Bike Hugger 

Bicycle New South Wales wrote to say they loved the hugga and we said, “cool … thanks!” When I checked their site I found a group that promotes, advocates, and support cycling in all its forms and they’ve got all sorts of programs, including Free Bikeability Seminars.

We’d love to ride in New South Wales and if we find our way there, we’ll definitely ride with that group.

Barcelona had magnificent streets: 4 for cars in either direction, 2 for bikes in either direction, and wide pedestrian promenades that are at least 2 lanes wide.

Those magnificent streets are full of cars, scooters, and bikes. Most of those bikes fold so they can be taken on the Metro, store easily in a small apartment, and are inexpensive. I saw all types of folding bikes, including one with an electric motor. The bike lanes have their own lights and even take you safely around the roundabouts.

Our stay at Hotel Moli del Mig near Girona Spain was more than we expected. From the friendly staff, roads, food and modernist remodel, it’s a new destination for cyclists and only a few had ridden the roads. It was also how we’d approach a cyclo-tourism hotel, nearly exactly. Notes

• Open less than a year, the “middle mill” was restored from a 400 yr old water mill.
• Cycle tourism is new to the area – treking has been around and actively promoted by the tourism board.
• From the lighting to the background music. furnishings, and more, much attention to “modernists” details occured in the renovation.
• Welcoming people, roads, and almost no one here – it’s off season and about 70 degrees.
• Most people spoke some english and we’re happy to accommodate us with our phrase book in hand. The language here is Catalan, but they also speak Spanish.

One of many roads to the Costa Brava near Girona Spain. See more photos in our Spain 06 gallery and posts tagged Spain.

I added a 3rd Timbuk2 messenger bag to my collection for our trip to Spain. Messenger bags work great, but anything over 5 pounds for more than 4 hours gets very tiresome slung across your shoulder and chest. With all their big-box retailer offerings and fashion bags, I thought that Timbuk2 had lost itself along the way from a Hippie messenger shop to a corporate, sellout making poseur bags.