USA TRAVEL NOTES

In February 2001 we returned to the USA, after crossing Australia by bicycle and riding 4,500 miles up and down the full length of New Zealand. On this occasion, we rode the southernmost route: 3,650 miles in 65 days from Los Angeles to Key West via San Diego, the Mexican border, the Gulf coast and down the east coast of Florida through Miami and along the Keys.

Some Differences in Vocabulary!

Churchill wrote that England and America are two countries separated by a common language!

That certainly applies to the world of travel and cycling and here are some examples:

THE WESTERN STATES OF THE USA

ARIZONA (AZ) www.arizonaguide.com – Grand Canyon State

Capital: Phoenix Population: 5,580,811 Area: 113,000 sq miles

CALIFORNIA (CA) www.visitcalifornia.com – Golden State

Capital: Sacramento Population: 35,484,453 (Biggest) Area: 156,000 sq mi

California was named by the Spanish after an imaginary island in a 16th century book 'Island Near Paradise'

COLORADO (CO) www.colorado.com – Centennial State

Capital: Denver Population: 4,550,688 Area: 104,000 sq mi

IDAHO (ID) www.visitid.org – Gem State

Capital: Boise Population: 1,366,332 Area: 83,000 sq mi

MONTANA (MT) www.visitmt.com – Treasure State

Capital: Helena (Largest city: Billings) Population: 917,621

Area: 145,000 sq mi

NEVADA (NV) www.travelnevada.com – Silver State

Capital: Carson City (Largest city: Las Vegas) Population: 2,241,154

Area:109,000 sq mi

NEW MEXICO (NM) www.newmexico.org – Land of Enchantment

Capital: Santa Fe (Largest city: Albuquerque) Population: 1,874,614

Area: 121,000 sq mi

OREGON (OR) www.traveloregon.com – Beaver State

Capital: Salem (Largest city: Portland) Population: 3,559,596

Area: 96,000 sq mi

UTAH (UT) www.utah.com – Beehive State

Capital: Salt Lake City Population: 2,351,467 Area: 82,000 sq mi

The Mormon State – Utah was named after the native Ute Indians

WASHINGTON (WA) www.washington.org – Evergreen State

Capital: Olympia (Largest city: Seattle) Population: 6,131,445

Area: 66,000 sq mi

WYOMING (WY) www.wyomingtourism.org – Cowboy State

Capital: Cheyenne Population: 501,242 (Smallest) Area: 97,000 sq mi

TRAVEL NOTES

Campgrounds or RV Parks: There are RV parks everywhere, in most towns and cities, along the coasts and clustered around the tourist hot spots. Some are privately run (the smaller of these are the cheapest); many belong to one of the nation-wide groups.

KOA ( = Kampgrounds of America, www.koa.com), offer a 10% member's discount fee. We could have used an Australian 'Big 4' or New Zealand 'Top 10' membership card for reciprocal benefits with KOA. There are other group discount schemes (for example, Good Sam Parks also give 10% reduction to members for a $12 annual fee - see www.tldirectory.com). Some parks have a rate for 'Seniors', military personnel or AAA (Automobile Association of America) members.

The most complete guide to campgrounds and RV parks in the US is Woodall's. See www.woodalls.com.

Prices in the USA in 2005 averaged about $25 per night for 2 adults, with an electric hook-up (a 'powered site'), with a high of $30 in Las Vegas or the Colorado Rockies and a low of $15 in the middle of nowhere. In resorts near large cities (eg on the coast south of San Francisco or north of Los Angeles), prices go above $40 per night, vying with the simpler motels!

Although washing and drying machines are usually available in the laundry for a dollar or so (you need plenty of 'quarters': 25-cent coins), hot water for hand washing of clothes is not. The outdoor drying of clothes is usually banned in the interests of wasting energy (even in the deserts, where 15 minutes on a line would suffice)! Campground rules will state 'Clotheslines can create a hazard and are unsightly'! We must live dangerously in the rest of the developed world.

Camp kitchens, where you can cook, eat and wash up, are quite rare. There might be campfire pits or barbecue grills, if open fires are not banned, with wood and charcoal for sale on site. Indoor games or TV rooms are sometimes found - more likely there could be a children's playground and perhaps space for outdoor games. Occasionally, there might be a book, magazine and tourist info swap-shop, located in the laundry or in reception.

Open-air or indoor swimming pools are common on non-coastal parks. Reception ('the office') will generally offer a shop for basic items, a public phone, tourist info, propane refills. Internet and email access is generally good, with many parks offering a modem connection next to a desk, for those with their own internet provider. WiFi (wireless internet connection) is increasingly available and great when it works!

Unlike their counterparts throughout Europe, most parks in USA (and Australia/NZ) stay open all year round. In addition to the camping area, some have a selection of relatively inexpensive accommodation (from air-conditioned en-suite units to rustic cabins), let by the night. Linen and towels cost extra.

Public launderettes (laundromats) are available in towns.

Climate: There is such a wide range of climates across the USA that we advise you to enquire about temperatures, rain, snowfall and possible hurricanes for the time of year and the region you are visiting. For example, we wrote the first draft of these notes in Nevada where the daytime temperature in mid-September is in the 90's F (30's C), but we are told that it will soon become too cold to visit, with some high roads closed by snowfalls! California is mild throughout the winter but it can be wet, while the summers can be unbearably hot! On the other hand, in the West, you can move in a few hours from high cold mountain ranges to hot deserts that lie below sea level!

Cycling and Budget Accommodation: The USA, away from the cyclists' nightmare of freeway-dominated cities, is excellent country for cycling. It has wide broad-shouldered roads, light traffic off the freeways, great distances, mountains, high plains, deserts, prairies, rivers, canyons, lakes and forests, friendly people, inexpensive motels on the old and now quiet US Highways and a culture that supports feeding, watering and sheltering travellers 24/7.

Our favourite motel chain is Super8 (www.super8.com), but there are many others. Booklets of motel coupons and vouchers are freely available in Visitor Centres, fast food outlets, etc, giving good discounts at selected motels. You can even print your own coupons online - try www.atsicoupons.com or www.roomsaver.com or www.travelerdiscountguide.com. It's best to phone ahead, as there will be a limited number of rooms at the lowest rate. We've found American motels very cycle-friendly and have always taken our bicycles (however wet or muddy) inside, usually into the room itself.

A sure place to find motels (as well as fast food joints and service stations) is clustered around a freeway junction.

Campgrounds charge less for a traveller with a tent ('a dry site' - though there may be no grass), and it is quite possible to camp in wilderness areas, National Parks and Forest Reserves. It is sometimes possible to pitch a tent in a city park or recreation area.

The USA also has 'backpacker hostels' in major cities and tourist areas, similar to those found in Australia and New Zealand. Visit www.bakpakguide.com and www.vipbackpackers.com and www.usahostels.com and www.hosteldiscounts.com for some details. The YHA is found on www.hiusa.org. and the YMCA at www.ymca.com.

Check out long-distance cycling routes on www.adventurecycling.org.

Cycle helmets are not compulsory (unlike New Zealand and Australia) but see 'Road Safety' below: wear a bright yellow top and fit a mirror. There are few dedicated cycling paths or trails, but people are generally friendly and caring towards cyclists, particularly out on the open road. If running short of water or a biscuit, do not be afraid to ask the nearest RV!

Food: Expect mainly fast-food outlets – McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Denny's, Jack in a Box, Taco Bell, KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut, Carl's Juniors, Long John Silver's (fish specialities) and many other look- and taste-alikes. Unlike Europe, many of these joints are frequented by Seniors who go in for the free newspapers, the air-conditioning, the free iced-water and the free refills of coffee! There is no reason for us not to do the same. Other restaurants tend to be ethnic (mainly genuine spicy Mexican) or Momma's 'All You Can Eat Buffet' sort of places. Filter coffee and soft drinks can be found in every kind of shop, fuel station or bar. A cup of tea is more problematic - specify 'black tea' if you don't want a fruit or herb-flavoured brew.

Food shops and supermarkets are excellent and a cook will find lots of familiar ingredients and some intriguing new ones. Many supermarket chains offer some sort of club membership – it's free to join and the club card gives access to a wide range of special offers and discounts (we recently saved over $16 off a $70 bill at Safeway). Packages and portions are large, with weights and measures decidedly Imperial (gallons and pounds, not metric!)

In some States (for example, Colorado), supermarkets are not licensed and only Liquor Stores may sell alcohol. In others (such as Arizona), the supermarket will have a range of beer, wine, etc.

Fuel: Service stations are everywhere except actually on the freeway, and most stay open all hours including weekends. They offer fuel, food, drinks, newspapers, maps, a telephone, restrooms and advice.

Geography and Geology: The USA has every kind of scenery you could possibly imagine and some that you couldn't! Two long ocean coastlines, deserts, massive mountain ranges, canyons, mighty rivers, forests, lakes, salt pans, deserts, volcanoes, glaciers, snow fields – everything. National Parks and Reserves abound and marked trails are available for walking and sometimes mountain-biking. The tourist industry is very strong and can offer every sort of support (for a price), from mule rides to helicopter trips and from kayaking to ski-ing. Most of the 400 or so National Parks charge an entry fee (for walkers and cyclists, as well as vehicles), but a National Parks Pass gives a couple or family one year's entry to them all for $50.00. Many have tent campgrounds, some with a limited number of places for RVs. See www.nps.gov.

Health Care: There is no government-funded reciprocal health care agreement for foreigners, so your own travel and health insurance is essential. Costs are very high, so do not even think of having your very own self-funded illness or accident! We use Endsleigh Insurance – visit www.endsleigh.co.uk and book on-line for a discount, rather than by telephone or post. Designed for students, Endsleigh offer 12 or 24-month insurance (a rarity in itself), and cover for Seniors (ie over 66) for an extra premium. More recently we have found that the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) offer better and cheaper insurance to members (as well as discounts at many outdoor shops). One policy caters specifically for long-term, round-the-world adventurous travellers, including cyclists. Visit: www.thebmc.co.uk

The USA has dangerous animals (including bears in the mountains) and venomous snakes and it is not free of rabies, so take care. There are no vaccination requirements on entry, unless you come from a country where, for example, yellow fever is prevalent. Tap water is usually safe, but boil it if uncertain. Drinking water ('spring water') can be bought in supermarkets. On campgrounds, taps must be labelled 'not drinking water' if that is the case.

Holidays: In addition to Christmas, New Year and Easter, the following public holidays are observed: President's Day/Washington's Birthday (third Monday in Feb); Memorial Day (last Monday in May); Independence Day (4 July); Labor Day (first Monday in Sept); Columbus Day (second Monday in Oct); Thanksgiving (last Thursday in Nov).

Internet: In our experience, public libraries sometimes offer free internet access to visitors, often with a one-hour limit per person (ie, 2 hours for 2 people) or you can return later. Where possible (not often), you can plug in a USB flash drive to transfer data into and out of the internet, or more likely you can use a CD or 3½ " floppy for the same purpose. Libraries offer a printing service for which you may have to pay, but they are unlikely to let you plug your own laptop into their network. Some may charge up to $5 per hour.

Internet cafes and centres are infrequent outside major cities, but are likely to be more liberal than libraries in letting you use your own machine or plugging USB devices into theirs. Computer shops may also offer access, with the going rate about $5 or $6 per hour.

Broadband wireless ('WiFi') is becoming quite common for those with a suitably equipped laptop. Campgrounds, motels and some restaurants may offer this as a free service, or you may pick up a neighbour's unsecured signal! Do not expect reliability, however!

It's interesting to note that some laptops (like ours), bought outside the USA, and which charge their batteries and run on 230 volts at 50 Hz (the world standard), will still work well on the US standard of 110 volts at 60 Hz! But get an adapter plug to fit the US mains socket before you get to the USA!

Maps and Guides: Visitor Centres are found at tourist attractions (like the Grand Canyon). Elsewhere, the Chamber of Commerce or Public Library may have a local map, tourist brochures and information. Museums are often staffed by volunteers, who can be a source of valuable local knowledge, leaflets and maps. For example, the Route 66 museum in Victorville, California, was excellent in all these respects.

AAA (Automobile Association of America) sells maps and guidebooks, which may be free to members of reciprocal motoring organisations (bring your membership card). See www.aaa.com. We used their 'Southwestern Campbook' - a thorough RV and Tent Camping Guide to Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. A free guide for California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington (visit www.rvandcampoutwest.com) can also be obtained.

Woodalls probably have the best range of camping guides (www.woodalls.com) including the North American Campground Directory.

'Trailer Life - The Annual Directory of RV Parks, Campgrounds and Services' is the official directory of the Good Sam Club. It costs $12.95, is the size and weight of a thick telephone directory (not for cyclists!) and has details of Good Sam, KOA and private campgrounds. See www.tldirectory.com/shop - it's available on CD-ROM and they also have a range of RV-ing books.

Major campground and motel chains (eg KOA or Super8) give away free maps and guides to the whereabouts of their premises. Bookshops and gas stations sell local and state maps and atlases. The 'American Road Atlas 2005', published by the Lawrence Group and arranged by State, was widely available at $12.95.

The Lonely Planet or Rough Guide is a useful companion to the country. Both are very thorough and offer guides to the whole country, to individual states or to certain popular areas. We have found their cycling information very limited, with too much emphasis on getting the bike on buses and trains! Cyclists should turn to www.adventurecycling.org.

Media: Radio stations in English or Spanish on AM and FM are available except in the most remote locations. Most stations are simply a mix of music and advertisements on a local level. National Public Radio is the equivalent of the BBC with news, talk and discussion programmes. In fact, NPR sometimes carries the BBC World Service's excellent news broadcasts, which have no equivalent in the US.

TV stations broadcast on UHF around cities and there are dozens of cable and satellite TV channels. Campgrounds may offer a connection to a cable network on their top-level pitches, but an evening spent zapping around 66 channels of pure inanity will soon cure you of any sense of loss or deprivation in not having a TV!

Newspapers such as the 'Los Angeles Times' and 'USA Today' have an excellent reputation for both national and international journalism. Their reporting is serious and considered (but we can't do the crosswords!)

Post: The United States Postal Service takes its work very seriously. Even quite small settlements have a dedicated US Post Office which does nothing but deal with the mail. Larger ones may be open Saturday mornings. Mail sent Poste Restante is held for up to a month and we haven't had to pay a fee on collection.

Road Safety: Driving and cycling in the USA is straightforward and relaxing. The danger on long straight roads across open country, is that it can become too relaxing and you can begin to snooze!

Junctions are most commonly controlled by traffic lights, or by stop or give-way signs. Sometimes there will be a four-way stop, which takes a little getting used to. Roundabouts are not seen!

A Stop sign means 'Stop' and most drivers do come to a complete halt. Various sorts of police (Highway Patrol, Local Sheriff, State Troopers, Navajo Nation Police …) are often seen at work!

Speed limits are well posted and generally observed. The limit in cities is usually 30 or 35 mph and roads out of town are variously signposted as anything between 45 mph and 70 mph – the top limit on the freeway. The enormous trucks, well known the world over from US movies such as 'Convoy', are seen everywhere and are usually driven well. They wait until it is safe to overtake and they give a good margin before pulling in.

In emergency, call the police, fire or ambulance on '911' – it's free from any phone.

Telephones: Mobile phone networks have very good coverage now throughout most of the country, apart from empty desert and mountain regions. Vodafone, for example, have roaming arrangements with many US networks (eg PAC Bell, USA-380, etc) – but you do need a dual standard phone since the USA uses the 1900 band and not the 900/1800 band found in Europe and much of the rest of the world. Equally, they have their own unique TV standard!

Numbers starting 1-800 are toll-free. For collect calls, dial '0' and talk to the operator. Pre-paid telephone cards with a scratch-off calling card number are available in many supermarkets and gas stations, starting at $5. Public phones also take coins: in Arizona, 50 cents gives 10 minutes locally and 2 minutes nationally. For international calls, dial 011 + Country Code + City Code without '0' + Number (and remember to allow for time differences!)

Visas: For a UK citizen, a 90-day tourist visa is normally issued free of charge on landing, with no advance application required. You will need a UK passport issued since October 2004 – one with a machine-readable code. Complete the immigration and a customs card given to you on the aeroplane while you are still wide awake and complete every section accurately (including giving a contact address in the USA) and take it seriously– the immigration officer does!

On landing, the immigration officer takes a photo of your face and irises, makes an electronic fingerprint of both your index fingers, checks your immigration and customs cards, may ask a few questions and then (hopefully) stamps your passport for 90 days.

For a longer stay, apply for a tourist visa through the American Embassy in London (www.usembassy.org.uk). This will take a little time and involves making an appointment to visit the Embassy for fingerprinting, photography, etc. You may also need to show that you have the means to support yourself during your stay in the USA – and a return ticket!

You can also check the latest USA visa and immigration position in the 'Travel' section of the UK government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office website: www.fco.gov.uk.