Monday, May 19, 2008

Day in the Life

Depending on circumstances, you'll crawl out of your sleeping bag or bed between 7 and 9 AM. You'll help get breakfast and clean up the hostel, campsite, or guest room, and pack your bike. The group will go over the route and identify meeting places along the way for swimming, lunch, snacks, whatever. Each person cycles at his or her own speed, with a leader bringing up the rear. Frequent stops are made for ice-cream, swimming, resting at the tops of hills, talking with local sheep, etc. The Trekkers regroup at or near the final destination to arrange for grocery shopping for dinner. The evening's activities can be planned ahead, or left open to the spontaneity of the moment. Your overnights will be spent in hostels which are cooperative, dormitory style accommodations, state parks, or local campgrounds; some trips are either all hostelling or all camping while many offer a mixture of both. On trips with phantom overnights, groups often stay in farmer's fields, back-yards, churches, and firehouses as well as regular campgrounds.