the route
So far, I've spent a ridiculous amount of time on this route, and I'm only about 2/3 finished. Even so, all of the time spent was really enjoyable. Feel free to skim or skip the next paragraph, which tells the route. There's a picture at the bottom anyway.
My baseline route for Florida is the Adventure Cycling Association's Atlantic Coast Route, which rolls into the USBRS in Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. Upon arriving in DC, I'll take the C&O/GAP trail to Pittsburgh, then pick up the ACA's Underground Railroad Pittsburgh Spur to New Castle. From there, I'm picking my own way to visit my cousin near Hiram, Ohio, then finding my way over to the ACA's regular Underground Railroad route until I reach Everett. At that point, I get on the Underground Railroad Detroit Spur for 570 miles to Sombra, in Ontario, then hop onto the Lake Erie Connector to Ludington. In Ludington, I'll use the Great Lakes maps up to Mackinac Island, but when I cross the straits of Mackinac I'll be going farther north and hugging the coast of Lake Superior in order to see my second giant troll and a couple of National Parks. I plan to stop in Duluth, then work my way south back to my home in Iowa City.
The routes I just mentioned are barely a baseline, since I'll be leaving them on a frequent basis as I'm lured away to interesting places.
"Interesting places" is where the lion's share of my research went, and what I'll be sharing with you. Where else (other than a few clicks on the internet) will you be able to see and learn firsthand (meaning secondhand) about such things as an underwater hotel, be close to an actual lost nuclear bomb, see giant trolls, learn about the enslaved man who built a box and mailed himself to freedom, and see the First African Black Church (the oldest African American church in North America). You'll be able to see where Aileen Wuornos, one of America's most notable female serial killers and the person depicted in the biopic movie Monster, was arrested while having her last drink, and where she lived (I might even stay in the same hotel room). We'll view Charles Manson's sweatpants and John Wayne Gacy's paintings. And, for those of you into more sophisticated options, you'll see and learn about a number of Frank Lloyd Wright homes, as well as the narrowest house in America (which also happens to be a "spite house"), and even the country's smallest church.
And all of this before I even reach Washington, DC.
The above list also doesn't include the interesting people I'll be meeting along the way. For me, that's always the best part of a bike tour. People are endlessly fascinating, and somehow I tend to come across the cream of the crop.
My research resulted in supplementing more hotels and campgrounds to the ACA maps (which already have hotels and campgrounds), and adding them to the USBRS routes, which had none. For the campgrounds I looked up online ratings (1-10, as well as how many reviews) taken from RVLife.com. That website also lists whether a campsite has restrooms, showers, laundry, wi-fi, a camp store, and cell service so I added that to my map's information. For example:
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I included National Parks and, in the few cities that have them, Bib Gourmand restaurants (although I won't subject you to too many pictures of food). The "interesting places" items mostly came from Roadside America and Atlas Obscura, as I checked their map for sites along my route.
Finally, I added every Warm Showers host along the route, as well as all of their bio and a link to their information.
This is the route so far:
Overall, it's a little more than 4,000 miles (6,500 km), which may be a bit challenging (read: ridiculously overambitious), but we'll see how things go. Keep your fingers crossed, and stay tuned.
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What are the odds I'll complete my 4,000 mile cyclotour this summer?
Your odds of completing your 4,000-mile cyclotour this summer depend on several factors, including:
* Training & Fitness – If you're already cycling regularly and have experience with long-distance rides, you're in a strong position. If not, ramping up your mileage now will help. [Uh-oh]
* Route Planning – You prefer scenic, low-traffic routes with minimal elevation gain, which should reduce physical strain and improve enjoyment. Proper route planning (like you've done for past rides) increases success rates.
* Bike & Gear Reliability – A well-maintained bike and high-quality gear reduce mechanical failures. If you're using the same setup as past tours, reliability should be high.
* Daily Mileage Goals – At 4,000 miles over, say, 80 days, that’s 50 miles per day. Given your past self-supported rides, this is reasonable.
* Weather & External Factors – Heat, storms, or unexpected detours could slow progress. Flexibility in your schedule will help.
* Motivation & Mental Toughness – Multi-month tours can be mentally challenging. Since you've done long rides before, you likely have the mindset needed.
Estimated Odds
If you maintain a steady pace, avoid injuries, and don’t face major mechanical issues, your odds of completing the tour are high—probably 85-90%. Your past experience and planning habits suggest you're well-prepared.
3 weeks ago
P.S. Pay no attention to the A.I. wizard behind the curtain. I say your odds of success are 99% or higher.
3 weeks ago
2 weeks ago
2 weeks ago
If you want my GPX file for your trip, let me know. It has a lot of POI on it, and you can tweak it to your needs/preferences.
2 weeks ago