US cycle routes / November / Las Vegas

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mralex
mralex

hi all, there are two strands to this question:

  1. I'm possibly going to be in Las Vegas next November with a group of mates to celebrate some 40th birthdays and am seeking suggestions for routes which finish there starting in September (approx 3 months touring and averaging 50 miles per day). The two which appeal are either starting on the east coast and doing Nashville/Austin and all the musical cities en route, or travelling down the west coast (parks etc) then turning left. What would the weather be like for each of these at that time of year? My geography of the US is awful apologies, which leads to question 2...

  2. A google search quickly identifies the Adventure Cycling Association as a good source of information however I seem unable to navigate my way to any actual maps so I can plan question 1 above. Are there any other suggested sources or ways to access interactive maps without paying money out. This is an embryonic plan at the moment so...

Thank you all in advance. Any advice is appreciated.

Alex

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billweir
billweir

I suggest cycling in the American West for its considerable geographic and cultural variety. Maybe start in Vancouver or Seattle and follow the coast toward southern California. Or you could ride inland past volcanoes and mountains of the Cascades route. Or ride farther inland to such places as Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. All the western states have great national parks. Another bonus of the American West is that much land away from the coast is government and open to undeveloped free camping. Maybe drop by a library and read travel guidebooks to see what regions interest you most.

The climate should generally be good for you, and the deserts around Las Vegas will have cooled by November.

For route ideas, the cyclist website www.crazyguyonabike.com has many journals, and you can search by state.

A good way to meet people along the way is to join the free cyclist hosting service www.warmshowers.org.

The music route might better be done by car as most happenings take place in cities, where cycling isn't so good. Of course, you will find much music in the American West.

Google Maps on your smartphone or tablet has the option to display cycle routes, which are good for ideas. The best maps are those of Adventure Cycling Association www.adventurecycling.org; yes you have to pay for these, but the organization is worth supporting.

Enjoy.

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