Ultra-lite transamerica ride

[webm8]

Hey there, I wonder if any of you can help me.  I plan on doing the transamerica ride next year but want to ride my bike without panniers and heavy bags, I would like to feel the freedom of the ride and countryside without being loaded down.  I've posted a few topics on other forums and had some help which is great, and I know I have a lot more research to do before May 2012.  I see that there are essential kit lists out there I need to look at too. 

My questions are, what are other peoples experiences of doing the transamerica bike route ultralight?  I'm not wanting to camp, so will be hotel/motel/b&b the route.  What essentials would you pack? What would you want to take next time, and leave at home.  Thanks guys.

Simon

[frejwilk]

Simon,

When you say transamerica ride, are you referring to the ACA Transamerica route? Or the Northern or Southern Tier? Basically I'm just trying to confirm that you're planning a road tour.

If you are a strong rider and don't mind the cost, you can definitely go light while staying inside at night. On the ACA TransAm anyway, it might take some planning to line up that indoor accommodation each night.

As far as what is essential, nothing beats experience. Personally, I like to bring more clothing on a road tour. I also probably bring less gear than most. Others would probably recommend the opposite. They wouldn't necessarily be wrong. Only you can say what is essential for your trip. This is especially true for an ultralight tour.

If you don't have a lot of experience touring, try to get out for some weekend trips or even some 'sub 24hr' overnighters.

Good luck,

FW

[webm8]

Morning, thanks for getting back in touch.  I'm planning on the ACA Transamerica route, heading East to West at the begining of May 2012.  My very rough planning and research leads me to belive I can do it within 3 months/12weeks.  Somewhere inbetween 70 and 80s days, 82being the max days allowed. The blogs I've been reading have given variable distances travelled each day, from 34miles to over 110miles.  I have no idea how draining it will be on the body, but I would like to average 60miles a day, giving myself 10days rest on route.  Of course I understand you can't 100% plan for a trip like this, illness and weather would delay things, and keeping to such a tight deadline could take the enjoyment and pleasure out of such a ride - the whole reason for doing it in the first place.  Good to know I can do the motel/hotel/B&B each night, not sure how much it will cost though and I think tripadvisor will need to be used to find cheap but comfortable places to stay.  The planning is the hard bit for sure!

I'm never sure what constitutes a strong rider.  During the summer weekends I happily ride 60-70miles, take part a couple of sportives, etapes and triathlons (as part of a team - cycling part of course  ), each year.   Although, I have not ridden back to back long rides, so...

Yes not sure what to take yet, I'm trying to make a list then pile it all up on the floor and see how it looks!  The blogs say that the locals and other riders are vrey helpfull on route, and there are bike shops along the route where things can be fixed or replaced.  Someone said that it is possible to have things posted fwd ahead of you, so if you know where your going to be stopping, then a fresh set of clothes etc can be waiting a week or two ahead of you.  Also someone said it's not a fashion show lol, so you only really need some shorts and a t-shirt to put on once you've arrived in town. 

Riding during the heat sounds pretty harsh and a lot of people start off real early in the morning to beat the heat.  Rabid dogs sound bad as do the coal trucks, read some terror stories about those! 

Thanks for the help FW, I'm sure there will be more posts and frantic calls for help appearing closer to the departure date.

[frejwilk]

Simon,

One of the best things you can do is to get the ACA maps now for planning. You might find Tripadvisor helpful to decide between choices in a few places, but many times there just aren't that many choices. You'll also find there are many 'cyclist only' lodging choices that you can only find out about from your maps (and the addendum). Also keep in mind that places that might not give a good impression to the general public (ie tripadvisor) may seem 5-star to the traveling cyclist. I had a woman in MO leave a key in an open room with a note on the door for me so I could stay that night. She was the owner of the small motel and was going to be away for the night. She trusted me to leave the payment in an envelope when I left. I knew about this place from my ACA map.

It's tough to make mileage plans ahead of time. By choosing to stay indoors, you may have to let distance between lodging dictate your pace more than what you're comfortable riding. Even with a light load, most people are probably going to ride lower daily mileages while touring than what they're normally capable of.

One of the things people like about ACA routes is how they direct you away from more developed areas. One downside to that is a bit more planning and foresight to deal with less services and greater distances between them.

If you are able to get out for some short overnighters, it will start to give you an idea of what gear you feel comfortable with leaving behind compared to what is essential. It might not be a fashion show, but if you're not camping you'll be spending a lot more time dealing with people in towns. Going out to dinner in the lycra shorts you've been wearing for three days, or shopping at the grocery store in that small town, or cooling off at the village swimming pool, or....  Maybe try going for a long ride from home and then running some of your usual errands 'in costume'. Some people are less conscious about that stuff than others.

Good luck,

FW

[paxton coyote]

All I know about it is I put up a guy from Boston in July who made it from Boston to SF in 32 days, 3390 miles, the day he stopped here he had rode 128 miles, day before that 150, he camped nearly every night, had only 2 small rear panniers & a small bag on the top of the rack, I think from Boston to here in western Nebraska he only took 2 rest days, check him out on Facebook, "riding on the edge" is the page, pretty amazing!

[webm8]

Hi again FW.  Thanks for more great info and help.

Yes the maps, I was thinking of getting them soon, but was worried incase a new revised version came out before now and the set off date.  Maybe I should'nt worry and just check out the updates on line.  So the maps have all that type of info? hotels, stay overs, food etc?  That's good to know.  Yes your right, anyway with a shower and a comfy bed will do after spending all day battling a headwind while it rains down on you.  I will do my research the best I can, although it would be nice to be more flexable.  That sounds nice about the women just leaving a key, I've read on blogs simular heartwarming stories of trust and openess.

Your right, that is a problem I am going to have, that I just cant throw a tent up anyway like you guys, and the costs are going to be much more 

oh yes, I'm a little self conscious of walking around in lycra at the best times, let alone some small family town in the middle of no-where.  I would not like to offend, and would slip a pair of light shorts on when appropriate.

I've heard some horror stories about the coal trucks on route, people being hit by them and lumps of coal flying off and hitting cyclists too.  Sounds pretty bad.  Are the maps giving a route away from those dangers?

Not sure I will be doing that many miles PC!  at least, hope not.

Thanks for your help again