I started out alone with my bike on May 27, 2006 from the Outer Banks, North Carolina. By the end of August I reached Eugene, Oregon, and worked for six weeks to earn money to continue. Early October found me riding north to Seattle, and finally south along the Pacific Coast to San Francisco. From there I flew home to Pennsylvania on November 6, 2006.
This map shows my route along the TransAmerica Trail, in addition
to some extra riding along the east and west coast.
Introduction
My First Bicycle Tour
The Outer Banks
North Carolina
Day 1 – Waves, NC to Currituck, NC
Day 2 – Currituck, NC to Portsmouth, VA
Virginia
Day 3 – Portsmouth, VA to Charles City, VA
Day 4 – Williamsburg, VA to Granville, VA
Day 5 – Granville, VA to Mechanicsville, VA
Day 6 – Mechanicsville, VA to Mineral, VA
Day 7 – Mineral, VA to Afton, VA
Day 8 – Afton, VA to Rusty’s Hard Time Hollow
Day 9 – Rusty’s Hard Time Hollow to Buchanan, VA
Day 10 – Buchanan, VA to Catawba, VA
Day 11 – Catawba, VA to Wytheville, VA
Day 12 – Wytheville, VA to Damascus, VA
Day 13 – Damascus, VA
Day 14 – Damascus, VA to Breaks Interstate Park
Kentucky
Day 15 – Breaks Interstate Park to Hindman, KY
Day 16 – Hindman, KY to Booneville, KY
Day 17 – Booneville, KY to Berea, KY
Day 18 – Berea, KY to Springfield, KY
Day 19 – Springfield, KY to Louisville, KY
Indiana
Day 20 – Louisville, KY to Bloomington, IN
Day 21 – Bloomington, IN to Kurtz, IN
Day 22 – Kurtz, IN to Louisville, KY
Kentucky
Day 23 – Louisville, KY
Day 24 – Louisville, KY to Hodgenville, KY
Day 25 – Hodgenville, KY to Rough River Dam State Park
Day 26 – Rough River Dam State Park to Sebree, KY
Illinois
Day 27 – Sebree, KY to Golconda, IL
Day 28 – Golconda, IL to Carbondale, IL
Day 29 – Carbondale, IL to Chester, IL
Missouri
Day 30 – Chester, IL to Farmington, MO
Day 31 – Farmington, MO to Ellington, MO
Day 32 – Ellington, MO to Houston, MO
Day 33 – Houston, MO to Marshfield, MO
Day 34 – Marshfield, MO to Golden City, MO
Kansas
Day 35 – Golden City, MO to Walnut, KS
Day 36 – Walnut, KS to Toronto, KS
Day 37 – Toronto, KS to Newton, KS
Day 38 – Newton, KS to Hutchinson, KS
Day 39 – Hutchinson, KS – 4th of July
Day 40 – Hutchinson, KS to Larned, KS
Day 41 – Larned, KS to Ness City, KS
Day 42 – Ness City, KS to Scott City, KS
Day 43 – Scott City, KS to Eads, CO
Colorado
Day 44 – Eads, CO to Ordway, CO
Day 45 – Ordway, CO to Pueblo, CO
Day 46 – Pueblo, CO to Canon City, CO
Day 47 – Canon City, CO to Guffey, CO
Day 48 – Guffey, CO to Fairplay, CO
Day 49 – Fairplay, CO to Frisco, CO
Day 50 – Frisco, CO to Heeney, CO
Day 51 – Heeney, CO to Hot Sulphur Springs, CO
Day 52 – Hot Sulphur Springs, CO to Granby, CO
Day 53 – Granby, CO to Walden, CO
Wyoming
Day 54 – Walden, CO to Saratoga, WY
Day 55 – Saratoga, WY to Lamont, WY
Day 56 – Lamont, WY to Lander, WY
Day 57 – Lander, WY
Day 58 – Lander, WY
Day 59 – Working in Lander, WY
Day 60 – Working in Lander, WY
Day 61 – Lander, WY to Dubois, WY
Day 62 – Dubois, WY to Togwotee Pass, WY
Day 63 – Togwotee Pass, WY to Jackson, WY
Day 64 – Jackson, WY to Colter Bay Campground, WY
Day 65 – Colter Bay Campground, WY to West Yellowstone, MT
Montana
Day 66 – West Yellowstone, MT
Day 67 – West Yellowstone, MT to Twin Bridges, MT
Day 68 – Twin Bridges, MT to Jackson, MT
Day 69 – Jackson, MT to Stevensville, MT
Day 70 – Stevensville, MT to Missoula, MT
Idaho
Day 71 – Missoula, MT to Powell, ID
Day 72 – Powell, ID to Kooksia, ID
Day 73 – Kooksia, ID to White Bird, ID
Day 74 – White Bird, ID to Council, ID
Day 75 – Council, ID to Oxbow, OR
Oregon
The TransAmerica Trail is an established bicycle route across the United States from Yorktown, Virginia to Astoria, Oregon. It primarily winds along scenic country roads with low traffic, avoiding highways and major cities. The largest city to be found directly on the route is Eugene Oregon, with a population of about 140,000. The average touring cyclist takes about three months to complete the trip. It’s approximately 4,200 miles.
The TransAmerica Trail was inaugurated in 1976 as a means of celebrating the nation’s bicentennial year. The idea for the ride was spawned by Greg Siple in 1972, while on a long tour.
The ’76 cross-country ride and consequential organization was called Bikecentennial. Over 4,000 cyclists that hailed from all 50 states took part in the ride. 2,000 riders completed the entire route in its first year – a notable event. Over thirty years have passed since then, and many more cyclists have followed, creating a route rich in history and tradition.
Bikecentennial later transformed into what is today known as The Adventure Cycling Association. The organization now has almost 50,000 members, and has mapped almost 40,000 miles of 20 different long-distance cycling routes in the U.S.
Cyclists stay overnight in a variety of places, including hotels, campgrounds, town parks, churches, and even in ditches along the side of the road if necessary. Pictured above is the “bike house” in Afton, Virginia, operated by the “Cookie Lady” June Curry. Postcards and memorabilia line the walls, documenting her decades of hospitality.
The TransAmerica Trail route crosses the Appalachian Mountains along The Blue Ridge Parkway.
The highest point is Hoosier Pass, Colorado, at 11,542 feet.
Dominant winds and monotony in Kansas can discourage many a rider. Others are mesmerized by the flat, wide-open plains, and heartened by the friendliest small town communities found anywhere.
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are highlights for many.
The route follows the Oregon Coast along route 101 to its western terminus in Astoria.
