A Ghost Bike Memorial For Alice Swanson
By spokesman | July 14, 2008
A ghost bike is a memorial for a bicyclist that is killed or injured in a traffic accident. (see www.ghostbikes.org for more information) Alice Swanson died in a traffic accident in Washington DC on 7/08/08. I visited the ghost bike that was set up for her. It was a moving experience. Her friends and family wrote messages on the bicycle and sidewalk. Although it is several days after the incident, a steady stream of people would stop to look at the bike and read the messages. A musician across the street, played a saxophone, providing somber background music. The video with this post has photos of the ghost bike and is a tribute to Alice.
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Topics: Bicycle Culture | 2 Comments »
Ireland Bicycle Trip Video
By spokesman | July 12, 2008
Here is a video of my recent trip to Ireland
Topics: Ireland | No Comments »
Alice Swanson - A Tragic Loss
By spokesman | July 10, 2008
Alice Swanson died in a bicycling accident on Monday morning July 8 as she was commuting to work. She was hit by a garbage truck making a right hand turn across a marked bicycle lane. Alice was only 22. This is the first bicycle fatality in Washington D.C. this year, but it is one too many. Here is the link to the Washington Post article.
Several year ago, I was involved in similar type of accident but with much less serious consequences. In a collision between a motor vehicle and a bicycle, the cyclist is always far more vulnerable and more likely to be injured. Be careful and defensive when you ride.
Please see this other related post for a video of the ghost bike memorial for Alice.
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Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Irish Cycling Safaris - A Review of the Company
By spokesman | July 9, 2008
I just returned from a 7 day bicycle trip in Ireland that was led by a tour company named Irish Cycling Safaris. I enjoyed the trip and visiting Ireland. However I was a little disappointed with the company. I also believe that most of the people on the tour were disappointed with the company and would not travel with Irish Cycling Safaris again. I would travel with them again, but I think that it is important for travelers to have a clear understanding of what to expect from this company. I have had experience traveling with 5 other bike tour companies, so I have a good understanding and realistic expectations of bicycle tours. The purpose of this blog post is to provide my assessment of the company, so that you can make an informed decision.
The tour group included 20 people. There was 1 guide provided by the company, who had a limited knowledge of cycling. The support van had a single bench seat with space for the driver and two or three passengers. The van had a separate cargo area in the rear for luggage and bicycles. It was this combination of facts - a large group, an inexperienced guide and a small support van (from a passenger perspective) that set the stage for many of the problems that occurred.
On the 3rd day of the tour, there was very heavy rain in the afternoon accompanied by strong winds with gusts over 30 miles per hour. It was dangerous weather to be biking. One rider was even blown off of his bike by the wind. It had been raining earlier in the day, but when the storm increased in intensity, many of the riders wanted to stop riding. The road that we were on was very remote. There were no houses, farms nor structures in which to seek shelter. The riders were spread out over a significant distance that I would estimate to be more than 15 miles. Several riders hitchhiked to get out of the storm. Several abandoned their bikes and got in cars where the driver took pity on the cyclists trapped in a storm. Fortunately, Ireland is one of the few places where you can hitchhike safely. I was the last person to be picked up and was in the storm for about an hour before the van came for me. Fortunately nobody was hurt and no one got sick.
That evening after dinner, the group confronted the tour guide. They wanted to know the plan for the next day in the event of rain. The tour guide did not have an appropriate van to rapidly retrieve everyone in the event of bad weather. He also hadn’t looked at the weather forecast to anticipate that he might need to pick everyone up. Many on the tour believed that the support van would be bigger and be present more often. The description in the company literature led people to that conclusion. The guide said to wait and see the weather the next day and then make plans. If needed, he would look into making transportation arrangements in the morning. That did not satisfy many of the people in the group. Some were distressed at having been trapped in the rain with no support for an excessive period of time and they did not want to repeat the experience. Fortunately the weather was better the next day, but the damage was done. Many in the group felt that the guide did not have the proper van to support the large group, was not as concerned with the situation as he should have been, and did not have alternative plans to shuttle the group in case of inclement weather.
While the van and support situation bothered me, I had more realistic expectations of the support based on what I had heard from others who had travelled with the company. However, I had four other problems with the company. First, they messed up my reservation and put my girlfriend and me in separate hotels on the first night, despite the fact that we made the reservations together. It was partially corrected on the first night, because a very nice B&B owner provided us with a very small room with 2 twin beds but without a bathroom. The rooms for the rest of the trip were better - each included a double bed and a bathroom. However, on the second day, when I asked the guide to contact the main office to verify that the rooms for the rest of the trip would be correct, he refused. He said “let’s just see how things work out”. Secondly, I had specifically e-mailed the company before the trip and asked if a pump, patch kit and mini tool would be provided so I could do basic repairs on the road. I realized that the van would not always be nearby and I did not want to wait for hours in the event of a flat tire. When I arrived, the guide did not have the tools as promised. In fact, the guide was very poorly equipped. Third, the guide switched my girlfriend’s bike on the second night without telling us. The next morning when she got on the bike to ride, she realized that the new bike was far too large and she could not ride it. He should have never switch the bike without telling us and ensuring that the new bike fit correctly. We then had to wait in the town for three and a half hours, while the rest of the group left and the guide went to get another bike. The bike he returned with was not a Trek as advertised by the company, but instead was a low quality bike that was not properly tuned. Two days later, we had to switch the bike again due to mechanical problems. Finally, the cue sheets could be improved. They contained several errors on distance and were written in a very confusing and wordy format. For a company that has been running the same tours for many years, it is surprising that the cue sheets contained errors.
Would I travel with them again? Yes, but with some caveats. I would bring my own tools and a cell phone that worked in Europe. One of the people in the group had done another Irish Cycling Safari trip the week before. That trip had only 9 people and a better guide. That guide was more attentive and even provided snacks for the group. Based on discussions with 4 other people that have traveled with the company, I conclude that the quality of the trips are inconsistent with this company and depend on the guide. The cost is significantly less than other companies - such as Iron Donkey and Backroads. Part of the differential is due to the places that you stay and the fact that the other companies include more meals. However, the level of support and the guides for those other companies are better trained, have better resources and are more consistent. Choosing to travel with any company is a personal decision. One needs to consider their preferences, the cost, the level of support they would like and the quality of the hotels. Ireland is a great place for a cycling vacation and I will have several additional posts about the positive aspects of my trip.
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Topics: Ireland | 3 Comments »
A Trip To Ireland
By spokesman | July 3, 2008
I will be going on a bicycle trip in Ireland over the next week. The trip is with a company called Irish Cycling Safaris. As their name implies, they specialize in Irish trips, however they do have trips in other countries. A good friend of mine has done several trips with them (including 5 in Ireland and 1 in Italy) and highly recommends them.
The tour that I am taking will cover the Galway and Mayo regions on the map. I will provide a detailed review of the trip and tour company when I return. I will also discuss some of the other tour companies that I considered and how I selected Irish Cycling Safaris.
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Topics: Ireland | No Comments »