Compare Adventure Cycling Tours

Adventure Cycling Association offers many types of tours, including self-contained, inn-to-inn, van-supported, fully-supported, family tours, and educational trips. It can be daunting to decide which fun trip to take. However, on our Guided Tours page there is a nifty Compare All Tours Spreadsheet. This spreadsheet allows you to sort tours in any number of ghoulish ways. Some of the more popular sorting strategies include :

• Click on any of the column headers in this matrix: such as, Start Date, Location, Accommodations, Level of Support, or Mileage to sort all the tours. Just click on the column header and it will automatically sort. For example, if you click on Start Date, the tours will be arranged in ascending order of start date (or reverse order if you like, just click again to reverse the order!).

• Click on any of the upper level tour types at the top of the Compare All Tours Matrix and you can sort tours by full-supported, van-supported, family, self-contained, self-contained inn-to-inn, education, and all. This display will show you only those tours in each particular category, and you can still arrange these tours by the column headers. So if you were only interested in van-supported and in California, you would click on van-supported then the column header -- State -- then you will see an alphabetized arrangement by state of all the van-supported tours offered by Adventure Cycling.
  

This tool can help you decide if you know, for example, your 2012 vacation dates, or how far from home you are willing to travel, or in what type of tour you are interested. Also check out our cool new offerings:

Leadership Training, Florida II - January 16-19, 2012
Death Valley Loop III - March 24-30, 2012
Outer Banks, Inn-to-Inn - April 22-29, 2012
Sierra Cascades - May 26 - July 25, 2012
Cape Cod Pilgrimage - June 16-23, 2012
Finger Lakes Loop - July 1-10, 2012
Vermont, Inn-to-Inn - October 7-13, 2012
Big Bend Loop - October 7-13, 2012

Enjoy the fall; we hope you can get out before the snow flies. If not, check out some of Adventure Cycling's early season tours in warmer climes:

Florida Keys Winter Escape - January 17-27, 2012
Arizona Road Adventure - March 10-16, 2012
Southern Tier Van - March 12-May 8, 2012
Texas Hill Country - April 7 -13, 2012

Photo courtesy of 123rf

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ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team -- Mo, Paul, Madeline, and Arlen -- tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists, covering all things related to Adventure Cycling's Tours Department. We've announced our 2012 Tours!

Who'll Make the TransAm Touring Bike?

Though it shares its name with a city in North Dakota occupying very un-Great Divide-like terrain, the Salsa Fargo is another terrific bike designed for off-pavement bicycle touring.

As I read Josh Tack's October 1 "Touring Gear and Tips" post titled Interbike Roundup Part 1: New 2012 Touring Bikes, I was fascinated to learn that Co-Motion Cycles of Eugene, Oregon, is producing an off-pavement touring bike called the Divide. (It's not cheap, by the way.)

"The trail traverses the continent along its spine, crossing desert, alpine meadows, [and] mountain streams; over packed snow, hardship and triumph," reads the copy at Co-Motion's website. "This is the bicycle that will take you there."

In my recollection — though I could be forgetting something here — the Divide is the first production bike named in honor of an Adventure Cycling route.

While I think this is exceedingly cool, in my mind it also begs the question: Why hasn't any bicycle manufacturer designed the ultimate road-touring bike and dubbed it the TransAm? If they did, I predict they'd sell a ton of 'em.

Happy Halloween!


Photo by Michael McCoy.

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BIKING WITHOUT BORDERS is posted every Monday by Michael McCoy, Adventure Cycling’s media specialist, and highlights a little bit of this or a little bit of that — just about anything, as long as it’s related to traveling by bicycle. Mac also compiles the organization's twice-monthly e-newsletter Bike Bits, which goes free-of-charge to more than 42,000 readers worldwide.

Interbike Roundup Part 5: Bicycle Accessories

In this week's roundup I'm going to check out some cool accessories that I spotted around the Interbike floor. This is one of my favorite categories; items that give you the opportunity to add some individual personality to your stock bike. Here are a few that caught my eye.

PDW Bamboo Bar Plugs: Portland Design Works has become a really fun company; if you're looking for a small and inexpensive accent to your bike, check out their bamboo cork bar plugs. They retail for around $10, and are available in a 25mm diameter for road bars and 30mm diameter for flat bars. Maybe not as fun as enjoying a few bottles of wine for their corks, but very cool nonetheless.

A'ME Heated Bar Grips: The cold weather is approaching fast, so it's a perfect time to talk about A'ME's heated grips. A'ME is best known in the motorsport realm, but in this case, two worlds collide. Their heated road grips consist of a 5-inch strip that is wrapped around your handlebar, but underneath the bar tape of your choice. It isn't long enough to cover your entire bar, so you will want to place it where you rest your hands the most. There are six temperature controlled settings, ranging from 95 to 130 degrees F. The battery will provide you with 1.5 to 3 hours of heat, depending on the settings used. The stinger is the $350 price tag for the full setup, but it's still a neat product.

Salsa Anything Cage: This is one of my favorite products to come out of Salsa over the past few years, and I've already ordered a couple for my next tour. The Anything Cage mounts to your frame's water bottle mounts, or to Salsa's Enabler or generation 2 Fargo fork. The half-open cage and nylon straps can secure a wide array of items, such as a small stuff sack or a drybag, sleeping pad, or large container of water, such as a Nalgene bottle. These retail for $25.

Civia Fenders: We've been getting pounded with rain here in Missoula over the past few weeks, so fenders have been on my mind a lot lately. There are tons of fender options to choose from, but I really like the selection that Civia is putting out. Their offerings range from durable stainless steel, to stylish bamboo, to affordable polycarbonate fenders.

Photos by Josh Tack

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TOURING GEAR AND TIPS is written by Joshua Tack of Adventure Cycling's member services department. It appears weekly, highlighting technical aspects of bicycle touring and advice to help better prepare you for the journey ahead.

A Double Dare

In a little town in Northern Romania, two boys laughed as they wheeled up and down the street. I'm sure they would have been pedaling bikes if they'd had them. They didn't. But they had a wheelbarrow. It had a metal wheel that squeaked so loud you'd swear a 700-pound hamster was exercising in its cage. They took turns pushing each other around. The smaller boy had quite a difficult time pushing his larger friend up the hill, which only made them laugh harder.

No doubt the ride would have been smoother if their wheelbarrow was equipped with a shock and a top-of-the-line long distance touring tire. No blisters on their hands if they had custom gel gloves. And they could have mapped their progress up and down the street if they had a GPS-enhanced wheelbarrow-ometer. They didn't.

Their smiles challenge me. Okay Mr. Traveler, can you have as much fun as we do?

We are assaulted with so many choices and upgrade options. How can you proceed until you get the ultimate touring bike? The best digital camera? The lightest tent? The perfect panniers or tricked-out trailer?

Sometimes it's good to be reminded that you are way ahead if you simply have a bike.

Go out and pedal with as much joy as two boys sharing a wheelbarrow. I double dare you.

Photo: Romania -- 1996 by Willie Weir

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS appears on Friday afternoons. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist will inspire you to hit the road and just might change the way you approach bicycle travel. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their local adventures and life without a car at http://YellowTentAdventures.com/.

Six Reasons To Bike Tour Across The Netherlands

My husband Andrew and I have been living in The Netherlands for two years now, and we're convinced that this little slice of cycling paradise is the perfect place for anyone considering a first international bicycle tour. These are just a few of the things we love about bike touring here:

#1 – Lots Of Bike Paths

The Dutch love cycling, and it shows. This might be one of Europe's smallest countries (just over 100 miles from side to side and 200 miles from top to bottom), but they've packed an amazing 12,000 miles of bike paths and lanes into this tiny space! Come cycling here and you'll almost always be on your own traffic-free route. This makes bike touring here relaxing and very safe.

#2 – Facilities For Cyclists

As you might expect from a country that's crazy about cycling, the Dutch don't just have plenty of bike paths in place. They also have a range of other facilities to help cyclists get around. For a start, it's easy to take your bike on trains across the country (just buy a bike ticket and hop on, any time outside peak hours). You'll never be far from a bike shop, if you have a mechanical problem. In the countryside you can enjoy free campsites for cyclists, and in towns and cities you can take advantage of guarded bike parking lots (these are called fietsenstalling and are usually found at train stations or in town centres).

#3 – No Language Issues

The Dutch are excellent linguists, especially when it comes to speaking English. In the bigger towns and cities, almost everyone you meet will speak English. In the countryside, you might have to ask a few people, but it won't take long to find someone who can help you.

#4 – Great Food

Dutch food is not noted among the world's great cuisines, but for the passing cyclist, we find it hearty and comforting. Just imagine huge pancakes (pannenkoeken) with dozens of different toppings, bowls of thick pea soup (erwtensoep), and plates piled high with mashed potatoes and sausage (stamppot). To finish off your meal -- or as a snack halfway through the day -- try a slice of Dutch apple cake with whipped cream (appletaart met slagroom). And don't forget to try the famous Dutch cheese. You'll find a specialty cheese shop in every town. Heaven!


#5 – A Beautiful Landscape

You might think that this crowded country would be nothing but cities, but it's not so. Our favorite place for cycling so far is in and around the forests and heather-filled moors of the Hoge Veluwe National Park. You can also ride along the North Sea for days, or tackle the hills in the far south of the Netherlands.

#6 – Cycling Fun Around Every Corner

Perhaps the thing we like best about cycling in the Netherlands is just watching the Dutch go about their daily business on a bike. We rarely go for a ride without seeing something that makes us smile. When you need a break from pedaling, grab a seat on a bench or in a café and watch the world go by.



Photos by Friedel Grant

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FRIEDEL GRANT launched into bike touring with a tour around the world with her husband. They pedaled 48,000km through 30 countries before settling down to ride bikes in The Netherlands. Friedel writes about bike touring on her website, Travelling Two, has published the Bike Touring Survival Guide and written a chapter for the Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook.

Bike Ride in Madison, Wisconsin

As I mentioned in a blog post a few weeks back, this month I traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, for the annual meeting of NACIS (North American Cartographic Information Society) and stayed an extra day so I could do a bike ride.

Some good ideas were shared in the comments of my original Madison day trip post. Though they all sounded enticing, a local cartographer and NACIS member, Glen, offered to take me on a ride through some of his favorite countryside. Glen and I were joined by a third cartographer, Hans, who hails from The Netherlands, adding an international flair to our trio. Rest assured, this will not be my last trip to Madison, so I will keep the other suggestions in mind for future opportunities.

University of Wisconsin Arboretum

It was a beautiful and blustery day as Hans and I walked into Machinery Row Bicycles to rent our bikes, locks, and helmets for the day. The process was smooth and quick; and, before I knew it, Glen arrived and we were on our way.

Stopping for coffee

A most important piece of business for me on any ride is to caffeinate early -- Glen was happy to oblige by stopping at a coffee shop within the first couple miles. Once this was accomplished, we were off to begin our ride around most of Lake Monona. Our route took us through lovely old neighborhoods, on some fantastic bike paths, and on rural roads with a few short, busy stretches of road (see map above).

Ranger Brian saved the day

We had a second stop at the E Way Trailhead for a quick snack before riding onto the Capital City State Trail. While stopped, we noticed that Hans' rear wheel had a broken spoke. We all looked at it gravely, scratched our heads, and wondered out loud what we should do. At this point we were about halfway through the ride, so there was really no sense in turning back. As we each ate a snack, a park vehicle pulled in to service the restroom at the trailhead. Hans inquired of the driver if he might be able to help. Brian -- our favorite Wisconsin Park Ranger -- appeared with a roll of duct tape. It was applied to connect the loose spoke to a connected one and we were ready to be off on our ride once again.

Great bicycle pedestrian bridge facility in Fitchburg

Our next stop was lunch at the Great Dane Brewery in Fitchburg, where burgers were enjoyed all around. From there we rode to and through the University of Wisconsin Arboretum. The rustle of leaves provided a pleasant soundtrack as many had already turned and fallen. After exiting the arboretum, we pedaled the last few miles across the east end of Lake Wingra and straight into downtown Madison, returning to the bike shop where our adventure began that morning.

No matter how great the conference is -- and this one does not disappoint -- all the sitting and eating over three days can be rather tiring. A bike ride with pleasant companions was just the ticket. I was entranced by the rural nature of so much of our ride. The rolling prairies, scrub trees, and waving grasses were just right to restore balance to this cartographer and prepare me for the return trip home.

Top photo: Glen, Hans and Jenn on Capital City State Trail.
Top three photos by Jenn Milyko
Bottom three photos by Glen Pawelski
Map courtesy of Hans van der Maarel


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GEOPOINTS BULLETIN is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures, and persons from Adventure Cycling's Route Network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure. She also wants to remind you that map corrections and comments are always welcome via the online Map Correction Form.

Meet Cossette Burnham - Newest Staff for the U.S. Bicycle Route System

Meet University of Montana student Cossette Burnham. Cossette moved to Missoula from Utah and has high hopes of finding comparable winter skiing in Montana. While I don't know about her chances for that (weather is so fickle here), I do know we are exceedingly pleased to have her aboard. Cossette qualified for the student work study program and I knew immediately that she was a great fit for the project. Now it's time for you to get to know her a bit better.

Name: Cossette Burnham

Hometown: Mountain Green, UT

School and Major: University of Montana, Exercise Science

Hobbies: Snowboarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, baking delicious treats

What's your favorite mode of transportation around town?
My 1978 Specialized road BIKE!

What is your impression of Missoula?
Missoula has it all! It's a great place to enjoy the beautiful outdoors, has a fun atmosphere, and many people here are really passionate about the environment and biking. It amazes me how welcoming and friendly the people in this town are!

Why did you want to work for Adventure Cycling and the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS)?
It's a great cause to be a part of, trying to promote bicycling and make the world a better place for cyclists. It's something that gets me excited!

How do you see this work benefiting you professionally?
Working for a great nonprofit organization to make a nationally recognized bike route network is a great opportunity that can help with any future career I may have. Among other things, I'm learning about the organization and the teamwork that goes into collaborating with different organizations for a common goal.

What's your favorite thing about working here so far?
It's fun being someplace where everyone is working hard toward something they are passionate about. I've really enjoyed learning about how the USBRS is being put together, and all the people that work hard to make changes happen.

How do you hope to impact the progress of the project while you're here?
I'm trying to help Ginny as she works with many other people to push the USBRS forward. I hope to help raise awareness and support of the project by getting the word out there so more people understand and support the USBRS project.

Photo by Casey Greene

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BUILDING THE U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM (USBRS) is posted by Ginny Sullivan, USBRS coordinator at Adventure Cycling, and features news and updates related to the emerging U.S. Bicycle Route System. The USBRS project is a collaborative effort, spearheaded by a task force under the auspices of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Members of the task force include officials and staff from state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration, and nonprofits like the East Coast Greenway Alliance, and Mississippi River Trail, Inc.

NO WEIGH... WEIGH!

Today we welcome Greg Siple -- co-founder of Adventure Cycling and art director -- as a contributor to the blog.

We bicycle tourists are constantly thinking about weight. Every ounce of our bicycle and gear is weight that we need to propel up and over passes and across windswept Midwest prairie under our own power. Nonetheless, in the course of shooting photos of Adventure Cycling's visiting cycle-tourists, I've marveled at the huge loads some riders carry. When I asked how much their rigs weighed, they could only speculate. Were they guessing high or guessing low? I decided to find out.

This summer, we rigged a scale suspended from the roof of the loading dock in the alley behind the our office. (The loading dock is the 'studio' where I shoot the portraits that are seen in each issue of Adventure Cyclist.) I added a space on the model release questionnaire for the subject to write in a guess at the weight. After the photo was taken the packed bike was wheeled to the scale and the rider faced the truth.

The first weigh was on August 3. Our subject was Andrew Robert McComb, a bike builder and mechanic from Wisconsin. He began his ride in Chicago and was headed to San Francisco by way of Seattle. He guessed 135 pounds and, though it would make absolutely no difference in his progress, was pleasantly surprised to learn that he had only 99 pounds of bike and gear.

Over guessing, as it turned out, was not the rule. Of the seventy-nine bikes we weighed only 26 riders over guessed. Two riders were on the mark with their guess.The remaining 51 were under guessing.

John Colver's 50-pound rig.

Most bikes, 53 of them, fell between 70 and 95 pounds. The lightest rig, at 50 pounds, was ridden by John Colver of Seattle, Washington, (pictured above) whose ambitious ride is in the form of a loop out of Seattle that includes New York, Florida, and California. The 1981 Scottish National Champion said that his packing style was inspired in part by by Coco Chanel who said, "Before leaving the house, a lady should stop, look in the mirror, and remove one piece of jewelry."

Only one tandem rolled into the office since August 3. John Shade and Rachel Siciliano were riding from their home in New York City to Astoria, Oregon. They had a 150 pounds of bike and baggage, which sounds high but average when it's divided between two riders. We had a few trailers that required a decoupling and separate weighs to come up with a total.

Stephen Nordland and his Greenspeed recumbent tricycle.

We were certain we had a record for the heaviest rig when we saw Stephen Nordland pull up in front of the office on his heavily laden Greenspeed recumbent tricycle on August 18. If his guess of 113 pounds proved accurate the 'honor' was his. But we were all shocked when the needle on the scale rotated to 162 pounds! He was on his way to South America from his home in Columbus, Ohio, and apparently was carrying equipment to respond to every situation. (He noted that when he began his trip, his own weight was at 190 pounds. Six weeks and a couple thousand miles later it had dropped to 160 pounds. The rigorous work out had put him and his bike and gear in the same weight class.)

But Mr. Nordland's record lasted only 40 days. On September 28, when we thought we had already seen the last of 2011's visitors, Monika Esterman and Robert Spengeler turned up. The Swiss couple were deep into a round-the-world tour. They had already ridden through Europe and Asia and were now tackling the western hemisphere from north to south. I shot the portraits and Monika rolled her bike to the scale. She guessed 100 pounds. But the scale told a different story -- 154 pounds. Then it was Robert's turn. He predicted 99 pounds. But we saw the needle dance to 170 pounds!

We knew that Mr. Spengler's record would hold well into 2012. After all, we were about to enter our dormant period when the temperature begins its plunge and and winter locks us in. Only staff commuter bikes would be filling our bike racks. The next contender for high weight honors would be arriving next May. But then another Swiss rider showed up on October 3.

He was Christian Moser, a 34-year-old software engineer riding from Alaska to Los Angeles, California. It was immediately evident that we had a challenger. The load was considerable. The portrait was taken, the bike moved to the scale and the needle turned to 174 pounds.

Greg Siple watches the dial as Christian Moser, in red striped jersey, and
Adventure Cycling staff member Richard Darne hoist Moser's rig on to the scale.

The weigh project has proven to be much more popular than we expected. After only two weeks of weighing, we knew we were really on to something. News of the scale was carried by the outbound cyclists to the inbound cyclists converging on Missoula. Visitors began asking for a weigh even before asking where the complimentary ice cream was. We'll be giving the scale a rest over the winter but will have it up and ready to go when the first cyclist of 2012 walks in our front door.

Weigh cool!

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GREG SIPLE is our art director and a co-founder of Adventure Cycling Association.

Coffee and Cycling - The Tradition Continues

Although my good friend and awesome designer Rachel recently decided to give up coffee for THREE WHOLE DAYS!, and I commend her strength and willpower, I am a latte two-times-a-day kind of girl. And I have the quick heart rate and sped-up talk to prove it.

Coffee and riding have gone together forever, and coffee and espresso companies have long been supporters of racing teams. Perhaps the most famous sponsor was Italy's Faema Espresso Machine, the company that sponsored Eddy Merckx beginning in the 1960s and is remembered for their iconic cycling kits.


Because I have to get my own espresso just so, I like to make it at home and bring it to work. I like to use PDW's Barista to bring my cup into work intact. The Barista fits securely to my handlebars and there are no splashes. Plus, I think Eddy would be proud, which is really the important thing.

Photo #1 by Sarah Raz, photo #2 by AFP, photo #3 by Portland Design Works

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SHIPPING NEWS is brought to you by Sarah Raz, sales representative/outreach coordinator/lover of all things outdoors. She also wishes Eddy Merckx was her father (sorry Dad!)

6 Unique Tour Types: An Epic Limerick Tribute

Having trouble deciding just which of our amazing 2012 tours is right for you? A bit confused by all the tour types, and wondering what exactly they all mean? Let our tours department limericks help clear it up for you!

Our self-contained tours include
Not a van over which to brood
Your own gear you'll carry
The group will be merry
On our glorious self-contained tours.

On a self-contained tour, you carry your own gear. Traditional self-contained tours have around 14 participants who share cooking duties and camp for the vast majority of overnights.

On our inn-to-inn tours you'll see
All the sights, but no camping will be
A part of the journey
The pace is no tourney
You can even stop to get tea!

On inn-to-inn self-contained trips, riders carry their gear, but there’s a lot less of it because participants stay in hotels and eat in restaurants every night (no camping or group cooking gear needs to be carried).

Let us carry your load for you when
Our van-supported tours you attend
Whether coast to coast
Or weeklong, you'll toast
The tour which gave you such zen.

Van-supported tours have an average of 13 riders who camp on most nights and share rotating cooking duties, akin to a self-contained trip but with the security of van support and luggage transport.

Our fully-supported tours will give you
Absolutely nothing about which to feel blue
Take the awesome group
Or the catering troop
Happiness is in everything you'll do!

Fully-supported tours are larger groups (typically between 40 and 120 riders), who camp together and enjoy catered meals. All personal and group gear is carried for you each day, and you have the added luxury of SAG support.

Do you have some little tykes
Who love to ride on their bikes?
Our family fun trips
You will not want to skip
For a week the whole family will like!

Family Fun tours operate in largely the same way as our fully-supported tours, but with shorter daily distances and more activities aimed at making sure all family members, ages 8 to 98, have a great touring experience.

Our education tours are quite fun
And oh my but you'll learn a ton
Touring or leading
At the end you'll be ceding
Adventure Cycling's courses are really top gun!

We have two different types of Education Courses:

Our Introduction to Road Touring courses will introduce you to the basics of self-contained road travel.

Our Leadership Training Courses (LTC) are designed to teach the fundamentals of leading a self-contained bicycle tour. All Adventure Cycling tour leaders have taken one of these three-day courses.

Whether you're fond of or averse to our verse, check out our complete 2012 tours slate and sign up today! More questions?

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ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team -- Mo, Paul, Madeline, and Arlen -- tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists, covering all things related to Adventure Cycling's Tours Department. We've just announced our 2012 Tours!

Fewer Cars = Safer Routes to School

Late last summer I read about a Tennessee mother who was threatened with arrest for letting her 10-year-old daughter bicycle a mile to school. "The officer informed me that in his 'judgment' it was unsafe for my daughter to ride her bike to school," Teresa Tryon is quoted as saying, at the Bike Walk Tennessee website.

This blew mind at first; I bicycled a mile to school myself when I was that age. But then I began wondering about the nature of the road the young girl was riding on. My cycling to school took place in the early 1960s in a small Iowa town, a time and place where things were a lot slower and less clogged with cars than they are now.

However, I sincerely believe that even — or especially — in the 21st century every kid in America should have a safe route for walking or bicycling to school. That's why I found it very rewarding on Friday, October 14, to take part in an early morning ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new pathway in Driggs, Idaho.

Tim Adams, executive director of Teton Valley Trails and Pathways, did the ribbon-snipping. My wife Nancy and I and another volunteer served as guards at the three street crossings between Driggs City Park, where the ceremony was held, and Driggs Elementary School, helping the group of young cyclists and pedestrians navigate their way safely. Ironically, the most obvious danger for the kids riding bikes over that half mile was the traffic congestion at the school itself; all the cars and trucks driven by mothers and fathers and grandparents, delivering their kids safely to the front door.

Later we helped Tim run various classes through some bicycle safety training.

You can get more information and inspiration at the website of the
National Center for Safe Routes to School.

Photos by Michael McCoy.

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BIKING WITHOUT BORDERS is posted every Monday by Michael McCoy, Adventure Cycling’s media specialist, and highlights a little bit of this or a little bit of that — just about anything, as long as it’s related to traveling by bicycle. Mac also compiles the organization's twice-monthly e-newsletter Bike Bits, which goes free-of-charge to more than 42,000 readers worldwide.

Interbike Roundup Part 4: Apparel

Technical cycling apparel is never mandatory for touring, but it can make the miles go by a little more comfortably. As usual, this year's Interbike show was full of apparel companies showing off a wide range of styles, intended for numerous audiences. Since I prefer to put my money into my bikes and tours, any time I look at clothing I put a strong emphasis on durability. Here are some items that not only function well for touring, but will keep you covered for the long haul.

Showers Pass Portland Jacket: Available in both men's and women's cut, the Portland Jacket is really versatile. The jacket is made of a soft waterproof fabric, and it has zippered pit and sleeve vents for those warm rains. In back, a reflective flap drops down to provide full coverage when you are leaning forward on the bike; it buttons up to look more like a regular jacket for when you're walking around.

Club Ride Apparel: If you're not a fan of tight fitting cycling jerseys, you might want to take a look at what Club Ride has to offer. They use technical fabrics that wick moisture well, but cut them into styles that look pretty casual. I'm a big fan of their western styles, but they also offer more traditional plain and plaid options.

De Marchi: I love the feel of wool, especially as the fall chill sets in. De Marchi has both Merino wool and synthetic blend jerseys in some cool throwback designs. If you're proud of your heritage and want to show it, they have some cool national team jerseys (my favorite being the Belgian national team), along with old cycling team replica jerseys.

Darn Tough Socks: If we're talking about rugged cycling apparel, it would be a shame not to mention Darn Tough of Vermont. Their run/bike series of socks feature reinforced toes and heels, so you won't be blowing them out any time soon. And the 1/4 sock mesh design has a mesh top for good ventilation.

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TOURING GEAR AND TIPS is written by Joshua Tack of Adventure Cycling's member services department. It appears weekly, highlighting technical aspects of bicycle touring and advice to help better prepare you for the journey ahead.

Roadside Treats

They are gifts of the road. Nature's snacks ripened just for you. Their aromas fill the hot summer's breezes and the late fall's chill. Roadside trees, far from any home or farm, display these treats more beautifully than any row of sweets in a candy shop. They must have been planted for the benefit of touring cyclists. Why else would their heavily laden branches lean over the road?

Apples in eastern Washington. Tree tomatoes (tomate de arbol) in Colombia. Mangoes in Thailand. Figs. We love figs! You can smell them a half mile away when the wind is just right and they are oozing with flavor.

The fruit that won our hearts in Portugal was the persimmon. Eat it too early and your mouth will pucker up in disgust. But catch this fruit at its peak and the jelly-like interior is a decadent dessert.

So enamored were we with the persimmon, that we planted one in our yard in Seattle. It will be years before it bears fruit; and, due to our cool summers, the taste will probably never match those we slurped in southern Portugal.

But ten years from now, I'll pick a persimmon and bite into the gooey flesh ... and my mind will fly across the ocean and remember a bicycle journey.

Now, that's sweet!

Photo: Portugal -- 2010 by Willie Weir

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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS appears on Friday afternoons. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist will inspire you to hit the road and just might change the way you approach bicycle travel. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their local adventures and life without a car at http://YellowTentAdventures.com/.

Get Your Copy of the 2012 Adventure Cycling Calendar

Pulling from our excellent entries from our Bicycle Travel Photo Contest, as well as other fantastic images of bike touring, we have put together a year of inspiration that any bike traveler will appreciate.

Each month features stunning images from bicycle touring around the globe, along with information about resources and programs that Adventure Cycling offers to help you get the most out of your adventures. This is a great way to experience the inspiration and beauty of bike travel all year long.

While the 2012 Adventure Cycling Bicycle Travel Calendar is available only for a limited time, there are a few different ways that you can reserve your copy:

• JOIN -- Get your calendar for FREE when you join or renew at the Patron, Supporting, or Benefactor level or by joining as a Life Member.
• BUY NOW -- Purchase your copy in our Cyclosource store. The calendar would also make an excellent holiday gift for your cycling friends and family.

Quantities are limited, so be sure to take advantage of this offer early!

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MEMBERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS is typically posted on Fridays by Amy Corbin, membership and marketing coordinator. Membership Highlights spotlights the various benefits of membership, what we have accomplished thanks to member support, and even interviews with some of our most passionate and dedicated members, both individual and organizational.

New York-New England Medley

Have you ever thought about "deep travel" or ridden the "most popular rail-trail in America?" How about traveling by bike from Harlem to Prospect Park and DUMBO via the Brooklyn Bridge? I had the chance to do this and much more while traveling through New England and New York City to meet members and advocates this past week. It was truly awesome to see how much bike-friendly activity is happening in the Northeast. Here are a few impressions and inspirations:

Deep Travel: I got together with an old friend, Tony Hiss, for breakfast near Greenwich Village and discussed his new book, In Motion: The Experience of Travel. Tony is a former writer for the New Yorker magazine and wrote this compelling volume about how travel -- whether epic or from your front door -- taps a unique and ingrained way of thinking in humans. Tony and I talked about how his ideas mesh perfectly with the way bicycle travel stimulates new ways of thinking (and occasional hallucinations). I recommend it!


Four Great (and Very Different) Rides: All four rides were a matter of serendipity -- on borrowed bikes in unique places. On a single speed loaner, I enjoyed the multitude of new bike facilities in Brooklyn and Manhattan, ranging from DUMBO (not the elephant -- rather the district Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) to Wall Street to Harlem. You could do a great multi-day bike vacation in NYC today (plus the commuting seemed cool, and only getting better). In Lexington, MA, I joined Adventure Cycling supporter Tom Fortmann, one of the three principals who created the 11 mile Minuteman Commuter Trail linking Bedford, MA, and Cambridge, MA. It's a great urban ride and a tribute to 17 years of tenacious work by Tom and many other citizens and public officials, working collaboratively. Down in South Wakefield, RI, I rode with my close friend (and Adventure Cycling member), Michael Mutschler, on a new, short, and critical trail link from the town to the Atlantic Ocean. It now opens the way for thousands of people (including families) to enjoy a safe, enjoyable bike tour to Naragansett Bay -- and it's a reminder that the smallest transportation link can sometimes have the greatest impact. Finally, on our last day, we enjoyed a perfect New England countryside loop, thanks to Adventure Cycling supporter Clyde Kessel of Carlisle, MA, (who I met last year on the Columbia Gorge as we both rode to the Pacific on the Lewis & Clark Trail). It was perfect in that we experienced sumptuously hilly terrain and all 16 types of New England weather (except snow), plus rainbows, apples, pumpkins, curvy roads, and stone walls. After seven days of planes, trains, and automobiles, 45 miles on a bike was bliss.

Donors ... Far, Wide, and of All Ages: I traveled with our new development director, Amanda Lipsey, and we met with a host of generous people giving anywhere from $500 to $33,000. As we described what Adventure Cycling does with their dollar support -- inspiring and empowering people to travel by bike -- they generally increased their gifts. (And it should be noted, these donors give more than just money -- we had a great brunch with Joe Golden, who had urged us to do a tour on our new Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route -- the result ... we're doing it and Joe is signed up for this epic tour!) I was hugely inspired by a couple of younger donors, in their early 30s, who gave "stretch" gifts and expressed their love for bike travel. Steve Leibman described his recent 40 mile bike overnight with his 4 year old son, who rode a Wee Hoo trailer (that's endurance!). Noah Lansner, a recently appointed principal at a Brooklyn Prep High School, has already cycled twice across the country and is dreaming of trips he can do soon with his nearly two-year old daughter (we told him about our growing Bike Overnights website, with great family trip ideas).


Advancing Bicycle Tourism: In New York, I had the pleasure of checking in with Paul White and Noah Budnick, the leaders of Transportation Alternatives, NYC's top cycling and walking advocates. We brainstormed about how we could get an economic study of bike tourism and travel in New York State, similar to the powerful study in Wisconsin (pdf), which demonstrated that bike tourism generates $1 billion a year. (I'll also be talking with leaders in California about something like this next month at the California Bike Summit.) In addition, I checked in with my Arlington, MA-based friend and colleague Lauren Hefferon, who owns the touring company Ciclismo Classico, about working together to get more tour operators to next year's National Bike Summit to advocate for better biking. Lauren has been a real leader in trying to boost the prominence of bike travel in the travel industry. Maybe we can get an economic study going in Massachusetts too!

Linking Trails, Routes, and Places: Finally, I kept seeing evidence that the bike renaissance is booming in the Northeast, including loads of new bike facilities in big cities (like NYC and Boston) and small cities (like Wakefield and Barrington, RI). I was really excited to meet with local advocates regarding the Northern Strand rail-trail through the northern suburbs of Boston, a critical link in the East Coast Greenway and ultimately the U.S. Bicycle Route System. Like the Minuteman trail, it's taken nearly two decades to reach the first groundbreaking (in late October) -- but it's coming soon, along with many more improvements for biking in New England and beyond.

Photo Captions: at top, Jim (right) and Michael Mutschler at the Atlantic Ocean in Rhode Island; in the middle, on the Minuteman Trail with (l to r) Marc Mastrolia, Tom Fortmann, Amanda Lipsey, Jim, and Lauren Hefferon; at the bottom, the inimitable Brooklyn Bridge, Jim's gateway across the East River. Photos courtesy of Jim Sayer and Transportation Alternatives.

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JIM SAYER is executive director of Adventure Cycling Association.

Road Report #2: Visiting Massachusetts and the New England Bike Walk Summit

After my trip to Fort Wayne, IN for the Mid American Trails and Greenways Conference, I flew to Boston and had the chance to ride on one of the new Hubway bikes (above), and check out the construction of a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge, called the North Bank Bridge, which sits near the I-93 Zakim Bridge (see the bridge under construction and a rendering of the final product below).

I was really there to meet with the Massachusetts Commissioner of Conservation and Recreation, Ed Lambert, and many of his staff. With the help of Gary Briere, director of recreation, and Eric Weis, trails coordinator for East Coast Greenway Alliance, we were able to explain to Commissioner Lambert the status of U.S. Bicycle Routes in New England and ask for his agency's help in getting things moving forward in Massachusetts. Earlier in the day, Gary and I met with Josh Lehman from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and explained our ideas and strategies. With all of these important agencies on the same page, I am confident we'll have U.S. Bike Route 1 through Massachusetts within the next two years, and a continuous route from Maine to Florida within five years (did I just set a challenge?)

That's a lot of states to work with -- and I couldn't do this without our partnership with the East Coast Greenway Alliance. Eric does a superb job working to make inroads with bicycle route and trail development along the East Coast. He also is the coordinator of the annual New England Bike Walk Summit, at which I was a session speaker. This was a great opportunity to bring together the New England cycling and trail development community. The session provided me with some great information for potential new corridors across the New England region.

Between meetings in Boston and the New England Bike Walk Summit, Gary and I did a bit of route research. A trip like this wouldn't be complete without a stop for some fried sea food and a ride on the beach in a lifeguard truck ... would it?

And we had a little time to meet some of the locals -- enter Mikey Perkins (in yellow), manufacturer of Sylvan wood composite bicycles. Gary (far left) was showing me a beautiful overlook called Mount Sugarloaf when we ran into Mikey and his photography crew.

Mikey is a geographer by education and bicycle builder by trade. He has toured extensively, so when I introduced myself, he knew Adventure Cycling. I knew I loved his bicycles -- especially the one called, "Adventure." Beautifully constructed, these bikes are built right there in Sunderland, MA.

Back on the road, Gary and I determined that there are some amazing and beautiful roads winding through Massachusetts. Connecting to the emerging trail system will be an added benefit for cyclists and the communities that are building them.

Photo of North Bank Bridge by Karl Haglund, Rendering by Ammann & Whitney. All other Photos by Ginny Sullivan.

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BUILDING THE U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM (USBRS) is posted by Ginny Sullivan, USBRS coordinator at Adventure Cycling, and features news and updates related to the emerging U.S. Bicycle Route System. The USBRS project is a collaborative effort, spearheaded by a task force under the auspices of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Members of the task force include officials and staff from state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration, and nonprofits like the East Coast Greenway Alliance, and Mississippi River Trail, Inc.

Award Winners Announced

We've just announced our 2011 Bicycle Travel Award winners, which include Donn Olson (Dalbo, Minnesota), Kevin Cashman of Apogee Adventures (Brunswick, Maine), Jim Peters and Jim’s Bicycle Shop (Cincinnati, Ohio), and Leslie Wills (Grand Haven, Michigan).

"Our awards are an opportunity to recognize some of the amazing people, organizations, and businesses that make a difference for bicycle touring, and cycling in general," said Amy Corbin, awards committee chair. "These folks do so much to make America a better, friendlier, and more connected country."

Donn Olson, recipient of our 2011 June Curry Trail Angel Award, was "really surprised, shocked, and thrilled to get the award." Donn created the "Bicycle Bunkhouse" just off of our Northern Tier route after a chance encounter with some cyclists in 2005. His visitors have grown from an average of 25 touring cyclists (the total he hosted three years ago) to 95 traveling cyclists this season! "It's definitely been growing," said Donn. "It makes me feel good to do something for the folks out on the road." Indeed. This summer Donn hooked up his trailer to rescue a group of cyclists and their bikes stranded by a nasty thunderstorm. As one nominator said, "Donn Olson is the epitome of a gracious host and has made Dalbo a destination that cyclists can look forward to."

The recipient of the 2011 Pacesetter Award is Kevin Cashman of Apogee Adventures. Founded over a decade ago with the goal of creating engaging and challenging tours for high school aged kids, the company now offers dozens of tours around the world. These trips provide youth with experiences that teach them the importance of hard work, persistence, and dedication, as well as shaping how they see themselves in the world. As one nominator, a former participant and leader, noted, "I was impressed with his emphasis on totally supporting the leaders while, at the same time, encouraging the campers to reach their fullest potential."

After getting the news, Kevin said, "I am flattered and honored to receive Adventure Cycling’s 2011 Pacesetter Award. Bicycle touring and working with kids are two of my greatest joys, and I feel very lucky to be in a profession that combines the two. The point to point, goal-oriented nature of a bicycle touring trip lends itself well to building confidence and character in our students. Our hope, in addition to developing these qualities, is to inspire a love of bicycling, adventure and travel in our students that stays with them for the rest of their lives."

The recipient of the 2011 Sam Braxton Bike Shop Award is Jim Peters and Jim’s Bicycle Shop in Cincinnati, OH. In addition to being on the front lines of all things cycling in their community, Jim and his staff make it a priority to encourage their customers to become bicycle tourists. By providing guidance and training for new touring cyclists, they create a supportive atmosphere for jumping into bike travel. Plus, they maintain a bank of loaner travel cases and go to great lengths to accommodate special logistical requests. One nominator emphasized that the staff at Jim’s Bicycle Shop truly go out of their way "all to help someone have a great touring experience."

After hearing of winning the award, Jim said, "It is great to be recognized for something we have enjoyed for the past 35 years. Whether it is a trip across Ohio or across the U.S., we will help our customers get there safely and well equipped. We will continue to encourage and assist cycling adventure for many years to come."

The 2011 Volunteer of the Year Award goes to Leslie Wills of Grand Haven, Michigan. By volunteering dozens of hours, Leslie made it possible to gain all of the necessary support for the designation of U.S. Bike Route 35 in Michigan. Her countless phone calls, emails, and steadfast attendance at meetings helped to get resolutions of support from 15 local agencies. Adventure Cycling’s Special Projects Director Ginny Sullivan said, "We would not have been able to complete the work in this timeframe without Leslie’s time, energy, and clear devotion to Adventure Cycling and the goals of the U.S. Bicycle Route System project."

Adventure Cycling’s Bicycle Travel Awards program began in 2003 as a way to recognize organizations, individuals, and businesses that are doing extraordinary things in the name of bicycle travel and bike touring.

If you would like to know more about past winners or learn how to submit a nomination for the 2012 awards, visit http://www.adventurecycling.org/awards.

In this photo: Donn Olson holds the sign that greets cyclists on the highway near his house looking for his cyclists' only lodging.
Photo provided by Donn and Sherry Olson

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NEWS, NETWORKING, AND NEW MEDIA is posted by Winona Bateman, Adventure Cycling's media director, and highlights cool media (articles, videos, photos, etc.) and meet-ups related to Adventure Cycling and bicycle travel. Writing a story about bicycle travel or Adventure Cycling Association? You can contact Winona via email: pressATadventurecyclingDOTorg. Visit our media room, view our news releases, or follow us on Twitter.

The Fairness of Bicycle Travel

It's no secret to any of us that life isn't fair. Bad things happen to good people and we don't always get what we want or we think we deserve. As I close in on the last couple of months in my twenties, though, sometimes the reality of things can get me down. We were all raised to believe that if we studied hard and pushed ourselves and did our best we'd be able to get ahead, yet I know many people who are struggling in today's economy--and many of my close friends, well-educated and highly skilled, can't even find jobs. Our parents thought they'd given us every opportunity--and they had--but those were simpler times and now things are harder. The whole game has changed and a college education doesn't mean what it used to.

When I start to feel down in the dumps about what seems like the unfairness of everything these days, it helps me to think about bicycle touring. Everything ultimately evens out in bicycle touring: you pay for it all with your sweat and your sore low back and your strengthened leg muscles. The harshest climbs are rewarded with the sweetest views. A monster headwind results in a tailwind that lasts three days. You work hard and you get stronger, you pedal and you move mountains. Everything is good and just and as it should be.

Photo by Sarah Raz

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SHIPPING NEWS is brought to you by Sarah Raz, sales representative/outreach coordinator/lover of all things outdoors. She also wishes Eddy Merckx was her father (sorry Dad!)

Creating Memories of a Lifetime

A great life changing experience can be had on a cross-country expedition. Whether it is east to west or north to south, an epic adventure will help put everything into perspective. It has happened to me on each of my four cross-country adventures: Southern Tier, TransAm (twice) and a modified Lewis & Clark-Northern Tier. How life-changing? I was a software consultant ... now I organize bike tours for Adventure Cycling. Maybe the Pacific Coast, Atlantic Coast or Sierra Cascades will provide that experience for you!


Some of my most memorable life experiences were created when I cycled cross-country with my son Brandon (twice, when he was 13 and 17), and on shorter trips with my son Chris. Sharing arduous adventures while exploring diverse landscapes and cultures with my children helped bond us together as a family, and instilled a deep desire to share those experiences again. Our family-oriented tours on the KATY Trail in Missouri, the C&O Trail in Maryland, and our family ride in Colorado are excellent opportunities for you to begin to have similar experiences with your children, grandchildren, nieces, and/or nephews (leaving the arduous behind).

When my friends describe my riding style, they say something like: "No matter how many miles he rides, 10 or 90, Arlen takes the entire day to do them. Never expect him in before 5 pm, and always expect a story when he arrives in camp." Sometimes I meander down the road, but typically I find quaint, out-of-the-way diners, wineries, pubs, and other hidden treasures to while away the hours. Why not explore the many wineries on the Wine & Harvest or Finger Lakes Loop (self-contained) tour? Mileages are modest, with ample time to enjoy the local harvests. Or maybe you share a passion for pies? I am forever in search of the best coconut cream pie in North America, and have found ample samples at Weaver's on the C&O Canal and Pie-in-the-Sky on the Sierra Cascades, and I've heard about great places where I haven't yet been, in places like Sandpoint, Idaho, and near my newly adopted hometown of Missoula, Montana.

Thinking of dabbling in the world of self-contained touring, with or without camping? Our new East Coast offerings on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, are great ways to try it out. Both tours offer lower mileages, flatter terrain, and a chance to really dive into group self-sufficiency on the road. I lived in Massachusetts for the past 24 years before moving to Missoula, and spent many a spring and fall riding the roads of southeastern Massachusetts and around the dunes of Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod. You will LOVE the sandy beaches, lighthouses, rail trails, and comfy New England aura. Even the Outer Banks are connected to my past: I was born in Dayton, Ohio, home to the Orville and Wilbur Wright Bicycle Shop (Kitty Hawk, NC, the birthplace of aviation, being the Wright Brothers connection).

My favorite, all-time, over-the-top inspirational place to experience by bicycle has to be Bryce Canyon, with the hoodoos carved out of the colorful Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce typifies the power that nature has over us and our surroundings. Adventure Cycling offers this stunning panorama with the Red Rock Ramble (Inn-to-Inn) and Cycle Utah (fully-supported) tours. Other memorable locales for me have been the Black Hills of South Dakota, Zion National Park, and the Columbia River Gorge. I know that I am looking forward to creating extra special memories in the near future in other locales like the Grand Canyon, Denali National Park in Alaska, Death Valley, and Glacier & Waterton Lakes National Parks.

I have met my closest friends cycling. Whether it is out on the road on a tour with a group, along the lonely road of a solo tour, in search of my heritage in the deep South, or with a group of teens on a charity ride, touring by bicycle has opened my eyes to the world around, allowing people to touch me deeply and me to connect with them in ways that I could not have imagined. It takes me out of my element and sometimes my comfort zone. Cycling helps me create memories of a lifetime.

I could spend the rest of the day, and the week, sharing cycling memories, but I will leave the rest to you. Adventure Cycling is offering many other tours that will allow you to create your own memories of a lifetime. Check out the complete tour offerings at adventurecycling.org/tours. Start dreaming!

Photos by Arlen Hall.

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ON THE ROAD is written by the tours team--tours specialists and intrepid bicyclists--covering all things related to Adventure Cycling's Tours Department. This is new Tours Director Arlen Hall's first post to the blog.