3940dxer

Many thanks everyone for the detailed and very thoughtful replies. This was much more info and helpful commentary than I'd expected and I really appreciate it!

I agree that a road without a shoulder is not a deal breaker. I ride them here in California sometimes and yes, if traffic is light, it’s no big deal to keep your eyes open and just pull over to let someone pass when they approach. Part of the reason I asked about this was that it will take a lot of time to Google-drive and compare different roads. If a decent percentage of roads had shoulders I’d seek them out and maybe prioritize that over other factors, but if shoulders are just plain scarce, I’ll choose roads that are scenic and more interesting, without worrying about whether they have shoulders.

jamawani, thanks for the heads up about dogs! I hadn’t thought about that. I guess that’s not much I can do to avoid it. I do a lot of riding in Thailand and sometimes get chased by a single dog, but have never been bitten. Maybe if it happens I can just outrun them, unless I’m going uphill.

I don’t plan to camp at all, but our vehicle is fairly comfortable for sleeping, so we might do that once in a while.

I totally agree that Southern hospitality is alive and well, and is a great joy to experience. My wife and I have done several road trips through the Deep South, much of it in the Black Belt and Cajun country. Those places are totally unlike any other part of America, and are a real pleasure. One afternoon we stopped at a supermarket in a small Mississippi town because my wife wanted to buy some fruit. I was waiting outside for her over by the shopping carts and I swear, every single person that walked by, and many who drove by, stopped to smile, wave to me, or stop to chat. And there were many, many other times that people went out of their way to be friendly and hospitable. It’s another world down there, and it’s great.

I hadn’t noticed that the ACA route bypasses Cajun country but in that case I would alter the route to see some of it. Southern Louisiana’s great.

Tim, thanks for mentioning the Silver Comet trail, and nice pics on your link! I have friends in Atlanta and was considering a more northerly route so I could stop there. That might be a good option. It might be nice to get away from cars and highways for a while.

staehpj1, thanks for the warnings. It’s good to consider the downsides of things along with the good. I know that in general, this route isn’t the most interesting option for me or my wife in the car. With due respect to the people of Texas, a part of me feels that the Texas stretch would, in a way, be 1100 miles of nothing. I know that’s not strictly true, and that there would be some scenic and historical places to enjoy, but I realize that there would be weeks of long almost featureless stretches with little shade. I’m sort of resigned to that, and am trying to think of it as an exercise in patience, as well as simple exercise. I’ve asked my wife over and over “Are you sure you’re ok with this?” She has a small business that she can operate remotely from a motel room, so she’s have things to do, but I’m sure it would be an exercise in patience for her to, with less reward. A friend has tentatively offered to relieve her during part of the Texas section, so she could fly home for a while and take a break.

But one advantage to the route is, I’d be interested in following the U.S./Mexico border, seeing the sites of the proposed wall, and hearing the opinions of people in the border towns. And my brother suggested dipping down into Mexico for a day or two on the way to Yuma, which could add interest.

Again, I really appreciate all the replies. It’s great input.