Originally Posted by
Atlas Shrugged
I would like to do an approx 1,000-mile tour in the US and looking for some route advice. It would be a credit card tour staying in Hotels or B&B type accommodation and planning on eating in restaurants. Having done numerous similar trips throughout Europe and South East Asia I enjoy quieter secondary roads not major highways with shoulders etc. Many of the ACA routes seem to be on busy roads with shoulders and not very pleasant riding conditions, the Pacific coast or Southern tier for example. Anywhere in the US would be fine as I will need to fly anyways. Would anyone have an idea for me?
While the ACA routes can occasionally be on a busy road, there is a reason for that. Often there is no other alternative. This is especially true of the western routes. But they generally avoid busy roads…sometimes to excess. US50 from Kansas to Pueblo, for example, is a far better route than following Colorado 96 which is an incredibly lonely highway. There’s more to see and do along US50 than along CO96.
That said, I’d suggest the eastern end of the Lewis and Clark. Start in Sioux Falls, SD and ride to St Lewis (see Solo Without Pie below). Fairly quiet. You probably won’t be able to follow it exactly for without camping but it does parallel I-29 which means that there are accommodations not to far from the route most of the way.
Another consideration is an out and back on the Cowboy Trail in Nebraska. It’s closer to 600 miles than 1000 if you ride all the way to Chadron or Crawford. It’s well worth the trip to Fort Robinson (west of Crawford) as well. Crawford or Chardron to Hot Springs, SD and/or over to Edgemont would put you on the Black Hills trail. It’s not completely on trail but largely so.
An out and back on the C&O/GAP would also get close to the 700 mile mark without riding any roads (barring trail closures).