How bicycle tourism impacts small communities

[Veloo]

Time to find me an S&S frame.

http://bicycletimesmag.com/spend-cycle-how-bicycle-tourism-impacts-small-communities/

[David Kirk]

Time to find me an S&S frame.

http://bicycletimesmag.com/spend-cycle-how-bicycle-tourism-impacts-small-communities/

The Twin Bridges, MT location they wrote about isn't too far from me and I've stopped there a number of times. Very good set up with work stands and air and basic tools and good food is very close by.

Cool place.


dave

[m_sasso]

Almost makes you feel wanted, positive read. Thanks!

[bikinchris]

Bicycle tourism works. Those people gotta eat.

The cycle lane built on the Carolina coast brings in more tax money PER YEAR than it cost to build.

[Cornfed]

Anyone who's done RAGBRAI sees this in action every day. Some of those little towns make their annual budget for the next 5 years in one day. And my favorite part of the ride is when, a few months later, RAGBRAI reports on how various towns spent the proceeds. A lot of school additions, fire trucks, and missionary trips result from that ride.

[Cicli]

Anyone who's done RAGBRAI sees this in action every day. Some of those little towns make their annual budget for the next 5 years in one day. And my favorite part of the ride is when, a few months later, RAGBRAI reports on how various towns spent the proceeds. A lot of school additions, fire trucks, and missionary trips result from that ride.

For sure. My favorite cycling party.

[pjmsj21]

As any Cycle Oregon rider knows, this great event was created for the express purpose of providing economic benefit for many of the rural communities in Oregon.......and it does!

Another less noted benefit that I think cycling in rural communities or cycle tourism, may have is that it tends to mix cyclists (usually but certainly not always coming from metropolitan areas) with locals from smaller rural communities.

Coming from the liberal bastions of Eugene and Bainbridge Island, my wife and I have been able to get to know and talk with locals in eastern Oregon, eastern Washington and Montana, which generally have the opposite political viewpoint. We might not end up changing our views but I do think meeting, talking, enjoying a beer may reduce the "us vs them" mentality.

Pat Mc

[Clancy]

Bicycle tourism works. Those people gotta eat.

The cycle lane built on the Carolina coast brings in more tax money PER YEAR than it cost to build.

Searched briefly but could not find any info on Carolina bike paths.

Is there a website that provides info/maps etc.?

[thunderworks]

I can't comment on the economic impact cycle tourism has in the county, but the locals are making a concerted effort to make rural western Wisconsin hospitable to cyclist. There is a B&B in Whitehall, WI that gives a discount to bicycle riders and they've helped create a countywide network of bike routes - even printed full color route maps, marked some of the roads with route makers etc. IMO, this is some of the best riding in the US.

I hope it has enough economic impact on the county that they continue to support the expansion of the effort. I go there every year with a group of riding buddies. Really spectacular riding.

[bikinchris]

Searched briefly but could not find any info on Carolina bike paths.

Is there a website that provides info/maps etc.?

The paths I was referring to are on the Outer Banks. There is apparently 105 miles of marked and signed routes. Some of them are multi use trails that parallel roads with wide shoulders.
I saw them, but never rode them. Part of the routes are here:

https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/gisdot/DOTBikeMaps/Dare/Maps_1-5_Corolla-Nags_Head.pdf

https://xfer.services.ncdot.gov/gisdot/DOTBikeMaps/Dare/Maps_6_7_Hatteras_Manteo.pdf

[thunderworks]

Aren't the Outer Banks pancake flat . . . seems like an uninteresting place to ride.

I rode on Padre Island once and thought it was a complete snooze. I have assumed that the OB are similar. Nice place to vacation - but not great riding.

[Ralph]

I live about a mile away from the 250 mile (when fully completed) Jacksonville to St Petersburg, Fl Trail. A paved 12-14 ft wide trail thru mostly back country. it's designed to be a route for Eco Tourists who want to do Florida by bike. And connect with the trail coming down the coast from new England thru the mid Atlantic states. I see tourists, USA and foreign, on this route regularly.

For most of them.....as loaded as they usually are.....I don't think they mind a relatively flat or lightly rolling terrain. To them I have noticed....it's not all about the riding as an enthusiast, as it is the total experience of seeing the country by bike. It's about where they stay, what they eat, who they meet and talk with, where they can get a good beer, etc. I think the marked route down the Outer Banks of NC same way. Many of these people are not training for some big race.,....they are just Eco Touring the USA. And having lots of fun doing it. And spending lots of money along the way. Florida is well along the way of developing an incredible Trail and amenity program so they can do just that. Eco Touring is great in the cool dry months in Florida when you can't do this further North. As the article pointed out, it's great for the small towns they travel thru as well.... all over the USA.

[fogrider]

its a no brainer that making space for eco tourism will pay for itself. but it's not just the eco tourism dollars, it's the right thing to do and it will pay dividends in many other ways for the community.

[palincss]

It won't do to have a discussion of economic impact of cycle tourism on small towns without mentioning the Great Allegheny Passage.

[tv_vt]

Seems like the towns around Mt Ventoux sure get a boost from all the riders going up the Giant of Provence. Crazy number of bike shops around there.

[bikinchris]

its a no brainer that making space for eco tourism will pay for itself. but it's not just the eco tourism dollars, it's the right thing to do and it will pay dividends in many other ways for the community.

I agree. But there are many for whom a NIMBY attitude is strong. They will say anything to block an Eco Tourism project. Witness the Rails to Trails projects being blocked with lies.

[fogrider]

I agree. But there are many for whom a NIMBY attitude is strong. They will say anything to block an Eco Tourism project. Witness the Rails to Trails projects being blocked with lies.No doubt. Usually NIMBY attitudes are reserved for negative things like garbage dumps, homeless shelters, nuclear waste dumps and the like, but if the really don't like bike trails and rest areas that much, they should just chew I grass and cry about how their community is dying.

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