biking vacations
 

Hello All,
I'm not sure where to post this, but I'm interested in biking vacations. I've heard about them and I'm curious to go on one. I wouldn't mind going out to the west or new england area. I'm not sure if I'm posting at the right place.

Hi,
they can be a lot of fun. There are different kinds. There are the expensive ones where they carry everything and there is a van if you
get tired. Then there is lite touring, which is what I do. You just start riding with somespare clothes and a credit card. And then there is loaded touring where you bring a tent, and a stove, and a sleeping bag and a....

What sort of touring did you have in mind? Have you been doing any long rides?

First you should probably post this over in the touring forum. Lots of knowledgeable and friendly people over there.

As has been mentioned before, there are lots of different kinds of touring and lots of ways of going about it. Below are broad categories.

1. Gourmet organized tours. These, as mentioned previously, are catered affairs. You just show up and ride. You pay someone else to organize everything. They carry all of your stuff and if you break down on the road, someone is there to make everything alright. Your itinerary is set. You ride from point A to point B to point C...no deviation is allowed! 10 to 30 people tops.

2. Cross state tours. You ride. They carry your stuff. You provide food and accommodations (tent, hotel, brothel, whatever). Just like #1, no deviation is allowed. Great rides if you want to ride with 5000 to 10000 of your new best friends and compete with them for hotels, brothels, showers, whatever.

3. Credit card touring. You ride. You carry your stuff. But you don't have to carry much stuff. You set the itinerary based on where you plan to stay the night. Just hope you aren't in the middle of nowhere when night comes. ;)

4. Group loaded tours (see Adventure Cycling). Small group. You carry your stuff but you carry more stuff because you are sleeping outside most of the time. Share camp duties like cooking, cleaning and carrying the pot. Nightly destinations are set so there is little deviation allowed. You can stop and smell the roses occasionally however.

5. Small group tours or solo tours. You carry all the stuff you need to survive (food can be obtained along the way). You sleep outside or in motels depending on how you feel. If you want to go 100 miles in a day, feel free. If you want to go 10, why not? If you want to go back someplace and see it again what's stopping you? See an interesting museum or shop or brothel. Stop and take a look. No one is waiting on you, do what you please. But... "Everyone has a big but Simone. Let's talk about your big but." (sorry channelling Pee Wee again :D). But...solo touring isn't everyone's cup of tea. It is lonely. It can be depressing. It can even be a little frightening. It can also be enlightening. You learn a lot about yourself when you tour solo. You learn you can do and deal with anything. You learn what it is to be lonely...not something we regularly get to experience.

Go over to Crazy Guy on a Bike and read some of the journals (Mine's not bad ;)). Ask questions of the touring group. Look at the organized rides. Look at Adventure Cycle. Start planning now.

Look into Acadia National Park. You can park your car and ride your bike everywhere, and ride the buses for free with your bike on their racks.

I like Acadia Park, I've been there before, but never really thought of it as a biking destination.

Their website makes it seem like they don't eiter... http://www.acadia.national-park.com/visit.htm#bik

You have any further information?

www.trekbikes.com and check out their bike tours section. Broken down into easy, moderate, hard categories for U.S. and worldwide destinations. It's a pretty good website, lots of info. and links.

Hi,
you can rent Mtn bikes and ride on the Carriage Trails, or you can ride on the perimeter road, or out on the road that circles the island. We go up there and ride every couple of years.
We either work the Jordan Pond Tea House into the ride, or immediately after. Start with the popovers.

National Bike Tour Directors site lists organized (usually state) rides. One ride that I have heard great things about is Bike Virginia. I have not gone on that ride. I suggest an organized ride first if money is not a problem, if not a weekend credit card trip. Buying all the stuff for solo touring is quite expensive. On organized rides, if you are up and leave early, you have the privacy of a solo ride but the support of SAG vehicles or fellow cyclists if you run into trouble. Also, if you leave early in the morning, you beat all the lines for breaks, and afterward at showers and meals. I believe to have a successful trip, you must be organized. Put out your clothes the night before and pack everything else in your down time. In the moring, you are ready to roll.

On unsupported tours, however, you aren't at the mercy of someone else's schedule. You can get up when you want and ride as far as you want. If you find a quaint town in Scotland, for example, you can go back and spend 3 more days there. You could go take a boat tour to Staffa, which you can't get to by bicycle. Or you could spend 4 days in The Dalles, OR and take a side trip to Mt. St. Helens or go to the Maryhill Museum. On organized tours, the mileage and schedule are what matters. On self-supported tours, the trip is what's important. Mileage is secondary and schedules are non-existant.

And you don't have to wait in line for showers! Somedays you don't even get a shower :rolleyes:

cyccommute I think your post was great explaining the different options. I just think a new person has to have some bike experience to enjoy a bike trip. It is like a 16 year old getting their car license and driving on a 1000 mile trip. In their mind, they think the trip will be like the 10 mile daily driving they have experienced. They do not know what it like to drive in snow, ice (black ice), with drunks, in mountains, in rush hour, etc so their expections of the 1000 mile trip are in error. If a new cyclist has some support and learns how to dress for different weather throughout the day, hydrating and eating properly for a multi-day event, and have assistance for mechanical repairs, they can enjoy cycling. I had planned on doing the transamerica this year but had problems with work. I love the idea of making my own schedule and I love to read the journals of trips of other cyclists. (yours was great) Still, I think a newbie should start small so they don't get discouraged. We have all had to get back on the bike after being nudged off the road or into a pothole, or having a car ride on your tailend and it is pretty unnerving to get back into traffic. On an organized ride, the drivers have already encountered other cyclists and have (hopefully) learned how to pass them comfortably.

http://www.backroads.com/

Quality bikes too, some Airborne stuff.

If you are planning to do this with your family and have kids, Callaway gardens in western Georgia is worth looking into. It has a central hotel as well as cabins. They have several miles of paved biking trails that are perfect for small kids and adults alike. They have (heavy) rental bikes, or you can bring your own. We went several times when we lived in Alabama, and the kids (then aged about 5 to 12) loved it. It's a little tame for adults looking for an adventure experience, but ideal for kids. For golfers, there are several courses, and there is also a Christmas lights display during the holiday season.

htpp://www.nbtda.com National Bicycle Tour Directors Association
http://www.adv-cycling.org
http://www.bicycletour.com
You will be able to find a tour to fit your needs/desires/location/schedule on one of the above sites. I am a member of the NBTDA and Adventure Cycling so I listed them first :>) IMO supported tours are an excellent way to determine if you like touring.
There are so many fantastic tours it is very dificult to decide......
Good Luck and Happy Touring.

http://www.nbtda.com National Bicycle Tour Directors Association
http://www.adv-cycling.org
http://www.bicycletour.com
You will be able to find a tour to fit your needs/desires/location/schedule on one of the above sites. I am a member of the NBTDA and Adventure Cycling so I listed them first :>) IMO supported tours are an excellent way to determine if you like touring.
There are so many fantastic tours it is very dificult to decide......
Good Luck and Happy Touring.

Sorry for double reply....I mistyped http in http://www.nbtda.com link