Top Regional Tours
Within one day's drive are some absolutely terrific touring routes, with the kind of scenery you won't find close to home.
Route Verte
The Route Verte, in Quebec (map), is the longest network of bicycle paths in North America, and has been rated the world's best bike touring venue by the National Geographic Society. The complete route, in which the government invested nearly $900 million, is more than 4,000 km long and connects every part of Quebec. It is much praised by bike tourists for its beauty and the general bike-friendliness of the route, the residents and services.
The province has set rigorous conditions for operators who want business from the cyclists; for example, certified campgrounds must guarantee space to cyclists, reservation or not, and offer a sheltered place to eat. Participating hotels must offer high-carb meals, fresh fruit and secure storage for bikes.
Bicycle tourists can take short tours from base cities or do the entire route from the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region in the west to the spectacular Gaspe Peninsula in the east. Opened in 2007, it combines dedicated bike trails, multiuse trails and roads, and brushes the US for access from New York, Vermont and Maine. A suggestion: you and your bike can catch ViaRail from Windsor to Montreal, then pedal out the door of the Montreal station to the Route Verte trailhead.
Alternately wild and quaint, La Route Verte gets top marks for historical, cultural, visual and gastronomic interest. Since this route takes you out of the metropolitan areas, knowledge of French is helpful (but not necessary). However long or varied you want to make your trip, you can do it on La Route Verte. Be sure to search the forums for other bikers' experiences on this great route.
Although it's relatively new, there are already bike tour organizers specializing in this attraction, should you be interested in the luxury options.
KatyTrail
Katy Trail State Park (map) is built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT - better known as the Katy). Running west from near St. Louis 225 miles through the state of Missouri, the Katy Trail offers some of the most scenic areas of the state. The majority of the trail closely follows the route of the Missouri River so hikers and bicyclists often find themselves with the river on one side and towering bluffs on the other. The trail travels through many types of landscapes including dense forests, wetlands, deep 
valleys, remnant prairies, open pastureland and gently rolling farm fields. In the spring, the trail is brightened with flowering dogwood and redbud, while the fall is colored with the rich reds and oranges of sugar maple, sumac and bittersweet. The trail itself is mostly dirt and crushed stone, so wider touring tires with a little tread are appropriate here. It's not highly taxing - a good family route.
Although the scenery often changes, the trail remains fairly level and constant as it meanders through the countryside. Trail heads, which provide parking areas and other amenities, are located periodically along the trail. Many small communities also offer services to trail users. The character of the trail 
is distinctly rural, and many of the small towns are extremely pleasant, but really small - don't expect a wide selection of services on most of the ride.
The section of trail between St. Charles and Boonville has been designated as an official segment of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and the entire trail is part of the American Discovery Trail. The trail also has been designated as a Milennium Legacy Trail.
There is a guidebook available from Pebble Publishing, which is on the trail itself. The trail is well known and highly travelled, so you can find hundreds of blogs and reviews by Katy veterans available on-line. Be sure to browse the forums. Organized tours are also available.
Great Allegheny Passage / C&O Canal
Allegheny Passage (map) connects McKeesport, Pennsylvania (outside Pittsburg) to Cumberland, Maryland. From Cumberland, 
the trail becomes the C&O Canal and connects to Washington, D.C., a total of 318 miles of easy to moderate biking - good for a family adventure. The surface from McKeesport to Cumberland is mostly crushed stone with sections of packed dirt, and the C&O is mostly dirt, so it can be sticky going in a big rain and a bit bumpy when dry. Wider touring tires with a little tread are again recommended. Sections of the trail pass through popular parks and small towns, so you'll be sharing the trail with pedestrians - sometimes quite a few of them, and the trail speed limit is 15mph. The upside is that there are fun and interesting places to stop and eat or sightsee just off the trail along the way. Most of the time, though, bikers will have the trail to themselves.
Ohiopyle State Park, which you'll encounter on the ride, includes a 14-mile long gorge that is up to 1,700 feet deep. There are good restaurants, souvenir & ice cream shops and plenty of sights to see 
here, as well as whitewater rafting and kayak trips on the river. You may want to consider a layover here to sample the local activities. Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural masterpiece, is about three miles from the park and worth a visit. There are museums along the Passage, and the communities you'll pass through offer a great taste of local festivities and family-friendly culture.
Much of the trail traces the abandoned right-of-way originally used by the Western Maryland Railway and follows the Youghiogheny River. This route offers some really wonderful views as it cuts through the rugged mountainous terrain of Pennsylvania's Allegheny Highlands. Along the way, you will encounter crystal clear mountain streams, a 1000 foot long trestle, numerous tunnels (including the monster 3,300 ft. Mount Savage Tunnel - take a flashlight), and some really great white water rapids.
Although there is elevation gain of about 1700 ft., by and large the trail is relatively level. But the land sometimes rises sharply from the river and travel to lodging in some places is via killer hills.
Organized tours and shuttle services both ways are available. Reviews and blogs abound, so check the forums and touring blogs.
Lake Champlain
Discover some of the finest cycling in North America along a 1,300+ mile network of bicycle routes known as Lake Champlain Bikeways, in the Lake Champlain Valley of Vermont, New York, 
and Québec (map). The network includes 35 loops and tours ranging from 10 to 60 miles in length, in addition to the Champlain Bikeway, a 363 mile principal route around the entire lake and along the Richelieu River to Chambly, Québec. These loops are titled by theme (e.g. Acres of Apples through apple orchards) and meander along quiet back roads through extraordinary mountain and countryside scenery. The routes are almost all on roadways, but the berms are wide and the locals are used to bicycle traffic. There are camping facilities 
available, and there are many fine inns and B&Bs along the way as well (be sure to get your reservations well in advance). Maps and publications, most downloadable in PDF, are available from the Champain Bikeways site. Here's a trailfinder to help you sort through the many beautiful routes.
The feature ride, of course, is the 363 mile lake circuit (review of the ride). The Lake Champlain Bikeway has all the ingredients of a premiere bicycle touring destination: quiet roads, picturesque villages, breathtaking scenery, country stores, historic sites, scenic ferry rides, the Green Mountains of Vermont and the 
Richelieu Valley of Quebec. Heading north from Burlington, the route takes bikers west across a spectacular causeway through the Champlain Islands before hitting the mainland again in Canada. The route includes a pleasant one hour ferry trip from Burlington to Port Kent (or vice-versa, depending on which way you're riding).
Plattsburg, the largest city on the New York shore, is a fairly industrial looking community, but a bike trail through town keeps you mostly away from traffic. Burlington, of course, is one of America's great towns, with lots of attractions - it's worth a day or two as a side visit. It also has a great network of bike paths throughout the city - be sure to explore them.
There is also a great short version of the ride covering the northern portion of the lake, taking in Plattsburgh and Rouses Point, NY, Burlington and North Hero, VT and dipping into St. Jean sur Richelieu, Quebec. As usual, commercial tours are available from a number of organizers.
Finger Lakes
New York's Finger Lakes region (map) has long been a popular tourist destination, and bikers will find it as delightful as everyone else does. Eleven long finger-shaped lakes with eleven state parks on their shores are the area's dominant attraction; six of the lakes feature natural gorges with waterfalls. The Finger Lakes bicycle routes are nearly all on well paved roadways but offer significant hills (and significant traffic if you get caught on one of the main roads). While the area offers great and sometimes spectacular natural vistas, it is far from being wilderness - it's thoroughly civilized, if not thoroughly commercial.
The area is filled with quaint antique shops, comfortable restaurants and old-time bakeries, surprisingly good wineries, terrific natural scenery 
and pleasant small towns - it doesn't have the edge and hustle of a typical tourist destination. It feels more authentic. Even the cities are genteel and pleasantly worn, moving at a slower pace than the world around them. Fairs, concerts, art exhibits, wine tours and other events take place throughout the area all season long. There are Museums and theatres, and Ithaca is home to Cornell University. At Watkins Glen you'll find the legendary NASCAR track; and if you're in the area don't miss the spectacular gorge at Watkins Glen State Park!
One great open Finger Lakes ride is the Bon Ton Roulet, which lasts a week and offers riders several route options. Check out the 2009 route map from this event - you could do a lot worse than using the route of this popular ride as the basis for your own tour. There are many good routes in the region, depending on how long you want to tour and which parts of the area you want to cover.
A bicycle tour in the Finger Lakes region isn't about logging miles - it's about stopping to smell the roses. Leave plenty of time off the bike to explore this interesting area.
Pine Creek Rail Trail
The Pine Creek Gorge in Pennsylvania is located in north central Pennsylvania (map) and has been nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.” The 50 mile long gorge was scoured into the landscape by the flow of Pine Creek over the past 350 million years. Now surrounded by nearly a million acres of Pennsylvania state forest and parkland, the gorge plummets 427 meters from the rim to its deepest point, exposing rock from the Paleozoic. Pine Creek itself is 82 miles of spring-fed, trout-laden water, the largest tributary of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. Part of the valley has been designated a 
National Natural Landmark and Pennsylvania Scenic River.
The Pine Creek Rail Trail stretches for 64 miles from Wellesboro in Tioga County south to Jersey Shore in Lycoming County, winding past dramatic rock outcrops and waterfalls. Hiking and biking along the Pine Creek Rail Trail provides many opportunities for sightseeing, and you might spot bald or golden eagles, ospreys, coyote, deer, or river otters. A 2001 article in USA Today named the Pine Creek Rail Trail one of “10 great places to take a bike tour” in the world. 
The trail passes through Leonard Harrison State Park, and Colton Point State Park, both of which which offer primitive camping near the rim of the canyon. Split-rail fencing and deciduous trees line the trail as it passes country roads or private cabins, and nearly every village has a vendor to supply snacks and drinks along the way. The trail’s crushed limestone surface is compact and smooth and does not require a mountain bike, but speeds will be slower than on roads. There is a very slight uphill grade from south to north, but since it's a former railroad bed, the grade is hardly noticeable.
A good itinerary would be to start at Williamsport (since that's where most of the hotels and B&Bs are), riding on surface roads to the trailhead at Jersey Shore, then ride north on the trail to Cedar Run for camping (although the Cedar Run Inn is nice and there are many other camping options along the trail - permit required). The next day ride north to Ansonia and bike east along Route 6 into the quaint town of Wellesboro for the next nightly stop, where you can find pleasant accomodations. Reverse course and do it again. If you don't want to ride both ways, Pine Creek Outfitters offers a shuttle service back to your car. Here are some blogs and reviews, and here's an account of the editor's trip up and back the Pine River Gorge on the Touring Blog.
Erie Canal
The historic Erie Canal (map) has been designated a National Heritage Corridor, and for good reason. In 1825 it was called the "Eighth Wonder of the World," a man-made waterway that stretched into the western 
wilderness to touch the Great Lakes. The bicycle route follows the towpath from Buffalo to Albany, along sections of the original Erie Canal and the "canalized" Seneca and Mohawk Rivers through historic villages, rural pastures, old locks and abandoned aqueducts. Today, the Erie Canal and the villages along it are being rediscovered as a unique and easily accessible corridor with a rich role in the history of colonial America, the American revolution, commerce, and women's rights. Today, the canal is one of the midwest's top destination routes for cyclists.
The trail (map) begins at Buffalo at the westerm terminus and winds through Medina, Pittsford, Rochester, Waterloo/Seneca Falls, Syracuse, Rome, Canajoharie, Schenectady, Utica, Amsterdam and many more towns and 
villages before ending in Albany. You can access the trail from any of the communities on the route, and there are civilized amenities in all these locations (separated occasionally by long stretches of countryside with no services).
There is at least one excellent guidebook on the trail available, and you'll probably want something like this, because the route is complex. It is made up of several segments of canal bikeway and sometimes there are two segments running along side each other (or perhaps across the canal from each other). Some segments are paved and others are gravel requiring MTB tires. Other stretches yet are crushed stone. In total, about half the 400 mile trail is on asphalt or crushed stone bikeways, with the other half on public roadways with good 
shoulders. There are long stretches with no services except camping, and some of these campsites don't have water.
E.F. Patterson has logged maps of six days of riding from Buffalo to Syracuse on the Bikely site, but without comments, so there's no description of the trail conditions or amenities on his route. I suggest you also search the forums, touring blogs and touring sites for trip journals and reviews of the trail. Since the trail is so popular with 
cyclists, there are many good blogs and reviews of the trail. While doing the entire Erie Canal can be the trip of a lifetime, it will require some serious research to do it right.
Every year Parks & Trails NY sponsors an open group ride on the canal, and many participants publish their experiences on-line. There many opportunities for private organized tours, as well, although the ride is fairly easy and relatively flat, and most bikers should be able to do at least selected sections of the trail on their own.
Michigan's North Central State Trail
The North Central State Trail travels what was once the northernmost segment of the Michigan Central Railroad (map). Running 62 miles northward from Gaylord through Cheboygan to Mackinaw City, the trail offers the best of outdoor northern Michigan: pine forests, rippling waterways, open pastures and lakeshore. 
You're also likely to see plenty of wildlife, including elk.
And at the end of the trail lie the straits of Mackinac and a 20 minute ferry trip to the beautiful Mackinac Island, which Conde Nast Traveller calls "one of the top 10 islands in the world." Amenities, including restaurants, groceries, hotels and campgrounds, are available at several small communities along the way: Vanderbilt, Wolverine, Indian River, Topinabee and Cheboygan.
There are some significant long grades, but the consistant crushed stone surface and availability of amenities along the way makes this an easy to moderate ride.
An excellent plan is to park in Gaylord and ride north on the t
rail to Indian River, where you can find good restaurants and accommodations, including a variety of hotels or camping at Burt Lake State Park. The 
second day ride north along Mullett Lake (Michigan's fifth largest lake) to Cheboygan for lunch. A potential side trip here is a ferry ride to Bois Blanc Island where you can find good biking on lightly traveled roads. From Cheboygan, ride along the lake shore to Mackinaw City, passing through Mill Creek State Park. When you arrive in Mackinaw City, take the Ferry to Mackinac Island (check the schedule before you go - it varies with the time of year). Spend the night and the next day on the island. An alternative is to spend the night in Mackinaw City, which has become a tourist destination in its own right.
Mackinac Island is off limits to cars - horse-drawn vehicles and bicycles only - so you'll feel right at home on your bike. Although the hotels are a bit pricey, they are in the grande style, and an experience to remember. B&Bs are also available for the more budget minded. The island offers lots of places to ride (including Mackinac Island State Park) and lots of civilized activities, so a day spent here could be a very full one.
The next morning reverse course and ride back toward Gaylord, varying your stops from the ride north. This trail is only two years old, so the testimonials are a bit thin, but the Rails to Trails review of the trail itself is excellent.
