For those who have not done self guided bike trips before, and wonder how it all works, here is a summary. Your tour package will include lodging, bikes, luggage transfer, maps and directions and in some cases, meals. You are responsible for getting yourself to the launch point and then where ever you are going after the last lodging. Luggage fee is usually quoted extra, but I'm assuming our readers are not backpackers. You leave your bags at the hotel, and sometime during the day they get forwarded on to the next hotel. Typically they are always wating for us when we get there. The lodging tends to be in small hotels or B&B. They have never been less than clean and nice, but quite often range into the really nice place catagory. Your job for the day is to ride the bike from the hotel to your next nights lodging. Your friendly tour organizer will see to it that you take a very scenic route. If there are sights to be seen and explored, your routes will take you to them.

You will typically be riding on the back roads. Be sure you take water and snacks, because towns may be many miles apart. You will have detailed maps and directions andy, there is nearly zero worry about going the wrong way. Some companies are more elaborate than others. In Holland we were given preprogrammed GPS units, which really came in handy because Holland has alot - and I mean ALOT of bike trails. If the tour plan offers meals, I suggest you turn that down, you really would rather explore the town to find somewhere interesting, and order directly off the menus. There is no better way to get on someones good side than to ask what the regional favorites are and let them bring them to you. Take your phrase book. You will often really be seeing the country through the back door. You know your not in a tourist place when they don't have special menus in English. Not to worry. If you take the trouble to learn just a few phrases, you will find that people will reach out. It nice to be in places where tourists are not unknown, but are not the daily grind for people.

Lastly, what to wear. Get good bike shorts and some bike shirts. They are bright for a good reason, so that cars notice you, and also they are made from material that wicks moisture away from you. Get a good rain jacket. We tried ponchos, but they really did not work well. We found a couple of jackets in Ireland that had large hoods with a visor on them. This was really really was helpfull in keeping rain off your face. In addition, you could use one pocket as a pouch that you could roll the jacket up into and zip it up for built in compact storage for when you did not need it. The bikes will sometimes have pannier bags, which are those saddle bags over the back wheel. If not, there will be a little shelf over the back fender with one of those spring clamps. The bikes are usually touring bikes. We have yet to have been given one that was not comfortable and well maintained. They will have fenders, a handlebar bag, and either panniers or a luggage shelf with clamp. We usually carry a small backpack with some extra water, snacks, tissures, ect.