We have always been a fan of Delorme’s state by state atlases. They show all the roads and are invaluable in helping us find the beautiful quiet roads that we use on our bike tours. When I started my company I used the Delorme Atlas to drive all of the roads along the coast before developing our original 6 Maine Bicycle Tours. Delorme  just announced All paper atlases are 50% off until Feb 10. The Delorme atlases are a must for any one who likes out door adventure.

Although not on sale the Topo USA software is a great planning tool for almost any outdoor adventure. The newest version also includes Canada so we can now have the maps we use On our Nova Scotia and Quebec Bike Tours match the rest of the maps.

After watching a whole bunch of cruise commercials and being enticed by all the images of active people, I found myself scanning the Royal Caribbean website to check out what type of adventures that cruise line offers. On the Caribbean cruise I viewed Royal Caribbean listed the following highlights;

• Hike Jamaica’s Dunn’s River Falls or mountain bike in Costa Rica’s rain forest
• Snorkel with stingrays or go horseback riding on the beach
• Dive 800 feet below sea level in a research submarine
• Discover the inhabitants of a coral reef on a glass-bottomed boat
• Visit Labadee®, one of Royal Caribbean’s exclusive and private destinations
• Commune with ancient civilizations by climbing mysterious Mayan pyramids

Outside of the rather strange offer to bend the time space continuum to allow their guests to commune with ancient civilizations,  many of the highlights are similar to the highlights that might be featured on an adventure travel itinerary. Which raises the question, is the adventuring of cruises good or bad for the Adventure Travel Industry?

I  can see arguments for both sides of this question. I believe that anything gets people outside being active is good for the person . I hope that if people have a  positive experience cycling, hiking, climbing, kayaking it will inspire them to do it again and maybe incorporate more active elements into their next vacation or even make adventure the centerpiece of their next vacation. Heck, 13 million people took cruises in 2010, we get all of them on a bicycle for even half a day and we have the beginning of a movement.

After staring at the computer screen for 20 minutes, not counting the obligatory check of FB, I realized that was all I had on the the subject and that my mind, freshly back from communing with ancient civilizations to get their take on the issue, (the were not much help as all they wanted to do was play Angry Birds on my iphone), I had a lot to say about why big cruise lines are bad for the Adventure Travel industry.

It has absolutely nothing to do with competition. I don’t stay awake at night because worrying about the Love Boat crushing my business like ice at the frozen Daiquiri bar. 26 million people can take cruises and it will not affect my business.

The biggest threat the major cruise lines make to the adventure travel industry is success. The better their Costa Rica and Belize itineraries sell the larger the threat becomes. Spend an afternoon in Bar Harbor, Maine when there are 3 cruise ships in town and cruisers outnumber locals 3 to 1 and you quickly see how cruise ships totally dominate the landscape.  Once cruise lines start dropping 2500 passengers a day in rain forrests and at coral reefs their footprint will be forever altered. The more their guests enjoy adventure and activity the more areas the cruise lines are going to push into that business.

Of course the cruise industry will argue that they are having a positive impact in the millions of dollars for every port they visit and that they creating prosperity. Once businesses get hooked on the crack that is the easy money that is selling t-shirts to cruise passengers all the sustainable methadone in the world will not save them.

Cruise lines,and by cruise lines I mean the big boys Carnival, Royal Caribbean et al, not the smaller responsible adventure based companies,have no soul.If Hunter Thompson were alive he would probably being getting ready to write fear and loathing on the Enchantment of the Seas. It is the soul and the passion of the participants and the tour operators that make for the best adventure trips.  Can Royal Caribbean save adventure travel, no but they certainly can destroy an area’s ability to be a draw to true adventure travelers.

it is that time of year again. Time for food, drink, friends and family and of course that omnipresent question, What the H#$! do i get uncle Bob? Well are a few suggestions for the cyclist on you list.

1. Arm Warmers

Perfect for cool mornings that warm into pleasant days and hilly rides where you get warm on the way up and cool on the way down.  Ranging from $25.00 to $60.00 they are available in basic black and funky patterns

2. A Cycling Coffee Cup Holder

A great gift for folks who love to cruise around town or relatives in Florida who ride their cruiser to the beach We like the Morning Rush Coffee Holder for San Francisco based Soma Fabrications. $21.99 http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/morning-rush-coffee-holder

3. A Workstand

Perfect for the cyclist who loves to tinker with their bike. Nothing improves the easy of tinkering than  a good workstand. We like the Park PCS-4-1 stand as we find the the clam shell type clamp easier to use that the PCS-4-2 crank style clamp. $160.00

http://www.parktool.com/product/deluxe-home-mechanic-repair-stand-pcs-4-1

4. A Wool Cycling Jersey

Stylish, warm and free of the funk that can accumulate in synthetic jerseys. From $100.00

http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product_info_m.php?cPath=2045_2046

5. A Shop Apron

Another gift for the tinker. it keeps the grease off when you do last minute repairs and it helps you keep tools and parts easily accessible. I never work on bikes without donning one.

http://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-SA-3-Deluxe-Header/dp/B000WY8I26

6. The Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne. The former leader of the 80′s band the Talking Heads, David chronicles his travels throughout the world with a folding bike.

http://www.davidbyrne.com/art/books/bicycle_diaries/

7. A CO2 Inflator

Gone are the days when a flat tire meant struggling to inflate the tube with a tiny mini-pump. Today the quick and easy way to do it is with a CO2 inflator. These small cartridge powered tools fit easily in a pocket or trunk pack. I like the Genuine Innovations Proflate Elite it offers one hand operation, and is compatible with both Presta and Schrader valves. $29.99

http://www.genuineinnovations.com/bicycle/mountain/proflate-16-red-cup-clone-2.html

8. Cool Weather Gloves

For those who cannot wait to haul their bike out in the spring and are reluctant to call is a season, cool weather gloves are great. I have had several New Year’s rides cut short by cold hands. I like the Planet Bike Aquillo the lobster claw design keeps finger warm yet still allows enough freedom for solid control of the steering, brakes and gears.$34.99

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/9005.html

9  A Guide to Rides. Backcountry rides www.countrymanpress.com offers a wide change of guides to rides in the Eastern part of the contry. There are few joys in life as wonderful as discovering an area by bicycle.  a cycling guide is the gift of a years worth of discover and adventure.

10. A Bike Tour. Give that special someone the gift of a a bicycle tour and why not join them. From our 3 day Maine Bike tours to weeklong trips in Maine, Nova Scotia, and Quebec a bicycle tour is the ultimate gift for anyone who likes to ride.

Interested in a budget bicycle tour, one not run by a commercial tour operator like us at Summer Feet Cycling but not wanting to do an independent tour? There are a number of rides led by cycling clubs and and folks who enjoy the fun organizing a ride. If you are interested in club rides to some far away places, then check out the CTC The Cycle Touring Club based in England, they have a slew of member led tours in traditional destinations like France and some further afield place like Ethiopia and Morocco

Here is an amazing story of an 83 year old woman who escaped the Tsunami on her bike

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2011/03/16/dnt.tuchman.japan.woman.escape.bike.cnn.html

Here is the press release for our new trip.

Summer Feet Cycling

CONTACT: Stephanie Parnell

TEL: 832-755-7661

E-MAIL: Stephanie@adventuremedianews.com

WEB: www.adventuremedianews.com

Click Here for Media Kit.

Summer Feet Cycling Announces Fundraiser for The Bicycling Coalition of Maine

PORTLAND, Maine—Summer Feet Cycling, a bicycle tour company that specializes in high-quality, once in a lifetime bicycling vacations in Maine, Utah, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, and Quebec announced that it will be hosting a Maine cycling and camping tour that will help raise funds for the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.

“I love the BCM because by advocating for cyclists, they are also advocating for healthy lifestyles, a greener planet, and engagement with our natural environment,” said Norman Patry, Owner of Summer Feet Cycling.  “All of these causes that they represent are causes that I feel are worth supporting which is why we decided to do this fundraiser.”

This trip, which is one of Summer Feet Cycling’s most popular cycling tours is being offered as a camping trip and includes a seven day/ six night trip from Boothbay Harbor to Bar Harbor and then on to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. During the seven days of cycling, travelers will experience some of the best cycling in all of New England. Guests will travel to some of Maine’s most iconic places, see over a dozen lighthouses, and discover the beauty and charm of Maine’s quintessential small, coastal towns.

Highlights of this Pedal The Coast tour include exploring the Maine coastlines hidden coves and breathtaking scenery by bicycle, enjoying a private sunset sail on a classic wooden schooner, sampling delectable Maine fare like lobster and smoked salmon, fresh blueberries, the local favorite “whoopie pies”, and much more. Two cycling tour routes are provided for both moderate and experienced cyclists. Dates: September 4-10, 2011. Price: $1195 per person. For more information about this tour, visit www.summerfeet.net

The cost of operating a bicycle is only 2.5% of the cost of operating a car

The League of American Bicyclists just named Maine the the 3rd most biccyle friendly state in Amercia.  Summer is a great time to see why, a Maine Bicycle Tour is the perfect way to see the best of Maine. For for information or to see how your state ranked visit the league website at http://www.bikeleague.org.

Into my inbox today came an exciting offer from TREK travel a 3 day/ 2 night wine country weekend for the bargin price of $1595.00 pp. I do not see the bargain. Summer Feet Cycling offers 3 day/2 night trips on the coast of Maine for $725.00 pp ($625.00 pp when booked by 4/30/2009) and POMG Bike Tours of Vermont offers 3 day/ 2 night trips for $465. 00 to $525.00 granted you will not get to ride the latest and greatest TREK bikes but think about it this way. With the money you save you can either invite an friend, take a week-long trip with a company like Summer Feet or you have almost saved enough to upgrade to a full dura ace group.