Route:
GT2014
though we should have stayed on 200 on the last day.
Slideshow:
GT 2014 Slideshow by Carbonfiberboy | Photobucket

Hello! I am a brand new member and this is my first post!

We are taking our first tour in a little less than two weeks and we're very excited! We are from La Crosse, WI and will ride the La Crosse River State Trail to Sparta (Bicycle capital of America!) which is 25 miles, then check in at our hot tub suite! The next day we will ride the Elroy Sparta Trail (first Rails to Trails. Kind of a big deal in these parts) to Elroy and back which is 64 miles, and the next day we will ride home!

This trip will get our feet wet. We're going to get rear racks, but not panniers. Instead we will loop the backpack straps around the seat posts then bungee our backpacks to the racks. We don't need more than our backpacks, and it'll be easy to grab and go when the time comes. If this is a success we will start working out our camping system. And I'll be on here a lot learning from all of you!

Enjoy your first tour. Backpacks and bungees will work fine on a short tour like your planning. Have a great time.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=398209My wife and I did our very first mini-mini 3 night credit card tour. We kept it simple and inexpensive to see how we'd like it.
First, we simply used our hybrids- mine a Raleigh Detour 3.5 and my wife has a Raleigh C40.
I have added bar ends to the bikes, racks, changed out the tires for Nashbar Streetwise Kevlar 700x35 (added easier role and about 2mph). We kept initial cost down with Nashbar Panniers (I use a set of front panniers) and each a trunk bag.
We packed very light...I carried about 16lbs and my wife about 13lbs.
The first day we parked at my sister-in-laws and we rode only about 13 miles from Branch, WI to Mishicot, WI and spent the night at Fox Hills Resort. Even tho we were not loaded heavy, it still felt different but once we settled in it felt good to be out and about. We did our first day!
The next day we rode to Point Beach State Forest and spent about 2 hrs just reading and relaxing along Lake Michigan. We then rode to the Best Western Maritime Inn in Manitowoc, WI and spent the night. It was about a 23.5 mile day. After a whirlpool and a break in the indoor pool, it was a shower and out for some dinner and a stop for ice cream. We both thought it was fun and going well.
The third day was a nice 9 mile ride back to my sister-in-laws and spent the night at the in-laws.
While finishing the ride I asked my wife if she enjoyed it and she said she really did and would do it again.
We now have a 7 day ride planned for the week of Labor Day in Door County, WI.
Does this make us official tourers???

Yep ... it makes you official tourers. Tours don't have to be huge epic things, they can be short and sweet. :)

Currently in the greek islands as part of a 6 week european trip combining the folders with ferries and a hire car we pick up in Bulgaria next week. Great riding here, photos taken on Santorini island.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=400287http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=400290

Got any autumn ... or spring ... tours coming up?

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=406574My wife and I have completed our 4 day tour ~ a loop of Door County, Wi. If you'd like to read our journal, you can click this link.....
Personal Trip Journal - Door County Inn to Inn

My forty-mile trip from Port Chester, NY to Milford, CT this past Saturday filled in the final gap of my route across the southern shore of Connecticut. Actually, the first five miles was all I needed to reach this milestone, but the entire ride was such a pleasure I can't stop thinking and talking about it.

I know this is small potatoes to those of you who do REAL bike tours, but as of Saturday, I have now ridden the entire CT coast, from Greenwich to Westerly, RI (and beyond). If you ever have a chance to do this, don't miss the opportunity. With very few exceptions, it is a gorgeous ride if you find all the back roads and waterside routes.

In my neck of the woods, there are three county forest preserves with camping all within 20 miles of my house. It's fun to just take off for an over-nighter to enjoy some good weather or test out some new gear. If I have a little more time, I like to get on the Jane Addams Trail and head north into Wisconsin, then join the Badger State Trail and finally, the Sugar River trail and so to the state park in New Glarus.

I just finished a 4-day credit card of the Olympic Peninsula--tons of fun! A few shots from the trip:

https://500px.com/photo/84282213/lak...m=user_library

https://500px.com/photo/84262651/sea...m=user_library

https://500px.com/photo/84262649/rai...m=user_library

https://500px.com/photo/84262647/dri...m=user_library

https://500px.com/photo/84262645/lak...m=user_library

https://500px.com/photo/84262643/bea...m=user_library

https://500px.com/photo/84522063/spa...m=user_library

https://500px.com/photo/84396933/sea...m=user_library

And a link to the start of a CGOAB blog: Circling the Olympic Peninsula: Planning the tour: Too many choices?

Beautiful area! Great photos! :)

Mrs non-fixie and I did a couple of short tours in France this year. A week in June using Arles, in the Provence, as a hub.

Circumnavigating the Camargue:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-XT4DAPPZ.jpg

At 100 degrees in the shade, where available:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-8RH3NVVV.jpg

In September it was the Medoc, with stays in Pauillac and St Medard-en-Jalles.

The Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-FCUDOUG8.jpg

And vineyards, lots of vineyards. This is at the château Margaux:

http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Grotefoto-YGWJDVXF.jpg

Nice!! :)

Anyone doing a long weekend tour over this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend?

Yes, it was. We'll probably be back in the Provence next year.

Did one three day solo tour on west coast of Ireland from North Mayo down to Galway in September. Very enjoyable in good weather but came home with lots of insect bites. Next time I'll wear some repellent.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=411793

Four days with two other guys in North Wales at start of October. Round the edge of Snowdonia National Park and back to ferry staying in hotels/B&Bs. Nice place, friendly Welsh speaking people, good roads and off-road cycle paths, great scenery. Anyone doing a tour of Ireland could easily fit in a few days in Wales.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=411794

Yet again, Machka revives her dead thread.

I would like to go back to Wales again ... and especially to visit that part. On my first tour there, we were thinking of going up that way, but ran out of time.

Gonna do a shakedown ride from east of Charlotte, NC, USA, 50+ miles to Mt. Morrow State Park, camp overnight and ride back, maybe next week? If that goes well, I'll drive to Nashville to bike the Natchez Trace both ways, hopefully before real cold weather (or what passes for cold weather down south) hits.

Just got back from a fall foliage tour. Day 1 went from Boston, MA to Worcester, MA. Day 2 Worcester, MA to Providence, RI. Day 3 Providence to Newport, RI. Day 4 we rode from Newport, RI to Lakeville, MA to catch a commuter rail back into Boston. I had such a great time with a group of 7 others. We stayed at Warm Shower and Couch Surfing hosts. Highly recommend it.

Anyone doing a long weekend tour over this American Thanksgiving weekend? :)

The weather here in Michigan sucks to the Nth degree, it's changing from a foot of snow to rain and freezing rain and back again, so I am planning next years agenda while I wax my skis. I plan to take a week long trip each month from April through August. Tentatively:
April-Gap/CO trail Pitt to DC (crossing my fingers on the weather),
May- Moab Ut for a week.
June-KC to Stlouis partly on the Katy trail
July- to central Illinois and back for a 45th year class reunion.
August-Laurentians in Quebec.

Marc

Any last minute short tours to round out 2014? :)

I did a four-day jaunt in the Golan Heights last March: March 2014: The Golan Trail - Julian Bender - Travels and Photos Other than that it's all been hiking trips...