How to Travel on the Cheap: Bicycle Touring is Environmentaly Clean Travel

Have you ever considered a long distance cross country bicycle trip? Many have, my brother is one who did it quite a few years back. After high school he pedaled his way from Minnesota to the West Coast and back. His adventures became legendary as the following year he made the same journey again.

People claim they travel to "See the Country". In fact what they often do is just "Drive Through the Country". Speeding down the interstate offers no opportunity to connect with the scenery your flying past, even taking a slower path on secondary roads isn't that much better.

Bicycle touring is an environmentally clean way to travel that will allow you to travel cheaply, yet will bring you to any of the many sites or scenic byways found all over the continent. Bicycling knows no boundary's, take your tour north through Canada, or south across Mexico. With a passport and your two wheel mode of travel you can go anywhere.

Bicycling is the quickest and most effective way to loose weight and tone your body. Doing ten miles a day will have you dropping 20 lbs in a couple months, all replaced with lean well toned muscle. Before you know it you'll be ready for your first long distance journey.

Touring by bicycle doesn't mean you're a marathon rider. Your schedule is your own, set a comfortable pace and enjoy the trip. Stopping to experience the sites and people you meet along the way is how you learn, how you make memories.

Carrying lightweight camping gear, and a carefully chosen wardrobe, you can stop at supermarkets along the way for your food supplies. You'll quickly find that people aren't threatened by someone who's dedicated enough to bicycle across the land and many will open their homes and invite you to share a meal or spend the night in exchange for some stories about your adventure.

Being much closer to nature as you travel will give you ample opportunity to see and hear nature as you pass by. Raccoons, porcupines, even squirrels and birds will offer entertainment for your soul. I've even been stopped by a bear to wait as he slowly ambled across the road.

Likewise those secluded little camping spots will become easy to find, and with your small foot print you can blend into the background and no one will know your spending the night.

Of course there are Hostels All Over the World that can provide a roof over your head and a hot shower. Some cities have YMCA's where you can spend the night too.

Choosing the Best Gear for your adventure is easy, the variety of specially designed storage devices to attach to your cycle is huge and with lightweight tents and sleeping bags you can be cozy, comfortable and well protected from the weather.

There's no excuse not to travel, expand your horizons and do it all by pedal power. Make life an Adventure.