I knew this was going to be painful. The violin is one of the sweetest instruments on the planet ... when it is played well. In the wrong hands, it sounds more like a dying animal.

I've never been a racer, choosing instead to pedal up scenic mountain passes at whatever speed strikes my fancy. But that doesn't mean I can't admire the beauty, the power and the passion of those who fly passed me sans panniers.

I'm so excited about this news, I can hardly sit still! Back in May, we mentioned that Twin Bridges, Montana, was setting up a cyclists only campground. Little did we know (though we did suspect) the impact it would have on this small, rural community.

The Rough Stuff Fellowship is a poetically named organization in Great Britain whose beginnings date to 1955. On the home page of their website, they point at that this was "long before anyone had heard of Marin County."

As airline fees for bikes continue to climb, so does the popularity of bike couplings. The most common option right now is the S & S system, which allow the main triangle of your bike to be disassembled at the top tube and downtube by threaded couplings. Through doing this, you can get most bikes to fit in a case that can be checked as regular luggage on a plane.

But that day I learned the intensity of bicycle travel works both ways. It also relates to the raw, ugly and horrifying scenes this planet has to offer. There was no way to roll up the windows, turn on the stereo and drive quickly away.

When it comes to self-propelled travel, there's no reason to stick to a single mode of getting from point A to point B. Consider, for instance, travel writer and Chicago resident Ted Villaire's recent 10-day trip along the western shores of Michigan, which he made by bicycle and kayak.

First off. If you haven't been there, you need to put Turkey on your travel list. I've never met a globe trotting traveler (or cyclist) who didn't love Turkey—great food, amazing history, hospitality that rivals any country on earth, and lots of hills and mountain passes to climb (and descend).
 

If you've used our route maps you know they are chock full of useful information. We attempt to include camping, lodging, and food source information in a 10 mile wide corridor (5 miles each side of the route) along with library and bike shop locations. These services are compiled and listed in the Service Directory. Most of these listings are tangible. However, there is one category that is less so, that is, until you need it: law enforcement.