Go on Bike Tour

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Bicycle Touring is a great way to have a total immersion experience into a part of the world that intrigues the potential visitor. Bicycle Touring, for the most part, emphasizes bicycling trips over long (or sometimes not so long) distances that focus on pleasure, adventure and autonomy rather than physical accomplishment, although that can be a part of the trip as well – the physical accomplishment part that is. Experiences can range from single day rides to multi-day trips. Bike Touring can take on any number of forms and sometimes includes a combination of more than one. In a general sense, the styles of touring can be described as: Day Touring This type of bicycle tour is typically just a very long single-day bike ride. A long day trip typically is comprised of simply jumping on a bicycle and going for a ride and visiting sites that stretches for a span of less than 24-hours. These rides will vary highly in their size of the group, length, purpose and methods of support. They may involve solo cyclists, group rides or large organized rides with hundreds of riders, or more. The length can range from a few miles to century rides of 100 miles (160 km) or longer. Methods of support can include self-supported rides, rides supported by friends or small groups or more organized rides where cyclists pay for support and accommodation including rest and refreshment stops. The Supported Tour The Supported Bicycle Tour is one that includes having your gear (food, clothes, camping equipment, etc.) carried in a vehicle that meets you at various checkpoints along your route. The tour organizers typically drive in a van, bus or a truck of while the tourists ride their bikes making it easy for participants to simply sit back, pedal, and enjoy the scenery. Sometimes, groups of individuals will simply organize themselves and take turns driving a chase vehicle while the others in the group ride their bicycles. Organized, Supported Tours can include a number of options like guided excursions, arranged lodging, luggage transfers, route planning, meals and rental bikes. Credit Card Touring Sometimes called Lightweight Touring, riders carry a minimum of equipment and means of exchange (cash or credit cards). Overnight accommodation is characteristically arranged at hostels, hotels, pensions or Bed and Breakfast establishments. Credit card tours are usually) less than a week in length and are usually not supported by a touring company but quite often are self-guided. Ultralight Touring Here the riders are self-sufficient carrying only the bare essentials. Think of it as a means of bike travel in which measures are taken to drastically reduce the weight of food, clothing and equipment in order to increase speed and the overall distance covered in the time allotted. Fully Loaded Touring Also known as Self-supported Touring, cyclists carry everything they need, including food, cooking equipment and a tent for camping. Cyclists can minimize their load, carrying only basic supplies, food, and a Bivouac sack or lightweight tent. Expedition Touring is sub-category of self-supported touring with the primary difference being that expedition tours are trips where the cyclists travel through remote areas, developing nations or places outside of traditional bicycle touring roads and routes. The bicycle is loaded with food, spares, tools, and camping equipment so that the traveler is largely self-supporting. Mixed Terrain Cycle-Touring Also called Rough Riding, cyclists travel over a variety of surfaces and topography with a single bicycle. The Focus is on freedom of travel and efficiency over a wide array of surfaces. Participants adopt the Ultralight Touring approach and carry their own minimal gear. S24O - Sub-24 hour-Overnight The Sub-24 hour-Overnight is focused less on the cycling and more on camping at a particular destination. Typically, one would ride to a campsite in a few hours, stay overnight and then ride back to their base the next morning. This sort of cycling trip might also be extended, taking a train or motorcoach to get to a more strategic starting point and scheduled for longer than 24 hours utilizing the same planning principles.

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