Friday Friendly in Switzerland

Bike travel should be easier than it is. I’d love to do some cycling with Irina through Russia and Turkey, but man… what a headache ! I do have good bike case. I even mangaged to use it once: took my Fuji from Geneva to Iowa for RAGBRAI. It wasn’t fun. Packing my regular suitcase and clothing is a chore, but try packing a bike. Try.  Once you’ve done it, you’ll think twice next time you tighten your pedals. Yeah, and my piano-size bike case cost me $150 as surplus luggage…and that was back in the good old days.

My problems would be compounded in Russia. Imagine I put the bike together in record time, then what ? I ride it from the airport ?! Where do I store the case ? And I don’t dare leave the bike out of my sight, so will have to face the flabby, flailing arms of my babushka hostesses as I wheel the velo through the livingroom. Of course, I could rent a bike… if the world were perfect, but Russia isn’t near perfect…in fact it’s 167th place on the list (see story below).

My good friend,  North Dakota Tim,  told me about Bike Friday: the folding bike invented in Fargo that folds fast and can pack in a backpack. But Tim’s pride in ND is unwavering, and just months before he had been boasting about the Bobcat skid loader, so I never gave the Bike Friday a second thought.

North Dakota School of Design

The Bob Cat 863 and the Bike Friday Pocket Rocket

News Flash: Switzerland Best Place in Universe

Swiss cities beat out Fargo, Bismark and other world metropoles in two highly regarded quality of life rankings. The Mercer Rankings showed that three of the world’s top ten cities are here in Switzerland: #1 Zurich, #2 Geneva and #9 Berne. Not to be outdone, the “World Values Survey” (a group of elitist pollsters snobs) found Switzerland to be the 2nd happiest country in the world…right behind Denmark. Now, you’re welcome to bike across Denmark, but if their happy-boom causes Danish hotels to fill up early, I’ll work hard to find you a place on a Bike Switzerland tour.

Russia, by the way, ranked 167th.

Happy, fat and foggy-headed

Having grown up with small town newspapers, I feel that it’s entirely appropriate to inform you that David Cotting (Author of 1,001 Bike Switzerland Salads) and myself were the privileged guests in the home of Tim (North Dakota) Anderson on Friday night. The ever-exotic “Pineapple” was served for dessert, and John helped himself to several glasses of Tim’s cherished single malt.

Bike Switzerland goes to Grand Canary in 2010

As some of you may know, I spent the Christmas holidays on Grand Canary, a volcanic Spanish island 150 miles from the Northwest African coast. This vacation was also a fact finding mission: many old and crusty Swiss and German cyclists come to these islands from December to March for winter cycling, as do many of Europe’s professional racers.

I contacted Raymond Leddy, an Irish born expatriate and retired pro mountain bike rider to learn more about the island’s biking culture. Ray runs his own bicycle tour company focusing on one-day city tours of the island’s capital: Las Palmas. However, he’d like to work more with “real bikers”, and his knowledge of the island’s backroads and his connections with local bike shops and the tourism board puts him in the perfect position to do just that.

After a few trips out, I understood Ray’s committment to the island’s bike culture: perfect temperatures, diverse landscapes, challenging climbs, excellent food and beach sunsets make Grand Canary an excellent winter riding destination. I’ve therefore asked him to put together an itinerary and program for a Bike Switzerland sponsored tour for February of 2010. Details to be announced in the next 4/6 weeks.

You can see more pictures of Irina and me in the canary islands, as well as more biking pictures, at the gallery link below.

Grand Canary

Brazil meets Minnesota

Our August 27th Lite Tour is almost full (two spaces left) and on board is a small contingent of Brazilian cyclists as well as a group of Bike Switzerland Alumni from Minnesota.

Mauricio Volpe and a few of his cycling friends.

Mauricio Volpe from Curitiba Brazil found out about our tours on the internet last summer, signed up for the tour and has been recruiting friends to join him ever since. For the moment, four of them have signed up: our first South American riders ever (Florida transplants aside). In the meantime, five past “Challenge Tour” riders from the Twin Cities will be cycling across Switzerland with them. Welcome back Mary, Berway, Heather, John and Phil !

2009 Prices Announced

We feel that things are going to get better this year…at least for the dollar. Keep your eyes on the dollar following the inaugaration.  We’re betting on it hand have therefore decided to leave our prices relatively stable: all 2009 tours prices have gone up by only $50.

Economic Crises ?

Despite the worldwide economic slow-down, Bike Switzerland guided tour registrations are up 160% from this time last year ! Most of our trips are either half-full or nearing capacity and it’s only January !

So what gives ? Although there is no single reason, I believe that our early jump on advertising has helped. In past years, our tour dates were not realeased until late October, but we were able to get them out by early September this year. Also, we owe our past riders a lot: they have placed advertisements in shops, given presentations at bike clubs, spoken with their friends and are always ready to give referrals when asked. Thanks a lot.

Finally, everyone is spending their money more wisely. We’re all shopping around a bit more to make sure that our money goes as far as possible, and when bike tours and their ammenities are compared side by side, Bike Switzerland comes out ahead of the pack.

My best for the New Year,

JOHN