UTAH... A True Touring Club ! ! !

[miles2go]

This is the first club of it's kind.  Totally focused on self-supported touring, with our annual event being a big, *bike camping social!!*  Y'all come on out!

The Utah Bicycle Touring Society.   
(Link removed as I've moved on and the club I founded continues with the BBTC)

Cheers,

[MTNGator]

I just tried the link to the club's Website and it doesn't appear to be active/correct anymore - just wanted to see how someone made a succesful stab at starting a "touring" bicycle club - maybe they didn't make it!

Several years ago I looked into joining a club that actually had the word "touring" in its name. However, reading the club description/ride schedule I soon found out that all they were interested in were "crits" and other races, pacelines, 18 mph average time rides and the like.

Does a true Touring Club actually exist or are we destined to travel solo?

[miles2go]

Hi MTN Gator,

I'm the creator of the Utah Bicycle Touring Society.

The UBTS did "make it" but every organization takes committed and inspired people to keep things going.  When I retired and left the state of Utah, members took the path of least resistance and pulled the UBTS under the big bicycle club in Salt Lake City.  Ironically, the organization that the UBTS events were brought into had "touring" in the name but they did no self-sufficient touring.  The club focused mostly on short day rides. 

The main events that I created for the UBTS still happen at least once a year, in the same place that they began.  However, I was the sole effort behind the website and since the Society melded in with another organization, the site was no longer valid.

The UBTS inspired many people to find adventure out on the road.

[MTNGator]

Thanks for the reply - thanks for your efforts. Regards - Ed

[vermontgal]

There's a reprise of the Utah Bicycle Touring Society -- in the form of a meet-up group that does both bikepacking and bicycle touring. 

http://www.meetup.com/SLC-Bicycle-Touring-and-Bikepacking/

I moved to Utah in 2009, and, as I've heard it, the ongoing event of the Utah Bicycle Touring Society is a bicycle touring rendezvous normally held each June but sometimes with an August addition.  I've been to this event 3 times myself (2010, 2011, 2012).  With permission from the organizers, we are cross-posting this event to our Meet-Up group.

Our bike touring Meet-Up group has a couple organizers who are seeking to provide at least 1 bike overnight a month between March and November.  We may extend into the winter months but only if we have a cabin or yurt to stay in (something with heat!).  Most of our trips are camping (fully-loaded touring).  So far we have been doing more bikepacking than road touring, but we are interested in both. I've been road touring personally for over 10 years; bikepacking is new within the last year.

Please do look us up and join us if you are interested in bicycle touring or bikepacking in Utah!

Becka

[miles2go]

Glad to hear that the torch for self-sufficient touring is still being carried in Utah, Becka.