Some friends suggested the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca (Majorca) for a bicycle tour, and in a Web search BikeToursDirect (1638 Berkley Circle, Chattanooga, TN 37405; 877/462-2423, www.biketoursdirect.com) had what looked like the perfect option: a 7-night, self-guided tour, about 30 miles per day on a bicycle, for $718 per person (land only).
The issue of accommodating handicapped or disabled persons on tours or cruises was raised in two readers’ letters (March ’06, pg. 35 & July ’05, pg. 27). The issue goes beyond handicapped or disabled persons to anyone who cannot meet the physical requirements of a trip. As I see it, there are various aspects to addressing the problem.
• Tour operators need to specify the physical requirements of a trip as clearly and realistically as possible. (Are there elevators? How much walking is involved? What kind of surface?)
My husband, Fred, and I, along with 13 others and two leaders, in June ’05 participated in a 16-day bicycle tour of the lakes region of Italy sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (www.uwsp.edu/hphd/bikehike).
The upside of high gasoline prices in Sweden is that it encourages people to bike to school, work or shops. And since southernmost Sweden, the region known as Skane, has so many cyclists, it has developed an extensive system of bike lanes and trails, including converted rail lines, to accommodate them. That plus terrain ranging from level ground to rolling hills makes Sweden an unusually bike-friendly country. Another plus for travelers — English is almost a second language there.
We always read with interest the letters in ITN about bicycle tours, since we have found it such a refreshing way to travel.
My wife, Nel, and I took a bike and boat trip in the Loire Valley in May ’05. Arranged through Pack & Pedal Europe (Springville, PA; phone 877/956-2064 or visit www.tripsite.com), the tour included airfare to Paris from the East Coast via Icelandair; seven nights on board the Anna Maria IV; three meals a day; 21-speed hybrid bikes; a tour guide, and bus transfer to and from Paris-Nord rail station and the boat.
“Cycle Europe, 20 Tours, 12 Countries” by Jerry Soverinsky (2004, MBI Publishing Co. ISBN 0760318697 — 400 pp., $19.95 paper).
A friend and I got together recently to compare notes and photos from our 2004 biking adventures in Europe.
by Fred and Ann Abeles, Frederick, MD