The Destination is the Journey, or the Journey is the Destination: Enjoy!

The off-season affords endless opportunities to research and experience what other bicycle enthusiasts are accomplishing in the industry within the U.S. and abroad. To me, the tourism industry is fascinating and unique in similarly subjective ways as art with endless niches, preferences, and perhaps I'll get more into that train of thought at a later date. It turns out bikes pair well with just about anything: beer, wine, friends, language barriers, fine cuisine, endless dirt trails, coordinated paved pathways, sustainability, photography, mountains, beaches, plains, summer, winter, spring, and fall just to name a few! They even pair well with motors and rain. Really - I wouldn't lie to you

Tourist "Bike Gang" in the Misty Rain!

So there we were, all ten of us choosing to snuggle up with our significant others on motorbikes to self-guide a tour of a new city. We didn't really know the laws of traffic, or how to operate our motorbike bells/whistles/lights/brakes/etc... but we were determined to get farther and see more than walking allowed. Diving into city traffic totally clueless is terrifying, so naturally we headed out of town!

What we toured:

• "Lady Budha" at an enormous (hindu?) temple (slap my wrists, I failed to research this beautiful site)
• A yellow sandy beach without a soul in site
• The teasing promise of monkeys... alas our bikes lacked the capacity for the steep climb to see the living creatures - not just a pedal-power issue afterall!
• A mountain of marble
• An incredibly scenic coastal highway connecting all the above

Monkeys?!

Unexpected Private Beach!

Reinforced ideas that stuck with me from this adventure:

• the journey is the destination... and... the destination is the journey
• A dusting of rain and a cheap poncho make for a most memorable (and pleasant!) experience
• Three or four major attractions in one tour is satisfying...
• ...and so are the little unexpected stops revealing gems of culture and delight along the way
• I would be a sad, sad lady without sharing the travel experience both near and far!

Hindu Temple

The Little Engine That... Um... Well... *smile*

Naturally, these thoughts and experiences have played a role in how this 2016 tour season shapes up for Leisurely Pedaling. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised the subtle yet monumental adjustments coming down the road, and hope you all will get to come experience them with us!

Cheers for now,

Adventure Jes

Raining... Pouring... and Pedaling?

Even in cloud cover: a verdant glow everywhere!

It doesn’t always rain in Northern Colorado. In fact, we average more than 300 days of sunshine every year. Usually, we have amber waves of grain, dusty prairies, and all shades of purple Rocky Mountains.

This spring, however, has taught us all to value our “waterproofs” and provided an opportunity to dust off the thesaurus in describing the lush verdant glow of our surroundings. Starting around tax day (how fitting!) the clouds descended and the rain set in. Our May flowers received a light dusting of snow. The sun shone on Colorado State University’s spring commencement ceremonies, and finally we emerged from this low-pressure stupor for Father’s day.

May 'showers' and flowers!

Riding in the rain is an acquired art: there is no right answer, is rarely universal one day to the next. However, the relaxed explorer would do well to keep the following in mind:

The 'original' waterproof case!

*When in doubt, put your technology in a sealed plastic bag

*Carrying your waterproofs (jackets, pants, etc…) doesn’t ensure you won’t need them

*Bike lights aren’t just for dawn, dusk, and midnight adventures!

*You can keep your feet dry pedaling in up to five inches of gently flowing water

*Bike parking is exceptionally easy… When raining!

To date: no-one has melted due to rain.