Trish & Phill's Tandem TransAmerican

Tour 2003 

Our comments on the reasons for leaving the Adventure Cycling Associations 2003 TransAm tour.

First we would like to make it quite clear we have no comment but praise for our fellow participants of this tour.

We do however have a low opinion of Adventure Cycling Association (ACA).  Adventure Cycling Association failed to identify the real nature of a lot of the accommodation up front.

Had we known the facts before hand we would not have booked with them. We were obviously on the wrong tour. We recognise that some people have been and will continue to be happy with the ACA arrangements and that’s their prerogative.

Part way through the East-West 2003 TransAm tour we were participating in we decided to pull out.

We deliberately refrained from making comment on our web site for our actions until we had finished the tour to ensure we commented without emotion or bias.

When we signed up with Adventure Cycling Association we read their promotional material and interpreted that we might on occasions have to “rough it” (my words).

We also read the material available on their website prior to signing up. There was little to indicate the conditions we would often be submitted to in the tour.

We assumed and took meaning that if there were a failure of a campsite booking once or twice or due to very occasional great distances we might miss out on a warm shower at the end of the day or that the planned food store was closed or maybe very limited food would be available. We though that reasonable and expected such things to happen on the odd occasion, given the nature of the route.

What it meant in reality was that we frequently stayed in City Parks, where showers could often be cold or non- existent, public toilets would be used that may be lacked doors and general cleanliness and the cooking arrangements were far from satisfactory. Even the majority of stop over in churches had no showers and why should they? they are in the business of cleansing the soul not the skin.

To some people and obviously too many riders before us having no shower after a long day on the TransAm trail is not an issue. Back in 1976 (Bi-centenial tours started) when I was 25 years old it probably would not have bothered me too much to go feral on the odd night or three.

Times have changed and so has my hygiene standard. I particularly felt concern for any female cyclist missing out on standard hygiene at certain times of a month because modern western women do maintain themselves by washing daily. Sure we could have stripped off in a public toilet and wash ourselves at the sink in front of the passing public (mostly kids) at the city swimming pool but some kids parents might not like that idea and certainly we didn’t warm to it either.

It frustrated us no end that we could cycle past a very nice looking modest fee paying campsite where all facilities were available to arrive at a City Park to find there was a cold shower or worse no shower waiting for us and possibly not even a door on the toilet for what we consider is still a very private activity.

We also became increasingly frustrated with the cooking/eating arrangements of the tour. Prior to leaving home we had read that one’s taste buds should not get in other peoples way. Basically we should be able to accept whatever dishes we were served up by the group assigned cook of the day. (Phill’s honest enough to say he’s a terrible cook).

But cook we did and with a smile too, however to have to cater for one vegetarian in the group when cooking a chicken curry is a trying task that apparently went unseen by the ACA employee tour leaders.

Variety of food was often limited at small country town stores and the duty cooks would do the best they could under the conditions they found themselves in.

Ironically we would often ride past an all you can eat buffet or some other attractive places of eating that were cheap eating places to get to a shop that had limited supplies that would be prepared by limited ability cooks. 

 We paid $3200 (US) each for the privilege of receiving

·        set of maps valued less than $90

·        reflective triangle value ?$10

·        common kitchen tools/equipment such as pots and stove our share of the value ?$50

·        $15/day allowance that paid for accommodation and food

·        play money of $50 for some unforseen need or entertainment (Water Rafting)

So from the $3200 cost we received maybe $1565 back in kind. The other $1635 went towards the provision of a leader and Office overheads. Given that there were 10 starters in Virginia that’s over $16,000. Or put another way over $175 each and every day for that support!?

We would have been happy to pay a few dollars extra prior to the start of the tour to ensure a campsite with showers/toilets/laundry and reasonable access to food professionally cooked for us on a reasonably regular basis.

The Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) concept of bringing like-minded people together for an adventure of a lifetime is basically sound.

We feel that they have never really evolved from that original concept started nearly 30 years ago. Most people expect basic comforts at reasonable costs these days and why not.

The hippies of the 70’s are now the grey power of the new millennium. The average age of our tour was a good 50 years old. I do not assume to talk for the rest of the group however but I do know that most felt the same as we did, with several taking the same steps as we did.  

For a non-profit organization we also felt there are probably more than a few well paid staff members. I don’t think the volunteer leaders get over paid. Remember the TransAm tour is a very small part of this organization. I think the failure of ACA to provide a bike shelter or hostel at their office in Montana just about says it all.

Our recommendation to readers of our Web Page and practically would-be TransAm riders in the future is to seriously consider what they are happy to tolerate in terms of basic hygiene and eating requirements or the lack thereof (or are we talking creature comforts). They should also consider costs and value for money. 

 Travelling with a group of people certainly has some advantages examples include:

·        companionship some of these friendships may well be for the rest of your life

·        safety in numbers

·        some mechanical assistance (this will obviously vary greatly)

·        shared load of carrying kitchen gear

·        someone else to be cooking and shopping for you on their rostered day

·        always someone at the end of a hard day to share your ups and downs

Advantages of travelling on your own or forming a small group are

·        You decide were you will sleep the night be it motel or campsite

·        You decide if you will eat at the reasonably cheap restaurant in town or not

·        No special catering/cooking considerations to be made – a one pan meal is just that including meat

·        No overheads of management fees to pay (ACA got $3200 for the privilege of looking? after us two)  

This is mine and Trish’s opinion only and in no way is this done to deter  people from travelling with ACA just for you to be mind full and make sure you get what you pay for, not what you think you pay for.

Page owned & maintained by Trish Collins email to  trishphill@aapt.net.au.  Last Updated 24/08/2003