The Cycling Dude

Pipeline Pirate: Cyclist, Hiker, Bold Adventurer, and All Around Nice Guy

As readers know I get my bike fixed at REI.

There are several of these fine establishments in Southern California, including at least 2 in the OC, and at one I've met an interesting chap in the Cycling Dept. who has helped me in more ways than with a flat tire.

Steve Kennedy is a fan of this blog, and has often told the customers he deals with about it, and helped me place my flier in the store.

Recently he invited me to be one of 2 speakers at a presentation he gave at the store.

It was there that I learned that Steve has been in preparation for one hell of a Grand Adventure. ;-D

He will soon be departing for a trip around the world, or across much of it anyway. ;-D

The first parts of his journey will be as part of 2 groups going to specific places for 2 specific purposes, one related to Astronomy, and the other to hiking.

After that there's hiking in Greece.

In October his bicycle will finally join him in Europe. ;-D

He hopes to travel around Europe on his bike, thru the end of  the year, at least, based on the time of his leave of absense from work, before coming back home.

He has set up a blog, and is learning how to use it, the better to share his journey with friends, family, and any other interested party that might come across it.

His Blog is called Freeway Soul, and there are only 8 posts so far, most back dated in order to tell his tale from the begining of planning, but it is a good start to what will be an interesting blog.

It all began on in November:

I'm starting this blog from the point when I made the decision to embark on this expedition. It took several weeks of thought and planning before I decided to go. I struggled with many issues. What about the unexpected? There wasn't any way at the time to foresee the complexity of this endeavor. Another problem was that I wasn't going to anounce that I was going and then cancel. If I say I'm going to do it, I will do it. It all started with a guy that came into the store at REI who was walking with a slight limp...

Planning for the first stages soon began.

Getting in shape was soon on the agenda:

Its fortunate that I have been commuting on a bicycle to work for the past five months. back in May I started a workout routine every morning to get myself in shape. The bike riding and workout routine has served me well so far but I need more. I will be the oldest member of the team going to base camp of Everest and I don't want to be the slowest.

In December he realized he wanted to do more than originally planned and, by May, also lost his taste for golf, too. ;-D

I thought this isn't that much fun anymore. I would rather be enjoying myself near a mountain stream or meeting some new interesting folks somewhere. Its funny how things change.

Yes, it IS funny how something happens that takes your life in directions you never dreamed possible. ;-D

He soon discovered the complications of using a laptop computer in a public place, especially the ones where the access is not free. ;-D

He asked me to help him understand a few things about this blogging thing, and so we met for breakfast the other day. ;-D

I wish him well on his trip, and will keep an eye on his blog, Freeway Soul, to see how things go. ;-D

Tow, Tow, Tow Your Boat...By Bicycle

Larry Lagarde, of Ride This Bike, sends me a great heads up about a grand adventure in which bicycles are playing an important part:

A Canadian husband and wife team are going on a 6,500 km human powered expedition from Scotland through Europe to Turkey and onto Syria.

For transportation, they will use 2 row boats.

When they need to portage or if the seas are too dangerous, they'll tow the row boats with folding bikes and trailers that are otherwise stored on board.

The team is composed of National Geographic Adventurers of the Year Colin (the first person to circumnavigate the globe only by human power) and Julie Angus (the only woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland).

Starting from the northernmost tip of Scotland, the pair will row south in the open sea in two, custom built, single person row boats designed by Colin.

A unique component of the expedition is the School Rowed Trip, an interactive and free program that promotes physical activity by challenging school aged children to match Julie and Colin’s physical output.

Educators and students are invited to participate in the initiative and over 20,000 students are already involved.

Colin and Julie seek to inspire youth to embrace active living, environmental stewardship, and rediscover the outdoors.

By the way, the bicycles being used during the Rowed Trip are full size folding mountain bikes from RideTHISbike.com.

Colin is riding a flat black SwissBike LX.

Julie is riding a baby blue Montague CX.

The bike trailers have been specially fabricated by Tony's Trailers.

At the end of each day, the two rowboats will be lashed together into a catamaran using the frames from the bike trailers to form a platform for a tent.

The Official Website, with Journal Updates, and more, is ROWED TRIP: A Journey By Oar From Scotland To The Middle East.

Regular updates about the trip will also be available at RideTHISbike.com.

Wow! ;-D

Got A Hankering to Travel? 50 Bicycling Vacation Ideas

A while back I was given a heads-up about a link filled piece by Jessica Hupp, of TravelHacker:

If you’re an active person, you’re probably not satisfied with the regular vacation. Rather, you’re more likely to enjoy a trip that involves biking, hiking, and more. These vacations fit the bill, offering gorgeous views, fun activities, and plenty of open road.

Top 50 Biking Vacations.

Anyone with the funds to afford these trips will find a wide variety of choices.

Equal Parenting Bike Trek 2008: A Journey for Children's Rights

Across the nation there are Cycling Events held for some Cause, or another, or no Cause at all, and there are individuals, and organizations taking Cycling Journeys for some Cause, or no Cause at all, as well.

This evening I received word from Robert Pedersen, of A Child's Right, concerningt Five Fathers about to pedal 758 mile for children’s rights, from Lansing, MI. to Washington DC, beginning in early August.

They aim to "raise awareness of a child's fundamental right to be loved, guided, educated and nurtured equally by both fit and willing parents of divorce.

From the time I was Nine, when my Father became mentally ill, I grew up without a Father in my life to help my Mother raise me, and my two sisters, andt we turned out reasonably well, if you ask me, hee, hee. ;-D

However, there are countless kids of divorce who grow up without the benefit of access to a willing parent who does not have custody of them.

I am doing my small part to publicize this issue by joining many others in spreading the word about this event.

The Website is Cycling4Children.com, and this post shares photos, videos, news stories, and more about the 2008 event, as does this one with regards to the 2007 ride (2007 Photos).

Other sites of interest:

DaddyBlogger.com has an extensive report on the 2008 National Fatherhood Summit with a ton of links to coverage.

Cycling Study Tours Offered by Brit Family Living in Netherlands

I recently received the following Press Release from Hembro Cycling Holidays/Cycling Study Tours, and let me say, up front, the resources they steer readers to are extensive, and interesting, and the many photos, and videos are a pure joy to look at, and will most likely make you extremely jealous and probably lead you to wonder why the hell can't the greatest nation in the world do some of this, too? ;-D

FACT GUARANTEED TO BLOW YOUR MIND: All Dutch railway stations seem to have thousands of bikes parked at them. ( Just watch the videos if you don't believe it. ;-D )

CYCLING STUDY TOUR

A Study Tour in the world's most cycle friendly country.

For transport professionals, politicians, campaigners and journalists.

There have been many words spoken about reducing CO2 emissions to tackle climate change, increasing the amount of exercise taken by the population to fight obesity and about the streets being made into places where people matter instead of motor vehicles. However, the English speaking world still does not invest sufficiently in truly sustainable transport. In fact, new infrastructure is still designed very much like the old infrastructure, emphasizing flow of motorized traffic above all else, reducing opportunities to take exercise as a part of everyday life, and decreasing the freedom of people to make use of the space outside their home. As a result, use of sustainable transport is low, obesity is growing and children are not given the freedom to get sufficient exercise.

Many countries seem to produce more words than action. Announcements of available money often sound substantial, but they're spread thinly and have low priority. Along with the lack of money there is the problem of a lack of vision about what good quality design for cyclists and pedestrians actually means. Low quality infrastructure makes the use of alternatives to the car unattractive.

It doesn't have to be this way.

Having made different policy decisions over many decades, the Dutch now travel travel by bicycle more often than by car. There is universal well designed infrastructure which makes cycling an appealing option for most people. As a result, most people cycle. Cyclists feel safe and their journeys are efficient and direct. Virtually all children cycle to school daily, incidence of obesity is comparatively low and reliance on fossil fuels is lower.

The Dutch are doing the right things and they have the results to prove it: More cycling, with a better safety record, than any other nation. Real, proven results, not just good intentions or hot air. Their success could and should be copied elsewhere.

Quick Facts:

In the entire Netherlands around 30% of all journeys are by bicycle. The second highest country is Denmark with around 14%. Most countries have under 2% of their journeys by bicycle, some fewer than 1%. Around 40% of journeys within Dutch cities are made by bicycle.

In the Netherlands, more journeys under 7.5 km / 5 miles are made by bicycle than by any other means.

In the Netherlands, older people are also mobile. Over 10% of cycle journeys are made by over 60s.

Virtually all Dutch school-children cycle to school.

Dutch cycle paths frequently offer shorter routes than the roads. They are smooth and well maintained. Dutch cyclists are not expected to share space with pedestrians, and the standard width for cycle only two direction paths is 4 metres ( 13 feet ).

Levels of public transport usage in the Netherlands are not much different than those in other countries. There is far greater potential for reduction in fossil fuel reliance by encouraging cycling than by subsidizing public transport. In addition it leads to a far greater cut in fuel usage and other benefits for society such as an increase in general health and a reduction in noise and fumes.

London recently announced its largest ever figure for walking and cycling: £500M. This sounds remarkable, and it's very welcome, but breaks down to a level of expenditure which is not particularly high by European standards. The sum is to be spread across several years. For instance, in 2008/2009, £62M is to be spent for both Walking and Cycling. Across London's 7.5M population this amounts to a little over £8 (approximately US$16) per person per year. Another European capital, Amsterdam, currently spends around €26 (approximately £20 or US$40) per person per year on cycling alone. Walking has a separate budget. Unlike UK cities, Dutch cities are not starting from nowhere. They have been spending this much for decades.

So what are we up to with our Study Tours?

Who are we ?

We are a British family who have lived and cycled in many parts of the UK including London, Cambridge, Somerset and Yorkshire. Our cycling experience includes commuting, shopping, tours with and without children, a little racing and even riding Land's End to John O'Groats (the entire length of Great Britain - 1700 km / 1100 miles).

We now live in the green city of Assen in the North of the Netherlands. Winters are cold here and headwinds are fierce, but the population of 63000 people nevertheless makes an average of 70000 cycle journeys per day. We make our share of those journeys.

What are we doing ?

We are organising Study Tours for all interested parties to show how much has been achieved in this country. We will be showing participants the result of design for people rather than for motorised vehicles. We will show the practical results of putting into action long term plans to achieve a more mobile and fitter society.

Over 3 full days we will show commuting routes, school routes, city centres, residential areas, links between villages and the design of new developments. All these were designed with cycling as a priority. We also have a presentation from local experts giving their rationale.

The cost of participating has been kept low in order that it will be accessible to as many people as possible.

Full details of the Study Tour, including photos and feedback from previous participants, can be found on our website:

The first Study Tour this year runs from the 13th to the 15th of May. This tour is now fully booked.

We are now taking bookings for the second Study Tour which runs from the 20th to the 22nd of May and soon will be taking bookings for the third Study Tour which runs from the 10th to the 12th of June.

References:

Articles in English about Dutch cycling policies

Photos:

Photos of Dutch cycling conditions.

Contact Details:

David and Judith Hembrow

E-MAIL: david at hembrow.eu

WEBSITE: Hembrow Cycling Holidays

***UPDATE - 4/7/08***

David Hembrow has sent me an interesting E-Mail in response to this post. ;-D

***END UPDATE***

Amtrak Bike Train - Ideas Wanted

Over the years I've taken my bike on Metrolink all across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernadino Counties, and the Metro Commuter Trains in Los Angeles, but have never had the chance to use Amtrak.

My friend and fellow advocate for cycling, Larry Lagarde, of Ride This Bike and Places to Ride, was inspired by a story from Canada to look into the implimentation of a similar idea in the United States.

He's looking for serious feedback from cyclists across the country, through blog comments here, or on his blog.

Let him explain:

Just thought I'd pass along that I'm in the initial stages of discussing
a Bike Train with Amtrak. I'm looking for feasible locations for such a
service and would like to put the call out to readers at the CyclingDude.

Last summer, Canada's ViaRail ran a pilot Bike Train with space for 56
unboxed, fully assembled bikes from Toronto to Niagara Falls. The
service was such a success that ViaRail is expanding the Bike Train. I'm
convinced that an Amtrak Bike Train would have the same results.

Ideally, the Bike Train would run from a large metro area served now by
Amtrak. The metro area selected must have a high number of cyclists and
the train must run to a destination that is favored by cyclists and is
just a few hours from the large metro area. The cycling destination
should already be a stop on Amtrak that is staffed by Amtrak personnel.

Based on the above qualifications, if readers have ideas regarding a
potential Bike Train service, please pass them along.

Here's the story by Larry, with a link to the website of the Canadian Project.

See the results of his great straw poll of some bicycle advocates from across the country in "Unboxed Bikes on Trains in the USA."

Here in SoCal cyclists and everyone else, pack the Metrolink from LA to Ventura, and Amtrak to Santa Barbara, and beyond, for day trips on the weekend.

I've heard it can be a madhouse, and I've heard it can be great.

On trains, such as the Surfliner, you sit adjacent your bikes, but space is limited.

Beginning next month I will be using both Metrolink (Pictured to the left.) and Amtrak, to get me to some rides throughout the year, and will write of my experiences.

When I head out to the Northern end of the Los Angeles River to begin my ride to the beach, soon, I will have to use the Blue and Red Line Trains in LA, and on those you have to stand with your bike in designated areas of each car for the whole ride.

Here is the page on the AMTRAK Website that describes its options for the cyclist.

Metrolink Policy is as follows:

Bikes are allowed on trains at all times.

Regular bikes should be secured using wheel straps available on certain
passenger cars.

Folding bikes should be folded, carried onto the train and stored like any other carry-on item.

Train personnel may ask cyclists to wait for the next train if bike storage is unavailable.

Three-wheeled bikes are not permitted on trains.

I like the idea of having special Baggage Cars just for 50 or so bikes.

Larry says that "People have been calling and emailing like crazy about the bike train.
Many have asked what more they can do to help get the bike train underway." 

He has some suggestions:

Ways To Build Interest In The Bike Train:

1. Tell others.
More cyclists must be aware of the bike train and express their desire
to use it.

2. Gather statistics.
Providing Amtrak with hard facts on the number of cyclists interested in
the service and where those cyclists want to take the train to go
cycling helps Amtrak guage the costs and benefits of the service.

3. Endorse the concept.
Everything that Amtrak does is scrutinized so demonstrating broad
support is vital. The more entities that speak up, the better.

4. Sponsor the bike train.
Offsetting the initial costs of the bike train service with sponsorships
makes it more appealing for Amtrak to initiate bike train service.

Gene Bisbee, of Biking Bis, has suggested running the bike train
to major cycling events like the Seattle to Portland Bike Classic (STP).
The coordinator of that event (Dave Douglas) believes that a
competitively priced bike train would sell out for the STP and other
rides put on by the Cascade Bike Club.

He has more to say about the issue here.

Like Larry I am very passionate about cycling.

I think the idea of combining cycling and passenger rail is a no brainer and confident that a bike train would be successful

I support Larry's efforts to pursue the idea with Amtrak.

Although my time and resources are limited, compared to many cycling advocates, I'm willing to do what I can to help in the effort.

Let's see what we can do to help Amtrak become more appealing to
cyclists!
 

Get Your Cycling Kicks on Route 66, and Other Roads

I have added a few links in the sidebar, this morning.

There are 8 important websites related to Historic Route 66, the Mother Road of the National, Cross-Country Highway System, now listed under CYCLE USA.

Also there is a Blog called RoadDog's Road Blog, there, by a motorist  who likes to travel along America's 2 lane byways, and report what he encounters, news, and other useful info.

In my CA. ROUTE INFO section are 2 sites of interest:

Scott Piotrowski , of Pasadena, has a blog he calls Historic Roads in Los Angeles County:

My interest in Route 66 has grown to other historic roads of interest (Lincoln Highway, Ridge Route, Yellowstone Trail, US-6, etc.), but as I learned at my first "Preserving Historic Roads" Conference in 2002, I am most fond of the "home highway." So, my concentration here is on exploring historic roads in the area I live, Los Angeles County.

Ridge Route is a website "dedicated to that curvy little road that united California."

The Ridge Route Preservation Organization is a California non-profit corporation committed to educating the public to the importance of California’s historic 1915 Ridge Route Highway, an engineering marvel that prevented California from separating into two separate states.

Seventeen point six miles of the original road were recorded onto the National Register on September 25, 1997 and our intent is to solicit federal, state and private support to restore the road that has been void of maintenance since 1933.

We will accomplish these goals through advocacy, public relations, fund raising events and our worldwide web site.

These websites are a goldmine of useful information not just for motorists, but for any cyclist looking for route info, and interesting places to put pedal to pavement for an enjoyable ride.

Washingtonian Escaping to Florida by Bike Seeks Help

Okay, all you happy people!

I got this communique, yesterday, and figured that I might be able to get more info for the guy than the links in my sidebar might provide:

Hey, I live in Olympia, WA. and am starting a new job in Florida.

I'm thinking of riding my bike there.

Has anyone ever gone from coast to coast?

Do you know approx. how long it will take or good routes?

Thanx for any input...

Kenny Z ( kzsurvey at yahoo dot com )

There is the Lewis and Clark Trail, to get from Wash. to VA., at least. ;-D

Of course he could haul butt down the coast to connect with the American Discovery Trail, from CA. to as far as Missouri...

Or U.S. Route 40, from CA. to as far as Missouri, as well. ;-D

In my sidebar are a collection of sites under the heading of BIKE TOURING AND CYCLING THE WORLD.

Not to mention all the state by state resources.

Any other ideas, can be posted in the comments for all to profit from, and/or sent to Kenny. ;-D

Bike Friendly Mass Transit: California

AVTA (Antelope Valley-Lancaster, Palmdale)

BART (San Francisco Region)

Big Blue Bus (Santa Monica)

CCCTA (Central Costa Co.)

Culver City Bus (LA Co.)

Foothill Transit (LA Co.)

GET (Bakersfield)

Humboldt Transit Authority (Redwood, Eureka Region)

Mendocino Transit Authority (Mendocino Co.)

METRO (Santa Cruz Co.)

Metrolink Trains (Southern Ca.)

Modesto Area Express (Modesto Area)

MST (Greater Monterey, Salinas Area)

MTA (LA Co.)

OCTA (Orange Co.)

OMNITRANS (San Bernardino Co.)

RABA (Redding Area)

RT (Sacramento Region)

RTA (Riverside Co.)

samTrans (San Mateo Co.)

San Diego Transit (SanDiego Co.)

San Luis Obispo Co. Regional Transit Systems

Santa Clarita Transit

SCT (Sonoma Co.)

SMART (Stockton Area, San Joaquin Co.)

StaRT (Stanislaus Co.)

Tri Delta Transit (Eastern Contra Costa Co.)

VTA (Santa Clara Valley Region)

YARTS (Yosemite National Park Region-Mariposa, Merced, and Mono Co.)

Yolobus (Yolo Co.)

AMTRAK

SoCal Transit Trip Planner

Send me an e-mail if you are aware of other agencies, and I will add the link to the list.

Iceland in Summer: A Bicycling Paradise

Next time you are thinking of Touring on vacation consider Iceland. ;-D

The hostile terrain of Iceland wouldn't be everyone's first choice for a summer cycling holiday but one Yorkshireman fulfilled a lifelong ambition when he cycled round the country's shores and wrote a book about his travels. Lizzie Murphy, of the Yorkshire Post, spoke to him:

HIS bike broke down numerous times on the unforgiving steep gravel roads, but Andy Shackleton kept going.
Even though it was summer, he battled through wind and snow as he cycled round Iceland's 1,200-mile circumference.
But no matter how bad conditions got, he says he never got off and pushed his bicycle anywhere: "I was determined to ride my bike and no matter how steep it got, I refused to give in."
It was this strong will that enabled Mr Shackleton, who was born in Todmorden, to complete the gruelling four-week venture he set himself.
And although he had cycled long distances before, he admitted: "It was the most challenging cycling I have ever done in my whole life."
The idea came about after going on cycling holidays with his son, Chris. After one trip through Norway, Mr Shackleton, 59, said he decided he would like to try cycling around Iceland.
But the journey, which also included travelling through Shetland and Orkney, proved to be one of the most challenging experiences of his life.
He said: "A lot of the roads in Iceland are closed in the winter because of snow and ice. Some are only open in July, August and September so when I went some had only just opened.
"Sometimes I'd be cycling for days without speaking to anyone and at times I thought 'this is just loopy'."

Read the full story, including how he decided to write a book of his journey that is due for publication in Britain next month:

YORKSHIRE POST ( 7/31 ): Determined cyclist in the saddle for ride of a lifetime.

The book, Arctic Cycle, will be published on September 14 – Mr Shackleton's 60th birthday.

Oregonian recommends local routes for riding

Recently Portland Oregonian reporter Michelle Mandel recommended 5 routes to bike ride in the Washington County region of Oregon.

3 of the routes apparently travel through some of the less populated areas of the county.

She commands her readers:

Now get out there and pedal. And consider lots of stops for pictures, picnics, pleasure. Routes contain much to entertain the senses: filbert groves, pioneer cemeteries, wildflowers. See, smell and touch.

No doubt half of Portland replied... "Okay, okay, we're going, we're going!" :-D

Well, I'm here to make sure that folks outside of the great state of Oregon are made aware of 2 of her recommendations, in case the article disappears, and of the book she took them from.

ROUTE 1:

Country Cruiser Length: 18 1/2 miles. Difficulty: Easy, rolling two-lane road, with a few moderate hills. Traffic: Low, except one mile along Cornelius-Schefflin Road Specifics: Start in Verboort at Visitation Catholic Church. Head north on Visitation Road to Osterman Road; go left. Osterman becomes Kemper Road. Continue west to Kansas City Road; turn right, and jog north to Hillside Road. Turn left and continue to Clapshaw Hill Road; turn right. Ride to Kansas City Road; turn left, then right on Greenville Road. Continue to Roy Road; turn left, then right on Harrington Road. Continue to Kerkman Road; turn right. Intersect with Cornelius-Schefflin Road; turn right and head west to traffic circle; turn right, toward Verboort, on Verboort Road. Loop ends at church on Visitation Road. Highlights: Vivid scenery awash with farm fields, fruit and nut trees and vineyards. Coast Range provides tree-studded backdrop. Wild blackberry and raspberry bushes offer rest-stop opportunities, particularly in August and September, when fruit ripens. Pass Hillside Cemetery, opened in 1887, and white-clapboard Hillside Bible Church, opened in 1884. Savor a downhill ride on Clapshaw Road, beneath a canopy of trees and ferns reminiscent of the Columbia River Gorge. Consider a half-mile, gravel road detour down Seavey Road to Tualatin Estates Winery, open noon to 5 p.m. weekends. The valley opens up on Greenville Road, revealing nurseries, corn fields and hay bales. On Harrington Road, admire St. Francis of Assisi Church, built in 1908, before pedaling past fields of rhubarb and strawberries. Take caution on Cornelius-Schefflin Road, especially during peak driving times.

ROUTE 2:

Grand Tour Length: 26 miles. Difficulty: Some tough hills, but mostly rolling farmland. Traffic: Low, but tricky sometimes, especially on the descent down windy Laurelwood Road Specifics: Start at Forest Hills Golf Course, at intersection of Southwest Tongue Lane and Golf Course Road. Head south on Iowa Hill Road, then east on Unger Road. Connect with Oregon 219, turn right, then right onto Bald Peak Road. Continue to Campbell Road, turn left and head to Laurel Road. Turn right and head west to reunite with Bald Peak Road. Soon intersect with Laurelwood Road, wind down the hill and turn right on Spring Hill Road. Travel 10 miles north to Fern Hill Road; turn right. Connect with Geiger Road, turn right, then hit Lafollet Road and turn left. Lafollet heads north, then east and connects with Golf Course Road. Turn right and head south to Forest Hills Golf Course. Highlights: Rolling two-lane Iowa Hill Road showcases nurseries, grapevines and blueberry bushes. Look closely on left for rare yellow yew trees; early settlers cut the sturdy wood for ax handles. Three miles into ride, pause at crest and soak in lush valley view. Along Unger Road, see dahlias for sale. Bald Peak Road offers farm houses. At Campbell and Laurel roads, take a refreshment break at Laurel Valley Store. Then gear up for calf-testing action on fairly steep Laurel Road. Take a breather, then coast down windy Laurelwood Road, beneath its beautiful foliage overhang. Spot bison nibbling in a daisy-dotted field. At Spring Hill Road, find a pioneer cemetery, then cruise through miles of orchards, flower nurseries and meadows bordered by ash trees. Finally, on Geiger Road, pass the southern tip of Fern Hill Wetlands.

The book she recommends:

"Country Cycling: The Country Side of Portland," available for $3 from the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Washington County, 5075 S.W. Griffith Drive, Suite 120, Beaverton.

Okay, all you vacationers, you heard the Lady, "get out there and pedal!"

June 30th: Cyclists have a host of choices in Washington County, whether they want a leisurely spin or a calf-burning churn.

Tourism Offices of the United States

Many people ride their own bikes across America on vacation trips, personal journeys of one sort, or another, and for charity, among other reasons.

Many also go to particular places, on vacation, with cycling on the agenda, and either use their own bikes, or rent them.

As a companion to my list of similar sites in the cities, and counties, of California, here is a list of Tourism Offices, and their websites, representing all 50 States of the United States, and Washington, DC.

Like those other sites, let this be a source for your search for info related to road bicycling adventure.

Alabama: Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel.

Alaska: Alaska Travel Industry Assn., Visitor Info Center.

Arizona: Arizona Office of Tourism.

Arkansas: Arkansas Tourism Office.

California: California Tourism.

Colorado: Colorado Tourism Office. 

Connecticut: Connecticut Vacation Center. 

Delaware: Delaware Tourism Office.

Florida: Visit Florida. 

Georgia: Georgia Department of Economic Development. 

Hawaii: Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

Idaho: Idaho Travel Council.

Illinois: Illinois Bureau of Tourism.

Indiana: Indiana Department of Tourism.

Iowa: Iowa Tourism Office. 

Kansas: Kansas Travel and Tourism.

Kentucky: Kentucky Department of Tourism. 

Louisiana: Louisiana Office of Tourism.

Maine: Maine Office of Tourism. 

Maryland: Maryland Office of Tourism Development.

Massachusetts: Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.

Michigan: Travel Michigan. 

Minnesota: Minnesota Office of Tourism.

Mississippi: Mississippi Tourist Information Center. 

Missouri: Missouri Division of Tourism. 

Montana: Travel Montana.

Nebraska: Nebraska Tourism Information Center.

Nevada: Nevada Commission on Tourism.

New Hampshire: New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development. 

New Jersey: NJ Commerce and Economic Growth Commission, Office of Travel and Tourism.

New Mexico: New Mexico Department of Tourism. 

New York: New York State Division of Tourism.

North Carolina: North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development. 

North Dakota: North Dakota Tourism. 

Ohio: Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism. 

Oklahoma: Oklahoma Tourism.

Oregon: Oregon Tourism Commission.

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Center for Travel, Tourism and Film Promotion. 

Rhode Island: Rhode Island Tourism Division. 

South Carolina: South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

South Dakota: South Dakota Department of Tourism.

Tennessee: Tennessee Department of Tourism Development. 

Texas: Department of Economic Development, Tourism Division.

Utah: Utah Travel Council.

Vermont: Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing.

Virginia: Virginia Tourism Corp. 

Washington: Washington State Tourism. 

Washington, D.C.: Washington, D.C., Convention and Tourism Corp..

West Virginia: West Virginia Tourism.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

Wyoming: Wyoming Division of Tourism.

California tourist and visitor bureau list

Are you a Ca. native, or a tourist from some other state, or country?
Are you a Bicyclist, looking for places to ride, and for information on those places?
Well, this collection of links to some of the California tourist, visitor bureaus should be a big help in your planning:

California Welcome Centers- Official State Visitor Centers across the State.

Amador County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: 1
Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau: 2
(Greater) Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau: 3
Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: 4
Berkeley Convention and Visitors Bureau: 5
Beverly Hills Conference and Visitors Bureau: 6
Big Bear Chamber of Commerce: 7
Big Bear Lake Resort Assn.: 8
Big Sur Chamber of Commerce: 9
Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: 10

Calaveras Visitors Bureau: 11
California Delta Chambers and Visitors Bureau: 12
Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau: 13
Carmel Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center: 14
Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: 15
Central Valley Tourism Assn.: 16
Coronado Visitor Center: 17
Costa Mesa Conference and Visitors Bureau: 18
Crescent City-Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce: 19
Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center: 20
Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center: 21
El Dorado County Visitors Authority: 22
Fresno City and County Convention and Visitors Bureau: 23
Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce: 24
Grass Valley (Nevada County) Chamber of Commerce: 25
Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: 26
Hermosa Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: 27
Humboldt County Convention and Visitors Bureau: 28
Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau: 29
Idyllwild Chamber of Commerce: 30
Julian Chamber of Commerce: 31
Kern County Board of Trade: 32
Laguna Beach Visitors and Conference Bureau: 33
Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center: 34
Lake County Visitor Information Center: 35
(North) Lake Tahoe Resort Assn.: 36
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority: 37
Lassen County Chamber of Commerce: 38
Long Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: 39
Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau: 40
Mammoth Lakes Visitors Bureau: 41
Marin County Visitors Bureau: 42
Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce: 43
Merced Conference and Visitors Bureau: 44
Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce: 45
Mendocino County Alliance: 46
Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau: 47
Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau: 48
Morro Bay Visitors Center and Chamber of Commerce: 49
Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce and Visitors' Bureau: 50
Napa Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau: 51
Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau: 52
Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau: 53
Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau: 54
Ontario Convention and Visitors Bureau: 55
Oxnard Convention and Visitors Bureau: 56
Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention and Visitors Authority: 57
Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau: 58
Pismo Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau: 59 and 60
Plumas County Visitors Bureau: 61
Red Bluff-Tehama County Chamber of Commerce: 62
Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau: 63
Ridgecrest Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: 64
Riverside Convention and Visitors Bureau: 65
Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau: 66
San Bernardino Convention and Visitors Bureau: 67
San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau: 68
San Diego (County) North Convention and Visitors Bureau: 69
San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau: 70
San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau: 71
San Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau: 72
San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau: 73
Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau and Film Commission: 74
Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitor Council: 75
Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor and Convention Bureau: 76
Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau: 77
Shasta Cascade Wonderland Assn.: 78
Sierra County Chamber of Commerce: 79
Siskiyou County Visitors' Bureau: 80
Solvang Conference and Visitors Bureau: 81
Sonoma County Tourism Program: 82
Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau: 83
(Greater) Stockton Chamber of Commerce and Department of Tourism: 84
Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce: 85
Trinity County Chamber of Commerce: 86
Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce: 87
Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau: 88
Vallejo Convention and Visitors Bureau: 89
Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau: 90
Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau: 91
Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce: 92

Around the world on 2 wheels

One mans journey of personal discovery involved leaving his life in America behind to pedal a bike around the world, vowing "not to stop until I was happy with my life".

Scott Stoll did an amazing thing in my book, and this story just barely touches the surface.

In his mid-20s, full of angst, unsure of where life in advertising was taking him or whether he really wanted to go there, Stoll asked himself a question back in 1996.

"If I could do anything in the world, what would I do?"

Pedal, he told himself. Maybe even bicycle around the world...

After bicycling 40,220 kilometers (nearly 25,000 miles, just longer than the equatorial circumference of the world) through 48 countries over 37 months, Stoll finally stopped pedaling.

His trip ended in October, and he returned to the US in December.

It was an exhausting yet exhilarating trip filled with both human kindness and treachery, with nature's beauty, challenge and danger.

It was a trip that initially involved only the US but, years later, turned into a decision to traipse around the world.

So, with a friend, he started off a new, in 2001.

The friend eventually returned home, and he continued on his own.

The farther they went, into Central and South America, the more they realized that world events didn't seem a barrier to their travels. He said, "We didn't have any problems until Europe," their next stop after a trans-Atlantic flight.

Europeans he encountered viewed Americans as fat and lazy and untraveled - stereotypes that made him angry and defensive.

"I felt I was the bicycling ambassador of my country," he said. "I'm aware that America has mucked around a lot, but I don't agree with anyone that 9-11 was what we deserved."

They avoided parts of the Middle East because of the war, but ventured into Egypt and found some residents particularly unfriendly and even threatening.

In Nepal, Stoll stayed discreetly inside a store while protesters burned President Bush in effigy during a protest on the street.

An often interesting, frequently dangerous, journey where he was sometimes afraid, but frequently touched by the people he encountered, led him eventually to the happiness he craved.

You can read some of his adventures here: The Argonauts.

The stories, and photos, give a fascinating glimpe into various parts of the world, and one mans ( 2, actually, if you count the stories of his friend ) personal journey.

Do like I have done, and save the link to the site so you can spend time, at your leisure, enjoying the adventure. ( It's gonna take me a while to make it through it all, trust me! )

Full News story-- MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL: Covering globe on 2 wheels by Laurel Walker.

Have Bicycle Will Travel

I thought I'd begin a look at the growing list of Bicycle Friendly Mass Transit Agencies I'm cataloging with what I think was the 1st such agency in Southern California to put Bike Racks on the front of their busses:

The Riverside Transit Agency, in Riverside County, California.

But first let me begin by explaining why I'm making such a catalog in the first place.

For people with cars getting around is a snap, despite the hassles of rush hour, and for the bicyclist with a car, truck, camper, or SUV, traveling some place to ride a bike is just a matter of attaching the bike to a bike rack or tossing the bike in the back somewhere.

For folks like me, though, who have never owned a car, and rely on the bus for transportation, the options for places to go to ride my bike for recreational purposes were limited until the invention of the Bikes on Busses concept in the early 90's, and earlier I think, in some places in the country.

Living along the border of Los Angeles & San Bernardino Counties I could ride buses deep into 5 counties, but never take my bike along.

After OMNITRANS, the Transit authority in San Bernardino County followed RTA'S lead, then the 2 big agencies in LA County, and then San Diego County, got religion, the commuting, and recreational options for bicyclists opened up.

I was able to ride my bike from Ontario, 40 miles south to Lake Elsinore, and take a series of busses from there back home to Pomona using 3 transit agencies.

I would never have been able to ride the San Gabriel, and Santa Ana Rive Bike Trails, along PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, or in the San Gabriel Mountains if not for the access to bikes on busses.

Stories like mine can be found all across America where, because of this program, people are able to find new places to ride their bikes, or to commute to, and from work.

Now back to the RTA:

The agency website is HERE.

RTA has grown since it began in 1977.

It now provides local and regional services with 41 fixed-routes in a service area spaning more than 2,500 square miles in western Riverside County.

The Cities of Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Corona, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Norco, Perris, Riverside, San Jacinto, Temecula, and the unincorporated areas of Riverside County are covered, with connections to San Bernardino, Orange, and San Diego Counties.

While the main page of the website has links to news stories, and other information, there are 2 links that are important for the cyclist:

THE BUS INFORMATION drop down menu, and the PLAN YOUR TRIP button.

The drop down has easy to navigate sections for a Route Listing with links to individual route maps and schedules, a Route Directory for figuring out the important places busses go, and a Service Guide telling you what routes cover what cities.

With printer friendly PDF files, as well, this is all quite useful.

Thre is a link to an explanation of the fare structure, and bus passes.

The Trip Planner link provides you a choice between 2 services to help you plan your trip, and bothe are very easy to use.

TRANSTAR: The automated transit trip itinerary planning web services

METRO TRIP PLANNER: A service of MTA in LA County that covers 6 counties.

The drop down also has a link to the page for cyclists.

The information includes, in addition to the important advisory that forgotten bikes will be held for 5 business days, the following detailed, and useful, sections:

Bus Bike Rack Basics

Children and Bike Racks

How to Use the Bike Racks

Go here: For Cyclists

I've just learned of the new bus that goes from Murieta & Temecula, in Riverside County, to Oceanside, in San Diego County, and another within the county that goes from Corona to Temecula, and am already giving some thought to being able to spend a day riding my bike around the Wine Country of Temecula. :-)