Preparation: Our planned route

For many years we have been members of Adventure Cycling Association, which began in 1976 by providing support for groups of cyclists crossing the U.S. to celebrate the Bicentennial. They have continued to be a resource for touring cyclists, with a network of routes all over the U.S., with maps and reference to facilities available along the way, including lodging, food, bike repair shops, etc. Each year, hundreds of riders cross the country on Adventure Cycling routes, most of them in more of a hurry than we will be. We plan to follow a combination of two of the Adventure Cycling Routes. From the coast of Oregon near Astoria, we'll follow the Columbia River Valley, cross into Idaho, climb the "back range" of the Rockies, and turn southeast at Missoula, Montana, following the valleys and mountains southeast through Yellowstone N.P., Wyoming and central Colorado. We'll exit the Rocky Mountains at Pueblo, Colo. and make a beeline across the Great Plains through eastern Colorado and Kansas. We'll cross Missouri and southern Illinois, and the long and mountainous widths of Kentucky and Virginia. To the extent that we know what to expect at all, we expect each section of the 4100-mile trip to have its surprises, attractions and challenges, and of course if there's a reason to change the route, we will.