Stories from the road, expert tips, and local secrets.
Oct 7, 2026
Most riders need two to three and a half hours to climb Mount Lemmon. Here's what each fitness level works out to, what slows you down on the day, and how to estimate your own time before you go.
Oct 7, 2026
A long climb and a day of short, steep hills are trained differently. Here's how to get ready for both, including what to do if you live somewhere flat.
Oct 5, 2026
Most bike tours still ride when it rains. How a wet day goes on a guided trip, what to pack, how to ride a wet road safely, and when to stop.
Oct 4, 2026
Three kinds of insurance matter on a bike tour: for the money if you cancel, for you if you crash, and for your bike. When you need each one, and where to get it.
Oct 3, 2026
Spring and fall are the right answer in most of the country, but not everywhere. Where the riding is good in each season, and what to look up for the week you're going.
Oct 2, 2026
Fly with it, ship it, or rent one set up to fit you. How each way of getting your bike to a tour works, and why I pack mine in a bike travel bag every trip.
Oct 2, 2026
Six road rides carry the Texas Hill Country, from the Willow City Loop to the Twisted Sisters. Here's what each one is like, what catches first-timers out, and when to go.
Oct 1, 2026
Most recovery advice assumes tomorrow is a rest day. Here's the first hour after a long ride, in order, and how to tell in the morning whether you can ride hard again.
Sep 28, 2026
Thirteen questions worth asking a bike tour company before you put a deposit down, including the ones most riders don't think of until they're already there.
Sep 8, 2026
Racks and panniers on pavement, or soft bags on dirt. Here's what actually separates bike touring from bikepacking, and how to tell which one you've been picturing.
Sep 2, 2026
A century is less about fitness than most riders think. Here's how long 100 miles takes, why mile 75 is the hard part, and what to have ridden before the day.
Aug 29, 2026
Mount Lemmon is the climb everyone flies in for. Here are the six rides that make a Tucson week, with real distances, real climbing, when to go, and the order I'd ride them.
Aug 22, 2026
You dress for the morning, carry three small layers for the afternoon, and pack far less than you think. Here's what to bring, what to wear each day, and what to leave at home.
Aug 7, 2026
Two questions hide inside this one: what you eat while you are riding, and what you eat the rest of the day so that tomorrow is any good. Honest numbers for both.
Aug 5, 2026
Not one major US airline still charges a bike fee. Here is what all five actually charge to check a bicycle, and the $100 line that catches riders who never think to weigh the case.
Aug 3, 2026
Prices for guided bike tours swing from about $200 a day to well over $800. A founder who rides every trip breaks down what you are actually paying for, and how to compare tours fairly.
Aug 3, 2026
We do not accept tips, and I will tell you why. Then, since you are probably asking about somebody else's trip, what the rest of the industry actually expects.
Jul 30, 2026
Both are sold as bike tours and both cost real money, but only one of them puts people on the road with you. What changes, what it costs, and how to pick.
Jul 29, 2026
Two numbers hide inside that question: how many days you are away, and how far you ride on each of them. Here is what both really look like, with the day by day figures from two real trips.
Jul 28, 2026
Seven American regions worth flying for, what each one actually asks of your legs, and the season window that makes or breaks the trip.
Jul 26, 2026
A multi-day bike tour is a string of good days back to back. Here is how to plan the route, the days, the lodging, and the support so the week runs itself.
Jul 24, 2026
The hard part of a multi-day cycling tour is not one big climb, it is stacking good days on top of each other. Here is exactly how to train for that.
Feb 28, 2026
In a world defined by silicon and algorithms, the soul increasingly craves the tactile, the analog, and the undeniably real.
Feb 20, 2026
Two lists - on the bike and off it - covering what actually earns its place in your suitcase, including what changes when you rent a bike.
