| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1506.1 | You've been watching too many cop shows. | CLYPPR::SPIRO | | Tue Apr 24 1990 08:45 | 17 |
| I've gone on a number of tours and really only had one bad incident.
That was the time some drunk rednecks shot at us at a roadside rest stop
in Ohio (not really your ideal camping spot). See these kind of guys
won't shoot at you for your gear or anything (you think they'd want
day-glo stuff), they'll just shoot at you for the hell of it.
On the other hand I've had all sorts of folks go out of their way to help
out in some way. So the positives certainly outweigh the negatives.
Another thing is, depending on the season, the Rockies are much more crowded
than you might think. So it's a pretty good bet you'll see alot of other
cyclists, hikers, campers, etc. Certainly a safe enough route.
Definitely go on the trip, it's a fantastic route. The traffic won't
be too bad, and the scenery is unbeatable.
-peter
|
| 1506.2 | Somebody SHOULD call the cops... | BALZAC::DESVIGNES | Diesel frog | Tue Apr 24 1990 09:45 | 14 |
| I, too, have gone on solo trips in some previous incarnation. Now
I am fortunate enough to live in the middle of the forest of
Fontainebleau (FRANCE), I've switched to a mountain bike and enjoy
very much riding in the forest on my own.
However, I always make it a point to tell my wife where I'm going
and how long I intend to be, so she can organize the search party
if I fail to return. In other words, what I would be wary of is
having some sort of an incapacitating accident, e.g. a broken leg
or something, and be stuck in the middle of nowhere. What I suggest
is that you agree with somebody on a number of telephone appointments
while you're out there, so they could come to your rescue...
/Ben
|
| 1506.3 | Canada, Ay | STAR::POLADIAN | | Tue Apr 24 1990 10:04 | 25 |
|
Two years ago I went on an AYH tour of the Canadian Rockies. Everywhere
we went was so beautifull. The people were pleasant and helpful, to say
the least. We did a loop, starting in Calgary - we went towards the
Rockies, followed the Rockies north, went east to Edmonton and finally
south to Calgary. This trip was in the middle of the summer and we saw
lots of other cyclists.
Once again, when people ask what did I like most about the trip - after
the scenery, I say it was the people (of course I was coming from NYC, so
maybe meeting so many pleasant people was just too much - I never locked
my bike).
If you do end up going, you must go to see Lake Louis (this is the subject
of many postcards), and hike to the glacier behind the lake. After the hike
you'll be surprised (not anymore) by a wooden tea house in the middle of
the woods (the tea house has to carry its supplies in by horse).
If you want to know the routes we took let me know and I'll dig up the maps
and post them.
Good luck deciding.
Grant
|
| 1506.4 | | STARCH::WHALEN | Personal Choice is more important than Political Correctness | Tue Apr 24 1990 14:41 | 9 |
| If you feel that you are a target, then you probably are. Those that would take
advantage of you have learned to read who is uncertain, and choose them as easy
targets.
A few years ago the alumni magazine from my college carried a story about a
woman alumna that had toured across the country. I believe that it said she
avoided cities as she felt that they increased any potential danger.
Rich
|
| 1506.5 | I saw Easy Rider too... | FSDB00::BRANAM | | Fri Apr 27 1990 14:55 | 8 |
| Sometimes I get the same feeling when I'm out riding the farm roads east of
Dallas. However, you can't let paranoia paralyze you. If you are going to ride,
you face a certain number of risks no matter how you do it, so just do it and
don't worry about it.
That'll be 2 cents, please... 8^)
Steve
|
| 1506.6 | A pretty BIASED reply! | FRAGLE::MCCLURE | | Fri Apr 27 1990 17:22 | 51 |
|
My two sense worth, is GO FOR IT, and have a GREAT time!!!!
~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
I was BORN and RAISED in just the area you are talking about, the
ROCKIES!!! and I loved every minute of it :-) ...
If you are from another country, just coming into the States, I'd say
the most friendly and most helpful folks in the US are those you'll find
in the West ... (of course, I'm probably a bit biased ... since I lived
there for 20 years, and only 5 years in the East (Boston area) ... As far
as friendliness is concerned, the rural and farming communities are the
best! (of course, i'm probably biased for this area also) ... when I was
growing up, hitch-hiking was a common thing ... for many folks it's the
way they get into town ... the only time folks got a bit worried was when
the local boys broke out of jail or an escapie from California or
Nevada was on the loose .... (not to worry though, this didn't happen
to much) ....
As far as biking is concerned and uncontrolable broken legs or
whatever, as long as a car eventually comes along (preferably with
Idaho plates :-) .. ), you'll be set ...
Security??? ... Weeell, if your in the off season for tourists and
you're dealing mostly with the locals, you're probably pretty much set! ...
however, if you do do your ride in the offseason then that car you were
waiting for to come along probably woun't be nearly as frequent as you
would expect .... you might want to take a sleeping bag ... (the
towns are few and fairly far apart once you enter into the mountainous
region ... ) .. the off-season is probably your truly solo time also,
during the toursit season their are plenty of bikers in the Yellowstone
region ......
Directions?? Places to stay??? etc. ....
Feel free to ask the locals .. their real helpful, and if you are from
afar, will most likely invite ya in for a bite to eat .. usually for
steaks and potata's ....
Scenery???
It is MAGNIFICANT!!! ... If you go up and through Yellowstone National
Park starting somewhere along the Idaho/Wyomning/Montana border work
your way up the Rockies and into the Canadian Rockies .. visiting Lake
Louise, and other GORGEOUS places in Canada ... you'll be doing the
ride of a life time .... If you are into Float trips and white water
rafting, the place to do it is the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in
Idaho ... Once again, a trip of a life-time ... REAL mountains and
REAL rapids! :-)
Have a good time!
Anne
|
| 1506.7 | one more .... | FRAGLE::MCCLURE | | Fri Apr 27 1990 17:34 | 13 |
|
P.S.
If you do go during the hunting season, do be aware of the hunters.
A human can sometimes look exactly like a grizzly ... I wouldn't
say the hunters are out to shot you (unless their drunk), buuuut
some of the hunting accidents that occur between humans is because
the hunter thought the other guy was a deer or a grizzly ...
Buuuuut, on the positive side, if you are in the National Parks
such as Yellowstone, etc. it's not a problem ....
|
| 1506.8 | how about a CB? | TOOK::R_WOODBURY | | Mon Apr 30 1990 18:55 | 7 |
| If you're really concerned, pick up one of those portable CB radios -
make sure it has channel 9 and 5 Watts power output. They're light
weight and there's usually someone listening, somewhere (channel 9 is
the emergency channel).
rw
|
| 1506.9 | Paranoid in TX... | FSDB00::BRANAM | | Tue May 08 1990 16:52 | 4 |
| re .8
Yeah, and they've probably got a chainsaw in one hand and a meat cleaver in the
other!
|