Dartmoor Classic

Today was, if nothing else, a lesson in how a sportive should be organised.  Since we have established a baseline disastrous standard against which to compare all other events, (yes, still moaning about the Dragon), we know what we’re talking about!  This was the opposite end of the scale – everything was superlative. Since kick-off [...]

Source: http://www.thecyclingmayor.com/?p=1998

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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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Amgen Tour, Stage 4, Chris Horner?s Climbing Clinic

Team RadioShack?s Chris Horner schooled the peloton at the Tour of California on how to power up the summit on Sierra Road at the end of the 82-mile (132-kilometer) stage from Livermore to San Jose, with a burst of power that must have left heads shaking in disbelief. While everyone was convinced that Levi [...]

Source: http://www.teamradioshack.us/amgen-tour-stage-4-chris-horner%e2%80%99s-climbing-clinic/

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Best Bike Touring Eateries: TransAmerica Trail

Army rations, Western Front, during World War I
My week-before-last's post -- Mix It: Food & Bikes -- inspired me to dive into an exploration of the best, not-to-be-missed eateries on well-traveled sections of our 40,000+ mile Adventure Cycling Route Network. Let's start with the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail!

This list will necessarily be entirely reader-driven. Here's how to get involved: Post (in the comments below) or email me (pressATadventurecyclingDOTorg) the following:

1. The name and location (city, state) of your favorite eatery on the TransAm
2. A 2-3 sentence statement about why it's the best -- which delicacy put you over the edge?
3. A photo of the place -- or of you and your buddies eating something delicious -- from your own TransAm adventure

I'll post the top 10 recommendations -- based on the very subjective drool factor (good description, mouth watering photo, etc.) -- in a few weeks!

Photo from the National Library of Scotland on Flickr

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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/2011/06/best-bike-touring-eateries-transamerica.html

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Best Bike Touring Eateries: TransAmerica Trail

Army rations, Western Front, during World War I
My week-before-last's post -- Mix It: Food & Bikes -- inspired me to dive into an exploration of the best, not-to-be-missed eateries on well-traveled sections of our 40,000+ mile Adventure Cycling Route Network. Let's start with the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail!

This list will necessarily be entirely reader-driven. Here's how to get involved: Post (in the comments below) or email me (pressATadventurecyclingDOTorg) the following:

1. The name and location (city, state) of your favorite eatery on the TransAm
2. A 2-3 sentence statement about why it's the best -- which delicacy put you over the edge?
3. A photo of the place -- or of you and your buddies eating something delicious -- from your own TransAm adventure

I'll post the top 10 recommendations -- based on the very subjective drool factor (good description, mouth watering photo, etc.) -- in a few weeks!

Photo from the National Library of Scotland on Flickr

--

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/2011/06/best-bike-touring-eateries-transamerica.html

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Alternate Route

There is an art to knowing which travel advice to embrace and which to ignore.

Every touring cyclist has had the experience of some local telling them that the road up ahead is flat, only to discover that it is hillier beyond belief. Or that the next town is just over the ridge, when there are three ridges to climb over.

Most cyclists learn to favor advice from someone else pedaling a bike before someone driving a truck or motor home. When driving a motorized vehicle, one tends to only notice the grade getting steeper when the motor shifts into low gear.

Kat and I asked several people in the pituresque town of Yusufeli, Turkey which route to take to get to the Black Sea Coast. We asked dozens of people and got only one answer. We needed to pedal toward Artvin on the main highway and cross over the mountains.

"No other way?"

None.

This was depressing. This route meant trucks and buses and traffic we always tried to avoid.

We were just about ready to pedal out of town, when we stopped at a bakery for a loaf of bread. For some reason I asked one more time. The man gave the same answer. But as I was headed out the door he said, "There is one other route. It goes toward Ispir. But it is a bad road."

Our ears perked up. We had learned from months of travel in Turkey that every time someone said the way we were headed was a bad road, that it was actually incredible ... and just what we were looking for.

This particular "bad road" ended up being a little-traveled, barely two-lane road that wound it's way through green rice fields surrounded by stark mountains. We encountered a handful of vehicles and were treated to some of the most fabulous scenery the country had to offer.

Sometimes it pays to ignore all the popular advice and follow your traveler's instinct. Even if it means your headed for the bad road.

Photo: Turkey-2002 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/.

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/06/alternate-route.html

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Day 44 - Using a pickup instead of bikes to Mesa Verde; bad move

DURANGO, COLO. - Note to self: If you're touring by bicycle, stay on the bicycle.

We've just returned from a strange and troubling adventure involving our reliance on a pickup truck we borrowed for the day. We're all safe and sound, but it could have turned out much worse.

Bruce and I had planned to take today off and take a $25 guided tour to the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, about an hour's drive away. The hosteler said we could do it cheaper if we rented a car, and what's more, a German hostel guest, Christiane, could go with us and make it back by her 4:30 bus ride out of town.

A guy from across the street who hangs around to drink the coffee here did that one better, and offered us the use of a pickup truck he had just purchased from a local mining company. We took him up on the offer...

Source: http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2005/6/26/975146.html

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