# Fl to WA



## Daman45 (Sep 24, 2015)

I am planning to challenge myself and go to Washington from Florida. I was wondering if anyone got any tips for a long ass bike ride? Along with food, shelter, and money. I am all ears.


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## Tude (Sep 24, 2015)

There's actually some advice in this section - so do search on this stuff - there have been some people who were asking about the same thing as well as input as to kind of bike, tires, etc - so there is some info there (someone recently asked too at beginnning of Summer-ish - but in that thread I posted a bunch of links to bicycle forums where long distance bicycling was the topic - I'm tired tonite so I'm not looking but they are there  )

... but I'd balance out that bike - front end - I've been out several times but from 3 days, 5 days and an on and off 2 weeker (meaning that I stopped for a bit here and there) - nothing as epic as you are doing <bows> And an unbalanced bike is annoying. Come to a stop and the back end just wants to go down. Plus it makes for a more enjoyable ride to lightly balance out front and back panniers or similar. My traveling bike has front and back panniers plus a bike rack over back tire (makes for a great rain barrier too) with a small bike trunk.

There is another member here, @Kate Westcoast who is a big timer long distance person. Another source is a friend of mine from a bicycle forum we're on - @azcyclist who does ultra bike races (like 24 hr races plus 240 miles in a weekend) year round - he's in AZ so he may have some tips on hydration and food as well.

If you don't go for a bike trunk - do yourself a huge favor and go for a perhaps $20 or so and get some removable front and back bike fenders - man alive they are great when it's pouring on you. You avoid the black grease streak up your back and the black splattered face in front.

Get some good cheap glasses too - that's what I buy - $5-8 bucks at the bike shop - glasses - I break them (screw those $$ ones - do you know how many I've have dropped and either I or a car hammers them? hehe keeps the stuff out of the eyes - rain and bugs. Been splattered with way too many big juicy bugs). Get some yellow tinted too - they are awesome in the rain and at sunset even at night.

Just don't overload yourself though - that makes for a miserable ride hehe (I've done that using front and back panniers coming from public market - wtf was I thinking of 12 ears of corn, bushel of tomatoes etc etc - I hated everything when I came home). LOL I was traveling into Toronto and we went by one stretch and there was a guy traveling on the other side of the road. You COULD NOT see his bike at all. He had a huge overloaded big backpack on, enough loaded black garbage bags that you could not see his bicycle at all - had some panniers too - and he traveled very slowly and nearly painfully (to me).

Travel lightly - but with necessities - you'll always find. Just keep an eye on the water and carbs.

Brother's done cross country - he trained - with fully loaded front and back panniers with all the telephone books he could carry - and was doing I'd say 50 miles every other day or so (he was living with Mom when he got out of the service) - he trained cause he was going to hit mountains as he went the north trails. He packed a small (very small) tent and some clothes, bicycle clothes (they are light weight and dry quickly), rain gear, tools, spare tubes of course.

He had a very small single burner stove that he heated water for coffee, soup, ramen noodles, mac and cheese and beans - he concentrated on high carbs - therefore lots of beans, oatmeal with added dried fruits.

Know your routes too - know where your water is, bike shops etc. He also had very good luck with pot luck suppers at churches and I guess cause he was traveling solo - he had good luck with people inviting him to camp in their yard and to have supper. He had a great experience with that trip. Ended up traveling faster than what he anticipated - towards the end he said he was doing an easy century a day several days of the week. He was also in touch with my Mom who would send off supplies to him (including money at times - but he traveled quite lightly with little money) at certain points to a post office. Hope this helps.

Keep people at home appraised of where you are and where you plan on being and check in too. Do keep in touch here - being really on the road versus in a car enables you to see lots more of the environment and cool things out there. Pics please - and be safe and do have fun!!


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## Daman45 (Sep 25, 2015)

Tude said:


> There's actually some advice in this section - so do search on this stuff - there have been some people who were asking about the same thing as well as input as to kind of bike, tires, etc - so there is some info there (someone recently asked too at beginnning of Summer-ish - but in that thread I posted a bunch of links to bicycle forums where long distance bicycling was the topic - I'm tired tonite so I'm not looking but they are there  )
> 
> ... but I'd balance out that bike - front end - I've been out several times but from 3 days, 5 days and an on and off 2 weeker (meaning that I stopped for a bit here and there) - nothing as epic as you are doing <bows> And an unbalanced bike is annoying. Come to a stop and the back end just wants to go down. Plus it makes for a more enjoyable ride to lightly balance out front and back panniers or similar. My traveling bike has front and back panniers plus a bike rack over back tire (makes for a great rain barrier too) with a small bike trunk.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your advise. I will look into it ASAP!


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## Tude (Sep 25, 2015)

LOL - hehe Got a little long winded there but still good info (puts down coffee cup)


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## Kate Westcoast (Sep 27, 2015)

the best advice i can give is just do it and it will be the greatest thing you ever done.
however the first rule of boy scouts is be prepared (i take that in the sense where let what will happen happen and face it with a smile)

I'm headed out next week for a 800 km ride here in British Columbia up the canyon and theres bears and they're hungry so i'm just youtube-in that shit. 

that being said if anyone has advice for me regarding bear-proofing camp sites that would be graciously appreciated....

FUCK IT AND PEDAL!

oh and ps the hardest part of bicycle touring and stealth camping is dealing with your mother before and after every trip.  I would like some advice on how to deal with that too lol


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## pcflvly (Dec 29, 2015)

I rode a thousand miles last year and on the cheap. The first 300 miles were on an antique three speed and only part of an epic trip (hitching, then the 300 miles, then a week on a pirate bus, then more hitching) My longer tour was about 610 miles on a more modern bike that I found broken on the curb. Food and water... make sure to have plenty of both. I like to have weed and beer too but mostly weed. A budget is nice too. Mine was $10 a day but I spent more like $15. It wasn't a problem though because once I'd been out there a week, people were begging to help me out. I'm planning a big tour in 2016 - Canada to South America. I'm so broke though. I don't even have enough for a passport and some of these countries charge a stiff visa fee to Americans and Canadians. I'm a dual citizen and likely to get my Canadian passport for the trip.


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## Sweece (Dec 30, 2015)

FL to WA is quite the trek. I'm curious, what will your route be? My dream is to ride my bike across the US, but right now it is still just an idea. Also to anyone who can answer, what are some essentials to bring for the trip?


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## longhammer (Jan 13, 2016)

Hey all! Not really any advice to leave, but watching with interest, as I am leaving Texas for Florida in a couple days. !!!! Never been more than a couple miles on a bike. But I bought some shorts!


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