photo by Julie Huck

As a member of the bikelist.org touring newsgroup (formerly phred.org) I come across not only suggestions for great places to do a bike tour, but also some interesting ideas about ways to make bike travel more fulfilling.

One such idea relates to maps. No, not the ones depicting how to get where I'm going (I know where to get those!), but rather a map showing where I came from. I thought this a novel idea, especially if I were traveling overseas. The U.S. is a big place and if I tell a curious new friend I'm from Missoula, Montana, U.S.A., I'm likely to get a polite nod or maybe a questioning look leading me to lamely attempt to explain where exactly my hometown is located.

Now, if I had a map of the U.S. and perhaps a map of Montana, I could give a more spatially oriented answer as to where in the world I live. And to really show the flavor of my locale, it was suggested that having 10-12 photos of home stored in my camera would be a nice bonus to share. Another option would be to have that same information available to display on my cell phone or netbook.

Personally, I intend to put this idea into action for my next international adventure as a way to more intimately connect with those I meet on the road. What do you think? Is this a bonus or does it interfere with your persona as a mysterious traveler?

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GeoPoints Bulletin is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures and persons from Adventure Cycling's route network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure.

Check out this short teaser for an upcoming documentary from Mike Dion about the Tour Divide. It's a work-in-progress, but promises to capture the sublime struggle of the world's longest mountain bike race.

BTW, Matthew Lee finished the 2009 Tour Divide yesterday morning in first place.

Check out Aaron Teasdale's Tour Divide Photo Gallery featuring images from Day 1 of this year's race.

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News, Networking, and New Media is written by Winona Sorensen, Adventure Cycling's media director, and appears weekly, highlighting cool media (articles, videos, photos, etc.) related to Adventure Cycling and bicycle travel.

Yeah, so just like anyone else, we like to brag about how incredible our state is! For those of you who aren't aware, Adventure Cycling Association World Headquarters is located in the northwest of majestic, mountainous, Montana. And last week we got a chance to show off some of our run-of-the-mill late June customs and conditions: you know, like high alpine passes, pristine mountain streams, oh, and bizarre snowstorms followed by glorious 80-degree-days! It goes without saying that a good time was had by all, and you can check out some of the evidence in this Cycle Montana slideshow from our Guided Tours Group on Flickr. You know what they say about weather in Montana "if you don't like it; wait five minutes!

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ON THE ROAD is posted each Tuesday by Sarah Raz, Adventure Cycling’s Tours Specialist and Intrepid Traveler, and shines a spotlight on the daily delight that takes place on Adventure Cycling Tours.

We have had a few questions from folks about how they can find other riders from their original Bikecentennial '76 groups.

We have a few different venues for you to try and reconnect. First, you can check out our Rider Registry. Here people have added their various trips from the past. We have a whole section for just the Bikecentennial crowd.

We also have our Bikecentennial Flickr group that is consistently growing. Scan and add your photos so people can connect with you!

Finally, we just created a forum thread for the Bikecentennial riders. Here you can post messages, memories, and stories.

So, if you were part of that epic adventure that led to the modern day Adventure Cycling, or if you just want to learn more about how it all began, check out these various resources! Also, check out this short account of our history.

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The Membership Highlights feature, written by Amy Corbin, Membership and Marketing Coordinator, appears weekly and spotlights the various benefits of membership, what we have accomplished thanks to member support, and even interviews with some of our most passionate and dedicated members, both individual and organizational. Check back each Friday for a new post!

I recently came across a blog article that intrigued me, "Interstitials and informal bike routes". Who wouldn't be intrigued by the topic? After perusing the story and verifying that I knew what interstitial meant (which lead me to interstice - adjective vs noun - ack, it's easy to get sidetracked in a quest for knowledge!), I surfed over to a second blog article on the same theme, "Bicycle Wayfinding in the Early 21st Century".

The premise in both of these articles is that from a non-motorized point of view, an interstitial space is any space that transitions one to or from a roadway using overlooked options such as alleys, parking lots, or  other public right-of-ways to create practical and often more interesting options for getting from place to place.

I love the idea of all those unmapped yet very useful spaces creating a network of secret passageways. However, as a cartographer, I find myself in a difficult position. If I discover one of these passages and put it on a map, how will the resulting increase in usage be interpreted? Will someone notice and make it formal? Good news. Or will it be decided the space is a hazard and further access denied? Bad news. Both outcomes are possible.

On Adventure Cycling Route Network maps, examples of informal routing are few and far between. They often occur at the end and/or beginning of a paved path and are typically troublesome to explain and even more challenging to represent on a map. I know from using trail systems such as the Burke-Gilman in King County, Washington, these little connections can spare a cyclist miles of riding in traffic. The difficulty is how to show a parking lot or alley or short side path between two buildings in a way that is helpful rather than confusing.

What you think about interstitial spaces, wayfinding, and informal bike routes?

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GeoPoints Bulletin is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures and persons from Adventure Cycling's route network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure.

I'm really into the Tour Divide. The race is in full swing (with Matthew Lee still in the lead) and we get to follow the story - not through TV news clips or talking head analysis - but mostly from the racers themselves through their call in reports that appear on the Tour Divide's excellent race updates blog.

I'm also completely obsessed with checking the leaderboard which displays each rider's GPS position. I refresh the page every few hours - which is a little ridiculous because their positions (on a big map) don't change that quickly.

There is a bit of video available. One features Jay and Tracey Petervary - the audio isn't great, but you definitely get a feeling for the absolute beauty of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route - and check out this short video that captured the start of the race. Our own Aaron Teasdale (deputy editor of Adventure Cyclist) also shot the race's start, producing an impressive gallery of images with compelling captions to match.

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News, Networking, and New Media is written by Winona Sorensen, Adventure Cycling's media director, and appears weekly, highlighting cool media (articles, videos, photos, etc.) related to Adventure Cycling and bicycle travel.

What’s the most important part of any bicycle trip? If you said majestic vistas, quality time with like-minded folks, or fresh air, you know you’re lying. The best part of any cycling trip is, without a doubt the ever-present food element. And there’s a reason! When you’re cycling all day, riding over some of the most rugged landscapes our country has to offer, those calories are important fuel. Here in Tours, we do our very best to partner with caterers who understand the needs of the hungry rider. Kathy Jordon, of KJ Productions, provides amazing food for many of our events, and works as often as she can to team up with local food providers to give riders the freshest, tastiest experience possible. Because really, what could make a great day of riding better…than a great meal?!

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ON THE ROAD is posted each Tuesday by Sarah Raz, Adventure Cycling’s Tours Specialist and Intrepid Traveler, and shines a spotlight on the daily delight that takes place on Adventure Cycling Tours.