Help X. pick a bike vacation!

[DeniseGoldberg]

First, some questions:

1. Do you prefer a series of day trips from a base, or will you be touring (that is, carrying your gear, and moving from place to place every day?
2. Is your only activity going to be cycling, or do you want to do some hiking or other activity too?
3. Is there an area of the country that really feeds your imagination?

Of course there aren't any right or wrong answers here, hopefully just a way to focus your dreams.

With a target date of April / May, you will need to consider the usual spring weather patterns. If you're looking for dry and relatively warm riding, I think that you'll need to rule out much of the northern part of the country. May can be a wonderful time to ride in places like Maine, but it can also be very wet and somewhat cold. One of my favorite places to visit to ride is Glacier National Park in Montana - but that's too early in the year to go there since Going to the Sun Highway isn't usually open by then. Another favorite for me is the Big Island of Hawaii (to help you dream, here's a link to my journal: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Denise2003Hawaii. My trip was a tour, but you could easily pick a place to stay and ride from there.). Is there a reason why you've left Hawaii out of your possible destinations?

Let's see, if I were dreaming of a trip in the lower 48 in the April / May timeframe, where would I go? The states that immediately jump out at me are Arizona, New Mexico, and maybe California. Another option that might be interesting is Moab. Yes, you're right, that's a mountain bikers mecca - but I've done two trips there with a road bike, staying in Moab and doing day rides in the area. My journal for those trips is at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/denise2001moab.

What I think it most important is that you pick a location that jumps out and says to you "come visit and play". I'll be very interested in hearing your decision - but for now, happy dreaming!

--- Denise

[hiker chick]

Will second Grog and Hammer on VA or NC. Specifically, Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway.

Bikes are common on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. You could stay at Big Meadows Lodge or in one of the Big Meadows cabins. Or further up the road is "Skyland" lodge and cabins. Big Meadows has more ambience and is my preference.

Swing by DC on your way home -- bike along the Mall, the Potomac and on the C&O Canal. All memorable.

Am less familiar with accomodations around the NC portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The BRP drive is fantastic. Asheville might be a good base for exploring the area.

www.snowbirdmountainlodge.com -- a fantastic place to stay! It's near Robbinsville, NC, in the Smokies. Southwest corner of the state. The best meals (included in the room price) I've ever tasted. The Cherohala Skyway might be a good ride (would certainly be challenging). I've only driven it.

I'm biased toward the east coast's "mountains."

Good luck.

[Blueberry]

these folks might be a good place to inquire: http://www.bicycleinn.com/

I can't recall where I heard about them (but it was in a favorable context), and I've not stayed there.

My experience with Asheville has been that if you're not interested in serious climbing, choose your routes very carefully and talk to someone who has ridden them. There are a couple of TE folks who live in the area, and have steered me to some lovely rides. The ones I've tried to do out of books have been way more climbing that I can actually *enjoy* doing.

The Boone area is nice too. It's about a 2 hour drive between the 2, so you could stay at one for half and the other for half.

Carrie Anne

[SouthernBelle]

I've just gotten a catalogue from these folks, and am considering one, if not for next year, then the year after:

http://womantours.com/

HTH,

PS: Has anybody else used them?

[CyclChyk]

I'm thinking Vegas... you can bike from one casino to the next and drink for free........ can you get a CWI (cycling while intoxicated)???

[Xrayted]

This is why I came here. All good comments, where to begin...

CrazyCanuck - Thanks for the invite and I will certainly be coming down at some point over the next few years. It's a must-do for me. But for the first biking one, I didn't want to bite off more than I can chew. Then there's the added hassle of passports, possible innoculations, customs, etc... I'll certainly be wanting to meet up with you when I finally do get there tho. You really are a crazy canuck! (BTW, I've got a nephew who was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. So, you and I are practically family. He's a crazy canuck too. Must be something in the water.)

Hammer - I've been to Asheville and you're right, it's gorgeous. I spent many evening hours sitting at Tressa's grooving to the jazz and blues. Cool atmosphere. I would love to go back again. I didn't even consider a training camp as part of my experience somewhere. I love to learn new things. Good suggestion.

Denise G - Above all, I value your comments most highly. (Sorry ladies, but this is the Denise G we're talking about here.) So to respond to your questions:
Yes, I prefer to have a base to come back to. No major touring like you do. (Yet.) More than just cycling but I want to spend most of my days on a bike seeing the sites. Long or short jaunts. I'm a stop and take in the view kinda rider so mileage is of no great consequence to me. I'm trying to stay off the touristy path, if you know what I mean. I like all kinds of terrain like mountains and beach. (ok, still hate riding hills tho ) I'll probably be renting bikes and so I can change up what types of places I can roam. As for an area, I just want to see some of this wonderful country I live in - but not through a window on an interstate. I've roamed a lot on the east coast and some in the mid west. So, I guess, for a truly different experience, the west coast would hold a strong pull for me. As for the weather, it's spring and it's gonna rain and do God-knows-what no matter where I am. I'm ok with that. I prefer to visit a place in it's natural state. Some of the best pics I've ever taken have been during/after total downpours. I actually like playing in the rain. (Hmmm... Mud wrestling on a bike... could be a new sport! Oh, wait, that's cyclocross, huh?)
As for Hawaii, when I go there it will be a combination biking, hiking, swimming, scuba, some other things I can't say on a family forum... type of vacation with an equally outgoing someone I can really enjoy it with. This is a solo trip (for now) so no Hawaii. But, yeah, someday soon I hope. I just gotta find the right person to share it with first. Easier said than done.

HikerChick - very good input. That gives extra possibilities in a wide area of exploration. Thanks!

CA - I plan on utilizing many routes and suggestions on specific rides from those who live in the area I visit so thanks for your comments. Hopefully, I can meet some of these wonderful TE ladies while I'm there. That would be the ultimate adventure.

Southern Belle - I believe Denise Goldberg has used them and can shed more light. She's my personal biker chick hero so whatever she tells ya, trust her.

Thanks ladies, I've been taking notes and look forward to more suggestions. I do accept choc chip cookies or promises of home cooked meals as a bribe, just for future reference.

X.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Denise G Yes, I prefer to have a base to come back to. No major touring like you do. (Yet.) More than just cycling but I want to spend most of my days on a bike seeing the sites. Long or short jaunts. I'm a stop and take in the view kinda rider so mileage is of no great consequence to me. I'm trying to stay off the touristy path, if you know what I mean... I like all kinds of terrain like mountains and beach. (ok, still hate riding hills tho ) I'll probably be renting bikes and so I can change up what types of places I can roam. As for an area, I just want to see some of this wonderful country I live in - but not through a window on an interstate. I've roamed a lot on the east coast and some in the mid west. So, I guess, for a truly different experience, the west coast would hold a strong pull for me. As for the weather, it's spring and it's gonna rain and do God-knows-what no matter where I am. I'm ok with that. I prefer to visit a place in it's natural state. Some of the best pics I've ever taken have been during/after total downpours.

If you're planning on renting a bike, I suspect that you are limiting your destination somewhat. If you're traveling with a touring company, they usually provide decent quality bikes. But if you're going on your own you'll need to find a shop that rents bikes in the area you're visitng. Once you start to focus on a destination, I recommend calling bike shops in the area to see if they rent bikes - and if they do, find out what kind of bikes are available (as in mountain vs. road). For example, I mentioned Moab as a possible interesting destination. I know you can rent mountain bikes there, but I suspect that road bikes wouldn't be available.

If you don't like riding hills, you should definitely pick someplace that will allow you to mix hill riding and flat riding - as opposed to someplace that would see you rolling up and down hills all day every day.

On the rain front - I agree that you can get some beautiful pictures in the rain. And yes, it is possible to be happy riding in the rain. But if it was me, I'd try to pick a dry location as opposed to someplace that could be teeming with water (which was why I mentioned the southwest as a possbility). If you really don't mind cool and wet weather, then I'd add coastal Maine and potentially Nova Scotia into the mix of destinations. (Yes, I know that Nova Scotia is in Canada - but it's so close! And there are definitely areas in Nova Scotia where you could do a series of day rides. Unfortunately the ferry doesn't start running until the end of May, so it would be a longer drive or a flight.)

Southern Belle - I believe Denise Goldberg has used them and can shed more light. She's my personal biker chick hero so whatever she tells ya, trust her.

Nope, not me! But I believe that several of the women here have used them.

--- Denise

[Eden]

Not sure in PA where you are from, so you may already have had enough of it, but some of the most beautiful biking territory is in central PA around the State College area. It's Amish country with wide rolling valleys and many small, low traffic country roads. There's an old book called 25 bicycle tours in Eastern Pennsylvania, that has a lot of really nice 25 - 60 mile loops in it. It's out of print, but still available on Amazon. And even if you don't want to go on vacation in PA - even from the ends of the state this stuff is still accesible for weekends.

[Xrayted]

Not sure in PA where you are from, so you may already have had enough of it, but some of the most beautiful biking territory is in central PA around the State College area. It's Amish country with wide rolling valleys and many small, low traffic country roads. There's an old book called 25 bicycle tours in Eastern Pennsylvania, that has a lot of really nice 25 - 60 mile loops in it. It's out of print, but still available on Amazon. And even if you don't want to go on vacation in PA - even from the ends of the state this stuff is still accesible for weekends.

Yeah, I'm from Lancaster County and my goal is to get as far away from it as possible. (Not just geography wise.) It is a beautiful area to bike though and I've been enjoying as much of it as I can. State College area (GO Penn State!) is always teeming with cool activities but I haven't been up since I started riding in Sept b/c of football season. For me, it's a crazy nightmare up there that whole season. If you don't have game tix, ya stay away.

Edit: Found out last night that our beloved Joe Paterno got his leg broken on the side lines this w/e. Healing wishes going out to Jo Pa.

[Bikingmomof3]

You where not plannning to come visit me? I admit the state is not that exciting, but I am here.