Route Ideas for My Next Tour

I've been thinking about where I would like to tour this winter and decided I'll be riding in the US. A big consideration influencing my decision to ride in the US is I've got many friends having important birthdays this year. One friend is turning 100 years old! I sure don't want to miss this party. Staying in the US will make 'flying in for the weekend' easier than coming from a foreign country. There are lots of places in the US I still want to ride and I expect this won't be the last tour I take in my home country.

With weather in mind, I'll start this tour just after Labor Day in September. Any earlier and I think the heat will be too much.  Another reason to start the tour after Labor Day is kids will be back in school and there should be less traffic.

Rough idea of route through the US

A dear friend recently moved from Portland to Missoula, Montana and I'd like to see her new home. That is how I decided on the first part of the route. With the brutal heat we've had this summer so far, I decided to take a route along the coast of Washington going north through the Olympic peninsula. This route should be much cooler than taking the more direct route east through Oregon. From the San Juan Islands, I'll take Hwy 20 east through Washington and Idaho into Montana. I expect this ride will be as challenging as it is beautiful. The route is also the Northern Tier bicycle route and will have lots of camping and Warm Shower stay possibilities.  Missoula is home to Adventure Cycling Association and it will be interesting to stop in there too.

Portland through Olympic Peninsula, Missoula, Yellowstone to Salt Lake City

From Montana, if the weather permits, I'll ride to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons on my way to Utah. The route from Portland through the Olympic Peninsula, hwy 20 to Missoula and down to Salt Lake City has over 50,000 ft of climbing.  I'm sure it will be very beautiful and rewarding but I'm so slow I'm not sure I'll be able to take any detours if I want to get to Arizona before winter temperatures hit.  There are so many national parks in Utah that I would like to see I'm hoping for a long, dry autumn. From Utah, I'll continue south into Arizona to pick up the Southern Tier bike route. I'll take that route east to Florida. There are only 2 US states I haven't seen and Florida is one of them. 

Salt Lake City to Wickenburg, AZ

Somehow, I'll make it back to the west coast.  Even though the route I've picked is almost 4800 miles, I expect to make it to Florida around the end of January. That still leaves me 4 months of more riding to do before I can return to Portland. Maybe I'll turn around and ride a modified southern tier back to Los Angeles. We'll see... As with all my tours, plans will be very flexible.

Wickenburg, AZ to Austin, TX

Austin, TX to St. Augustine, FL