There I times that I feel as though the biggest obstacle to packing up and heading out on a bike tour is deciding on a route. The list of places to go, and cool things to see, is so long. How do you pick one route over another? The overwhelming choices can easily cause a person to drag his feet, and even spend years thinking about a tour, instead of going on one.

Why can't I pass one without stopping and snapping a few shots? Maybe it's the realization that after all the dreaming and scheming and planning, we are finally there. In some magical foreign place, filled with new sights and sounds and smells.

The time has finally arrived — the Underground Railroad Detroit Alternate, section 1, is ready to ride. Section 1 begins in Oberlin, Ohio, and travels northwest to Sandusky and Toledo before entering southern Michigan, traveling through significant historic communities including Adrian, Ann Arbor, and Detroit.

There’s a place you really should see. In the high desert of south-central Wyoming, “where the rivers change direction, across the Great Divide” (as sung by Nanci Griffith and others).

I always smile when I look at this photo. It was taken many years ago, but it feels like I snapped it yesterday.

It was early morning in India in the state of Himachal Pradesh. Lots of climbing, steep grades, and snow on the ground. I pedaled up to this tiny roadside store to buy a cup of hot chai to warm my hands and get my daily sugar rush.

I've heard it said, "If you listen closely ... you just might hear your priorities."

When we released the Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route maps in the spring of 2010, it was with our usual excitement. As the summer passed, we received the normal amount of corrections and additions associated with a first edition. What we didn't expect to receive was the feedback about the riding conditions of California State Highway 89 (SR 89). Cyclists were concerned about their safety, sharing this often shoulder-less highway with large vehicles — logging trucks in particular.

Donuts. Pastries. Cookies. Fudge. Croissants. Scones. If I didn't ride a bicycle, I'd probably tip the scales at 600 lbs.