Bike tour of the U.S.! Start: Florida

So, I'm going to be visiting 50 different cities in a year. Taking odd jobs, visiting friends, camping outside, etc. I'm going to be living off what's inside my Osprey Talon 44L for a while.

I have a lot of research to do, but there's a few things that could really cut some time out for me.

Does anyone know of any good blogs with people who've biked the U.S.? Gear lists, or must haves, that they suggest bringing? Ways/sites that allow free lodging (outdoors or indoors)? I know about couch surfing, workaway programs, woofing, etc. What I'm really curious is about being able to camp outside. Honestly, that sounds really appealing to me for a while. Not sure on the legality of it.

I liked adding to my bookmark bar, so any useful sites -- I'll take em.

Any advice or warnings -- you have my ear.

I have just googled Osprey Talon and discovered it is a rucksack. The use of a heavy rucksack while cycling is strongly to be discouraged. It can cause you serious injuries if you fall off, and back problems just from its use while pedalling along. Use bicycle panniers and a pannier rack instead.

This branch can offer you advice on the cycling aspects, and wider issues that are common to cyclists. For the more general travel questions you pose you might be better off posting on the North America branch. In relation to the cycling, you'll get plenty of travelogues and gearlists on crazyguyonabike.com to give you an idea, perhaps browse that and come back with better formed questions.

50 different cities in a year

If I was exploring the USA by bicycle, I'd stay away from cities as much as possible. Many cyclists follow the AAA routes as they come prepared with strip maps avoiding you having to spend a lot of money on detailed maps that show the minor routes that cyclists enjoy.

How do I get the AAA routes? Do I need to be an employee? I want to go into the cities, but not saying that I'm going to be riding them. It's just pit stops. It's part of what I want, so I'll have to make it work.

Most of your questions can be answered by reading the journals posted over at www.crazyguyonabike.com

Ya, thanks. Actually contacted him and got some specific details out of him. Really nice guy. Will be giving him credit when the time comes.

Actually contacted him and got some specific details out of him. Really nice guy

Are you serious, tobeinspired?

He's a regular poster at VirtualTourist. I'm a member of multiple forums, though my details aren't as filled out in some as others. When I begin finding about these things I was already incredibly busy with work and making travel plans/preparations. Which is why I don't have a photo on this one... I'll add it now. He responded to my thread and gave me the "if you need any more help PM me." If I ever have any more questions I'll be sending him a message.

I mean, people help people. I don't see why it's so surprising. What I do at least.

Hello ToBeInspired, I am Nariah, a young adult female adventurer. I've been wandering the country for over a year now, mostly via foot with a backpack, and a few weeks via bicycle and mostly camping. I am currently back home, in Sarasota, Florida. I am searching for someone to tour with out of Florida, with an open mind to go anywhere, so of course your post attracted me. I tried personal messaging but for some reason it didn't allow me to. Feel free to e-mail me at Nariahfaith@gmail.com and if you use Facebook, you can add me there: Nariah Faith.
looking foward to hearing from you :)

Hi

Last March I flew into Atlanta georgia with my bike. I rode south-west from there into Alabama, Mississippi and Louisanna, then across the coast ending in Jacksonville, Fl.

I researched the trip on Crazy Guy. There is a page on the site for posting questions and I got lots of good from from local cyclists.

A few things to consider
1 The drivers were far more courteous than I had expected and the people were really friendly. I avoided large cities as much as possible but all the places I went through seemed safe enough. I was almost always off the road before dark. I was warned not to cycle into New Orleans. I was told the bike paths are not safe for solo bikers and the roads too busy. (local cyclists told me this)

1. Georgia in particular has rumble strips along the edge of the road. After four weeks my back rim had small cracks at EVERY spoke join. It was toast. Only Florida had nice broad shoulders and rumble strips. (FL is the most bike friendly place in the south) Quite often I would have to keep my eyes glued to an eight inch wide strip of pavement on the far side of the road.

3 I tried to use Warm Showers as much as possible but only found two people that were home and were able to take me in. There are lots of people listed on WS but most were away or I could not get in touch with them. I camped one night only as it was the coldest spring on record. Most camp grounds are RV parks and charge as much as a cheap motel. There are always two or three cheap motels out by the inter state, I paid between $30 and $50 a night. It is difficult to find motels in urban areas except larger towns. When your are stuck out by the interstate pray for a buffet, else its MacDoanlds.

4 The maps sold by the American cycling assoc. are really good and worth the money.

5 The two lane roads in LA are very narrow usually with no shoulder to go onto, just a deep ditch. I had twenty miles of the most hellish road on my life there. Most people going east to west tend to cross LA through the north.

Mike