On my vacation this past summer, I was hiking in the Cinque Terre with a Belgian retiree who asked me where were some interesting spots to visit if he were to go to the US. I initially rattled off the major eastern cities like New York and Washington, but beyond that I had no idea. I started thinking about why I seemed to vacation in Europe more often than the US. Obviously, the foreignness of it is appealing, but the west coast is just as foreign to me as a New Englander as the UK. I think the major factor for me is easy accessibility. As a non-driver, travelling the US can be difficult; this issue is not as substantial in western Europe.
I got to thinking and decided that in order to see the US, I would be self-reliant and ride my bicycle. So, for my next big vacation, I want to do a bike tour. I have several options in mind; I plan to have this accomplished by the end of summer 2012.