Talkinghalls

In the next few years my wife and I will be traveling "somewhere," we are looking for a place in the continental US that has some scenic bicycle routes.



My question to every one is what is the most amazing place you've ridden your bike, also bonus points for photos.

indyfabz

In the U.S., probably the west slope of Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

pdlamb

Togwotee Pass, going up 287 from Lander and Dubois towards the Tetons. Actually you can't see anything from the top, so go down on the west half a mile.

fietsbob

Pacific Coast, I live There.

TimothyH

I've not ridden on the Shafer Trail near Moab but I hope to in the next few years.

Talkinghalls

Holy cow these are amazing, I am putting these on my bucket list.

Machka 

In Canada ...




In the US ... the whole Utah/Arizona area (Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Arches, etc. etc.) is great. We've done a little bit of cycling there but would like to go back sometime and spend a few weeks.

jamesdak 

Unfortunately, way too congested now days for responsible bike riding in my opinion. Unless early morning or evening after the crowds are off the road. Loved it there in the 90s but now everyone goes there, it's so crowded.

Totally beautiful though, without a doubt. I go there pretty much annually.

More views :







And if you're lucky one of these may encourage you to work on your sprints. :-)

indyfabz

The last time (2009) we left Sprague Creek Campground at around 5:30 a.m. No traffic. The road was only opened to the Big Bend, but when we got there a ranger said it was supposed to open up in an hour so we waited. It did and we made it all the way up. Second time was June 16th, 2000. Not much traffic at all, especially since it was raining pretty hard. First time (June 16th, 1999) we were the first bikes up to and over the pass the day it was officially open. The visitor center was still buried in snow and there was no place to pull off.

Screw traffic. I pay a lot more in taxes than your average person. I am going to take full advantage of where that money goes. It's bad enough that one person on a bike pays more/person than a family of 2+ arriving in a car.

BTW...A bear did run across my path while I was descending in 2000.

jamesdak 

Yeah, I hear you. But it has been really crowded the last several years. To the point they are thinking of limiting cars per day, restricting cars, etc. They have midday bike restrictions too during the main season. But start at sunup and it shouldn't be too bad most days. Just don't plan on being on the road during the midday.

And check construction before you go. The last two years the east side has been tore up to just gravel for long sections. Even if your bike is ok on gravel the dust from the cars will choke you to death. I think they are supposed to be finished but I'm not sure.

Not sure about the fees you mentioned. I'm a disabled vet so I get in for free to all the National Parks.

TimothyH

I'm going back to Moab as soon as my youngest is off to college.

Would like to get into your hemisphere at some point.


-Tim-

Jim from Boston

Sight seeing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talkinghalls

In the next few years my wife and I will be traveling "somewhere," we are looking for a place in the continental US that has some scenic bicycle routes.

My question to every one is what is the most amazing place you've ridden your bike, also bonus points for photos.

Frankly, I think this is a rather empty-headed request, but I’ll reply. Recently on the Touring Forum was this similar but slightly more detailed query, Suggestions for next epic ride" It did have some epic (scenic) suggestions.　
　

pdlamb

Are you advocating cyclists self-impose even more restrictions than the 10-4 get off the road bicycle regulations on the west side of Going-to-the-Sun road?



Stay home this year, why doncha, give somebody else a chance!

jamesdak 

Not at all, I just wish there was a way to ease the congestion. I want to ride the whole route end to end but it's so freaking busy now I won't consider it. I will say that pretty much daily cyclist ignore (or maybe don't know) that they need to pull over and allow cars to go by when they are stacked up behind them. I think the rules there say 4 cars but most seem to be ignoring that from what I have seen.

And right now I've only got reservations at Yellowstone this year. GNP was booked up....

Talkinghalls

This fall my brother and I will ride from one Indiana State Park to the next, should be some pretty neat sights. I'll be sure to post as many photos as I can.


My wife and I are musing the idea of going out west to Las Vegas area and spending some time riding through Red Canyon, but Boston does sound pretty neat as well, do you have any photos of the scenic sights?

jefnvk

Never bike toured there before, but spent a lot of time there in college (and my uncle frequently bike tours it): Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Lots of sights, wide variety of roads and trails for any bike and riding style, and little traffic.

indyfabz

The times I have ridden there (mid and late June) the traffic has been pretty darn light. I have set out from Sprague Creek very early. (It's light enough to ride without a headlight by about 5 a.m.) The RV/driving crowd is usually still fast asleep. One time the weather was chilly and rainy, so I think that kept whatever early birders there were off the road. As for descending the west side later in the day/afternoon, I have had to slow down thanks to cars in front of me. Maybe there should be a rule that cars have to pull over if they are impeding bikes.


In any event, the Black Hills, including the Mickelson Trail and Needles Highway, are a nice place to explore by bike (go in mid-June to beat most of the tourist traffic) is a nice place to explore by bike:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/105349...57655263744881


So is SW Montana:


https://www.flickr.com/photos/105349...h/27402606314/

WizardOfBoz

These pictures make me realize how lucky we are to live where there are scenes like this.

coffeesnob

sight seeing on dirt trails is different than sight seeing on paved trails. If you want paved and somewhat scenic you can go to the Va capitol trail, start in Richmond and you have some historic sights to mill around. Then head east towards Jamestown and their is all the settlement stuff to meander about if you want. In between are some plantations etc...

Nai4257

ive always really enjoyed the C&O canal. the trail starts in cumberland maryland and ends in washington d.c resulting in about 180 mile bike trip? i think. but sometime over the last few years they opened the GAP trail from pittsburgh down to cumberland so you can go straight from pittsburgh PA to washington d.c. i love that trail and have many memories

indyfabz

Been open for a while. I rode it back in 2013 as part of a Pittsburgh to Philly tour. I found the northern portion to Connellsville somewhat boring. It's gets better and better the farther south you get.


Are you aware that, after many years of lobbying efforts, Amtrak recently instituted carry-on bike service on the Capitol Limited from D.C. through Pittsburgh and all the way to Chicago? No boxing of the bike required, and you can get on and off at any station along the way. So now people can, say, take the train from D.C. to Pittsburgh with their bikes and ride back to where they started on the GAP and C&O. Space is limited to 5 bikes per train IIRC, so reservations far in advance during busy times are probably a good idea.

Nai4257

yea i wasnt sure when it opened first time i rode the C&O canal was 2009 and i remember it being a big deal in pittsburgh that they were connecting the trails.