Bon Voyage! Have a great time on your cycling adventures in parts distant.

I\’ve yet to travel with my bicycle in the luggage hold of an airplane. But if I ever do, how can I keep my precious \”ride\” safe from damage? I once heard a horror story about someone who let his saxophone (in its case) go in the luggage hold. At his destination, he discovered that something had punched all the way through case and sax. I wouldn\’t want my bicycle to be ruined like that!

One of my cycling books says, don\’t even dream of packing your bicycle in a shipping carton from the bike shop before letting it go into an airplane\’s luggage hold; that that\’s merely asking for trouble. I, for one, would want a hard case.

I\’d have to become more comfortable with removing and replacing the wheels on my bicycle. A case that would let me leave the bike fully assembled would be awkward to handle along with my other luggage; and would probably be harder to fit in the luggage hold. For all I know, it might not even be accepted, and then where would I be?

Aside from all that, be sure your passport is in order; get visas if necessary; if you\’re going to a destination where the language isn\’t your native tongue, learn some of the local lingo; have some cash in the local currency. Quite a list, isn\’t it? I\’d be tired out before I even got to the airport!

The solution to that is to start getting ready well ahead of time. Make a list of everything you\’ll need. Once you\’ve gotten everything packed, it\’s time for the rest of us to wish you Bon Voyage!