The Route

There is a  bit of history behind the planned route. I will begin in Astoria, Oregon and plan to finish in Yorktown, Virginia. More details of the history are as follows:

Bikecentennial '76 was a bicycle tour across the United States in the summer of 1976, in commemoration of the bicentennial of America's Declaration of Independence.  The route crossed ten states and 112 counties in either direction between Reedsport, OR, and Yorktown, VA, a distance of about 4,250 miles (6,840 km). The route was chosen to include many historic sites, but avoid the Great Basin desert, major highways, high-traffic zones and big cities. This route is still in use as the TransAmerica Trail and U.S. Bicycle Route 76. Astoria, OR, was an alternate western terminus, with four additional counties. Original route: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bikecentennial_DOT_HS-803_206_page_c38.PNG

The 4,100 riders who participated represented all fifty states, and ~10% were from foreign countries. Just over 2000 cyclists rode the entire length of the trail.

-From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikecentennial

Maps for the trip are produced by Adventure Cycling Association. The mission of Adventure Cycling Association is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle. They help cyclists explore the landscapes and history of America for fitness, fun, and self-discovery. Established in 1973 as part of the Bikecentennial, Adventure Cycling has 44,500 members nationwide. They are headquartered in Missoula, Montana and I plan to stop on my way through, ...for the free ice cream! An image of the numerous bike routes created by Adventure Cycling Association are as follows:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/RouteNetwork.pdf