Near the city of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, visitors can take a guided bicycle tour along an old train route, the Kettle Valley Railway, in Myra Canyon, crossing 18 hundred-year-old trestles and passing through two tunnels. The largest trestle is 721 feet long and 180 feet high. The trail, 15 miles round trip, has no climbs and can be biked comfortably, with rest stops, in about four hours.
10-day, 9-night “medium”-level tour. Departures June 2021-December 2022. Avg. 16 miles biked daily, over 4 days (bikes provided). Group limit, 15. Highlights: In Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi Tunnels/in Hội An, biking, noodle-making demo/train to Hanoi to tour Old Quarter/Mai Châu hiking and homestay/Hạ Long Bay for islands, caves, kayaking, overnight on boat. $1,649-$1,849 ppdo (based on dates). G Adventures (Toronto, ON, Canada; 888/800-4100, www.gadventures.com).
6 days, 5 nights in central ITALY. Departures May-Oct. 2021. Daily choice of activity level (1-4). Highlights: From Orvieto, ride to medieval Porrona/port of Castiglione della Pescaia/Lagoon of Orbetello nature reserve, home to flamingos, ospreys, common terns/scenic views from Monte Argentario’s summit. $5,099-$5,999 ppdo (per dates). Single supp., $1,500. Backroads (Berkeley, CA; 800/462-2848, www.backroads.com).
7-day, 6-night, “active”-level, cycling culinary tour in northwestern ITALY, Oct. 3-9, 2021. Avg. 30 miles biked daily. E-bikes available. Highlights: Transfer from Turin to historic Pollenzo for bike fitting/in Langa wine area, cooking class at winery, dinner at 3-Michelin-star restaurant/truffle hunting/13th-century Castello Grinzane Cavour/Fontanafredda Estate, known for Barolo wine. $5,995 ppdo. Single supp., $495. Tourissimo (Turin, Piedmont, Italy; in US, 857/997-0051, www.tourissimo.travel).
8-day, 7-night “easy to gentle” bike-and-barge trip in THE NETHERLANDS. Cycling for 7 days, 9-39 miles per day. Departures May-Sept. 2021. Highlights: Board barge in Amsterdam/ferry to Waterland for biking to Marken, historic village of Monnickendam, Volendam/sail to Hoorn/bike to Enkhuizen/13th-century castle in Medemblik/sail to isle of Texel/Alkmaar/Amsterdam. Per dates, $1,255-$1,640 per person, double occupancy (ppdo); single supp., $190-$595.
24 days, 23 nights, Feb. 6-March 1, 2021. Highlights: From Auckland, cycle along Queen Charlotte Sound on North Island/geysers near Rotorua/Tongariro National Park/ferry across Cook Strait to South Island to cycle up Mt. Ruapehu (active volcano)/wine tasting in coastal town of Fox Glacier/Westland Tai Poutini National Park. From €5,265 (near $6,016) ppdo. Single supp., €60 ($71) per day. Ride & Seek Bicycle Adventures (Bondi, NSW, Australia; phone +61 2 8007 3337, rideandseek.com).
This month’s winner is MALCOLM GAISSERT of Arnold, California:
In 2006, my wife and I biked around the Alps for two weeks, after which she flew home to work and I, having been laid off years earlier, continued biking and visiting with friends for a couple more months, having a great time.
On my bike were two panniers heavy with all my personal items. Each night over those three months of biking around Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, I had to lift the bike up into a friend’s house or within a hotel. Hoisting the bike became second nature to me.
