Cycling across America... in 17 days...

[The Halk]

Hmm, in that case it's dangerous... and Kwerk's warning is apt.

 

[kwerk]

I think they might need to change the name to 3300 miles because the RAAM route seems to be half i70, which doesn't allow non-motorized vehicles. And even if you could trying to get through the metro parts is a death sentence. The RAAM race must get special permission. Most solo people seem to do a back road route that goes through the deep south and is 3300 miles.

 

[kwerk]

It would be a cool trip though, with a support vehicle filled with gatorade.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Guy I know did the RAAM a couple of years ago. Epic amounts of training required.

 

[willhub]

Apparently the records for RAAM are 9 days for individual (just over 14mph avg) and 5.5 days for teams (that's 23.4848mph average)

 

[Mark A]

My legs felt like jelly after doing 10 miles lol. But then again this was in Rossendale where even the downhill is uphill...

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

The first part of the trans America route is crossing the Rockies. Its no Hardknott Pass, but it gets a bit steep.

 

[tres]

My legs felt like jelly after doing 10 miles lol. But then again this was in Rossendale where even the downhill is uphill...

A friend from the course I'm on is from Rossendale (I think). Is it a big place?

 

[Scuzi]

Some places you can't do this because of minimum speed limits. That's why James Cracknell didn't have a support car with him when he got hit by a truck wing mirror on the back of his head.

Truck drivers in the US can be lethal. There aren't any limits on driving time and a lot of them drive crazy hours under the influence of all sorts of uppers to make their money. You can frequently see 18 wheelers driven erratically. Trucks are the real danger to cyclists.

 

[godinman]

This makes my 307 mile bike ride across the UNITED KINGDOM in September sound a bit lame now.

 

[Mark A]

A friend from the course I'm on is from Rossendale (I think). Is it a big place?

I think its fairly big, mostly hills and fields with small villages running along the valley. Nice enough place when it stops raining.

 

[SMed]

My friend was killed by a drunk driver on day 2 in California of a trans-American ride. He was a medical student cycling for charity.

 

[Kutter]

Truck drivers in the US can be lethal. There aren't any limits on driving time and a lot of them drive crazy hours under the influence of all sorts of uppers to make their money. You can frequently see 18 wheelers driven erratically. Trucks are the real danger to cyclists.

Its even more scary when these big artics pass you at 80 mph on the motorway too. When we went to Georgia last year i was doing 80 and one still passed me, he must have been doing 85+.

 

[Mark A]

I take it they don't have speed limited truck over there then?

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

They do, they just tend to remove the limiters.

 

[willhub]

Loads remove the limiters in this country too, driving along at 60-65mph, truck matching speed.