Trip Summary Trip Dates: May 17 - Aug 02 Start - End Locations: Williamsburg, VA - Eugene, OR Days: 76   Rest Days: 7   Level of Support: Full Miles: 4258 Average Miles Per Day: 62 Surface: Road Riders: 14 Type: Supported   Meals: Shared cooking Accommodations: Camping/Indoor Physical Difficulty: Intermediate+   Cost: $6499 Booking Status: Closed

A cross-country trip on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail occupies the top spot on the lifetime “must-do list” of cyclists throughout America and the world. However, not everyone has the time or desire to tackle this monumental challenge in the self-contained mode of travel. That’s why this year, for the first time ever, we’re offering the classic Adventure Cycling road trip with van support. We’re following the model we utilize for some of our existing van-supported trips: two seasoned leaders, luggage support with one fifteen-passenger van, and shared cooking responsibilities among group members, which will result in some great meals.

We at world headquarters in Missoula hear stories from many TransAm veterans. What’s mentioned most often, whether they’ve ridden the route self-contained or with vehicle support, is the sense of surprise and discovery the ride provides, of ever-changing landscapes and a still-rural nation full of friendly, generous folk.

Beginning in Virginia, we’ll ride westward through the hills, hollows, and mountains of “Old Dominion” and the adjacent Bluegrass State of Kentucky. After passing through southern Illinois, we’ll confront the steep, relentless hills of the Missouri Ozarks, where you’ll be doubly thankful for that van hauling your tent and other gear.

We’ll then breeze across Kansas—or face the breeze, depending on the whims of nature—and enter Colorado. There we’ll begin a long northwesterly traverse through the long chain of Rocky Mountains. In fact, most of the remainder of the journey will be in mountainous terrain, or in the broad valleys separating the ranges of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon. The Tetons, the Bitterroots, and the Cascades are a few of the more prominent names of the many ranges we will surmount on our way to the saltwater of the Pacific Ocean.

What will the ride be like? First and foremost, it is a group experience. And you’ll spend day after day getting plenty of exercise, but riding unencumbered … cooking with your companions, pedaling mile after mile, laughing. The day is yours, as long as you get to camp on time: You’ll be free to dawdle and take photos, meet locals, and learn about this amazing country we in America call home.

The TransAmerica Bicycle Trail is more than thirty years old. Nevertheless, it remains a blank slate—the adventure of a lifetime waiting to happen—for the countless thousands of cyclists who have yet to tackle it. If you’re one of them, make this the summer to discover America and its people, and to find out more about yourself in the process.

We’re offering only fourteen spots on this tour, in order to foster the camaraderie that is the hallmark of a small, self-contained Adventure Cycling tour. So, the trip will likely sell out in short order. If you’ve always wanted to ride the Big One, but would prefer to do it without hauling a heavy load, this is your year!

For more detailed information, see Supported trip logistics.

READY TO GO?
You can sign up for the TransAm now. Go to our online sign-up.

EXTRAS
To learn more about the TransAmerica Trail, visit our TransAm maps page.