That high-pitched whine is annoying at least and terrifying at most, in malarial areas of the world. I suppose we are genetically engineered to respond to that awful sound.

We passed the sign above on our trip in Portugal. It was the entrance to a big highway ... not a road we wanted to travel on anyway.

I particularly enjoy the way the wheel on the wagon makes the sign look like a cartoon figure sticking its tongue out at you. Signs are important. They give instruction and information. They warn you not to proceed, or they lead the way.

Osprey Packs, a gold-level member, is one of our newest corporate members, joining just after New Year's. Jeff Fox, marketing manager, took time to answer some of our questions and tell us more about their company.

The actions of Mother Nature have an effect on the circumstances that bicycle travelers encounter as they pedal their routes. Road systems are impacted by flooding, snow pack melt and seasonal weather events. There are ways to find out about these issues and share them with traveling cyclists.

In 1781, at the height of the American Revolution, allied French General Rochambeau marched his Army from Newport, Rhode Island, through Connecticut and into Phillipsburg, New York, where he met up with George Washington and the Continental Army.

While most touring specific shoes have tennis shoe-like soles with plenty of traction and grip, we still see a lot of touring cyclists who prefer road shoes for various reasons. Road specific shoes often have an exposed cleat, in addition to a hard molded plastic or composite sole. This can make walking on hard floors a little difficult and noisy as well.

Coasting — to effortlessly glide down the backside of a mountain pass after grunting up to the summit — is one of the ultimate rewards of cycling. What is the perfect downhill?

Your pack list is dialed in, the route is carefully plotted out on the map, and your bike is tuned up and ready to roll. This all sounds pretty good, and if you see a lot of photos that people post from their own tours, you might think that experience and a solid plan leads to pure enjoyment from start to finish.