Highlights From 2011 Tours

Last week we heard from Ray Hanson, tour leader for Adventure Cycling?s Southern Tier self-contained group. On Sunday, November 20, they wrapped up their 3,100-mile cross-country journey in St. Augustine, Florida, with the traditional dipping of front wheels in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the final of 43 unique tours organized and led by Adventure Cycling over the past year, starting with our Death Valley Loop back in the spring.

From the tours office at Adventure Cycling we got to hear stories from the road, follow riders? blogs, and view photos captured on their cycling adventures. Here are some photos sent in by members and leaders highlighting some of our late summer and fall 2011 trips.

A shot of the picturesque Oregon coast, taken on the Oregon Coastal Odyssey fully-supported tour. Photo by Adventure Cycling member Maxwell Monroe.

Riders from the Pueblos to Peaks van-supported tour on their approach to Hoosier Pass (elevation 11,539?), near Breckenridge, Colorado. Photo by Adventure Cycling member Curtis Hancock.

A member of the Pacific Coast van-supported tour pedals along an iconic stretch of coastal highway. Photo by Adventure Cycling leader Rich Scott.

Riders on the Sierra Sampler fully-supported tour approach Sweetwater Summit, the second of three mountain passes that the group traversed in a challenging, but rewarding day of the tour. Photo by Arlen Hall, Adventure Cycling Tours Director.

Members of the Southern Tier van-supported tour take a layover day to explore the Gila Cliff Dwellings in southern New Mexico. Photo by Adventure Cycling leader Nicole Blouin.

Members of the Florida Keys self-contained tour gather for a group shot on the beach, complete with shorts, sandals, and shades (in November!). Photo by Adventure Cycling leader Jack Pettry.

Riders rest and relax around a lakeside campfire on the Great Lakes, Inn-to-Inn tour. Photo by Adventure Cycling leader Tim Meyer.

Do you have any photos of your own to share from an Adventure Cycling guided tour? We'd love to see them! You can do so by adding them to the Adventure Cycling Tours Group on Flickr. And if you haven?t done so, be sure to take a look at our 2012 tours and start planning your cycling adventure for next year -- today!

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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 Slate!

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/11/highlights-from-2011-tours.html

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Roanoke Mountain Campground -- Open or Closed?

We recently received an Action Alert from the Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) regarding the status of Roanoke Mountain Campground near Roanoke, Virginia, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway is a gem of a road ride and touring destination in the region not far from the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail and U.S. Bike Route 76.

If the General Management Plan drafted by the National Parks Service (NPS) for the Parkway is passed, the campground will be closed.

According to VBF board member Barbara Duerk, "Cyclists from around the world fly into Dulles airport and home from Ashville, North Carolina. The challenge is to bicycle the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Annually, individuals and groups persevere [over] the terrain for bragging rights, 'I conquered the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway.' Many of the riders are camping. Campsites on the parkway are adequately spaced for bicyclists. And they do come. ? even without showers."

"This is a tough stretch from a touring standpoint, and there aren't many camping options for the loaded cyclist. IMHO, closing this campground would be a great loss for the touring cyclist," added VBF board president Champe Burnley.

VBF is encouraging its members and the public at large to comment and encourage the NPS to leave the campground open. They recommend that the Roanoke Mountain campground be maintained (option A) or upgraded (option C). You can add your voice by leaving a comment on the VBF Action Alert or the NPS website. Comments must be received by December 16, 2011.

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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.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/11/roanoke-mountain-campground-open-or.html

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Klöden or Horner Could Win Tour of the Basque Country

Today?s 4th stage of the Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco, Tour of the Basque Country in Spain, was predicted by many to be the decisive battle in the mountains that would reveal the one or two riders that could stomp down on the field and make this race their own. And while it was [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/kloden-or-horner-could-win-tour-of-the-basque-country/

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Donning the Bike Overnight Hat

I'm happy to announce that I have recently been entrusted with overseeing and organizing Bike Overnights, IMHO one of the most promising new programs we've launched at Adventure Cycling in years.

As you can read at my Bike Overnights profile, over the years I've worn quite a few hats for Adventure Cycling, nee Bikecentennial. This is a new one I'm really excited about putting on, because I think Bike Overnights has the potential to introduce hundreds, thousands of neophytes to the joys of bicycle travel.

If someone tries out an overnight, he or she might be on the road to a future cross-country ride. Or not ? there's nothing wrong with sticking to the shorter rides. We just want to see people out there doing it!

Take a look at the Categories column on the right-hand side of the Bike Overnights home page. You'll see that so far, fewer than half of the states in the U.S. are represented. We need rides in Iowa, Wyoming, Hawaii, New Jersey, and so many other states. And I'd love to publish a story about someone doing a winter-camping bike overnight. A tale about a weekend ride to a high-school reunion. We're also looking for gear gurus, camp-cooking connoisseurs, and travel-tip trippers.

You get the picture. Be creative, and join in the fun. You don't need to be a professional writer or photographer. Just a Bike Overnighter with a desire to share the inspiration.

Muchas gracias
to media director Winona Bateman, web developer John Sieber, graphic designer Derek Gallagher, and former work study student Alison Riley for getting this program up and the wheels rolling. Not to mention the many contributors who have already taken part. Now we're depending on you and other cyclists to help us take it to the next level. You can submit trip stories via the online form or by sending an email to bikeovernights@adventurecycling.org.


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.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/11/donning-bike-overnight-hat.html

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Team RadioShack Line-up for Tour de Romandie

Team Radioshack is ready with their team for the 2011 edition of the Swiss race Tour de Romandie, which runs in the French speaking part of Switzerland. Tour de Romandie (Switzerland), 26/04 – 01/05/2011 Riders : Fumiyuki Beppu, Jani Brajkovic, Manuel Cardoso, Ben Hermans, Geoffroy Lequatre, Dmitriy Muravyev, Sébastien Rosseler & Haimar Zubeldia Directors : Alain Gallopin & [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/team-radioshack-line-up-for-tour-de-romandie/

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An Easy Ride Becomes A Hard Ride

What happens when two groups of male cyclists out for an ‘easy’ winter training ride meet on the road? Somehow, the pace starts to get lifted and before you know it your level 1 base training is becoming a nice little paceline with intervals thrown in. I was happily plodding along the country lanes, when [...]

Source: http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/4097/training/an-easy-ride-becomes-a-hard-ride/

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Team RadioShack in Franco-Belge and Binche

The Team line-up for the next races: Circuit Franco-Belge (Belgium) 29/9-2/10/11 Riders: Sam Bewley, Ben Hermans, Michal Kwiatkowski, Geoffroy Lequatre, Robbie McEwen, Gregory Rast, Jesse Sergent & Evgeniy Shalunov Director: Dirk Demol Binche-Tournai-Binche (Belgium) 04/10/11 Riders: Manuel Cardoso, Ben Hermans, Robert Hunter, Michal Kwiatkowski, Geoffroy Lequatre, Robbie McEwen, Jesse Sergent & Evgeniy Shalunov Director: Dirk Demol

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/team-radioshack-in-franco-belge-and-binche/

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Running from Winter




While I actually do love winter riding, it's the onset of winter that gets to me. Cold weather isn't a whole lot of fun to me without snow, so while I'm waiting for the snow to come at us in full force, running from the early season seems to be a good call.

Adventure Cycling's Sarah Raz and I will be heading south of the border for the third time together to escape the early winter season; this time we're heading to Mexico's South Baja coastline. We will be approaching this tour a little differently than we have approached other tours in the past, in addition to testing out some new gear, all of which you can find out about here when we return ... if we decide to return that is ...

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.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/11/running-from-winter.html

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Zubeldia Top 10 at San Sebastián

Team RadioShack?s highest placed finisher in the Tour de France, Haimar Zubeldia (ESP), finished 7th today in the 237-kilometer (147-mile) Clásica Ciclista San Sebastián contested in Basque country in the north of Spain. Omega Pharma Lotto?s Belgium star Philippe Gilbert continued his amazing streak this year walking away from some 20 top riders bunched [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/zubeldia-top-10-at-san-sebastian/

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