[l3db3tt3r]

I finished the GART this summer. 69 days, ~3800 miles, started in Washington DC at the Capital Building moving East to Wast.

The difference between riding the completed sections (not dealing with auto-traffic), and the various road (dirt,gravel,asphalt,HWY) sections to connect the various trails had me in very different mental spaces - and although that may seem obvious, it was something entirely profound to experience. It really adds to the realization of how ambitious this project is, and I think solidified the worth/value I have of the endeavor being completing. (It’s estimated at something like 60% completed.)

[Kon-Peki]

> Toward the end of 2021, the Iowa-Illinois Memorial Bridge (I-74 Bridge) was completed, providing a new multimodal crossing of the Mississippi River between East Moline, Illinois, and Bettendorf, Iowa. Prior to this bridge completion, the Great American Rail-Trail was routed across the Government/Arsenal Bridge farther west between Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. Both bridges are about the same length and accommodate trail users. Therefore, instead of choosing which bridge should be the official crossing of the Great American Rail-Trail, both bridges are shown on the route map, and trail users can choose for themselves.

Which bridge did you choose to cross the Mississippi? From photos, it looks like the bike/pedestrian path on the I-74 bridge is dramatically superior and should be the "official" crossing, but I can understand that the historical significance of the Government/Arsenal bridge keeps that on the map (it is the 2nd rebuild of the very first bridge to ever cross the Mississippi and was the subject of the lawsuit that got a country bumpkin lawyer named Abe Lincoln into the national newspapers for the first time).

[l3db3tt3r]

I took the I-74 bridge; it lined up with my accommodations, and the ‘newness’ of it was touted as something to see/do at the time.

[boringg]

I can't wait for this to be completed -- definitely would be amazing to bike with the car sections.

Congrats on the accomplishments. Thats an impressive undertaking.

[LorenPechtel]

I've never done a long trail like that but just locally there's an incredible difference between walking out in the wilderness vs in civilization. The former is to enjoy, the latter is sometimes necessary to enable the former.

[atlasunshrugged]

Did you do it biking the whole way? Did you rough sleep or crash at hotels/motels?

[l3db3tt3r]

I bicycled the whole way. I mostly camped, but also did the hotel/motel thing when prudent.

[TheGRS]

That's awesome. So I'm thinking I might want to do the Washington St leg of this some time, do you remember about how long that part took?

[l3db3tt3r]

Hard to really give a definitive answer to how long it “should” take. It really depends on your ability.

I will say the eastern Washington section was perhaps the hardest section, mostly due to the little resources that are available, the heat, the wind and exposure. (Palouse to Cascades Trail, formally the John Wayne Pioneer trail, and Iron Horse Trail)

But! the West section, on The Olympic Discovery Trail, is perhaps one of my favorite sections.

[sour-taste]

Did you blog or document your experience anywhere?

[l3db3tt3r]

I started with some idea/intention of doing so, but what I ended up with was mostly pictures, and short videos shared to social media.

… I think I may be one of those people who likes the idea of being a ‘writer’ or blogger, but lacks the enjoyment/drive of the work/time/effort it actually takes. OR I need to engage in the practice and make it a routine, create discipline, work out the kinks, before also taking on the demands of a new adventure.

[yolo3000]

I've recently watched this guy's journey, maybe something interesting for you as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OfNePKRPGY

[skadamat]

The travel couple Kara and Nate did the bike across America challenge and used the rail trail a bunch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ5O1FL8cTM