GingerBloke

I'm from the UK and a lifelong dream is to go coast to coast on a bike. Has anybody ever done it? Is it worth forking out nearly £6000 pound for a three week holiday? Is it advisable to do it on your own rather than going through a company?
What I mean is would it be cheaper for me to fly out there and purchase a bike and make my own route and timetable and then sell the bike at the other end.
Any info would be appreciated.

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BigBen

My buddy did Victoria to Halifax over the summer.

I can't remember anything other than he was biking 150k per day.

Respect the distance.
You get what you pay for.

The tour company follows behind you and ahead of you, helping with breakdowns and cooking meals.
They break camp in the morning and set it up before you arrive in your new spot.

You need a top of the line bike. Seriously.

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The_Jazz

6,000 pounds seems horrifically high for that kind of trip, especially if they're telling you that they'll get you coast-to-coast in 3 weeks. Just to give you a referrence, there's a huge bike ride across Iowa every summer with roughly 20,000 riders. It takes a week doing 60-100 miles a day.

I think that you could do this on your own pretty easily if you take the time to plan it right. You can probably find some folks on this board that might even be willing to put you up for the night if you're in town.

If I were going to embark on such an adventure, here's what I would do:

• Pick a starting point - are you going east to west or west to east? Starting in New York or Miami or DC?
• Are there any places that you absolutely want to go? Yellowstone Park? The Grand Canyon? Las Vegas? San Francisco?
• Are you going to camp or stay in hotels? Camping is cheaper, but you need to figure out if you'll be cooking your own food or eating at restaurants. Will you bring a tent? If you're staying in hotels, you might want to find the AAA guide online since it's generally a good rating system for most of the cheaper motels
• Do you really want to cross the Rockies, the Appalachians and the Sierra Nevadas? Those are some pretty steep hills.
• In case you are injured or have an emergency, do you have health insurance or an emergency contact here in the States?
• Do you really want to try to bike in the big American cities like New York or LA (Chicago is actually pretty bike-friendly)?

Those are the questions that immediately spring to my mind. If the company charging you is going to make all the arrangements and be responsible for getting your bike from there to here or supplying a new bike for you, then maybe it's worth it for you, especially if they're giving you a guide too. It sounds like a fantastic trip, and I hope that you'll keep us updated if you decide to do it.

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Willravel

How far is that, about 900 km? Go grab a bike and a celly with some friends who can come and get you, and do it yourself. I've done about 600 miles (close to 900 km) before without too much trouble. Know how far you can go in a day, and plan to stay in hotels along the way. It can be quite enjoyable and liberating to do it yourself. If you're not comforable doing it yourself, ask someone along who has experience.

Best of luck, or cheers as they say.

Edit: OOPS! Misread!! UK coast to coast is nothing. US coast to coast, you might want to contact local bike riders and see if they know anyone. Don't do it alone.

cyrnel

I peak at ~450mi/day. Longer just isn't fun for the shoulders. If you want to smell the roses it'll be more like 200-300 miles/day.

Take a few day trips on the style of bike you plan to use. Work up to it. They're very different once you sit & grip for a couple hours.

Can't give advice on touring companies other than to make sure you get references. I've ridden since I was five so can't see paying someone to carry the groceries. Might make sense for trying a different bike.

Plan your clothing layers. Leave options open for unplanned stops. What seems blazing hot in the day rapidly changes to freezing legs once the sun hits the horizon.

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ASU2003

I really want to travel across Europe on a bike. Start in Spain, France (take Paris to London train and back), Germany, Austria and Italy.

I wouldn't have any sort of time table, and just have a basic plan.

The USA (Miami-San Diego) would be interesting, but it is more of a physical test then a fun vacation. Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana wouldn't be that exciting to ride through. There are a lot of areas of flat farm fields.

North to South on the East coast or West coast would be a better trip, in my opinion. The east coast has more population, but more small back roads.

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Cyrnel, 450 miles is more than I would drive in one day. At a average of 25 miles an hour, you would be riding 18 hours at a minimum. Without breaks.

cyrnel

Only now do I realize this thread is about bicycles and not motorcycles. Yesterday was a very weird day.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

maleficent

there's an annual event in Iowa that's become quite large.... The RAGBRAI, that is the Register's Annual Bike Ride across Iowa... I know of a few people who've done it more than once (I also think our own Beetle Bailey has has done it) It might be too late, but see if you can get yourself into the lottery for that - it's a lot of riding... but from what I understand the event itself is worth it...

Riding across the country -- you do realize this is a big country... with lots of hills and mountains... Doing it alone sounds dangerous... 6000 pounds also sounds like a lot of money to do it as part of a group but sounds safer... Why not rent a car, a convertible, and drive it...

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GingerBloke

Thanks for the advice people. I am taking it all on board.

Just a little FYI for all of you across the big pond. by saying bike I actually mean motorbike, sorry for misleading ya all.

Just to make things a little bit clearer I want to start at the Vietnam War memorial In Washington DC just so I can lay a wreath of poppies. Just with me being ex forces and a Gulf War 1 Vet seems the right thing to do. I know that the Gulf War has nothing to do with the wall but I have always had a more than keen interest in the Vietnam war. I would like to finish at Alcatraz.

I know £6000 pound seems a lot but this does include everything. Your looking at flights ,accom, food, drink, maps and insurance to name but a few.
I would dearly like to go it alone because it would be a greater sense of achievment rather than doing it with a group and sticking to a route and timetable.

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BigBen

Oh, fuck. Motorbike? Motorcycle? Like a Harley?

Shit. Get on and ride. Stop when you are hungry or need gas.

I thought you were going to Bicycle across the country. That is an impressive endeavour.

Best of luck.

edit: With meals, flight, insurance, accomodations. 6 g is not necessarily expensive.

Kids: This is what happens when people miscommunicate. You see?

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maleficent

does the 6K include the rental of the bike? or are you bringing over your own?

(there are others more knowledgeable-but I'd think a decent motorcycle (that is one you'd want to sit your ass on across the country and carry your stuff) will run you some pretty big bucks...

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cyrnel

Motorcycles. Mmm, good. Wish all yesterday's errors fixed themselves.

Is it a US company or a UK middle-man with a margin? £6K/~$10.5K USD still seems expensive. Then again, I camp about half the time. Do they provide a choice of rides?

I'd do it myself. Sounds like you want to so why compromise? Downside is you'll spend a day or two at each end of the trip for buying, packing, logistics, & selling, but that's part of the adventure. I've made that distance in one week with stops. Two weeks+ is a leisurely ride. Only thing I'd worry about is that my license & insurance eligibility & such were known before arriving. It'd be awful to waste a week resolving that stuff.

Ben, curse your avatar. Now my teeth hurt.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

cyrnel

You can google plenty of rental options and locations. Eaglerider.com has Harley models from $1300-2400 for 2+week one-way trips. It's unlikely you could beat that buying and selling unless you had lots of time to mess around. No doubt a company like that will also be able to help with the legalities and route preparation.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

ASU2003

Motorcycle... That is much easier.

I would either start in New York and then go to DC, or start in DC and head for Nashville, TN. Going through the South, you will probably find more bikers. Then go to Oklahoma City, see the Midwest. Stop at The Big Texan resturant in Texas for the free 72oz steak, if you can eat it in an hour. Head for the desert southwest and the Grand Canyon. Make a small detour and visit Vegas. Head towards Los Angles. Then take the Pacific Coast highway to San Fran.

I think you could easily do some planning and do this trip for less than £6,000. Just being on your own schedule would be worth it to me. Gas, food and lodging shouldn't be that much. ~ £2,000. Renting a bike and insurance (auto & health insurance?) might be under £2,000. I'm not sure about getting a motorcycle license to prove you can ride, or if it can be transferred here. Then there are the airline tickets. It might be cheaper to get a round trip from the starting city to England, then get a one-way from the finish city to the start.

Bring a camera. It would be a great trip.

ASU2003

Watch the movie 'The Motorcycle Diaries' for inspiration.

cyrnel

Long Way 'Round, too. Luckily no river fording is required between DC & here.

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There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

opus123

Hmmmm motorcycle ! yeah I thought you were talking about bicycle also. Anyway, my advice is to stay with TFP people along the way and save money. Also some motorcycle website should have maps to buy that show what small highways are good to travel on and avoid speed traps.

Hmmmm, what else..... I guess get a bike that has back support and even all the way up to the head might be nice. Also get one that has a few places to put your feet as that would help out with variety of movement on the trip.

Also get a list of national parks as those are worth visiting. And you can get a pass for 50 bucks. http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

Ohh yeah you mentioned Alcatraz and that place is part of the national park system so the pass would get you on island to celebrate the end of the trip !

Hmmmm, I did a search and it looks like 4 other people want to do this trip as well. http://www.43things.com/things/view/93598 The thing about doing it with someone else, is if your bike breaks down, then the other person can go get parts, gas, or whatever. AAA and a cel phone would be a safe way to go as well, but two headlights are better than one as they say. Two headlights from two motorcycles are way safer as they look like a car at night to other drivers.

Also you want a bike that has a deep loud noise. You need to push the sound into the newer cars so they can hear you coming. Studies show that high pitch motorcycles get in lots more crashes than low deep bass noisy ones. Some cars these days actually have pavement embedded in their frame to insulate them from outside noise ! Ya gotta punch thru that or you will be road pizza.

Two miles over the speed limit should be fine. I have never been pulled over for that.

I suggest staying in a hotel every so often unless you love camping and have a good padded roll and sleeping bag. Hotels with hot tubs might ease any bike pains or stiffness. Many hotels have a AAA discount so that is another reason to get a AAA card. www.aaa.com

Wear sunscreen everyday and lip balm. I like Burt's Bees the best. www.burtsbees.com The company is located in North Carolina so it should be all over the east coast.

Some helmets have music speakers inside them. Some stations have good traffic reports. But turn the speakers to mono so you have one ear free to listen for sirens.

Some of the bicycle websites have good maps for cool places to visit on the trip. The maps are very detailed and the roads have good shoulders for bicycles, but that also means the shoulder would be a good place to stop and take pictures or adjust the side boxes or fix a flat or whatever.

That is all I can think of..... (^:

Jonathan

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Elphaba

What a fantastic trip! I second the motion of asking TFP members for an overnight stay once you know the route you are taking. Are you going East on I-90 and South on I-5 or Hwy 101?

Please do a travel journal for us.

flstf

If I were you I would plan on staying in motels most of the time. There is nothing like a hot bath/shower and a warm room after spending the day riding through the rain. Also do most of your riding in the day, much less chance of hitting deer and antelope out in the country.

Plan your trip to take the old 2 lane roads whenever you can and stay off the freeways. Much more enjoyable riding that way. A heavy bike with a large comfortable seat will be more stable when the wind kicks up. There is still a small town America out there that has not been ruined by Walmarts, McDonald's etc.. but it is getting harder to find. Most towns close to the freeways all look the same with the same restaurants and stores etc.

Depending on the route you choose there are areas with large distances between gas stations. I ran out of gas once in Montana because I did not anticipate how much more fuel I needed riding into a big headwind all day. If you are going to want to stay close to national parks like Yellowstone etc.. be sure to reserve motels well in advance since most are booked solid in the summer. Nothing worse than riding a hundred miles out of your way looking for a place to stay at the end of a long day.

Good luck and good riding. On a bike you will not just be seeing the scenery, you will be part of it.

ASU2003

I've never heard a motorycle inside my car. It doesn't matter since I am looking for bicyclists. I'll see anything and everything.

I would also recommend doing the riding in the daytime, and start off with shorter trips and build up to the long days in the West.

SecretMethod70

A friend and I were planning to do this on bicycles over the upcoming summer but those plans fell through. He started it last fall, but the person he was riding with turned out to be an ass so he never finished. He did get a few days in though and loved it. From what I hear, it's definitely an experience and I hope to do it one day, so I'm a bit biased but I'd definitely recommend it. Especially if you're going to be on a motorcycle, it should be much less difficult, but an experience nonetheless

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GingerBloke

Thanks everybody loads of info and I have taken it all on board.
I have had the okay from her indoors as long as I go with somebody else and have found just the person who wants to live the dream with me.
So the trip is now in the planning stage and not a dream.

The Ginger thanks you all.

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