veggie bike tours, anyone ?

[Douglas Cole]

Ok, I am a longtime vegan (14 years), and a short time 'bent rider/lover (1 year).

I have been thinking about taking some time off from my life (work) and enjoying the other part of
life everyone else is talking about (play), and was looking around on the web at some of the bike
tours around the world, there seem to be a few, but one stands out, Bicycle Beano .

Was wondering if anyone on the list has been on one of the "Beano" tours and how did it turn out?
Was the tour organized well, how was the food and accomodations ? And of course do they handle
single folks ? I live in the USA so maybe someone from here would be better for a Yank's
perspective... So the 'good,bad,ugly' would be great as this would be my first trip overseas period,
so I would be green from many standpoints ;^} Also, any other tours that fit the veggie lifestyle?

How difficult is it to transport a Recumbent overseas (Burley Taiko) and would it be better to just
rent a bent (if there is such a thing over there).

I really want to get away and play on my 'bent, and would also like to see a country with real
"history", but don't want to deal with the "language barrier" (yup I am one of those dumb americans
that only knows english).

So any input would be appreciated, even if it is just , "your nuts, stay home and play" or "don't go
there, go to New Zealand" etc...

We are snowed in up here for the next three months and I am going nuts (can't ride), so thought I
would at least start planning for next years trip/vacation...

tia for any input

Douglas Cole Spokane,WA

wishing I was in socal or anyplace warm...

 

[Dh]

The guys who bike in the rear flank of a Beano Tour, do they receive any special compensation?

 

[Devon]

"Douglas Cole" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Ok, I am a longtime vegan (14 years), and a short time 'bent rider/lover (1 year).
>
> I have been thinking about taking some time off from my life (work) and enjoying the other part of
> life everyone else is talking about (play), and was looking around on the web at some of the bike
> tours around the world, there seem to be a few, but one stands out, Bicycle Beano .
>
> Was wondering if anyone on the list has been on one of the "Beano" tours and how did it turn out?
> Was the tour organized well, how was the food and accomodations ? And of course do they handle
> single folks ? I live in the USA so maybe someone from here would be better for a Yank's
> perspective...
>
> Also, any other tours that fit the veggie lifestyle?
>
>>
> Douglas Cole Spokane,WA
>

I am from northern In and have never toured overseas. I also am not vegetarian. But can still
offer SOME insight into treatment of vegetarians and single travelers on the many tours I have
done in the US.

I believe on all week-long tours I have done (9 at last count), there have been vegetarian meal
options ... I can't speak to vegan. I do know that if I were you I would contact the tour director,
ask, and then be just a bit wary of the response. You are definitely taking the proper approach by
trying to find other vegans who have done the tour. You might want to post this question to a
"touring" board.

I say be wary of the response because I have observed a couple of problems for vegetarians:
1) The "vegetarian" dishes appeal to some non-vegetarian eaters causing the vegetarian food to run
out on a particular meal.
2) On some tours where the evening meals are catered locally (the norm), the menus are sometimes not
coordinated from site to site, so that veggie cyclists were stuck with spaghetti 4 nights in
succession.

If I were a vegetarian on one of these tours I would: A) make sure I knew the dinner menu before I
started the day's ride ... usually there are nearby places you can eat dinner or at least pick up
some appropriate food, and B) try to get in the front 1/2 of the meal line.

As far as cycling solo, your comfort level depends to a large part on your own personality and
financial resources. I am married but my wife does not do any week-long tours (tenting, perspiring,
and being physically tired are high on her avoidance list . I have done mostly tent touring and
find that on large tours (100 or more) people tend to stay within smaller groups. On "large" rides
(yes RABRAI, GOBA, BRAG, et al I know 100 is not LARGE), you can usually find someone riding, often
solo, at your riding pace to ride with for a few hours at a time, if this is your choice. Smaller
tours I have personally enjoyed more, as it has been much easier to become well-acquainted with all
the cyclists on the tour. It does mean it will be more difficult to find a compatably-paced rider
(especially since you are on a recumbent), so you may spend more time by yourself on the day's ride.

I have often thought it would be nice for the tour to set up an opening-night get-acquainted session
for solo riders, but that has not been my experience.

If lodging is provided, you are usually given the choice of paying a single supplement or being
assigned a "roomie". I've done this only once and had a positive experience, but obviously one might
not always be so fortunate.

Happy touring (I obviously have enjoyed supported touring).
http://staff.goshenschools.org/dhoffman/cycling.html

 

[Tom Sherman]

DH wrote:
>
> The guys who bike in the rear flank of a Beano Tour, do they receive any special compensation?

Your sense of humor is a real gas.

Tom Sherman - Planet Earth

 

[Risto Varanka]

In Europe there is the Ecotrip which is organized by bent enthusiasts. The food includes a
vegetarian option, dunno if vegans would be happy, I recall digesting various dairy products on this
year's trip. I'd think many bike tours can serve vegetarians. A good idea to contact them 1-2 weeks
in advance, probably.

In 2004 there is an Ecotrip in UK, only it's fully booked already. For the common info site,
http://ecotrip.info/ .

Renting a bent in Europe costs something like 20-30 euros a day, it depends on the model and usually
you get a discount with a longer period.

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[Mikael Seierup]

<[email protected]> skrev

> Renting a bent in Europe costs something like 20-30 euros a day, it depends on the model and
> usually you get a discount with a longer period.

Shouldn't that be renting a bent in Holland? I only know of one or two places here in Denmark that
rents bents. And thats one bent each place AFAIK.

M.

 

[Dean Arthur]

Douglas Cole wrote:
>
> Ok, I am a longtime vegan (14 years), and a short time 'bent rider/lover (1 year).
...
>
> Douglas Cole Spokane,WA
>
> wishing I was in socal or anyplace warm...

Well, why not good ol' warm Wyoming? We've had mostly plus 30 days and only a few below zero. Pedal
[quickly] or freeze! Of course, if you pedal too quickly when the humidity is over 40% you turn into
a popsicle.

Take your pick!

 

[Ken Kramer]

I did one of the Bicycle Beano (means celebration) tours in 2002. It was outstanding in all
respects. It was well organized and the food was top notch. Breakfasts and dinners (with wine) were
served at a home base. Special arrangements were made with a pub on each day's route to have a vegie
selection. It was the best food I have had on any tour except for that on Florida Safari.

Another exceptional part of the Beano tours was the knowledge of the area by the organizers. They
are native Welch folks who made their own maps and gave daily orientation sessions on what we were
to see each day. The things we saw and the roads we traveled did not even appear on our store
bought maps.

I have been on a lot of tours but the Beano tour was the most interesting one by far. The price was
very reasonable.

I looked into renting a bent over there but the rental service had only two old clunkers at an
outragous price. I ended up buying and taking a bike Sat R Day which worked out very well. (Make
sure whatever bike you ride has fenders (mudguards they call them) because we rode on some roads on
which the locals herd their cows and sheep. Interesting but messy.) Getting your bent from the
airport to the starting point will be the biggest problem. We rented a car.

I hope you can do one of these tours. It will be worth it.

 

[Dean Arthur]

I was a "touring fool" back in 60s - 70s in California. Mostly in Napa-Sonoma Wine country. Made for
some wonderful weekends with girlfriends from San Mateo City College and San Jose State. Now in 60s
myself and relegated to slow traveling on BikeE being that it was all I could afford AFTER BikeE
went down the tubes and BikeEs started showing up for 349$. Balance and muscle spasm problems are
driving me off the BikeE so am contemplating building a trike from plans in Mother Earth News which
I squirreled away against the day I couldn't stay up on two. Wheels, that is...

Don't remember if I sent this to you or not so here goes [Not again!!]

Construction article on Mother Earth News 2F1R homebrew trike with specs, parts list and drawings.

This article is available online at the Mother Earth News website. Here's the link:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/menarch/archive/goto.asp?article=081/081-162-01&ID=2613&Num=4

 

[Douglas Cole]

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 04:45:54 -0800, DeVon wrote:

> "Douglas Cole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>> Ok, I am a longtime vegan (14 years), and a short time 'bent rider/lover (1 year).
>>
>> I have been thinking about taking some time off from my life (work) and enjoying the other part
>> of life everyone else is talking about (play), and was looking around on the web at some of the
>> bike tours around the world, there seem to be a few, but one stands out, Bicycle Beano .
>>
>> Was wondering if anyone on the list has been on one of the "Beano" tours and how did it turn out?
>> Was the tour organized well, how was the food and accomodations ? And of course do they handle
>> single folks ? I live in the USA so maybe someone from here would be better for a Yank's
>> perspective...
>>
>> Also, any other tours that fit the veggie lifestyle?
>>
>>>
>> Douglas Cole Spokane,WA
>>
>
> I am from northern In and have never toured overseas. I also am not vegetarian. But can still
> offer SOME insight into treatment of vegetarians and single travelers on the many tours I have
> done in the US.
>
> I believe on all week-long tours I have done (9 at last count), there have been vegetarian meal
> options ... I can't speak to vegan. I do know that if I were you I would contact the tour
> director, ask, and then be just a bit wary of the response. You are definitely taking the proper
> approach by trying to find other vegans who have done the tour. You might want to post this
> question to a "touring" board.

This is something I didn't think of, I will try the touring board as well, just to increase my
'exposure'. I am used to 'translating' someones response when I ask veggie questions, since some
folks consider themselves veggie even though they eat chicken and fish , so you are right in
that respect.

>
> I say be wary of the response because I have observed a couple of problems for vegetarians:
> 1) The "vegetarian" dishes appeal to some non-vegetarian eaters causing the vegetarian food to
> run out on a particular meal.

This is common too in other activities that I have done, non-veggie folks end up realizing that we
eat well and want to enjoy it too ;^}

> 2) On some tours where the evening meals are catered locally (the norm), the menus are sometimes
> not coordinated from site to site, so that veggie cyclists were stuck with spaghetti 4 nights
> in succession.

Yup. that and steamed veggies etc are no surpirse to me, I have had some restaurants whip some
pretty creative things sometimes though, if you ask them ...

>
> If I were a vegetarian on one of these tours I would: A) make sure I knew the dinner menu before I
> started the day's ride ... usually there are nearby places you can eat dinner or at least pick up
> some appropriate food, and B) try to get in the front 1/2 of the meal line.

Good input, I am so used to fending for myself when I have traveled in the US and Canada that I
would assume it will be similar overseas

>
> As far as cycling solo, your comfort level depends to a large part on your own personality and
> financial resources. I am married but my wife does not do any week-long tours (tenting,
> perspiring, and being physically tired are high on her avoidance list . I have done mostly tent
> touring and find that on large tours (100 or more) people tend to stay within smaller groups. On
> "large" rides (yes RABRAI, GOBA, BRAG, et al I know 100 is not LARGE), you can usually find
> someone riding, often solo, at your riding pace to ride with for a few hours at a time, if this is
> your choice. Smaller tours I have personally enjoyed more, as it has been much easier to become
> well-acquainted with all the cyclists on the tour. It does mean it will be more difficult to find
> a compatably-paced rider (especially since you are on a recumbent), so you may spend more time by
> yourself on the day's ride.

This will be my first group ride and first trip overseas, so maybe I should do a group ride in the
states here first ? Riding with someone else is not necessary, as I do alot of biking solo normally
anyway. But it will be great to be a part of an organized ride just for the sheer fun of it.

>
> I have often thought it would be nice for the tour to set up an opening-night get-acquainted
> session for solo riders, but that has not been my experience.

Thats unfortunate, but I suppose if the tour is really big then it would be hard to do with a large
group of people (maybe not)...
>
> If lodging is provided, you are usually given the choice of paying a single supplement or being
> assigned a "roomie". I've done this only once and had a positive experience, but obviously one
> might not always be so fortunate.

Roomies are fine, I am easy that way, but I do snore (well my last girlfriend says so anyway) so
earplugs will have to be optional ;^}

>
> Happy touring (I obviously have enjoyed supported touring).
> http://staff.goshenschools.org/dhoffman/cycling.html

Thanks for taking time to reply !

Doug

 

[Risto Varanka]

[email protected] wrote:
: In Europe there is the Ecotrip which is organized by bent enthusiasts. The food includes a
: vegetarian option, dunno if vegans would be happy, I

Actually on the Dutch Ecotrip this year, the veggie option was the only one... or... all options
were veggie...

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[Douglas Cole]

On Sat, 29 Nov 2003 12:46:48 +0000, risto.varank wrote:

> In Europe there is the Ecotrip which is organized by bent enthusiasts. The food includes a
> vegetarian option, dunno if vegans would be happy, I recall digesting various dairy products on
> this year's trip. I'd think many bike tours can serve vegetarians. A good idea to contact them 1-2
> weeks in advance, probably.
>
> In 2004 there is an Ecotrip in UK, only it's fully booked already. For the common info site,
> http://ecotrip.info/ .
>
> Renting a bent in Europe costs something like 20-30 euros a day, it depends on the model and
> usually you get a discount with a longer period.

Thanks for the input Risto, I was not aware of the ecotrip and will consider it in 2005 . As far as
the dairy issues, that is something I have to deal with all the time so am fairly used to asking
about ingredients or just plain bringing my own food (or foraging at the local grocery shops)...

I have been on a few long distance hikes where we carried alot of gear in on our backs, but that
didn't include carrying a bicycle on my back :^) Have to start tearing my bike down and putting it
back together so I can get the hang of packing it.

Thanks again for the input !

Doug

 

[Risto Varanka]

Mikael Seierup <[email protected]> wrote:

: <[email protected]> skrev

:> Renting a bent in Europe costs something like 20-30 euros a day, it depends on the model and
:> usually you get a discount with a longer period.

: Shouldn't that be renting a bent in Holland? I only know of one or two places here in Denmark that
: rents bents. And thats one bent each place AFAIK.

Well ok... .nl has plenty of those places and I know the price range there pretty well so I guess it
applies... would expect similar prices in other parts (maybe some places not as cheap), but of
course you have to find the place first...

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html varis at no spam please iki fi

 

[John Foltz]

Douglas Cole wrote:

>
> This is common too in other activities that I have done, non-veggie folks end up realizing that we
> eat well and want to enjoy it too ;^}
>
Well, duh! Being an omnivore means you're allowed to like stuff without meat, too. We're all
evolved from hunter-gatherers. Some of us are more hunter-type, some are more gatherer. I agree that
finding food on a tour can be a real problem for herbivores among us.
--

John Foltz --- O _ Baron --- _O _ V-Rex 24 --- _\\/\-%)
_________(_)`=()___________________(_)= (_)_____

 

[JEGARH]

Originally posted by Dh
The guys who bike in the rear flank of a Beano Tour, do they receive any special compensation?

No, they are treated the same except for the "no open fires" restriction.

Jerry

 

[Douglas Cole]

On Mon, 01 Dec 2003 20:16:42 -0500, John Foltz wrote:

> Douglas Cole wrote:
>
>
>> This is common too in other activities that I have done, non-veggie folks end up realizing that
>> we eat well and want to enjoy it too ;^}
>>
> Well, duh! Being an omnivore means you're allowed to like stuff without meat, too. We're all
> evolved from hunter-gatherers. Some of us are more hunter-type, some are more gatherer. I agree
> that finding food on a tour can be a real problem for herbivores among us.

Just to clarify what I meant by that, most carnivores/omnivores I have met over the years will
exclaim when they find out I am a vegetarian (sorry vegan doesn't register on most folks radar)
"well what do you eat!?!", "where do you get your protein!?!". "Your diet must be pretty boring" and
other similar exclamations of incredulity, and once they see some of the things I eat (when I bring
some goodies for lunch to work/potluck etc) they realize that it is alot more interesting then just
overcooked veggies and toast... And then they want some, and thats when I get to hook 'em ;^}

Not that this has anything to do with recumbents...

on we go

Doug

 

[Dean Arthur]

Ken Kramer wrote:
>
>
> Another exceptional part of the Beano tours was the knowledge of the area by the organizers. They
> are native Welch folks who made their own maps and gave daily orientation sessions on what we were
> to see each day.

Welch - as in Welch's Grape Juice?