Epic US planned in aid of Mind, the mental health charity

HowieLO6

Hi all, one long-time reader, first-time poster here!

Over the past couple of years, I've struggled with mental health issues, and its been thanks entirely to the help and support of Mind that I've overcome the once-insurmountable hurdles that I've found in my way. By way of thanks to them, I'm undertaking a few feats in order to raise money (3 Peaks in 24 hours at the back end of september, the London marathon [carrying an enormous globe; a clumsy metaphor for carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders!] in April, and a planned cycling epic in December/January of this year.

And this is where I need your help! I'm not shaking you all down for sponsorship, but shaking you down for your knowledge!

My initial plans are for a Seattle to San Fran ride starting on Christmas day; firstly, to undertake it at a time when I'd usually be with friends and family, to highlight the feeling of being alone at a time when most feel loved, but also because the weather is relatively mild (a mere 1C...) along the pacific northwest. Also, its a time at which I can fly super-cheap with Air Norway...I can deal with 27" of legroom in the name of charity!

I'd love to crowd-source some information / logistics / training advice from your lovely people!

Howie

craker

Good luck with all your endeavours! I've a lot of sympathy with what I imagine you've been through to get to this point, now for the easy part, a bonkers cycling plan and others.

I don't think I've got any relevant experience to help you with your tour, only... what precisely are you asking? Have you got a route, are you bikepacking or touring or other? How many days is this going to take?

Just rereading your post... are you an experienced cyclist? What bike have you got, what sort of milages are you happy covering in a day?

Good luck!

HowieLO6

craker wrote:

Good luck with all your endeavours! I've a lot of sympathy with what I imagine you've been through to get to this point, now for the easy part, a bonkers cycling plan and others.

I don't think I've got any relevant experience to help you with your tour, only... what precisely are you asking? Have you got a route, are you bikepacking or touring or other? How many days is this going to take?

Just rereading your post... are you an experienced cyclist? What bike have you got, what sort of milages are you happy covering in a day?

Good luck!

First post, time to respond! Appreciate the words of support too!

Thoughts on route would be useful, although I might just bite the bullet and buy a map for that. Coastal will be wetter, but warmer, so will have to suffer that. Insight into kit on this front might be useful, as I'm not an experienced winter rider, especially when trying to pack to an absolute minimum. Whats the difference between packing and touring?

Days-wise, I'm planning for anywhere between 60 and 100 k per day, with maybe a rest day in the middle. Its about 1300km, and mostly flat, and im very active.

I run off of a cannondale x-cross bike, although that won't be suitable for the ride, as I can't fit panniers to that (unless there is anyone here who can give me any hints on homebrewing those?!), and I'm comfortable doing almost 60km a day already. Head out most evenings for a 15 mile buzz around Londons streets, which only takes me about 50 minutes.

canamdad

Here's a link that could give you some good route info and perhaps more:https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/pacific-coast/
Adventure Cycling also has a forum (under Resources) that might be helpful. Bikeforums.com is a primarily US used forum that has a Touring sub forum that could be useful.
I've ridden from Portland, OR to SF but too many years ago to provide useful info other than it was quite enjoyable. Doing it in Dec would be something you would want to get some more info on before committing to I think.
Good luck!

sheffsimon

HowieLO6 wrote:

craker wrote:

Good luck with all your endeavours! I've a lot of sympathy with what I imagine you've been through to get to this point, now for the easy part, a bonkers cycling plan and others.

I don't think I've got any relevant experience to help you with your tour, only... what precisely are you asking? Have you got a route, are you bikepacking or touring or other? How many days is this going to take?

Just rereading your post... are you an experienced cyclist? What bike have you got, what sort of milages are you happy covering in a day?

Good luck!

First post, time to respond! Appreciate the words of support too!

Thoughts on route would be useful, although I might just bite the bullet and buy a map for that. Coastal will be wetter, but warmer, so will have to suffer that. Insight into kit on this front might be useful, as I'm not an experienced winter rider, especially when trying to pack to an absolute minimum. Whats the difference between packing and touring?

Days-wise, I'm planning for anywhere between 60 and 100 k per day, with maybe a rest day in the middle. Its about 1300km, and mostly flat, and im very active.

I run off of a cannondale x-cross bike, although that won't be suitable for the ride, as I can't fit panniers to that (unless there is anyone here who can give me any hints on homebrewing those?!), and I'm comfortable doing almost 60km a day already. Head out most evenings for a 15 mile buzz around Londons streets, which only takes me about 50 minutes.

Have a look on https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/

Plenty of bloggers on there will have done what you're planning, and the blogs are usually full of all sorts of info about routes, places to eat, sleep and visit.