I did a lot of cycling as a kid in Alaska, back in the day when parents (mine anyway) would let their kid disappear on a bike for the day. Moose have the right of way. Then I biked in college and had fantasies of biking across the US to get home, but never did. Then I didn't ride until I was 50 and stumbled on the way to the mailbox one day. I thought, "Enough of that!" and bought a cheap used road bike. In a few years I was riding STP and RAMROD on a new bike.

I learned to speak Czech in the army, but never went there. My wife and I had for years fantasized about a drinking, cycling tour of Czechoslovakia, but we knew it was just a fantasy. Then we bought a tandem and all of a sudden it wasn't a fantasy anymore. Czechoslovakia is gone, so the Czech Republic will have to do. We took our first shakedown tour when I was 65 and she 61. We loved it and look forward to many more.

We are especially looking forward to drinking a different Czech beer every evening! And then riding the next day to work it off. BF was invaluable for planning and inspiration.