Category: Bike Touring

Thomas Stevens describes bicycling in California — 1884

The most recent issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine published by Adventure Cycling Association features an article about Thomas Stevens' globe-girdling ride in 1884 on a 50-inch penny farthing.

In “The Fearless Traveler: Around the World with Thomas Stevens,” author Geof Koss describes the trials of becoming the first person to accomplish the feat.

But before Stevens could become the first person to bicycle around the world, he had to cross the United States.

During his around the world bike ride, Stevens sent dispatches to Harper's Weekly. In 1887, he published a book about his journey, “Around the World on a Bicycle.”

Here are some excerpts I collected and published at this blog back in 2007 from his trip across California, leaving from Oakland and heading up to Sacramento, then across the Sierra Nevada. …

“With the hearty well-wishing of a small group of Oakland and 'Frisco cyclers who have come, out of curiosity, to see the start, I mount and ride away to the east, down San Pablo Avenue, toward the village of the same Spanish name, some sixteen miles distant. The first seven miles are a sort of half-macadamized road, and I bowl briskly along.

“The past winter has been the rainiest since 1857, and the continuous pelting rains had not beaten down upon the last half of this imperfect macadam in vain; for it has left it a surface of wave-like undulations ……

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/05/02/thomas-stevens-describes-bicycling-in-california-1884/

Sierra Cascade Bicycle Route maps now available

The wait is over for anyone wanting a set of bicycle maps to explore the length of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range.

The cartographers at Adventure Cycling Association finished dotting the cities and crossing the intersections on the 2,389-mile Sierra Cascade Bicycle Route and the results are back from the printers.

The bike route from Sumas, Washington, to Tecate, California, is available on a set of five maps that went on sale Friday at the Adventure Cycling website.

More than 200 bicycle enthusiasts showed up for a sneak peek at a couple of the maps earlier this month when the route was unveiled in Seattle.

It was joy to see the maps, not only because of their wonderful presentation but also for the potential of adventure they contain. They're printed on durable stock and also contain information about where to find food, lodging and bike shops …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/05/01/sierra-cascade-bicycle-route-maps-now-available/

Following the red brick road; the Yellowstone Trail

RedBrickRoadAs I paused at this quiet spot to shoot this red brick road near Redmond the other day, I had a hard time believing that this was a section of the transcontinental Yellowstone Trail highway back in the early 1900s.

At one-time it buzzed with automobiles heading back and forth across the Northern Tier states. People traveled it for business and pleasure.

Today it's a 1-mile-long connector between the busy Redmond-Fall City Road (Route 202) and Union Hill Road on the outskirts of Redmond. A historical marker notes that it's the longest remaining brick road in King County.

Now renamed 196th Avenue NE, the present alignment of Mattson Road ….

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/29/following-the-red-brick-road-the-yellowstone-trail/

West Virginian is still wheeling along at 90

The need to be moving must be in the blood of retired long-haul trucker Al Weidtz.

Long after leaving the truck business, 90-year-old Weidtz puts in a lot of hours in the saddle of his hybrid bicycle.

In good weather it's not uncommon for him to ride 100 miles a week on the 13 miles of the Wheeling Heritage Trails network near his home, a fact notable enough to earn coverge in the local newspaper. He also rides in bike tours with family and friends.

Next month, Weidtz will participate in the 4th annual Wheeling Heritage Trail Bike Tour. The May 30 event is a fund-raiser to close the gap between the Wheeling trails and bike trails in Brooke County to the north ….

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/26/west-virginian-is-still-wheeling-along-at-90/

Bicycle rentals at Grand Canyon and other national parks

The park service is making it easier for people to enjoy their national parks on two wheels and away from the cars and RVs.

Bike rentals in the National Parks are becoming more commonplace, and many parks have closed off roads or built trails for bike- or pedestrian-use only.

Here are three parks where I've arrived by bicycle for touring in the past. It's good to see that they're accessible to more people who want to enjoy them by bicycle.

For the first time, a bike rental operation will operate at the Grand Canyon National Park on the South Rim.

The park service issued Bright Angel Bicycle Rentals a one-year permit ..

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/25/bicycle-rentals-at-grand-canyon-and-other-national-parks/

Overnight mass bike tours are going strong

RAGBRAI. BRAN. RAW. GABRAKY. BAK. GOBA. XOBA.

This isn't a command that Klatuu gives his robot in the movie, “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” or the agency listings in an acronym-crazy state government phone book.

Dyed in the wool bicyclists will recognize these as just a few of the shortened names among the dozens of mass participation, across-state bicycle tours that are held every summer in the US.

The recession economy doesn't seem to be hurting the popularity of these outings. In fact, David Harrenstein, head of the National Bicycle Tour Directors Association, says:..

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/20/overnight-mass-bike-tours-are-going-strong/

Brains on Bikes rolling across country to raise cancer funds

Four years after her diagnosis for brain cancer, Anne Feeley is riding her bicycle across country to raise money and awareness for one of the most deadly forms of cancer.

She and her friend and trainer, Gundula Hennig, set off from San Francisco late last week on their 3,800-mile cross-country fund-raising ride called Brains on Bikes. They are currently in Northern California.

The 55-year-old is the first to admit that she's been lucky. Doctors told her she probably had about a year to live. She suffered the same type of cancer — glioblastoma multiforme tumor — that afflicted the late Senator Ted Kennedy.

She underwent radiation therapy and chemotherapy, and she began exercising to make herself stronger. It gave her some control over her situation and made her feel better both spiritually …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/12/brains-on-bikes-rolling-across-country-to-raise-cancer-funds/

Around-the-world bicyclist aims to climb Mt. Everest

An anti-government uprising in his home country of Nepal convinced Pushkar Shah to ride his bicycle around the world to spread the message of peace.

Now, Shah plans to scale the slopes of Mount Everest to plant the flags of the 150 countries he visited on his 11-year journey.

Shah ended his 135,000-mile world tour ….

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/08/around-the-world-bicyclist-aims-to-climb-mt-everest/

New Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route unveiled in Seattle

For the bicycle touring crowd, this is as close as it gets to something like a release party for Apple's iPad.

More than 200 bicyclists showed up on Tuesday night for the unveiling of the Sierra Cascade Bicycle Route, the newest map set produced by the Adventure Cycling Association.

The 2,400-mile bicycle route connects Canada and Mexico via paved roads roughly along the corridor of the Pacific Crest. The 5-map set will be available at the end of April.

The bicycle route marks Adventure Cycling's achievement of creating more than 40,000 miles of bicycle routes …..

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/07/new-sierra-cascades-bicycle-route-unveiled-in-seattle/

British bicyclist on a quest to circle the globe in 99 days

A 45-year-old British bicyclist and bar owner set off from Thailand last week in an attempt to smash the around-the-world bicycling record by shaving more than two months off the current best time.

Alan Bate proposes to accomplish the 18,000-mile journey in 99 days, eclipsing the fastest time of 165 days set by Julian Sayarer, 23, just last year.

The feat requires that Bate ride his bicycle an average 180 miles a day, compared to the 109 miles a day ridden by Sayarer last year.

The past couple of years have seen many attacks on the bicycling record to circumnavigate the globe — all by British bicyclists.

The standing Guinness World Record holder is still Scotland's Mark Beaumont …

Continue reading

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/04/05/british-bicyclist-on-a-quest-to-circle-the-globe-in-99-days/