The Texan recently pumped his way into Tour de France history, becoming the first person to win the 101-year-old event six times.
His is the kind of story that inspires: triumph over cancer, perseverance, good old American pluck.
Like all top athletes, Armstrong makes us dream. We remember that cycling is more than a mode of transportation. It’s healthful. It’s competitive.
It’s fun.
I asked Patrick McCormick, communications director of the League of American Bicyclists, whether he expected Armstrong’s victory to propel a surge in bicycling.
‘‘We’ve actually seen that over the past few years," he said. ‘‘Sales of road bikes were up 8 percent last year, and the projections are that they will be up by double digits this year."
About 57 million Americans bike, he said, and they report doing it more often.
Avid riders make cycling part of their travels both on day trips and longer vacations.
They have numerous choices of routes. Across the country, municipalities have added bike trails. Enthusiasts have converted old rail beds into paths.
Groups sponsor tours that traverse difficult terrain, such as
the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure organized by Columbus Outdoor Pursuits.
Cyclists climb to the top of a steep hill between Nelsonville and
Starr, Ohio, in the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure.
For those who have the stamina for long trips, tour companies also offer bicycling getaways in a range of exotic and romantic destinations: volcanopocked Hawaii, bucolic New England, wine-soaked California, sandy Morocco, sheep-dotted Britain or chichi Tuscany.
A tour exists for every skill level — and every commitment level. Biking can be the main event or simply one activity of a larger trip.
For example, cycling dabblers visiting the Netherlands can spend half a day on flat paths whizzing by windmills, houseboats, country houses, forts and a castle.
In New Orleans, cyclists can tour the city’s famous cemeteries in a few hours.
But a trip through the Pyrenees Mountains of France will require significantly more dedication to the sport.
‘‘Some tours are very, very strenuous and only very fit people should participate," McCormick said.
Riders must assess their skill level before signing up for any tour, whether it lasts two hours or two weeks.
"If you are doing a trip with an organized tour, I would find out fairly early the skill level required," McCormick said.
Be sure to know how far riders travel in a day and how hilly the terrain is.
"Anyone doing any tour should be prepared physically for whatever they are going to face," McCormick said.
If you aren’t ready, train.
"The smartest thing to do is build your way up gradually."
Add distance, he said, and increase the climbs.
"If you are touring on your own, you should do some of your training carrying your load," he said. Otherwise you might not be ready for the extra 40 pounds of gear and food.
In addition, McCormick noted that riders must be ready for potentially difficult back-to-back days. While they may be ready for the first 75-mile ride, "That second day can be very tough."
But for anyone interested in making bicycling more of their lives, McCormick was encouraging.
"Even if you are starting from scratch, it’s not too late to get in shape now."
Cindy Decker is Dispatch travel editor. Reach her at 614-461-5027 or by e-mail.
cdecker@dispatch.com
Learning more
• For more information on Ohio trails, visit www.dot.state. oh.us/bike.
• For information on West Virginia trails, visit www.wvtrails.com.
• For information on Kentucky trails, visit www.american trails.org/resources/statetrails/KYstate.html.
• For information on Indiana bike trails, visit www.in.gov/ dnr/bike.
• For links to trail information across the country, visit www.americantrails.org.
• For information on the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure, to be
held June 18-25, visit www.goba.com. The 2005 route will be announced
in November.
Here are just a few:
• The National Road Bikeway near St. Clairsville is the only rail trail in Ohio to go through a tunnel — one that is 532 feet long and 40 feet high. For more information, visit www.stclairsville.com/ nationalbike.html.
• Little more than 4 miles long, the Blackhand Gorge Trail in Licking County passes under forested ridges and along the Licking River. Visitors also can explore an old canal towpath and seven hiking trails. For more information and directions, visit www.dnr.state.oh.us/ wanderings/17 blackhand.htm.
• The 17-mile Hockhocking Adena Bikeway runs from Athens to Nelsonville along the path of the old Hocking Canal. For more information, visit www.seorf.ohiou.edu/xx088.
Pennsylvania has recently been promoting its biking opportunities as well. Here are a few possibilities in that state:
• Presque Isle State Park near Erie offers scenic biking opportunities on a 13-mile multipurpose trail that runs along the Lake Erie shoreline. For more information, visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ stateparks/parks/presqueisle.aspx.
• The Allegheny National Forest offers more than 600 miles of cycling trails. For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/r9/allegheny/ recreation/trails/bikeanf.html.
• The 42-mile Pine Creek Rail Trail near Ansonia cuts through Pine Creek Gorge — sometimes called Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon. The trail offers wildlife-watching opportunities, including the chance to see nesting bald eagles. For more information on this and other rail trails, visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us/rails/index.html.