If possessing a bike is the first necessary step in embarking on a cross-country bike trip, then having a sense of where one is going is probably the essential second. At a basic level, in order to move from the category of “wandering” to “traveling”, one simply needs to know where point B is (assuming one is already at point A). Beyond that it gets more complicated. A person can only bike so far in a day, and during that time they need to eat at least 3 meals, take several “bio breaks” and sleep. With this comes the need for food, shelter and fuel for cooking and warmth. Sure, a tent makes for portable shelter, but with this being America, all the Republican fatbacks have gone through great lengths to privatize and exploit almost every square inch of this great land. In other words, in most areas you can’t just pitch a tent. You need to find a place to lodge and fork over a couple of red cents in the meantime.
Other considerations for a bike trip include condition of roads, safety, and activity on the roads in terms of automobile and semi traffic. So at the macro level biking across the country is quite simple, but at the micro level its a bitch to plan.
Luckily the Adventure Cycling Association puts out “Touring Maps” just for this occasion. In total over 30 routes are mapped across the United States, including those internal to one state, those spanning many states, and those spanning the entire country.
I don’t trust bible-thumping southerners and they don’t trust me. So where I don’t have any 3 foot-tall baby Jesus crosses lying around to hang from my neck or NRA bumper stickers to slap on my backside and help me blend in with the moral majority in order to keep me safe, my plan is to stay as far North as possible. Here’s where the ACA’s “Northern Tier” map set comes to my rescue. Tracing a route from “Bah Hahbah” Maine to Anacortes, WA, this route trails through beautiful countryside, including North Dakota, Idaho, Vermont and Montana. It even passes through Canada. Now there’s a country!
In total, the Northern Tier map set is comprised of 11 maps, each of which divide the journey into 10-30 sections and with each section tracing a route of approximately 30 miles. The entire trip clocks in at over 4,300 miles. But the maps don’t stop at simply tracing a route through well-maintained and less traveled roads. Other map features include:
Bi-directional Narratives: Narratives have detailed turn-by-turn instructions for traveling in either direction.
Locator Box: The locator box gives an idea of your progress on the map section. For an overview of the route, the Index Map shows a larger scale version of the route’s location.
Matchlines: Matchlines are solid pink lines on each end of the map panel intersecting the route. The narrative leads you from matchline to matchline.
Service Symbols: Symbols tell bicyclists what sort of services they will encounter along the route. These include campgrounds, bike shops, grocery stores, libraries, restaurants, post offices, hostels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and hotels.
Elevation Profiles: Elevation profiles indicate major ascents and descents. The profile appears in one continuous panel on the text side of the map.
End Mileages: The mileage to either end of the route section is shown at the border of each map panel.
Annual Events and Points of Interest: For your information, selected museums, points of interest, and events are included, where space allows, on the map panels. Museums have a brief description of their exhibits. Annual events have a brief description and the time of year they occur.
Field Notes and Route Details: Each map includes details about the states that you are passing through and some background into what you should expect in terms of road conditions and traffic along the route.
Contact Information: Maps include contact information for towns that you may pass through, including police and campgrounds.
I can tell you straight up having these maps in my possession gives me more confidence in making it through my trip alive. It has also made planning a breeze, allowing me time to focus on more important things, such as posting this garbage to this vanity-laced blog and pounding down beer after beer after beer.
Great information, bohemian bastard. Have you considered taking a shorter trip – say from Maine to New Hampshire (random example) – to get a feel for what’s ahead and see how those maps work out?
Yes – actually I will be taking an initial short trip from ME to NH to test drive my bike and gear. Then I’m getting married, then I am continuing the trek to WA. The maps are solid. Its my “jimmy legs” that I’m concerned about.
Have to sa that I am stoked for you. I’m glad to see the countdown alive and well. June 30th eh? Do you think that you may want company on any of this voyage? I am interested in riding a ways with you if my scheduling permits and you would have me. Think about it.
I would definitely be down for some company on the trip. Let me know when you are thinking of joining me – you can visit the ACA website for the full Norther Tier map to see where I will be traveling. Anytime along the way is fine with me. I am leaving on June 28th. That means I will be near the west coast around early to mid August. I think by the time I get to Idaho I will be back in shape and not so much of the pansy that I am today, so I could probably keep up with you on the bike. Also, I expect to be less crotchety after all the time out on the road, which means I will make for a more amiable partner.
Anyway, I plan on posting to this site often during the trip to give my location as well as photographs of sites I am passing through. I should have a better feel once on the road for a week or so how long it will take me.
Fabulous. I have serious interest in the Montana, Idaho and Washington sections. I will check it out and get back to you. We can try to time something based on where you are on the ride too. Keep up the good work!