Tag: bicycle adventures

NEW ZEALAND ADVENTURE.

Bike (and other) Adventures on New Zealand’s South Island

Make no mistake, there are very few cycle friendly paved roads on the West Coast of South Island. State highways are mountainous as glaciers dip to 300 feet above sea level. They are all single lane and narrow with no shoulders. Tourists unaccustomed to driving on the left side of the road add to the challenge.

But there are a few spectacular quiet road rides:

Hokitika to Hokitika Gorge: @ 90 km round trip. This is flat, even as the road nears the base of the Southern Alps. You earn new visions for what is green and blue as the sheep pasture gives way to rainforest and water upstream becomes thick with glacial milk.
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Haast to Jacksons Bay: (@ 100 km round trip). Park at the Haast Visitor Center. The sealed road meanders along the coast with transitions between sand and rock. Seals and dolphins are abundant on Neal’s Beach. The Cray Pot in Jacksons Bay serves lunch of fresh caught seafood salad and local ginger beer.

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I ended up renting mountain bikes and spent more time on the trail.

Nelson Bradley owns Hokitika Cycle and Sports in downtown Hokitika. An Avanti and Scott dealer, he is the go to shop on the West Coast.
Western Wilderness Trail (Greymouth to Ross): the best sections are Karamura to Hokitika. The trail is rated Grade 1 (easiest), but the climb is serious and includes tight, gravelly hairpin turns. Cowboys Paradise, near the top features great sandwiches and a new dormitory for bike campers. The ride down from Kokatahi to Kaniere is single track through pristine rainforest and along the edge of the cleanest stream you’ll ever know.

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Wanaka seems to be a South Island hub for mountain biking with lake and riverside and cross country trails, along with challenging ridgelines and technical parks. Racer’s Edge rents decent Giant bikes. The terrain is endlessly variable as are the spectacular lake and mountain views. I took the track leaving the village along Lake Wanaka and followed the Clutha River. Spiny Forest is technical single track for only the most capable riders. Another more forgiving trail follows the lakefront to Glendu Bay.

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In rain, Franz Josef offers alternative activities including kayaking and quad biking.
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Waitoto River Safari; Wayne and Ruth take you to places inland with few traces of human imprint.
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February 6, 2018
TERRY TEAM: MEET LENORE IMHOF.

Whether she is recharging her batteries on a bike, or juggling her busy schedule, this month’s newest Terry teammate never stops rolling.

Lenore balances a career as a school teacher and an attorney; family life, including her cycle-loving mom and rescue-dog Jake; volunteering and training for her next adventure.

She began cycling in 6th grade when Santa brought her a shiny new Silver Ross 10 speed with red lettering. She hoped it would give her skinnier legs; instead it gave her a love of cycling. It was her outlet when her dad was struggling with Parkinson’s; and again when career changes inspired dream changes; in addition, it provides fuel for all things everyday life throws her way.

While her resume includes her high school’s “Teacher of the Year Award” and numerous other professional accolades, it’s her lifelong love of sports that got my attention. She began swimming at age 4, which lead to her role as captain of the Georgetown University NCAA Division 1 swim team and many strong triathlon finishes…including a big win right here in Vermont.

Her first bike race was in ’96 and she went on to race for many teams including Colavita Bolla and Colavita Cooking Light as a Cat 2 Domestique. She loves the team energy, maneuvers, speed, and strategy.

She has a tough time choosing her best day ever on the bike and in many ways hopes that day is yet to come. Some of her favorites include the 30+ women’s 3-day, 4-race Coupe des Amerique win in Quebec in 2002; the Tuesday Night Race Series at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in NJ; and the “underdog” Colavita Cooking Light women’s win at the 4-day “Tour of Fitchburg.”

When her big racing days ended with repeated herniated disks in her neck, she moved to Minnesota for a summer. Here, Lenore renewed her love of cycling on trails, in the mountains, and on single track; riding like she did as a kid in NJ, for fun, wearing skorts and meeting lots of wonderful people.

While her pre-ride food is often a French or Italian roast coffee, she has many healthy eating habits like fruity protein yogurt smoothies, salmon, and leafy salads with red peppers. Lenore has brought her lunch to school every day for 21 years–she calls this her Terry clothing budget builder!

When Lenore checks in at Terry, we love to hear about all of her new endeavors and all she is doing to make her community a better place. Her goal for 2016 is good advice for all of us, more stretching!

It’s great to have you on our team, Lenore!

-Lisa Wilkes

About the Terry Team: This is a monthly shout out to dedicated Terry fans who are part of our illustrious sisterhood of athletes and adventurers. We ride through wind and rain. We sweat. We dream. We discover. We push ourselves to and past our limits. We take each day and ride it to its fullest. Sound like you? Send your story to customerservice@terrybicycles.com.

April 8, 2016
A WINNING TERRY STORY.

Every once in a while, we offer the chance to win a Terry Bicycle. The most fun is letting someone know they’ve won. We just had to share this lucky winner’s response…

Dear Lisa and the Gals,
Instead of giving you my height and inseam, I want to share with you my Terry Story. I’m not a random internet email winner.

You have no idea the synchronicity that just occurred. I haven’t been able to ride much since my severe trimalleolar ankle fracture 7 years ago. How it happened? Not on a bike, just walking down a slippery slope.

But just this morning after physical therapy was going so well (6 months after my second ankle surgery), I hoped and dreamed of riding again. Riding my favorite bike anytime. My beloved Terry.

I went to the garage to get ready. In my saddle bag, there was my lost spare key fob, gone 6 months. I couldn’t believe my luck. After a 6 month recovery, what a lucky find. I thought, “the gods are smiling and telling me its time to ride again. It’s OK. It’s time. I won’t hurt my ankle, and make things worse”. But my ankle was getting sore, so I decided to sit, ice, and check my emails.

And that’s when I read your email and wanted to jump up and down, but mostly shuffled, cried and said, “OMG,OMG,OMG. I wish they knew my whole Terry Story: the why and the how it became my favorite bike. How it gave me the comfort and security to go from riding 1 city block to hundreds of country miles.”

Sincerely in Terry Bicycle Love,

P.S. If you insist on giving me the bike, I want to coordinate it with the Boise Bike Project to find the best size for a suitable woman in need of a bike. Let’s keep in touch.

Interested in entering our current contest? Click here, and if you have a winning bike story of your own please let us know in the comment section below!

Happy Riding,

The Terry Team

April 5, 2016
DREAM RIDE: CYCLING IN MALLORCA.

Epic mountain rides, switchbacks and dramatic seascapes – Welcome to Mallorca, Spain.

If you’re considering an international cycling vacation to Mallorca, March is a good time to go. The roads are quiet, other than the occasional pro-team on a training ride, and daytime temps rise into the 60s. That being said – avoid the week before Easter, as it is a busy German holiday and the beginning of the high tourism season.

Be sure to have a car handy as it gives you access to epic mountain rides to the north with switchback turns and dramatic seascapes, or alternatively, to quiet farm country roads in the south that meander to old world fishing villages and brilliant white sandy beaches nestled in cavernous inlets carved into the rocky coastline. WARNING: Images below may evoke wanderlust, or an insatiable desire for travel.

EPIC

LEISURE RIDE

Check out the gear that made the ride here.

Tailwinds,

Liz Robert, CEO

March 23, 2016
DREAM GEAR: CYCLING IN MALLORCA.

Gear that “made the ride” while on the bike vacation of a lifetime.

The epic sights were without question the best part of the ride – but coming in at a close second? My shorts.

The Bella Prima Bib Shorts were a ride saver. The Flex Air chamois provides padding in all the right places while the soft wing construction eliminates bunching and chafing letting me focus on the ride rather than the shorts. For hurried pit stops at seaside cafes, I simply unzipped my jacket and jersey and pulled the stretchy, open mesh halter-top up over my helmet!

Paired with the bib, I wore the full zip, super lightweight, moisture wicking Terry Bella Jersey and matching arm warmers and a sleeveless base layer for maximum versatility as temps fluctuate with altitude and proximity to the sea. The UPF 50+ fabric is a bonus in the Mediterranean sun. Have you ever seen the Mediterranean sun? It looks a lot like this –

For colder, wetter days? I chose the Terry Thermal Tights. They are so brushed and comfy, and make you feel like you are swimming in warm butter. With a DWR finish, they are remarkably wind resistant and even provide protection in a light drizzle.

Pairing this with the Mandarin Thermal Jersey I stayed warm and dry without over heating through my ride. Even without the gear however, I think I would have found a way to continue cycling when the scenery looked like this:

In the North where roads were relatively smooth, I most certainly benefitted from the range of motion and slimmer profile provided by my FLX Gel saddle.

However, on some of the rougher southern roads and in villages with cobblestones I did wish that I had the shock absorbing PORON XRD found in the Butterfly Century.

Also handy? Knog high lumen lights. They are easy to strap on, are available as front and rear lights and invaluable for tunnels particularly in the Tramuntana Mountains with its beautiful alpine like villages.

And last but NOT least: Fly Swiss International and your bike will travel for $125 each way. And if you’re lucky, it might even get a free ride. Also, make sure you have new tires (25cm) on that bike!

Want to see more of Mallorca? Check it out here.

Tailwinds,

Liz Robert, CEO

March 23, 2016
SHOP LOCAL: GUS’ BIKE SHOP.

Jeff and Leslie Latimer own Gus’ Bike Shop in North Hampton, NH. We caught up with Leslie at a recent event for “Gus’ Gals” at their shop and asked her a few questions.

Tell us a bit about Gus’ Bike Shop:

“When my husband and I bought the shop there was no bike shop in New Hampshire that had a women’s department or worked to make women feel at home. We created a welcoming atmosphere, a weekly shop ride just for women, monthly pot luck suppers and minute clinics before each weekly ride” – Today you’ll typically find 40 -50 women joining our Thursday evening ride during the summer.

One of my favorite descriptions of our shop was written by a customer – it’s right here on our website: “Gus’ has been a purple institution (literally, purple) on the New Hampshire seacoast for many years, but only recently has the shop has been transformed into the community cycling epicenter. This change has occurred thanks to the Latimer family who purchased the store several years ago and have single-handedly recruited more women into cycling than I think even they could have imagined. Although the shop is known for its striking women’s cycling fashions, the slick women-specific bikes and the always friendly and helpful advice, it’s the palpable feel of family and community that attracts women who quickly become loyal customers. Before you even get out of your car, you are enthusiastically greeted by the couple’s teenage sons (and dog!). Outside the shop, local cyclists relax in chairs under big umbrellas and wave hi as you walk by like you’ve known each other for years. Inside, the crew gives you a big hello and asks you about your family. Where else do you get this type of welcome?” This summer Gus’ will be celebrating our 45th year of serving Seacoast cyclists and we’re looking forward to another great season with Gus’ Gals – the name affectionately chosen by the ladies for their Thursday evening ride.

Why do you think women choose to shop at your store?

Women are made to feel welcome here at Gus’ Bike Shop. Every customer here get’s the “Gus’ love”

Why do you sell Terry?

“Love Terry fit and Terry style. This past summer we did a tour in Quebec. The Terry tops are stylish enough to wear out to dinner paired with the Metro Crop pants. The top I wore to dinner, became the next days jersey. Each day I wore the Bella shorts and they have become a favorite of mine. I’ve actually worn some of my Terry jerseys and sweaters to work and never fail to get compliments on them.”

When a new-to-cycling female customer comes in, what’s the first thing you tell her about cycling?

“That it’s fun and that there’s a place for her on a Gus’ ride. Our rides feature a fast, medium, social or really social pace, no one’s left out. It’s all about community. “

March 9, 2016
GEAR GUIDE: WINTER RIDING GLOVES.

Any rider who has braved snow covered trails, icy winds and side blowing sleet know that cold hands can ruin a ride before it even begins. So, let’s give a hand to arguably one of the most important pieces of equipment necessary for cold weather riding, warm and wearable winter gloves.

Here are our top picks for warm digits into single digits:

Road Riding 20° and Up:

Power SO Lady Road Glove.

These Power SO Road Gloves pack a punch, with reflective and hi-viz details that also serve as a beacon on the road. A WINDSTOPPER® membrane makes them completely impervious to wind and acceptable in the wet. The addition of a thermal lining, women-specific fit, foam padding on palm and silicone forehand gripper give these gloves just the right balance of warmth, grip and finger sensation in the just-below-freezing temperature range.

Road Riding 20° and Below:

Road WS Thermo Lobster Glove.

We have several women on staff with Reynaud’s disease, making it nearly impossible to ride in cold/wet conditions without fear of frostbite. Then we found this option from GORE®. If you’re taking your road riding to the extreme, the Thermo Lobster is about as warm as it can get without a battery. This glove features all of the benefits found in the Power SO Lady Road Glove above, but in a 2-chamber design that keeps the fingers even warmer while still allowing you to shift and brake.

Cold Condition Mountain Biking:

MTB WS Thermo Lady Glove.

This women-specific MTB glove by GORE® is new to their line and true to its name. The insulated glove comes complete with WINDSTOPPER® technology offering the unparalleled warmth riders have come to expect from Gore gloves but with the added benefit of strengthened lining between thumb and forefinger for an improved, MTB-specific grip.

Crazy Cold Commuting and Fat Biking:

45NRTH Cobrafist.

This insulated fat biking pogie is weather resistant to the extreme and unbeatable when it comes to cold weather gear options that maximize dexterity. The Cobrafist is protective enough that you can wear pretty minimal gloves in extreme conditions and still have full range of motion for braking and shifting.

Let us know what gloves you reach for as the temperature drops – we’re always on the lookout for the next hot thing.

Stay warm and happy riding.

January 4, 2016
HOW TO COMMUTE DURING THE DEEP FREEZE.
There’s cold, and then there’s winter bike commuting.

On snowy days, take the time to stop and smell the frostbite.

Coming from Montana, I thought I could handle any weather that Vermont blew my way – but when wind chill kicked the temperature down to almost 40 below zero last year, I was a bit out of my element.

When you commute during this cripplingly cold season, you need more than great gear (my recommendations can be found here) you also need some serious mental discipline. As your wheels are spinning it’s easy for certain thought patterns to pop up in your head:
- I wonder if I’ll still have fingers when I get to work…
- At what temperature will my eyelids freeze together?
- Has time – along with everything else – also frozen?
And although there’s no way to completely kick those thoughts, here are some of my tricks for feeling the warmth of gratitude towards your icy trudge.
- Remember all of the bugs you encounter during the summer? Well that isn’t a problem now.
- What about the insane bike traffic, dogs on leashes and toddlers toddling – nope, none of that anymore either.
- Nose continually running? That’s okay! There’s no one else on the bike path to interfere with your air-hanky.
Winter commuting is a different beast. It’s slow going, so remember to stop (or just ride slowly, so as not to freeze) and appreciate that you have the opportunity to be here with crisp air in your lungs and wind in your hair.

See you out there!

Whitney McKiddy
December 4, 2015
ASK A TOUR LEADER: TOURING DURING THE OFF SEASON.

At the top of Norris Hill.

For many of us, the days are getting shorter and cooler, and thoughts are turning to things other than bicycle touring. Why not make this the year to try something different and go on an off-season bike trip?

Yes, the days will be shorter and the weather will be tougher. The flip side is the tourists are gone and a bike trip can feel like a real exploration rather than a race from place to place. There’s lots of great clothing available to keep you warm and dry. And an off-season trip is the perfect time to treat yourself. Stay in a nice B&B where a warm fire at night will chase away the day’s chills.

If gutting it out in the cold or wet isn’t your thing, consider going somewhere warm. Many southern states are pleasantly cool during the winter. Some tour companies offer winter trips in the southern states, or for the ultimate trip, try Chile or Australia during the winter.

Staying in shape for a tour in the dead of winter can be a challenge. If you rode a lot during the summer you may still be ready to tour even if you taper off in the fall. Look for good weather days to get out on the bike, or simply accept the fact of riding in bad weather. Use indoor training if it’s available to you. But whatever works for you, think about ways to extend your season and the fun of riding by going off season!

-Joyce Casey, Adventure Cycling Tour Leader

October 7, 2015
Ask A Tour Leader: Bike Tour Beginner Basics.

Adventure Ready.

You’ve thought about it, now is the year to do it – go on an overnight bike tour. What are some of the things you need to know?

Just get out and do it. Traveling by bicycle takes many forms and there are lots of resources to help. Bring only a change of clothes and a credit card, and you can go as far as you’re willing with the same clothes washed in your hotel sink. With racks or a trailer on your bike you can become self-sufficient, camping and cooking wherever it strikes you.

Bicycle travel happens at a slower pace than your weekly group ride. Give yourself permission to enjoy the journey. Stop at the antiques store or enjoy a picnic lunch at the side of a creek. These are opportunities that don’t always present themselves when driving. Remember that you’ll be riding for more hours in a day than you’re used to. Keep your energy level up by eating small meals and snacks throughout the day. And no matter how delectable, that rich exotic gourmet meal with wine at the country inn may not be your best choice. Simple energy rich dinners will leave you feeling ready to ride the next day.

Any trip will be better with preparation. Make sure both your body and your bike are ready for multiple days of riding. It’s not necessary to carry a lot on a bike trip but you should have a few first aid supplies and the tools and know-how to fix a flat tire. Keep your clothes simple. Plain darker colors help you blend in at your destination and hide dirt. Always bring two pairs of bike shorts so you can wash one each night. The weather can change quickly so a rain jacket is a good accessory.

Now you’re ready to head out and ride!

– Joyce Casey, Adventure Cycling Tour Leader

September 11, 2015