Am I Evil and Crazy to Use ACA Routing?

[Blacknblue]

I got the long distance bug and want to plan a coast to coast route for 2009.
Checking google I found Adventure Cycling Association maps for sale that
detail The original 1976 BikeCentennial Route that alot of cyclists still use.
It starts in Astoria and will take a more northern route adding a few extra days.
www.adventurecycling.org
I have a complete touring bicycle but got back into motorcycling because I lack
the time and possibly the endurance to cycle for 3 months across the country.
Am I evil to copy thier routing to avoid the freeways on the first crossing?


I plan to ride I-80 back in 3 days. This road is my road. It winds through my birthplace,
my California hometown, and ends in SF. where I live. Never been to the east
coast-- only as far as Nashville. The idea of doing SF to NY has always appealed
to me as I've lived in the shadow of that freeway for alot of my life. I like freeways
(when traffic isn't bad).

Am I insane to want to do this?

 

[Cycle61]

On an '84 Nighthawk? Sounds good to me. :laughing

 

[Blacknblue]

What else?

 

[HeTheAethyr!]

i traveled highway 80 to Cheyenne Whoyming and its pretty boring.... then talking to the other students that cames from new Hampshire and Maine they said that corn belt" Iowa Nebraska" ect is pretty boring too. theres got to be a better route with nicer views

 

[Dr. Evil]

My mother was a witch
She was burned alive
Thankless little bitch
For the tears I cried

 

[Blacknblue]

My mother was a witch
She was burned alive
Thankless little bitch
For the tears I cried

Soundtrack:

"Now laughing friends deride
Tears I can not hide
Oh, so I smile and say
When a lovely flame dies
Smoke gets in your eyes
Smoke gets in your eyes"

-The Platters "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

 

[auntiebling]

I got the long distance bug and want to plan a coast to coast route for 2009.
Checking google I found Adventure Cycling Association maps for sale that
detail The original 1976 BikeCentennial Route that alot of cyclists still use.
It starts in Astoria and will take a more northern route adding a few extra days.
www.adventurecycling.org
I have a complete touring bicycle but got back into motorcycling because I lack
the time and possibly the endurance to cycle for 3 months across the country.
Am I evil to copy thier routing to avoid the freeways on the first crossing?


I plan to ride I-80 back in 3 days. This road is my road. It winds through my birthplace,
my California hometown, and ends in SF. where I live. Never been to the east
coast-- only as far as Nashville. The idea of doing SF to NY has always appealed
to me as I've lived in the shadow of that freeway for alot of my life. I like freeways
(when traffic isn't bad).

Am I insane to want to do this?

insane yes, but for the return trip, not the trip east. 80, be it your road or the spawn of satan herself, is mindnumbingly boring

 

[Cal24Rallymaster]

It all depends on how much time you have. The route looks OK, but I will tell you that once you get past Yellowstone and until you get past Missouri your going to be one bored rider.

You will hear alot of people tell that the interstate is boring, and it is. But I can also tell you that there is very little of interest from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi river, no matter what road you take. The difference between the Interstate and the 2 lane roads is that you can ride the Interstate at night without worrying about gas, and you can get across the prairie in a few hours. On the back roads will be riding for a couple days getting through all the little towns. Couple that with the ridiculous speed limits, and local LEO's looking for out of state bikes to cure their budget shortfalls, and it can indeed be a very long time.

My advise would be to take an interesting route from Astoria to Yellowstone. Then get on the Interstate and get across to the Mississippi as directly as possible. (The route on ACA looks like it goes through Greenville Ka. I was on that road the summer before last, and you might be slitting your wrists by the time you reach Missouri.) As far as scenery, crossing Kansas is the worst, Nebraska is close behind. South Dakota is slightly better because the Black Hills are nice, and North Dakota is overall probably the best. At least you see a tree and hill once in a while. Northern Minnesota has lot's of trees, but it is real slow going off the Interstate, Iowa is only slightly better than Nebraska. Once you get to the Mississippi it gets better.

Good luck!

 

[wazzuFreddo]

insane yes, but for the return trip, not the trip east. 80, be it your road or the spawn of satan herself, is mindnumbingly boring

Highway 30 that parralells i-80 through small Nebraska towns and allong the busiest set of rail tracks I have ever seen, is a good alternative.

I want to do a circle route where I take the coast up to highway 2 in Washinton, hang on that to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan, cut through Canada, pick up 2 again and take it till the end in Maine. Then on the way back, head south to Ocean City, Maryland and hop on hwy 50 all the way back to California.

 

[NoGall]

It all depends on how much time you have. The route looks OK, but I will tell you that once you get past Yellowstone and until you get past Missouri your going to be one bored rider.

You will hear alot of people tell that the interstate is boring, and it is. But I can also tell you that there is very little of interest from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi river, no matter what road you take. The difference between the Interstate and the 2 lane roads is that you can ride the Interstate at night without worrying about gas, and you can get across the prairie in a few hours. On the back roads will be riding for a couple days getting through all the little towns. Couple that with the ridiculous speed limits, and local LEO's looking for out of state bikes to cure their budget shortfalls, and it can indeed be a very long time.

My advise would be to take an interesting route from Astoria to Yellowstone. Then get on the Interstate and get across to the Mississippi as directly as possible. (The route on ACA looks like it goes through Greenville Ka. I was on that road the summer before last, and you might be slitting your wrists by the time you reach Missouri.) As far as scenery, crossing Kansas is the worst, Nebraska is close behind. South Dakota is slightly better because the Black Hills are nice, and North Dakota is overall probably the best. At least you see a tree and hill once in a while. Northern Minnesota has lot's of trees, but it is real slow going off the Interstate, Iowa is only slightly better than Nebraska. Once you get to the Mississippi it gets better.

Good luck!

Great info! :thumbup