Back in August, Justin called touring The Next Big Thing.

Reaching further back in the archives we find a similar augury made by Brad Quartuccio.

As these predictions play out, I ‘m struck with a sense of my own divination.

Is Bike touring the next armchair travel fad? As I browse through blogs and bookstores I see more and more cyclists are taking up the pen/keyboard and journaling their adventures. These are not professionals who are sponsored, endorsed, paid mightily and backed with a plethora of team support. These are cyclists like you and I. Looking for adventure might be a prerequisite to jumping on a bike. It’s just a matter of how far, we as individual riders wish to take it.

Adventure Cyclist offers great article tidbits to make the average rider long for adventure and Dirt Rag’s issue 130 chronicles a few choice tours here in the states. If you want to sink your gears into something with a bit more substance, check out Cycling’s Greatest Misadventures by Erich Schweikher. Published this past June; you will find a variety of cycling stories to fit your whim. The collection runs a gambit from the amusing to the heart wrenching, long endurance tours that test the riders limits along side some amusing anecdotes from more practical day rides.

Another great cycling tour journal is Neil Peart’s Masked Rider, whose prose with the written words makes for an exceptional read of his travels and trials through West Africa. Not a trip for the faint of heart. The Dark Continent has its spectacular beauty and spirit and also, it’s primitive harshness.

Hopefully this winter I’ll have time to read Lone Traveller: One Woman, Two Wheels and the World. This is Anne Mustoe’s account of her experiences around the world from atop her bike. Covers such topics as: police arrest, guerillas and wild dog attacks.

Short attention span? What something gritty? Less polished?

Check out:
http://www.makesomedaytoday.blogspot.com/

and http://www.cyclingaroundtheworld.nl/, which has a stunning photo gallery.

Lately, I’ve started thinking of these journaling’s as primers. All the misfortunes, the crazy situations and the glorious triumphs are stored away in my brain for future reference. My turn will come. Until then, bike ‘em and write ‘em.