Mooney78865
New member
There are a lot of threads and videos regarding the Trans America Trail. Everything about what bike to ride, gear to bring, and pretty much everything under the sun. What you do not see a lot of is personal conditioning for the environment.
Beyond the usual physical condition, you should consider environmental conditioning. No matter where you live, if you ride the TAT in its entirety you will travel through a number of climate zones. From the humidity of the eastern and southern portions, the cold of New Mexico and Colorado, the altitude of the Colorado passes, to the high temps of Utah, Idaho and eastern Oregon.
Granted, the severity of the climate will depend on the time of year, but no matter when you go, invariably you will experience one extreme or another.
So, in your trip planning, plan for the climate as well.
Cooling vest, a good pair of "silk" thermals, rain gear, including gators and rain mittens. (I had 18 days of rain on my trip, not all day, but enough to make me put on rain gear)
Electrolyte tabs for your hydration are a must as well. And nothing beats a hot cup of coco or coffee when it's freezing out.
In the end, it's not always about what bike you ride or what tire you're running. If you don't take care of yourself, none of it will matter.
Learn the warning signs of exposure, heat and cold. ALWAYS be prepared to add a day or two to recover, or just plain dodge weather extremes.
It's supposed to be fun right?
Beyond the usual physical condition, you should consider environmental conditioning. No matter where you live, if you ride the TAT in its entirety you will travel through a number of climate zones. From the humidity of the eastern and southern portions, the cold of New Mexico and Colorado, the altitude of the Colorado passes, to the high temps of Utah, Idaho and eastern Oregon.
Granted, the severity of the climate will depend on the time of year, but no matter when you go, invariably you will experience one extreme or another.
So, in your trip planning, plan for the climate as well.
Cooling vest, a good pair of "silk" thermals, rain gear, including gators and rain mittens. (I had 18 days of rain on my trip, not all day, but enough to make me put on rain gear)
Electrolyte tabs for your hydration are a must as well. And nothing beats a hot cup of coco or coffee when it's freezing out.
In the end, it's not always about what bike you ride or what tire you're running. If you don't take care of yourself, none of it will matter.
Learn the warning signs of exposure, heat and cold. ALWAYS be prepared to add a day or two to recover, or just plain dodge weather extremes.
It's supposed to be fun right?
