MoMA: The Re-imagining of a Museum

I am not a Yogi. And considering my feverish lifestyle, horrendous eating habits, and stubborn rationalism, that's the understatement of the year.But Yogi or not, some of my happiest holidays have been spent at yoga retreats. When it comes to inducing sheer serenity, restoring vigor, flushing toxins from both mind and body, nothing beats these mystical ashrams (schools, places of learning) with their vegetarian meals and quiet hillside settings, their twice-daily asanas (languid stretching exercises) and moments of meditation, their gentle people. And when it comes to cost, nothing else in the vacation field even remotely compares. At a score of residential, countryside ashrams clustered near both coasts, the charge for room and all three meals amounts--if you can believe it--from $45 a day. Why so cheap? Because the meals are vegetarian, the sites are often donated, and the staff works for free, performing karma yoga (selfless service). Why, then, aren't they inundated with guests? Because the public, in general, recoils from Eastern thought, equating all such teachings with those of Sun Myung Moon, assuming dreadful acts of brainwashing or abandoned conduct, as at the turbulent Rajneeshpuram in Oregon or the doomed Guyanese community of mad Jim Jones. As applied to the yoga movement, nothing could be further from the truth. A philosophy of life, not a religion; a questing science, not a dogma--yoga is the most tolerant of creeds, its practitioners good-humored, broad-minded, and modest, non authoritarian. At the U.S. ashrams, nothing is mandatory other than attendance at the asanas (physical exercises or postures) and silent meditations--and that, only to screen out persons who are simply seeking a cheap crashpad for their vacations. Apart from those two limited daily sessions, no one cares what you do or where you go, or whether you even attend lectures of the guru. He or she is regarded with affection, called guruji or swamiji (dear little guru, dear little swami), but treated as fallible, and certainly not as a Godhead. Some instructors at the ashrams--even a director or two--will stress their distance from Hindu theology and their pursuit of yoga primarily for its physical and calming benefits. Though the residential ashrams in North America number far more than a score, not all have guaranteed staying power. Those that do, include: The Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat On Paradise Island, the Bahamas: You've heard of Club Med, now meet Club Meditation (at a fifth the price). The ashram that's a 150-bed tropical resort, it sits next to sugary-white sands, across the bay from Nassau on four beachfront acres donated to the Sivananda Vedanta movement by an admirer; the popular, otherworldly complex has now been in operation for over 30 years. You arise at dawn to meditate on the beach, proceed immediately (and before breakfast) to a two-hour exercise class (asana), partake at last of a mammoth vegetarian brunch, and are then allowed to do nothing at all (except swim, snorkel, and sun) until 4 p.m., when a second round of meditation and asanas is followed by supper at 6 p.m., meditation at sunset, and bed. Accommodations range from airy dorms in a colonial building ($59 per person per night, including meals and exercise classes) to double rooms in modern cabins ($$69 to $79, to campsites ($50) overlooking the sea. Contact Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, P.O. Box N7550, Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas (phone 800/873-YOGA), or e-mail Nassau@sivanda.org. Web site: sivananda.org/nassau. Kripalu CenterNear Lenox, Massachusetts: In the many wings and 450 rooms of a former Jesuit monastery, on a hillside overlooking Lake Mahkeenac in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, Kripalu is one of the largest of all ashrams, with one of the most varied programs--its brochure resembles a college catalog crammed with courses and options. Soothed by the ministrations of a largely unpaid staff of volunteers, you exercise, meditate, wander, and soak; attend seminars; dine in complete silence at breakfast but converse at dinner. Accommodations are comfortable, in spacious dorms (6 to 22 people) of wide-frame, wooden double-deckers, or in pleasant private rooms, and yet the all-inclusive charge--for housing and all three meals, exercise classes, and most other activities--is a reasonable $106 to $120 per person in the dormitories, $176 to $225 per person in a standard double room. Write or phone Kripalu Center, P.O. Box 793, West St., Route 183, Lenox, MA 01240 (phone 800/741-7353 or 413/448-3152 (within state), or visit its Web site at kripalu.org/). Two in New York State The Yoga Ranch, at Woodbourne, New York: About two hours by bus from New York City, it occupies a stunning setting atop a wooded hill, looking down into a valley and up onto another hill, the mountains of the Catskills receding into the distance. Dotted about are open areas devoted to organic farming or used by grazing deer. On the extensive grounds, a one-acre pond is deep enough for swimming, while nearby stands a stone-faced sauna, wood fired, rock-heated, and steamed by pure, mountain spring water--one-of-a-kind. "You'll be doing good for a lot of people if you recommend us," said the co-director at the end of our talk. "They come here with jangled nerves, and then leave completely restored." The charge for that revival is an astonishing $60 per person on weekdays, $55 on weekends, $15 more for an apartment with a private bath (half price for children ages 5-12, free for children under 5), including yoga asanas (exercises), meditation, accommodation in twin or triple rooms, and two vegetarian meals. Write or phone Sivananda Ashram Yoga Ranch, P.O. Box 195, Budd Road, Woodbourne, NY 12788 (phone 845/436-6492, or visit the Web site at sivananda.org/ranch.htm). Ananda Ashram, in Monroe, New York: Despite its daily teachings of such classic yoga regiments as hatha yoga (stretching) and pranayama ( breath control), the 41-year-old Ananda Ashram has a far less pronounced Eastern orientation than some others: it schedules meditation for as late as 9 a.m. on weekends, invites guest teachers from all religious disciplines, and presents classes in creative music, drama, dance, holistic healing, and visual arts. Less than 90 minutes by bus from New York City, at the base of the Catskill Mountains, it occupies 85 wooded acres, including a private lake, and houses 405visitors in three main guesthouses, for an all-inclusive room, meals, and tuition charge (on seven-night stays) of $280 to $400 per week (dorm vs. private double). Discounts are available for couples, students, seniors, and youths under 18. Contact the Ananda Ashram, 13 Sapphire Road, Monroe, NY 10950 (phone 845/782-5575 or visit the Web site at anandaashram.org/). Four in CaliforniaThe Yoga Farm, at Grass Valley, California: Cheapest of the residential ashrams--$45 per person in a tent, $55 per person in triple rooms, $65 (double) and $115 (single) in several others, including vegetarian meals and two yoga classes--but the smallest also, with space for just 40 guests, the farm was the personal favorite of the late Swami Vishnu Devananda, founder of the Sivananda movement. Like thousands of others over the years who have driven up the 50 or so miles from Sacramento and then followed dirt roads to the isolated setting, he valued the special simplicity and quiet of this rustic, three-building resort, with its changeless routine of meditation/exercises/free time on weekdays, its weekend seminars on yoga philosophies and practices like vegetarian cooking, Ayurveda, and panca karma (an ancient method of flushing toxins from the body). In the free-time period, as you hike to the top of an adjoining hill and lie daydreaming on its crest, you see the majestic Sierras spread out before you. A very special place. Write or phone Sivananda Ashram Vrindavan Yoga Farm, 14651 Ballantree Lane, Grass Valley, CA 95949 (phone 800/469-9642, or visit the Web site at sivananda.org/farm). TheWhite Lotus Foundation, in elegant Santa Barbara, California: Some 1,800 feet up the mountains just behind the city, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands, and founded in 1967 White Lotus is currently directed by Tracey Rich and Ganga White, author of the book Double Yoga. Its principal emphasis is on yoga and related disciplines (bodywork, shiatsu, acupuncture, acupressure), conveyed to guests through workshops, seminars, and classes throughout the year. A 5,000-square-foot central building provides some of the accommodations, but most guests stay in three- to four-person yurts scattered about the 40 acres of grounds. Personal retreats and classes in yoga can be pursued at any time of the year, at a $85-per-day charge, which does not include meals (participants buy and cook their own food in a central kitchen), but more elaborate one-week and 16-day "intensives" are scheduled at frequent intervals throughout the spring, summer, and fall, and these include meals prepared by a noted vegetarian chef, Beatrix Rohlson, as well as morning-till-night classes (in-depth yoga training). Since the weather of Santa Barbara is mild even in the winter (daytime temperatures in the upper 60s or low 70s), yoga-inclined travelers might schedule a personal visit at that time of year, at the daily tariff. To reach this contemporary, eclectic yoga center, contact: The White Lotus Foundation, 2500 San Marcos Pass, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (phone 805/964-1944, or visit its Web site at whitelotus.org/). Ananda, The Expanding Light, near Nevada City, California: A strange amalgam of faiths, this is the yoga ashram located on the grounds of a larger utopian community known as the Ananda World Brotherhood Village. The "town," 1,000 acres in size, was formed in 1967 by practitioners of yoga from varied religious backgrounds, who regard yoga as complementary to other faiths. Today, at the retreat center, 200 visitors can engage in a retreat of classic yoga practices--early-morning and late-afternoon asanas and sadhanas (guided yoga meditation)-- supplemented by classes and workshops on yogic and meditational themes. The daily charge starts at $37 for campers bringing their own tents, $59 per person in a double room, $120 for a delux private single room, including all three vegetarian meals and classes. Ananda is 15 miles from Nevada City, the latter is 70 miles north of Sacramento. Contact The Expanding Light, 14618 Tyler Foote Rd., Nevada City, CA 95959 (phone 800/346-5350, or visit its Web site at expandinglight.org/). In the Santa Cruz Mountains of California, overlooking Monterrey Bay--you can't imagine a more enthralling location--is another leading retreat facility, founded by the followers of Baba Hari Dass. Thousands head there each year for long weekends or week-long vacations that combine hiking in the redwood forests and cavorting in the open air, with attendance at classical ashtanga yoga classes (of the type described over 2,000 years ago by Patanji in the "Yoga Sutras"). Though the emphasis is on postures and meditation, the center offers a number of classes that could fall into the realm of "karma yoga" which is the ideal of selfless service. To that end, the center explores topics of healing (with classes on Ayurveda and Chinese medicine), organic gardening and peaceful living ("Zen and Yoga," "The Heart of Compassion"). Room and two vegetarian meals daily, supplemented by snacks, ranges from $46 per person (in a tent supplied with mattress; $32 if you bring your own tent), $54 (in dorms housing four to seven), $61 (in a triple room), to $69 per person (in a double), $92 in a single, per day, to which you add an average of $190 per weekend for tuition relating to the courses or seminars you've chosen. All this is but an hour from San Jose Airport, an hour and a half from San Francisco Airport. Contact Mt.MadonnaCenter, 445 Summit Road, Watsonville, CA 95076 (phone 408/847-0406 or Web site: mountmadonna.org/). Still other possibilitiesThe large, 34-year-old Himalayan Institute of Pennsylvania is yet is yet another major center of yoga practice and studies, yet so diverse in its programs that it is practically impossible to describe. A 24-page catalog lists all its weekend, weeklong, 10-day, and month-long investigations throughout the year into every aspect and theory -- sometimes conflicting -- of the yoga literature; it is for serious students of the art, and beginners may feel in over their heads! Figure $65 a day for a double, $75 for a single, all inclusive (with dorm accommodations), for most weeklong and longer programs, which do include beginners' classes in hatha yoga (physical exercises) and meditation, of which those for beginners in meditation are especially popular. If you do attend, you'll be housed on a 422-acre campus in the hills of the Pocono Mountains region of northeastern Pennsylvania, six miles north of the town of Honesdale, overlooking spectacular wooded hills and valleys. Contact The Himalayan Institute, 952 Bethany Turnpike, Honesdale, PA 18431 (phone toll free 800/822-4547 or visit its Web site at himalayaninstitute.org/). In the Laurentian Mountains, an hour north of Montreal is one of the largest and most spectacular of the Sivinanda Ashrams, Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp. There guests can add canoeing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, rock climbing and rafting to their yogic fare. Beds in shared rooms with showers cost $80 CDN a day, $510 CDN a week; tent camping (you must provide your own tent) is $45 CDN daily, $285 CDN weekly. Classes, meals, use of the sauna, pool, and skiing are included. Contact Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp, 673 Eighth Avenue, Val Morin, Quebec J0T 2R0 Canada (phone 800/263-9642, or visit the Web site at www.sivananda.org/camp). People come from all over the world to live and study at Satchidananda Ashram, founded by the renowned Swami of the same name in 1979 as a model of how people of various faiths and backgrounds can live in harmony. About an hour south of Charlottesville, it's in a magnificent locale--750 acres of secluded woodland along the James River in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The "Welcome Weekend" program offers deep relaxation upon arrival, a tour, hatha yoga classes for beginners, guided meditation, a talk on integral yoga, and an evening session with the swami when he's in residence (usually summer). The food, which includes three vegetarian meals, is excellent and the digs--ranging from dormitory bunks to semi-private to private rooms--are air-conditioned, modern and pleasant. Rates: $60 weekdays, $75 Friday to Saturday in dormitory; $75 Sunday to Thursday, $85 Friday and Saturday in a semi-private room. Camp space is $40 on weekdays, $60 on weekends. Contact Satchidananda Ashram, Route 1, Box 1720, Buckingham, VA 23921 (phone 800/858-9642 or 434/969-3121, or visit the Web site at yogaville.org/). I have not described the important 2,000-bed Muktananda Center(the "Syda Foundation") in South Fallsburg, New York (phone 914/434-2000), because of its heavy (and somewhat atypical) theological emphasis, which stresses chanting and meditation to a far greater extent than hatha (physical) yoga and exercises. The Syda Foundation discourages casual visitors but is happy to accept potential acolytes. And in gratitude, I press my hands together beneath my lips, and intone: "Jai Bhagwan" ("I honor the spirit within you").

When it comes to finding affordable meals, travelers to Atlanta need help. Long before the Olympics, sometime between the moment Jimmy Carter left for the White House and Ted wed Jane, Atlanta became a moneyed megalopolis. What was once the quintessential southern city is now the quintessential commuter nightmare, and the construction boom of the '80s and '90s spawned a wide-flung proliferation of slick bistros, greasy sports bars, and high-priced yuppie bait, none of which makes for acceptable budget dining. But there's an old guard of Atlanta restaurants-many in business since your Daddy was knee-high to a bulldog-where cooking still comes from the heart and value is common sense. If you follow the advice of a native, you'll find that Atlanta still hosts some Olympian bargains, where you can get two courses of genuine local cooking, plus coffee, for $12 or less. Mary Mac's Tea Room 224 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404/876-1800, marymacs.com Three abundant courses of southern comfort food from $8.75. (Lunch dishes are generally $1 cheaper than dinner dishes, priced below.) Atlanta's heedless wrecking-ball mentality somehow missed Ponce de Leon, a prewar thoroughfare running east from Midtown where Mary Mac's is found. So driving "Ponce" is like making a trip back in time. Linger awhile in 1945 at Mary Mac's, a hallowed hall for utterly authentic home-style southern cooking since FDR ruled the roost from Warm Springs. It should tell you something that Jessica Tandy ate here to perfect her Oscar-winning character in Driving Miss Daisy. Grab a card on the way in and mark your choices from a full roster of southern greats (country fried steak you don't need a knife to cut, chicken pot pie erupting with steam, sweet potato souffl, with a Christmasy dose of brown sugar). All main courses cost $9.75 and come with two gut-busting side dishes. Extra sides, chosen from a list of 37 (including the beloved "pot likker," the soupy leftovers from cooked greens), cost $2 each. Don't miss the very southern sweet tea (and I do mean sweet) for $1.25. Many locals recall with palpable contempt the restaurant's ill-advised flirtation with trendy dishes (gazpacho, y'all?) back in the late '90s, but I'm pleased to report that Mary Mac's is back in the nostalgia business. With a single spoonful of black-eyed peas, my taste buds pined for my dear departed Nana's kitchen. My grandfather, an old-guard Atlanta boy who's still with us, risked his cardiologist's ire by stealing my helping of Mary Mac's well-seasoned fried chicken, which would barely stain a napkin. We finished with a blob of banana pudding (dessert is $2 with a meal) that's so fantastically sugary my most apt description of it is "silly." If there's just one place that makes me yearn for the genteel, naive Atlanta of years past, it's Mary Mac's. Thomas Marketplace Restaurant 16 Forest Parkway, 404/361-1367. Long list of garden-fresh classics with two sides, $5.50-$12. Atlanta's Hartsfield airport handles some 80 million flyers a year. That's a lot of traffic, and many a southerner makes Thomas Marketplace the first stop upon touchdown or the last before lift-off. It's just a scoot from the airport (you can practically watch the in-flight movies as you dine), amidst Atlanta's main greenmarket. Many of the cooks and waitresses have worked for the family-owned restaurant for a quarter century or more, and they know their craft. Some devotees swear by the delicately breaded fried catfish ($9 for two pieces, including two sides). You know food's been fried to perfection when it's actually refreshing. Some devotees tell of the vegetable side dishes (two free with a meal or $2.50 each), which travel about 100 feet from the stalls to your plate-the creamed corn is so stalk-fresh it squelches as you chew. Some folks, like me, dream about the chicken salad ($7 including two sides), smooth and sprightly with fresh grapes, celery, and pepper, and so sought-after that it's often gone by the middle of lunch. But the peak is definitely that old southern standby, fried green tomatoes ($4.50). They're breaded and cooked upon ordering and served during that critical minutes-wide window when they're neither too hot to eat nor too soggy with age. I received a dozen slices, crispy and flaky, which attracted the attention of a stately Georgia lady as she glided by. "Ooh," she sighed upon sight of them. "May I pull up a chair?" I'm glad she wasn't serious, because I would have wrestled her for them. Eats 600 Ponce de Leon Avenue, 404/888-9149. Pay student-center prices (no less than $3.50) for a pile of the simple greats It ain't nothing fussy, but this dimly lit bohemian nosh pit has been a favored fallback for Atlanta's cash-poor youngsters since opening in 1993. Found on Ponce a tad east of Mary Mac's, it does two things-pasta and spicy jerk chicken-and it does them well. Approach the pierced chick behind the counter and choose your own adventure. Six kinds of pasta (including linguine, ziti, and cheese-filled spinach tortellini) can be paired with six kinds of sauces (from a moist pesto, $3.50, to ragout with either ground beef or turkey, $5) and embellished with a few extras such as plump meatballs, Italian sausage, or a side salad ($1.50 each). Or, ask the blue-haired dude for tangy lemon pepper chicken (half a bird for $4) with black beans and rice ($1 more) or corn bread (45> a square), or perhaps a vegetarian plate groaning with green beans, collard greens, couscous, baby lima beans, and a full ear of corn on the cob ($1 a veggie). Once you've got your goodies-grabbing a bottle of beer, $2.25-mount the scuffed wooden eating platform (that's right, under the air ducts and the inexplicable giant photo of a doctor examining a baby's ear) to absorb your heaping helpings. It's not just low-concept, it's no-concept, but that's what keeps the costs slight, the budget-dining awards streaming in, and the under-35 set allegiant. And is the food good? Heck yes. I know people who return week after week to try every possible pasta permutation. Nuevo Laredo Cantina 1495 Chattahoochee Avenue Northwest, 404/352-9009. "Salsa to end your search" from $6.50 for a giant Mexican feast What many northerners don't realize about Atlanta (and the Southeast in general) is that it's now one of America's biggest gateways for new immigrants, and in emerging neighborhoods, the cuisine proclaims it. This casual Tex-Mex favorite, west of Georgia Tech on an unlikely industrial street, is regularly packed with suburban pilgrims who, thanks to mammoth portions of Mexican favorites, are certain not to leave hungry. The eatery, overrun with folk art and Tejano music, was once a ramshackle house, which may account for the hand-made flourish in the cooking. Despite the low prices, the kitchen skimps on nothing. Start with a daunting stack of cebollitas, a signature dish of charbroiled whole scallions garnished with lime ($1.95). As in Mexico, tamales ($2.75) come swaddled in corn husks; taco meat is crumbly, not sloppy; spinach enchiladas are stuffed with just-picked greens; chorizo is well seasoned (not fiery) and gently spooned into homemade corn tortillas; and burritos are slathered with sauce and cheese. Assemble a cheap feast from the ... la carte menu ($1.95 for an enchilada to $6.50 for a chimichanga pileup), or select a plate ($6.50-$8) that pairs rice with most choices. Along the way, dip freely into what the menu calls "salsa to end your search"-although it will begin your search for the most powerful breath mint. It's so addictive, riding the fence of spiciness and tartness, with a tease of citrus. They even sell it by the gallon ($25). It just might run your car. The Varsity 61 North Avenue, 404/881-1706, thevarsity.com. Atlanta's sock-hop pride charges tabs of $4.50 for sandwich, fries, and drink Normally, burger-and-shake joints seem a tad D-class, for out-of-town tourists, but each time I left it off my list, fellow Atlanta natives insisted that The Varsity was, indeed, required eating. I was thrilled to let them talk me into it. I've been visiting the Varsity since I could manage solid food, and even now it's the ruin of my waistline. I'm not the only one. The Varsity has been slinging slaw since 1928, and its five-acre complex (across U.S. 75/85 from Georgia Tech and the former Olympic Village) is the world's largest drive-in, with space for 600 drivers who munch 98> burgers from trays hooked onto their car doors by elderly carhops. The indoor dining areas, which are even busier, have all the nuance of a '70s airport terminal (molded chairs facing the same way, ceiling-mounted TVs, jostling midday crowds), which only adds to the rare frozen-in-time feeling that Atlantans increasingly cherish. Here you'll find fast food so perfect that it comes with its own language. "Whattle ya haf," means it's time to order. "Glorified" burgers ($1.36) come with lettuce and tomato, "frosted oranges" ($1.30) are sumptuous shakes, and "naked dawgs" ($1.20) arrive wearing no more than a melt-in-your-mouth bun. Pimento cheese sandwiches ($1.39), a southern delicacy, are melted into a drizzly layer cake. Georgians are particularly possessive of the fresh-cut french fries ($1.35) and the wide, thickly breaded onion rings ($1.35). To keep your savory "chili dawg" ($1.55) barking for hours, ask for a pile of fresh minced onions (free). You're not pigging out: In the deep-fried Deep South, grease is a food group and Crisco stands for comfort. Still, if heart attacks could be traced, this place would be shut down-but that's just the way Atlanta likes it. The Flying Biscuit Cafe 1655 McLendon Avenue, 404/687-8888. Also a newer (and much less cozy) location in Midtown, 1001 Piedmont Avenue at 10th Street, 404/874-8887. Two courses of tongue-teasing versions of mom's staples for as little as $9.50 Atlantans love meat, so it's hard rounding up places that don't set vegetarians out to pasture. One that delivers smart options for both the vegetarian and the carnivore is this inviting corner restaurant just east of Little Five Points in Candler Park, where street lights swing like laundry on the line and the hip young servers sass one another like kin. Here you'll find real south-of-the-border flavor-in this case, meaning both the Mason-Dixon and the Rio Grande. Befitting the mismatched, home-kitchen decor, just about everything on the menu puts a spiced-up, wigged-out riff on a comfort-food original-though never aggressively so. "Love cakes" are soft patties resembling Cuban black bean soup on a plate, piled with sour cream and red onion ($6.95). The fist-size biscuit namesakes ($1) don't really fly, unless you consider the speed at which they're consumed by the caf,'s die-hard following. The turkey meat loaf (for meat eaters, of course) languishes under horseradish sauce and wallows in a mound of "pudge"-a family recipe of potatoes mashed with sundried tomatoes, basil, and olive oil ($8.95). Every dish, be it the all-day breakfast ($5.95-$6.95), the regular entrees ($6.95-$8.95), or the specials (usually $10-$13), uses punchy ingredients to toy with color: The Diablo Burger ($6.95) comes with orange jalape o sauce, white feta, purple onions, red tomato, and is served on a teal plate. To finish, sink yourself into the hyperindulgent brownie pie, or the bread pudding, which is a colossus of fudge, sweet bread, and cream sauce (both $3.95). In my book, the comfort of the food is directly proportional to the fresh cups of coffee I drink. It's telling that at the Flying Biscuit, the mugs are bottomless. The Paschal Center at Clark Atlanta University 830 Martin Luther King Drive Southwest, 404/880-6691, 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Step back in time for just $5.50 for a main course and two sides Southwest Atlanta's Paschal (pronounced "PAS-kal") is both a gastronomic and a historical shrine, but you'd pass it by a hundred times if you didn't know better. No sooner had I sat down than my waitress, Carol, began eagerly sharing the history of the place. Built as part of a black-only motel in 1954, the Paschal became the regular meeting place where Martin Luther King Jr. and civic leaders planned their peaceful demonstrations. "In fact," Carol said, "You're sitting exactly where Martin Luther King Jr. used to sit every week." (It's the left-most booth along the windows.) The motel upstairs is now a university dorm (from late May to September it's a hotel again, charging $55/night), but the Paschal is happily holding onto the old days, throwback prices, and a timeless menu. With lemon meringue tables and old fellas in suits watching a dial-operated TV-an inch of ash dangling from their cigarettes-it might as well be 1968. What some patronizingly call "soul food," Georgians simply call "dinner." What could be more color-blind than food? The beef short ribs ($7.95 including two vegetables), supremely tender, are padded with thick meat, and the fried chicken (the restaurant's calling card, $5.50 for two pieces including two vegetables) is soaked in buttermilk before reaching Nirvana in your mouth. Black-eyed peas are cooked with ham hock, while the corn bread dressing (it comes with dinner) has cranberry jelly and a whiff of Thanksgiving. Plan to visit Sundays between noon and 4 p.m., when the post-church crowd descends for the huge all-you-can-eat smorgasbord ($13.95), which encompasses the entire menu plus casseroles, tossed salads, and all the corn muffins you can slip into your coat pockets. Cha Gio 132 Tenth Street, 404/885-9387. Trusty Vietnamese chow; soups from $2.50, mains from $6.95 Urban redevelopment has nullified the Midtown neighborhood around Margaret Mitchell's old apartment house, now a popular tourist attraction. The spine of mid-century Atlanta is now a faceless commercial zone with nowhere to eat or drink. But from now on, when you're near the birthplace of Gone With the Wind, as God is my witness, you'll never be hungry again. Like Scarlett O'Hara, Cha Gio's owner, Le Thi Hang, is a war refugee who brought herself up with canny self-sufficiency. She escaped the Fall of Saigon in 1975 and wound up in Georgia, where she made her name selling egg rolls from a cart. Today, she maintains the unprepossessing eating hall Cha Gio (which in fact means "spring rolls"), a rare respite from the bready, cheesy fantasia of Atlanta's usual menus. Like much Vietnamese cooking, it accomplishes complex Asian flavoring with a delicate French-influenced flair-in this case, reliably and cheaply. Almost every main dish (there are 32) costs $7.95 or less, and rice comes free with most of them. I particularly like the chicken stir-fried veggies ($6.95) for their easy balance of ginger and curry; the nicely salty egg crepe ($5.95) is plump with greens and served with a lightly vinegary chili sauce that always kicks my palate from behind. The spring rolls, which fueled Hang's rise and are often voted Atlanta's best in magazine polls, are indeed spectacular: First the pastry shatters in your mouth, and then the sweet-and-spicy flavors explode ($2 for two). Cha Gio isn't merely an emblem of Atlanta as one of our most important immigrant cities, but evidence of something more profoundly American: In 1996, Hang's U.S.-born daughter represented the United States as an Olympic fencer at the Games, which were held just a few blocks away.

As the windjammer Angelique hurtled its way along the Maine coast at about ten knots (approximately 10 mph) on a particularly breezy September day, we struck up a conversation with John, a passenger who takes this voyage every Labor Day. "What do you like about cruising that brings you back every year?" we asked innocently enough. He shot us a pained look. "Don't call this cruising," he chastised. "People go on a cruise for luxury, live shows, and midnight buffets. This is sailing." His admonishment hints at what makes a Maine windjammer cruise special. He might also have added that Maine windjamming, with fares beginning at $775 for a six-day cruise and no exorbitant shore excursions, pricey cocktails, hidden extras, or opportunities to blow a fortune in a smoke-filled casino, is a bargain compared to most mass-market cruising. No luxury! No shows! No midnight buffets! "We'll die of boredom!" we wailed when we discovered that the amenities we have come to expect on a cruise ship would be lacking. As it turned out, we were happy as quahogs; it was like being transported back 150 years, when sailors "were at the mercy of the gods and goddesses of the sea," as another passenger put it. Built in 1980 and holding a maximum of 31 passengers, the 95-foot Angelique is patterned after a classic nineteenth-century sailing ship and is one of 13 vessels belonging to the Maine Windjammer Association. Seven of these have been designated National Historic Landmarks, including the Lewis R. French (launched in 1871) and the 22-passenger Stephen Taber (America's oldest documented sailing vessel in continuous service). However, the Angelique is one of three fleet members built specifically for passengers, complete with a deckhouse salon featuring such creature comforts as a pot-bellied stove and a piano, making it a good place to duck into on blustery or rainy days. Anchors aweigh! We arrived the night before the ship sailed and in the misty rain were ushered to our cabin by Chad, one of the three deckhands. We quickly learn that this 24-year-old first sailed on the Angelique with his grandmother when he was 13, and "never found the exit." By way of introduction, he rattles off a list of dos and don'ts: don't leave the light on in an empty cabin (drains the battery); do take a shower only between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.; don't smoke below deck or in the deckhouse salon; do bring any beverage you want onboard (this is a strictly BYOB operation) but don't get wasted and fall overboard; don't take a blanket above deck, because if it blows overboard he'll send us after it; and above all, do enjoy ourselves. "Cozy" doesn't begin to describe the Angelique's cabins. Ours, some seven by four feet, came with two bunk beds, two reading lights and a wall light, a ventilation hatch in the ceiling (no portholes), and a sink. The other 14 cabins were similarly snug, although two had a double bed and one sported three bunks. Towels, sheets, and blankets are provided, but in keeping with windjamming's hands-on nature, passengers get to make up their own beds. The ship has three "heads" (bathrooms to you landlubbers), and two of them have hot, fresh showers, the hang of which takes some effort. "This is like going to summer camp," somebody quipped. On our first night (spent dockside), we soon realized how thin the walls were. Nearly everything that went on in the other cabins was audible. Luckily, we'd brought earplugs to drown out the symphony of snores. At 9 a.m. the next morning, we chugged our way out of the harbor - one of the rare occasions when the engines were used - and met the other passengers over coffee. Unlike the party-hearty windjammers of the Caribbean, the Maine version attracts a more sedate, albeit eclectic, following. There were Marilyn and Bruce, on a six-year driving tour in their RV (covering all 50 states and six Canadian provinces); Ken, a banjo-playing ex-marine with a trove of bad jokes; and Brad and Courtney, a twentysomething bicoastal couple. Simple but good food is a hallmark of Maine windjamming. Alerted by the clanging of a big brass bell, we trooped into the dining room below deck, where, with a little effort, 31 people managed to fit at three family-style tables laden with eggs, sausages, and pancakes. The meals on the Angelique are the work of the ship's talented cook, Deb, who's been on the job since 1987 (like Chad, she took a trip one summer and forgot to leave), assisted by two cheery "galley slaves," Cheryl and Barbara. This is home cooking at its best, based on the Maine credo of "good food, and plenty of it." In fact, while everyone eats the same thing (though special dietary needs are catered to with advance notice), we found the food better than what the typical luxury cruise ship dishes out. Breakfast might be baked eggs, French toast, or oatmeal. Lunch tends to be a bit lighter - clam chowder, chili, or chicken salad sandwiches. And dinner is hearty fare like baked ham, lasagna, or meat loaf. Somehow we managed to save room for dessert - and a good thing, too; Deb whipped up the best congo bars, brownies, and apple crisp pies we'd ever tasted (past passengers actually write her, begging for FedExed brownies). For those who can't get enough of a good thing, the enterprising Deb sells The Angelique Cookbook: Great Recipes from a Windjammer's Galley, which includes many of the meals served onboard. Lolling around, pitching in, seeing the scenery With few organized activities and no set itinerary, passengers are left to do as little or as much as they want, although they're encouraged (but in no way required) to help with the daily running of the ship, such as furling the sails, polishing the brass, preparing meals, or even taking the helm. (Luckily, cleaning the heads is left to the crew.) At one point, Dennis, the first mate, rallied the somnolent passengers into helping the crew hoist the sails with his war-cry, "Team work doesn't seem work!" And help we did - the whole running of the boat was fun and effortless, as if we were playing on a big toy. Days and nights were spent lounging around on deck getting to know the other passengers, who on our cruise included many "Labor Day Alumni," so called because they'd been sailing over the same holiday weekend with captain/owner Mike McHenry since he took the helm of the Angelique in 1986. One, dubbed "Crazy Pat," has 24 windjammer sailings in her log book. Other alumni on our cruise include Margaret, who's been windjamming since 1979; Richard, who's been a guest ten times; and Nancy (nine sailings). Asked what keeps drawing them back, all agreed it was the great family atmosphere among passengers and crew and the chance to meet interesting new people. In the words of one, "You kinda get hooked." Although this trip was designed as a "lighthouse tour," lighthouses took a back seat to the peaceful and serene Maine coast. The atmosphere, combined with the sunshine and fresh air, slowed time down to a pleasant crawl. Occasionally a crew member broke the serenity, hollering when we passed a lighthouse, and everyone scrambled to catch a glimpse. Galley helper Barbara, a naturalist who works at a wildlife preserve in North Carolina during the off-season, would occasionally point out seals, porpoises, bald eagles, and other wildlife. The best time of the year to sail is towards the end of summer, when the winds are stronger; we could cover an average of 35 to 45 miles a day. When we encountered other windjammer ships, the captains raced each other for our entertainment. Needless to say, the winds also caused the temperature to drop several notches, making us glad that we had brought extra layers of warm clothing. Nights were so quiet it was rather unsettling at first, but we quickly began to appreciate being able to see the Milky Way in all its glory, far from city lights, and we understood why Deb said she "couldn't imagine a more beautiful office." There was no sailing at night, thankfully, or it would have made for some very nauseated passengers trying to sleep below deck. As it turned out, the gods and goddesses of the seas guided us to three picturesque towns along the Maine coast: Bucks Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and Castine. Bucks Harbor--a tiny speck of a place consisting of a convenience store, a church, and a smattering of idyllic summer cottages - also boasts a special treat: a 31-member steel-drum band that plays every other Monday all summer (tunes range from Led Zeppelin to George Gershwin). Postcard-perfect Castine is home to the Maine Maritime Academy, set among rolling hills, where we witnessed students in a training exercise and browsed through one-of-a-kind shops and galleries. A Maine windjammer cruise wouldn't be complete without an evening lobster bake, and on our last day we descended on a privately owned island for the event. Those who shun lobster (including, surprisingly, Captain Mike) filled up on hot dogs. That night, we were treated to some homespun entertainment, including a passenger/crew talent show, with the male crew in drag. The laugh-filled performance was a perfect end to a high-spirited journey. By the time we chugged back into Camden, everyone was saying good-byes, some tearily, others planning their next trip. As Caroline, a windjamming virgin, put it, "The greatest part about this type of travel is the friends you make. It's a relaxing and exhilarating adventure that everyone should try at least once." Another windjammaholic born. Booking passage Angelique's Labor Day six-day "Lighthouse Cruise," which costs $775 per person, includes accommodations and all the food you can eat. Fares for the Angelique start at $475 for three days and go up to $990 for a six-day "Art and Photography Cruise." The fleet's highest prices are on the Stephen Taber, one of the smaller ships: from $446 for a three-day cruise to $838 for six days. The Mary Day has the lowest prices: $399 for three days to $775 for six. If you're traveling alone, you'll have to share the cabin with another passenger (if there's extra space, though, you get the cabin to yourself). Some ships have single cabins at no extra fee, such as the Lewis R. French, Mary Day, and Stephen Taber, while the Mercantile, Heritage, and Grace Bailey charge extra for single occupancy. For more information, contact the Maine Windjammer Association at 800/807-9463 or sailmainecoast.com. Setting sail The Angelique is berthed in Camden, a three-hour drive from Boston. Concord Trailways (800/639-3317) runs a four-hour trip from Boston's Logan Airport for $55 round-trip; the bus drops you off about one mile outside of Camden, where you can take a $6 cab ride to the harbor. Or you can fly into either Portland Jetport (served by most major U.S. airlines) or Rockland Airport on US Airways Express carrier Colgan Air ($188 round-trip, 800/428-4322). From Portland, Mid-Coast Limo (800/937-2424) costs $90 round-trip for the first person and $30 for each additional passenger. A cab ride from Rockland to Camden costs about $24. The 95-foot Angelique, patterned after the classic 18-century tall ships, is one of 13 vessels belonging to the Maine Windjammers Association.

Franklin Roosevelt did it in his youth, gliding for weeks along the country roads of Switzerland and Germany in the course of an enchanted summer. John F. Kennedy, Jr., did it many years ago, on vacation from prep school. And so have many more from other wealthy, or at least moderately well-off, families. On the lanes and roads of rural France, on the always-level pavements of cycle-loving Holland, over the softly rolling hills of Vermont, in Oregon, and even in Hawaii, increasing numbers of Americans--of ever-increasing age--are flocking to the group bicycle tour. But why is this activity is often so expensive--$350 and more a day? Why are bicycle tours more costly, on occasion, than tours by escorted motor coach? After all, it is you and your two legs that provide the transportation, eliminating a costly vehicle. Or is that the case? What most of us fail to consider, in scanning the bicycle brochures, is that a vehicle almost always does accompany the group, to carry luggage. Unless you've opted for the most rugged form of tour, carrying nothing but your cycling costume, a van or truck and a paid driver follow the bicycling tour at a discreet distance. Because that group is usually limited to 20 or so people the cost of the vehicle and driver is also divided among fewer people, than on a 45-seat motor coach trip. Thus bicycle tours, except in a handful of instances (see below), will continue to cost an average of $250/day -- a sum that's justified by advantages aplenty: the best sort of exercise in the open air, the closeness to nature and contact with rural people, the scenery, and the relief from urban pressures. But there are pitfalls. They mainly stem from the ease with which underfinanced or inexperienced people can schedule a bicycle tour. Because so many shaky operators flood the mails each year with ill-conceived programs destined to cause trouble, we've sought to ferret out the firms that have made a substantial, long-term commitment to this travel sport. We'll also warn you about the $350 per day companies, whose prices have no justified basis in reality. Unless otherwise stated, all tours accept members of any age, provide a supply van, and will rent you a bike (for an extra charge) if you haven't brought your own. We've split our company descriptions into two groups. First up are the bargain operations in "Budget Biking" (and sub-sections--North America, Around the Globe, and Especially for Students), followed by the more deluxe outfits in "Splurge Cycling." Budget biking in North America The National Bicycle Tour Directors Association is a network of bike organizations, many of which are non-profit and run by bike enthusiasts, not entrepreneurs looking to make a buck. Consequently, many of the tours are super-cheap, and beloved by diehards and occasional riders alike. The NBDTA Web site (www.nbtda.com) allows users to search for where and when they'' like to ride, and how much they''e are willing to spend. They can pick a specific area of North America, or just plug in a price and time range and see what comes up. Most tours limit the number of riders, so it is a good idea to reserve early. In most cases, you bring your own camping gear and other supplies, but vans or buses will transport everything but you and your bike for you. Here is a sampling of what we found on a recent search, priced around $400 per person: A six-day, 330-mile tour of Maine, priced at $420; a seven-day cycle called the Legacy Annual Great Bicycle Ride across Utah for $300; a three-day 85-mile ride across North Carolina for only $85. Look up more bicycle tours at nbtda.com/. Another inexpensive biking operation is "Bike The Whites" a self-guided bike tour company that specializes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Participants travel inn to inn, choosing their itinerary each morning and traveling solo, or if they desire, with a group of their own choosing. Itineraries are customized to each cyclists needs and desires--they can be tailored to the go-getter who's eager to grind out 50 miles a day, as well as more laid back types interested in seeing waterfalls and lazing by with just 20 miles a day. By emphasizing this self-guided structure, BTW keeps their costs low and passes that savings on to the consumer (they have no group leaders or sag wagon drivers to pay). Tour packages start from $279 in May to $329-$379 from June to September. That price covers a hearty breakfast and three-course dinner each day, your lodgings (at some of the loveliest inns in New Hampshire), customized itineraries and transport of luggage inn to inn. Emergency service is also provided in the event that you or your bike needs first aid. Contact Bike The Whites, 800/447-4345 or Web site: bikethewhites.com/. An operation similar to Bike the Whites, offered in a similar region of the country, is Country Inns Along the Trail (also known as Inn to Inn), a Vermont-based bike, hike, and ski touring company. Inn to Inn takes care of accommodations at lovely inns and B&B's in the Green Mountain State (with dinner and breakfast usually included), and maps out an itinerary for you. It also provides some limited pickup and drop-off services if inns are spread farther than your legs can carry. Prices vary depending on what kind of accommodations is selected and the time of year, but expect to pay between $135 and $165 per person per night. Inns tend to be family run operations, and meals are usually delicious, many times featuring home-grown vegetables and homemade bread and pastries. For more information, contact Inn to Inn at P.O. Box 59, Montgomery, VT 05470, phone: 800/838-3301 or 802/326-2072, e-mail office@inntoinn.com. Find more details on the Web at http://www.inntoinn.com/. Bike and the Like, a small pedaling outfit run by Suzie and Roger Knable, offers a handful of tours each year along the East Coast. Rides feature accommodations in inns and inexpensive hotels and motels, and usually average well around $70/day. Suzie and Roger test out each route before offering it to clients, and come up with interesting itineraries (usually away from busy roads) in places such as Cape Cod, Cape May, and Lancaster, PA. Bike and the Like's Cape Cod trip, usually offered in early June, is one of its most popular. The trip costs $740 per person with two people sharing a room, and that price includes seven nights' lodging, all your breakfasts and five dinners, luggage transport (so you don't have to pedal with all your gear and clothes), and, of course, guides to lead you around the Cape. Accommodations for this inexpensive adventure are hostels and simple hotels and motels. On most days you'll bike between 30 and 40 miles, but the scenery is lovely and roads are reasonably flat. Ferry rides to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are included in the package price. Another popular trip is a three-day, two-night tour that usually takes place in mid-April, priced from $220/person in past years. Two breakfasts, a welcome party on Friday night, and a Saturday night dinner are included. The riding is nearly perfectly flat too. If big groups scare you off, take into account that weekend Bike and the Like trips tend to be a bit larger (40 to 60) than typical weeklong tours (around 40). Check in with the Bike and the Like Web site, http://www.bikeandthelike.com/, or call 410/960-6572 or toll-free 877/776-6572 to get the inside scoop. Tour Baja is a California-based outdoor adventure tour company that offers biking, hiking, sailing, and kayaking trips in the famous peninsula south of the Mexico-California border. Owner Trudi Angell has lived in the laid-back Baja region since the mid-1970s, and started offering kayak tours of coastline in the early 1980s. Now there are a variety of tours to choose from: kayaking, bicycling, horseback riding, hiking, sailing, and whale-watching cruises. Most of the guides are transplants like Trudi or natives to the region, all of who know the area and culture very well. Prices are usually decent, $995 for seven- to nine-day trips. A nine-day mountain bike tour, with accommodations in simple hotels and no meals, was priced from just $995 in 2005. In some instances, bike tours can be combined with kayak trips or whale-watching cruises for an additional cost. For bicycle trips in the Baja, contact Pedaling South (Tour Baja's bicycle division), P.O. Box 827, Calistoga, CA 94515, call 800 398-6200, or e-mail info@tourbaja.com. Find Tour Baja on the Web at http://www.tourbaja.com/. Budget biking around the globeCyclevents of Hilo, Hawaii (formerly located in Jackson, WY): The most important reason you'll sit up and take notice of this company is its attitude--it strives to put together the best trips at the lowest cost. Mostly, it keeps its prices down to $150 per night or less (some under $100 a night if you camp). For example, its 14-day ride through the Swiss, Austrian and Italian Alps, called "Tour of the Alps" starts at a lean $1,250 if you camp along the way (opt for hotels and pay-as-you-go per night: prices vary, but expect to pay between $50 and $80 a night). Cyclevents also organizes groups for annual event rides such as a five-night "Spuds: Cycling Around Idaho" trip at the end of August, which starts at a cost of only $400 for camping accommodations. For many of Cyclevents tours, if you stay in hotels, prices hardly qualify as budget. Toughing it out by camping will save you a lot of money. While some of Cyclevents' rides can be handled by a relative novice (albeit a novice who is in very good shape), inquire about all the details before you sign up. Beware that this organization's "easier" trips typically log in over 30 miles per day. For more details, phone Cyclevents at 888/733-9615, or see the Web siuD0àÊàuDPt http://www.cyclevents.com/. For the Benelux countries turn to 4Winds Specialty Tours (formerly known as Bon Voyage Specialty Tours). Why is 4Winds a "specialty" tour operator? Well, instead of coughing up copious amounts of cash for nightly accommodations in hotels or B&Bs, participants sleep on the 4Winds barge. Double cabins with private bath spare the bikers the annoyance of packing and re-packing each night; the barge winds along the many rivers of the region, so bikers have their rooms follow them. Eight days in the famed Loire Valley runs for only $1095 (double occupancy and private bath) between May and mid-September. Many trips start at around $100 per day. Some hotel-based bike tours are also available. Check out the Web site www.4windstours.com or write to 4Winds Specialty Tours, 4500 Victoria Court, West Richland, WA 99353. Call 509/967-3448; fax 509-967-3392; or e-mail st4winds@earthlink.net.Forum Travel International, of Pleasant Hill, California: In business for 40 years, it claims to be one of the oldest and largest of America's bicycle and hiking operators. It achieves that status, in part, by offering -- in addition to the standard forms of group bicycle touring--a non-group method of cycling (self-guided tours) in some of the countries it tours. How does that work? Every morning, you're given a highly detailed map to your next destination, are told when dinner will be served, and then have the entire day to pedal as fast or slowly as you may wish, stopping to sightsee or slumber at the side of the road. When you eventually arrive at your hotel, your luggage awaits, having been delivered there by a van that morning. In this manner, the bicycling tour operator does not need two escorts per group (one to accompany the group, one to drive the van), but only one--the van driver. Non-group tours of this sort average only $70 to $120 a night per person (plus airfare) for breakfast and fine lodgings, and are offered in France, Bavaria, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Ireland, Scotland, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Tours in Europe and other parts of the globe are also offered with escorts in the standard group fashion, and tend to cost more. Contact Forum Travel International, 91 Gregory Lane, Suite 21, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (phone 800/252-4475 or 925/671-2900, e-mail fti@foruminternational.com, or visit the Web site at http://www.foruminternational.com/). The International Bicycle Fund, of Washington State: For a very special type of traveler, full of adventure and insight, this organization offers two-week-bicycle tours to two, main destinations (Africa and Cuba), and a handful of other spots around the world. The Bicycle Africa program visits countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, Senegal, Malawi, South Africa, Mali, Tunisia or Benin throughout the year. Because no traveling van is used, and accommodations are spartan, costs start $1690 for a trip to Guyana. Including airfare to Africa (which can easily cost around $1,100 round-trip to West Africa, $1,500 to southern Africa). "We journey through culture, history, landscapes, cuisines, and lifestyles, close enough to touch them, " says a spokesperson from the IBF. "We enjoy this fascinating and diverse continent on a personal level not usually attainable by tourists." A recent participant adds, "the trip, a month long, is worth four years of college anthropology courses; it was the greatest experience of my life." The IBF's Cuba People-to-People Program, operated in tandem with the "Atenas de Cuba Cycling Club", offers 14-day bike tours starting at $990. A handful of bike tours are offered in other parts of the globe, such as Korea, Ecuador, and North America's Pacific Northwest. Payment for all tours must be with either check or money order (no credit cards accepted). For detailed information and brochures, contact the International Bicycle Fund, 4887 Columbia Drive South, Seattle, WA 98108-1919 (or phone 206/767-0848, e-mail ibike@ibike.org). Or view the Web site at www.ibike.org/ibike. Active Journeys is not exactly a company aimed at the budget traveler, but its set of active and adventurous itineraries are priced reasonably considering the competition. Some of its self-guided biking tours seem to be especially good values. A 17-day ride through Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, for example, is priced from $2,350. Included in the price are all hotels and all breakfasts, seven lunches, a support vehicle, and a bike rental for the trip duration (airfare is extra). Another decent offer is an 11-day ride through Denmark and Sweden, offered from June to mid-August. Prices start at $1,160, and include bike rental, all breakfasts, five dinners, luggage transfers, and ferry transportation around the Baltic Sea. Some Active Journey bike tours are on the expensive side, however. Find out more at the Active Journeys Web site (http://www.activejourneys.com/), by e-mailing info@activejourneys.com, uDPÊàor calling 800/597-5594. At the foothills of the Dolomites, 40 miles north of Venice, lies a region of mountains, small villages, and winding roads that tourists rarely see. Hardcore cycle enthusiasts know this place quite well, however, and flock to the area as soon as the snow melts. The Italian Cycling Center makes it easier for vacationers to join into this bike-a-thon in northern Italy, by offering a reasonable and flexible package for pedaling enthusiasts: 140 euros ($158) per day for lodging, three meals, and one of several bike tours. You can stay one night, two nights, or several weeks, if you like. A non-riding companion can come along for 100 euros/day ($113), and a single room will cost 25 euros ($28) extra per night.An Italian Cycling vacation is aimed at the more serious biker. The "easy" touring rides log in 30 to 50 miles per day, and though they sometimes cruise through flat farmlands, you will encounter steep, winding mountain roads. Still, riders as young as 12 and as old as 79 are welcomed. There are also gran fondo, or one-day endurance rides, of 50 to 80 miles per day, in which you can pedal alongside the Italian National racers and tri-athletes training in the region on certain days. Summer is busy season for bicycling in Italy and the hotel fills up early for many dates. The Italian Cycling Center's Web site (http://www.italiancycling.com/) recommends emailing them at info@italiancycling.com. You can also call their American office at 215/232-6772.As its name indicates, Discover France is a Gallic-focused operation, and among its many packages are self-guided hiking and biking trips. Accommodations are usually simple two- or three-star hotels (some of which are in charming old villages that may be pretty but have less than modern facilities), which helps to keep costs down. In most cases, trips average a little over $100 per day in double occupancy lodgings. For example, an eight-day, seven-night ride through Brittany, including Mont St. Michel, is priced from 765 euros from April to October. The single supplement is 175 euros. Prices include breakfast and dinner each day, baggage transfers from hotel to hotel, detailed maps, and emergency support. Bike rentals cost around $130 per week. For more information, visit http://www.discoverfrance.com/, e-mail contact@discoverfrance.com, or call 800/960-2221. Another intriguing option in France is the opportunity to pedal along the route of the grueling Tour de France on the same day as the world's greatest cyclists. Based in England, Sporting Tours offers reasonably priced packages to the Tour de France ranging from single-day trips to two-week journeys. From start to finish, you can choose which parts of the 3300-km race you want to experience, and you have the option to go by bike, by bus, or both. No matter if you're a die-hard cyclist or simply a curious chap, the tours cater to all physical levels. Packages scheduled during the extreme mountain stages of the race are among the most popular tours. For example, the "Week in the Pyrenees" tour in July each year takes cyclists through extremely difficult climbs. Participants spend a week following the professional cyclists and even have a chance to meet the riders and get autographs. For that price (£650), six nights are spent in tents, two in moderate hotels. In general, Sporting Tours packages include lodging at two- and three-star hotels, guides for both groups (bikers and busers), luxury coaches equipped to transport bicycles and luggage, most breakfasts and dinners, and drop-offs along the Tour. Single supplements vary between £140 ($244) and £300 ($480). Expect between 40 to 45 people on tours with one bus and double that for the longer tours. Find our more at http://www.sportingtours.co.uk/ or by calling direct at 011-441-132843617. Ibex Treks specializes in Swiss trekking and biking. Trips run during the months of July and August and average five to 16 nights. Trekkers stay in family-style hotels, guesthouses and "mountain huts". Be advised: the company requests that you pack lightly, as transportation for luggage is difficult in the rugged, mountainous region. Those who must have a suitcase can arrange to have it sent ahead earlier to the final destination. One of the least expensive Ibex treks is the the Bernese Oberland self-guided tour, a seven-night tour for as low as $749, with three nights in double occupancy inns and six nights in dorm facilities. Participants trek during the day and then at nighttime, bunk down after a hearty Swiss meal. If you want to bike as well as hike, Ibex offers a seven-night guided combination trip that costs $877. On guided tours, groups average six participants with two tour leaders-a maximum of 14 are permitted on most tours. Contact the company at 505/579-4671, e-mail ibextreks@aol.com or visit the Web site at http://www.ibextreks.com/.No, you won't be trekking up Mount Everest with Sherpa Expeditions. It's actually a UK-based hike and bike pauDPÊàckager that offers several self-guided cycling trips throughout Europe and the world, including England's Cotswolds region, France's Loire Valley, Tuscany, and Hungary. Least expensive is an eight-day ride through Hungary, priced from $559/person with double occupancy in a combination of three or four-star hotels and pensions (breakfast included every morning). A transfer by train from Budapest to the Baroque city of Eger (where the tour really starts) is also included, as is your final night's accommodations in the capital city itself. The other cycling trips offered by Sherpa are all reasonably priced between $530 to $749 per person for an eight-day self-guided ride. Sherpa's cycling tours are not lollygagging pedaling trips through the countryside. They are comprehensive tours around vast expanses of scenery, and since your legs are the means of transportation, you are sure to get a workout. Daily itineraries are fairly strenuous (usually 25 or more miles per day), so you should ride regularly before joining in such demanding trips. All trips are rated for difficulty: ratings and a detailed explanation of the rating system can be found on the website. Contact Sherpa's at 011-44-20-8577-2717. Online, go to http://www.sherpaexpeditions.com/. Especially for students and young peopleThe Buffalo, NY branch of Hostelling International-USA, of Washington, D.C. offers numerous bike tours for teens all over the U.S., Canada and Europe. This is HI, so the tours are reasonably priced (most averaging well under $100/day, including most meals and camping gear). Overnights are spent in hostels (where else?) or camping, and participants are expected to chip in with chores such as setting up tents, shopping for the group, or making smores before bedtime. The program provides two guides experienced in handling teens, as well as more mundane matters such as fixing flat tires and cooking chili at a campfire. All teens have to bring a touring or hybrid bicycle, sleeping bag, saddle bags, foam mattress, and a helmet and lights. So where do the kids go? The 16-day Canadian Trek 101 tours around Niagara Falls, Toronto, and 1,000 Islands region for a price of $1195. To the west, there is a 16-day trips for older teens (15 to 18). The Pacific Northwest Trek ($1,695) is a round-trip from Seattle, with a chance to explore several of the islands north and west of the city. The Cape Cod Trek is available both for ages 12 to 14 and 15 to 17, and takes 14 days to ride from Boston to Cape Cod and back again, all for $1495. These are but a few examples.HI's bike trips are small (usually eight to 12 teens and two adult leaders) and often fill up early. Contact Hosteling International, 667 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14203 (phone 716/856-3764 or view the Web site at http://www.teentreks.com/.The Student Hosteling Program (SHP), for teenagers age 12-18 only, offers 17 different itineraries throughout the US, Canada and Europe, including a trip from Niagara Falls to Montreal for 25 days ($2,59), one from Amsterdam to Paris for 28 days ($4,955), or a 60-day cross-country trip from New Jersey to Oregon ($4,095). For what you'll pay, your child will have everything he/she needs: the price includes transportation, equipment, food, lodging (mostly camping, but some B&Bs, inns, and hostels), hostel membership, activities, laundry and guides. Meals are relatively modest--camp-fire cooked meals in the countryside (leaders must carry all the supplies on their bikes), restaurants in cities. Bike rentals are available on most trips for between $120 and $170. Each of SHP's trips are guided by a senior leader (generally aged 21-25) and one or two assistant leaders (age 19-22), usually alumni of SHP themselves. Visit the Web site (http://www.bicycletrips.com/) for information on upcoming trips. You can also call 800/343-6132, e-mail shpbike@aol.com, or write to Student Hosteling Program, Ashfield Rd., P.O. Box 419, Conway, MA 01341.Splurge cyclingVBT Bicycling & Touring Company, of Bristol, Vermont: The pioneer in country inn cycling, 32 years old, it used to operate primarily in the unspoiled state of Vermont, with its well-maintained and relatively traffic-free roads, but now itineraries are available throughout the U.S. (including Hawaii) and Canada, Australia, Europe and Morocco. Exciting if overly costly trip options include "California Wine Country," "North Carolina Coast," and "The Tuscan Coast." Lodgings are in multi-starred hotels of a very high quality level, and therefore cost as much as $300 a day, which is to me unthinkable for a bicycle tour. Some of the more affordable tours include a six-day ride in Vermont's Lake Champlain Valley (from $1,495), or an nine-day tour of Prince Edward Island (from $1,695 without air). VBT's international trips are listed with airfare included (although you can purchase air from other sources), such as a 12-day trip in France's Loire Valley (from $2,495) or a 16-day ride in New Zealand's South Island (from $2,995 ouDPÊàut of Los Angeles). In addition to international roundtrip airfare, all accommodations, most meals, and guided tours come with each package. Most trips average about 18 people One plus to these tours: no singles supplements for those who don't want to share a room.A A mouth-watering 111-page catalog can be had by contacting VBT, 614 Monkton Rd., Bristol, VT 05443 (phone 800/245-3868, e-mail info@vbt.com). Or view the Web site at http://www.vbt.com/. Brooks Country Cycling Tours, of New York City, is another long-established (30 years) operator of bicycle tours in the eastern United States and Europe. Among this small family-run touring company's most affordable trips are its three- and four-night rides and day trips in New England and upstate New York. In past years, for example, a four-night camping trip in Massachusetts Berkshires range costs $699, including breakfasts, dinners, a half-day kayaking trip, and an evening of entertainment at Tanglewood. Three-day weekend trips are offered in Vermont (from $529) and Cape Cod and Nantucket (from $795). Overseas options (airfare additional) include a six-night ride in the Loire Valley (from $1,998) and a seven-night biking and barging tour through Holland (starting between $699 and $1175, including bike rental). Private group tours can also be arranged although these can be quite costly. Contact Brooks Country Cycling Tours, P.O. Box 20792, New York, NY 10025-1516 (phone 917/834-5340, http://www.brookscountrycycling.com/). If biking, walking or hiking through Europe on your own sounds appealing, Randonnee Tours' "self-guided" trips might be the thing for you. Trips run year-round (May to October is the high season) primarily through France, but also to Italy, England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Canada. Most cycling trips average over $200 a night, and some as much as $300 per night. Each day, you follow a detailed itinerary that Randonnee has created specifically for you, based on your abilities and preferences. The only restriction is that you must arrive each night at a proscribed destination--usually a small hotel. Luggage is transported separately from place to place. The company is in its 15th year now and has built a loyal following with a generally older, wealthier crowd of travelers. For more information, contact Randonee Tours, phone 800/465-6488 or 204/475-6939. Or view the extensive Web site at http://www.randonneetours.com/. REI Adventures, PO Box 1938, Sumner WA 98390 (phone 800/622-2236 ) offers year-round biking trips (as well as nearly every other outdoors sport you can imagine) all over the globe. Sample European adventures include "Prague to Budapest" (ten days from $2,299) and "Emerald Isle Cycle" (10 days from $2,199). In Asia, one can explore the "Treasures of China" (15 days from $2,599) or choose the "Cycling Vietnam" option: 14 days for $2,199. Accommodations vary according to destination and range from camping to bed and breakfasts or local inns and hotels. Most trips also include luggage transfer from place to place. View the REI Web site for further information at http://www.reiadventures.com/. International Bicycle Tours of Essex, Connecticut, specializes in tours for cyclers over 50; the company lays heavy stress on the gentle pace of their tours. Says manager Frank Behrendt: "Our trips are more leisurely, not races or marathons. We make many stops and take it slow so that people can enjoy the scenery. We once had an 88-year-old man on one of our tours." Traveling primarily to Holland (whose flat terrain is ideal for the older cycler), Austria, Ireland, Sweden, England, Italy, France, and Germany, IBT's trips use high-quality hotels, supply breakfast and daily dinners. The company also offers domestic rides in spots such as Cape Cod, San Diego, Wisconsin, and Arizona. Tours average out to cost between $160 and $200 per night in most instances (not including airfare). Contact International Bicycle Tours, P.O. Box 754, Essex, CT 06426 (phone 860/767-7005, e-mail ibt@sbcglobal.net). Or view the Web site http://www.internationalbicycletours.com/.Butterfield & Robinson, of Toronto: A highly elegant (and quite expensive, in our view) company based in Canada. Tours go to places as varied as Chile, Cuba, Ireland, Morocco, China, and Alaska, with an especially strong representation in France and Italy. At night you'll rest in high-quality villas, castles, country homes, and chateaux. Two meals a day (with minor exceptions) at top restaurants are usually included, as are occasional wine tastings and other treats. Prices are very high, most averaging well over $500 per day without air (examples: five nights from Moab to Telluride for $4,995, or seven nights in Tuscany from $5,495). For a beautiful catalog (like a costly picture book), contact Butterfield & Robinson, 70 Bond St, Toronto, ON, M5B 1X3 Canada (phone 416/864-1354, or toll free 800/678-1147 anywhere in North America). Or view the Web site at http://www.butterfield.cuDPÊàom/. One Canadian company that offers an impressive array of bike tours--both in Canada, the U.S., and abroad--is Great Explorations. Its founder, Robin McKinney, worked for the upscale (read, expensive) touring company Butterfield and Robinson before starting his own business in 1985. The truth is that Great Explorations offers a few inexpensive trips (such as its Kettle Valley tours in British Columbia for under $645), but most of its tours are almost as pricey as Butterfield and Robinson. Tours to great biking destinations such as Provence, Baja Mexico, Morocco, and Tuscany, tend to average at least $200 per night. Surf Great Explorations' easy-to-use Web site at http://www.great-explorations.com/, or contact its reservations office at 800/242-1825.Gerhard's Bicycle Odysseys, of Portland, Oregon: From May through September, one to two-week tours to Germany, France, and the Czech Republic,at an average of $300 to $350 a day, plus airfare. All are personally led by German-born Gerhard Meng, now nearing his third decade of bicycle-tour operation. Gerhard started the company in 1974, and he has personally visited over 100 countries since then, guiding tours, inspecting accommodations, or simply pedaling around. Fine country hotels are used on tours; cyclists receive daily breakfast and almost all dinners. In late summer, a bike, balloon and barge trip on the canals of France for nine nights is also on the roster of itineraries. Contact Gerhard's Bicycle Odysseys, P.O. Box 757, Portland, OR 97207 (phone 503/223-2402 or 800/966-2402, or visit the company Web site at http://www.since1974.com/). Backroads of Berkeley, California. Operating more than a thousand trips a year, it has recently become one of the largest of the active travel companies, and its trips span the globe: the U.S, all of Europe, China, Thailand, Bali, New Zealand, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Nepal, Morocco, and South Africa -- all well described in a slick 200-page catalog. Trips tend to be active, usually based on hiking and walking, biking, or multi-sport adventures that may involve kayaking, golfing, rafting, sailing, snorkeling, and cooking. Groups are of all ages; if seniors find some itineraries too taxing, they can ride in the support van (the aptly named "sag wagon") for part of each day. Tours include most meals daily (lunches are not included on some tours), plus accommodations in fine inns, and average over $300 a day (many an obscene $500 per day). Some camping itineraries start at $220 a day (Backroads claims to cook remarkable meals in its "kitchen on wheels"), but this is still expensive for a camping-based vacation. Contact Backroads, 801 Cedar St, Berkeley, CA 94710-1800 (phone 510/527-1555 or toll free 800/GO-ACTIVE or find Backroads online at http://www.backroads.com/. Woman Tours, as you might guess from its name, operates trips for persons of the female persuasion only. The founder of Woman Tours, Gloria Smith, leads many of the international and Western North American tours. The tours, of which there are about 30 per year, are designed to accommodate all levels of biking experience, and are all van-supported (they transport luggage and the tired bicyclist). Woman Tours offers trips within the United States, including specialized trips for women over 50, lesbians and breast cancer survivors. The company has six and seven night excursions averaging about $200 per night, as well as a handful of longer tours (two weeks in South Africa from $2,990, and two-month cross-country rides from $6,980). For more details, contact Woman Tours at 800/247-1444, 2340 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY, 14618, or visit the Web site at BLURBCORRECTIONCLARIFICATION