Adventure Cycling - Members??

I just joined Adventure Cycling today. Been thinking about it for a few years. I intend/hope/plan to do a long touring ride summer of 2008. Maybe the transam, maybe the new underground railroad bike route............ not sure yet. Too many happenings in the past couple of years, whomping me in the face with the uncertainly of life!!! Can't wait too long to fulfill a life's desire. SO - I joined AC. Hope to find info and inspirations and MAPS for whatever journey I decide to attempt. Anyone else a member of this organization? Are you happy with what you've gained/learned? Is it worth the reasonable cost? I suppose I should have asked these questions before I joined. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Still, like to know what opinions are out there. Hoping for the best. :)

annie

I'm an Adventure Cycling member. In the fall of 2004, I had an itch to run away so I was going to just chuck it all and ride cross-country. Unfortunately, there was already snow in the Rockies.

I did 3 weeks self-supported in NY and PA last summer. I'm doing a week down the coast later this month. Not sure what's after that, but my big goal is trans-con in 2010 for my 45th (er 40th) birthday. Although, if I get to antsy, I might do 2008 for my 25th HS reunion instead.

I've been a member for several years now, and we used some of their maps for a 2004 loaded tour in upstate NY. It's a great organization, even if you never tour or buy the maps. The monthly magazines are inspiring (lots of tour stories/photos), and AC as an organization does advocacy work to keep cycling safer for us all. I am happy to give them some of my "nonprofit dollars" since they do things for us that we don't always have the time and inclination to do for ourselves. I think once you get your first issue of the mag, you'll agree!

Emily

I'm a member, and have been, off and on, for several years now. As Emily observed, the stories and photos in their magazine really are motivating, and I like the advocacy and outreach work the organization does. Also, they keep working to update their old maps and map out new cycling routes, like the wonderful new Underground Railroad Route, which I'd like to do part of one of these summers. The membership fee is money well-spent, for me at least.

Annie, I was wondering the same thing. Thanks to those who replied. I requested and received info from them last week. I thought the Underground Railroad route sounded interesting too!

KB

Jeff & I are individual members, and Team Estrogen is a corporate sponsor of Adventure Cycling. It is a very worthy organization of which to be/become a member.

I've personally used AC's maps on several cycling adventures. They are generally excellent and have made my trips much less stressful by allowing me to know what to expect down the road. I also love reading the magazine when it comes, dreaming about the trips I'll take when I retire... :)

Susan

As newsletter editor I get a membership in the name of the club... but this year I'm going to send 'em my bucks anyway. They're a real cyclist's organization, as opposed to the "cyclists are a big enough market to get advertising dollars from" organization :)

I just became a member earlier this summer. Like Geonz said, they are a real cyclist organization and that appeals to me better than many of the others.

AND...they give away a custom bike every year! Only one a year, but hey, somebody's gotta win it, right?

i received a letter from them a while back. it sounded interesting to me, but not being on any sort of road system i didn't sign up. if i ever wind up on the road system again, i think i'll join them.

I'm happy to say I'm a member and as a result found out about the annual Candisc ride in North Dakota, a ride that I took in August just before my 45th high school reunion. I would not have known about Candisc otherwise, and it was such a neat tour that I plan to go again next year. :D

Thanks, everyone, for the replies to my question. I am eagerly awaiting my first AC magazine. Not that I need inspiration........ just time and $$$ to do my dream ride. Still, info on routes, stories from other riders, all good! And I am so happy to know that TE (and her wonderful admin!) are members. Sounds like a great organization for bikers, definitely worth of support.

annie