In these final hours of the Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign for the U.S. Bicycle Route System, Ortlieb is challenging us to raise a final $1,000 more with a match challenge. When you donate today, not only will Ortlieb match your donation, you will also be entered to win an Ortlieb Ultimate 6 M Plus handlebar bag.

As we work to develop the U.S. Bicycle Route System, we are always looking for ways to connect cyclists to the most beautiful and scenic places on the continent. Many of those places are on public lands. But access to these lands isn't always as easy as it should be for cyclists. Luckily, there is the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Technical Assistance Center (TRIP TAC) which is working to change this, one Park Unit and federal land area at a time. 

When you are planning your trip, where to sleep is a big part of the equation. Depending on the destination, it will probably involve a combination of camping, hotels, and homes of friends and family. This post features tips on how to be a good guest, it's the second in a series on Bicycle Travel Etiquette. 

Last week we asked a simple question on Facebook: What does the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) mean to you? Cyclists responded with an outpouring of comments that truly show the need and desire for a national network of bicycle routes. 

Like BOB yesterday, TeamEstrogen.com has seen the great success of the Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign and the growth of the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) and is sponsoring a second $1,000 match challenge to keep the momentum going. Donate now to meet the match challenge!

National parks are one of our nation’s greatest treasures. Since the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the National Park Service has grown to encompass 401 park units, spanning more than 84 million acres. Enjoy this short list of a few of the best rides found in our iconic national parks!

Right now your donation can go twice as far! BOB Gear by Britax Child Safety, Inc. believes in the mission of the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) so much, they’ve decided to sponsor another $1,000 match challenge. So donate now to have your contribution matched by BOB!

Can't settle on a color for your new bar tape? Check out the dual color tape from Lizard Skins. Looks good, feels great, and is long lasting.

Today is the second day of the match challenge from the Almaden Cycle Touring Club (ACTC) and the last day of club week. Donate before midnight to help us meet the match and you'll be entered to win a set of handmade bicycle accessories by Hans Bagworks.

Meet John Pope, a volunteer in Washington State working on the U.S. Bicycle Route System. John is an extremely valuable asset to the USBRS effort. He brings years of experience sitting on the boards of both the Bicycle Alliance of Washington and his Regional Transpiration Planning Organization

Our final sponsor for Club Week is the Almaden Cycle Touring Club (ACTC), based in San Jose, California. ACTC has challenged us with a two-day, $1,000 match, so please donate today! In addition to helping us meet the match challenge from the Almaden Cycle Touring Club, you'll be entered to win a set of handcrafted bicycle accessories by Hans Bagworks, owned and operated by Adventure Cycling's own Paul Hansberger.

Donate to win one of two Raptor or Raven 6 packs donated by Osprey and learn about an opportunity to meet up with Team Adventure Cycling and Climate Ride in San Francisco. 

Meet Bonnie Winslow, a volunteer for the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) in Oklahoma. Bonnie has been working feverishly to designate U.S. Bike Route 66, which will follow the corridor of one of America’s most historic roads: Route 66. Working in partnership with Adventure Cycling, the proposed route for USBR 66 aligns with the same roads being mapped for Bicycle Route 66, which will be released by Adventure Cycling next year.

We have had an amazing response so far this month to the Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign to raise funds for the U.S. Bicycle Route System. Your gift can still do double-duty. We are only a few dollars away from meeting the Cascade Bicycle Club match challenge, which we have to meet by midnight tonight. And, if you donate today, you'll be entered to win a SERFAS bike case from BikeFlights. 

This is the time we start unfolding plans for summer trail adventures, whether it’s after-work rides with friends on nearby trails, bike overnights in the surrounding area or planning for multi-day trips and tours out of town. Adventure Cycling has a variety of options for the dirt-seeking cyclists and those looking for a trip off the well-traveled road.

For the rest of this week, clubs throughout the country have sponsored match challenges to raise money for the U.S. Bicycle Route System and raise awareness of the project to their members and supporters. Our first club sponsor is one of the largest bicycle clubs in the U.S., the Cascade Bicycle Club! Cascade is presenting us with a two-day, $1,000 match, so please donate today to help us meet the challenge! 

Since the kickoff of the Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign on May 1, USBRS supporters have donated $79,790 towards the $100,000 campaign goal. We have until midnight tonight to meet a $1,000 match challenge from BOB Gear by Britax Child Safety, Inc., so please donate right now. And, if you donate by Tuesday, May 21, 2013, you'll be entered to win a SERFAS Bike Transport (SBT) case from Bike Flights. See the sidebar of the USBRS fundraising page for complete contest rules. 

Steve Buchtel, executive director of Trails for Illinios, contacted me and told me his organization had just completed a study about six trails spread across Illinois. He mentioned that the data in this study might be good to use for my presentations about bicycle tourism at the conference. Intrigued, I took a look and I loved what I saw. Steve used a triple bottom line approach to study trail impact — economics, health, and environment.

Sometimes route changes happen due to safety issues, like the reroute we implemented across North Dakota in 2012. Often, they are minor adjustments. Happily, route changes also occur because opportunities arise to incorporate new developments.

Today’s Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. $1,000 match challenge comes from business sponsor Primal Wear along with the awesome sweepstakes giveaway of a Men’s Paradigm Jacket and a Women’s Eros Paradigm Jacket. Enter to win by donating to meet the $1,000 match from Primal Wear.*

The New York World called it “the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman” and said it marked the birth of “the new woman”—independent, dynamic, and free. But for over a century, the extraordinary story of Annie “Londonderry” Kopchovsky has remained practically unknown – until now.

The back roads of Laos can be a challenge, even when they are dry. But add water and you have a road surface that can be both slick as glass and sticky as tar. The rains come often to the Bolaven Plateau, where some of the most expensive coffee in the world is grown.