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- First TransAm Advice - PLEASE!
- By:admin
- Hello All!
I thought I'd already find this thread somewhere but, well, didn't! SO...
I want to do a TransAm this season but have no idea where to start!? My questions to the veterans:
-supported or non? (advice on tour companies?)
-camp or hotels?
-my Litespeed road bike or a hybrid (or purchase a lower-grade road bike)?
-how much training/experience beforehand? (I have only been cycling for 2 seasons and completed 2 olympic tri's and 2 century rides.)
-are there books on this stuff???
To take into consideration is that I'm a 26yo female so being near-alone on desolate roads or campsites might not be the best idea. Also, I'm not that adept with bike repair, just the minor stuff. But I feel like if I do a completely supported tour I'll come away from it feeling less iron/one with nature and more 'babied'. But either way, it's still 3,000 m!!! Any feelings on this?
Thank you!!!
Lisa
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As mutch information and inspiration as you will need.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/
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I have not yet done a Trans-Am but read about them eagerly & dream of the time when circumstances allow.
I cannot remember reading or talking to anyone that ever expressed a sense of being 'babied' during such an experience...
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Adventurecycling.org runs various tours across the US. They have options for supported and non-supported (meaning you carry all your gear but travel in a group with a leader).
There are other tour companies offering similar tours. One I know of is PACtour. But PACtour runs fast paced supported trips (100 mile/day average) which might be more than you want.
If you go non-supported, you should invest in a touring bike. I would not recommend a hybrid. Your Lightspeed should be fine for a supported tour so long as you have appropriate gears to climb the Rockies and Appalachian mountains. A triple is generally recommended, but YMMV.
Whether you camp or use hotels is a bit of personal preference. Many people do not like to camp. Using hotels lightens your load on a non-supported tour, but greatly adds to the cost. Most people who do long tours on their own use a mix of camping and hotels.
If you are concerned about touring alone then find someone to go with you or sign up with a tour company.
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I second the Adventure Cycling group idea.
It's a little more expensive than doing it on your own, but for a first-timer and a woman it is, perhaps, an excellent compromise. There will be a group leader who knows the route and basic repairs. You'll be carrying all your stuff, but the pace is moderate. You can ride with others or bike thru the wheatfields all alone. If you are planning to do it this year - you had better check pretty soon as they fill up fast.
Many women do ride alone - but the realities are different for women and men. I look forward to the day when that is no longer the case.
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Good suggestions so far to which I'd add
www.abbike.com
http://www.crossroadscycling.com/
They do group cross country trips where you stay in a motel every night. If you want a bit more
camping look into the adventure cycling association tours.
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Here's the journal of a fellow BF member
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=1291&v=5s
You can contact her through her journal as well and she did the TA last year.
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tridreamin
I want to do a TransAm this season but have no idea where to start!? My questions to the veterans:
-supported or non? (advice on tour companies?)
-camp or hotels?
-my Litespeed road bike or a hybrid (or purchase a lower-grade road bike)?
-how much training/experience beforehand? (I have only been cycling for 2 seasons and completed 2 olympic tri's and 2 century rides.)
-are there books on this stuff???
Tridreamin,
So much of the ride is just personal preference. My first tour was the Southern Route solo unsupported. I had only been riding a bike for a couple of years, and was 58 yrs old. This year I am planning on a modified TransAm: Fl-Oregon.
