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Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend June 9, 2006 Bicycle touring shifts life into a slower gear Enjoy the scenery and a sense of freedom with your camping gear in tow Spinning the pedals of my bicycle, I leisurely follow the open road that unwinds ahead of me and rolls over a hill I can just make out in the distance. The days seems to move along at a slower pace when I'm on my bike and pulling my trailer through the open countryside. My destination for the day lies 50-some miles down the road: a campground in a rural community. Behind me, a bicycle trailer contains the essentials for a weeklong trip covering miles of scenic byways. Motorized traffic is infrequent, as my route is seldom traveled by those in a hurry. It's just me, a few friends and wide-open spaces. We are on an unsupported bicycle tour. With the proper equipment, training to prepare the legs and posterior, and good route planning, bicycle touring can be one of the most rewarding experiences in life. Whether you do the planning yourself or sign on with a commercial adventure, carrying your own equipment with a bicycle gives an experience of freedom you rarely get in today's world. Touring cyclists can use almost any kind of bicycle, carrying their personal items and camping gear either in panniers, mounted on the sides of the front and rear tires, or in trailers designed to pull behind a bicycle. Whether towing a trailer or carrying panniers, you probably won't notice the extra weight until you start climbing uphill. I suggest mountain bike gearing or a triple chain ring with at least a 34-tooth rear cassette for bicycle touring. Advertisement Good quality panniers repel water, have lots of storage space and extra external pockets and cost $150 to $350 per pair. You typically need two pair front and rear for weeklong trips. Some people add "trunks" that fit on top of the rear pannier racks and handlebar bags fastened to the front of the handlebars. The two most popular bicycle trailers are the Burley Nomad and the BOB Yak. The Nomad has two wheels supporting the trailer. It weighs 14.5 pounds, holds 8,000 cubic inches of cargo, can carry 100 pounds of gear and has a water-repellent compartment. The Yak is a single-wheel trailer. It weighs 13.5 pounds without the waterproof sack for storing gear. It can carry 75 pounds. For a three- to four-day trip, I can travel comfortably pulling only 35 to 40 pounds, including the trailer weight. A typical trailer load contains a light sleeping bag, a tent, backpacking stove and fuel, cooking gear, a change of clothes, toiletries and food. Sometimes I carry a water purifier, which gives me flexibility in selecting campsites and reduces the amount of water I need to carry. I also take extra tubes, patches, a pump and a bike tool kit. If your route passes through towns where you can replenish your food each day or stay in motels, you can reduce weight considerably. I like to plan routes where I ride only about 50 miles a day. Of course, this varies depending on terrain, destination and your physical condition. I find that this distance allows for relaxing mornings before hitting the road, time to stop at historic points and scenic overlooks, and time at the end of the ride to enjoy the destination, relax and have energy left for the next day. In the summer, I try to be off the road by late afternoon when the temperatures are the hottest. Oregon has some great back-country roads and destinations for bicycle touring. Many are paved byways through lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. Traffic is minimal, and scenery is fantastic. Some of my favorite touring locations are the Blue and Wallowa mountains in northeastern Oregon. The back roads passing through John Day, Ukiah and Prineville are also nice. Shorter trips from the Rogue Valley include routes to Butte Falls, Prospect and Stewart State Park. There are numerous destinations along the Rogue River between Merlin and Graves Creek. If you aren't ready to venture off by yourself, search the Internet for organizations that offer group tours. There are many. Several of our bicycle club members recently completed a trip around New Zealand. If you want the pace of your life to move slower, try bicycle touring. It's kind of like back-packing, except you're on your bike and you have the flexibility for a hot shower and a firm bed if you so desire. Bicycling enthusiast Bob Korfhage of Phoenix is a former president of Siskiyou Velo bicycle club. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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