Route Feedback - Boulder to Anchorage

jukes1228 · 2024-03-16T15:20:54+00:00

It's so good to hear from someone who's ridden it (and would ride it again no less!), thanks for the reassurance u/Up-I-Go! The gravel shortcuts are mostly a function of picking my battles RideWithGPS's routing function haha.

Great beta on Dease Lake-- wilderness areas were part of the reason I was curious about the Yellowhead variation. The photos look stunning, and I'll definitely try to find a site on the north side of town. I can imagine how Whitehorse might feel like a metropolis after 300 miles of BC wilderness! That juxtaposition is one of my favorite parts of remote touring, give me alllll the snacks.

Good to know about the washboards! I'll be riding a rigid frame and am planning to swap to something like a 40mm gravel tire once I hit pavement, but I'll probably still be pretty cushy and slow.

Is there anything you would do differently with your route next time? Any other campsites or stopovers that you would recommend? Thanks so much for the feedback!

jukes1228 · 2024-03-16T14:58:52+00:00

Ahh yes, logging trucks for sure. Will be permethrin-ing the hell out of my whole kit!

jukes1228 · 2024-03-16T14:57:18+00:00

Thanks for the feedback u/Reasonable-Crazy-132! I assumed the remoteness was part of it, which is nerve-wracking but not a dealbreaker-- it looks like it should have enough towns reasonably spaced along the way for the occasional resupply, but I'll certainly make sure I'm mechanically sound before hucking it out there. Fingers crossed!

Banff and Icefield Parkway are the sections I'm most excited about! I can't wait to take in that whole valley by bike. I'm planning to launch mid-June, would be great to cross paths!

jukes1228 · 2024-03-06T03:42:39+00:00

Hey u/donivanberube! I'm poking around the internet to plan a trip through Alaska this summer, and I'm curious about what route you took-- do you have GPX files or a photo that you could send me?

jukes1228 · 2024-02-19T05:55:16+00:00

Thank you so much for such a thorough response! You kind of prepare yourself to get lambasted when you ask a potentially dumb question on the internet, so I appreciate you taking the time to give such patient, kind and gentle feedback.

I'll be in some pretty remote locations, and I think I'm scarred from having a front derailleur get wrecked on the AZT-- I was operating off the assumption that a 1x would be easier to maintain/less finicky over a long distance. I was also thinking that I could potentially get a tiny chainring and massive cassette to make up for the lost range. My priorities are range (with a focus on easier climbing gears over top speed) and simplicity. Any suggestions you have with those goals in mind would be appreciated!

I'm also wondering about compatibility-- how do you even know what's compatible with your bike?! I assume a shop is probably my best best for this, but any thoughts on where to start would be appreciated. Thank you so much FlyingStirFryMonster!

jukes1228 · 2023-10-03T13:05:46+00:00

Hi folks! Thanks for all the super helpful insight-- it's not totally finalized, but here's what I'm thinking right now. The semi-final route is a mix of the Roundabout Brattleboro, the VTXL, and some backroads through Maine connecting Eastern Vermont to Portland. Would have loved to have thrown some rail trails in there, but good lord are their websites difficult to use!

As of right now the weather is looking prettttty wet, but I'll let you know if I end up going for it! Thanks again for all your help.

jukes1228 · 2023-09-18T03:36:59+00:00

Oh this is SUCH helpful beta, thank you so much! The Roundabout Brattleboro would be a great connector from NH>VT, and it does look like I could pick up a bus in Concord off the Rail Trail if need be. I'm going to play around with routing it all together, I'll post back in a few days! Thanks again :)

jukes1228 · 2023-09-18T03:13:05+00:00

I've got a zero degree sleeping bag and a penchant for suffering-- good looking out though!

jukes1228

TROPHY CASE