Two-wheeled Tourism

We’ve toted a stable of bicycles with us throughout our stateside travels. And recently while driving, one of the bikes fell off our bike rack causing damage to it and one other bike on the rack. Fortunately, no one was hurt and both bikes are repairable with some parts and expertise. But the recent incident (and subsequent cash outlay) made me question whether bringing bikes along has been worth it.

So I’ve looked back at when we’ve used them and came up with this incomplete list.

Near Lancaster, PA Shelly and I enjoyed a road-bike ride through Amish country. We also rode the beautiful Enola Low Grade Trail alongside the Susquehanna River with the family.

In upstate New York, three of us rode a stretch of the 524-mile network of canal paths linked to the Erie Canal. The access point is only 1/2 mile from Shelly’s brother’s house. What a great resource!

Tennessee gave us a chance to ride with some fellow bike enthusiasts, including a Father’s Day ride for two dads.

While in Asheville, Baxter and I rode on some world-class single-track mountain bike trails in Pisgah National Forest. The bumps and berms of the Hard Times trail in the Bent Creek Experimental Forest still makes it our favorite trail so far this year.

In Kentucky, the boys and I got to ride a few miles with their great uncle.

In Iowa, bikes were transport to the store and the pool.

In Colorado, it was double track for the kids and single track through the Uncompahgre National Forest for the dads.

And in Utah, we brought bikes out in the mountain biking Mecca of Moab to for the full family to ride single track at Dead Horse Point State Park.

And later in the day we rode down the beautiful paved bike path back to town.

The boys were especially amused by the bike path sign warning of the steep down grade.

Also in the Vernal, UT area known as Dinosaurland we got the family of four riding single track again in McCoy Flats.

In between these rides there have been dozens of times we’ve just pulled out the bikes for a pedal around the block or the campground. Perhaps we haven’t needed all the bikes we brought with us (we’ve yet to use the trail-a-bike for Atticus). Sure would have been nice not to break a bike by dragging it behind the trailer on the highway. But enjoying what this country has to offer from the pace of a two-wheeled view has been a worthy luxury. We hope we get to cover a lot more of it pedaling.