The grand tour: How bike tourism helps local economies/Part 2

I will finish this today, but I'd like to hear from an expert in the bike tourism side of the economy, and look at doing a show together.  I do know bike sales are booming, and it is an increasing part of the health/recreation industries.  However, I'd like to explore more of the financial side of the business.  Please contact us.

Part 2:  "Then there's unsupported touring. It's the same thing you might do with a car -- strap some basics to your rear rack and take off down the road to meet people, see sights, and gaze contemplatively at the road ahead.

You can take a bike trip for next to no money by camping and picnicking your way down scenic country roads, picking up supplies and souvenirs at the same places locals shop, finding your focus in grueling mountain climbs and your joy in the long descents. At the other end of the spectrum is what a friend calls "credit card bike camping": short hops between charming bed and breakfasts, stopping at every tucked-away restaurant and winery.

Either way, you're expanding your horizons under your own power and putting your money directly into small, local businesses rather than into your gas tank or the chain hotels off the freeway.

There's a resurgence of interest in this kind of touring, though few are embracing it as completely as Russ Roca and Laura Crawford, who a year and a half ago decided to sell all their possessions and take off across the country by bike without a set destination or plan. They financed the trip in part with speaking engagements at local bike shops, which have proven unexpectedly popular.

Roca and Crawford seem to be onto something. The rising price of gas and a growing disenchantment with cars, traffic, and the sedentary life mean have resulted in new interest in different types of vacations and adventures.

The hurdle, for local decision makers and business leaders who want to encourage bike tourism, is to avoid the pitfall of classifying bikes as purely recreational, a luxury alternative to the classic Sunday drive.

Welcoming bicycle tourists should go beyond a friendly attitude and amenities from business owners, though those two things certainly make a big difference.

The benefits of bike tourism aren't just for rural communities. In Portland, with its well-established bikeway network, a survey found that 78 percent of visitors said that the city's bicycle-friendly reputation played a role in their decision to travel here. Bikeshare systems can change a visitor's experience of a city.

Bike touring, when it's embraced at a policy level, breaks down the dichotomy between recreation and transportation. After all, bike-minded improvements in infrastructure and enforcement create healthier, more economically sound places not just to visit but to live.

Streets and roads where it feels comfortable to ride a bike are good for residents, tourists, and the economy."

We are filming 4 new shows on Monday.   Stay tuned at Arpin Broadcast Network (arpin.tv.com).