Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

 

Trip Itinerary - Northern Tier Bicycle Route with Great Lakes and Lake Erie connector. Starting in Anacortes, Washington ending in Bar Harbor, Maine an estimated 4,500 miles.

 

Q.  Will you be traveling on trails, back roads, or busy highways?

A.  Mostly on roads.  Some bike trails. The Adventure Cycling maps follow routes safest for cyclist with the least amount of traffic and wide shoulders

 

Q.  What bicycle will you ride?

A.  We will ride our Cannondale Tandem. We have had this bike since the mid 90's. In preparation for this trip we made various modifications and updated the bike with the help of Mel at Tandems East.

 

Q.  Why are you riding a tandem instead of singles?

A. We enjoy riding together.

 

Q.  Do both riders need to pedal or can one person coast?

A. It takes both riders working together. Pedals are tied together with a timing chain, there is no free wheel.  We both pedal at the same time, at the same speed.

 

Q.  How will you carry your gear?

A.  Most everything will be in our CycleTote covered trailer.  We will carry four water bottles, and a handlebar bag on the bike.

 

Q.  How much weight are you carrying?

A.  It will feel much heavier when we climb the passes in the Cascades 😝 We have about 175 pounds, including gear, the bike and trailer.  

 

Q.  Since you will go from west to east, will the jet stream blow you the whole way across the country?

A.  Actually no. The jet stream does indeed blow from west to east, but it is generally at an altitude of 30,000 feet. The wind patterns on the ground are affected by a number of factors and can cause the wind to blow from any and every direction. The majority of cross-country riders seem to have an equal number of headwind and tailwind days, with crosswinds being more prevalent. Something we learned from living in West Texas, crosswinds will often feel like headwinds and a tailwind can feel calm.

Q.  How many days does it take?

A.  Everyone that rides this route does so at a different rate.  We are not on a schedule and want to enjoy the journey one day at a time. We anticipate approximately four months averaging 40 miles a day.  Some days more, some days less. Since we will be traveling through areas we have never been, we look forward to enjoying each day and spending time sight seeing at many locations.  

 

Q.  Are you riding alone or with a group and is it safe?

A.  We will be riding alone, self supported.  There are advantages to riding on the Adventure Cycling routes as far as safety is concerned. Other cyclists will also be on the route. Because these routes are established, folks along the way are accustomed to seeing cyclists.

 

Q.  Where will you stay? Are you camping or staying in hotels?

A.  Weather permitting we plan to camp as much as possible. 

 

Q.  Are you using GPS?

A.  No, we are using maps from Adventure Cycling and will use our smart phones if needed, when we have service.

 

Q.  Will you be out of range of cell phones?

A.  Yes, in places. 

 

Q.  How often will you update your blog?

A.  When we stay in areas with WiFi we will update with day to day travel and photos.

 

Q.  When is the best time to ride the Northern Tier route?

A.  Late spring to mid-fall. We will start from Seattle on May 17th and arrive at Bar Harbor, Maine sometime in September.

 

Q.  Do you have sponsors or is this for a charity?

A.  Neither, this is just something we want to enjoy together

 

Q.  Why are you doing this?

A.  This is the most popular question.  We enjoy riding our tandem and look forward to spending this time together. The best part of touring on a bicycle is seeing the breathtaking beauty that surrounds you, 360 degrees of unobstructed views. Seeing the country by bike allows you to really see it, hear it, and smell it. Each day we get to ride our bicycle on endless miles of new roads seeing places we have never been.  We have often talked about 'someday' riding across other countries (Italy, New Zealand, etc) until one year ago we looked at the Northern Tier route of the USA. We decided there is no time like the present and started planning our adventure.

 

 

Special thanks to our children, Ashley, Brian, Nickie, and Alan!  Without your love, support, house sitting, pet sitting, and much much more this trip would not be possible.  You are amazing and bring more joy to our lives than words could ever express!