When most individuals think about traveling, they consider planes, cars, buses, or trains. If you’re traveling overseas, you have to fly, but if you’re going across the country or from one state to another, you have more options.
You might travel because you want to see family members, or perhaps you’re going on vacation. For some people, the destination is not the point. The journey concerns them more.
If you’re one of these individuals, you might consider bicycle travel rather than car, bus, or train. Bike travel is a different way to see the country.
In this article, we’ll talk a little about bike travel. In the end, maybe you’ll decide that it’s something you want to attempt.
It’s Great Exercise
One potential bike trip reason is that biking is fantastic exercise. It works several muscle groups, such as:
The core
The hamstrings
The quadriceps
If you want to drop some pounds and inches, you can bike to a national park or some other destination. If it’s far enough away, you might look like a completely different person by the time you get back.
Be careful as you go, though. Bike accidents happen frequently, so you should have a smartphone on you at all times.
If a vehicle hits you, most states require that you call the police. In Georgia, for instance, you must call 911 if there’s an accident with more than $500 property damage.
You can prevent injuries by choosing the correct bicycle size using this bike frame size chart.
You Can See the Country in a Whole New Way
Perhaps you’ve been to several different states, but maybe you just drove through them. That’s not the same thing as biking across the land.
When you bike through a state:
You’ll see the animal and plant life up close
You’ll experience the sights, sounds, and smells intimately
It’s one thing to drive through New England with the fall leaves changing, but it’s another to bike through those leaves and hear them crunch under your tires. It’s a different experience to see a timid fawn crossing a country road or see the sun dip beneath the horizon as you peddle to catch up.
You’ll appreciate America in a new way if you bike through it. You might think less about our divisions and more about the natural beauty that’s there for all of our enjoyment.
You Can Reconnect with Your Family
Maybe you decide that the whole family is going to take a bike trip. If you’re an athletic group, you might want to tackle a multiple-state bike excursion.
You can go with your spouse, and your children as well, if they are old enough. This can be a time you always remember. You might bring enough camping equipment to sleep out under the stars together, or you can map out hotels and motels at which you can stay.
You can find roadside cafes and talk to people along the way. You can hit some of the big cities or stick to the smaller, picturesque towns. You can take some time beforehand to plan it all out and talk about what appeals to each one of you.
It’s a Safer Option Right Now
With Covid-19 still out there, if you want to take a trip, flying doesn’t make much sense. It’s potentially dangerous since if you’re on a plane with other people, you’re all breathing in the same recirculated air. Masks can help, but there’s still a risk factor.
Buses and trains are also not completely safe options. If you bike, though, you’re out in the open air, with no masks necessary. You can be sure you’re keeping yourself and your family safe.
You Can Visit Relatives You Have Not Seen in a While
If you decide to take a bike trip, you might also go through some cities or states where your relatives live. Maybe you have grandparents, cousins, or an aunt or uncle who you have not seen in years.
You can’t hug them right now, but you can still visit, as long as you wear masks and keep socially distant. If any of them have an immunocompromised condition, you should stay away for now, but if you know they’re healthy, you can bike to see them and catch up.
Biking is one of the best exercise options with many gyms still closed, and if you want to travel, you might decide to try it. It’s an experience you will never forget, and you may like it so much that this is the first trip of many you’ll take that way.
