Rick Steves likes to bike in Europe

Rick Steves, European travel expert, explains why he enjoys bicycling in Europe.

He says that he gets closer to the people and culture while also feeling like a local.

Whenever I'm in Amsterdam, much of my experience is framed by my black bike handlebars: the shiny wet cobbles, powering up a bridge to coast down it and halfway to the next bridge, getting pinged by passing bikes and pinging my bell to pass others. Cars, trams, bikers, and pedestrians seem to float by from all directions in silence -- their sounds lost in the white noise of this dreamy city.

Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Salzburg, Munich, and Bruges are also a delight on two wheels, offering an extensive network of well-marked bike lanes. Some cities have creative programs where hundreds of free or very cheap loaner bikes are locked to racks around town.

Read the full story: Biking in Europe: a cultural bridge

Photo from Rick Steves

Nude cyclists protest London bike safety

The Guardian UK reports on London's annual naked bike day event.

Last weekend 1,100 riders rode in the buff to bring awareness to bicycle safety along London's vehicle-filled roads.

"It's a bit of reclaiming the streets," said Sarah Reader, a 23-year-old from London. "I cycle ten miles a day and London's built up such a car culture.

"When I first heard of it I didn't think it was a political thing, but when you think about it, it will make cyclists visible.

"I think it will be incredibly liberating and it's a bit cheeky. We might start off with underwear then ditch it later on," she said.

Read the full story: Cyclists strip off in central London

Photo by Leon Neal / AFP / Getty Images

Cars in NYC bike lanes get stickered

The Daily Green reports on the controversial stickers (right) that some activists are putting on cars parked in bicycle lanes in New York City. Parking in bike lanes is against the law.

The anonymous group - who started putting the stickers on the offending vehicles last week - has already handed out "a couple hundred."

They claim it's a safety issue, yet the car owners could consider it vandalism even though they are breaking the law by parking in a bike lane.

As one commenter wrote: "some bicyclists will just pick their bike up and slam it into the car and continue on their way. This does a lot more damage than a sticker on the window or bumper."

Read the full story: A sticker situation - cars in the bike lane get a wake-up call

Photo from The Daily Green

Bike through Germany to French border

Stars and Stripes reports on a buddy bike trip from Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany to France's border.

Ben Bloker and his friend Nick took a two-day bike trip through Saarland and connected to the Glan-Blies-Weg, "a touring path that runs from Glan-Münchweiler in Germany to Sarreguemines, just across the border in France."

Pre-ride preparation was minimal. We rented a lightweight tent from Ramstein Air Base’s Outdoor Recreation office and split it up for the ride. My buddy, Nick, had a commuting bike that was already tour-ready. My mountain bike required some skinny tires and the installation of a rear rack. We packed our panniers with sleeping bags, camping pad, water and extra clothing.

Read the full story: The basics of bike touring

Photo by Ben Bloker / Stars and Stripes

SC to develop bicycle-only community

The State reports that Lexington County, South Carolina is planning to develop a bicycle-only subdivision near Gaston.

It will have no asphalt. It will have miles of trails and ponds for boating. It will have eco-friendly homes. And residents and their visitors will have to park their cars outside the community and bike — or walk — to their homes.

Developers have spent nearly $1 million to buy 140 acres about 15 miles south of Columbia, according to land records. They also have hired community designer Ozzie Nagler, planner of Harbison and the Three Rivers Greenway.

“It could become an eco-tourism destination,” said Joe Mellett, a Cincinnati-based Internet marketer and one of the developers.

Read the full story:Developers plan to build bicycle-only community

Photo from The State

Ride a bike in Mexico City

The Christian Science Monitor reports on the new bicycle friendliness of Mexico City.

How to help this sprawled-out city choked with more than 4 million vehicles and rampant air pollution? Ride a bike, says Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.

New infrastructure, road closures, and bike-sharing programs are helping to promote the two-wheel answer to congestion and poor air quality. There’s the “Muevete en Bici,” which opens 8.7 miles of major avenues to only cyclists on Sundays. The city has also promised to build new bike parking and 186 miles of bike paths by 2012. There are bike racks in the Metro stations as well as bicycle-designated subway cars. Bike-sharing programs abound, the largest being the newly launched EcoBici (EcoBike) that has 1,100 bikes for use. It is the first of its kind in Latin America.

Read the full story: Mexico City makes way for bicycles

Photo by Alfredo Estrella / AFP

Five California Bay Area outdoor escapes

San Jose Mercury News reports on five outdoor experts' local escapes.

Kayaking, biking, horse back riding, hiking and star-gazing are covered.

Read the full story: Wanderlust

Photo from ROMP

Portugal bike path poem

O Tejo from Abilio Vieira on Vimeo.

Bike to power Copenhagen xmas tree

The Wall Street Journal reports on the biking power that is lighting Copenhagen's Christmas tree.

At the Danish capital’s City Hall Square, 15 to 20 volunteers can sit on stationary bikes located around a massive, decorated tree and pedal away to keep it light, at least during the day. The bikes are connected to electrical tie-ups that ultimately power hundreds of lights on the tree.

Read the full story: Pedal power

Photo by AFP / Getty Images

Three years across Siberia to London

The Guardian newspaper reports on the bicyclist who rode across Siberia back to London.

Rob Lilwall's journey took him over 30,000 miles from the far eastern edge of Siberia, through Japan, South Korea, Australia, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Europe and finally back to the UK.

Read the full story: Cycling home from Siberia

Photo by Rob Lilwall

Nature and budget conscious fall travel

Travel + Leisure magazine via CNN reports on nature-loving fall travel on a budget.

Trips include kayaking among whales in the Pacific Northwest (picture left), biking through the Northeast autumn colors, and hiking amongst the natural scenery of Utah.

Read the full story: Best affordable fall adventures

Picture from Pacific Northwest Adventures.

Biking "world's most dangerous road" Boliva

Bolivia is a mountainous country that boasts the "world's most dangerous road." Of course now there are many adventure bike tours over that road.

Watch an interesting video about this:

Biking in Europe and Taiwan

Today's post is about bike trips because we've noticed that biking has become more popular and more people are writing about it.

Associated Press writer William Foreman writes about his experience with his bike in one of Taiwan's love hotels. (picture right)

We were guys staying at the same hotel with our mistresses.

He looked like a Taiwanese gangster, with permed hair, black suit and pointy knockoff Italian loafers. It was 5:30 a.m. and he was renting a room for a few hours with a woman in a leather mini skirt, fishnet stockings and the longest false eyelashes I've ever seen. They had no luggage.

My mistress was my $4,000 carbon-fiber bicycle

Leah Larkin writes about her and husband Bob's bike trip through France's wine country for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

Bicycle Bob, my cycling husband, is not like most of us on a bicycle. He loves hills, the steeper the better.

On a trip last autumn in the Vaucluse region of Provence in southern France, he found a winner — a "mini Mont Ventoux" (the famous Tour de France mountain). That’s what a local called it.

And Sue Halpern writes for Conde Nast Traveler about biking in the flat country of Denmark.

Please note: Ecotravel News will be away and but resume posting in early August

Ride a bike, power a bus, get paid

The Christian Science Monitor reports on the new conception bike-sharing program that the designer hopes will create energy to power a hybrid-bus system.

Chiyu Chen, a design student at the Royal College of Art, has conceived of an urban bike sharing program that not only provides riders utility, but also powers the local bus system – and pays them to do so.

Users check out specially designed bikes from a locking station using an ID card. Inside the bikes is a system that stores kinetic energy generated from braking. Riders go where they need to, and when they’re finished, bring the bike back to the locking station. Locking up the bike transfers the energy generated by the trip into the city grid – or, as Chen envisions, into a hybrid bus system.

Ride enough – and generate enough energy – and bike sharers can earn a bus pass. Completing the trifecta: the locking stations would be placed near bus stations, both to make renting a bike convenient and to facilitate easy bike-to-bus recharging.

Read the full story: Bike sharing that creates energy - and pays you to ride?

Bike through WA State's San Juans, spot whales

The Seattle Times reports on biking through Washington State's San Juan Islands.

Associated Press reporter Carey J. Williams along with biking pal Ross Jonak (pic left) took a week to bike 269-miles around the islands. The relatively traffic-free and scenic area is perfect for cyclists.

One of the many highlights: Carey had the opportunity to spot a pod of whales.

Read the full story: Biking in the San Juan Islands

Winery tour by bike through Tuscany

Stars and Stripes reports on a bike and winery tour through Italy's Tuscany.

We were in the Maremma region of southern Tuscany. Its wines are not as well known as those other Tuscan favorites: Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile of Montepulciano. Yet, the area produces some excellent vintages that are gaining recognition among producers and consumers.

Biking was often off-road, on gravel paths surrounded by farm fields and distant hills. We did encounter some uphill pedaling, but nothing too strenuous.

Read the full story: Bicycle tour takes riders to three Tuscany wine estates

Melting snow reveals outdoor ID trails

The Idaho Statesman's Natalie Bartley reports on the rail trails to enjoy now that the snow is finally melting.

The recreational trails in Idaho - most of which are nonmotorized - have been built on or near old railroad mainlines and spurs that used to carry silver, copper, gold, timber, agricultural products and people throughout the state.

Read the full story: Take one of Idaho's many rail trails

See Portland, OR by bike

Although we at Ecotravel News feel that The New York Times is mostly geared towards rich elistists - as evidenced in their travel articles that seem to recomend higher-than-average priced vacations - their article on biking Portland, Oregon is for the average normal-salaried person.

"'Portland is a really easy and comfortable city to use a bicycle as transportation,' said Roger Geller, Portland’s bicycle coordinator since 1994. 'There is a lot of energy around cycling right now and it’s not just 20-year-old men racing. I see average people out biking.'"

Read the full story: Portland, Portland style

Pedal around Oahu on shared bikes

USA Today reports on the new bike-sharing program on Hawaii's Oahu island.

The program, set to launch this June, will have an initial 100 bikes at 10 different locations. Adding to the green-ness of the program, the bike racks will be powered with solar panels.

"The first half-hour of ride time will be free. The next half-hour [will] cost riders $2, and the next 30 minutes is $5. Billing would stop at $100, but if a bike isn't returned within 48 hours, the user's credit card will be billed the cost of the bike — currently $900. Passes good for a day or week would also be available."

Read the full story: Oahu to launch bike sharing program

77-year-old D.C.-er bikes Manhattan tip-to-tip

Maryland resident Albert Diaz, pictured above, thought what better way to celebrate his impending 78th birthday but to bike Manhattan from bottom to top.

Diaz wrote about his biking trip in The Washington Post.

He easily took the Vamoose bus line from Bethesda, Maryland (it takes bikes at no extra cost) and after being dropped off in Midtown Manhattan, headed down to his starting point at Battery Park.

His bike path of choice was the Greenway that stretches all the way up to the George Washington Bridge 11 miles north.

Read the full story: Manhattan on wheels