CC50 planning

Mike721

Premier Member
#1
I'm in the early stages of planning an east-west CC50, (and another one back) not sure if I can still get it in November or if it's too late and I will do it in the spring, and I am looking for a bit of advice on a few points that I have found doing research.

1) Are there are weather concerns in November on the route from Jacksonville to San Diego? Specifically going through the mountains of California which areas should I check for snow/ Ice? I'm more or less assuming that if I can ride from home ( Pennsylvania) to Jacksonville for the start that the rest of the route being so far south will be fine (I ride all winter unless we have snow covered roads) but I've never ridden south of Georgia so I really don't know.

2) Are there areas with problems finding all night gas stations? I keep hearing to be careful in the western part of Texas, gas is hard to find. Is it really that bad? I'm not normally a meticulous planner, I get the basic route down, jump on the bike, ride, stop for gas every 200 miles ( range is 240) , and just go with it, that has worked for me in the areas I've ridden in but the Southwest is new territory for me, I don't want to get into big trouble for lack of planning.

3) Any other concerns I may not know about? I know there are many deer in Texas, we have more than our share in PA too, I can deal with them. Any other special hazards? I do better in cold than heat so I'm trying to avoid doing this in a month when I will be frying in the desert, I have heated gear to handle pretty low temperatures.
 

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#2
Mike, this is simple ride*.

It will be cold in the mountains of California, especially the highest points. It will be even colder at night. That is easy to plan for or to plan around.

All night gas stations are available, but just how many stops you need in a night may be very few.

Meticulous planning is not required. Pick a nice big town node point at the east of the zone where you are worried about fuel availability and start scanning west from there. Just look around on Google Maps for 10 minutes or so and find a stop every 200 miles.

You could carry a jerry can as back up, however, being the good ole US of A some states allow you to carry a jerry can, some do not, some states allow you to use a jerry can, some do not, some states allow you to carry a jerry can but not use it, some states allow you to use a jerry can but not to carry it.

The route you're looking at (well, the Jacksonville - San Diego is usually ridden on I10 but you don't specify above) is an Interstate with all of the usual advantages and disadvantages that such a road has.

* I didn't say it was easy.
 

Rickr96

Premier Member
#3
If you’re into phone apps, there’s one called iExit. This app finds your location and direction of travel on interstate highways and shows what facilities (gas, food, lodging) are available at every exit on that interstate. It shows you the distance from current location to each exit ahead of you. So for example you can scan exits ahead and see there’s fuel 40 miles away at exit#XX. Also shows rest stops, state lines, and other info. This app won’t and shouldn’t take the place of planning your ride... but it could help you during the ride if fuel range or mileage to next facility become a question.
 

Mike721

Premier Member
#4
iExit sounds interesting, will check it out. I have gas buddy but that works in a radius of where you are, not targeting exits or a direction. T
Thanks.
 

Lanval

IBA Member
#5
If you’re into phone apps, there’s one called iExit. This app finds your location and direction of travel on interstate highways and shows what facilities (gas, food, lodging) are available at every exit on that interstate. It shows you the distance from current location to each exit ahead of you. So for example you can scan exits ahead and see there’s fuel 40 miles away at exit#XX. Also shows rest stops, state lines, and other info. This app won’t and shouldn’t take the place of planning your ride... but it could help you during the ride if fuel range or mileage to next facility become a question.
Why does Google Maps not do this? I'm looking for say a Burger King, or Cracker Barrel, only to have Maps turn you around and go back 15 miles, can it not figure out you are going in the other direction.

Anyway thanks for the suggestion.
 

rneal55555

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#6
Why does Google Maps not do this? I'm looking for say a Burger King, or Cracker Barrel, only to have Maps turn you around and go back 15 miles, can it not figure out you are going in the other direction.

Anyway thanks for the suggestion.
On my phone at least, It does do it if you are navigating a route. I can hit the Search Button and it opens a search tab that is pre-filled with "search along route" with buttons for gas stations Restaurants and a couple others to pick from.

Also My Garmin's have a search along route function.

Since I put a Sena in my helmet I also have the ability to call and verify that something is still there and open.
 

Lanval

IBA Member
#7
On my phone at least, It does do it if you are navigating a route. I can hit the Search Button and it opens a search tab that is pre-filled with "search along route" with buttons for gas stations Restaurants and a couple others to pick from.

Also My Garmin's have a search along route function.

Since I put a Sena in my helmet I also have the ability to call and verify that something is still there and open.
Thanks for the information, will go off and do some research.
 

Mike721

Premier Member
#8
I need to try Google maps, I have been using the Apple iPhone navigation app, it gets me where I want to go but that's about it, though it has suddenly started advising about traffic tie ups and police along the route ala Waze.

On my phone at least, It does do it if you are navigating a route. I can hit the Search Button and it opens a search tab that is pre-filled with "search along route" with buttons for gas stations Restaurants and a couple others to pick from.

Also My Garmin's have a search along route function.

Since I put a Sena in my helmet I also have the ability to call and verify that something is still there and open.
 

Jim Craig

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#9
If you’re into phone apps, there’s one called iExit. This app finds your location and direction of travel on interstate highways and shows what facilities (gas, food, lodging) are available at every exit on that interstate. It shows you the distance from current location to each exit ahead of you. So for example you can scan exits ahead and see there’s fuel 40 miles away at exit#XX. Also shows rest stops, state lines, and other info. This app won’t and shouldn’t take the place of planning your ride... but it could help you during the ride if fuel range or mileage to next facility become a question.
I use the InRoute app. Easy to map your ride and then you can search along your route at a specific interval for gas stations. If you tell it to search along your route every 200 miles for gas stations, it will show you where all of them are (and more importantly if there are stretches where there aren't any). I also use the app during my route along with my GPS as a backup.