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Long Distance Bike Trip Experience

1,826 Views | 24 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by AggieOO
stbabs
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AG
I've been considering a long distance ride for a while. Was in training in 2015 and 16 but both years family health issues forced me to cancel plans.

How long? Thinking East Texas to Mount Rushmore.
Why Rushmore? No idea; just seemed like a reasonable destination.

May have a trail team, may not. If I have a team I'll take a travel trailer. If not, was thinking a couple nights on the ground; one in a hotel; repeat, repeat, repeat.

Leave late spring when prevailing winds are at my back and weather favorable.

Likely ride a Trek 29er so I can take backroads.

Done some route planning with google maps; bike option.

Experience: Ridden MS 150 a few times.

Not in top shape now but lifelong fitness and getting there shouldn't be too tough.

Oh, I should mention, if I go next Spring I'll be 73 when I leave.

Welcome comments from anyone with such experience. Pace, miles/day, gear required, etc.

And, before you ask, yes, I AM outta my freakin mind!

htxag09
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AG
Thought about doing this internationally? I just met someone who did this through Belgium and loved it. I'd also imagine motorists are more used to cyclists overseas than here.
stbabs
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I'm sure overseas drivers are more attuned to cyclists. But, nothing is without risks.
I have relatives in Essen GE; lots of cyclists. There's one steep switchback on a popular bike route.
My relatives tell me a cyclist dies on that thing every few months.
When I rode College Station my biggest concern was co-eds on cell phones.
In east Texas it's rednecks in one ton duelies.
Maybe I should wear a shirt "My other bike is a 3/4 ton Dodge."

culdeus
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For pace take a look at some of the 1500 and 2000 mile charity rides. They are doing pretty low miles per day. Lower than you would expect and they have sag the whole way and haul nothing but water.

88planoAg
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There is someone on the Outdoor Board who does trips like this fairly often. I can't remember his screen name though. He has experience with hauling stuff from stop to stop, etc.

RAGBRAI is a fun one to do - not at all a solo experience, though. https://ragbrai.com/
AggieOO
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I've ridden from Austin to Anchorage.

No time to post more now, but I'll check back in later.
88planoAg
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AggieOO said:

I've ridden from Austin to Anchorage.

No time to post more now, but I'll check back in later.
https://texags.com/forums/48/topics/888583/1

Here is AggieOOs story
stbabs
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AggieOO said:

I've ridden from Austin to Anchorage.

No time to post more now, but I'll check back in later.


"Austin to Anchorage"; makes me feel like a wimp..... Mount Rushmore ain't nuttin!!
AggieOO
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88planoAg said:

AggieOO said:

I've ridden from Austin to Anchorage.

No time to post more now, but I'll check back in later.
https://texags.com/forums/48/topics/888583/1

Here is AggieOOs story


That sums it up!

If you have questions or want a tl;dr version, lmk.
stbabs
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AG
Thanks OO! I'll absorb your experience and go from there.
Never knew about the Texas 4000 before. Wish I had the time it takes for that challenge.
Quinn
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AG
No help to add, but sounds like an awesome adventure. How long are you expecting this trip to take? By "ground" do you mean that you'll be sleeping at camping grounds? Or are you going to cuddle up with some cows on the side of the road.
stbabs
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AG
I plan to go prepared to "cuddle with cows" if my cycling day ends where there's no other accommodation.
If I'm able to get someone to be my support I'll bring a travel trailer behind my truck. If so, no cows and no hotels.
I've spent half my life sleeping on the ground (retired military) so that's no big deal.
How long will it take? I'm 72 so no plan to push the speed. Maybe 60 miles a day. If I can ride every day I should see Mt Rushmore by noon on the 21st day.
Not likely that will happen. Likely have a couple of rest days and bad weather.
Several things have to come together before this becomes reality but I really want to do it.
AggieOO
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When (not if) you make this happen, please report in regularly from the road.
stbabs
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AG
Will do.
BTW, I'm sure I'll find answers in your story but :
Was your ride escorted by safety vehicles? Obviously mine won't be since I'll be riding alone

Did you carry any gear in panniers or just water/food?

Pure skinny tired road bike or hybrid? I'm planning to ride a fat tired Trek 29er so I can take country roads as much as possible. Map recon shows lots of unpaved roads in OK, KS and NE that will keep me off the high speed paved roads.
txags92
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AG
There was also a poster who rode from Corpus? To Canada when he was younger and his daughters did the same trip over 2 summers 25-30 years later. He went up and rode with them through yellowstone and posted about it. He would be a wealth of info for your planning if he is still around.
88planoAg
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AG
txags92 said:

There was also a poster who rode from Corpus? To Canada when he was younger and his daughters did the same trip over 2 summers 25-30 years later. He went up and rode with them through yellowstone and posted about it. He would be a wealth of info for your planning if he is still around.


Is that the one from OB? I've made a stab at searching for that one but can't find it. It was several years ago...
txags92
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I can't find it either. Tried to search a bunch of different ways.
chico
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encouraged to follow your trip.
In 2014 I did a bike ride across Rwanda, fully supported with staying in guest houses at night (raised money for charity). Terrific ride. Please keep us updated. I admire your spirit.
AggieOO
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stbabs said:

Will do.
BTW, I'm sure I'll find answers in your story but :
Was your ride escorted by safety vehicles? Obviously mine won't be since I'll be riding alone

Did you carry any gear in panniers or just water/food?

Pure skinny tired road bike or hybrid? I'm planning to ride a fat tired Trek 29er so I can take country roads as much as possible. Map recon shows lots of unpaved roads in OK, KS and NE that will keep me off the high speed paved roads.
we were lucky enough to have two support vehicles, so we only had to carry water bottles and food. No panniers, which allowed us to cover more miles per day. Averaged about 83/day, but had a couple days as long as 125 miles. We were on paved roads the whole way, except for many longs sections of the AlCan that were not paved due to construction. We were on road bikes with 23-25C tires.

60 miles per day on fat tires with gear will be just as exhausting, and most likely more, as 80-100 miles per day on the road.
stbabs
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AG
Thanks 00!
txags92
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Found the thread I was looking for. Not sure if he still posts, but that is the guy you ought to look into talking with.

https://texags.com/forums/34/topics/2495960/replies/39873407
stbabs
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AG
Thanks!!
I'll try to link up.
htxag09
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AggieOO said:

I've ridden from Austin to Anchorage.

No time to post more now, but I'll check back in later.
Just finished reading your thread, great read.

A couple things: did you ever repair or do anything about the fork of your bike?

Also, I'm not necessarily asking you to as I know it'd be a **** ton of work, but just stating, it'd be cool to see the pictures with your post.
htxag09
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AG
A couple more questions I though of while running:

Seemed like you completed the task of riding every leg. That's quite a feet but you never discussed it post trip. I feel like you should've gotten a shirt, something.....

How much weight did you lose on the whole trip?
AggieOO
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htxag09 said:

AggieOO said:

I've ridden from Austin to Anchorage.

No time to post more now, but I'll check back in later.
Just finished reading your thread, great read.

A couple things: did you ever repair or do anything about the fork of your bike?

Nope. We couldn't tell if it was just surface damage or cracked through. We didn't have a fork to replace it, so I had to ride. It held up, so i figured i'd replace it when i got back. 15 years later, its still on the bike.
AggieOO
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htxag09 said:

A couple more questions I though of while running:

Seemed like you completed the task of riding every leg. That's quite a feet but you never discussed it post trip. I feel like you should've gotten a shirt, something.....

How much weight did you lose on the whole trip?

I initially lost about 15 lbs, but ended up putting back 7 or 8.
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