 My long dreamed of adventure to Cuba materialized with a bicycle trip with my favorite company, Bicycle Adventures. BA partnered with another American company with years of experience in Cuba. As a result, we were fortunate to have three guides: Katie from Bicycle Adventures; Peter and Ramon from the partner company. Peter is American but has been leading Cuban adventure tours for 10 years. Ramon, a Cuban, has also been leading tours for many years. The wealth of information was often overwhelming, including some of Ramon’s funny antidotes about local life, including smuggling a casket full of cheese in a hearse. Speaking of cheese, the food was also better than expected. Well beyond beans and rice, which were often served on the side. For the first few days, lobster was on the menu at least once a day. Fresh fruit and lots of it! We got familiar with the local beverage, canchachala, which contains a generous portion of aguardiente (common distilled spirit found all over Latin America and even Asia), lime juice, honey and ice. Powerful! Mojitos were also popular with the group. Beer was light and nothing to write home about. Accommodations throughout exceeded expectations, even factoring the daily power outages; everywhere except hospitals, police, and other critical services. We traveled in a nice airconditioned bus, with a bunch of seats removed to accommodate bicycles. The bicycles were Trek flat bar, older, but in excellent working condition. Let’s Ride! The first few days were hot and humid with strong headwinds as we headed out onto potholed, semi-paved roads. The rural, backroads were mostly quiet, with majority of traffic being scooters, horse and ox carts. We averaged about 30 miles per day. Even with shorter distances, riding was tiring due to headwinds and heat, but we made plenty of stops at our support bus for snacks, water and electrolytes. Drivers in all modes of transportation were respectful and considerate to us on bicycles. For the most part we were off the beaten track and tourist routes which allowed for an occasional chat with locals. We also had to permit time for the post ride excursions to art studios, museums, and history walks around town, before dinner. The Country… The Cuban perspective as one might guess, is very different than we in the US. And it doesn’t just have to do with low incomes; it’s a cultural attitude which can be difficult to comprehend (and explain!). Although, it’s sad to learn that even government jobs earn little, and medical staff are not any better off, having to adapt and innovate with little in the way of equipment and drugs. The internationally acclaimed medical schools of Cuba, emphasizing social accountability, teach students how to make do with little equipment, while still being successful. Many medical graduates repay the school debt by practicing in other countries, on behalf of the Cuban government. Housing is subsidized heavily by the government and about 85% of Cubans own their homes, resulting in little, if any homelessness. We saw no evidence of homelessness as we know it here. Of course, the Latin culture in general is family-oriented and supports extended families. In some of the tourist areas we did experience pan handling, but once we told a person “no”, they politely moved on. The group completely agreed that in no situation, at any time, did we feel unsafe or threatened. I personally felt safer riding in Cuba than many of the places I’ve ridden in the US. Bicycle Adventures returns to Cuba in in November 2026. Be there!
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Vincent (Giant Avila bicycle) and I joined another Bike Rides Northwest supported ride in July (July in eastern Washington/Idaho? What am I thinking?) It was so fun to spend time with a couple of ride buddies from Seattle and meet some new ones. We met up for the ride in Cheney WA, about a 5-hour drive from home. And boy was it hot!
Moderate climbing and mileage, about 205, through beautiful eastern Washington and southern Idaho scenery. We rode one day on a paved 66-mile rail trail, the Trail Coeur d’Alene. Beer and chocolate milk (not at same time!) were cold and plentiful. The smaller group, less than 300, made the trip much more enjoyable, except when camping nose to tail in a very small area in Wallace. The average rider age was 68 with an old timer of 82! On an extremely hot day, and with a flat tire, I bailed after climbing a particularly challenging section and took a ride 10 miles back to camp. No harm, no foul; just a bit more time for beer and lounging. My brother and I did a pleasant, easy fairly short backpack trip to Packwood Lake, just because... I cancelled my Olympic Peninsula tour on Stanley both due to an emerging wildfire and a multi-day atmospheric river due to descend. It was sort of nice to spend more time at home, allowing more planning time for other upcoming adventures. As a third year Ride Around Clark County (RACC) rest stop volunteer, we turned chaos into fun. We helped lots of happy riders enjoy watermelon, PB&J, and of course trail putty, as well as the camaraderie of a fun, challenging, and well supported ride. Still coming for 2025, is cultural bike trip with Bicycle Adventures (no, not Adventure Cycling) to Cuba! The logistics are a bit confusing, but got my visa and plane tickets so the majority of the hurdles are over and I can now continue planning for a couple of 2025 end of year holiday trips. Next year, among all possible adventures, is a month in northeastern Spain! Thanks for stopping by and please come back for another visit! The Gypsea just completed a 7-day supported bicycle trip with the awesome Bicycle Adventures (not to be confused with Adventure Cycling). We rode every one of the 7 days, except the day we hiked 7.5 miles to the top of historic Harney Peak.
Our point-to-point daily rides began in Rapid City, SD and took us on mostly quiet, scenic routes with plenty of climbing. We saw roaming bison up close, bighorn sheep, and many communities of prairie dogs. The prairie dogs were quick to encourage us to move on as we slogged uphill. A private tour of the Crazy Horse Monument was amazing as we got up close and learned the history of this decade-spanning project. Mt Rushmore is definitely a tourist destination but in spite of the crowds, it is really something to see and worth learning more. Headwinds lingered for most days with one particularly nasty day with headwinds AND rain. Our group of ten prevailed, though, and made it to Devils Tower, one of the group destinations. We ate well, with a variety of dinner spots, slept well in good hotels, and rode a great diversity of mountains and plains. Time for a week of rest before taking Stanley on a 5-day self-supported tour close to home. More to come! 
Activities and training up to early April were focused on preparing for the Ancient Lakes Trail Race, a challenging 25K trail race near Quincy WA. Eastern Washington landscape is so very different than Western Washington and a visit to Ancient Lakes is worth the drive to hike, MTB, run, or camp, from Fall through Spring.
Having survived that, all attention has shifted to focus on cycle training for the trip to South Dakota with Bicycle Adventures which begins in about a week. Although, other volunteering activities including some fun but tiring trail building at Grunwald Artist Retreat, and horse handling for Healing Steps Equine-Centered Therapy (therapy for people not the horses). More to come: Another supported bicycle ride with BRNW, a shake down bike tour (don’t forget the Spiffy’s donut stop!), and a longer self supported tour of Olympic Peninsula and south. The Gypsea started the new year with a trip to Winthrop WA, Nordic ski nirvana. This was an exceptionally great time for snow coverage and weather this year. It was a long drive, but well worth it. Some of the other capers for upcoming year include a trail race at Ancient Lakes, WA, which is a desert area in Eastern Washington, a supported ride in South Dakota with Bicycle Adventures, another supported ride in Idaho with BRNW, and a self-supported bike tour on the well-known Selkirk International Loop.
Stay tuned... Usually, the train ride is uneventful. This time, the adventure started within a few hours of departure on Amtrak, heading for Seattle to connect to the eastbound train to Chicago. About an hour from Seattle, at a regular stop, I was asked to gather my stuff and get off the train. Huh?? I was advised the tracks were blocked ahead, and I’d not likely make my connection with the eastbound train. Amtrak staff put me, my bags, and Stanley in an Uber to drive me to Seattle. The Amtrak staff was efficient and helpful as they always have been for me. We easily made the connection, loaded Stanley in the baggage car, and took up my coach seat for the 40 something hour trip to Chicago. Lots of smelly people on the train this trip, a disadvantage of riding in coach! Arrived at the Chicago HI Hostel for a quick night and surprisingly hearty free breakfast before heading north the next day. The early days of riding were hard! Hot and constant headwind following routes north along Lake Michigan made for some serious suffering and slow going. Thanks to my patient friends whom I texted often to whine but their support really kept me going. The beauty of this route is the many bicycle pathways, most of which are paved. Day 1 was just under 50 miles and on these bikeways: Lakefront Trail, Chicago Avenue Bikeway, Green Bay Trail, Robert McClory Trail. Day 2 ended with about 56 miles; too much too soon for me with Stanley weighing in about 70 pounds loaded. I incorporated electrolytes into my fluid intake and it made a huge difference. My suffering continued but Day 3 was worse yet with 60 miles to a state park and bonus miles of course. The good part is that all but about 5 miles was on a bike path. The only downside of these paved bike paths are the numerous expansion joints which make for a bumpy ride. Arrived at the state park at the end of the long 60 miles and found the camp host right away. I immediately collapsed at her picnic table and requested a campsite. Wisconsin claims to have a no turn away policy but I had read the fine print and it’s not necessarily so. Anyway, the host was visiting with some other campers who invited me to share their campsite and offered me beer and pizza. A miserable day had just turned into a great one. Still moving northward on the way to Washington Island (the northern most point on a peninsula in Wisconsin) I rode on the next few days with somewhat less miles but still dealing with the headwind and heat. Still enjoying multiple bikeways, I picked up the Ahnapee Trail in Keawaunee for about 20 miles to next campground. I missed a turn off the trail and ended up in the small town of Luxumburg. After 54 miles I was done. I stopped into a local farm supply store and asked if I could pay someone to take me to Algoma. The owner and his wife generously offered to drive me and Stanley and refused to take any money at all. They were both kind and interesting local farmers and business owners. It’s always a blessing to experience the kindness of strangers! Arriving at The Timberline Campground in Algoma, the host showed generosity by giving me a free beer and tokens for the shower. Beautiful campground and as expected no one in the tent area. I would have liked to stay another day as they had a swimming pool, a petting farm, and a playground with a nice community area. Exceptionally clean and quiet! From Algoma, made my way onto Bayshore Road from the Ahanapee Trail where the rich and probably famous live. Low traffic mostly, quiet except for the new construction then there was Juddville Hill Road. Any road with “hill” in it is a warning. No way I could have ridden this, but pushing a loaded bike was not fun either. Made a stop at a little turnout, leaned Stanley against a bench and even he was so tired he collapsed and bench and he went down. I could not pick him up but thankfully a parks guy drove by and he helped me. We had a nice conversation about winter ice fishing and living in this beautiful area of Door County. Next day was on to Washington Island ferry to the campground on the island. The roads are amazingly quiet, mostly flat to rolling, and I encountered many day riders in this popular area for cycling. The campsite was large and pretty quiet, but water and toilets nowhere near the tent sites. The community room was air conditioned and I was able to hang out there to charge electronics and plan what’s next. I was ready for an extended break so I was able to hire a shuttle service to take me from Washington Island Ferry to Sturgeon Bay where I booked a hotel and connected with a wonderful Warmshowers host who shuttled me southward to next destination. The break after about 370 miles, was so welcome and needed. It was enough to rejuvenate me for the remaining 250 or 300 miles and I really began to enjoy the experience. Still more bikeways and I didn’t mind the monotony of these mostly flat and quiet bikeways. By day 15, 50 miles became easy (was it downhill by then?). I’ve never encountered a dog afraid of me, but this beautiful yellow lab was terrified in spite of my stopping and talking to him. He was running opposite way of his owner but finally ran into the bushes so I got past.
I had a wonderful visit with a Warmshowers host in Waukesha. It is so fun to exchange stories and this couple really are adventurers! They paddled the length of the Mississippi River and wrote a book about it, among other awe inspiring adventures. So I ended the ride on Day 18 with a total of about 560 miles, not what I had planned but enough for sure! The route changed quite a bit along the way but that’s the way things are, bicycle touring. I love the simplicity of touring – where am I going to sleep? What will I eat? Although it got to be a drag to be always checking the weather. I enjoyed the luxury of a roomette on the trip home. Just eating, sleeping, reading and watching the miles roll by. I hope you enjoyed this lengthy diatribe; feel free to comment or ask questions. I encourage everyone who rides to spend some time riding in Wisconsin! Bike trails, some ridden more than once: Robert McClory Trail, Kenosha County Trail, North Shore Trail, River Trail, MRK Trail, Racine County Bike Trail, West Energies Trail, KK Trail, Oak Leaf Trail, Michigan River Trail, Brown Deer Trail, Ozaukee Trail, Mariners’ Trail, Ice Age Trail, Raleigh Trail, Old Plank Trail, Sheboygan Falls Trail, Menimome Parkway, New Berlin Trail, Fox River Trail, Glacial Drumlin Trail, New Belgium Trail, Skokie Valley Trail…. Only a few days until the Gypsea and Stanley board Amtrak for the trip to Chicago to begin the Wisconsin Loop adventure.
Meanwhile.. Hiking around Sisters, Oregon, work parties on Pacific Crest Trail and Mt St Helens, some trail running and a wedding (no, not mine, but a great friend). My brother and I spent a few days in Sisters, in the oh so noisy (traffic) City Park. Great location, but…we started with a short hike around Suttle Lake. Dunked our feet in the lake to cool off and…oh no! I discovered back at camp that my boots didn’t make it back with me! So a fast half hour drive with fingers crossed that no one claimed my dirty stinky hiking boots. Arriving at dark, we found them right where I left them. Disaster averted. We did two more hikes, an out/back on Four in One Cone Trail and a mosquito infested loop which included Scott Mountain. Ready for Wisconsin!! Well it feels as if summer has passed by...The Gypsea and Stanley (Kona Sutra touring bike) thought we had planned a good time for a short bike tour. The operative word is “thought”. Rain and cold nights didn’t make for the best adventure.
We took the train about 30 minutes north, to avoid some miserable hills, both out and back. First day was a bit over 30 miles, with destination Lewis & Clark State Park. A nice thing about Washington State (goes for Oregon, California and a few other states) is that arriving by bicycle does not require a reservation. There are dedicated campsites which, sometimes a bit of a walk to water and rest room, are inexpensive and always available. Day 1 was a mix of showers and sun, so jacket on, jacket off, all day. Often one has a good view of Mt Rainer in the distance, but today the clouds obscured all views. I think the highlight of the day was that Washington State Parks no longer require tokens/payment for the showers. Day 2 as expected, riding through Chehalis traffic was not pleasant but a stop at Bill & Bea’s Burgers for a tasty burger made it worthwhile. Steady rain was predicted for the next two days so I decided to stay two days at the next campground. Luckily, I discovered that my Helinox Zero chair fits inside my tent so I was able to stay dry, read, and cook without stepping out into the deluge. Plans were re evaluated and edited, so I didn’t end up at a city park I’ve been wanting to try for camping, in Toledo WA. Next time…. Although I left on Day 4 rain free, the rain came back throughout the day and I stayed cold in spite of riding and moderate climbing. Rain predicted and tent wet, so I opted for a hotel on the last night of this five day adventure. Since the real purpose of this trip was to assure I had what I needed for the big tour in August, it was definitely a success as my list of must do and must buy is pretty lengthy now. Total miles ridden, 155. Anyone traveling by car or bike should consider a stop in Napavine WA for a visit to Spiffys Espresso & Donuts. The donuts are so very fresh and 6 jumbo donut holes for $3.00 was enough for two snack times. More summer play on the way! Well, if summer ever gets here. The Gypsea took a little trip to Smith Rocks State Park area, Oregon, to explore new running trails and wasn’t disappointed in the least. First time to Smith Rocks and I was in awe of both the formation history and the rock climbing history. Several options for trails to run but I decided on a loop of about 7.5 miles to get a good overview and avoid Misery Ridge trail which indeed looks as if there’s lots of misery involved in getting to that summit.
I also explored an area in Prineville, Barnes Butte, as well as Dry Canyon right in Redmond, Oregon. Both of these had many trail options for hiking, mountain biking, or running. I was excited to be joined by three ride buddies from Seattle for this adventure into the desert in early March. Every day was filled with laughter and good natured ribbing. And of course, riding, eating, sleeping and repeating. Before even arriving in Las Vegas, the adventure began, as we were advised of high winds which were bordering on the limits of a safe plane landing. Our pilot was able to land on his second pass and all aboard were glad not to have to go to Phoenix. The wind persisted the next day and the 28 mile ride to Hoover Dam was a real ordeal, with the headwind objecting to our forward motion. From the dam, we rode the 4 mile slog up a busy, no shoulder highway with the slow-moving traffic which really wasn’t an issue. Day 2 took us 27 miles into the Valley of Fire. Aptly named for the flaming red mounts surrounding us. The one long, never ending climb ate up the majority of the 2000 feet of climbing but the reward was 12 miles of descent with little braking and beautiful scenery on the approach to Death Valley. We started Day 3 with a visit to the ghost down of Rhyolite. Fascinating history from this early mining town with a peak population of around 6000, in the middle of “nowhere”. We rode from the ghost town up another long never ending climb of about 1200 feet to the top of Daylight Pass and were rewarded with another beautiful descent into Death Valley and Furnace Creek. Day 4 was a break from riding with an otherworldly hike from Golden Canyon to Zabrinski Point. One of the Star Wars movies was filmed here. The views and the geography of this area are truly amazing. Day 5 shuttled us to Ubeehebee crater for a short hike and lots of photo opportunities. We rode from here to the Mesquite Flat sand dunes, about 33 miles, where we enjoyed another fantastic lunch before returning to the hotel in our shuttle. Day 6 was last day of the trip and not a moment wasted! We shuttled to Badwater Basin and enjoyed looking up to sea level and checking out the evaporating Lake Manly. The wind returned on the ride back to our hotel and even 15 miles of climbing was made more difficult by the headwind. Many thanks to our guides James and Charley and Bicycle Adventures, for another great adventure. The Gypsea is pretty excited about an upcoming supported bike trip to Las Vegas and Death Valley. I get to see the lake at Badwater before it disappears! Fingers crossed for lots of spring flowers too. I’ll be joined by three Seattle friends which will make it even more fun.
Ride-Eat-Sleep; Repeat! Next will be a short self-supported bike tour, locally, sort of a shakedown for the big trip in August/September. Moving on to trail work, I’ll be volunteering with Pacific Crest Trail Association and some Washington Trail Association work as well. If all goes according to tentative plans, a backpack trip around Mount Hood too! The big bike trip will be RAW (no not the now defunct Ride Around Washington), but my own creation, Ride Around Wisconsin. I’ve read nothing but good things about cycling conditions in Wisconsin and I’m going to see for myself. If you have local knowledge of cycling in Wisconsin, please add to comments or use “contact” to let me know what you know.  Stanley and I took the train to Pittsburgh in early September to meet up with my ride buddy from Ohio, to ride both the GAP (Great Alleghany Passage) and the C&O trail to Washington DC. After a confusing maze of detours to bypass a closed section of the beginning of the route, we met up and started our journey with a jolt of caffeine at Starbucks, almost on the trail. No rush. Short day.
We arrived West Newton Gap Campground about 26 miles later, and checked in to this amazing campground with unusual amenities for a hiker biker campground including a beautiful outdoor shower. Our next day was to be a long one, but we cut it short about 10 miles due to heavy rain and rode about 43 miles. We lucked out and found a secluded and covered area in a local park, just off the trail. Day 3 destination was Meyersdale, and the slow, slight climb was relentless but would be over in another day. The trail itself was being re surfaced on this stretch with ground clay mixed with gravel. The fresh surface was a bit soft for riding but we’re glad it drained well so we had no issues with puddles or mud. We stayed at another hiker biker camp, and by end of the day it was quite crowded with fellow travelers. It was a treat to share a beer and meet the other travelers. Day four brought us to the Continental Divide (all downhill from here!) and into Cumberland, the end of the GAP and beginning of C&O, where we shared a hotel and ate too much. The next day was a zero day to wash stuff, dry out, and provision for the trip on to Washington DC. My ride buddy rides a bike Friday and loves her (christened “Cutie” on Day 5), as he had recently returned from her maiden adventure, riding from Paris to Romania. We were quite surprised to encounter three fellow travelers on Bike Fridays. Needless to say, lots of conversation and discussion about the virtues of these 20” wheeled workhorses which I just found out are manufactured in Oregon. The trail got rough and rocky as we had been warned, but it didn’t last forever and it was trending downhill. We were curious about a town named Paw Paw so took a short detour to check it out and enjoyed our lunch in a local park. Next up was the historic Paw Paw tunnel which had been closed for repairs for several years. We were fortunate to not have to do the hike a bike over and around the closure as the tunnel had recently opened. The narrow pathway next to the canal was rough and very dark, so walking was a no brainer. Speaking of paw paw, we did some googling and discovered that it’s a fruit and after that we saw them everywhere along the trail, in various states of ripeness. To me they looked like slimy stuff one didn’t eat, but they appear to be popular. My ride buddy got his share and enjoyed eating them until they got stinky and very over ripe; the smell didn’t encourage fellow travelers to stop and visit on their way in the other direction. The campgrounds along the C&O appeared every 8 to 10 miles and all had at least one picnic table, a toilet, and non drinkable water. We were able to water up at various locations, knowing we’d have to filter if we wanted to drink the pump water. We were usually riding along the Potomac River on one side and the remains of the canal on the other side. Having the river right there was quite nice for evening relaxing and washing up. Each campsite has a name, and the sign includes distance to next so picking a free campsite was easy and I could practice not planning every crank of Stanley’s wheels. As we approached the city of Hancock, I had heard of a 26 mile paved bypass, which we located and enjoyed this smooth ride which paralleled the C&O. The map I purchased showing all the towns, services, and all the campgrounds along the way (both for GAP and C&O) was very valuable and we used it often during the trip. When we arrived in Hancock, it was absolutely pouring and cold. We took a long lunch break, bringing our dripping selves into a fast food place, to discuss plans. We decided to share a hotel in nearby Williamsburg, which was a great treat. At this point, we’d ridden about 230 miles of the 330 or so miles to Washington DC. Our next day was a longer than most but the gentle descent and improved trail conditions made 54 miles not so bad. Our camp for this night was Bald Eagle campground and without realizing it, it was the worst camp ever, only because the frequent trains raced by, close enough to vibrate the ground and sounding like we were going to get run over. Skip this camp unless you have extra heavy duty ear plugs! Riding a pleasant 35 or so miles toward Swain Lock, our last campground on the C&O, we saw large, snapping turtles, wild turkeys, and deer. First time we had seen much of any wildlife other than the turtles. Swain Lock campground, being close to the city, had several apparently long term tents and car campers, which is not legal but there they were. We had no problems other than a woman shouting in the distance every so often. I proceeded on to Arlington, VA to an Air B&B I had reserved, while my ride buddy camped another couple of nights. As it turned out, the influence of a hurricane was causing dangerous riding conditions on the day we were heading to Fredericksburg, on a route of our own design. We opted to rent a one way U Haul truck. We parted company i Fredericksburg, as he was heading home and I had the luxury of yet another hotel while waiting a train to take me to Richmond VA to a delightful Warmshowers host. After that, it was a mix of trains and riding which ultimately put me in Salisbury, NC, my final destination. After spending several very special days with my cousin there, I boarded the train (sleeper car please!) for the long trip home. While lounging on the train, I began thinking about what’s up for next year…I’ve heard good things about the cycling in Wisconsin but I’ve always wanted to do some kind of trip into British Columbia. I have already committed to an early 2024 supported trip in Death Valley with Bicycle Adventures, hoping to see lots of blooming flowers. More to come… My brother and I did a backpacking adventure to the Necklace Valley, which is near Stevens Pass in Northern Washington state. Break ins are apparently common but the only thing that broke into my car was a mouse.
The trail was mostly rocky, rooty, steep and very hot in the exposed areas. Some sections were so brushy that it was difficult to see further than a few steps. Seems like the trail builders were against switchbacks. We camped at Jade Lake and hiked further up the valley over the next few days. Good workouts, scrambling over rocks and boulders but worth it at the end of the day to enjoy my home made dehydrated dinners – chili with extra cheese was my favorite. With an inspiring environment, we made up a trail song – rules are only to be sung while on trail. We were on our way out the day the wildfire smoke got really bad and looked forward to burgers and hot showers. Total miles, 436; total elevation gain, 24,330
Disclaimer: Myself and many others took a lift on a particularly sketchy section of road, even though the local police were caravanning riders and there was extra signage. Last day was so hot and hilly that I got a lift and reduced mileage by about 20. The ride started near Roseburg, in Winston, Oregon. First day was the longest at 72 miles, to Bandon. Next day we camped in Gold Beach, then camped two days in Crescent City, California, then Lake Selmac, then Wolf Creek, Oregon, then back to Winston on day 7. The route was very well laid out and mostly on low traffic sometimes remote roads. The 300 of we participants rode some on the Coast Highway going south and in spite of mostly decent shoulders, the logging trucks and motor homes were not considerate. BRNW did an excellent job of marking the routes on the pavement, with cautionary orange cones, paper versions of routes, and RideWithGPS routing as well. We had two 5 mile experiences on I5, one of which was not planned but BRNW rolled with it and got us through with no trauma. Shoulders on I5 were a whole lane wide! Just about everything this organization did was outstanding or excellent! There were adequate food/rest stops, additional unmanned water stops (it got very hot!!), plenty of toilets so one didn’t have to wait long for anything. Breakfasts and dinners were plentiful and no shortage of beer, snacks, and soft drink options at the end of every day. Oh, and the showers and clothes washing stations were well appreciated by everyone. This was my first trip with BRNW and I cannot praise this organization enough – including the value for the money spent! Check them out and register early. They are always a sellout. Next up for the Gypsea – some camping at Mt Rainer and a backpacking trip. Stay tuned…. Six days’ riding and experiencing some of the wonders of Scotland by bike. I traveled with a small group of hearty souls, climbing the small roads and passing through farmland, forests and small villages.
A few of the many highlights – the cathedral where parts of Outlander were filmed, the castle where the Monty Python movie, with the French taunting took place, sheep everywhere, amusing road signs, tasting peat-infused whiskey, challenging climbs to get to braw vistas, skinny roads too narrow for a car and a bike to pass, incredibly courteous and respectful drivers. We started near Glasgow, stopping for a visit at Drumlanrig Castle on the way to our hotel for the next two nights. During our stay at Selkirk Arms Hotel, we did a 46 mile loop and stopped to check out the Sweetheart Abby; then next day did a ride looking for red deer and wild goats with a short steep hike to a viewpoint. On day four, the much anticipated ferry ride to Arran Island and accommodations at the Auchrannie Resort in Brodick for the next three nights. The remaining days were spent exploring the few roads on the island, and a day trip ferry to the Kintyre Peninsula, then a loop around the entire island with a stop at a distillery for whiskey and chocolate tasting. Getting used to riding on the left side of the road and the reversed brake levers was much easier than I anticipated. The bicycles provided were of the best quality possible and extremely well maintained. Total miles over 6 days, about 250 with 10,596 feet of suffering and climbing to get to some amazing vistas. Many thanks to Bicycle Adventures and our guides, Jeff and John, for making the Scotland trip truly worth every minute! |
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