Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
I took the survey and thought it decent for someone who was just getting familiar with the concept. OK, which among the above posters have canoed down the Amazon alone? How about a nice traipse though the African veld? Or kayaking in Iceland? Or hiking in the Brooks Range? How many of us have done that alone or on our own? That's adventure travel. What we bike tourers do is not really adventure travel, as it is commonly referred to. We are way too safe and pedestrian, even though we may be on bikes. I define the difference between an adventure and a disaster thus: you come back from an adventure. But unless there is some small question in the adventure seeker's mind, it doesn't qualify. That's the reason there are adventure travel companies: to take the worst of the risk out of it by providing experienced guides and appropriate equipment and backup.
+1
I have no trouble w/the concept of "Adventure Travel" businesses, just thought the survey was confusing.
There are all kinds of bike-touring companies -- ones that offer little more than a "ride leader" for supported tourers riding in a group; to pretty ambitious adventures; to following the Tour de France around every day and sleeping in hotels; to wine-and-luxury-lodge tours in France of California's wine country.
I've done one very short Adventure Travel trip with a touring company -- my family and I booked a very short kayaking trip w/Oars, Inc., which specializes in whitewater rafting and kayaking trips. It was fantastic -- my son is into kayaking, the rest of us aren't. They took care of the boats, camping gear, food, etc. All we had to do was paddle, apply sunscreen, set up our own tents and help do dishes after dinner. I think Adventure Travel companies offer great value for folks who want to do something in a sport or a geography where they're not comfortable handling the planning and/or outfitting on their own.