Coast to caost...???

[runnercyclist]

I am thinking of riding from Savannah to LA. It is something I've wanted to do for a couple of years. I always said if I lost my job I would do it. I have the opportunity to change jobs beginning 1/1/07 (with a nice icrease I might add). My wife thinks I'm crazy, depressed and/or going though a mid-life crisis. Maybe she is right?

So, this affords me the opportunity to complete this goal. My guess is I'd need to begin soon. I really have not mapped a route or calculated how long it will take.I'm thinking about doing the trip on a Specialized Roubaix Elite.

My plan would be to fly to Savannah, buy a bike there and take off. I would plan on staying at hotels along the way, so I could rest and do laundry.

I have lots of questions.
What route should I take? Anyone ever done this before? Anyone want to join me? What should I bring along in the way of gear and clothing? How long will this take with riding every day with an occasional rest day?

I'm thinking I sould take cool and cold weather gear
Patch kit
Tubes
CO2 cartridges
Cateye
Extra pair of shorts
AMEX Card
Cell phone
MP3 player
Bag balm
Ibuprofin
Sunglasses
what else???


What do you think? Am I nuts?

[boogblaster]

You only live once, go for it ....

[wilas101]

"I just felt like run-ning."

[wilas101]

For the record though, yeah, go for it.

As far as a route goes I guess it depends on what you want to see/experience in your trip. Personally, I'd think that backroads would be the better trip but thats just me. You couldn't pay me to get near an interstate on a bicycle without about 5000 other cyclists and an ambulance or two with me.

[Archie F. Swin]

Be sure and swing through Wichita Falls...its the home of America's most popular century ride.

[wilas101]

Be sure and swing through Wichita Falls...its the home of America's most popular century ride.


Which female planeteer would that be?

[boogblaster]

That would be Eat-Me Chief ...

[Hammock Parties]

I have a better idea...

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/526/20060308hpq9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/9943/20060310ht3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/1802/20060313pg3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[runnercyclist]

"I just felt like run-ning."

LOL my nickname is Forrest

[MOhillbilly]

if it feels right go out and do it.

[Archie F. Swin]

Mapquest shows the most direct route being through Atlanta, Memphis, OKC, Albuquerque and so on. I personally would think Interstate 10 (Tallahassee, Houston, El Paso, Phoenix) would be a flatter, warmer choice.

[MOhillbilly]

id think about a medium frame, large caliber handgun.
glock

just sayin.

[Archie F. Swin]

what time of the year would you make this ride?

[Jenson71]

Take a camera. You'll probably see some cool things on the road.

[patteeu]

This guy recommends going "via Omaha."


http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/pv/Charlie%20Daniels%20Band-3.jpg



I was takin a trip out to L.A.
Toolin along in my cheverolet
Tokin on a number and diggin on the radio

Just as I crossed the Mississippi line
I heard that highway start to whine
And I knew that left rear tire was about to blow

Well the spare was flat and I got uptight
Cause there wasn't a filling station in sight
So I just limped on down the shoulder on the rim

I went as far as I could and when I stopped the car
It was right in front of this little bar
Kind of a red-neck lookin joint called the Dew Drop Inn

I stuffed my hair up under my hat
And told the bartender that I had a flat
And ywould he be kind enough to give me change for a one

There was one thing I was sure proud to see
There wasn't a soul in the place except for him and me
He just looked disgusted and pointed toward the telephone

I called up the station down the road a ways
He said he wasn't very busy today
And he could have somone out there in just about 10 minutes or so

He said," Now, you just stay right where yer at!"
And I didn't bother to tell the darn fool
That I sure as hell didn't have anyplace else to go

So I ordered up a beer and sat down at the bar
When some guy walked in and said, "Who owns this car
With the peace sign, the mag wheels and the four on the floor?"

He looked at me and I damn near died
And I decided that I'd just wait outside
So I laid a dollar on the bar and headed for the door

Just when I wthought I'd get outta there with my skin
These 3 big dudes come strollin in
With one old drunk chick and some fella with green teeth

Now the last thing I wanted was to get into a fight
In Jackson Mississippi on a Saturday night
Especially when there was three of them and only one of me

I was almost to the door when the biggest one
Said, "You tip your hat to this lady, son!"
And when I did, all that hair fell out from underneath

They all started laughin and I felt kinda sick
And I knew I better think of something pretty quick
So I just reached out and kicked old green teeth right in the knee

Now he let out a yell that'd curl yer hair
But before he could move I grabbed me a chair
And said "Now watch him Folks cause he's a fairly dangerous man!"

"You may not know it but this man is a spy.
He's a undercover agent for the FBI
And he's been sent down here to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan!"

He was still bent over holdin on to his knee
But everybody else was looking and listening to me
And I laid it on thicker hand heavier as I went

"He's a friend of them long haired, hippy-type, pinko Rump Rangers!
I betchya he's even got a commie flag
tacked up on the wall inside of his garage."

"He's a snake in the grass, I tell ya guys.
He may look dumb but that's just a disguise,
He's a mastermind in the ways of espionage"

"Would you believe this man has gone as far
As tearing Wallace stickers off the bumpers of cars.
And he voted for George McGovern for President."

They started lookin real suspicious at him
He jumped up and said "Now just wait a minute Jim!
You know he's lying I been living here all of my life!"

"I'm a faithful follower of Brother John Birch
And I belong to the Antioch Baptist Church.
And I aint even got a garage, you can call home and ask my wife!"

Then he started saying somethin bout the way I was dressed
But I didn't wait around to hear the rest
I was too busy moving and hoping I didn't run outta luck

When I hit the door I was making tracks
And they were just taking my car down off the jacks
So I threw the man a twenty and jumped in and fired that mother up

Mario Andretti wouldda sure been proud
Of the way I was movin when I passed that crowd
Coming out the door and headed toward me at a trott

Now I guess I should of gone ahead and run
But somehow I just couldn't resist the fun
Of chasing them all just once around the parking lot

I had them all out there steppin and fetchin
Like their heads was on fire and their asses was catchin
then I figgered I had better go ahead and split before the cops got there

When I hit the road I was really wheelin
Had gravel flyin and rubber squeelin
And I didn't slow down till I was almost to Arkansas

I think I'm gonna reroute my trip
I wonder if anybody'd think I'd flipped
If I went to L.A., via Omaha

[StcChief]

You only live once due it.
Not sure I'd do it alone though.

[el borracho]

You would be doing this in the next month? Take the southernmost route- by highway that is the 10 but I don't know how it works with bicycles. Will you be riding along the side of highways?

In any case, bring warmth, bring music, stop often and take pictures.

[Rain Man]

I'd love to do this. How long would it take? The odds are about 0.1% that I'd have the time to do it, but I'd sure love to.

I'm not a good bicyclist, though. And I don't have a bicycle any more. How about if we walk?

But hey, in all seriousness, you want me to map a route for you? I'd get into that.

[Rain Man]

I don't think you can ride a bicycle on the Interstate. I think we'd be talking county roads for the most part, or maybe state highways.

[Archie F. Swin]

the biggest test would be...spending that much time awa from the planet :sulk:

[JBucc]

You should walk instead so it would take longer. And bring a small tent and a gun. And one of those little propane cookers. And you should probably have someone go with you so if you get eaten by a bear we'll know what happened.

[el borracho]

Whenever you leave you should plan to be somewhere awesome for any holidays that might occur during your trip. Christmas in the middle of nowhere is awesome. My friends and I did a road trip a number of years ago and spent Christmas morning pulled over in the middle of nowhere eating cold cereal and fresh fruit next to a cotton field- first time my friend had ever seen cotton growing. It was very cool. I've always done New Years Eve in big cities but lately have been thinking it would be cool to spend New Years Eve camping just outside the city where I could still see the fireworks in the distance.

[chief husker]

I'll ride with you if you go through Iowa. Plenty of good routes away form major highways. Old RAGBRAI routes, etc.

[el borracho]

I would recommend not going to Flagstaff in the winter. Of the entire southwest Flafstaff always gets the first snow and the most snow. If you are up that way and looking to get south you can head from Holbrook to Heber to Payson to Phoenix. This will bring you in through the Saguaro National Forest which is awesome.

If you do decide to go through Flagstaff you should take the 17a south. This will take you descending through a beautiful canyon into Sedona. You can continue on through Cottonwood and Prescott.