Planning a route
Why the USA? I had never been to the USA, but it is a country we are all so familiar with. We share a language and many other things, so I wanted to see the real United States. For some reason, I could not wait to roll into small town America and meet some 'hill billy' types. But above all I wanted spectacular scenery and wilderness, which North America has in abundance.
A logical route was to cut right across the middle, which would mean starting in Virginia and heading west for a very long time. As for finishing in Vancouver, it is a city that has always captivated me - mountains, the ocean and very cosmopolitan - and it would mean I would cross an international frontier by bicycle (I am a bit of a geopolitics geek!). So what better place to take some time off when the cycle was over?
The route was sorted and included every type of terrain possible - rolling hills, farm land, prairies, mountains, desert, lakes and coastline. I would also experience varying cultures through 12 very differemt States. All I needed now was a plane ticket and a bicycle (and good insurance!).
Choosing a bicycle
Using a bicycle as my primary means of transport was a no-brainer. Bicycling puts you so much in contact with everything, as you experience much more closely the topography and taste the cultures you cycle through. The vulnerability of a bicycle makes it a much deeper experience. Add in that I would be as fit as a butcher's dog by the end, and the cycle trip across America was on!
What better than an American bicycle for an American roadtrip! I discovered a manufacturer, Surly, who produce a no-nonsense touring bike called the Long Haul Trucker - it was the machine for me. I have never bought a new bike but with the addition of my old Brooks leather saddle, what I had was not only a machine to cross the USA, but a work of art.
Last minute planning
So on 31th May, 2012, I found myself on a plane to Washington DC, sick to the stomach with nerves. About a week before leaving, I got cold feet and asked my parents if they would be embarrassed if I sacked in the USA cycle, and went to Europe instead. Their advice was that Europe was on the doorstep and available at another time. The nerves were natural and I just had to get on with it.
People spend years researching trips like this, but I want you to understand that this does not need to be the case. In fact, this trip was only a certainty 3 weeks before leaving and an idea only two months before! It was so last minute that the departure date for my flight depended on how much leeway I wanted to give myself between going to the US Embassy for my visa and receipt of my passport.
The all important luggage
I stayed with friends in Washington DC, which really helped me to acclimatise, but I did not want to leave. I could not bring myself to swap a comfortable home for 3 months for a tiny tent. In no time at all though, I found myself being dropped off in a car park in Charlottesville, Virginia, with the bicycle and all my gear, which felt very heavy. I felt like a small boy being dropped off at boarding school for the first time. I struggled to load the bike before taking the first peddle towards Vancouver.
Research suggested that anything around or below 15kg was the optimum weight. Some people take it even further, and a true ultra-light tourer will take measures such as cutting a toothbrush in half in the name of minimalism. I was not that extreme, and I like my full length toothbrush, but it still felt like a lot. With hindsight, do not be obsessive about load weight. I was around the 18kg mark, but looking back, I would have been fine with more. When cycling, a few kilos here and there will not make a difference. Make sure you are comfortable!
Tough start
I had a rough introduction to cycle touring. On my first night, having experienced monsoon rain, I slept in the basement of a couple's home who hosted cyclist. I had shelter, but there was no electricity, the basement was filthy and my food was nibbled by mice. I climbed into the Appalachians on my second day, with a 50 mile ascent on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and it was raining for much of it. I had done no special training for this trip, and it was brutal. That day I stopped in a post office and mailed stuff back.
The Appalachians are beautiful, but they are hard to admire from the saddle. I was told that they are harder than the Rockies as the climbs are so steep. I can now confirm that to be true. Some parts of the Appalachians are the poorest areas of the USA, but I was still surprised by what I saw in the richest country on earth. It is clear that the recession has hit America hard. Having said that, the kindness of people was amazing. Brenda, Kevin and Donna gave me a 30 mile lift to the nearest bike shop and paid for a motel room. John also gave me a 40 minute lift when I had a recurring maintenance problem. A couple called Tammy and Lee paid for my supper and then invited me to their home for the night. I cannot tell you how helpful the American people were and I never felt threatened or vulnerable.
The Appalachians continued into Kentucky and it got hotter. One afternoon I remember sitting in the shade and sweating. I did not know what I was doing on this trip, and many days just wanted to pack it all in and go home. One day in particular I hit a low. It had been really hot, I had been chased by dogs and finished the day with a very steep four mile climb. I stopped at a remote Baptist church to camp. It was, however, a creepy place, and when I read the cycle guest book after tucking into my sleeping bag, I discovered that the church was supposedly haunted. Well, I freaked out, put my tent up outside and did not get a wink's sleep. It was racoons, not ghosts, which harassed me that night.
The first couple of weeks were mentally tough, even though I was beginning to get fit. I came out of the Appalachians in the middle of Kentucky and had a bit of a respite from the hills, but I was desperate for company. Eventually, I met up with a group, who were cycling across the USA raising money for multiple sclerosis. There was a young English 'gap year', James, who had also tagged along with the group. It was great to have company and my morale was revitalised.
The Bible Belt
I stayed with them for just under a week as we crossed Kentucky and then entered Illinois. I then decided to go alone again. One of the milestones of the trip was crossing the Mississippi and entering Missouri. The Mississippi was huge. I had now left the 'Southern' part of my trip and was venturing into the Mid-West.
One aspect of that part of the USA, which extended into Missouri, was the intense religious fervour. As I mentioned, many churches invited me to stay for the night, but I found it difficult to relate to the conservative ideals of that part of the country. I knew that Americans were more religious, but I was shocked by the power of it and how the pastors, etc, wielded a lot of authority. I can only equate it to Western Europe a century or so ago. The church here is at the centre of everything. In Missouri, the Ten Commandments would be posted on people's houses, cars, shops. It was very imposing.
Sizzling hot
Missouri was an interesting State, and very beautiful. Before the Prairie, I had one last obstacle, the Ozark Mountains. The name is misleading, as they are more like hills, but it was so hot and humid, that I struggled over them. The thing that kept me going was the fact that the humidity decreases as you go west from the Mississippi. It would get hotter, but the heat would be dry.
I was now felling much more confident on my own and well into a routine. All I had to think about was cycling, feeding myself and finding somewhere to pitch my tent. The simplicity of life was incredibly liberating. Meals were a simple affair! Breakfast would consist of some instant oatmeal with a bagel or two. Depending how rich I felt, lunch would be at a diner, or just some cereal bars. I must have eaten hundreds of cereal bars on this trip! Supper was always noodles or pasta, with some kind of tinned vegetable. My greatest discovery, however, was powdered milk. It revolutionised the oatmeal and meant I could have a nice hot chocolate every evening!
Big Skies
Entering Kansas was a huge moment for me. The terrain just knew to change at every State crossing, and this was no different for Kansas. I left the Ozarks and Missouri behind and was in the vast Prairie. The sky was huge and the fields were even bigger. Each town has a water tower, but as I cycled towards them, on 'Roman-straight' roads, they never seemed to get any closer. The idea of distances is taken to different levels in the Mid-West!
I had my first day off in Pittsburg, which allowed me to do some errands. At the bike shop, I met an Australian cyclist called Laura. The next day, we both tagged up again with the charity ride I met in Kentucky, as we were all doing the same route.
Cycling across Kansas in a group was fantastic. The Mid-West was going through a heatwave, with temperatures above 40 celsius. We would sometimes cycle for over 60 miles without going through a town, so safety in numbers was quite reassuring. The charity ride were supported by a van, so I was able to take advantage of their water stops. Some days, we were waking up at 3 am to cycle before the sun rose to beat the heat, which was unbearable by mid-afternoon. Watching the sun rise each morning was awesome.
Although Kansas is flat, I thought it was very beautiful. In fact, I was surprised that much of the area we went through was less arable, but more wild grassland, which in the heat almost looked like desert. I would compare it to the African Savannah. I had heard cyclists saying that they hated Kansas, but I could not understand why - I thought it was stunning. The people were so kind, and as Kansas is not a tourist honeypot, I think they loved to have us stay in their towns. Most nights we camped for free in city parks, which almost always had a public swimming pool. What a way to finish a hot day! The wind was also kind to us and, although sometimes strong, was never worse than a side wind.
Mountains Rising
The region between Kansas and Colorado was particularly remote and some of the settlements we went through were ghost towns. On a couple of nights we were hit by huge storms. Reaching the Colorado border, I was finally in the West and close to the Rockies, the part of the trip I was looking forward to most. On that day, I received my first puncture of the trip. I had thought I could make it without any punctures, but I would have many on my way to Vancouver.
I split with the charity group in Pueblo, Colorado, and changed direction for the first time, now heading north. Laura and James were both going the same way, so we decided to stick together. It was just after Pueblo that we got our first view of the Rocky Mountains. They could be mistaken for dark storm clouds on the horizon, but they were beautiful. I had been looking forward to the Rockies for so long, and finally I was there. I was also fit now and not daunted by the climbing. It took a couple of days to climb up into the mountains, but it was such a stark contrast from the Prairies. We were now in valleys surrounded by forests. It was still very dry and this could be seen by the devastating forest fires covered by international news.
In Colorado we climbed over the highest point, at 3518m. It was not a steep climb, but we were affected by the altitude. At the top of the pass, we bumped into another cyclist who invited us to stay with him. It turned out that he was the mayor of the next town - Breckenridge.
Cowboys
Colorado was full of beautiful alpine forest; Wyoming had no trees at all. On the border, we were taking photos with the State sign when two cowboys came past. That was a great introduction to the 'Cowboy State'. If you want to feel small, go to Wyoming. The largest ranch there is the size of Belgium and there are only half a million people in the State. It was, however, a difficult State to cycle through with constant headwinds and not much to look at. The highlights were Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, but they were also quite disappointing. Both were full of tourist and traffic jams, and I was actually glad to get out. I was rewarded, however, with an encounter with a black bear and her cub.
In Colorado we climbed over the highest point, at 3518m. It was not a steep climb, but we were affected by the altitude. At the top of the pass, we bumped into another cyclist who invited us to stay with him. It turned out that he was the mayor of the next town - Breckenridge.
Cowboys
Colorado was full of beautiful alpine forest; Wyoming had no trees at all. On the border, we were taking photos with the State sign when two cowboys came past. That was a great introduction to the 'Cowboy State'. If you want to feel small, go to Wyoming. The largest ranch there is the size of Belgium and there are only half a million people in the State. It was, however, a difficult State to cycle through with constant headwinds and not much to look at. The highlights were Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, but they were also quite disappointing. Both were full of tourist and traffic jams, and I was actually glad to get out. I was rewarded, however, with an encounter with a black bear and her cub.
A river runs through it
One of the States I was most looking forward to was Montana, and it was amazing, with scenery to match - mountains, forest, rivers and lakes. Most evenings we would camp by a river in the middle of nowhere. Montana is a fly-fishing mecca as it is blessed with stunning trout rivers. After having a couple of days off in the quaint town of Missoula, I left Laura and James and went alone again. Between Montana and Idaho, I followed a picture-perfect road in a steep wooded valley, with a stunning river running through it. This was the wilderness I had been craving on the trip. I even saw bald eagles soaring overhead.
Cycle Capital of America
Eastern Washington and Oregon were reminiscent of Kansas, with baking temperatures and a very arid landscape. This was surprising as Washington is the 'Evergreen State'! I dropped out of the Cascade Mountains and into the Colombia River Gorge on my way to Portland. The Gorge was very impressive and the road snaked along the cliff edge. On the skyline were snow capped volcanoes.
Portland was a fun city - laid back, alternative and incredibly cycle friendly (London has a lot to learn!). I had some time off to explore before my girlfriend, Andrea, flew in to cycle with me to Vancouver. I was able to participate in the Bridge Cycle, when 20 000 people biked around the centre of Portland, which was manic. The Japanese Gardens were a great discovery and a calm place to relax.
The Pacific
Cycling along the Pacific was a great feeling. We were never far from the ocean and it was fun to ferry-hop in the beautiful Pugent Sound. In the evenings, we were greeted with orange sunsets while camping by the water. Approaching Seattle on a ferry gave a great perspective of the city, and we had an interesting 2 days there. I really like Seattle, with a lovely balance of easy-going and business living. It is also an attractive city, perched on a slope above the harbour.
This Pacific section of my ride was my favourite. I love the sea, and the smell of salt water was reinvigorating. I have to admit, though, that the water was too cold to bathe in! It was also nice to have Andrea with me and she was a very strong rider. I worried one day that we would fall out after I made her do 70 miles, but she absolutely nailed it. Travelling alone is a unique experience, but it is always nice to have someone to share the experiences with.
At Anacortes, we were able to take a ferry to Vancouver Island, and my USA cycle was over. I had mixed emotions about leaving as it had been an epic journey, but I could not wait to get into Canada.
The End
Canada definitely felt more like the UK, and the recession seemed to be much less obvious. After a short stint on the stunning Island, we took a ferry over to the mainland to cycle the final few miles into Vancouver.
Vancouver is in an awesome setting. The skyscrapers of Downtown, located on a small island, are surround by a large harbour and mountains. Swimmers off pleasant city beaches are dwarfed by yachts and supertankers navigating the spectacular Lions Gate suspension bridge. The city has a very healthy, laid back ethos, and I was delighted to finish in such an impressive place.
How did I feel? I was not overcome with joy and tears, but I was happy to have finished safely, although, I would have been fine to carry on peddling. I looked back with nostalgia on the journey, and remembered the people I had met and scenery and wildlife I had seen. I have many people to thank. The main thing I will take from this trip is to always help a friendly traveller. When I told a host I could not repay his generosity, he told me that when I had my own house, in return, to welcome people in the same way that I had been welcomed. So if you ever come across a weary cycle tourist (or other), please look after them - it goes a long way in making the world a better place! The real hero of this cycle, however, was my bicycle, which never put a foot wrong, and I just love her.
One of the States I was most looking forward to was Montana, and it was amazing, with scenery to match - mountains, forest, rivers and lakes. Most evenings we would camp by a river in the middle of nowhere. Montana is a fly-fishing mecca as it is blessed with stunning trout rivers. After having a couple of days off in the quaint town of Missoula, I left Laura and James and went alone again. Between Montana and Idaho, I followed a picture-perfect road in a steep wooded valley, with a stunning river running through it. This was the wilderness I had been craving on the trip. I even saw bald eagles soaring overhead.
Cycle Capital of America
Eastern Washington and Oregon were reminiscent of Kansas, with baking temperatures and a very arid landscape. This was surprising as Washington is the 'Evergreen State'! I dropped out of the Cascade Mountains and into the Colombia River Gorge on my way to Portland. The Gorge was very impressive and the road snaked along the cliff edge. On the skyline were snow capped volcanoes.
Portland was a fun city - laid back, alternative and incredibly cycle friendly (London has a lot to learn!). I had some time off to explore before my girlfriend, Andrea, flew in to cycle with me to Vancouver. I was able to participate in the Bridge Cycle, when 20 000 people biked around the centre of Portland, which was manic. The Japanese Gardens were a great discovery and a calm place to relax.
The Pacific
Cycling along the Pacific was a great feeling. We were never far from the ocean and it was fun to ferry-hop in the beautiful Pugent Sound. In the evenings, we were greeted with orange sunsets while camping by the water. Approaching Seattle on a ferry gave a great perspective of the city, and we had an interesting 2 days there. I really like Seattle, with a lovely balance of easy-going and business living. It is also an attractive city, perched on a slope above the harbour.
This Pacific section of my ride was my favourite. I love the sea, and the smell of salt water was reinvigorating. I have to admit, though, that the water was too cold to bathe in! It was also nice to have Andrea with me and she was a very strong rider. I worried one day that we would fall out after I made her do 70 miles, but she absolutely nailed it. Travelling alone is a unique experience, but it is always nice to have someone to share the experiences with.
At Anacortes, we were able to take a ferry to Vancouver Island, and my USA cycle was over. I had mixed emotions about leaving as it had been an epic journey, but I could not wait to get into Canada.
The End
Canada definitely felt more like the UK, and the recession seemed to be much less obvious. After a short stint on the stunning Island, we took a ferry over to the mainland to cycle the final few miles into Vancouver.
Vancouver is in an awesome setting. The skyscrapers of Downtown, located on a small island, are surround by a large harbour and mountains. Swimmers off pleasant city beaches are dwarfed by yachts and supertankers navigating the spectacular Lions Gate suspension bridge. The city has a very healthy, laid back ethos, and I was delighted to finish in such an impressive place.
How did I feel? I was not overcome with joy and tears, but I was happy to have finished safely, although, I would have been fine to carry on peddling. I looked back with nostalgia on the journey, and remembered the people I had met and scenery and wildlife I had seen. I have many people to thank. The main thing I will take from this trip is to always help a friendly traveller. When I told a host I could not repay his generosity, he told me that when I had my own house, in return, to welcome people in the same way that I had been welcomed. So if you ever come across a weary cycle tourist (or other), please look after them - it goes a long way in making the world a better place! The real hero of this cycle, however, was my bicycle, which never put a foot wrong, and I just love her.
A photo next to the Vancouver welcome sign put an end to my Trans-America cycle.
No comments:
Post a Comment