Monthly Archives: May 2012

AFRICA: 2 rails, 3 trains, 5 stars

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rovos observation car
rovos rail
5.0.2
Blue Train dining
Blue Train lounge
shongololo express train
shongololo express bunks
Shongololo Express bed

All images property of Blue Train, Rovos Rail and Shongololo Express.

Three of the most luxurious trains in the world ride the rails in South Africa. No bargain fares here, just trips you’ll never forget.

Luxury rail travel may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Mother Continent — unless you happen to be in South Africa.

The country has not one 5-star train, but three — the Blue Train, Rovos Rail and the Shongololo Express.

Europe’s historic Orient Express was for decades the gold standard where luxury rail rides were concerned, but for sheer opulence, creature comforts and attention to detail, it might be hard-pressed to top any of these.

Room service in your compartment 24/7? No problem. Your choice: bunks or beds. Elegant lounges. Opulent dining cars that could match some of the world’s greatest restaurants plate for plate.

Lots of trains have en suite bathrooms in their compartments; how many have you seen with bathtubs?

Of the three, the Blue Train is the oldest, tracing its origins back to the 1920s. It’s also the only one that focuses exclusively on South Africa, making the 990-mile run between Cape Town, on the very southern tip of the Mother Continent, and the South African capital of Pretoria.

And when its operators call it a “magnificent moving 5-star hotel,” they’re not playing. We’re talking luxury “to the nines.”

Elegant lounges, fine dining. Gold-tinted windows…with real gold? Oh my…

Ever thought of holding a business meeting aboard a train? You could on this one; it comes with its own conference car.

Did I mention that your compartment on the Blue Train comes with its own butler?

The Blue Train’s two competitors are considerably younger, but much more ambitious in their routes and their offerings.

Rovos Rail, which started up in 1989, was the first of South Africa’s luxury trains to extend northward beyond South Africa’s borders, taking you on journeys lasting anywhere from three days to two weeks. Along the way, you’ll see sights in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, as well as Swaziland.

Every two years, though, Rovos Rail makes a run that is truly off the charts: a 28-day journey the length of the African continent, from Cape Town to Cairo.

It may be the only railroad that offers air tours. Twenty passengers can charter a vintage Douglas DC-3 for a trip covering two nights and six venues in four countries. Talk about a trip back in time.

I’m especially intrigued by the Shongololo Express, the new kid on South Africa’s luxury rail block. While just as lavish in its creature comforts, the approach behind this train is a little different from the others.

The operators make a point to run this train at night, focusing on keeping you well-fed and comfortably bedded down instead of daytime sightseeing. Fear not, however. You will be seeing sights, wildlife and all.

Just not necessarily from the train.

The Shongololo Express features safari-like side trips at stops along its various routes, but it makes those trips with a fleet of its own four-wheel-drive vehicles — which travel with the passenger train from stop to stop on flat-bed cars.

How cool is that?

In a sense, this is a throwback to the earliest forms of rail touring in the United States, when trains carrying their own motor coaches headed west to take passengers into scenic lands that would eventually become some of America’s greatest national parks.

How cool would it be today to board an Amtrak train from, say, Los Angeles for a run through Utah, Wyoming and the Dakotas, stopping along the way to make 4×4 runs into the national parks that line the route?

None of these South African trains charge rates that could be considered anything close to cheap, but the old saying “you get what you pay for” comes into full effect here. When it finally comes time to leave any of these three, you may not want to.

ALSO CHECK OUT:
Rail Travel page
AFRICA page
Imaginary Journey, Part 1
Imaginary Journey, Part 2
Imaginary Journey, Part 3

Edited by P.A.Rice

ZIMBABWE WEEK: City of stone

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Great Zimbabwe

© Karen Graham | Dreamstime.com

FOURTH IN A SERIES

See the ancient ruins that gave Zimbabwe its name, a city of such size and sophistication that Europeans tried to deny that that black men had built it.

Zimbabwe is a country awash in natural beauty and wildlife, but at least one of its greatest historic treasures is man-made.

I’m old enough to remember when this nation cast off the name Rhodesia — the name imposed upon it by gold-hungry British colonists — and adopted the name Zimbabwe. But I never knew where the name had come from.

Now, I know. It came from this place. An ancient city of nearly 2,000 acres, with a population that may have been as large of 18,000, built by the Shona people.

It was first built some time around 1200. The country whose adventurers would later colonize this land didn’t even exist yet.

Five hundred years before there was a Great Britain, there was Great Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe bird

© Agap13 | Dreamstime.com

The name “Zimbabwe” is believed to be derived from a Shona word meaning “houses of stone.” It was called “Great Zimbabwe” to disinguish it from the many smaller stone settlements that dotted the region, in modern-day Zimbabwe and beyond.

This city stood for 300 years, a city of stone walls and high towers, held together without mortar, built with such skill and sophistication that those same colonists were uncomfortable acknowledging that black men had built it.

In later years, long after Great Zimbabwe had been abandoned and fallen into ruin, the racist white government of what was then Rhodesia made denial of Great Zimbabwe’s black African origins a matter of national policy.

Ian Smith, who led the creation of a white supremacist government in Rhodesia, went so far as to commission a fake history of Great Zimbabwe to make it a creation of whites.

That policy is gone now, as are Smith and his government. And when the country’s new rulers looked about for a new name for this ancient land, they didn’t have far to look.

Today, Great Zimbabwe is a UN World Heritage Site. It has survived centuries of weather, neglect and ill-advised attempts at excavation — not to mention official denial.

This historic site gave the country more than its name. The ancient bird found on the national flag is based on soapstone carvings found at Great Zimbabwe, like the one pictured above.

Ancient ruins like this are a natural draw for anyone with an interest in history or anthropology in general, or just a curiosity about life in the Mother Continent before the European colonists got hold of it.

Do you enjoy a good mystery? You’ll find a good one here. Who were the people who built this place? We don’t have much specific information about them. What caused them eventually to abandon it, long before the Europeans came? We don’t really know that, either.

When I look at a place like Great Zimbabwe, I see neither ruins nor mystery. I see what black men are capable of when we focus our creative energy on a positive purpose.

When I look at Great Zimbabwe, I don’t see a lost past. I see a shining future, waiting for us to reach for it.

What will you see when you visit Great Zimbabwe?

IF YOU GO
Great Zimbabwe is located outside the town of Masvingo, 182 miles south of Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare. It’s about a four-hour drive down Highway A4.

There is lodging nearby, including the Great Zimbabwe Hotel, and several tour companies conduct tours or safaris that include a visit to the ruins.

NEXT: The urban side of Zimbabwe

ALSO CHECK OUT:
ZIMBABWE: Revealing “a World of Wonders”
ZIMBABWE WEEK on IBIT
ZIMBABWE WEEK: “The Cloud that Thunders”

ZIMBABWE WEEK: A steady stream of wonders

ZIMBABWE WEEK: A steady stream of wonders

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THIRD IN A SERIES

© Karen Graham | Dreamstime.com

Zimbabwe’s lists of attractions includes a vast array of African wildlife, towering mountains, lush rainforests, the world’s largest man-made lake and a pool of clear water 300 feet deep — at the bottom of a cave.

By itself, the mighty Victoria Falls would be reason enough to visit Zimbabwe. But when it comes to natural beauty, the country has a lot more going for it.

Start with the fact that this nation of about 150,000 square miles — roughly the size of California — has ten national parks that form a rough circle within its perimeter.

Start with Victoria Falls National Park. In addition to hiking to the best viewing spots above the falls and whitewater rafting through the gorges below it, you can walk along trails that will introduce you to East Africa’s unique animals — warthog, hippo, crocodile, antelope, elephants and buffalo.

Even Victoria Falls, however, has a rival in Zimbabwe. That would be Lake Kariba, the largest man-made lake on Earth, formed by the waters of the Zambezi River after they flow downstream from the falls.

The reservoir is larger even than the one behind China’s controversial Three Gorges Dam.

Like the falls, Zimbabwe shares Lake Kariba with Zambia. The Zimbabwe side alone has more than 600 miles of shoreline for you to explore.

That shoreline includes Matusadona National Park, a mix of high plains and mountains where wildlife abounds.

Adventurers visiting Lake Kariba can camp out along the shore. Those who value their creature comforts can stay in a lake shore lodge or self-catering apartment. The ultimate lake stay might be on one of the many houseboats available to rent.

However you choose to make your stay, you’ll be treated to some spectacular views, including some incredible sunsets.

Lake Kariba also is home to the tigerfish, popular with sport fishermen. If your idea of a good time is pitting rod and reel against a fast, powerful game fish whose teeth are considerably bigger and sharper than yours, you need to be here.

Speaking of water creatures, have you ever seen elephants swim? There’s a good chance you’ll see them at Lake Kariba.

You, on the other hand, need to be judicious about where you choose to swim in the lake. Pick the wrong spot and the crocodiles get very excited.

One place where you won’t find five-star accommodations but a great deal of natural wonder is the Mana Pools National Park. Like Victoria Falls, this also is a UN World Heritage Site. Unlike the falls, it is totally wild and undeveloped, so much so that just getting there can be an adventure.

If you’re looking for a glimpse of wild Africa, though, it will be worth the effort.

During the rainy season, the plains flood, creating four great lakes or pools, hence its name (the word ‘mana” means “four” in the language of the Shona people), and numerous smaller ones. The pools are a magnet for wildlife of all types, including the black rhino.

If you’re prepared to “rough it,” it’s a great place to backpack or explore by canoe.

At nearly 6,000 square miles in northern Matabeleland, Hwange is the largest of Zimbabwe’s national parks. Back in the day, this was the private hunting ground of kings. These days, the preferred weapon on these grounds is a camera with a long lens.

With that, you can bag your fill of everything from leopards to lions, hyenas to cheetahs — 100 species of animals and 400 species of birds live here.

Elephants abound in Hwange National Park, so much so that they’re actually putting a strain on the environment. After years of hearing horror stories about elephant poaching in Africa, this kind of problem is almost a nice one to have.

Zimbabwe’s other national parks include:

  • Chimanimani
  • Chizarira
  • Gonarezhou
  • Matopos
  • Mutirikwi
  • Nyanga
  • Zambezi

There also are numerous recreational parks around the country — one of which, the Chinhoyi Caves Recreational Park, may appeal to divers. Within the park is a cave 30 yards wide and 45 feet deep. At the bottom is said to be a pool of clear water with a confirmed depth of 300 feet.

A pool 300 feet deep…at the bottom of a cave? Whoa!

But perhaps the greatest of all of Zimbabwe’s parks is one still coming into being, not a national park but a multinational one — an area the size of Belgium or the Netherlands. When completed, it will straddle the borders of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique and be shared by all three nations.

They’re calling it the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, and when it’s all finally put together, it’s going to be something special.

But you don’t have to wait for that. You can go right now.

As you can see, when it comes to nature, Zimbabwe truly lives up to its nickname, a “world of wonders.” But Lake Kariba is not the only man-made wonder in this country. There is another one, centuries older than the reservoir. It’s the one that gave this nation its name.

And we’re going to take a look at it.

NEXT: Great Zimbabwe

ALSO CHECK OUT:
ZIMBABWE: Revealing “a World of Wonders”
ZIMBABWE WEEK on IBIT
ZIMBABWE WEEK: “The Cloud that Thunders”

Edited by P.A.Rice

AMTRAK: How to lose friends and discourage people

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America’s underfunded national railroad needs all the goodwill it can get. Crazy computerized routing is not the way to get it.

So I’m plotting a big trip in mid-June to the Deep South — Atlanta and New Orleans — and looking for ways to save money, when I get a flash of inspiration.

Why not make the return trip by train?

Specifically, a one-way ride from the NOLA back to Southern California on the Sunset Limited.

When I was five, I traveled with my mother from New Orleans to Los Angeles via the Sunset Limited, back when rail travel in the United States was nearing the end of its heyday.

It was her first trip to California. It was my first big trip anywhere. That was the trip that kindled my life-long love of travel — and my life-long love of trains.

Now, I could re-live those childhood days, and see how today’s Sunset Limited compared with the one that still flies in my memory across the American Southwest.

I eagerly logged onto the Amtrak reservation site on the Web, entered my travel information and waited to see what I could get.

What I got was a route that eventually brought me back to California aboard three different trains, not one of which was the Sunset Limited:

  • New Orleans to Washington DC aboard the Crescent.
  • Washington DC to Chicago aboard the Capitol Limited.
  • Chicago to Los Angeles aboard the Southwest Chief.

The Amtrak reservation page gave me three different prices for the same routing.

Only after scrolling down more than half the page of reservations did I come to the routing specifically for the Sunset Limited — and when I did, I found that it was cheaper to fly, anyway.

I’d already “told” the Amtrak reservation computer that I was looking for a one-way trip west from Louisiana to California. Why then would it first show me three routings going east and then north in a great transcontinental circle that would take five days instead of the Sunset Limited’s two?

Am I the only one who thinks this is nuts? Who’s programming Amtrak’s reservation system these days, Elmer Fudd?

I may be wrong, but I highly doubt that this kind of absurdity would happen while making a one-way reservation for the TGV in France or the Shinkansen in Japan, or even on one of China’s high-speed trains.

From its inception, Amtrak has had to fight for its existence, bowing and begging for funds from a Congress that has been bent on doing away with the service almost from the day it was founded. It needs all the friends it can get, both among the traveling public and on Capitol Hill.

This is not the way to get them.

ZIMBABWE WEEK: “The Cloud that Thunders”

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SECOND IN A SERIES

Victoria Falls, Zambia | © Francois Etienne Du Plessis/Dreamstime.com

Zimbabwe’s greatest natural attraction also happens to be arguably the world’s greatest waterfall.

When the Africa Travel Association convenes its annual congress this Friday in Zimbabwe, it will be located outside perhaps the greatest waterfall in the world, Victoria Falls.

The venue was not a casual choice.

Victoria Falls is more than a mile wide. Combined with its height of more than 350 feet, it produces the largest single sheet of falling water anywhere on Earth.

The beauty doesn’t stop once the Zambezi pours over the edge. The water is merely descending into the first of five gorges. It also is the hub that connects a half-dozen of Zimbabwe’s 11 national parks.

Victoria Falls is so big, one country isn’t enough to hold it. Zimbabwe actually shares the falls with neighboring Zambia. It is the dominant feature along the great Zambezi River in southern Africa, a natural wonder in its own right.

Small wonder that this was the first-ever destination on CBS’ The Amazing Race.

The Scottish explorer David Livingstone “discovered” the falls as far as the Western world is concerned; he was the one who named it after Queen Victoria. However, archeologists have found artifacts showing that humans had been there since the Stone Age, and maybe earlier.

Those first local inhabitants had their own more descriptive — and for my money, more accurate — name for the falls:

“Mosi-oa-Tunya.”

The cloud that thunders.

Foreign and local tourists have been coming here since the early 1900s. Periodic episodes of political strife and civil war sometimes pushed down the numbers dramatically, but could never completely stop the flow of people.

Mother Nature at her most powerful always pulls a crowd.

Those people who prefer to do rather than just see have got lots of options — horseback riding, bungee jumping, whitewater rafting, kayaking. I’m told you can also do some pretty serious sport fishing in the Zambezi.

If all you want is to soak in some of the world’s most spectacular scenery, you can cruise the river or take a scenic flight over the falls itself.

But maybe one of the best things you can do while at Victoria Falls is get a chance to meet and interact with the Zimbabwean people, who go to the falls as sightseers, just as you would. Indeed, more locals visit the falls than foreigners, something not typical of many of Africa’s attractions.

As far as accommodations go, Victoria Falls is one of the more highly developed tourist attractions in all of Africa, which can be both a blessing and a curse. At one point, the development was so out of hand that the United Nations was seriously considering revoking its status as a World Heritage Site.

Moreover, poachers, mostly driven by economic hardship, plague the surrounding national parks. The falls has its own anti-poaching patrol.

None of that, however, should stop you from traveling to see one of the most spectacular water shows in the world.

IF YOU GO
You’ve got multiple options for getting to Victoria Falls:

At this time, there are no direct flights from the United States to any point in Zimbabwe. Once in the country, you can fly to Victoria Falls via the national airline, Air Zimbabwe, as well as British Airways and South African Airways. However, the flights can be hideously expensive.

You might be better off financially seeking a package tour to the falls out of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana or Zambia.

For railfans, South Africa has two luxury trains that include stops at the falls, Rovos Rail and the Shongololo Express. There’s also a 1920s steam train that makes the run to Victoria Falls from the city of Bulawayo.

Bus transportation also is available from Harare and Bulawayo.

The falls also is home to the century-old and world-class Victoria Falls Hotel, a colonial-era showpiece, with prices to match. Many more economical tour packages, including stays at lodges near or overlooking the falls, are available.

Timing your visit may be the tricky bit.

Between January and April, the water volume going over the falls is at its height, but that thundering cloud of which the native peoples first spoke may be so thick that you can’t see much. Come September and October, you can see everything clearly, but the water flow is down to a comparative trickle, especially on the Zambian side of the falls.

Around October and November, Zimbabwe gets the lion’s share of the Zambezi waters, so if you’ve come for the spectacular, you’re better off then.

NEXT: A steady stream of wonders

ALSO CHECK OUT:
ZIMBABWE WEEK on IBIT
ZIMBABWE: Revealing “a World of Wonders”

Edited by P.A.Rice

AIRLINES: M is for merger

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American Airlines bows to the inevitable. The only remaining questions are when and with which of its rivals will the airline merge, and what will it mean for the traveling public?

After months of living in corporate denial, the owners of American Airlines finally are using the M-word.

AMR Corp., American’s parent company, announced last week that it would look at options for a merger while the airline goes through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

It’s as if King Canute had waited until he was neck-deep in water to admit that his command to stop the incoming tide may need to be tweaked a little bit.

American’s high tide is one of red ink, bad luck and bad decisions. In the last decade, the airline has:

  • lost enough money to equal the gross domestic product of several small developing countries.
  • maintained a fleet of older, gas-guzzling aircraft in the face of sky-high fuel costs.
  • alienated its labor unions to the point that they cut their own back-door deal with a rival airline.

Does that sound to you like an airline in a position to dictate terms to anybody, on anything?

Through it all, however, the folks who run American have steadfastly insisted that when the airline emerges from Chapter 11, it will still be a “stand-alone” airline.

A stand-alone airline with fewer flights, fewer routes, fewer planes…and at least 13,000 fewer employees.

Small wonder, then, that when US Airways quietly went to American’s three unions with a merger plan that promised to save a lot of those 13,000 jobs, the unions came on board faster than passengers with seats in First Class.

The fact that those same unions hold a sizable chunk of American’s unsecured debt made that deal a lot more than symbolic.

In turn, US Air has made general statements about maintaining the American Airlines brand in any future merger, much in the same way that Southwest Airlines has maintained the AirTran identity after buying up that airline.

In my admittedly casual observation of the corporate world, the only thing that seems to be truly consistent is that promises are worth the paper they’re printed on — and not much else.

To put it another way: Being the buyer gives you the right to change your mind.

You can read more about American’s announcement in this New York Times story here.

As you’ll see in the Times story, none of these developments absolutely guarantees a merger. What it does mean is that AMR has finally decided to acknowledge the proverbial handwriting on the wall, which the rest of the airline industry has been reading for the last couple of years.

The one thing that no one can say right now is what an American Airlines merger with US Air — or anyone else, for that matter — would mean for the traveling public. Would some big cities have fewer American Airlines flights? Would other locales no longer see American at all? What would happen to our frequent-flier miles?

The problem with these airline mergers, as another Times writer recently pointed out, is that the voice of the traveling consumer goes largely unheard through the whole process. The corporate powers do what they do, the federal government nods in approval, and you and I get to swallow whatever comes out.

Dont expect anything different this time around, either.

ALSO CHECK OUT:
AIRLINES: US Air moves on American
AIRLINES: The end of American?

ZIMBABWE WEEK on IBIT

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FIRST IN A SERIES

We kick off the biggest annual event in African tourism with a week-long look at a country making a major comeback on the world travel scene — Zimbabwe.

Next Friday, the Africa Travel Association will convene its annual congress at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Government tourism ministers, private tourism organizers and tour providers from across the Mother Continent will be there.

Every year, this five-day congress is the single most important event for African tourism held on the continent itself, and 2012 figures to be no exception.

But even more than that, this year’s congress represents the re-emergence of Zimbabwe as a major travel destination in Africa, a journey that began when Zimbabwe renewed its ATA membership last summer.

So to celebrate, this week is going to be ZIMBABWE WEEK on “I’m Black and I Travel.”

Each day this week, IBIT will show you one of the reasons why Zimbabwe needs to be on your African travel radar, including attractions that have nothing to do with wildlife.

Don’t get it twisted. Zimbabwe is one of Africa’s great havens of flora and fauna, which make it an ideal safari destination. But there is so much more to Africa than just safaris.

So this week, IBIT will give you a peek at some of what Zimbabwe has to offer in both natural and urban attractions. And believe me, it’s only a peek, only a taste. If we were to get encyclopedic about this, it would take a lot longer than a week.

We’ll be looking at the country’s abundant cultural life, its role in African history, and get into some of the nuts and bolts of creating your own Zimbabwean visit.

So come with IBIT on a week-long journey to the land known as the “World of Wonders.” Zimbabwe.

Edited by P.A.Rice

Railcruising

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New Zealand devises a novel way to put unused railroad tracks back to work for the sake of tourism. Could this be the newest Next Big Thing?

Take some long-abandoned railroad tracks through a beautiful stretch of public land. Create mini-carriages carrying no more than four people at a time and send them down the line at intervals for a leisurely, scenic and self-conducted run of 12 miles or so. What do you get?

New life for old rail lines, and a new kind of rail-based tourism.

This is what’s being done today by an outfit that calls itself Rail Riders Ltd in New Zealand. They call it “railcruising.”

You can get more details about this at their Railcruising.com site.

When I stumbled upon this yesterday — on a French news Web site, of all things — the railfan in me was instantly intrigued.

This is a concept that you could apply virtually in any country in the world with a lot of unused rail lines — and a couple of places already are trying it.

France, which has some of Europe’s most scenic countryside and a lot of unused track, offers a little excursion called Vélo-Rail, featuring hybrid rail vehicles that you can pedal like a bicycle and carry up to five people at a time. Two pedal; the other three sit back and enjoy the ride.

I might’ve known the French would be out in front on something like this; they’ve been doing it since the late 1990s.

Across the English Channel, something very similar may soon be making its debut in North Wales, if it hasn’t already.

Where the New Zealanders seem to have taken a jump ahead is with their vehicles, which are motorized gasoline/electric-powered hybrids. Also, unlike the railbikes, the Railcruising hybrids are semi-enclosed, offering at least some protection from surprise storms.

But whether pedal-powered or propelled by hybrid technology, the idea is fascinating.

Indeed, this is a concept that could very quickly migrate around the globe, since there are few countries, if any, that don’t have abandoned trackage running through some spectacular bits of country.

The United States alone has an estimated 80,000 miles of abandoned rail lines. The United Kingdom has about 4,000 miles’ worth. Canada. Latin America. Asia. Africa. The possibilities are virtually endless.

We could be looking at the Next Big Thing in rail tourism.

If nothing else, it could throw an interesting curveball at the Rails to Trails Conservancy, which has been at work for years pulling up abandoned rail lines in the United States to convert the unused rights-of-way into a network of hiking and cycling trails.

It occurs to me, though, that this idea could be applied to more than just tourism or recreation. Could it not be applied to urban transportation, as well?

Engineers and designers have been talking for years about developing this kind of pod-based, on-demand rail transportation for major cities. They call it PRT, Personal Rapid Transit. But all the PRT concepts I saw in the past seemed to presume construction of new lines, be they conventional tracks, monorails or something else.

Why not apply the railcruising concept to unused rail lines within major cities as a way to get around? Something to think about, at least.

Meanwhile in New Zealand, the Kiwis are blazing a new kind of trail with their little hybrids. Don’t be surprised if this idea catches on.

CYCLING: Spinning our wheels

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touring cyclists

©Dmitry Naumov | Dreamstime.com

May is National Bike Month in the United States, and across the country, there are signs that America is finally starting to “get it” when it comes to bicycling.

Am I the only one who gets mildly annoyed at the steady stream of commemorative days, weeks and months, all begging for a sliver of our precious attention span? National This Week, National That Month.

Do you ever find yourself wishing for a National Nothing Month?

That’s how it is for me, too, with two exceptions. The first is Black History Month, which comes around every February and is far older than most folks suspect. The other is going on now.

National Bike Month.

It’s sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, which is trying to get more American kids riding bikes to school and more of their parents riding to work.

Its motto: “Get Up & Ride!”

Cycling is wonderful fun, great exercise — and as folks are gradually learning, a practical means of transportation. It also works wonders for morale. I smile more on my bike than any other time (except when my beloved Oakland Raiders are winning).

So in the spirit of “Get Up & Ride!,” let me spend a few pixels here on cycling and cyclists.

BLACK and ROLLING
Black Americans are increasingly getting into bicycling. Some for exercise, some out of economic necessity, the most miniscule handful for sport.

In all those categories, though, our numbers are growing.

From the Major Taylor cycling clubs around the United States to grassroots cycling organizations, like Richmond Spokes and Red Bike and Green in the San Francisco Bay area, black Americans are taking their place on America’s roads.

Then, there’s the NBC that’s a network, but not on television. That would be the National Brotherhood of Cyclists, with its own chain of affiliated black cycling clubs around the country.

Go ahead and cross “cycling” off that list of things that “black folks don’t do.”

While you still have that pen in hand, circle the dates Aug. 8-12. That’s the when NBC will be holding its annual convention in Nashville, TN.

BYOB…Bring Your Own Bike.

Even in 2012, you won’t see many of “us” in road or track race cycling. But if you look, you will see a sprinkling of us.

Back in the day, it was Nelson Vails, who looks as if he could still hammer a banked track into submission. These days, it’s guys like Rahsaan Bahati, Justin Williams and Erik Saunders.

None of these guys may be household names like, say, Lance Armstrong. But Armstrong knows who they are.

Especially after Bahati and Saunders smoked him in a race in Ojai, CA back in 2005.

TWO-WHEELED STATION WAGONS
Much of the American public — maybe too much of it — still thinks of bicycles as toys. Cheap Walmart-bought toy bikes for their kids. State-of-the-art racing toys for adults — feather-light, technically sophisticated and wildly overpriced.

Little by little, however, people are starting to realize that these are practical machines that can transport not only a person, but a fair amount of goods.

That point was drilled home to me a few days ago when I encountered, for the first time, a cargo bike at my suburban San Diego post office.

Cargo bikes are exactly what their name implies, specifically designed to safely haul big loads. The one I saw at my post office had a frame elongated at the back, with double saddlebags.

It looked very similar to the bike above, except that it also was sporting a wide, flat cargo rack of tubular steel over the front wheel. It looked as if it could’ve easily accommodated a small microwave oven.

To me, it looked like an old-fashioned station wagon on two wheels. I’d seen bikes towing a trailer before, even commercial tricycles with humongous baskets over the two front wheels, but this was like nothing I’d ever seen on asphalt.

I was absolutely blown away by it, too stunned even to chase down the rider and ask him about his remarkable machine.

You can bet I won’t make that mistake again.

As US gas prices continue their painful climb toward $5 a gallon and perhaps more, I fully expect to see a lot more bikes like this in American cities.

-0-

So this is a good month to think about digging that bike of yours out of that corner of the garage where it’s been buried, dusting off the cobwebs — from both the bike and yourself — getting yourself a bike helmet…and getting out there.

AIRLINES: The travelers’ voice

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When airlines merge, who represents your interests? It’s time for the traveling consumer to have a seat at that table.

Not long after I wrote about some of the back-door maneuvering by US Airways to force a merger with American Airlines, my good friend and editor, P.A. Rice, pointed me to a financial column by Ron Lieber of the New York Times.

In it, he posed a simple question: When airlines merge, should you and I, the customers, have at least a voice, if not a say, in what happens?

Mr. Lieber spent 1,400 words saying what I will say in two: Damn right.

You can read the Lieber column here.

Much of the column is an intricately — and in some ways, excruciatingly — detailed examination of the ins and outs of airline mergers and bankruptcy protection, which American is now seeking. “Inside baseball” stuff, as a former editor of mine used to call it.

But that doesn’t mean Mr. Lieber has missed the mark. On the contrary, he is entirely on-point.

When airlines go into bankruptcy proceedings, the bankruptcy court forms a committee of creditors, representing people with a vested interest in the airline’s fate. Large companies to whom it owes money, the unions, with whom it holds labor contracts — and which, in the case of American, hold a sizable amount of its bond debt.

And naturally, American itself, its management, its stockholders, are represented throughout this whole process.

What about the traveling consumer, the man or woman who’s been flying with American for years, in some cases, decades? The loyal customer who has spent thousands of dollars steadfastly earning frequent-flier miles year after year. The person without whom none of these airlines would even exist.

Who represents you?

Routes get reorganized, shrunk. Airports find their number of flights reduced or even eliminated. Through no fault of your own, you lose your miles. And your input into all this is zilch. Everything is presented to you as a fait accompli.

Basically, the consumer is treated like a mushroom — kept in the dark and fed on horse dung.

As the people whose money makes it possible for these businesses to be in business, shouldn’t you at least be heard on some of this stuff?

Mr. Lieber’s answer is a 1,400-word “yes.” Take a look at his column and see if you agree.

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