Looking to do a bike trip somewhere in N. America this summer - suggestions?

[dipstik]

For the last two summers my dad and I have done some bike trips. The first was in Alberta cycling from Banff to Jasper on the Icefields highway. The second was last summer when we went up to Nova Scotia and biked around a portion of the island.

We are looking to do another trip this summer and I was wondering if any of you had any suggestions. It would have to be a guided road or light mountain biking trip (my dad has never been mountain biking before) preferably an average of 35 miles a day, maybe about 250 - 300 miles for the whole trip, depending on terrain. On the Banff trip we slept in tents every night, and on the nova scotia trip we stayed in little bed and breakfast inns, so lodging isn't a huge deal.

We are looking to go pretty much anywhere in N. America (minus New England). Scenery is a big bonus, and also maybe some ops to hike and sightsee. On the Alberta trip we were able to take some time to go hike around Lake Louise, and in Nova Scotia we took an afternoon off to go whale watching. Stuff like that makes the trips a lot more fun.

Any ideas or suggestions?

edit: The two guide companies that have taken us before were CANUSA and Canadian Trails - both were great.

[Viva]

there's CycleOregon towards the end of summer, but that around 500-600 miles over the course of a week.

There's the ride around Tahoe coming up in the beginning of June, a one day event, but from there you will have other options like the northern Sierras, etc.

[Benny Profane]

Is this point to point, or sleep in one or two spots and do day trips? For point to point, try from about Evergreen to Telluride. The whole trip is pretty massive, but any section in there is pretty cool.

For a "one home base" and day trips, and if you guys are baseball fans, this one is a no brainer - Cooperstown, NY. Stunning farm roads, great lake, nice town. Just find a nice place to sleep, and get this book: http://www.copleys.com/cranks/ one of the best bike books I've ever seen.

[Plakespear]

I'll have to agree with Benny- that's basically my home turf. (But get a hotel in Oneonta- it'll be cheaper and easier than finding a place in Cooperstown in the summer. And by all means avoid the place during the HOF inductions weekend)

[ak_powder_monkey]

WHere: Denali Highway
When: Late July Early August
What: like 250 miles of dirt road going from Paxon to Cantwell through rolling tundra dotted with lakes and striped with steams, some of the best fishing in the world, low trafic go at whatever place you want, plenty of places to camp, and you can go with my friends and I that would be kick ass, something I've always wanted to do

[Ripzalot]

ok, if it HAS to be in north am, then: a southwestern loop - fuita, moab, sedona.

if it doesn't, there is only one choice: les Portes du Soleil, which is where I'll be riding all summer.

[powder11]

moab will keep you busy for a week and has a variety of camping/hotel options

[Benny Profane]

Yeah, I was thinking Moab, too. But NOT in the summer.

Check out any spot along the Blue Ridge parkway. Awsome road riding, especially around Asheville, NC.

[cumerritt]

Dip,

Funny you should post this thread. I also do bike trips with my father during the summer and have ridden the routes you have mentioned. My recommendation is this, head to http://www.adventurecycling.org and check out their tours and maps sections. I highly recommend the Glacier-Waterton National Park look. It takes one week and is 300 miles of riding. You can camp during the week in Glacier and Waterton parks and all the other nights on the trip.

Adventure Cycling is a well established cycling organization that runs tours, supplies maps and routes of hundreds of US and CA bike trips to cyclists from around the world. They are a world class organization that created the TransAmerica Trail back in 1976 and led the first tour across the country of that summer. I am an avid member and supporter of this organization and am sure they can help you create a trip you will never forget.

[L7]

Golden Triangle. I think Vermont Bike Tours run on it. If you have any interest in forest fires the whole trip through Kootenay park should be interesting since most of it burned out last summer. (Except the lodge you'd stay at).

[edg]

There's some fun to be had around Seattle, apparently. (Vague, second-hand information )

edg