One that we have often thought of probably works best in Europe, and that is to visit towns that have cheeses named after them, naturally sampling each cheese. This works well if you go to places like Camembert, France or Limburg, Netherlands. On the other hand Cheddar is no longer made in Cheddar, England, nor can you find Gouda cheese actually still made in Gouda, Netherlands.
We somewhat tried another food related theme in "Grampies Track the Tortes". But that was a hunt for the "real" torte. Another version would be to visit the hometown of each of the regional tortes of Germany. A lady on Youtube had a similar take, actually trying to bake at home each of the ten major German regional tortes:
1. Buttercremetorte - Butter Creme Cake
2. Frankfurter Kranz - Frankfurt Crown Cake
3. Schwarzwälder Kirsch Torte - Blackforest Cake
4. Obst Torte - Fruit cake
5. Prinzregententorte
6. Friesentorte 7. Herrentorte 8. Donauwelle 9. Marzipan Torte - Marzipan cake
10. Fürst-Pückler-Torte - Neapolitan Cake
We've had some other ideas, like to follow the Romans on their expansion from Italy north into Europe, visiting as many Roman sites as possible, like the arena in Arles, and following named for Romans branded cycle routes like the Romantishe Strasse, the Via Claudia Augusta, or the Via Julia.One disadvantage of themed routes like this, and especially the tailwinds idea, is that they often will not conform to safe and interesting bicycle routing. That's where "Grampies Go By the Books" was helpful. That was an attempt to cycle (or at least to cycle on) as many "Bikeline" cycle routes as possible. Each route is 400-600 km and there are dozens and dozens of them. We managed 15, not that we cycled 15x400=6000 km. But we did travel 4692 km that way!
I studied the possibility of long bike tours on various historic routes in the US. Colonial trade routes such as Old Spanish Trail. Emigrant trails such as the Oregon Trail and Applegate Trail. Wagon roads such as the Butterfield Overland Stage route. The Trail of Tears migration routes of the Cherokee and Nez Perce tribes. Historic motor roads such as the Lincoln highway, Bankhead highway, and Route 66.
I have pedaled portions of all these routes. But every time I study the route to consider a long bike tour I decide that the vast majority of those routes are not very safe or interesting for bike touring.
I've been trying to think of a momentous tour for my 60th birthday next summer. Something impressive and memorable. The problem is our 2020 border to border tour was so perfect that anything else pales in comparison. Here's a link to the journal: https://www.cycleblaze.com/jou...
My most recent consideration for my birthday ride is to ride every paved pass in Colorado. That would be worthy. Then I looked at the list - I don't have a desire to ride Floyd Hill on I-70, or Monument Hill on I-25. Even Tenderfoot Pass on the way to Cripple Creek is on a road I'd rather not bicycle.
My second thought was riding all of the paved passes that cross the Continental Divide in Colorado. That was doable, just just not exciting.
I could ride a Grand Tour of Colorado - hitting all of my favorite roads - passes or not. I've made two different routes, staying mostly in Colorado. 2,000 miles each and hardly leaving the state!
For that sort of mileage, I could really go somewhere. How about Rifle to Canada and back? We have covered the area several times, but there are roads we haven't ridden . . . that might be a possibility.
I feel as if we should ride a coast to coast. All of the other kids are doing it. I even stumbled across a themed route - linking ten different towns named Eureka. They lined up nicely, across the country. I can't get excited about that one either . . . .
I've given myself until January to think of something momentous for my 60th. It well could be a themed tour!
I've tried to apply some kind of theme to all of my more recent journals, specious as those themes may be. I've done a newspaper reporter/Mississippi River theme, a no-complaints theme, a Great Plains-is-Great theme, a gambling-on-the-desert theme, a Rand-McNally dotted lines theme and, very recently, a Holy Land theme. (I'm also still looking forward to that elusive tour that involves a west Texas cowboy theme.)
But my favorite theme of all was the one in which I set out to debunk a website article that named the safest and most dangerous cycling cities in the U.S. To my amazement, the article named four Iowa cities as the most dangerous. I grew up in Iowa. Man, did I have fun with that B.S. THE INTRODUCTION AFTER THE MAIN INTRODUCTION: The Danger Zone? - Logic And Energy Debunk The Iowa Myth: Parts 1 & 2 - CycleBlaze
Speaking of Tailwind Tours, I've also given serious thought to that theme. I once wrote a three-page article about the pitfalls and the possibilities of such a thing. Alas, it is gone forever after I was asked to leave Crazyguy/Topicwise, which I did immediately--without downloading quite a bit of content.
In the future, I'd like to do a holiday-themed tour in Minnesota and Wisconsin in which I would ride from town to town and take pictures of Christmas decorations in their downtown areas. It would be a short tour with very short riding days between towns. I think I have good enough clothing to withstand 10 to 20 miles of possible below-zero (F) temperatures. There would be no camping. No riding in blizzards or ice storms. It would be close to home in case I need my wife to rescue me.
I once wrote and article and submitted it to a recumbent magazine (pre internet days). It was a tongue in cheek article about a rating system for bathroom stops while touring. I thought it quite entertaining. I put a lot of effort into it. The editor said it wasn't quite the content they were aiming for. I sure wish I had a copy of that article now . . .20some years later.
I've been thinking about the theme idea. There was the comment on your journal about taking photos of hillside letters. That would be a fun theme - to try and get all of the letters of the alphabet. Would that even be possible?
We are currently on a fall colors tour in Colorado and have passed several ski areas. How about a ski area tour? Jacinto would like that - with all of the climbing!
Next year is my 60th birthday, which is a zero year. That means (according to Alison), that I am the queen for the entire year and get to pick our touring destination. I am having a great deal of difficulty coming up with something momentous enough for a zero birthday. For Jacinto's 50th, we rode the Sierra Cascades route from Canada to Reno. That was momentous. I'd like to come up with a great theme, or at least a great idea for next summer.
I'm reading along here, hoping something will spark.
I think you could call some of our recent tours as dancing tours! Since we're ballroom dancers we selected our destinations partially based on where we could dance.
Marilyn, you bring up an interesting subset of theme tours - combining hobby endeavors. Ballroom dancing during bike tours is a new one to me. Excellent!
I once read a tour journal by a guy who tried to swim in every lake he passed in Canada, multiple lakes per day. It's somewhat common for bike tourists to do major mountain day hikes during bike tours. Some bike tour journals include drawings, watercolors, or weavings. Some bike tourists carry a musical instrument. Others carry fishing or ham radio equipment. And then there's the ultimate multi-taskers: people who travel by bike with children and dogs.
Combining interests can make tours more interesting and fulfilling.
Kelly, I too hit 60 next year and am searching for the epic ride. I am thinking of following the St. Lawrence from where it ends at Lake Ontario to where it begins at the Atlantic in the Maritimes. Also toying with ideas that include 60 of something, but keep falling short on that.
Karen, back in the mid to late 90's my Dad and about 5 of his cycling buddies used to do an annual "Tailwind Tour" just as you've described. For about 10 years they would start at Jerry & Sparky's bike shop in Davenport, Iowa, and traveling very light (with just a single change of clothes) would bike for 7 days, traveling whichever way the wind was blowing. They'd ride in early to mid-May to hope for stronger winds, and would cover at least a 10o miles a day because the riding was so easy. They stayed in motels instead of camping. After seven days they'd ride to the nearest car rental location, rent a van or two, and drive home to tell war stories to their friends in the Quad Cities Bike Club. One year they almost made it to Canada, another year the wind just blew them around central Illinois, and another year they wound up nearly 800 miles east. One of the guys who always did the trip was an avid and active member of the Rotary Club, and never missed a meeting, so anyone who did the ride knew that somewhere along the way Carter LeBeau would be finding a local rotary club meeting to attend. Usually the guys would become the featured speakers because attendees were so taken with the idea of a bunch of bikers letting the wind determine their travels. They always looked forward to it, and many of us waited for updates to track the path of their travels.
2 years ago