Poor Me

[MightyMitre]

Come to Europe Veronica - it's great!

OK so the Euro's stronger than the dollar but you can get in 6,7,8,9.... totally different countries all very,very close together. You could do a grand European tour.

Come in July for the TdF - it's a great experience, stick around for the Tour of Germany in August, catch the Vuelta in Spain in early September then back home via England catching the Tour of Britain on the way out.

Let us know what you decide. Ben and I will probably be catching the TdF at some point so let me know and we could even meet up!!

Liz
...For all you European travel info needs..

[bikerchick68]

I was fortunate last year to cycle 6 days in Ireland, the Connemara Region... I did a "self guided" tour for 6 days... it was AWESOME! Self guided means they meet you the first day, give you the maps, and say "see ya in 6 days!"... every morning you leave your luggage at the front door of the B&B (which they set up for you) and they pick it upand transfer it to the next B&B... so all you do is jump on the bike and ride! Shortest route was 35 miles, longest was 55... so you just go at your own pace, or slower than normal cause there's so much to see... I carried a backpack with my sneakers... then when I got to something I wanted to tour I took off the road shoes, and could walk comfortably!

After that I went to France and saw the last day of the Tour too... did 4 countries in 3 weeks and it was absolutely wonderful! Expensive, but wonderful!

[MomOnBike]

I vote for Alaska, too. To avoid that cattle in the slaughterhouse feeling that airlines specialize in, you could take a ferry up the Inland Passage (is that what it's called?) and ride back as far south as you want to, then ferry back home.

You're in California, right? That should be do-able.

And I won't be hurt if you don't follow my advise. Why should you be any different?

[nuthatch]

With Spazz on this - Europe may be outrageously expensive but, what a trip! Beautiful and the food!!!!!!

[Veronica]

Well, I'm REALLY excited. Thom's last day of work is June 30! We had been told that it might have been as late as July 30. That gives us enough time to do an Alaskan Mountain Bike Tour, wander around Europe for a couple of weeks, go to Maine and do the Azores bike tour. Severance pay is a really nice thing. Now we have to figure out the budget.

I really like the dichotomy of starting the summer with a camping mountain bike trip in Alaska and ending it with a fancy hotel road bike trip in the Azores. It's too bad that Azores starts with an A. Otherwise I'd have the whole A to Z thing going too.

Of course we may change our minds yet again. It's been fun to read what everyone would like to do.

V.

[LBTC]

Hit the Okanogan valley for wine tasting and singletrack.
LBTC is quite a bit N of there, how far?

If you make it to the Okanagan valley, then you're about 5 hours from me....
stop in Kamloops or Merritt (fantastic riding!!) on the way and you can have nice 2 1/2 hour or so trips...
Make your stop in Williams Lake on a Wednesday night, and you'll be treated to the legendary Wednesday night ride! Lots of riders, usually about 3 hours of riding, ends up at the pub for appies and lots of nice, dark beer!

Plus the Canandians really know how to have a good time.

As a matter of fact, we do!
Our wednesday ride has hosted guest riders from all over BC, from Europe, Tahoe, California, and other parts of Canada, I think there was a guy from New Zealand or Australia.
Without a doubt, they tell us it's the most fun, great challenge, fantastic trails, super friendly people, and, for a mountain bike group, such a big ride!!
You'll love it!

okay, but I won't be insulted if you don't take my advice, either!

Namaste,
~T~

funnest