Anyone toured in the USA?
Discussion
Got an idea at the back of my mind to take a trip across the pond and bike it from San Francisco (Golden Gate Bridge) to LA (Santa Monica Pier).
Done a bit of long distance bike touring in the UK and New Zealand so the miles (all 800 of them) don't really bother me, just wondered what it'd be like in California on the domestic front? How safe would it be out in the cuds without the personal security offered by an "automobile" (as the Colonials choose to call them)? What's the sort of distance between decent towns outside the major cities?
Is it a bike-friendly destination beyond the beach-front cycle tracks?
Thanks in advance.....
Done a bit of long distance bike touring in the UK and New Zealand so the miles (all 800 of them) don't really bother me, just wondered what it'd be like in California on the domestic front? How safe would it be out in the cuds without the personal security offered by an "automobile" (as the Colonials choose to call them)? What's the sort of distance between decent towns outside the major cities?
Is it a bike-friendly destination beyond the beach-front cycle tracks?
Thanks in advance.....
Have been here two and a half years now in NYC. In general in some cities on the East coast you will be looked on as a complete and utter wierdo, or alternatively too poor to own a car. Driving standards can be abysmal and you really have to watch traffic like a hawk as drivers to the strangest things. Cyclists are not the norm here, you will be in a very small minority.
The West coast is so much more bike friendly as cycling is much more of a lifestyle over there and you will feel much more at home. I'd still make the same comment about driving standards though. The great thing I have found over here is once you get out of the cities onto the smaller roads and towns, in general, the Americans are more welcoming and open than Europeans. If you can plan a route staying away from the major routes then I think it could be a superb tripandn if you hook up with other cyclists you will find them very generous of their time & facilities.
(edited to add) The above makes it look like the East coast is very unfriendly. If you get out of the cities into the country then you will find folks much more welcoming. When you come across US cyclists, they really are a dedicated and friendly bunch it's just that there are less density of them than we would have in Europe
Chris
The West coast is so much more bike friendly as cycling is much more of a lifestyle over there and you will feel much more at home. I'd still make the same comment about driving standards though. The great thing I have found over here is once you get out of the cities onto the smaller roads and towns, in general, the Americans are more welcoming and open than Europeans. If you can plan a route staying away from the major routes then I think it could be a superb tripandn if you hook up with other cyclists you will find them very generous of their time & facilities.
(edited to add) The above makes it look like the East coast is very unfriendly. If you get out of the cities into the country then you will find folks much more welcoming. When you come across US cyclists, they really are a dedicated and friendly bunch it's just that there are less density of them than we would have in Europe
Chris
Edited by CVP on Monday 30th August 00:42
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