Ride across America ?

farrina

Thought this might be of some general interest ....

Have been following this for a few years - always interesting reading the daily journals and seeing the various speeds of the tours http://bamacyclist.com/BAMA/Fast_America_2013/Fast_America_2013.html.

Whilst a hundred miles or so a day doesn't sound to bad, when you are doing it every day it can be interesting and you end up in plod mode (did LEJG unsupported in my 20's which was a longtime ago so I reflect from personal experience)

Given that the average age is 40+ (and some considerably older) demands respect.

That said on some of the previous ride journals I have followed they have even had some participants die in their beds overnight part way through (and no I don't believe it was drug related before any one asks!).

Highly recommended read ....

Regards

Alan

VTech

Im going to take a read later in bed.
Ive done a little of it in a car (gumball) and that was mega hard, cant imagine how anyone would/could cycle the states so respect to anyone who can do that.

Grill

Looks like the RAAM for OAPs. Anyone who dies on that ride is total weaksauce.

rolf_f

I think it could be fairly tough. Even if you pick a good route, most of a traverse of the States is going to be mindnumbingly dull but that route seems to actively avoid the good bits! I suspect the deaths might be people who fell asleep whilst pedalling!

On the other hand, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico - that would be a terrific ride.

farrina

Rolf F wrote:

I think it could be fairly tough. Even if you pick a good route, most of a traverse of the States is going to be mindnumbingly dull
On the other hand, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico - that would be a terrific ride.

I think they save the northerly routes for later on in the year when the snow has gone and its normally the slower group that take it ....

rolf_f

farrina wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

I think it could be fairly tough. Even if you pick a good route, most of a traverse of the States is going to be mindnumbingly dull
On the other hand, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico - that would be a terrific ride.

I think they save the northerly routes for later on in the year when the snow has gone and its normally the slower group that take it ....

That would make sense - a lot of the passes will still be closed and the open ones busier.

Grill

Rolf F wrote:

I think it could be fairly tough. Even if you pick a good route, most of a traverse of the States is going to be mindnumbingly dull but that route seems to actively avoid the good bits! I suspect the deaths might be people who fell asleep whilst pedalling!

On the other hand, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico - that would be a terrific ride.

A very good point although New Mexico is pure chaff.

rolf_f

Grill wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

I think it could be fairly tough. Even if you pick a good route, most of a traverse of the States is going to be mindnumbingly dull but that route seems to actively avoid the good bits! I suspect the deaths might be people who fell asleep whilst pedalling!

On the other hand, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico - that would be a terrific ride.

A very good point although New Mexico is pure chaff.

Surely it would be fine between Santa Fe and Colorado at least?

Grill

Whole lot of nothing. Never should have stopped testing nukes there. Much nicer to ride Arizona up to Utah and then over to Colorado.

farrina

Rolf F wrote:

On the other hand, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico - that would be a terrific ride.

Here's the photographs from their northern traverse - awesome ( not sure about New Mexico though ...)

http://bamacyclist.com/BAMA/Photos/Pages/ABB_North.html

Regards

Alan

mallorcajeff

Personally i could not think of anything more boring. I have just got back this week after driving from san Francisco to Boston. From sf through Nevada , Bryce canyon and through the canyons was cool but got boring, once over the rockies dropped into Denver, and from Denver we drove three days 1500 miles of corn fields. Flat and green and nothing until your a good 100 miles from Boston. A nice box in life to tick but my god its boring in the middle. Do it on a tt bike looking at the floor as theres nothing to look at.

Monty Dog

My mate rode the RAAM a couple of years ago as part of a team - I don't think he saw much of the USA of note, just a week of staring at a foot-wide patch of tarmac for a few hours followed by eating/ massage / sleeping in an RV/repeat.