Planning for Summer Adventure

2011 1400 Km  Bicycle Tour trip

I'm trying to decide what adventure that I want to do this Summer.  I have thought about doing the Pacific Coast and was going to do it last year but I instead joined friend for a ride to Vancouver (which I am glad I did).

As I know I can ride on a 1000 km + trip now, I want to take the plunge and do what I was interested in doing last year.  I will have 30 days to ride (and visit family).  I still want to help out on 389 km ride to Jasper, so I'd be left with 3 weeks.  If I didn't do Tour De Jasper I could almost just do the whole thing!  But I loved helping out with the tour so much that I really want to help out again despite biking in the wrong direction!

Plan # 1

Bike 1035 kms (643 Miles) from Vancouver to Brookings Oregon.  It looks like there are lots of good places to camp.  I'm not sure if I'd bike all the way from Vancouver or take transit for as far as I can take it.  I figure at 110 kms a day,  I could ride it in 10 days, and I'd definitely add some break days into the ride.  I could have used one rest day on last year's trip..I wouldn't have been so cranky by the end.  The rest day at Cultus Lake at the end did wonders!

Plan #2

Bike 1157 Kms from Astoria Oregon to San Francisco in 11 or so days plus rest days.  I haven't been to San Francisco since 1991 and it would be nice to return there.  I really loved it when I visited, even though I didn't spend much time there. I loved taking a boat tour under the San Francisco Bridge.  After spending a few days in San Francisco, I'd fly back home.

I'm leaning towards # 2, although with flying home, I'm not sure how much extra it will cost.  For #1 I must take a 13 hour bus trip to Portland, then next day take a train to Vancouver.  Then, the next day, take bus home.  I can't book US Greyhound online, must buy in person, so will cost more. Right now it's just under $400 to fly home from San Francisco.

I'm going to sign up for the American Adventure Cycling Organization even though it will cost me a bit.  But I do get a magazine subscription.  I have a copy of it from a friend and it's a good magazine.  Being a member means that I can advertise for a riding companion.  My bike touring friend Jim said that I should have no problem finding someone to ride with.  I'd be tempted to ride on my own, but some people think that I'm crazy.  I'm sure that I'll find someone to ride with.  A friend from the hiking club has shown possible interest in biking the Oregon Coast, but I'd want to ride more then that as I could ride that in 7 or so days.

I'm hoping to get an advert for companions out by a week or so..there are some popping in there already for the Coast, but none are riding during the time I'd take off.