On the Road: The TransAmerica Trail 2016
June 21, 2016
Kansas. TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, section 8, map 94. Straight as a string.
I’m penning this blog post in the cool of a community-center basement after a ride that ended in a 40-mile stretch of road on which I DID NOT MAKE A SINGLE TURN. Check the straightest red line ever on Strava. In the heat of the day, Kansas can seem eternal.
After the epic adventure of leading a TransAm tour last year, I never imagined I would end up riding this section again, but here I am, and actually enjoying it even more the second time around.
Since Adventure Cycling first began in 1976 as Bikecentenial, we’ve offered at least one tour along the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail each year. This year, on the occasion of our 40th anniversary, we have not one, but THREE TransAm groups out on the road. At the time of this writing, we have one self-contained tour in Colorado, followed by a van-supported tour rolling through Kansas, and our brand new TransAm 76 tour, its riders appearing in the photos below.
In the spirit of 1976, Adventure Cycling offered a scrappy, no-frills version of our classic TransAm this summer, designed for participants under 30 years of age. I had the pleasure of joining this amazing group of folks for the first few weeks of their tour and I cannot wait to see them all again during the Montana Bike Celebration this July. Until then, here are just a few of the moments we shared in those first weeks ...
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Photos courtesy of Whitney Ford-Terry
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ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team— Paul, Mandy, Emma, Mike, and Arlen — tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists, helping you bring your cycling dreams to fruition. Check out our 2018 Guided Tours today!
Comments
love all this information. does anyone know if anyone has ridden an Elliptigo in a group ride along the TransAmerica Trail? I am asking due to the fear of not being able to keep up speed wise with traditional road bike riders. Thank you !
Hi Jay! We've never had an Elliptigo on one of our tours but it might be a possibility. Why don't you give us a call in the tours department and we can chat about it. I imagine climbing could be an issue?
Interesting video. Maybe they need some USBR 76 signs out there to break the monotony! By the way, with so many on the rioad on the Trans-America Trail (and others, too), it would be interesting for riders who come across USBR signs on their travels to take pictures of them and share them on this blog. How many USBR 76 signs are actually out there? Good luck to all those putting their wheels on the rioad this summer!
Hi Mike,
We will be sure to do that on our journey. Thanks for the new mission. :)
Regards,
Todd
Love the video!!!! We are hitting the trail on 7/2 in Astoria!
East bound 2016!
Hi Todd!
I am the US sponsor of the World Tour Cyclists from Nepal, who just today finished their 10 month Asia leg of their tour. They begin the USA leg early July from San Francisco, heading through the middle of the states. I wonder which route you are taking, and if you may cross paths.
This is their FB page https://www.facebook.com/World-Tour-Cyclists-An-Awareness-Project-935611576523030/
Good luck on the 2nd! I'd love to hear from you!
Hi Amy,
We are taking the TransAm route east bound so maybe we cross paths in Kansas... :)
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