The Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders), Sunday April 3, 2011

Warning: Cycle Crazy Week Ahead! A high of 13 degrees Celsius with showers in the morning becoming cloudy in the afternoon. That’s the forecast for Sunday’s Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) on the ProTour circuit. One of the five so called “monuments” in the sport, this 95th edition of the race will see [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/the-ronde-van-vlaanderen-tour-of-flanders-sunday-april-3-2011/

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Coming to a Mailbox Near You

This truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Not just because houses are being decked out with twinkling lights, or because there are heaps of cookies everywhere, or because you get to listen to your favorite holiday songs (although those things are awesome, too). No, this time of year is filled with joy for one other very special reason, and that reason should be showing up in your mailbox later this week.

That's right, folks, the 2012 Adventure Cycling Tours Book is on its way to you, with a brand-new design and tons of gorgeous photographs guaranteed to give you an itch to pack up your panniers and head out on the open road.

This year, we've separated our tours into our six distinct types: Self-Contained, Inn-to-Inn, Van-Supported, Fully-Supported, Family tours, and Educational courses -- making it easier than ever for you to find your perfect tour. For more information, check out this post.

Don't be surprised if you find it hard to narrow down the selections; with such a variety of glorious options, who could blame you? Luckily, we have prepared for just such a challenge by creating our Compare All Tours Matrix, more fully explained by Mo on our blog. The matrix can help you compare and contrast tours until you find your perfect match (or matches).

So, start checking your mailboxes, girls and boys -- with our 56 amazing 2012 tours offered at 2011 prices, there has never been a better time to sign up!

Photos courtesy of the tours department. In the top photo, Paul and Mo spend a chilly Montana afternoon reading the new Tours Book and deciding which warmer-weather tour they're going to sign up for!

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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!


Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/12/coming-to-mailbox-near-you.html

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TdF Stage 12 ? Klöden ? Pain and Suffering

To the uninitiated, when enthusiasts talk about how elite cyclists can suffer and push themselves through pain, it?s usually a good thing, a compliment. It often refers to a rider pedaling up a high mountain or a long time trial where the toughest mental competitors drive themselves beyond their physical red zone and can [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/tdf-stage-12-kloden-pain-and-suffering/

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2011 Holiday Campaign, Third Edition

In the third edition of our blog series sharing how Adventure Cycling has changed lives, we bring you the story of one of our own: Adventure Cycling Tours Specialist Madeline McKiddy.

My name is Madeline McKiddy. I am a tours specialist at Adventure Cycling, and I have a shameful secret to impart -- until this last August, I had never been on a bicycle tour. I'd done long day rides and a bikepacking expedition or two, but never a real tour. In my defense, I would like to go on record as saying; I?m a fairly adventurous person. I like to try new things, to put myself out there and have new experiences. But the idea of a bike tour -- just me, those two wheels, and the open road -- had honestly never occurred to me. So when the chance was offered to join our Oregon Coastal Odyssey ride, I grabbed the opportunity and signed right up. At first, I was overcome by nerves. What if I couldn't do it? What if the hills were too steep, the other participants more serious cyclists than I? What if I became horribly lost?

From the emails I get from other first-time bike tourists, I know I am not the first to be plagued with these doubts. After my first tour with Adventure Cycling, let me go on the record as saying, "seriously, don't worry about it." This tour was one of the best weeks I've ever had! Yes, some of the hills were steep and some of the days were long. I was sweaty, and dirty, and I did have a moment (or two) when I wanted to sit down on the side of the road and never move again. But I was surrounded by such wonderful people, incredible scenery, and attentive staff that I almost never stopped smiling! I mean I literally never stopped smiling. At one of the rest stops I hopped off my bike to get a delicious snack and one of the staff members came up to me and asked if I actually smiled all the time in real life, or if I was truly having that much fun. Even the weather cooperated, giving us sunny skies and a strong tail-wind.

The biking was phenomenal every day, giving us sights from orchards to Christmas tree farms, craggy cliffs tumbling to the ocean, to sand dunes stretching as far as the eye could see. There is definitely a freedom about being out there, powered only by your own steam, just you and the elements. The kind of freedom I thought only existed in country songs. But I think what truly made this tour unforgettable to me was the camaraderie. Whether it was teasing me in the morning for missing breakfast to get that ever-important 5 extra minutes of sleep, cheering each other on as we climbed up the final few feet of a hill, or telling stories around the dinner table at camp, laughter was never more than a moment away.

"Remember, there's no rush," my friend Max reminded me as we stopped at a pullout to take more photos, "all we have to do today is set up a tent.?

There are thousands of people out there, just like me. Hundreds of thousands. People who have never imagined taking a bike tour; people who have waited for it their whole life -- maybe you?re even one of them. People who would love bike touring, if they just had the opportunity -- if they knew it was an option, if they were able to find routes and equipment, if they could read about how other people have done what they?re about to do.

And that?s what your donation does. It?s for the people, like me, and maybe like you, who have no idea what they?re doing but who want to try it anyway. By themselves, with their friends, on a tour with strangers -- by making a donation to Adventure Cycling today, you?re giving people the opportunity to explore the world in a whole new way.

So let me take this moment to say, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your continued support. For helping me to try something new, and to discover a whole new passion.

If you donate $10 or more before midnight PST on Thursday, December 8, not only will your donation be matched 1:1* by two generous donors, you will also be entered into a drawing to win our Adventure Cycling prize package, valued at $115 (pictured above).

Thank you once again for your support this holiday season and I hope to see you on the road!

*Two generous donors who strongly support our work have challenged our members, donors, and supporters to raise $50,000, which they will match for a total of $100,000! To do this, they have agreed to match all gifts 1:1. If you are a member, check the recent letter from us about a special 2:1 match opportunity, or call Alex Campbell at 800-755-2453, x239 to get that information.

Top photo courtesy of Madeline McKiddy.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/12/2011-holiday-campaign-third-edition.html

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Machado Rides Strong at Tirreno-Adriatico

The 7 stages of this year?s 45th running of the Tirreno-Adriatico, are now complete. After 1,075 kilometers (668 miles) the ?Race of The Two Seas? was decided on the last day, March 15, in the time trial by an 11 second margin. Cadel Evans of BMC ended up besting Robert Gesink of Rabobank [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/machado-rides-strong-at-tirreno-adriatico/

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Adventure Cycling's Top 10 Blog Posts of All Time

Checking out our blog stats is always interesting. A few days ago, I decided to review our top ten posts of all time. (We've been blogging now for about 2 years.) Lots of fun finds!

Our work to improve guidelines for rumble strips and our efforts to create an official U.S. Bicycle Route System snagged three spots in the top ten, including #1. Josh Tack's excellent Touring Gear and Tips column prevailed with his review of the Surly Long Haul Trucker ranking 2nd and his roundup of new touring bikes from the year's Interbike event landing in 5th place. Guest contributor Friedel Grant of TravellingTwo.com grabbed 6th place, and it was also really fun to see that the short documentary video project, The Cycling Eight, by our 2011 summer intern, Heather Andrews, garnered 4th place. (Congrats Heather!)

So, here they are, Adventure Cycling's top 10 blog posts of all time:

#10: Postcard from 1974: Hemistour Crosses the Equator -- Apr 27, 2011, 1,442 Pageviews

#9: Good News on Rumble Strips -- Nov 29, 2011, 1,557 Pageviews

#8: New! U.S. Bicycle Route Progress Report and Map -- Mar 9, 2011, 1,997 Pageviews

#7: 2nd Annual Bicycle Travel Photo Contest Opens Today -- Oct 1, 2010, 2,199 Pageviews

#6: The Art Of (Not) Planning For A Bike Tour -- Jan 18, 2011, 2,292 Pageviews

#5: Interbike Roundup Part 1: New 2012 Touring Bikes -- Oct 1, 2011, 2,379 Pageviews

#4: The Cycling Eight -- Sep 8, 2011, 3,054 Pageviews

#3: 2nd Annual Adventure Cycling Photo Contest Winners -- Mar 11, 2011, 6,042 Pageviews

#2: Surly Long Haul Trucker -- Jul 18, 2009, 8,097 Pageviews

#1: U.S. Bicycle Route System 101 -- Feb 3, 2010, 14,892 Pageviews

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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.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/12/adventure-cyclings-top-10-blog-posts-of.html

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Baja Bicycle Tour Gear List


My lastest bicycle tour took me to southern Baja for a couple of weeks for some fun in the sun. Unlike other tours I've taken south of the border, this one presented some unique challenges. For starters, the route called for a mix of pavement, sand, and gravel roads. Heading into the Baja desert, we also needed to be sensitive to flat tires from thorns, in addition to hydration with temps much higher than what we're used to this time of year. Here's a rundown on the route, bike selection, equipment, and tools.


Route
For a two-week tour, our total distance was only 212 miles, which made for some short days, but allowed us to take a lot more side trips along the way. San Jose del Cabo has an international airport that is easy to fly to, and the town also makes a great starting point. Overnight stops included Cabo San Lucas, Todos Santos, Los Barilles, and Cabo Pulmo.

Bike
With a fair amount of sandy and gravelly roads ahead of us, we left our traditional touring bikes at home, and pulled out the mountain bikes. Like my touring bike, I still had a huge range of gears with a 3x9 drivetrain. The Continental Traffic 26x1.9 tires were very tough against punctures, and had a good low profile tread pattern that worked well both on and off pavement. With just a couple spacers, the generic Axiom rack mounted up to the bike easily, which was a surprise considering that disc brakes often cause some headaches with rear racks. The Tioga Spyder saddle got a lot of remarks from passersby, but I won't back down on saying that it was super comfy from start to finish.

Accessories
I'm just going to go ahead and call the Salsa Anything Cage my favorite new product to come out of 2011. The days of being content with a wimpy 20oz bottle of soda in my bottle cage are over! For hauling the rest of my gear essentials, I went with a simple set of Arkel rear panniers, and a Jandd handlebar bag. With tent bungied down to the top of the rack, this was more than enough space for 2-weeks worth of gear.

Tool Kit
Once again, we were very fortunate when it came to mechanical. Just one flat tire and a broken chain slowed us down. The full tool kit comprised a Park Tool Rescue multi-tool, pre glued tire patches, a couple tubes, chain pin, Topeak Road Morph pump, a FiberFix spoke, and some zip ties.

Clothing
I didn't practice what I preach on this trip, and I got burned. Even if you're touring in the desert, always bring rain gear, even if the forecast calls for nothing but clear and sunny skies. Outside of that, I was prepared with a couple pair or bike shorts, jerseys, and socks, a couple changes of day clothes, cycling shoes and sandals, a helmet, and sunglasses.

Camping Gear
There really wasn't a ton to carry on the camping gear end. Just an MSR Hubba Hubba tent, summer time sleeping bag, Thermarest sleeping pad, and a Salsa titanium spork. Dealing with gas for stoves in small tourist towns seemed like a pain, so we left the cooking stuff at home.

Miscellaneous Items
In addition to clothing and tools, there were also the miscellaneous essentials, such as toiletries, bike lock, camera, a map of the area, a Spanish/English dictionary, and of course, a beach towel and sunscreen.

Photos by Josh Tack
Map courtesy of MapMyFitness.com

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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.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/12/baja-bicycle-tour-gear-list.html

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