Planning for a June tour… someplace… I stumbled upon a brand new tour option: the Eastern Express Route is an alternative eastern spur for the Trans Am route, starting in DC. It includes the C&O, the GAP and Katy trails and we chat with the person who did the heavy lifting (and cue sheet creation!) for this amazing new option.
Hey it’s the direct download link for The Pedalshift Project 079: The Eastern Express – a new Trans Am bike touring alternative route (mp3)
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Followup
Hey, the
C&O Guide has *lots* more in it now!
- Segmented into about 10 mile chunks
- Adding descriptions over the rest of the spring
- Embedded maps
- Embedded campsite video reviews
- More to come!
The Journal
- West coast touring options for June?
- Vancouver Island
- Multimodal Oregon/Washington tour
- Brompton or no?
- Eastern Express as another option? C&O->GAP-> and beyond. Hooks up with the Katy eventually. Hmmm…
Reached out to the originator to get him on the show!
The Interview: The Eastern Express Route with Frank Mortiz
Frank Moritz, is a veteran Adventure Cycling tour leader, instructor and board member, and completed the initial research to create an “eastern express route” addition to the legendary TransAmerica bike route. This new route provides a welcome option for TransAm cyclists to bypass the severe mountain climbs and nasty dogs that confront cyclists in southwestern Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southern Missouri on the eastern half of the existing route. It also replaces three major high-altitude climbs in Colorado with one gradual and scenic climb to the Continental Divide. Amazingly, almost 600 of the 2,100+ miles of this route are on dedicated bike/pedestrian paths, towpaths, or rail-trails.
Questions
- Your background in bike touring, including your work with ACA
- Your thoughts on the Trans Am route as it currently is routed in the east
- It’s one thing to develop an alternate route, but quite another to do ALL of the great work with cue sheets etc. for the Eastern Express… what motivated this?
- What is the plan for the route – it feels like this is a “public beta” and you’ll be doing some refinements after comments this year.
- What can Pedalshift listeners do to help with this process?
- Any other recommendations that might be different from “the usual” routes out there in the US?
Connections
Where are you listening?
I hope you are well! I listened to a podcast where you where curious about from which countries your listeners are from. Well, I’m from Sweden (Stockholm) and I really enjoy listening to you. Keep up the good work! – Paula in Stockholm
Data!
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Also hear from members of the US military who listened while stationed in Afghanistan and elsewhere… hey, if this dopey little show about riding bikes helped pass the time while you were serving, trust me when I say it is literally the least I can do.
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Music
You’ve been hearing about Jason Kent and his music for 79 fine episodes. I got news for ya. New. Sunfields. Album. This August.
