Roger wrote:
> I am a 61 old Australian thinking about cycling across America this
> year. I am looking for a cycling companion for this trip. I would also
> appreciate any advice on routes and timing
My family and I did that, East to West, a couple years ago.
Regarding E-W vs. W-E, the most knowledgeable cycling tourist I know
told me he thought the winds were a tossup, and he favored E-W. He's
done both directions (and talked to countless others). I don't know if
it's reliable or not, but on our E-W trip, we were helped more than we
were hurt by the winds, overall. The major exception was the final few
hundred miles west along the Columbia River, where most of the year,
the winds are very strong out of the west. (Strong enough to cause the
invention of windsurfing, IIRC.)
Still, most people ride W-E. That direction does have the benefit of
giving you the gentle grades of the Rockies (with their more modern
roads) before you hit the steep, choppy grades of the Appalachians. As
many others have said, the Appalachians really are tougher, even though
not nearly as high.
I think the best resource for routes is the Adventure Cycling
Association,
http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/index.cfm
This organization exists to help people like you. Their maps are
wonderful. (Well, except we found some heartbreaking inaccuracies in
the route profiles on the newish Lewis & Clark route).
We used Adventure Cycling maps part of the way, and made our own route
part of the way. In addition to selling you excellent maps, A.C. can
give you an annual magazine/catalog called The Cyclists' Yellow Pages.
It has state-by-state info on bike maps, contact people, etc. You can
use this info to stitch together a route.
Speaking of contact people, the Warm Showers LIst is another good
resource.
http://www.warmshowers.org/welcome
We were treated very kindly by many Warm Showers volunteers (as well as
many other people). In return, we've promised to do the same for
others. If your route passes though our area, give us a call!
Oh, you asked about timing. I advising timing your ride to catch the
good weather. If you figure out how to do that, please let me know!
- Frank Krygowski