Madagascar In Pictures

I spent two weeks bicycling in Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the world. But one full of beauty, whether it's the local children in the tiniest of villages, or the lemurs springing from one tree to the next, or the expansive savannas where, as far as I could see, there was nothing but sky, clouds and tall grasses, or the lush rainforest that the locals call the dark forest where an array of chameleons can be spied at night, or the curiously hued rock formations surrounding steaming geysers. This YouTube video slideshow  provides a window into my journey.

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South Korea In Pictures

South Korea recently has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. But this is a country webbed with a sophisticated network of bicycle trails, many that are completely segregated from traffic. I recently bicycled from Damyang, south of Seoul and then took the ferry with my bicycle to Jeju Island. I found South Korea to be a country of lush landscapes, verdant agricultural lands, primeval forests, dense stands of bamboo, and scenic waterfronts where older female divers free dive for abalone and conch and then serve the shellfish raw on a seaside table. This YouTube video slideshow provides a window into my adventures.

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New Green Spaces on New York's Governor's Island

What if I told you that a five-minute ferry ride from Manhattan allows you to climb landscaped hills for scenic views, relax in hammocks set amid wild brush, zoom down an almost 60-foot slide, and rent bicycles to a waterfront picnic spot? This is what visitors find on Governor's Island that sits off the southern tip of Manhattan. And, yet, so many New Yorkers never make it to these green, placid shores. The island recently opened up a newly-landscaped, 10-acre sector with a cluster of four hills, proving awe-inspiring views of the lower Manhattan skyline as well as art and entertainment options: think the slide quadruplets, and sculptural installations. The photo collage below is what I found on Governor's Island on my most recent visit where, of course, I criss-crossed the island on bicycle. There's no excuse for not hopping on board the ferry for an afternoon or a day away from the city's chaotic streets.

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Active Wales

To truly experience a country, I need to get intimate with the land. Taking in the aroma of blossoms and pine needles. Listening to the soft crunch of leaves underfoot, and the wild roar of the ocean. Touching craggy boulders strewn along my path or rough bark in dense forests. Tasting the salt spray from a turbulent surf on my lips. Here's are some activities that will bring you up close with the varied landscapes found in Wales.

Surfing
        Along the Gower Peninsula with its soaring cliffs and its sweeping sandy bays, you'll find fine quality waves, especially and consistently along the beaches of Llangennith. Beginners will be comfortable here as well as skillful surfers. But, either way, you can rent all your equipment from PJ's Surf Shop.

Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking
      Thrill seekers will find plenty to get their adrenalin levels skyrocketing in the north of the country at the National WhiteWater Centre along the River Tryweryn, which is a dam-release waterway. Here you'll be able to negotiate Class III rapids whether via kayak, canoe or inflatable raft. Or sit it out and watch one of several competitions regularly held here.

Mountain Biking
     The network of trails networking the conifer-laden forests of Coed-y-Brenin Forest Park make for a premium mountain biking venue. They're graded similar to ski trails, with the green ideal for novices and the black reserved for those who are fit and fearless. (A trail named the Beast of Brenin is self explanatory.) Bike rental is available at Beics Brenin.


Road Cycling
       Wales is plenty bicycle friendly with many traffic-free trails (whether rails-to-trails or forest paths) linked together as part of the National Cycle Network. On one of these, the Lon Geltaidd Celtic Trail East, you'll be able to pedal almost 200 miles from Fishguard, a town on a scenic headland that's noted for its music festivals, to the Severn Bridge in the south of Wales. And the vast majority of the time, you'll be on paths that are car free.


Walking and Hiking
        The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, in the eponymous national park, sticks mostly to the clifftops along its sea-hugging route for most of its 185-some-mile length. Whether spotting seabirds or sunbathing seals, you'll be traversing a path that you can stroll for an afternoon or a couple of weeks. If you're in Fishguard, you'll be able to access the path that runs through old ports; or the precipitous section of the path where seabirds may be your only companions above St. Davids Head.

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Bicycling the Idyllic Island of Sylt, Germany

What makes for a perfect cycling destination? For me, it starts with a venue that bike friendly, which usually means myriad bicycle trails and motorists that respect cyclists. It also means a destination that's rich in bucolic landscapes and quaint villages. I found such a place in Sylt, Germany, an island that's usually mentioned because it attracts well-to-do Germans who flock to the upscale seaside resorts and sea-lapped sands. No wonder it's given the moniker -- and there are several that all convey the same idea -- the Hamptons of Germany.

Recently, I wrote about cycling on this idyllic isle for Donna Hull at My Itchy Travel Feet. Sylt is so much more than sun and sand. Here you'll find giant dunes topped with a network of foliage, mud flats that are protected for the plankton that call them home, archeological ruins that date back millenia, and centuries-old whitewashed churches. Anyone who spends their time on Sylt simply baking on the sands has missed so much more that this island offers.

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Travel Tips E-Book - Product Discounts

Since I published my travel tips e-book a couple of weeks ago, I've been hearing from people asking about the companies/products that I recommend in my book. Three of these companies, so far, are on board to offer discounts on their products to anyone who purchases my book: 

1. SteriPen, the company that manufactures a small device that you can carry in your pocket and that will sterilize contaminated water in seconds. They are offering $5 off on any product they sell.
2. Clothing Arts, the company that manufactures Pick-Pocket Proof Pants -- yes, they are so pick-pocket proof that you would have to be unconscious for anyone to get into your pockets -- is offering a substantial 20% discount that's good until fall 2013. I've blogged about these pants in an earlier post. 

For each of these discounts, simply email me (see the contact information in my blog) and I'll provide you with the discount codes.

Below is the latest company to provide an offer to those who buy my book. And this is a company that is near and dear to my heart. I've been a member of this organization for ages and have taken many of their bicycle tours where I've pedaled along one of the most beautiful roads in the country, the Beartooth Highway, and also went ferry hopping in Washington State's San Juan Islands. I've cycled over soaring mountain passes in Colorado and Montana as well as along historic paths in New Mexico passing old pueblo dwellings.

Anyone who buys my travel tips e-book will:

Get a Free Issue of Adventure Cyclist Magazine!

Adventure Cycling Association is North America’s largest nonprofit membership bicycling organization.  Their mission is to inspire and empower people to travel by bicycle.  They publish the award-winning Adventure Cyclist magazine known for its insightful stories,inspiring photography, bicycle-travel news, gear reviews, technical advice columns, touring bike road tests, and more.

This is a company without pretension, a company that has long advocated for safe bicycle routes around the country, and a company that was the first first in 1976 to organize the coast-to-coast bicycle route in the U.S. 

Their guided bicycle tours span the gamut, from cushy inn-to-inn tours where you'll enjoy low-key cycling in, for example, Puget Sound in Washington, passing  tranquil coves and harbors, to family tours in Idaho where you and your kids can stop in historic towns, take a refreshing dip in a swimming hole, and do some bird watching, to much more rigorous self-contained tours that course thousands of miles over hill and dale, such as their Sierra Cascades tour. On these latter tours, you'll carry everything, including clothing, food and other gear, on your bike, camp overnight and wake up to towering redwoods and course through majestic parks, such as Yosemite and Lassen, with its smoldering volcanic activity. You'll become comfortable with the day-to-day routine, and realize that good camaraderie, warm food, a roof over your head, and a day of scenic vistas is all you need to be happy

Aside from their tours and the magazine, Adventure Cycling also offers the Cyclists' Yellow Pages, a comprehensive resource allowing you to search for bicycle shops, bike tour operators, bicycle events and much more in North America and around the world.

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Denmark: A Cyclist's Paradise

When I travel the world, I have a preference for active travel, whether hiking, walking, bicycling or Nordic skiing, to name a few. It's not only a way to acquire an intimate contact with the land and its people, but I can stay in shape while having fun doing it. So, with the rising obesity rates in the U.S. -- among children, the obesity rates have tripled; and among adults, almost 40% are considered obese -- I wonder how some countries get their citizens to work out. Most notably I'm thinking about Denmark. Sure, when we think bicycle-friendly countries, The Netherlands always come to mind. But, in fact, after Holland, Denmark has the next highest rates of cycling in the world. I've bicycled all over Denmark and have found it a pleasure to ride in a country where the bike is king. I had little worry that a car would slam into me from the rear or cut in front of me as it made a right turn. I had no problems taking my bike on the trains nor any problem navigating Copenhagen's city center. Dedicated bike trails network across the country that has the most cyclists in not just Copenhagen but also Denmark's two other big cities: Odense and Aarhus. For example, Denmark is networked with over 6,000 miles of cycle routes and the city of Odense is covered with some 300 miles of bike paths. In Copenhagen, some 36% of people get to work by bicycle, compared with 29% by car and 28% by public transportation.

So what is Denmark doing right and what are we doing wrong? Some would say that Denmark has such a small population that it's easier to get people to bicycle. Yet, even in cities, like New York City where I live, cycling is not all the rage. And, it's hardly safe. In fact, I have long stopped biking in Manhattan because of near collisions with cars, trucks and taxis. The bike lanes are not separated from traffic, which means anything goes. (Cars typically park or disgorge their passengers in bike lanes.) It's not easy to park your bike safely should you want to shop, nor can you easily find a place to pump up your tires, grab a drink of water from a fountain or find a bathroom that a cyclist can easily drop by.

Then there's the problem with the out-of-control cyclists, most notably bike messengers or delivery people who ride on sidewalks or the wrong way on streets, or run the red lights (just as many cars do) which has resulted in a significant number of pedestrian accidents.

And, of course, there are plenty of cities in the U.S. -- Tampa, Florida, for one -- where cars rule and where even pedestrians take a risk crossing the street. No wonder it's hard to get people bicycling.

In Denmark, it's not just kids; people in all age groups cycle, from young to old. And they don't just cycle for pleasure. It's a way of life, whether they're going shopping or heading to work. And, the Danes don't cycle just because it's healthy or because it's good for the environment. Rather, getting somewhere by bicycle is faster and more fun than doing so by another method.  Denmark has realized that cities that are bicycle friendly are people friendly and infrastructure that encourages this also encourages social interaction among its citizens, benefits the economy because workers are not stuck in traffic jams, and makes for a more attractive urban environment.

 Here are some things you'll find in Copenhagen, Odense, and/or Aarhus, in particular, that encourage cycling:

1. Bicycle parking facilities are conveniently located near shops/main train stations; are covered; well lighted; have video surveillance cameras as well as bathrooms, water fountains and air pumps.

2. Bicycle racks are also conveniently located, with some installed beside kindergartens. 

3. At intersections, bike lanes are painted with a bright blue bike icon to alert motorists.

4. Children not only learn how to ride a bike before first grade but safe cycling is part of some school curricula.

5. Bike lanes are preferentially de-iced and cleared of snow so that the citizens can bicycle in the winter.

6. Trouble-shooters are employed to traverse bike lanes and determine and report if there are potholes or other surface problems.

7. Cycling marketing/promotional campaigns are not just about print and television ads, but rather are quite innovative involving bike touring programs for seniors, having parents test out bike trails to haul their kids, partnering with businesses by giving them a fleet of bicycles their employees can use during the day for short business treks, giving out complementary bicycle lights that don't use batteries as well as seat covers and water bottles.

8. Copenhagen has an interesting way of dealing with people who illegally park their bicycle: The city employs what's referred to as Bike Butlers who pump up the tires and oil the chain of the offending bicycle. (It's seems to have been more successful than other punitive actions.)

9. Some traffic lights are timed to coordinate with the speed of cyclists, rather than cars, and there may be a special bike traffic light.

10. A GPS system is being utilized so that a stolen bicycle can be tracked.

11. Copenhagen has plans for bike-through shopping facilities; a new bike sharing program; more and wider cycle paths, including those where the car stop white line is way behind the cyclist which is favored when the light turns green.

12. Denmark promotes cycling by integrating the cooperation of governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations as well as private companies. It works because everyone knows that a city that  respects their cyclists and where cyclists respect other citizens is a city that's more livable for all.

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Radio Show: Adventuring in Israel

Though I've posted extensively on my trips to Israel, Pat Boyle at the Travel Show on KPAM 860 radio in Portland, Oregon recently interviewed me on that country as a venue for cool adventure travel.

And, surprisingly, even savvy travelers don't associate Israel with mountain biking, hiking, skiing and scuba diving. Listen to my take on the subject and I'm sure you'll come away with an entirely new view of this country.

You can listen to my interview on Israel by clicking on the audio player below:

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An Idyllic Italian Isle

Sardinia's Costa Smeralda on the east coast may get all the celebrity attention, but I found that bicycling the island's west coast with locally based Dolcevita Bike Tours is the way to experience the real Sardinia. For one week, I pedaled alongside Italians and native English speakers sharing mandatory and frequent espresso stops and picnicking on sheep's milk cheese, prosciutto and cantaloupe, or brochette bread with olive paste. We ventured through some of the most remote and wildest parts of Sardinia, sampling eucalyptus honey, wild boar sausage and wines made from indigenous grapes. Rolling past olive groves, vineyards and Genoese watchtowers perched on promontories, we rested on strikingly white sand beaches and parked our bikes near ancient Roman ruins. Instead of simply visiting one beachside resort after another, traveling with a local company brought us myriad intimate surprises. For example, while biking the Costa Verde with its rocky gorges and uncrowded beaches, we found giant foliage-draped sand dunes that are the highest in all of Europe.

Another day in the hamlet of San Salvatore, once a site of many a spaghetti western, the locals offered us wine that they produced for a much-celebrated religious feast where villagers race barefoot from town to town carrying the saint's statue. In the town of Arbus that's snuggled on a hillside, we met Paolo Pusceddu, the infamous knife maker who presides over the town's Knife Museum. (There we examined his 650-pound folding knife that's considered the world's heaviest.) And, given that Sardinia is dotted with thousands of nuraghi, we had plenty of opportunities to inspect these curious truncated cone-shaped stone structures dating to the Bronze Age.

I always prefer traveling with local groups rather than a U.S.-based company as a way to get a real perspective of the land and its people. And Dolcevita was everything I had hoped for and more. The guides were attentive, always available to answer questions on everything from history to cuisine. The other cyclists, particularly the Italians, were a delight. Not only were they amazing cyclists -- there were more than a few steep hills to climb on this journey that they navigated with aplomb; considering one had raced professionally and three others did regularly high-speed, heavy-duty cycling, I picked up plenty of biking tips -- but they were personable, funny and ever so stylish. In fact, I joked with them that they were the most fashionable cyclists I'd ever traveled with. As one might expect from the Italians, for our seven-day trek, many wore a different bike outfit every day. And, amazingly, everything matched, from the jersey to the tights to the gloves and socks. Overall, an unforgettable adventure with people that will remain my friends.

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