Culturally, cyclists are welcomed by local people the world over, they are respected for traveling under their own steam, and for moving at a pace that allows a wave, a call, and a smile. We are still at the dawn of the mountain-bike age. People use them to traverse continents, or to explore deeply the land in which they are traveling. They are also highly addictive when it comes to tackling exciting pieces of trail, either requiring skillful technique or simply offering a delicious long cruise downhill. For every climb, there is a descent, for every long hard day in the saddle, there is rest and recovery at the end, along with the great honest appetite and the powerful sense of achievement.
Cycling has much to do with personal empowerment.
While the world encourages a greater consumption of energy-saving but alienating activities, the bike remains a simple tool with which to escape. The effort is all your own, the destination is up to you, and the excitement and satisfaction are guaranteed. Here are tantalizing samples of what can be enjoyed or overcome in the saddle, with maps and travel details to enable any inspired armchair adventurer to turn their dreams into reality. From outback trekking through crocodile country in Australia to a spectacular trip through Malawi's safarilands, from the thin air of occupied Tibet high up in the Himalayas to a full-length trek of America's Great Divide. Treks have been selected for the quality of the trail, for their sense of drama, and for the cycling perspective they bring to an established destination.