I had been wanting to do a cross-country trip ever since we started touring in 2013.  In 2020 I was all set to ride cross-country with my friend John (with Jeanna as SAG support), but Covid put the kibosh to that.  

During last year's trip, we started discussing where we could go this year.  My first suggestion was to resurrect 2020's planned trip, but Jeanna said that she was not interested.  Throughout the summer, we kept tossing out ideas, but never found one that we both liked, and I often, though tepidly, circled back to some variant of our original 2020 route.   Jeanna, realizing how much I wanted to do the trip, finally suggested that I do it alone, with her acting as SAG.  Thus, a plan was born. 

About the only thing in common with 2020's planned route and this year's was the starting point.   I decided that since we were going by ourselves, and thus had no time constraints, that I would revisit several areas that we had ridden before because I liked them so much. For the most part, that worked out well.

Ride Segments:

Riding through Florida was nice, as always. Of all the states we have ridden in, I believe Florida has the best roads for cyclists.  Most are in good condition and the highways generally have very nice shoulders.  The fact that most of the state is flat, also helps with the rankings.

I would like to find a way to get to North Carolina without having to ride through Georgia & South Carolina.  One reason is that so many of their roads lack shoulders.  Another reason is the placement of the rumble strips for those roads that do have shoulders - they put them right down the middle, making the shoulder virtually useless. Finally, we have ridden through these states so many times it has just become a slog to get through them. 

I thoroughly enjoyed riding the Outer Banks and DELMARVA again and would recommend them to anyone.  I would also like to revisit Gettysburg, but I would like to ride through the battlegrounds by bike instead of driving it, as we did this time.

The C&O Canal Trail and the GAP are nice, but I've now done the C&O twice and the GAP thrice, so that's enough.  Also, there is nothing between Pittsburgh, PA and Columbus, OH that I wish to see again by bike (nor by car, for that matter).

Central and northwest Ohio was great as was Indiana and the lower part of Michigan.  In fact, we have pretty much decided already that we will drive to Ohio next year and spend the summer tooling around the Midwest.  (Jeanna especially likes that idea, because it's mostly flat and the small towns are numerous.)

Moving on, the UP of Michigan, northern Wisconsin and Minnesota are very nice, but again, it's "been there, done that".  I would like to ride in Manitoba and Saskatchewan again, but through different areas. 

North Dakota and eastern Montana are OK, but I haven't forgotten anything there and don't feel a need to revisit them. I also won't miss their wind.

That leaves western Montana, Idaho and Washington.  All three of these states were fun.  Maybe because it was my first time cycling in them, but I really liked this part of the country.  Sure, some of the climbs were tough, but the scenery made the pain worth it. Overall, going through the mountains was easier than I expected (climbing Sherman Pass excepted).  In fact, I found the wind on the high plains to be tougher and mentally more challenging than the climbs.      

My one regret is that I missed two of the most scenic Cascades passes, via WA-20, due to the fires.  Actually, I missed being on that part of WA-20 twice.  Yesterday, while at Ken and Francie's house, we learned they had reopened WA-20 and I made plans to take that route today as we drove to Coeur D'Alene.  However, just before we left this morning, they announced that WA-20 was once again closed.  It's frustrating. I missed it both times by one day. 

Accommodations:

Overall, our accommodations were fine.  We like to stay at mid-level motel chains whenever possible, because you generally know what you're getting.  If there is no chain motel available, we look for a "mom-and-pop" motel, over a B&B or Airbnb.  As long as they are clean, these older motels are fine, some just lack the amenities (desk, lots of outlets, breakfast) of the chains.  We avoid BnB's whenever possible, because you never know what you're going to get, and we have learned that price has absolutely nothing to do with quality, cleanliness or service.  

Food:

We are not gourmands so out meal expenses were modest.  For lunch, Subway, McDonald's or a convenience store suited us fine. For dinner we prefer to go to a grocery store and get ready-to-eat salads or something from their deli.  Failing that, there was always pizza.  We find that eating in is generally healthier (because we don't eat as much) and is much more comfortable than going out to a restaurant.  The fact that it's usually cheaper doesn't hurt either.

Bike: 

The Phoenix is the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden.   Besides comfort, the bike offered great views due to the riding position.  Sitting slightly reclined, I was naturally looking out instead of down, enabling me to take in all the sights with ease.   

Mechanically, the bike was flawless. Once I got the problem with the handlebar resolved (which was my bad), I did not have to fix or adjust anything at all.  The only time I worked on the bike was for routine maintenance.

The tires and tubes were also flawless.  One set of tires and not a single flat in 116 days and over 5,300 miles! In addition, there is still plenty of tread left.

The bike also handled very well.  It was very stable at higher speeds on the descents (30MPH+), and with practice, I became much more stable at very low speeds on the climbs as well. Cruising along at 10-15 MPH is where the bike really shines, though.  The ride is much more like a limo than a high-strung sports car, which is exactly what you want for touring.

SAG Support:

Having Jeanna provide SAG support really made this trip.  For one thing, not having to carry any gear, made riding so much easier.  Walking into our motel room and finding a cold drink and snacks ready for me was also very nice.  Then there was the mental factor - I knew that help was always just a phone call away and I took advantage of that a few times.   The most important factor though was just being together every evening. 

Final Words:

Did I enjoy it?  Absolutely. In my opinion, travelling by bike is the best way to see the country.  You also meet the nicest people when travelling by bike.

Would I do another solo trip?  Only if Jeanna volunteers to SAG again.

Do I prefer solo or tandem?  Tandem, by a mile!!