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Thorn General / Re: The Red Bike has been Glazed
« Last post by John Saxby on November 23, 2023, 04:04:52 pm »
Brilliant, Graham!  Our best to your son.

Love the Down Unda Brightness, BTW:  we're still some weeks away from the winter solstice, and Friday's forecast high is -5, with an overnight low of -15.  Sunny days, tho' (he said, grasping at whatever straw comes to hand.)

Cheers,  John
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Cycle Tours / Re: USA in 6 months
« Last post by Danneaux on November 23, 2023, 01:53:36 am »
The deserts of America's Great Basin are pretty challenging in summer. Best to avoid unless well prepared/experienced dealing with extreme heat.

Best of luck on your plans, Julien. There's much to see in both the US and Canada and I'm sure you'd have a wonderful tour!

Dan.
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Cycle Tours / Re: USA in 6 months
« Last post by mickeg on November 23, 2023, 12:54:31 am »
As John S noted, there are good things to see in Canada, so do not limit yourself to USA.

Six months, would that be from mid spring to mid fall?  If so, avoid the south.

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Thorn General / Re: The Red Bike has been Glazed
« Last post by redjumper on November 22, 2023, 11:58:05 am »
thats great. Can we get a full bike pic?
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Ruth Orkin photo journal
« Last post by Mike Ayling on November 21, 2023, 09:25:46 pm »
Another thank you for the rotation, Andre.
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Cycle Tours / Re: USA in 6 months
« Last post by WorldTourer on November 21, 2023, 07:08:28 pm »
Hi Americans   :)

If one day i'm decide to make a trip in USA by bike for 6 months, my question is:

What picturesque routes and places should not be missed ?

Thanks in advance

Do you want to ride solely on asphalt, or also on gravel? Does some singletrack interest you? Especially for younger generations of riders, off-asphalt routes like the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route have become very popular. Easier camping and fewer cars than the ACA routes. In spite of the GDMBR’s name, it is a well-maintained gravel route that Thorn’s touring bikes can easily handle.

Recently the Western Wildlands route has been getting a lot of attention as a north-to-south traversal of the country off-asphalt, but its terrain means a need for thicker tires and less weight.

Besides those, Bikepacking.com has loads of route suggestions for the country.
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Cycle Tours / Re: USA in 6 months
« Last post by John Saxby on November 21, 2023, 05:30:36 pm »
Here's a suggestion of a source on routes and maps:  ACA, the Adventure Cycling Association.  Wesbite: www.adventurecycling.org  On the menu bar, the heading "Navigate"  lists their resources on routes.

As a North American, I have friends and family in the States, and have travelled a lot Next Door on two wheels, both pedal-powered and motorized.

For the U.S., I have a tilt towards the Pacific northwest, and closer to home (in Ottawa), to the Adirondacks in northern NY state.

But, my preference is to follow the landforms, rather than the political boundaries:

In 2016, I did a rail-and-bike journey to, in, and from the Rocky Mountains, crossing the 49th parallel a couple of times enroute to the Pacific coast.  The ACA route map of the western portion of "The Northern Tier" (one the three trans-US routes ACA recommends) was very helpful.  Here's the journal of that ride:  www.cycleblaze.com/journals/rockies/ 

Note that AMTRAK is in my experience a good way to get around, with good discounts for people 65 & older.  The VIA Rail network in Canada is much more limited.

One of my most enjoyable routes was a 10-day circuit of the Gaspé Peninsula in SE Québec, the very end of the south shore of the St Lawrence.  If you go, the clockwise route allows you to descend grades as steep as 17 and 24%. My buddy on that trip lives in Manhattan, and has seen a lot of the world.  He said to me as we rode along, "John, this place is amazing -- it's utterly unlike anywhere else I've been."

If time allows a tour of 3-4 weeks: For me, Québec City is one of the magical places of the world.  And from there, one could cycle the North shore of the St Lawrence to Tadoussac (mouth of the Saguenay River) and beyond; and then take a ferry to the South Shore to make the circuit of the Gaspé.

Enjoy your planning & dreaming!

John
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Cycle Tours / USA in 6 months
« Last post by jul on November 21, 2023, 01:45:56 pm »
Hi Americans   :)

If one day i'm decide to make a trip in USA by bike for 6 months, my question is:

What picturesque routes and places should not be missed ?

Thanks in advance   
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Ruth Orkin photo journal
« Last post by Andre Jute on November 20, 2023, 08:03:23 pm »
I noticed those thin tyres.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: Ruth Orkin photo journal
« Last post by in4 on November 20, 2023, 04:21:17 pm »
Thanks for rotating them Andre. Some sort of technical anomaly I think.

In addition to the cycling dimension, the photos chronicle a particular era in America. Perhaps a  glimpse into a rapidly changing world. The bike saddle might be a sprung Brooks and if so perhaps is the most forgiving part of a quite unforgiving bike. Fair play to Ruth!
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