Originally Posted by
baron von trail
A few years ago, a friend of mine rode the Fast Across America ride from Irvine, CA to Tybee Island, GA. He told me the route they took through California involved riding the shoulder on I-10. Obviously that is far from ideal. So, I looked at Google, and sure enough there are a couple other options. So, why do they choose to ride the Interstate instead of a nice deserted desert highway?
I have to guess. But, my first thought is that those smaller roads have problems. No one rides the interstate unless they really have to.
One of the most surprising things I learned on a long bicycle tour was which highways were actually the most bicycle friendly. Interstate shoulders, when legally accessible to bicyclists, have become my first choice for intercity riding. The shoulders tend to be wide, clean (in comparison to other highways), and well maintained. Some of the most relaxed, stress free distance riding I've experienced has been on interstates and other restricted access highways.