TDA NA Epic - Introduction to the Tour

2022 TDA North American Epic – Introduction

 

Announcing an epic cycling journey with TDA Global Cycling, The  2022 North American Epic, from the Arctic Ocean to the Panama Canal, taking in 9 Countries (Canada, USA, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica & Panama) and consisting of 11 Sections. 

This 13 850 km long cycling adventure, includes 129 Riding Days, 34 Rest Days and 2 Travel Days, of which 105 nights will be spent in Hotels, while there will be 61 nights of camping. 

 Judith and I will be joining 13 other cyclists who have elected to cycle the Full Tour, while another 40 cyclists will be either joining  or leaving, as dedicated Sectional Riders throughout the trip, some staying longer than others.

No.	Section	Destination
1.	Arctic Spirit	Tuktoyaktuk – Whitehorse
2.	Alaska Highway	Whitehorse – Fort St John
3.	Icefields	Fort St John - Banff
4.	Road to the Sun	Banff - Helena
5.	The Great Divide	Helena - Moab
6.	Canyonlands	Moab - Yuma
7.	Baja California	Yuma – Carbo San Lucas
8.	Conquistadores	Puerto Vallarta – Mexico City
9.	Mayan Adventure	Mexico City - Antigua
10.	Smoking Volcanoes	Antigua - Granada
11.	Pura Vida	Granada – Panama City

 Table 1. Summary of the 11 Sections making up the 2022 North American Epic

A short description of each of the sections, taken unashamedly from the TDA Global Cycling website www.tdaglobalcycling.com is as follows:

1. The Arctic Spirit

The Arctic Spirit section begins in Tuktoyaktuk, a small Inuit community perched on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Used for hundreds of years by the local people to harvest caribou and beluga whales, an all weather road finally connected ‘Tuk’ to the rest of Canada in late 2017. Riders will dip their wheels into the frigid waters and pedal south through scenery that is harsh but beautiful – stunted spruce trees, endless lakes and rivers – and, of course, the sun will be up almost around the clock.

The town of Inuvik marks the start of the historic Dempster Highway, a legendary unpaved road that the riders will now follow for the next 8 days. Spinning through the expansive tundra, the cyclists will have a chance to spot moose, caribou, grizzly bears, peregrine falcons and golden eagles. They will ferry across the mighty MacKenzie, one of the world’s longest rivers and pedal across the Arctic Circle.

A rest day in historic Dawson City gives the riders the chance to learn about the Klondike Gold Rush and enjoy a cold beer in one of the town’s well-preserved saloons. The route now heads south passing through a number of abandoned gold mining operations before joining the Klondike Highway alongside the sprawling Yukon River. Pedaling past pristine lakes and through vast aspen forests, the riders will soon arrive in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon Territory and the end of this unique and unforgettable section. 

2. Alaska Highway

Hot springs, buffalo, and moose...

The 2nd section of our epic ride follows close to 1,400 km of the Alaska Highway, which was constructed during World War II for the purpose of connecting the contiguous USA to Alaska. From Whitehorse, our route takes us past tranquil Teslin Lake, then across the continental divide for the first time, and into Watson Lake famed for its signpost of license plates from around the world.

The quiet majesty of jade green Muncho Lake will beckon us onwards towards Fort Nelson which was founded as a trading post but today derives its livelihood from oil & gas and forestry. This section takes us through the iconic scenery of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. After cycling past mile zero of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek B.C., and then briefly across the northern prairie in western Alberta, we turn south along remote Highway 40 towards the Rockies. The route then turns west onto the Yellowhead Highway which takes us to a rest day in Jasper National Park and the resort town of Jasper where deer, black bear and big horned sheep may wander the streets.

Then it’s down the breathtaking Icefields Parkway which runs alongside the continental divide, past Mt Edith Cavell, the Columbia Icefields, and serene Lake Louise. Rated as one of the top rides in the world by Condé Nast Traveller, the Parkway winds along the Continental Divide through soaring rocky mountain peaks, icefields and vast sweeping valleys en route to the winter sports and hiking haven that is Banff for a well-deserved rest day.

3. Icefields

This section takes us through the iconic scenery of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. After cycling past mile zero of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek B.C., and then briefly across the northern prairie in western Alberta, we turn south along remote Highway 40 towards the Rockies. The route then turns west onto the Yellowhead Highway which takes us to a rest day in Jasper National Park and the resort town of Jasper where deer, black bear and big horned sheep may wander the streets.

Then it’s down the breathtaking Icefields Parkway which runs alongside the continental divide, past Mt Edith Cavell, the Columbia Icefields, and serene Lake Louise. Rated as one of the top rides in the world by Condé Nast Traveller, the Parkway winds along the Continental Divide through soaring rocky mountain peaks, icefields and vast sweeping valleys en route to the winter sports and hiking haven that is Banff for a well-deserved rest day. 

4. Road to the Sun

From the Rocky Mountain resort town of Banff our journey continues on another shorter but stunningly beautiful section. Along the seasonal Kananaskis highway we spin up and down the foothills of the Rockies, climbing to 2200 m at Highwood pass. Then it’s down the Cowboy Trail with the MacDonald Range appearing in the distance and into the oil field town of Pincher Creek. Riders cycle into beautiful Waterton Lakes Park before climbing to the remote Canada-USA border crossing at Chief Mountain, Montana. From there we enter the lands of the Blackfeet Indians which surround Glacier National Park. After a rest day at the village of St Mary eating huckleberry pie, we’ll cycle on the Going to the Sun Road surrounded by towering peaks as we climb to the Continental Divide at Logan Pass and then descend past ice fed Lake MacDonald.

After a rest day in the outdoor recreation playground of Whitefish, it’s a 4 day ride to the Montana’s capital of Helena. Cycling through state forests and ranchlands, along the Flatbush and Blackfoot rivers, including a lunch stop in the bike friendly hamlet of Ovando (population 50) and a sweet ascent and descent into Lewis and Clark County.

All of the sections of this tour offer a different window into the natural splendors of the continent, but if you’ve only got a couple weeks to spare in late summer, the Road to the Sun section will wow and invigorate you to come back for more. 

5. The Great Divide

The American West conjures up images of the Rockies, crystal clear mountain streams, endless skies, and cowboys and cowgirls huddled around a campfire sipping coffee. And while the Great Divide section includes several long challenging days in the saddle those who are able to find the frontier spirit within themselves will be richly rewarded by this journey on 2 wheels into the Wild West.

After exiting Helena we visit the historic Missouri River headwaters before spinning up the Gallatin River canyon where white water rafters dodge boulders as they rush downstream. From there it’s a quick ride to a rest day in West Yellowstone where clients can cycle into or take a guided tour of Yellowstone Park. There, they may spy herds of bison, fields of hot springs, and the world’s most renowned geyser, Old Faithful.

Back in the saddle we’ll cruise along quiet scenic roads in Idaho, with great views of the foreboding peaks of the Tetons which we traverse at Teton Pass. Then it’s a wicked downhill into the rich and famous … and expensive … ski resort town of Jackson Hole for a rest day. Then it's a sweet rolling bike path most of the way to Hoback canyon. From there the riders will cross the gauntlet of Wyoming’s remote High Chaparral where humans are vastly outnumbered by cattle.

After passing by Green River and the Flaming Gorge Reservoir we’ll catch our first glimpses of the surreal rock formations of the southwest that takes us into the northeastern corner of Utah where prehistoric sea life flourished and dinosaurs roamed long ago. Then it’s up and over western Colorado’s Douglas pass. Finally we cycle along Utah’s Highway 128, dwarfed by red rock cliffs and buttes carved eons ago by the Colorado river, and arrive at the mountain biking paradise town of Moab. Moab is also the gateway to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. 

6. Canyonlands

After reluctantly departing Moab, we’ll continue cycling past red and brown rock formations of every shape imaginable, stopping to shop for silver and turquoise Navajo jewellery. At iconic Monument Valley riders can explore the buttes and mesas featured in many a western movie, before hopping back on their saddles bound for the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s most spectacular sights.

After a rest day in the Route 66 university and winter sports town of Flagstaff we’ll descend down the Oak Creek Canyon to the red rock vistas of trendy Sedona. Then it’s a stiff climb up Mingus Mountain through the historic mining town of Jerome with its fascinating bars and tasty ice cream and BBQ. After camping on the top we’ll cruise downhill and ride a beautiful bike trail into the small city of Prescott.

Yarnell marks the start of the downhill into the heat of the Arizonan desert and refreshments in the few small communities will be de rigeur. The last day from Quartzsite to Yuma will be a particularly tough gauntlet through the middle of nowhere and a US military desert training base. 

7. Baja California

After maneuvering our way past Mexican customs we cross the remnants of the Colorado river and head down the eastern Gulf of California side of the Baja peninsula. Our first rest day is in the waterfront town of San Felipe where the gorgeous beaches and delicious seafood will tempt us with early retirement. Instead we pedal on, basking in sunshine, and dipping in the indigo Sea of Cortez. South of Puertecitos we cross to the western side of the peninsula, meeting the Trans-Baja highway at Chapala.

We then traverse the cactus forest landscape of the Deserto de Vizcaino and pass by the Volcano of the 3 Virgins followed by picturesque Santa Rosalia. After camping on the beach at the Bahia Concepcion and a rest day in the colonial seaside town of Loreto we spin inland once more, towards the middle of the peninsula stopping for cervezas and open spit chicken in the junction of Ciudad Insurgentes. Riders continue on to La Paz and a rest day enjoying its seafront Malecón promenade before finishing up their ride in the popular resort city of Cabo San Lucas. 

8. Conquistadores

The next section of our trans-continental odyssey on two wheels begins in the beautiful city of Puerto Vallarta. We then bid adios to palm grove playas and freshly caught fruta del mar and begin our ascent into the Sierra Mascota and the Mexican plateau. On the second day, riders will spend half a day spinning along a beautiful bike path between Ameca and Ajijic.

Next, we pass through the Sierra Verde and central valleys of Jalisco state. We begin this stretch of the tour by cycling along the shores of the Laguna de Chapala where Canadian and USA expats winter. After a breakfast of huevos rancheros in Ocotlán we follow secondary roads towards the colonial towns of Guanajuato state, which include the heritage sites of old Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende. Every Sunday the nation’s capital closes many of its roads to vehicles which allows us to enjoy a car-free cycle into Mexico City on the Paseo de la Reforma. 

 9. Mayan Adventure

The riders will spin out of Mexico City, cycling southeast across the plains towards the Great Pyramid of Cholula Tlachihualtepetl. From there they head south through the high Tehuacan Valley, home to over 200 species of cacti, many of them endangered. Throughout the ride, volcanoes line the horizon. Soon the cyclists approach Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s most fascinating cities – a vibrant mix of markets, artisans, cuisines and colonial architecture.

After a rest day touring the UNESCO World Heritage site of Monte Alban, sacred to the indigenous Zapotec peoples, the riders will pedal southeast down off the high plateau, enjoying a 20km downhill stretch just outside San Dionisio Ocotepec and eventually reaching sea level and the coast near the Laguna Superior, part of a system of lagoons running east towards the Guatemalan border.

From the small agricultural town of San Pedro Tapanatepec, the route turns away from the water and begins the steady climb up over the state border and into the green-clad hills of Chiapas. The riders will pedal through the rainforest and past the town of Ocozocoautla de Espinosa, famous for its Carnival based on pre-Hispanic local traditions. The final day of this stretch features a beautiful climb up onto the Central Highlands and into the captivating city of San Cristobal de las Casas.

After learning about the famous Zapatista uprising in 1994, the riders will head out towards Guatemala. Once across the border the route takes the cyclists through the Guatemalan highlands, past colorfully dressed locals and imposing volcanoes before dipping down to gorgeous, unforgettable Lake Atitlan. Then arrive at the gorgeous colonial town of Antigua and the end of this beautiful section. 

10. Smoking Volcanoes

This section begins with the riders cycling away from the gorgeous views of Antigua's smoking volcano and spinning towards the world-famous Salvadorian surf. After a rest day in the laid back beach town of Playa el Tunco practicing on their boogie boards, they will spin east through the country’s agricultural heartland, heading for the coastal town of La Union.

There they will board a speedboat for an exciting transfer across the Gulf of Fonseca to Tiger Island, the southernmost volcano in Honduras. The next day another speedboat transfer will take them to Puerto Potosi and yet another country, Nicaragua. After spending the night in Leon, the country’s political and cultural capital, the cyclists will head past the smoking Volcan Masaya before arriving in Nicaragua's colonial jewel, Granada. 

11. Pura Vida

The last section of the North American Epic begins in Granada, a beautiful city of architectural gems and friendly people. Spinning out of town, the riders will be able to spot the striking Ometepe Island, its twin volcanic peaks emerging from Lake Nicaragua before crossing into the tour’s penultimate country, Costa Rica. A night in the hill top town of La Cruz will provide for some stunning views over the Pacific Ocean. The route winds south along the coast of the beautiful Nicoya Penninsula.

The cyclists now cycle inland towards the Golfo de Nicoya and a ferry ride back to the mainland where they pedal south through a string of beach resorts. Closer to the border with Panama the route turns inland and weaves up into the Talamanca Mountain Range and through coffee and sugarcane plantations before arriving in the Panamanian town of Volcan for a well-deserved rest day and a chance to climb up Volcan Baru, the country’s highest peak.

The last stretch of this section takes the riders down off the high plateau, dropping over 1200m in the first 30km. Cyclists now spin east through the rolling countryside with the gorgeous green Chiriqui Highlands on one side and vast agricultural fields on the other. They will pedal past historic religious buildings in Santiago and make one last stop on the beach at Playa Blanca before crossing the famous Panama Canal and pulling into cosmopolitan Panama City, the end point for this section and for the North American Epic. 

On completion of this  Epic Cycle Tour, its then the long flight home, back to South Africa, via New York, USA. To join up with family for Christmas, before making the relatively short trip back home to Prince Albert.

Another Adventure is about to Begin !!

Cheers Mike T & Judith