Intro: If you wonder about the choice of route, phase and schedule, please read more about the 'How?' on the 'Home'-page.
As we progress, we will add 'trail-pictures' and will add travel blogs with stories and our travel experience.
As we progress, we will add 'trail-pictures' and will add travel blogs with stories and our travel experience.
Current Location: 'Preparing in Switzerland'
Stage 1: Beulah CO - Great Bend KS (563km)
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Leaving the Rockies
Stage 1 - We are leaving the Wet Mountains and Beulah behind us and ride into the city of Pueblo, past Lake Pueblo, an artificial lake that provides a great local recreational area for wildlife and people. We cross the Arkansas river and head east towards the endless horizon of Eastern Colorado and Kansas (we cross into Kansas after Sheridan Lake). There are no passes but pretty level terrain with open roads. No trees and never-ending fields of wheat, corn and grass. Will we have great tailwinds, or if it will be a battle with headwinds? However... we are back on the road again! (Distance: 358 miles / 563 km; Up: 2'275ft / Down 6'625ft) Our Travel-Blog
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Our Travel Pictures!
Stage 2: Great Bend KS - Clinton MS (558km)
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The Open Roads of Kansas
Stage 2 - We ride the open roads of Kansas through lots of small towns, still along Section 7 of the official TransAmerica Bike Trail, rolling pretty parallel to US Highway 50 and straight east. We leave the TransAmerica trail and get onto the 'TransAmerica Connector' near Toronto Lake and head northeast towards Clinton MS, but stay south of Kansas City. We cross into the State of Missouri shortly after the town of LaCygne. We decided to leave the TransAmerica to use more of the Rail-to-Trail network like the KATY Trail further north. Most of the Rail-to-Trail trails were not yet available when the original TransAmerica was set up. (Distance 347 miles / 558 km; Up: 4'925ft / Down: 5'975ft) Our Travel-Blog
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Our Travel Pictures!
Stage 3: Clinton MS - Alton IL (415km)
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The KATY Trail
Stage 3 - In Clinton MS we get onto the famous KATY Trail (Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad - MKT = KATY). With about 240miles /385km, it is the longest established Rail Trail in the US. That means NO traffic but hikers and fellow cyclists for several days. It means very moderate grade and lots of trees along the trail. However, it also means no paved road and possible floodings as we will follow the Missouri river. Of course we hope for the best and accept the rest. The KATY trail ends in Machens near St. Charles and a few miles from the Mississippi river. (Distance: 254 miles / 415km; Up: 2'825ft / Down: 3'150ft) Our Daily Travel-Blog
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Our Travel Pictures!
Alton IL - Indianapolis IN (430km)
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Crossing the Mississippi River
Stage 4 - Right at the end of the KATY Trail, near St. Charles, we cross the mighty Mississippi into Alton, Illinois. We are definitely no longer in the Western United States. We will pass St. Louis to the north and work our way around the city. Unfortunately we no longer have a rail-to trail to follow, but standard roads until we reach Indianapolis. We are now officially on the 'Eastern Connector' of the Adventure Cycling Association's trail system. This connector is part of a speedier coast-to-coast trail than the TransAmerica. It connects the western part of the Transamerica Trail from Colorado with the 'Chicago to New York' Route. We will follow that connector to Indianapolis. (Distance: 266 miles / 430 km; Up: 4'900ft / Down: 4'675ft) Our Travel-Blog
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Our Travel Pictures!
Stage 5: Indianapolis IN - Pittsburgh PA (662km)
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The Home of Bike Touring and Flight
Stage 5 - This stage leads us through three states and a region with numerous bicycle trails. Particularly Ohio is a state where you could bounce around dozens of trails all summer long. Ohio is where the famous Wright Brothers had a bicycle store (Dayton) when they developed their 'flying machines' and flew them in North Carolina. Ohio is also the home of Charlie Pace, who was one of the 'founders' of the Bikecentennial in the 70s and later the Adventure Cycling Association. We are also looking forward to the wooded regions of Pennsylvania before we reach Pittsburgh. (411 miles / 662 km; Up: 14'325ft / Down: 14'200ft) Our Travel-Blog
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Our Travel Pictures!
Stage 6: Pittsburgh PA - Yorktown VA (794km)
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Crossing the Appalachian to the East Coast
Stage 6 - The last stage will lead us from Pittsburgh through the Great Allegheny Passage, a bike trail that was originally a train track between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, that crosses the first part of the Appalachian Mountains, the mountain range more or less parallel to the East coast. After Cumberland, the bike trail continues directly onto the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (C&O Canal), an artificial waterway with 74 locks that was built between 1828 and 1850 to transport goods (mostly coal) between the Allegheny Mountains and the east coast. The canal ends at Washington D.C. Our journey continues along the Atlantic coast trail on to Yorktown VA, and the 'Victory Pillar' that celebrates the Siege/Battle of Yorktown in 1781 that eventually ended the Revolutionary War and gave the United States its independence. It is also the official end of the original TransAmerica bicycle trail. (Distance: 493 miles / 794 km; Up: 16'325ft / Down: 17'125) Our Travel-Blog
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Our Travel Pictures!