3,400 mile trip – can this be done in three months without being an expert/speedy rider? – See my comment for more context etc.
by RachelPash
3,400 mile trip – can this be done in three months without being an expert/speedy rider? – See my comment for more context etc.
by RachelPash
7 Comments
Over 3 months/90 days this works out to be around 38.5 miles per day and is showing a highest elevation of 2,800 feet.
I’m not really wanting to just zip through without stopping to smell the coffee, but would a route in approximately this shape be doing in 90 days? I am hoping to have a six month visa, but want time to stay with a friend in GA too (additional to the 3 month ride).
Edit: Also this is for in the future, no current plans to go I’m just thinking way ahead. I will have plenty of time to train and get in shape etc.
Edit 2: This isn’t an exact trail – I won’t be going to Dallas TX it was just a North Texas pinpoint for ease. I have zero of the route actually mapped.
Might get bored at that mileage per day. I’d personally recommend not entering Texas and bike through Arkansas instead (considerably more bike friendly).
I’d try to hit the coast in NC as well.
Weather dependent on this route, I don’t think you want to be in ND in March.
It’s feasible. But check places to stay, to get food, etc. American distances are not like european’s. If you do stealth camp ok but if don’t you need to think about this before. Check on this subreddit or on r/bikepacking, there are many sites with campsites, campings, hotels, motels and obviously Warmshower.org.
Also check the wind during the season you want to ride. 50 km/day is easy with the wind in your back but it’s not the same in front of you.
Careful with Google Maps itineraries. Useful to have an idea of the distances etc, but it can make you ride on interstate and busy roads, which can be stressful. Check American Cycling Association, Komoot, to get more bike friendly roads.
Train on small trips to begin and think about rest days. And don’t do the mistake I did during my first trip, the « I need to ride that much kms per day in order to be at this place on this exact day. » Sometimes you hit the road and sometimes the road hit you. You want to take your time, so don’t be too rigid on your schedule. And try to get an International Driver Licence if you need to drive !
But your project is totally feasible ! 🙂
Having ridden through a lot of that, I’m pretty confident I can give you some ideas for making it more pleasant:
1. The Mickelson trail in western SD is awesome. Also, the Black Hills in general are better in every way than central SD, in my opinion. The interior of the Dakotas has been the least pleasant part of the country I have ridden in. The western edge sort of makes up for the flat, windy, dusty, hot, dry interior, and you skip it.
2. NW Nebraska is awesome. The rest of Nebraska, less so. You need to ride on gravel to appreciate the topography out there, but I highly recommend it
3. Lincoln, NE to Manhattan, KS is a lovely ride on a bike trail
4. Dallas is not a place I ever want to visit again, and certainly not by bike. The bike infrastructure isn’t the worst ever, but riding 50 miles to escape suburbia was awful, generally fairly close to a large number of cars the whole way. This is about the worst the US has to offer in terms of car-focused infrastructure. Texas outside of metro DFW was okay.
5. Not sure exactly what your goals are in AL/MS/LA/AR, but I don’t think you’re hitting the highlights of any of them. The Ozarks are beautiful in northern AR, northern LA is pretty nice, the Natchez Trace Parkway is pleasantly quiet, if a bit dull through MS and AL
6. The Blue Ridge Parkway is an amazing route from Great Smoky Mountains NP north to Virginia. Eastern TN, KY and WV aren’t the worst, but the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful routes I’ve ridden in ~100k miles of riding. You just need to deal with the hills (like you do off of it)
As far as pace goes, 60 miles/day is normally what I recommend to people. You can plan to spend the morning riding and much of the afternoon doing something else. In the Great Plains, you will likely need to ride some days longer than 40 miles between water sources.
38 miles is a comfortable distance that can be sustained for a long time. But personally I like to take lots of rest days, and I like to be able to just take a day off whenever I stumble on somewhere nice. It also pays to anticipate illness, injury or mechanical problems that can slow you down.
If I had to go 3400 miles in 90 days, I’d like to schedule in 1 rest day a week, plus an extra week for sightseeing, city visits, contingencies etc.
So let’s say that’s 70 cycling days. That’s an average of just under 50 miles per day. Still very reasonable, although you’d want to do some training if you’re planning to go at that pace from day one.
After a few weeks you might find you can knock out 60 or 70 mile days, which just gives you more time to see other places.
If you can get yourself to a point where you can comfortably do 50 miles on a loaded bike, three months is plenty of time.
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Could do it in a month if you wanted. You don’t have to be fast, just have to put the time in the saddle.