Cross Country Bike Expedition

I’m currently planning a bike expedition from Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA. I’m still in the initial planning stages, and I’ll probably add further legs down the west coast and into Mexico. For now, plotting the DC to SF stretch is enough to keep me occupied as I sit in my cube tapping away.

For the route, I’ll likely follow Adventure Cycle’s Transamerica route that would take me north through the Dakotas and into Colorado. I’m planning to start in August, so staying ahead of the winter weather as I ride towards the Rockies will be a consideration.  If the weather turns cold early this year, or I’m delayed, then I might have the push the route southward. This would be disappointing - as anyone who’s ever driven through Arkansas or Iowa can tell you. Dead armadillos and corn. Endless miles of corn.

Surly Big Dummy

Since gearing up for trips is one of my favorite activities, I’m spending countless hours cruising forums and reviews for good touring bike setups. I think I’m learning towards the Surly Big Dummy. I like the flexibility of having a trailer and being able to carry larger loads and the lovely bike people over at Surly have managed to integrage an Xtracycle trailer into the frame of the bike. This deserves a post all on its own so I’ll talk more about it later.