Here are four sections of my bicycle route that I absolutely love to ride. They are not so well known as the Blue Ridge Parkway, the North Cascades, the Oregon Coast, and Yosemite National Park, but they are just as beautiful as those well known routes and are safe and accessible for riders of all skill levels.
Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway would be my first choice of cycling venues for the purpose of introducing someone to the glorious sport of bicycle touring. The Natchez Trace Parkway has gentle hills and does not allow commercial traffic. This makes it ideal for bicycle touring newcomers. The Natchez Trace Parkway is lined with a mix of beautiful hardwood and pine forests and has gorgeous meadows sprinkled with wild flowers. Free, bicycle only, primitive camping is provided along the parkway. In short, the Natchez Trace Parkway is an absolute paradise for bicycle tourists!
On one trip, I was having lunch along the Natchez Trace Parkway in a picnic area. A group of middle-aged cyclists also stopped for lunch. I had an opportunity to chat with one of the members of the group. She told me this was her very first bicycle tour and said it had been the best vacation of her life! Her enthusiasm was very heartwarming!
The Natchez Trace Parkway was established in 1938 as part of our National Park System. It commemorates the most significant wilderness road of the old Southwest. This ancient, natural pathway crosses the homelands of the Natchez, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations. In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson designated the Natchez Trace a national post road for mail delivery between Nashville and Natchez. Where the ground was soft, walkers, riders, and wagons wore down the “sunken” sections you can still see today.
The Natchez Trace Parkway is an ideal way for cyclists to experience this historic southern landscape. The Natchez Trace Parkway forms a magnificent ribbon of green from the bluffs of the Mississippi River to the Appalachian foothills of Tennessee.
Sand Hills of Nebraska
My first time crossing the Sand Hills was a mind altering experience. The undulating landscape was a rich emerald green. Nestled here and there between the jade hills were silvery lakes. It was as if I had been transported to Ireland when I had been expecting to see sand dunes! I could scarcely believe what I was seeing! A local rancher explained that ten inches of rain two weeks earlier had transformed the grassy landscape.
The name “Sand Hills” leads most people to think they are going to see sand dunes rather than the grass covered, rolling hills that cover a quarter of the state. The sand is hidden and stabilized by the tall grass that covers the hills. The Sand Hills are one of the most unique grasslands in the world and the largest intact native grasslands in North America.
The tranquil beauty of these mysterious hills cast a spell on me. Depending on rainfall, the hills are brown, yellow, or green. Wind patterns in the waving grass sometimes produce a temporary silver. Every year these hills improvise a different song. America invented jazz and these hills, also thoroughly American, are the perfect jazzy concert hall.
I love listening to classic jazz albums like John Coltrane’s “Blue Train” or Sonny Rollins’ “Saxophone Colossus” while crossing the Sand Hills. My all time favorite Sand Hills music, however, is the music of Charles Mingus. The uneven beats and complex harmonies found on the albums “Mingus Ah Um” and “Mingus Plays Piano” are the perfect musical accompaniment as I pedal across these rolling hills. The clatter of the freight trains hauling coal eastward from Wyoming joins the concert. My contribution is the rhythm of my pedal strokes and the beating of my heart.
On one trip, I surprised a hawk with my silent approach and with the wind in my face. The hawk, standing in tall grass off to my right, was unaware of my presence. Taking off from the ground, he turned sharply and unintentionally headed straight for my head! For a moment we were eye to eye! He was a tawny orange with fierce yellow eyes. We were both startled! I ducked and he turned away. Disaster was averted! I also observed a fox hunting. He pounced every few steps. I surmised that he was hunting grasshoppers, which are plentiful in the area. After each of these encounters with wildlife, a “quality of eternity” seemed to settle on the land. The wind continued blowing, the sun beat down, and the eerie green hills looked like they were in motion. Crossing the Sand Hills feels a lot like being on a ship at sea. At times, the undulating hills actually made me feel somewhat seasick!
It takes about four days to pedal 280 miles across the Sand Hills from Grand Island, Nebraska to Alliance, Nebraska. This is an incredibly beautiful bicycle ride. Conditions are ideal with very light traffic and nice, paved shoulders. Cloud shadows sweep across the hills. Sunflowers hug the bottoms of the hills where water collects. The days are bright and very hot. The nights are cool and noisy with insects and passing trains. Stealth camping spots are plentiful.
Eastern Sierras
Hwy 395 winds through a narrow valley with the towering Eastern Sierras on both sides of the highway. The Western Sierras have already captured most of the precipitation as moisture from the Pacific ocean heads eastward with the prevailing winds. You are in a harsh desert 100 miles west of Death Valley. Clumps of desert grass and sage give the valley floor a golden glow. Because pine trees are absent from the mountain sides, the mountains stand naked with their stunning musculature on full display. The sun arcs overhead filling the valley with light. John Muir called these mountains the “range of light.” The route is slightly downhill and you have full, paved shoulders. As you enter the small town of Big Pine, you will see a sign directing you to turn left onto Hwy 168 and proceed 24 miles to visit the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. These trees are among the most ancient trees in the world. A detour to visit the trees is highly recommended. Otherwise, just continue south on Hwy 395 towards Lone Pine.
Lone Pine is my favorite town along Hwy 395. It sits in the shadow of majestic Mt. Whitney. You will likely see lots of hikers in Lone Pine preparing to trek up Mt. Whitney. With an elevation of 14,505 feet, Mt. Whitney is the tallest peak in the lower forty-eight states. There is a small grocery store on your right as you head south through Lone Pine. The Lone Pine Bistro, a very welcoming espresso cafe, is located half a block north of the grocery store. My favorite attraction in Lone Pine is the Museum of Western Film History. Be sure to check out this very cool museum. The museum is on your right, adjacent to Hwy 395, as you head south on Hwy 395.
Northern New Mexico
Highway 64 across Northern New Mexico is an incredibly beautiful bicycle ride. Here are excerpts from my Summary of Road Conditions for this section:
Majestic mountains on all sides suggest that you will soon be climbing and enjoying one of the world’s most spectacular bicycle rides! Turn right onto Hwy 64 to begin your journey through Taos Canyon. I love bicycle routes that follow rivers and creeks because the pedaling generally feels effortless. In the case of Taos Canyon, you are steadily climbing but the hills are gentle and the mountain scenery is glorious. You occasionally pass expensive homes. I think to myself, “The boutique hotels, luxury spas, gourmet bistros, and bespoke gift shops are on their way!” Traffic is light. The highway is shoulderless but the adjacent unpaved shoulder is smooth. I am able to ride on the center of the white line and hop on the unpaved shoulder when necessary. The air is clean and crisp.
The summit at Palo Flechado Pass is 9,101 feet. The name of the pass is attributed to the Flecha de Palo Apache band which was first mentioned by Juan de Ulibari in 1706. After a precipitous descent, you arrive in a magnificent valley. Breathtaking meadows and lakes stretch into the distance. The wide open spaces feel refreshing after the steep roadsides in Taos Canyon. These sudden changes in topography are enthralling. No matter the extent of man’s footprint on the earth, the contours of the land remain unchanged since that time when they were first forged in the inferno of our planet’s creation. You will pass a turn-off to Angel Fire on your right. Continue straight ahead on Hwy 64.
At the eastern end of the valley, you will pass a convenience store with nice outdoor seating on your left. There is a short steep climb just past the convenience store as you exit the valley. Following this climb, you begin your descent through Cimarron Canyon. This is one of the most beautiful bicycle rides in all of America! Cimarron Canyon is even more beautiful than Spearfish Canyon! You are following a crystal clear creek. The highway dances from one curve to the next. The creek passes back and forth under the highway. Magnificent cliffs soar into the sky and “Shuffle Play” selects this precise moment to play two beautiful songs from my playlist “Chasing Spring.” These two songs perfectly complement my surroundings. “You Don’t Know What Love Is” by Sonny Rollins is followed by “To Bring You My Love” by P J Harvey. The bass in “To Bring You My Love” hits each time the creek passes under the highway! This is the moment I decide to call my website “Bicycle Joy!” You continue your descent to the small town of Cimarron. You will pass a small grocery store and a laundromat on your right. The elevation in Cimarron is 6,400 feet.
As you leave Raton, it feels like you can see forever! You are on the western edge of the Great Plains! It is clear sailing (sometimes literally depending on the direction of the wind) all the way to the foothills of the Appalachian mountains! You enjoy wide, paved shoulders on this section of the route. Traffic is light and stealth camping spots are plentiful. In Capulin, you will pass the Capulin Country Store on your left. The Capulin Country Store is a friendly place to purchase snacks and to pick-up a brochure with information about the Capulin Volcano National Monument. Eat your snacks and read your brochure while seated on the pleasant outside benches. For a once in a lifetime cycling experience, take Volcano Road to the Capulin Volcano summit and hike Crater Rim Trail. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Texas!