Disaster on the highway as Tom is hit by a huge dump truck on French Mountain. Flat, smooth pavement with a tail wind and the perfect temperature riding up the west coastline of Newfoundland. The kindness of Canadians. Fresh fish for dinner. A fifteen kilometer hike up, over and around rugged Gross Morn. Cue sheets that could be improved, though not everyone got lost. Lots of climbs. Kayaking the East Arm of Bonne Bay. Air Cannot delays, indifference, and lost luggage. A deluxe ferry ride. Great folks to ride with.

This trip I learned to ask these questions before I book:

Did the tour operator:

1. Ask the rider to bring: bike computer (to be able to follow cue sheets), bike rear light (many of the roads might be busy or narrow), his own road maps ( some cue sheet maps are no help ), and rain gear (it will rain at some point).
2. Provide ride profiles or links to MapMyRide maps of the climbs so the riders will know the level of difficulty and be able to know where they will need to ride in the van.
3. Check the construction schedule for the week of the tour to see if a significant part of the route is under construction. If it is, drop that week or let the customers know. They will then be able to reschedule or ask for a trail bike.

Do the cue sheets:

1. Have road names to the intersections?
2. Show only one turn or instruction per line?
3. Use hard to read colors?
4. Show the distance between turns or instructions?
5. Give directions by the number of single lane bridges or other landmarks we pass? (Was that a single or double lane bridge? When was I supposed to start counting the single land bridges? Was that a big church or an average size church?)
6. Provide or make available good road maps?