Cycling Vacations, Take 2: More Tips, This Time from Readers

Seems like I missed a couple of great companies and destinations in my recent article on Bike Travel for the Toronto Star. Mea culpa! Here are a few of the suggestions I've received since its publication:

(Photo: A cyclist on the streets of Ottawa. Photo by John Talbott)

-AdventureCycling.org: A reader named Sheldon wrote "Adventure Cycling is an awesome resource for bike travel. They make really great bike touring maps, but they also offer lots of other wonderful information."

It certainly is an organization that's crossed my radar in the past-. Founded in 1974, Adventure Cycling now has close to 45,000 members worldwide, along with a route network of more than 40,000 miles (hey, that's almost a mile per member).

In addition, Adventure Cycling sponsors some 40 trips a year in North America, most fairly rugged in nature (you sleep in tents and may share cooking duties with others in your group) and thus reasonably priced at an average of $100/day for everything but airfare to the starting point. Beyond trips that visit beauty spots are special interest tours for those who want to go wine tasting in California as they cycle, vacation with their children or take a historic trail (like the USA's Underground Railway that led slaves to freedom).

-The country of Slovenia: Who knew? Well, according to Marilyn J. many Slovenian hotels, hostels and tourist farms are rated by how cyclist-friendly they are. Those that get "4 or 5 bikes" are able to help cyclists with repairs, and will transport luggage to the next bike friendly hotel on your route. The Slovenian Alps are particularly suited to cycling with over 1000 km of trails, some underground!. For more information on Slovenian cycling vacations, pick up a good guidebook or go to www.slovenia.info

-The city of Ottowa: Sheila G.H. recommends the 170 miles of trails in Ottawa, which she thinks is Canada's most bike friendly city. For a good overview of the cycling possibilities in and around the city, surf to http://ottawastart.com/bike.php.

-The Confederacy of Cruisers, New Orleans: "A really great bike tour" according to Mike E., who took friend's on a two-wheeled tour of the city with the company as one of his bachelor party events. The 3-hour tours explore a number of the city's neighborhoods (including the 9th Ward, on request), with a focus on the NOLA's history, culture and oddities. Tours cost $45 per person and go with a minimum of 2, maximum of 8. See www.confederacyofcruisers.com.