Dave Forester (ExperiencePlus! Customer):
Given my poor golf scores, it is a better use of my time to spend a few hours biking the local byways than searching for small white balls in tall grass. More exercise, less frustration, and cheaper to ride a bike than a golf cart. That is reason one. To see more of the United States—“up close and personal”— and to challenge myself physically, I do seven to thirty day tours. That is reason two. To see more of the world, experience other cultures and enjoy the camaraderie with like-minded travelers, sample new wines, I do tours in other countries. That is reason three. Reason 3 1/2 is to feast on gelato in Italy.
Julie Horton (ExperiencePlus! Director of US Operations):
I purchased my first bike in 1987 and began riding with friends who were patient enough to wait for me. Five years later I quit my job to ride self-supported for a year through 14 countries covering over 14,000 miles. I’ll always remember and be inspired by the muscle definition of one 70-year-old French woman’s legs. She would ride down a steep hill to the village square to do her shopping and push the bike back. The amazing thing was that she wasn’t unusual it was the way everyone in Europe seemed to shop. When I returned home I realized that I lived in a community that made riding simple and convenient so there was no reason not to use my bike instead of a car. Simply put bicycling changed my life, my career path, and my metabolism! Besides when I’m on my bike I feel like a dog that’s been let off leash running through a mountain meadow. There’s the joy of feeling your body move, the wind in your ears – though I do my best to keep my tongue from hanging out.