keepontrikin

bug spray and firearm

sterlingsam

If she wants to go on such a tour, I would use the TransAmerica Bicycle trail, which started in the mid-1970s. Maps are available through Adventure Cycling. I did the Astoria, OR to Pueblo, CO (2200 miles) years back and it was self-supported. She will be, assuming she finishes the trek, incredibly fit, resourceful, independent, and more understanding of our country. If you feel uncomfortable with her doing it alone, calmly discuss the option of her traveling various parts of it with others who might be interested in the tour. Few will be able to do the entire route, as it will take a month (looking at about 100 miles per day), but I would love to complete the remainder of the route from Pueblo to Virginia. Don't know where she is starting or ending, but I, sure a lot of cyclists would love to bike a week or two with her. If she isn't interested in going with others, you could offer to pay for lodging (hostels, motels/hotels) along the way. Less gear and she would be indoors every night.

TiHabanero

sterlingsam, brilliant idea on the pay for lodging. Didn't think of that. Sure would make me feel a whole lot more comfortable with this whole thing. THANK YOU!

chrisx

Best answer,
be able to repair your own bike,
on the scale of things this info saves the most trouble.

Op did mention she lived in LA for a while. Most dangerous place on the PCR, Area around Union Station is flat out dangerous.
So,
is touring more dangerous than staying home?
TiHabanero, answer that question out loud¡¿

chrisx

Better answer.
The women is 25 years old, and wants to ride her bicycle.

Step aside and stop crying¡
If you cry and complain to long and to loud she will be afraid to call or visit.

Nif

Hi there -


I've skimmed the other responses, many are really great, and will add my own.


When I was 26 (in 1996) I rode across the United States (or most of it and part of Canada). I started with a friend, who along the way ended up not a friend anymore and we split up, met and rode with many other people (with and without former friend), and rode solo for about a third of the trip (in the South). For this ride, we use the Adventure Cycling maps and didn't deviate much.


I also rode solo through parts of South America at 36. This was all a self-planned route.


There were "interesting" moments and many, many moments of great kindness.


The biggest things I would recommend for your daughter is:


1) Take bear spray, especially in the Northwest

2) Be aware of your surroundings and trust your gut

3) Plan your route each day - as a solo rider I was more cautious

4) Check-in regularly with your parents (it will make them happy and it's a small thing ) I fought it horribly but then ended up calling them once a week by payphone. This was before tiny phones. My parents also paid for a now ancient, very heavy, expensive-to-use cellphone for me to take. I repaid them by calling them on it when we hit Hoosier Pass.

5) Don't be afraid to ask people questions about safety or "feel" of local campgrounds - I tended to ask women.

6) If you are in between campsites - ask if you can camp in a yard. The only issue here is the bathroom but it saved us a bunch of times.

7) Keep a journal


I hope she has a great time! I'm about to try to get my 8-year-old to ride 20 miles with me tomorrow on his new bike "with gears!"

Arvadaman

This may have been mentioned above but how about making sure she has a good, solid, bicycle repair class before she goes. It would help ease your mind a little if you know she has some skills to address roadside bicycle repairs before she leaves.

If she is bound and determined to go, then you might as well send out the most prepared and skilled daughter you can for the adventure ahead.

Arvadaman

In the same vein, you might suggest she do some shakedown rides and S24O’s. To test her equipment ahead of time as well.

hilltowner

Was reminded of this: Pedal on Vimeo. Twenty-five seems about the same age. Don't hear much about packing a sidearm though.

Doug64

This another example: https://www.theloongwayhome.com/

We were fortunate to attend a presentation she made at our local REI. She was pretty inspirational.

We met two women riding solo across Canada, one starting from the east, and the other the west. Both were about halfway across when we ran into them near Winnipeg. They were in good spirits, and optimistic that they would reach their goals. I"ll bet they both made it.

hilltowner

Same here. I was heading east on the last segment of the cross-continental trip I'd been working on in sections. This was from Anacortes, WA to Havre, MT. At the Beaver Lodge Resort & Campground store/restaurant on WA Rt. 20, I stopped to buy a soda and candy bar and saw a couple of touring bikes parked outside. I found their owners talking in the restaurant, which was empty at that time of the day. They were a couple of young, single women on their way to completing the Northern Tier and had just joined up about 15 min. before I arrived. One was pulling a trailer and moving more slowly than the other. The latter had been hearing about the former from the eastbound riders she'd encountered and was hoping to catch up to her. They were going into Colville that night together. I don't know if they were going to stay together until the end of the ride but they were having a good time talking to one another. The one with the trailer (she was actually pulling her dog across the country) had started from Bar Harbor but was from NYC. The other was from Jamaica Plain, near Boston, and had ridden up to intercept the N.T. before turning west. Later in the trip, in E. Glacier, MT I spent the night in the hiker's hostel with a group of CDT thru-hikers. One was a young woman hiking solo. The vibe was the same from all three of these women. None appeared to be having any trouble with the experience.

chrisx

stardognine

I love me some Kansas, haven't really cranked them in awhile now. I really like that one song, about Leonardo da Vinci. 😎