Work on the Washington DC tour

We're busy in the off-season getting our 2010 tours ready to go. Jen was recently in Washington DC cycling the bike paths of our new Washington DC Bikeways tour. We try to double and triple check our cues, especially when they involve bike paths.

Jen says, "There's absolutely no better way to see the monuments than by bike. You don't have to deal with the traffic, getting lost on one-way streets, or finding parking. And you don't get so tired as you would if you were walking."

She walked into the National Archives on the spur of the moment and fell into a tour for new White House interns just as the building was closing. She saw the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. She said, "It was amazing. We had the place to ourselves. I didn't even know we had a National Archives, let alone what was in it!"

Here's Jen across the Tidal Basin from the Jefferson Memorial.

Electric Bicycles...The Future?

One of our best customers, Peggy, has been on more than a dozen WomanTours trips. At 75, she's not as spry as she once was, but she doesn't let that slow her down.

She's the proud owner of a BionX electric bicycle. She brags that she can easily climb hills with whopping 10% grades. She uses the electric motor only when she needs it, and easily sets it at 25%, 50% or 100% level of assistance on the fly. She brings her bike to our tours and says, "Hilly routes are no longer intimidating."

A retired engineer, she's never been afraid to test the newest in technology. She explains, "I think this BionX motor assist will revolutionize biking for the senior set." And no, neither she nor I works for the company. We're just trying to keep more women bicycling.

Here's Peggy on her old bike on our Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard bike tour - BEFORE she got her BionX.

Recipe for WomanTours Signature Salad

Here's the most requested recipe from our picnics. Many thanks to my sisters Michelle and Jennifer, from whom this salad was commandeered.

WomanTours Broccoli Cole Slaw Salad
• 2 packages broccoli cole slaw
• slivered almonds
• sunflower seeds
• craisins
• 2 cans drained mandarin oranges
• 2 packages beef or mushroom Ramen Noodles (break up and add just before serving)
• Mix together and pour on above:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 T sugar
• spice from 1 soup mix

Sunny Santa Barbara bike tour

You can tell it's a lot warmer and sunnier in southern California this time of year than it is in Virginia (see below.) Here's our group at the end of our new Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley bike tour last week. We don't get blue skies like that very often in the fall here in Rochester. Thanks for sending along the photo Kathy!