The Wheel Deal (NAPSA)—Biking vacations, long popular with Europeans, are starting to take off in the U.S., capitalizing on the miles of dedicated trails developed in thelast 30 years. This spring and summer, hotels in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, are offering special packages for cyclists who come to enjoy the more than 150 miles of dedicated off-road trails crisscrossing Philadelphia’s countryside. The hotel packages include regional bike maps, biking accessories, and a late Sunday checkout, so they can enjoy a Sunday morning ride and shower before departing. The Valley Forge area offers a wide range of experiences for cyclists, whether they are beginners, weekend cyclists, mountain bikers, or professional racers. Depending on their interests and skill levels, cyclists can take packaged tours, join an organized ride, or set off on their own to discover the region. There are 15 miles of paved trails within Valley Forge National Historical Park, which link to trails leading through the countryside and down to Philadelphia. Heading north from Valley Forge, the 19-mile Perkiomen Trail wends its way through parks and woodlands out to the 3,400-acre Green Lane Park, which also offers trails for mountain bikers’ enjoyment. The 22-mile Schuylkill River Trail runs along the river from Valley Forge through Conshohocken, Manayunk and on down Cycle through history ona Valley Forge vacation. to Philadelphia’s Kelly Drive, Boat House Row andthe Philadelphia Museum ofArt. Amateur cyclists and history buffs alike will enjoy the second annual Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau Bell to Bell Bike Ride, presented by Wachovia Bank on May 29, 2005, celebrat- ing the 85th anniversary of the 19th amendment and women’s right to vote. Participants ride 22 miles from Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell to the Women’s Justice Bell in Valley Forge National Historical Park. The route leads up the picturesque Benjamin Franklin Parkway past the Philadelphia Museum ofArt, along Kelly Drive, through Manayunk and onto the Schuylkill River Trail, out to Valley Forge. Weekend bike rentals are available. For more details, lodging, and links to trails, bike clubs and organized rides in the region, log on to: www.valleyforge.org/bike or call 1866-VF-VISIT.
