Well tulip, your experience at that more tender age..sounds like more a European child's experience..at least in Germany. I was told by dearie and German ex-pat employees in last job that it is abit more common to see children cycle-touring with their parents in Germany. Can include cycling along with one's own little bike pannier.

I desperately want to believe that many people with less education AND less income, would make an active choice to do cycling as a means of transportation during a vacation.

But my gut reaction believes the opposite: people from those backgrounds if they have a choice, they will go out of their way to avoid a long cycling trip, because to them, vacation is to not feel physical pain/discomfort (which can happen on long bike trips) but as a means to rest/treat oneself. Particularily if they have low-paying, physically demanding jobs or jobs with long hrs. So it's bus, train ...if they don't have a car.

That's just a generalization...based on several relatives who haven't finished high school, came from China as an adult during a time when the country used to have alot more bikes (not true anymore), and who have jobs here that are low-paying and physically demanding/repetitive. First thing these relatives did within first 5 yrs. of immigrating to Canada: get driver's training, get their license and their own car.