Southern Tier Trans-America Ride

The following is an infomercial from Adventure Cycling for the Southern Tier route we will be taking. I thought this would be of interest. It’s a nice descriptive commentary.

Post ride I will comment on the accuracy of their sales pitch. Like I said in my last post. Sitting here in the lounge chair this seems like a doable and interesting ride. Time will tell!

Experience fascinating landscapes, fabulous food, and diverse cultures.

The Southern Tier Bicycle Route is our shortest cross-country route and offers a wide variety of terrain, vegetation, climate, and people all the way across the nation from the Pacific to the Atlantic. The route is rich in human culture and history — ranging from the Spanish and Mexican influences in California, to the ancient indigenous pueblo cultures in Arizona and New Mexico, to the imprint of the Spanish conquistadors in Texas, to the bayous and French influences of Louisiana, to the Old South of Mississippi and Alabama, to a four-hundred-year-old city in Florida.

After climbing east from San Diego and topping out at 3,890 feet at the Tecate Divide, you’ll enter desert country. The route travels through the Yuha Desert and the below-sea-level, irrigated Imperial Valley, before splitting the Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area in half. In Arizona, snowbirds abound as the route travels through Phoenix and its surrounding communities. The Besh Ba Gowah Archeological Park in Globe, though off route, is very interesting. You’ll be riding through dry, sparsely populated ranch country where every town will be a welcome sight. Don’t pass up the chance to top off your water bottles. New Mexico offers Silver City for the latte drinkers, along with the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (on the Gila Cliff Dwellings Alternate), which are some of the best preserved Mogollon cliff dwellings around.

The ride along the Rio Grande into El Paso, Texas, is a treat for bird lovers, especially during migration season, when birds are flying north or south. Texas dominates this route, taking up an entire third of the mileage. Starting in El Paso, just across the Rio Grande River from Juarez, Mexico, the route follows the river southward before turning east and heading through the Davis Mountains, where some of the friendliest folks on the whole route reside. You’ll pass the McDonald Observatory atop 6,800-foot Mt. Locke. There’s a visitor center with daily tours, and evening “Star Parties” three days per week. After the Davis Mountains, towns are few and the country desolate, full of sagebrush and tumbling tumbleweeds. As you travel through central Texas, the terrain starts to feel like the Alps, but this is actually the famous “hill country.” This diverse area serves some great barbeque. In Austin, make sure you go hear some of the diverse music available at the nightclubs on Sixth Street.

Louisiana is like no other state in the United States due to its history, language, culture, and food. First of all, they have parishes instead of counties. Traveling right through the middle of Cajun country, in places like Mamou, a stop in a cafe is a trip unto itself. The crowd is speaking English, but you can’t understand the words. Try to hear some lively Cajun music if you have the time. Mississippi offers rural riding all the way into Alabama, (they advise you, if you hear banjos to pedal faster.)where the route crosses a bridge to Dauphin Island. From there it’s a ferry ride across Mobile Bay to Gulf Shores and some of the whitest beaches in the world. If the ferry is closed due to inclement weather, you will have to take the alternate route through Mobile.

The scenery varies greatly across Florida, from the historic coastal city of Pensacola to the alligator-filled waters of the area around Palatka. The route ends in St. Augustine, a city full of interesting buildings and the Castillo de San Marcos, a fort that has guarded the city’s waterfront for over three centuries.

One disclaimer. We will be generally following this route but there will be some deviations so this is not exactly the route we will be on.

For instance, I was hoping to see the basement of the Alamo ( Fans of Pee Wee’s Great Adventure will get this). But I won’t be dancing on the bar to Los Lobos playing Tequila. Though it was a bikers bar in the movie.

WHAT PREVIOUS RIDERS SAID.

Well now we have heard from one source. The following are comments from people who actually completed the ride.

Advice from Previous Riders!

Amy – Colorado • I learned to take it one day at a time, one rest stop to the next rest stop, and when the going got really tough, I focused on the next bend in the road.• I made an effort to focus on “today” and not worry about the weather, road construction etc. for the next day.• Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.• I worried that I wasn’t strong enough, but with the support of my team, I did it and so can you!

Mike – Arkansas• My best days were the ones when I stopped in coffee shops, cafes and restaurants and met with the locals who were always interested in what I was doing.• You can rely on your support team.  They are willing to help you with whatever you need.• After 4-5 days you just acclimate to getting up to ride.• Wishing everyone in your group – Lungs of Iron and Buns of Steel!

Rob – California• You will see, smell, and touch the Southern portion of our country on an incredible self-propelled journey.• Be prepared to have an adventure.• Eat lots of bananas, and drinks lots of water. Take in all the sights, laugh a lot, make new friends and memories that you will think about everyday for years to come.• If I have one regret, it’s that I am not able to join you on this trip. It’s all about the adventure.• Ride at your own pace and have fun!

Stuart – United Kingdom• No matter how hard, hot, hilly or exhausting, when the day is over and you have eaten and showered, rest for the next day.  The next morning you will feel strong.  It’s amazing how the body recovers overnight.• Have a great trip!

Karin – Denmark• Careful –  you will become addicted to long bike trips.• Life on a biking trip with Trans-America Cycling is so simple. You only have to make 2 decisions every day: what do I want to eat tonight and how much clothes do I need to wear today.• Texas is not just big. It continues and continues, but there are beautiful cozy places there – completely unexpected.

Jim – Florida• The best advice I can give is to learn how to change a flat tire before you start your tour.  Have a friend help you or watch videos on how to change a flat and practice doing it in your home.  Be sure to learn how to remove and replace your rear wheel.  Practice that as well.  I was new to cycling and was nervous about flat tires, so when I learned how to repair a flat tire before the tour, it was a real confidence boost for me. 

Dan – Oklahoma• Don’t worry about weather forecasts beyond the current day. You are going to ride, rain or shine, so why let it worry you. Besides, long range forecasts are not that reliable.

There you have it. A bit more detail on the journey. There will be more to come. But for the most part my time over the next 6 weeks will be spent training and buying the additional stuff I need to make the trip achievable.

BTW No mention was made about dogs but I suppose the solution is to ride with slower riders. I don’t have to out race the dogs, only the slowest rider in the group😜.

I remember many years ago a colleague was on a business trip in Bolivia. He had to rent a moped (no cars). They gave him a stick. He said “ what is the stick for?”. The rental agent replied “dogs”! Hope I don’t need a stick!!

Til next time. Smooth roads and may the wind be at your back.