Say No to Doping! #Cycleclean

Throughout my cycling and travel career, I have often been asked about the recent doping scandal (elephant in the room - Lance Armstrong) in the sport of professional cycling. Despite the Lance story breaking 2 years ago, it continues to be fodder amongst cycling enthusiasts and fans. The question comes up the most frequently when I am reviewing trips to the Tour de France. 

I have very mixed emotions about this topic. I've met Lance. I have beautiful framed and autographed photographs of Lance that have been given to me as gifts. I used to wake my young children up at 5am just so they could watch his brilliance. And then the chatter began, the idea that no one, especially one who had recently come back from beating cancer, could perform as Lance was performing. 

The rumors persisted, yet I continued to wear my yellow LiveStrong band and continued to travel to France to be apart of the excitement. It wasn't just the American cycling community that was following his every win, but Lance's success caused all of America to pay attention to cycling. His fraudulent successes led to an immense increase in cyclists in America.

                        USA Cycling statistics show a steady increase in the number of 

                        licenses issued between 2002 and 2008 that can be directly related 

                        to Armstrong's popularity during and after his seven Tour de France 

                        victories. 

For this reason, and for the monies that the LiveStrong foundation has raised for cancer, I am able to set aside my incredible disappointment in my fallen hero. His behavior, and his subsequent fall from grace, has also opened up the world of pro cycling to extreme scrutiny which I also believe to be a good thing. Many former pro cyclists have now come to the light and have shared their stories of doping in the peloton. Lance was the tipping point for the sport to come clean. 

Tyler Hamilton, a former pro who rode with Lance, was disbanded for doping. He wrote a very compelling book, The Secret Race, that shared the inner workings of the Lance doping machine. It is a very fascinating read and a story that has you sitting on the edge of your seat. Here is a taste of the drama, straight from Hamilton's mouth:

USA Cycling has recently launched a new campaign to support anti-doping at any level of cycling called #CycleClean. Please take the time to visit their website www.usacycling.org or www.cycleclean.com and sign the petition to cycle clean. In return, you will receive a clear rubber bracelet band inscriber with #cycleclean to wear and promote that doping is not tolerated in the sport of cycling. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ztxlUn2FGw

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lance-armstrong-ignites-usa-cycling-growth/

Please note that this post is part of a class assignment and is not affiliated with USA Cycling. 

And the Winner is..........

Our first “Where in the World” contest has ended. We are happy to announce our winner – Kristin Zimmerman! Kristin’s guess was the closest – Northern California. Specifically, this photo was taken in Humboldt amongst the towering Redwoods.  This area, also known as the Lost Coast, is amazing beautiful as you ride through the Redwoods and alongside the rugged Northern California coast – a must visit destination to ride.

Kristen Zimmerman

Kristin is now entered into our raffle to win a bike trip at half the cost! Congratulations! You too  can get into the raffle. Just check our Facebook page www.facebook.com/wheelparadise and/or our Twitter feed (@wheelparadise) each week and guess the new location.

And don't forget to check our blog next week for another cycling location review!

Until then, get outside, ride and enjoy the wind your face.

Cheers,

Jocelyn

Introducing Dude Girl Cycling Trips

Friends for life.

Have you ever wanted to ride along with the Tour de France and be amongst the amazing action? Kim McIlhenney, owner of Dude Girl, is the one you want to hook your wheel to.

The tour in action.

Dude Girl originally began as a travel company with road trips to the Tour de France, mountain biking trips to Bulgaria and running trips in Yosemite. She would also create custom cycling/running kits for all of her travelers and subsequently changed her focus to cycling/athletic apparel (more on this in a later blog post). Over the past few years she has had an overwhelming demand for her to resurrect the France trip and thus began instigating small group tours during the month of July. This is an “in the know” tour and one that is not to be missed!

The beautiful blonde cows of the Pyrenees with their cow bells. 

Kim has an incredible eye for detail and it shines through from the very moment that you receive your welcome packet, continues though out the entire trip and culminates with an incredible final night.  Kim has spent a great deal of time in France, speaks fluent French, has been informally adopted by a lovely and very generous French family and is able to share unique and beautiful places that only locals know about. 

French crepes - not to be missed!

Dude Girl caps their trips at 12 people, thus providing each client excellent personal attention.  Trips are anywhere between 10-13 days and consist of daily distance options – anywhere from 31 miles (expect some big cols, ie. mountains) up to 75 miles. If you want to ride further (or shorter) you will be accommodated. Bikes are not provided, but they have excellent mechanics that will assist you in putting your bike together and breaking it back down and packing it.  Wonderful lodging, breakfasts and dinners are included in the cost.

Dude Girl was my first introduction to the live Tour de France and my first road bike trip abroad. It has long been the bike trip with the most cherished memories (even after all these years). The friendships that I made on that trip continue to this day and that I attribute that to Kim herself. She is just one of those warm and caring individuals that makes a mark on everyone she meets.

The French Alps. 

So, if you are looking for a small group trip with great attention to detail, intimate knowledge of the area, your every request (within reason) being accommodated and making friends for life, Dude Girl should be your bike trip of choice. Oh, by the way, did I mention that the trip only costs (I don’t like using the word “only”) $4500 (shared room) for 13 DAYS!!

Feel free to contact me (wheelparadise@gmail.com) for more details or more personal insights or visit the website at www.dudegirl.com.

Viva le France!

Cheers,

Jocelyn

Where in the World?

We love cycling and we love to venture out to new places. We have a contest beginning today that we would love for you to participate in. Check out the photo and identify which country the picture was taken in. Extra bonus points are awarded to those that can also the province/region/state. You can reply on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/wheelparadise) - don’t forget to LIKE us. You can also respond on Twitter - @wheelparadise – again, please follow us. Each response must also include #whereintheworld, #wheelparadise, and @wheelparadise. Contest will end Friday January 29, 2016 at 3:00pm.

So, what do you get if you win? Well, you get major kudos on all of our social media channels, but more importantly, you get entered into a raffle for a 50% coupon for a bike trip from one of the companies that we review. How can you resist?? The only thing that we ask from there is to share your experience once you get home!!!

What’s to lose? Share the contest with your friends and check back weekly for other contests!

Wheel Paradise is here to help you sift through all the cycling trips offered and find the perfect one for you!

#whereintheworld

Been there? Want to go? Tell us where we are!!

Cheers,

Jocelyn

Wheel Paradise

Adventures on Two Wheels

Welcome to Wheel Paradise. I have a passion for cycling. Predominantly road biking, but you will occasionally find me getting dirty on a mountain bike as well. I have been cycling in events/races, on teams, crewed for Race Across America (a 3000 mile bike race across the country), as a coach, and as a bike tour company domestique, all locally and in far-flung places for over thirty years. I have worked in cycling apparel industry and met people in the industry from all over the world. I have become friends with several former pro cyclists and have been blessed with learning their stories and their tips over countless miles spent on the bicycle.

Wheel Paradise was designed, not only to share my experiences on the bike - anecdotes, travel stories, and guided tours that I joined, but also to provide reviews of the countless bike tour trips that are out there. Cycling, as a form of exercise, in the United States has boomed over the last 15 years (partially thanks to disgraced Lance Armstrong) and with that, countless bike touring companies cropped up with offerings all over the world. I look forward to providing you with honest reviews of these trips in order to assist you in finding the perfect one for you!!

Are you up for a cycling adventure either stateside or on the other side of the world? Well, you have found a passionate source of information that will guide you there. So, strap in and grab your passport/id, your excitement and your wanderlust!!

Cheers,

Jocelyn Weingart Ray