My wife and I had a wonderful time last week at jekyll island, GA. The island is covered with over 20 miles of bike paths, including one going right by the airport, which meant we did not need to rent a car, we could just use our folding bikes for transportation,
Got me thinking: how many vacation spots in the US are like that, where you can fly in, and then bike anyplace one needs to go, with no need for a rental car? Has anybody made a list of such sites? The only other one I could think of right off is Tangiers Island, VA.
You might want to try Cedar Key Fl. (CDK).http://www.airnav.com/airport/KCDK It’s on the gulf coast and is charming for a day trip or a weekend escape.
You can walk or ride a bike from the airport, but forget renting a car. I don’t think there are any.
PS. Go with gas, I don’t think there is any there
By far my favorite airport where a car is not needed is Roche Harbor in the San Juan Islands WA. Excellent food, great view and in the summer bike all over the islands to see the sights.
Must be somethin’ about islands…
Another I can add is Ocracoke Island in the southern Outer Banks. Village and harbor is less than 2 miles away. Furthermore, if (like me) you don’t have a folding bike, a few of the B&Bs will leave a bike at the airport fence secured with a combination lock–and they’ll come back for your bags later with a car if you like!
P.S. I happen to be researching the purchase of a pair of folding bikes right now. It’s not too tough to compare specs & prices, but are there any models anyone would recommend AVOIDING, perhaps due to size, ride or quality?
It’s a great feeling of freedom and adventure to not use a car after flying somewhere.
For those on the West Coast:
I just use a regular Mtn. Bike and take off the front wheel, fold the seats down and use a heavy blanket for protection of the interior. No need to get a folding bike with high cost and low performance.
Death Valley:
I have gone to Death Valley with a Mtn. Bike in the back of the airplane. Stovepipe Wells has a great hiking trail about 1.5miles from the landing strip. Ride your bike there and then hike around a bit. Furnace Creek has a hotel and motel with a shuttle that can take your bike and luggage form the airport (1mile). Then you can ride right up the dirt roads toward the edges of the valley or 6 miles to the artist’s drive. Easy (if it’s not too hot).
Lone Pine/ Mt. Whitney
1:20 from Bay Area
Lone Pine is at the base of Mt. Whitney and south of Mammoth Mtn. by 20 minutes down Owens valley. From the airplane you ride up Portal road toward the Mtn. for a 1/2 hour (4 miles and 1,000 vertical feet) then you are in the Alabama rock area where beautiful sandstone formations like you see in Moab have lot’s of trails. Over sixty western movies were shot there. Ride around, have lunch overlooking the valley below and fly back to the coast in an hour or on to Death Valley. In the summer you can bring your backpacking gear and get a ride to the base of the highest Mtn. in the Sierras for hiking and camping.
Lake Almanor in Chester CA (Rogers airport) O05 (“Oh” zero 5)
An hour from the Bay Area
You land beside the lake and they have free bikes to use at the FBO to get you into town for lunch etc. Not good for Mtn. Biking or anything.
MOAB
Land at Canyonlands, UT and there is a great trail about 1-2 miles from the Airport that will take you to all kinds of fossils and spires. The trail is on the local maps and on web sites of the Mtn. Bike shops. Or take the shuttle into town, rent a bike for a couple of days and ride from there without a car.
I love my Bike Friday. I test rode a number of their models and ended up with the New World Tourist. The Crusoe is lighter, but flexed too much for my tastes under my 185lbs.
I have always liked SunRiver in Oregon. It has a private airport and is a lovely community. And you can’t beat Moab, UT for offroad riding. I’m an avid cyclist and to celebrate the order of our SR-22, I’m having a bike frame made with S & S stainless steel couplers (http://www.sandsmachine.com/). These are really slick. The couplers are installed on top and down tubes and the bike to be disassembled into two pieces then put into a hard or soft case. You get the stowage advantages of the folding bikes, without compromising the riding qualities of the bike. My frame is being made by Sycip Designs, (www.sycip.com) here in Santa Rosa.
All the best,
Tom Frazer
soon to have an SR-22!
I bought two of these, 30lbs apiece, and both easily fit in the storage of my Piper Warrior. You can rest a good size suitcase on the flat “deck” under your legs and ride for miles. I’ve gone as far as 20 miles. A quart of gas would go much farther, though. I use one to commute to work everyday, as well.
(On the plus side, it can take all the occupants of the 'plane…)
I like it Mike;
Certainly, one of our COPA members can figure a way to put hinges on it. If so, it looks like it should fit into the luggage compartment. Is it under 130 lbs?
Living in the Black Hills of South Dakota has given me the privilege of riding the Mickelson Trail. The annual Trek is a 3 day event that is not only fun, but great exercise too. It is limited in number so doesn’t get out of hand.
