Some of our friends have asked about our route for our upcoming adventure. The Adventure Cycling Association makes these beautiful waterproof maps of their TransAmerica route, not only including turn by turn directions from Yorktown, VA to Astoria, OR, but with a bit of history, weather notes, rainfall, elevation profiles (so we know the days that we’re going to be going uphill!), points of interest, bike shops, restaurants, hotels/hostels/campsites, grocery stores, post offices, emergency contact info, and more information.

John M best summarized on his Crazy Guy On a Bike blog:

The TransAmerica Trail, also called U.S. Bicycle Route 76, was established by the Adventure Cycling Association for the celebration of the U.S. bicentennial in 1976. At that time, the organization was called Bikecentennial, a name many old-timers still associate with the TransAm Trail. This is still the greatest and most-travelled route crossing America. In the past 34 years, tens of thousands of cyclists have ridden it. I’m hardly a pioneer.

Where are you going?

The trail starts at the Atlantic Ocean in Yorktown Virginia and crosses Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Oregon before reaching the Pacific Ocean at Astoria Oregon. The route passes through the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. The four largest cities on the trail are Eugene Oregon, Pueblo Colorado, Missoula Montana, and Carbondale Illinois. Because it takes little-traveled back roads, the route is longer and hillier than if you took the major roads. The route is 4,262 miles long, plus side trips and detours which could add several hundred more miles.

The hardest part of the route will be the steeply and relentlessly rolling terrain of the Appalachians in Virginia and Kentucky, followed by the Ozarks in Missouri. Depending on the direction of the wind, Wyoming can also be a challenge. By comparison, the gentle but long grades of the Rocky Mountains are easier.

There’s more information about the route and maps here: http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/transamerica-trail/

There’s just a little over a month until our departure, and we’re almost to our fundraising goal. You still have time to help make our documentary dreams come true! http://www.gofundme.com/TouringTunes