I’ve been in the bicycle tour business since 2011, long enough to develop a sense of rhythm and timing. This is also long enough to understand the flow of work and events over the course of the years, and to define the seasons . I ride a bicycle about 200 days per year, yet I think about riding daily.

Since most guests sign up months in advance, when the season arrives I can focus on running safe tours.

When the leaves turn color and guests are gone, I ride regularly with the local  Ann Arbor club about twice each week. The funny thing is, fall is the busy season in the office.

The dark months are also travel season for your Tour Chief, for both business and pleasure. November has the  Bike Tour Network conference, plus visiting family- a trip to see mom in Minnesota, and spending Thanksgiving with a son and his family. January has a trip to Des Moines via Chicago for our display at the  Iowa Bicycle Coalition Expo. Next up on March 3 is the  Quiet Water Symposium,  a consumer show in East Lansing. I’ll meet potential guests and hopefully snag a few for tours.Throw in a vacation to Arizona to scout for winter tour ideas, and you can see it adds up.

The travel season is almost never over! We’ll be present at the  Horsey Hundred  Tour this Memorial Day weekend near Lexington KY, meeting riders at our booth and on the road.

But these winter months also represent the busy selling season with calls and emails from potential guests. Also, I occasionally get invited out to speak about bicycle touring at local bicycle clubs.

Winter offers many activities which do not involve a bicycle. This year my daily plan includes heading to the  gym for an 8 a.m yoga class, followed by a fitness class. Yoga is wonderful for the stretching, balance, and relaxation techniques. The fitness classes let me explore weightlifting and other exercises which I might miss during the active riding season. There’s an added bonus with early a.m. classes- no morning phone or computer time!

I’m shopping now for a new bike. I’ve tossed my worn out bike clothes. Stacks of maps and tour routes litter the office, and I’m always thinking of where to ride next. If that weren’t enough, there’s excitement in providing updates to our guests on their tours. All this makes me eager to get out and ride!

The bicycle has helped me find a rhythm to the seasons. On a personal level I need the thrill of riding, along with the challenge of maintaining my physical being. Professionally, working on bicycle things keeps my mind active and involved.

Take a moment to examine your calendar, look at your bicycle, and find the rhythm you have. If you like what you see,  drop us a note   and tell your story. Ten lucky riders will get some of our Swag, along with a chance to be mentioned in a future blog!

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