Secret Squirrel’s Private Musings
Welcome to the ramblings of our favorite secret agent, and favorite ridiculous cartoon character of the 60’s: Secret Squirrel. Though Diaper Man certainly gives him a run for his money. 
If you have reached this page in error (without use of either decoder ring or the password), well, you probably won't find it very interesting. Even if you came here intentionally, you may have your doubts....
It offers the following chapters.
Mystery Trip
Yes, this strange Blue Marble tradition stages a third appearance, the first in many years. After 1994 (the trip that became our Cévennes route), and 1999 (in Belgium, Luxemburg and Holland), we are once again offering the opportunity to the most foolish intrepid among you to send us a pile of money to travel to a place we refuse to indentify. Oh boy!
Further information, if you can call it that, is here. The dates are August 14 - August 21 (thus offering a connection to our Emerald Coast of Brittany trip, the following week). And the price is $2,150 US / $2,250 C / 1,475€ (this includes the Access Packages to get you to and from Paris in style).
The two-week price for “Chef's Surprise” plus Brittany is $3,875 US / $4,095 C / 2,850€, and includes travel and lodging between the two regions.
NEWS
Alum Groups Forming, Alumni Discount on May Dordogne
The late-September “Umbria Unravelled” trip was all alum, but their friends have started to sign up, so that is no longer true. Jimi is leading that one. Three alum families are targeting the Austria “family-friendly” trip. The first Italian Lakes is 7 out of 9 alums, with Cate coordinating (and Lyn has the Swiss trip that is the other half of Alpine Lakes — the pair was described at the “Dream Team” on last year’s comment forms).
Nicolas has a host of alum trips (he’s become skittish about newbies in his old age). Drums are beating for both of the “Emerald Coast of Brittany” departures: 14 out of 16 current riders on the first one are alums, as are all 7 currently aboard the second. And, of course, the Mystery Trip is almost always an all-alumni affair. As of now, it has 12 aboard: 7 alums, 3 Blue Marble Coordinators, and 2 hapless newbees who cannot possibly have any idea of what they’ve gotten into. Nicolas is also leading the September 18 Dordogne trip, another all-alum affair as we write these lines.
Family-Friendly Trips
Two are scheduled this year, the first in... (drumroll, please) the “Sound of Music” land of Austria! The second will travel to the Loire Valley. Both have current sign-ups ranging from 7 to mid-teen. The Austrian trip needs a girl (there is one, and then too many boys). Space for one family remains on each trip.
Family-Friendly trips have in common special arrangements for meals, luggage movement, room disposition in the hotels, and special attention is paid to providing a low-traffic environment. And our Family-Friendly trips reduce the number of night stops, to lessen all that packing and unpacking.
Pictured at right are some of the Hendersons (we believe son Jack is sleeping under the table) who travelled with us to Brittany last summer. Below, Ty Melton with his sons, on the 2008 Loire trip (they are back for this year’s Austria trip). Yes, you CAN travel (and even have fun travelling) with children!
About 2009
We feel very fortunate. In an economic climate that could only be described as a downer, in a year when European travel was sharply off, and in a season when the only of our friendly competitors with whom we have any contact lost 30% of his business... we essentially repeated 2008. New riders simply vanished. But you, our alums, came in the usual numbers, and you brought friends! So, first and foremost, thank you!
Nicolas, Lyn, Jimi, and Catherine ran the bulk of the trips, and the same team will be managing the 2010 season. Ty capably shifted the baggage around. Nothing got permanently lost, echoes were good, there were lots of smiles.
Indeed, it was another fun summer. Great people, good weather, beautiful scenery, and biking that just gets better every year, as the needs of cyclists are increasingly catered to in ways great and small, across Europe.
Alumni Update
We had not one, but TWO marriage proposals popped (and happily, accepted) during Blue Marble trips -- congrats to the happy couples, Larry Goff and Lisa Smith (wedded bliss since November '09), and Dan Song and Andrea Josefiak.
Also a Blue Marble marriage in June -- best wishes to Leorra Newman and Brian Levine (pictured here on that fateful Burgundy trip, '08). And, wasting no time, had their Blue Marble Baby in January 2010!
In addition, we are happy to report the arrivals of more Blue Marble babies....
Jeannette Brown and Steve Rayme welcomed son, Eli. Robin Gonci and Satoshi Tanaka also brought a son, Teo, into the world. Susan Berman Marsh and hubby, Eric, added a daughter, Charlotte, to their brood.
Long-ago coordinator, Anthony Ziemkhe and wife, Niesha, will become parents in early '10. And Ethan Gelber and Jane are slated to add another little one to their growing family this Spring.
Congratulations to all!
Also, thanks again to everyone who has shared their photos -- special thanks to Frank Dimichale, Howard Barsky, Julie Youmans (Ginger to her Blue Marble buddies), the Picketts and the Hendersons....
Anti Bike Gear Bike Gear, a.k.a. “Nico-Shirts”
Those of you who have cycled with Nicolas have often, er, “noticed” his sartorial freedom, in particular with regard to bike gear. Vibrantly-colored African cloth bought on the Lomé market achieves approximately the visibility of the garbage-collector vests currently in vogue, and shows up better on flash photos. Button-down cotton provides the ventilation of lycra and then some, and dries as quickly. And you cut your panier contents by half: you wear a clean shirt to dinner, and then ride in the same shirt the next day.
Well, now you, too, can be a proud owner of a genuine, hand-tailored, Togolese, Blue Marble biking shirt. We have about 20 in hand, enough to satisfy the pent-up demand of all those of you who have asked over the years (he can’t actually remember anyone asking, but assumes it was just jealousy). More info is here. We can’t wait for our first “team Togo” sortie. If we don’t provoke at least one fender-bender, it’ll be quite a let-down.
And Pro Bike Gear Bike Gear: Blue Marble Bike Jerseys!
Can you believe it? Despite the total lack of interest on Nicolas’ part (he is not buying one -- and why should he? He has a lifetime supply of African biking shirts), we are offering full-zip, short-sleeved, 3-color jerseys, made by Nalini in Italy. The company was recommended by our in-house bike geek Jeff Kralik, so we are sure they are up to hardcore biking standards. But the logo includes a wine glass, so no one will confuse you with the folk on the Tour de France. Unless Georges DuBoeuf has started sponsoring a team.
And, depending on the response, we may even do biking socks (Nicolas doesn't want those, either).
Information on ordering is here.
And lastly, a reminder to our alums....
Don't forget to earn your REFERRAL POINTS to get trip discounts (or even a free trip)
For each new rider you refer to our regularly scheduled trips, you receive “Referral Points.” These points can be used to earn discounts on future trips which you yourselves take.
Referal points do not apply to charter or guest-initiated trips.
Each rider referred earns a 5% - 8% discount on your next trip of similar length. Find 15, and you go for free.
The exact formula takes into account trip lengths, additional friends who join in, and whether or not you travel on the same trip, so look through the details before you start spending your points. But, essentially, that sums it up.
Follow this link for details....