Suggestions on routes and places to visit: US?

oldman323

I am planning a tour that will probably not be fully underway for at least another year after I have retired from my current job. Portions of the tour will begin within two or three months once my new recumbent trike is built. I will be travel to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and a few provinces in Canada. The bike I have designed will allow me to travel fully self-contained.

At the touring I am at the point now where I will begin to lay out my route including places to visit, routes to take, etc., and while I have a global view of what I want to do, I am looking for advice from the members of the forum on great routes to take, places to visit in each of the places mentioned. In making suggestions to me, keep in mind that I am an architect and an environmentalist, and my interests are quite varied including a strong interest in history. Notwithstanding my age, terrain does not intimidate me. A part of the trip I have already planned includes traversing the Oregon trail and exploring the Ozarks (which has some of the roughest terrain I have ever driven in a car, and that includes the Alps and most of the western U.S. mountain ranges).


Thanks, in advance. Oh, once the tentative route has been set up I will set up a web site, or set up a journal at an existing site, so people can follow my progress.

[A similar posting is also in the recumbent forum.]

oldman323 (mgs63home-planning@yahoo.com )

Trekker2017

You have got to follow Rte. 66. It's the American Mother Road. There are lots of good books on it and since most of the traffic has opted to travel the Interstate, the old Route 66 is a cyclist's dream. I once traveled almost 100 miles on it in Oklahoma and saw only one car.

Stay off of Route 1 on the east coast. It is over crowded with cars. There are better routes that parallel Route 1 that have nicer views and are easier to ride on.

Going down the east coast, make sure you cycled down the outer banks of North Carolina especially if you like fishing.

And don't forget the Florida Keys. There is a bike trail that runs almost the whole length from Key Biscane to Key West.

I've cycled from Connecticut to New Olreans, La and then on to California and from CT down to Key West. If I can help in any way, don't hesitate to drop me an e-mail. For what it's worth, I'm 55 years old and still do a lot of cycling.

byfred

When you get to Canada, Be sure and do "the IceFields Parkway" in Alberta. It is the Highway between Banff & Jasper and presents world-class mountain scenery. If you are on Canada's East Coast, it is pretty hard to beat Prince Edward Island for cycling pleasure. It is truly a "bicycle candyland" for us older cyclists........byfred

byfred

When you get to Canada, Be sure and do "the IceFields Parkway" in Alberta. It is the Highway between Banff & Jasper and presents world-class mountain scenery. If you are on Canada's East Coast, it is pretty hard to beat Prince Edward Island for cycling pleasure. It is truly a "bicycle candyland" for us older cyclists........byfred

Salsa Rider

There is plenty of great cycling in the DC area. something you may want to consider depending on the time of year your in our area is the w&od trail (65 mile rail to trail) out towards skyline drive and the shenendoah valley. Then down the skyline drive and down the blue ridge parkway. I've done it on a motorcycle, it was great. On a bicycle it'd be absolutley stunning. If you havent been on the east coast during fall foliage season it is something you should consider.

Trekker2017

I've done the Skyline/Blue Ridge from Front Royal. If you like hills, this is the place. The roads are all banked so that even if you are cycling down hill, you will be pedalling up. It was the toughest road I've ever been on. Beautiful, but tough (to me).

gf71

A good start is www.cyclingtheworld.org wherein their tour section you can search the all travelogues in the US or using the keyword search by state, city, etc! Travelogues are the best resource for planning a tour.

Grits

LA 1 in south Louisiana is very nice. It has a nice shoulder and winds along bayousides and small rural settlements. It also offers frequent comfort stations. Good luck with your trip. Be sure to return and tell us all about it!

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GRITS
(Girl Raised In The South)

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