Nwaypews you can use, from around the world of bicycle travelo. ı nby Michael Mt cCoy s

HOW ’BOTE A A VISIT FROM IAN RIDE, EH? Legendary cyclotourist donates one of his expedition bikes to Adventure Cycling The May 2006 edition of Transport Policy contained an Early this year Ian Hibell resupplied with water every long distance cycling accom - intriguing paper by John Pucher (HIGH-bell) paid a visit to our three days and once I saw no plishments. If you haven’t read and Ralph Buehler of Rutgers office, traveling from his home vehicles for five, it was like Ian’s summary of his adven - University. Entitled “Why in England to deliver the playing Russian roulette with a turous life aboard two wheels, Canadians cycle more than Argos expedition bicycle he three-chambered revolver. A you’re in for a treat. Look for Americans: A comparative pedaled from Norway to South rather stupid endeavor on the story, which appeared in analysis of bicycling trends and Africa in the mid-1970s. reflection, but something very the July 2005 Adventure policies,” Here’s the gist of it: The 15,000-mile, twenty- worthwhile having survived it Cyclist , in our online archives. “In spite of their colder four-country trek took twenty — and with a tale to tell.” Ian Ian was the first cyclist to climate, Canadians cycle about months. “The toughest included the bike’s packs and ride the length of the Western three times more than part,”Ian recalled, “undoubted - four water containers in his Hemisphere including a tra - Americans. The main reasons ly was riding or dragging the donation. verse of the Darien Gap (The for this difference are Canada’s heavily laden bicycle through The Norway to South Gap is the great expanse of higher urban densities and the Sahara. As I needed to be Africa tour is just one of Ian’s swamp and forest that sepa - mixed-use development, short - rates South America and er trip distances, lower Panama.) It was on that trip incomes, higher costs of own - that he first met Adventure ing, driving, and parking a car, Cycling c0-founders Greg and safer cycling conditions, and June Siple who were riding the more extensive cycling infra - hemisphere in the opposite structure and training pro - direction. “We met Ian at the grams. Most of these factors Mexican border in 1973,” result from differences between Greg said, “and he amazed us Canada and the United States in with his stories from the road their transport and land-use that lay ahead. And he’s con - policies, and not from intrinsic tinued to amaze us with his differences in history, culture, rides, most recently a year’s or resource availability. That is meander in the Far East.” good news, since it suggests At seventy-two, Ian has the possibility of significantly no intention of retiring from increasing cycling levels in the trekking. During his Missoula United States by adopting some visit he was considering of the Canadian policies that options for his next ride.

have so effectively promoted E

Ian’s bike will be added to L P I cycling and enhanced its safe - S

Adventure Cycling’s growing G E R ty.” collection of bicycles that are G More can be found at www. displayed at our Missoula vtpi.org./pucher_canbike.pdf. Ian formally turns his bike over to executive director Jim Sayer. headquarters.

8 ADVENTURE CYCLIST MARCH 2007 ADVENTURECYCLING .ORG WE’VE GOT ADVENTURE! BIKING THE BRUCE Tours program premieres slate of new offerings We recently heard from Ann West and Bill Moriarty, Have you browsed through Southwest: the Kokopelli, New Mexico native Tammy Adventure Cycling members your Adventure Book 2007 yet, Paradox, and Tabaguache Schurr will lead the twelve-day, who live in Owen Sound, or surfed over to www.adven trails. Those participating in early October spin through the Ontario, the northern termi - turecycling.org/tours/index. this rugged and remote tour deserts and mountains of nus of our new Underground cfm? If not, you’ll discover a will enjoy luggage support. For southern New Mexico. Railroad Bicycle Route: veritable smorgasbord of tasty “I [Anne] am a member of adventures waiting to be sam - a local volunteer committee pled this season. Take, for that is developing a non- instance, the fully-supported motorized trail between our and catered, food-filled Farm community and the neighbor - Fresh event ride in northern ing town of Meaford, where it California. The two-week will join the already estab - September road ride will visit lished Georgian Trail. We have the vineyards, orchards, dairy named it the ‘Tom Thomson farms, and sustainable produce Trail’ after a famous Canadian gardens of the northern Bay landscape artist who was also Area, Central Valley, and an avid outdoorsman. Sierra foothills — and at the “There is no unused rail peak of the harvest season! bed to follow so the develop - For the serious mountain ment of the trail is challenging biker, we have Colorado and quite costly ... Our trail Canyon Country, a weeklong traditionalists who prefer to go And this is just for committee is planning to hold September trip that links self-contained on the road, starters. Have a look; there’s a bicycle-touring event this together what are arguably the there’s our new Land of bound to be something for summer to raise funds for this three most glorious and her - Enchantment tour. Veteran you, whether it’s a first-time worthy project.” alded trails of the great Adventure Cycling leader and offering or an old standby. Called the Grand Tour of the Bruce, it begins and ends in Owen Sound. It’s a four-day ’S LITTLE MIAMI SCENIC TRAIL camping trip that makes a loop of about 140 miles around From Milford, Ohio, north to picturesque towns, river cliffs, Hopewell culture. The site also the Bruce Peninsula, the the town of Xenia, Adventure and hardwood forests. Giant holds burial mounds and a thumb of land that separates Cycling’s Underground sycamores line the riverbanks, museum with displays explor - Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Railroad Bicycle Route follows and the cool, damp north-fac - ing the estimated 15,000 years Following back roads and rail- a grade that serviced an “over - ing timbered slopes harbor of Native American habitation trails, the tour will host a ground railroad.” After the such species as mountain in the region. maximum of 250 riders. stopped maple, eastern hemlock, and The trail leads to the Ann is hoping they’ll running in the 1970s, the spring wildflowers like the rare Xenia Station Bike Hub, a attract some Adventure route was turned into a rail- and beautiful snow trillium. A replicated train depot, where it Cycling members who might trail for non-motorized travel - host of songbirds provide back - goes both north and south, not be able to make it to the ers that parallels the Little ground music befitting the juncturing with three other Underground Railroad Miami State and National peaceful surroundings. bikeways, including the Xenia- Celebration ride. Or, heck, why Scenic River. The trail connects a string Jamestown Connector and the not do both? The Grand Tour of One of the longest paved of some of Ohio’s finest parks Creekside Trail heading west the Bruce runs July 23 - 27, rail-trails in America, the and preserves, including Fort toward Dayton. while the UGRR Celebration delightfully car-free Little Ancient, which protects more (Adapted from “Field (Buffalo, New York, to Owen Miami Scenic Trail meanders than three miles of earthen Notes,” Section 4 of the Sound) is July 30 - August 5. through an ever-changing rural walls built 2,000 years ago by Underground Railroad Bicycle For more information, visit landscape of rolling farmlands, American Indians of the Route.) www.brucebiketour.com.

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