The question I'm asked the most about the big cycling cross country trip is..
"Why did you choose this route?"
Most that know me typically chime in with a, "Well it's the longest, of course you'd do that!" or "What, you're not going to ride back too?" My favorite has been "Why not do a zig-zag route to hit the whole country?" Ha!
While true.. length/difficulty is not exactly why I chose it. If I had all the time in the world, I would choose the northern route to make my way through those states during the middle of the summer. I love the mountains and would enjoy that route a lot.
My top reasons for this route:
We can drive to the start. Jason (husband) and Luca (dog) can send me off.
It starts where I first intended to move to in '04, Santa Monica.
It goes to where I now call home, Arizona.. including my heart city, Sedona, a place I take those I love to see. It is right outside where we spend all our free time, the Grand Canyon and the cabin area. It's where I live and work.
The route follows the route I moved west on, I drove it with my sister and all my belongings. Memories of seeing this area for the first time with her and knowing my life would never be the same. The route that made my current life possible.
The route rides just north of where I went to College at Mizzou.. the University of Missouri. M-I-Z
It takes me home, Illinois. Literally routing near where I grew up in Illinois for 18 years. Family can meet me on route through Illinois, and it means a lot to me to know they will be near by. The route goes through Springfield, IL, where my mom lived and I would go visit on weekends.
Riding into Indiana, I hope to remember visiting my grandma and uncle there. While we are not in touch with that side of the family, I think of them often. We go through where he lives.
The remainder of the route NE I've never seen but have always wanted to visit. The Northeast is so far and different from where I live and adventure.
The ride end is near my sister and her family. We will visit with them at the end for a few days.
I requested only 2 months off from guiding.. and the months of May & June are much easier for me to do so than peak season, which the northern route requires.
Supporting an Arizona guiding company. I found Crossroads while researching. I looked into Adventure Cycling and a few higher end options. I decided on their route/company for the above reasons, but also to support a local outfitter. I wanted to ride my bike, not someone else's. I'm willing to pay a little extra for hotels over camping, it gets me across country a month quicker.
Over my 9yr+ guiding career has had me on the payroll for a 4 large guiding companies. I know how to route plan, prep, and run a trip..
Why would I pay for someone to guide this for me and not self-supported?
Because of all people, I know how hard I work! I know the challenges behind the scenes and the hiccups that come up with planning and running a trip.
I did not have the time or energy to put together a self-supported cross country cycling trip for this year.
A self-supported bike packing would require me to get a different bike to bike tour, along with the proper gear storage. This added up to the difference in paying for this trip. $$$$$ While I'd love to have another bike, it didn't make sense for me.
I would be away from home for months longer.
The length of self-supported would require me to quit my job.. I like my job and thankfully REI is willing to give me the time off, no penalties.
I love meeting & talking to people.. I'd rather be with a group than alone on a long journey. Personal preference. I'm not running into the forest for solitude, I do that in the Canyon. I'd rather talk through the experience with like minded travelers.
Safety in numbers. I believe a group on the road can be more visible. I know it's not a sure safety, but my gut says I will be more visible than solo.
Taking on a long endurance trip requires you to think through so much while finalizing your plans. If you are thinking of doing one, I hope this helps you plan.
There is not a wrong choice, just one that works best for you. The main differences include: time of year, tour length, company size, accommodations, gear, solitude vs group travel, costs, food provided on trip, route, and on trip support level.
There are many resources out there if you decide to self-support. Check out Adventure Cycling and Warm Showers as a starting point.
I'll do my best to post about my experience here in the blog. I've created templates for the daily recaps, but I'm not naive to the idea that I might miss a few being tired from riding.