsis of my route:

My route went through the Sacramento Valley on hwy 12 to 88, then across Carson Pass into Carson
City. Followed 395 N, east of the Sierra into Oregon until hwy 20. Followed

hwy

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

20 into Burns, and then through Jentura, and into Onterio. From Onterio, followed 95 through
Idaho to Whitebird. From WhiteBird to Lowell, ID on (hwy 95 -> 13 -> 12) then into

Missoula.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

From Missoula, went out hwy 200 through Great Falls and followed 87

through

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Ft. Benton, to Havre MT. From Havre, follow hwy 2 into Williston ND and eventually to Rugby ND

where

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I got off hwy 2 and onto a quieter hwy, hwy 17. Followed 17 into Grafton, and over the Red river
into Minnesota. Got onto hwy 11 in MN and followed that to Beaudette, where I entered Onterio,
Canada at Rainy River. Followed hwy 11 to Thunderbay and went North around Lake Superior on hwy

17

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

to Sault Ste. Marie. From the Sault, stayed on 17 to North Bay, Sudbury, and Pembroke. Crossed
into Quebec at Chenaux and followed hwy 148 through Gatineau,

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

into Montreal. From Montreal followed hwy 112 through Chambly, Granby, and Magog. From Magog got
onto hwy 141 through Coaticoak and into Canaan VT. Immediately entered New Hampshire and
followed Rt 3 to Rt 26 and over Dixville notch. Got on Rt 16 at Errol NH and followed 16 over
Pinkham notch to Ossippee. From Ossippee I got onto 28 to Alton, then turned onto Rt 140 to

Gilmanton.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

This route was mostly major highways which detracted from the enjoyment

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the trip. A lot of traffic, especially on California 12 E, California

395

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

N, Montana 2 E, and through most of Onterio. The shoulders on the

highways

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in Canada were nonexistent to decent. But mostly they were about 2 feet wide and broken up,
sometimes badly. Had to replace my rear rim in Thunderbay. Make sure your rear rim is of very
high quality. It takes

a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

beating.

This is a very northerly route. I followed it because of the time of

year

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I left California. Originally planning to go through Nevada, but

determined

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

that I couldn't carry enough water. Your planned time of departure

would

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

make following my route questionable. Through Nevada might be more reasonable. The morning I
left Wawa, Onterio, the temperature was 4

degrees

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Celcius in the morning. That was Aug 23, and the coolest it got on my

trip.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But if you go this route, it'll be October when you get North of the

lakes.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Entire trip was 3954 miles. I didn't record errand miles, miles where I took a lay-overday and
rode around taking care of business. Steepest

grades

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

encountered were in New Hamshire, but by that time I had lost 30 lbs and

had

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

no problem pushing the bike up the hills. Bike weighed about 90 lbs

with

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

all the gear and water. I weighed 117 lbs on the day I rolled into Gilmanton. Left July 7, got
to Gilmanton on Sept. 5, Sixty days with

seven

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

layover days.

All in all, I would not recommend this route because of the shear volume

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

speed of traffic that you have to deal with, especially on the hwys mentioned above. Might be
able to find alternates for those hwys. You could follow hwy 200 out of Great Falls as an
alternate to hwy 2, but

it's

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

more desolate, and I wouldn't guarantee that it'll have less traffic.

If

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

you decide to go this route, email me for more detailed info. I'd love

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

share more of the particulars. Met a lot of great people who might be willing to put you up for
a night or two.

Great trip! Love to have the opportunity to do it again one day.

b.o'd.

"Raptor" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gene Thibeault wrote:
> I just joined the group. I am a recreational biker but have a dream

of

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> biking from my present home in Auburn CA, to my boyhood home in New Hampshire. Has anyone
> cycled across the US in this general

direction.,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> I have my wife who will pull the camper and sag for me. Any web

sites

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> on what to expect from this type of adventure. Age is 57 I will probably leave in early
> Sept. 2004. Just getting ideas now. I have

done

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> 14 100 mile adventures runs so know about endurance. Any help will

be

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> appreciated. Geno

Search for "Race Across America (RAAM)." There are thousands of

people

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

who've done it. I bumped into a group of college kids from Florida doing it last year for
charity (and the experience).

--
--
Lynn Wallace xmission.com~lawallOpen ↗ "I'm not proud. We really haven't done everything
we could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security."
--Microsoft VP in charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.

Thanks. People were supportive all the way across the continent. Had much prayer support from home,
and a lot of help from people, who at the time were strangers to me, but not any more.

b.o'd.

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

Quoted message said:

Wow... sounds like a wonderful trip through some of the nicest

countryside.

Quoted message said:

<thinking out loud> 30 pounds eh? i am impressed. If I were to do something like that it

would be

Quoted message said:

from here - CAlgary to Wisconsin - that way I could stay at relatives

places

Quoted message said:

along the way. Maybe next spring / summer, after spending some time

training .

Quoted message said:

</thinking quietly>

Congradulations on doing this!

take care Liz

Hey! Look what "bobbyod" <[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

Entire trip was 3954 miles. I didn't record errand miles, miles where I took a lay-overday and
rode around taking care of business. Steepest

grades

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

encountered were in New Hamshire, but by that time I had lost 30 lbs and

had

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

no problem pushing the bike up the hills. Bike weighed about 90 lbs with all the gear and water.
I weighed 117 lbs on the day I rolled into Gilmanton. Left July 7, got to Gilmanton on Sept. 5,
Sixty days with

seven

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

layover days.