East Coast route..?
 

I will be headed from Delaware to southern Florida in about 5 weeks. Does anyone have some directions / cue sheets / tips / or maps that they've used that have worked out well? My best plan is to use some AAA maps to figure out what I'm doing each day. Is there a better way to find a route? A helpful resource I should know about?

Here's an unrelated question: I have 27" wheels with Nashbar/Cheng Shin tires. If I leave on the tour with Cheng Shins do you think that is utter folly?

Thanks!
Chris

There is an excellent book on the subject:

Bicycling the Atlantic Coast

Very detailed cue sheets, maps and points of interest.

I actually have a copy, that I'd be willing to lend you, if you promise to mail it back (and take proper care, while in your possession ;-)

That book looks fantastic. Thanks so much for offering to let me borrow yours - but I'd like to have a copy in my bike book library, so I just went ahead and purchased it. This is exactly what I was looking for. :)

Now realize... this is a route from FL to ME.
So you'll have to take some time and annotate the "reverse" route.
But it's not a problem, really (just remember that lefts are rights and rights are lefts, and turn the maps upside down ;-) ... I've used this wee tome to get me (in the opposite direction) from Western MA, to the Carolina coast and beyond

Another option would be to purchase the Adventure Cycling maps for the Atlantic Coast. You can either buy the full set, or just the maps that apply to where you plan to ride.

Adventure Cycling Atlantic Coast route

Thanks for the note, and pointing out the book. I imagine I'll be using the book in both directions in the coming few years. If only there were such a complete guide for any random trip from any starting point in the country. Bike-friendly Mapquest with points of interest noted along the route..
I'm dreaming

No. It will be fine. I have those tires on a few bikes, and they work great, and cheap too. The local K-mart even stocks them. Most bike shops should carry a 27" tire, so it shouldn't be a problem.

But if you worry too much, continental makes their top touring tires in a 27" version.

BostonFixed - thanks for having confidence in the Cheng Shins. I've read a lot of posts that seem to speak of them as a joke, but I haven't had a problem so far. I've never spent more than $15 on a tire, so I can't really make a comparison.

If you are coming through Virginia, I just found today a good set of cue sheets for the DC to Richmond route.

http://www.vabike.org/var.htm

From DE it's probably easier coming down the eastern shore, or across the ferry to Reedsville.

Contact Earl Lange at http://acmebicycleshop.com/site/index.cfm Somewhere on his site is a description of the ride he made down the east coast earlier this year. He's a good guy and you could call his bike shop and probably get some good information from him.

Here is sheldon's page of 27" tires, if you wanna spend some $$$. Seriously, your cheap tires will be fine.

A local shop should be able to get most of these tires for you.

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/630.html