Riding Your Way to Responsible Travel with Bike Tours

Responsible travel may carry a rigid connotation, but nothing is rigid about cyclotouring, or more fondly, bike tours. Long before the global warming crisis prompted Americans to revisit the concept of biking as a fun, earth- friendly alternative to the large carbon footprints of taxis or tour busses, Europeans had already adopted biking as a regular mode of transportation. Historians are unable to pin point the geographic origin of "cyclotouring" (the name used to refer to bike tours in the late 1890's), but earliest accounts of activity were in London and Paris. Over the 19th century, bike tours continued to grow in popularity and continue to draw thousands of tourists every year. With the rise of alternative vacation styles among Americans, the popularity of bike tours, or touring countries from the seat of a bicycle, is rising as well. The good news is that there are countless companies that specialize in bicycle tours stateside and worldwide.

Countryside Conservancy is a group of enlightened residents of La Plume, Pennsylvania. Concerned residents formed the non- profit organization in 1994 when they realized someone had to be proactive about protecting the beautiful natural landscape of northeast Pennsylvania. Through land adoptions, the Countryside Conservancy is able to keep much of northeast Pennsylvania away from hungry land developers. The group will hold their annual bike tour of the well- preserved countryside October 12, 2010. The epitome of responsible travel is acknowledging and supporting community efforts to preserve nature, and participating in this bike tour will do just that. There will be seven road and mountain bike trails to choose from, suitable for all age groups. The cost is $35 per rider with all proceeds going towards Countryside Conservancy's efforts to preserve as much of the natural landscape of Pennsylvania as possible.

The concept of bike tours is even more popular beyond the US. Consider Thailand Green Ride , a Thailand company specializing in environmentally conscious bike tours. Patrons may choose from an array of bike tours created for families, different age groups and skill levels. Seeing Thailand on a bike tour allows patrons to get an up-close and personal account of true Thai culture. Traditional and, often times, non- environmentally friendly tour groups are devoid of real experiences with the locals. The most admirable aspect of Thailand Green Ride is its commitment to operating a green company. They promote an atmosphere of responsible travel by reducing the amount of trash accumulated during each bike tour, reusing as much as possible, and recycling just about everything. The concepts of going green and maintaining a healthy lifestyle form a happy marriage with Thailand Green Ride.

Supporting a community fundraiser or an on- going effort to keep tourism green are great ways to achieve responsible travel. No other form of responsible travel will allow you to ride along scenic country sides while inhaling the cool, clean air while preserving the nature.

Photo Credit: Flickr