Jim from Chattanooga Wants to Take You to Europe (For Free)

May 21, 2015

Want to travel Europe but the packed tour bus “It’s Tuesday so this must be Paris” isn’t your style?

Take a cue from the locals and travel by bike along Europe’s best-known, most-loved bike route, The Danube River Path. You’ll be doing your best impression of “The Sound of Music” as you pedal through quaint villages and lush farmland on a paved path. Catch up on your European history while pausing at rococo churches and medieval castles. Visit the brandy-producing monasteries and pick up something to go with dinner. No need to worry about packing panniers. With this free trip from Bike Tours Direct, they’ll do the heavy lifting by transporting your bags from inn to inn. Wait, FREE? Yep, you can win a free European vacation by donating $25 or more to the Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign to raise money for the U.S. Bicycle Route System.

This could be you! | Bike Tours Direct

This is Patrick riding near Neiderranna, but it could be you! | David Bahr

So who is Jim, why is he giving you a free vacation to Austria, and what does he have to do with the U.S. Bicycle Route System? Jim Johnson, of Chattanooga, TN, knows about bike travel in Europe. The first of over 30 trips began at age 15, when he biked through 6 countries after growing bored of his summer exchange program in Northern Europe. Friends started joining Jim on his trips so in 2003, Jim created Bike Tours Direct, a company that works directly with European tour companies to offer cyclists affordable touring options. You pick the country and leave the logistics, like lodging, luggage transfers, bike rental, maps and route instructions to Jim and his team.

Need a break? Put your bike on a ferry and float to your night's destination. | Bike Tours Direct

BikeTousrDirect offers tours on every continent except Antarctica, but it’s in Chattanooga, Tennessee - Jim’s own backyard - where he has been working to improve bike transportation. After the designation of U.S. Bicycle Route 23, which travels 154-miles through the center of the Tennessee, Jim and a team of volunteers created a program called “Connect the D.O.T.s” that focuses on increasing bicycle and pedestrian routes across the state. He believes that better bike travel creates healthy, vibrant communities and has generously agreed to foot the bill for a 7-day Danube Bike Path tour for one person who supports the Build It. Bike It. Be Part of It. campaign this month with a donation of $25 or more.

Bike parking only on these streets.| David Bahr

Donate here and start packing your bags. All donations made today will also be entered to win an Osprey backpack.

How much schnitzel and strudel can you fit in this bag? (15 liters worth)

The 2015 Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. Campaign runs through May 31, 2015. All donations are tax deductible and support Adventure Cycling's organizing efforts and technical assistance for the U.S. Bicycle Route System. The campaign is supported by Adventure Cycling members, bicycle industry partners, bicycle clubs, and cyclists across North America.

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The 2015 Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. Campaign runs through May 31, 2015. All donations are tax deductible and support Adventure Cycling's organizing efforts and technical assistance for the U.S. Bicycle Route System. The campaign is supported by Adventure Cycling members, bicycle industry partners, bicycle clubs, and cyclists across North America.

Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. is generously sponsored by Exodus Travels, Planet Bike, Ortieb USA, SKS USA, Town Pump Hotel Group, and the Knickerbikers Bicycle Touring Club of San Diego. In-kind sponsors include Bar Mitts, Bike2Power, BikeFlights.com, Bike Touring News, Club Ride, Cygolite, Ortlieb USA, Osprey Packs, Planet Bike, Revelate Designs, Road Holland Cycling Apparel, Rudy Project, Sierra Trading Post and TiGr Locks. 

Over the years, the U.S. Bicycle Route System has been supported in part by grants from the Tawani Foundation, Lazar Foundation, the SRAM Cycling Fund, and Climate Ride.

Learn more about the campaign and make a donation at adventurecycling.org/beapartofit.

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* No purchase necessary to enter any featured sweepstakes offered during the Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign. To enter any USBRS campaign sweepstakes, send an email to development@adventurecycling.org with full name, address, phone, and email address by the cut off date (listed on the blog post featuring that day's sweepstakes) at Midnight MDT. Winners are selected by random drawing. Winners agree to release their name for public disclosure and promotion of sweepstakes on Adventure Cycling's blog and other communications outlets.