26/04/2026
For the American motoring imagination, Route 66 is the quintessential twentieth-century symbol of the road trip. In the world of bicycle touring, however, its closest equivalent is the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail. This is the great coast-to-coast crossing: the historic route established by the Adventure Cycling Association in 1976, which effectively defined the very idea (or rite) of crossing the United States by bicycle.
I was fortunate enough to complete it in 2022. I say “fortunate” because time and resources are never unlimited for ordinary people. In 2023, I documented that journey in an 80-minute film, corresponding to my 80-day crossing. My own TransAmerica was slightly adapted: to complete it in fewer days and to include some outstanding gravel sections, I began in Washington, D.C., headed north to Pittsburgh via the C&O and the GAP, then crossed Missouri via the Katy Trail.
Close behind, in terms of allure, recognition, and desirability, is the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route. For some, it is even more appealing than the TransAmerica, thanks to its simpler logistics (hiker-biker campgrounds are plentiful), its generally favorable climate, frequent services, and, above all, its extraordinary scenic continuity. The route offers far more than beaches and cliffs: it also passes through the tallest trees on Earth, and cities as San Francisco and Santa Monica.
Again, I was fortunate enough to complete this route in 2025. Now, in 2026, I have finally edited a unique film documenting this other great American crossing, North to South. It presents my own version of the Pacific Coast route, once again adapted (not to make it shorter, but to make it richer and more adventurous) by incorporating gravel sections on Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula.
It's this last video I'd like to share today, and you'll find the link in the comments. I also watch countless travel films, drawing inspiration and practical knowledge from the experiences of others. Sharing my travels through the same medium is a pleasure for me and, I hope, a way to give something back.
