Fifty Plus (50+) - Are you planning a cycling vacation?

Are any of you contemplating taking a vacation planned around cycling this year? Based here in New England and mired in deep winter I would have considered a week in Florida like Tom spent an ideal vacation. However it did not come to pass and now I find myself planning a 4 day trip to Cape Cod, possibly on the 4th of July weekend. Naturally the bikes will be loaded onto the rack and will accompany us. We have done trips in the past where the car was parked at the hotel and never moved for the rest of the trip. Riding to dinner on the bike is considered manditory.

Two of them actually. A week in June with my wife and another week in August with a long time cycling buddy. Both week long trips will be in Wisconsin. Labor Day week end we're planning to go to Springfield, Illinois for the Midwest Tandem Rally.

Now I've got to work on losing some of this winter fat to get ready.

One week in April to follow the Tour de Georgia, a few days on my bike, but a full week of bicycle obsession.
Another week in June for BRAG. At least a couple of weekend trips involving lots of cycling.

Three weeks in May in Eastern Ontario, NY State and La Route Verte in Quebec. Planning has begun.
Hockey

Three in the works here.

June: Great Finger Lakes Bicycle Tour (http://www.southerntierbicycleclub.org/fingerlakestour.html). Yeah, it's just a weekend, but since I work weekends, I have to burn some vacation days, so I'm counting it.

June or July (dates TBD): My annual Week of Metric Centuries based from my parents' summer place in Westport, Ontario. I shoot for four metrics in the week, with fireroading rides on the off days. Since my Portland is based in part on cyclocross geometry, instead of taking two bikes this year, I'm taking two wheelsets--one with road tires and cassette, the other with CX tires and cassette.

July/August: Eight to ten days in Colorado which will include the BikeJournal Reunion weekend.

Three weeks in May in Eastern Ontario, NY State and La Route Verte in Quebec. Planning has begun.

If your route takes you through Rahchacha, you're welcome to bunk here.

I'll be riding XOBA (Across Ohio Bike Adventure) again this year. The theme this is "The Underground Railroad Tour".

In the planning stage is a ride around Lake Erie in late August or early September with a group of friends. We're currently gathering maps, camping facilities, etc. We'll have a van, trailer and two non-cycling wives who will provide SAG for the riders.

I also have a few weekend events scheduled:
TOSRV - 210 miles in 2 days
Tour de Cure - Indianapolis charity ride on the Indy 500 track and nearby road routes
FORBT - Frontier Ohio River Boat Tour

I'll be in Florida next week but it's not a biking trip:o I'm hoping to see my nephew take his high school wrestling team to their 5th state title!

I'm planning many, many mini cycling vacations. I'm thinking also of going to Colorado to take a the "learning to tour" class offered by adventure cycles, but I have so much going on already.

It's sad to say, but what's a vacation? Working multiple jobs to get kids through college kind of make vacations something in the realm of fantasy for me. But, who knows, maybe the planets will align themselves in a manner allowing for a miracle. As of right now, a vacation isn't happening anytime soon. :(

Arizona week after next, Vermont (probably) in June and Route Verte (possibly) in September, and always looking for more.

So...

If you have any maps or route/contact information on Route Verte, Hockey, I'd love some details. I have not started researching it all yet -- I'm aiming at motels rather than hotels. Is this an option, as far as you know?

TSI, when is the Finger Lakes weekend? (Anything within driving distance of T'r'n'a has to be worth considering.

Two biking and one no-so biking. The later is to the Florida Keys next week. We are taking two dogs and our beater bikes. Once my wife's work schedule clears up we plan to schedule a VBT bike/food/wine tour to Prague/Vienna, probably in May. And in late June we are going on the Bike Virginia Tour and hope to meet other 50+ers. It's nice to be retired. Hopefully, my wife will follow next year.

We will be flying down to spend at least the three long weekends of the summer on Ocracoke Island, NC, where there are no rental cars. Typically, we rent one bike with a trailer and one with a Trail-A-Bike so that we can transport our daughter, beach umbrella, beach chairs, snacks, cameras, towels, etc. There is a possibility that this is the year that our child will get her own bike to ride for the first time, which is an exciting possibility.

Paul

Its winter......I'm cold.....I'm not getting to ride much.....why do I want to plan a vacation.............here's why.

Not much like the coast in California, but I love the East Coast Shoreline.

In the first picture, just left of center under the blue roof is the motel that I stay at. The storm tide line is somewhere on the wall of the building. I can't waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

It is windy though all the time. For this I built the TT bike.

The wife and I will be doing the Bike Virginia in June. This is our first attempt at a multi day event.

We're toying with the idea of riding from here to the coast and down the coast to Santa Barbara, then taking the train home. The idea's still in its infancy, but it has a lot of appeal.

Last year's Holland Hundred in western MI made for a nice, long weekend mini-vacation so we might do that again. Plenty there for my non-biking spouse to amuse herself with on ride day.

I've always wanted to visit the Finger Lakes area, so that tour looks intriguing. And the required club membership is cheap! Probably some pretty good hills there so this flatlander will have to train for it.

My wife and I will be riding the Lake Pepin 3-Speed tour (my 3rd time, her 2nd) May 17th and 18th,

http://www.3speedtour.com/ in WI and MN.

Plus we're doing a week-long tour in Washington state, end of July - Aug. 1.

http://www.oregonbicycleride.org/

In addition we'll ride several of the CA Triple Crown double centuries (first one, Butterfield, coming up Feb. 16th), probably seven for me and five for her. She doesn't like anything with over 10,000 feet of climbing in one day.

http://www.caltriplecrown.com/schedule.htm

Rick / OCRR

Not certain whether we will get there as another wedding later in the year. I hope to get back to France for another of those -"You go and sight see- and I'll see you in the town at 4pm in the cafe in the square"- Type holidays. It might have to wait till next year but If I can get back to Ventoux- I'll be climbing it again.

We're going to Chesapeake Bay in May with our tandem and also do a lot of three to four day weekenders.

I just got back from Daytona, I road 5 days down there. I spent 1 day with my Mtn. bike riding a bike trail in Ocala National Forest, 4 days riding my new road bike around the Daytona area. I may go to Vermont for my regular vacation this summer and tote a bike or 2, then my freinds and I are talking of doing "The Great River ride in Illinois" or something like that. They did it last year and said it was a great bang for the buck.

Hello Boudica. My initial plans have been strictly laying out the proposed route. I am using old technology, ie. paper maps, mapquest and google earth. I have the pamphlet for La Route Verte. I am hoping to camp as much as possible. I will pass along my itinery on crazyguyonabike when it is ready.
Hockey

Hello Boudica. My initial plans have been strictly laying out the proposed route. I am using old technology, ie. paper maps, mapquest and google earth.
hockey

Where are we that Mapquest and Google earth are "old " technology

I'm planning on several. As I wrote before, I have a lot of vacation to use this year, will be taking about 8 weeks off in total, not all as weeks, some will be split into multiple 4-day weekends.

No organized rides ... there aren't many of those on bike trails. Plan to ride the Wisconsin 4-trails system again, up through Elroy-Sparta over a long weekend. Also over to Minnesota for the Root River trail. Will be looking round Wisconsin for another long-weekend ride. And am thinking about searching the Illinois trail system for a ride in April.

I could end up doing 6 or so of these. May do multiple in Sept/Oct, as I'm planning to do four 4-day weekends then, every other week over a 7 week period.

Also over to Minnesota for the Root River trail.

Can I come meet you sometime? I won't be a pest and stay long! Maybe just 5 miles or so to say hi? I know you like to ride alone.

A buddy of mine from Maryland got me hooked up with a team to do RAGBRAI, in July. It will be my first week long tour ever. WOOHOO!! I'm stoked! :D

Can I come meet you sometime? I won't be a pest and stay long! Maybe just 5 miles or so to say hi? I know you like to ride alone.

I see a YouTube video coming from something like this... :D

If you call taking a week off to drive to Kamloops BC and ride a 1200k randonnee (the Rocky Mtn 1200), then I'm taking a cycling vacation. With a 90hr time limit, it won't be any picnic, tho'....

Scott P
Bend, OR

Last year while attending Siggraph, I rented a bike for a week in San Diego. This year, Siggraph is in L.A. and while rode in downtown L.A. for years, I'm not sure that renting a bike will be practical.

Can I come meet you sometime? I won't be a pest and stay long! Maybe just 5 miles or so to say hi? I know you like to ride alone.

I ride fine with others. I rode with friends twice in '07 and thoroughly enjoyed both rides. I invited you to meet me on my ride of the Cannon Valley Trail last October, but you had other commitments that weekend.

But I have no hard plans as to when I'll be over there. I'm thinking May'ish.

TSL, when is the Finger Lakes weekend? (Anything within driving distance of T'r'n'a has to be worth considering.

The GFLBT is a great weekend. US$68 includes the rides, meals (breakfast and supper each day as applicable), maps, SAG, Saturday night entertainment, club membership (required for insurance purposes) and camping. Bunkhouse is another $5 for the weekend. Here's the email sent out earlier this week:


Great Finger Lakes Bicycle Tour, June 6-8, 2008

Saturday's Rides - Keuka Overlook MAWBA Century
91 mile ride with 23, 31, 51, 64, and 78 mile options

The 91 mile ride runs west from the Hidden Valley Group Camp in Watkins Glen to Monterey, with excursions along Lamoka Lake, then through Hammondsport, Wayne, and Penn Yan before returning to camp. A route outline may be seen at www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=3228 (http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=3228).

The ride is the longest distance we've provided in years and includes some serious climbs, but the scenic views are ample reward for the climbing effort. Hence the acronym MAWBA - Might As Well Be A (Century). Even the road names suggest this: Birdseye Hollow Road runs along the side of Mt Washington. Along another part of the route there is an "aerial view" of Lamoka Lake so striking that on his reconnaissance mission map master Bill Armstrong forgot to take a snapshot to use for promotion.

Shortcuts along the long loop result in 51, 64, and 78 mile options for the less ambitious riders. The 51 mile route will be used as this year's Augie Mueller's Ambling Adventure. Two shorter routes, 23 miles and 31 miles, with a remote start from Dundee, link up with the other routes. These routes have one climb to the event's namesake, Keuka Overlook, that will be a challenge. All routes also converge on the Windmill Farm & Craft Market, enjoyed by many on previous tours. The chosen routes include new paths to explore between familiar waypoints and offer a fresh perspective of the Finger Lakes Region.

Bill has made arrangements with two wineries for our wine pickup. The 91 milers are invited to the Pleasant Valley Wine Co. / Great Western Winery in Hammondsport (www.pleasantvalleywine.com). Their offer is $2 for wine tasting and a 10% discount on any of their bottles of wine. Purchases will be picked up by the SAG Wagon and will be delivered to the camp in time for Saturday's dinner. All the rides pass by the Keuka Overlook Wine Cellars (www.keukaoverlook.com), where similar arrangements have been made. Both wineries have a wide range of wines and prices.

Sunday's Rides: The Keuka Lake Loop and Bluff Point route has been such a success in past GFLBT events that the committee has declared it to be the standard for future Sunday rides. It has a remote start in Hammondsport, circles the lake in a clockwise direction, and has options for 57 miles (with one very steep, short hill) or 44 miles (relatively flat).

Description/application for the 28th Annual GFLBT, June 6-8, 2008 can be found at www.southerntierbicycleclub.org (http://www.southerntierbicycleclub.org/)

This year's Saturday route incorporates portions of two routes I rode at last year's GFLBT. I'm really looking forward to this ride.

Oklahoma Freewheel for me. I'm trying to arrange hotel accomodations rather than camp, and may tour from my house to the starting point (160 miles).

http://www.okfreewheel.com

Going week of 3/15 - 3/22 to do PAC Tour's Arizona training camp week#4 the Chiricahua Challenge Tour . Routes daily through Tombstone, Wilcox, Chiricahua. Check it out at www.pactour.com under the "Seven Weeks of Arizona Training Camp" link. Can't wait to be away from work where the goal for the day is to start & finish riding, eating,and soaking in some sun!!!

In April, a 3 day ride from Dublin,Ca. to Yosemite, in May a 3 day ride from Dublin to Paso Robles Ca, for the Great Western bicycle Rally, with a couple of days riding around Paso Robles, then 2 weeks on the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany in early October.

We were hoping to go on the TransAm (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1489721) from Yorktown, VA to Florence, OR starting late May and ending late or end of August this year. It doesn't look like we will be going until next year (2009). Our trip is basically panned out, funded, and equipped with a triplet (bike for three), but life's turns and twists look to keep us from going this year.

Like Rick@OCRR I’m doing several of the Triple Crown Doubles this year and the first being Butterfield. I’m also doing “The Lung Ride”, 3 days on the Central Coast of California May 16, 17 and 18. The ride visits the towns of Paso Robles, Cayucos, Cambria, Morro Bay, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo and has routes for all level of riders.

My wife and I are planning two special trips this year.

The first is going to be a May trip on the Katy Trail. Gonna ride out for two days from Clinton MO, then turn around and ride back.

The other is a big family bike ride in August. My brother and his wife, my sister and 1 or 2 of her kids, my wife and I and 1 or 2 of our kids are meeting in Colorado for a week and a half of day tripping. The first couple days will be based in Glenwood Springs, riding down hill from Aspen and from Eagle. The rest of the trip will be based in Dillon, riding around Summit County.

I'm planning on several. As I wrote before, I have a lot of vacation to use this year, will be taking about 8 weeks off in total, not all as weeks, some will be split into multiple 4-day weekends.

No organized rides ... there aren't many of those on bike trails. .

We have one organized event on the trails in my area. I've volunteered at the event in the past and it's a well organized ride.

http://www.greenetrailsclassic.com/

You're going to love RAGBRAI!

I'm looking to do my own supported ride from Oregon to SoCal. I haven't found anyone to ride with, so it looks like I'll be going solo. I'll be sticking to the coast for the most part and pulling a BOB trailer. I'll be doing it thru the July 4th time to take advantage of the extra days off.

I'll also be doing a lot of the double centuries this year. We have plans to do 6 plus doing the Grand Tour triple (300 miles in a day) in June.

Around this time of year I'm always investigating possible spring and summer rides. There are so many possibilities! As the time approaches factors like money, family commitments, etc. start to set in and help narrow down the choices. Here are the top contenders:

Spring Break (I'm a teacher - we get Spring Break) - A trip to Henry Coe State Park outside of Morgan Hill, California. It looks like there's some awesome mountain biking there. I'd car camp the first night, then possibly do some bikecamping for a few days, or else just car camp and take day rides.

First week of summer - A trip to Prescott, Arizona where my daughter goes to college. Car camp, mountain bike, and spend time with her when she's not in class or working.

Second or third week of summer - Drive up to Washington, join the Northern Tier in Omak (where I left off last summer) and continue east. I'd like to go to Glacier National Park. Ride the Going-To-The-Sun Road to the top, camp, then turn around and head back. Then head south to Missoula and ride the Lewis and Clark route back towards the ocean. Maybe take the train back home from Portland.

It all sounds great, huh? Who knows what will actually happen.:rolleyes:

Arizona week after next, Vermont (probably) in June and Route Verte (possibly) in September, and always looking for more.

So...

If you have any maps or route/contact information on Route Verte, Hockey, I'd love some details. I have not started researching it all yet -- I'm aiming at motels rather than hotels. Is this an option, as far as you know?

The Route Verte web site (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/ang/index.lasso) identifies B&B's, motels and hotels that have obtained the "Bienvenue Cyclistes" (Welcome Cyclists) accreditation. These installations have made a commitment to meet cyclist needs while on travel. So, to answer your question, this is definitely an option. Also, the Route Verte creates a provincial infrastrucutre into which a large number of regional and city bike networks connect. This creates a very cyclist friendly environmnent that has to be experienced at least once. On top of that, many regions have developed a complementary road-based bike network. Maps are available in each Region. When you have a better idea of the regions you would be interested to visit, let me know. I can help steer you to resources like bike route maps that will help make your trip more enjoyable and make some specific recommendations on itineraries. Alternately, you can contact Vélo-Québec (http://www.velo.qc.ca/english/index.php). They can help you as well.

Also, my girlfriend and I are launching a new cycling vacation product this coming May in Quebec, which will integrate the Route Verte. One of the advantages is that you eat and sleep on a ship, rather than have to relocate your baggage every day, either by moving it around with you on your bike or having a transfer vehicle do it for you. Check us out in the Advertised Services section in the Forum.

Cheers,
Ron

Ummm...yeah?!?! We'll take off from Prudhoe Bay in June and just keep pedaling south!

Gus Riley
Black soon to be a orange Santana Triplet

Horrors!! What heresy!

I'm contemplating doing the Katy Trail DNR ride in June. I have never done a group ride before. In fact, I've never ridden with anyone else before so I'm somewhat apprehensive. I sure would like to ride all the way across Missouri, though.

june: ride the rockies or bike kansas or bran (NE) or scenic midwest ride
aug : candisc (ND)
sept: triri (IN) and hope ride (hope IN)

Horrors!! What heresy!


Hi Nancy, good to see you on the forums!! Yes it will be the color orange for our trip. Hey this bike is being used with its new owners as it was with you all, just in a different color. We're not too fond of black.

Hi Nancy, good to see you on the forums!! Yes it will be the color orange for our trip. Hey this bike is being used with its new owners as it was with you all, just in a different color. We're not too fond of black.

(Shhhh.... I'm not too fond of black either. Don't tell that to John though...)

Next week, to watch the tour of California, but no riding.
June, hope to do GOBA (great ohio bicycle adventure).
Next year, really want to go to Spain. Does anyone know of good companies to check out (without a travel companion I don't want to go independently) that cater to moderate or less riders? Most that I've seen so far are geared to the "avid" cyclist.

Red Rider, I once did a trip taking the train to San Luis Obispo & then riding back south. It was great until I broke my foot--had to catch the train in LA back home. Anyway, it was a very bike friendly route & great fun.

Next week, to watch the tour of California, but no riding.

Why no riding? The very best viewing on a mountain stage is to ride your bike to a good viewing spot on a climb.

Tricia and I are thinking of doing Seattle to Portland (STP) again.
We got some thing in the mail about a multi day finger lake NY ride that she liked teh sound of, but I'm not for driving across the USA and then having to drive back.

I'd like to find an organized ride along the Oregon Coast we could do. Multi day, affordable, with a group.

Why no riding? The very best viewing on a mountain stage is to ride your bike to a good viewing spot on a climb.

And I would love to do that! But I don't want (and can't because I'm traveling on Skybus anyway) to shlep my bike out to California. If I can find a rental shop in San Jose or Solvang, I might do it one or two days.