“Screw it! I’m going to have to call out sick for my trip, so I can go on my bike trip,” I muttered to myself as I walked to my crash pad at 9:30 pm. It was May 12, 2021, and no flight attendant was taking the bait. No one was interested in picking up my trip on the 15th because: a) I didn’t have serious money on it (trips were being sold for $300-$450); b) the company was offering VJA (time and a half); and c) I was on a budget a.k.a I was broke, which meant I couldn’t compete with what other flight attendants and the company were offering. My bike tour with Pocono Biking was scheduled for May 16-20, and I paid a handsome sum of $1,166.37 for my share. Whatever money remained was for the trip itself.
I first visited Jim Thorpe in the Pocono Mountains in October 2017. I can’t recall how that day trip came about, but a friend and I decided to drive to Jim Thorpe and bike for the day. We rented bicycles at Pocono Biking, and I must have given them all my information because I started receiving their brochures in the mail once a year after that. Signing up for a bike tour with the company was out of the question in 2018 and unfeasible in the two years that followed, so I was excited to see their brochure in the mail in late February 2021.
Bike tours have been on my radar since 2013 when a co-worker shared photos of his European bike trip with his family. They have biked across several European countries. I’ve heard great things about bike tours: it’s a great way to enjoy small towns and experience local cultures, to meet new people; though you’re traveling with a group, you’re left to ride at your own pace. I’ve traveled alone, but I thought a trip like this would be better done with a plus one.
It was only natural for me to contact my friend, James, who is a biking and hiking aficionado; he has biked through upstate New York and biked through Ancey, Chamonix and Marseille in France in 2019. His experience and insights were valuable, and I wanted to see if he’d be interested in joining me.
For what you get at Pocono Biking, the price is unbeatable. Lodging, snacks, and bikes are included (you are allowed to use your own bike, for which you’re not charged). There are two-three guides riding on the trail in case you get lost or get a flat tire. The guides take care of transporting your luggage to/from locations (my diva concern back when I first heard of bike tours). And you’re shuttled to the starting point and back to Pocono Biking headquarters at the end. There is no other option but to drive to Jim Thorpe, so you’ll have to leave your car stationed at headquarters for the entirety of your trip.
With details and exact cost confirmed, and James’s thumbs-up, we booked our trip on March 25 for May 17-20. By the time we booked, there were only three dates available out of the eight advertised, with limited spots left for each date. The biking tours with Pocono Biking sell out quickly (I checked their availability for 2022. All sold out).
Note to future self: If interested in a bike tour, book the trip the minute you see the brochure in the mailbox. Don’t wait to get into your apartment. Don’t even think about waiting a month. Right there, in front of your mailbox, pick a date and call the company to book a tour.
I kid, I kid. Maybe not. Not really. I really want to do the bike tour in September. Unfortunately, both dates in September were sold out by the time we booked our dates. Not waiting a month to book something you really want is good advice.
Prepping
“Hello, Scheduling. I’m calling out sick for my trip on the 15th.” I called at 7:40 am on May 14. I had no choice. There was no way I was increasing the amount of money (a measly $150) I had on my trip and since the company didn’t make it easy for me to trade my trip on the 15th for a trip on a different date, I was left with no other option but to call out sick. We can debate the morality of my actions in a separate post, but I wasn’t the only flight attendant using sick days as personal days (a personal motto adopted from Salma Hayek’s character in the movie The Faculty). If it’s any consolation to the moral police, I accrued 1.5 points for my misdeed.
“Feel better.”
“I sure will. I mean, thank you. Enjoy your day.” I spent the better part of the day packing for my bike trip. Time and experience have eased the pain of packing. Gone are the days when I stuffed half my closet into a suitcase I would have to sit on top of to close, slowly pulling the slider of the zipper to ensure the teeth of the chain clicked in place. Now, I pack half of the original half of my closet and sit atop my suitcase for comedic effect.
For this trip, however, I’m not packing a suitcase but my beloved Deuter Aircontact 70+10 SL Women’s Backpack that I purchased at REI in 2016. There’s no sitting on that bad boy, a more appropriate move is a full-body bear hug as your hands and arms tug on the top cover so the buckles snap into place. I’m not speaking from experience. I’ve progressed to half of half, remember?
Because it’s only a four-day bike trip, I packed for six days. It doesn’t sound like progress, but I assure you it is. Most of the clothes I packed are workout apparel, which means they’re light. My backpack didn’t fight back as I zipped up every zipper and snapped shut every buckle.
I packed five-six t-shirts and tops, two long sleeve jackets, a sweater and a scarf, a pair of Eddie Bauer First Ascent pants (great for outdoor activities because they soak in water but stay dry) and a pair of jeans, a pair of sneakers, a nice pair of shoes and my hotel slippers; and a few brassieres and sports bras and twelve pairs of underwear. For a very long time, I thought I was the only woman who doubled up on underwear. I’m not alone. Crazy but not alone.
It sounds like a lot for a short trip, but I still operate under the rule that I need options and clean clothes because I’m not wasting a second doing laundry while on vacation. Vacation time is sacred. Where I progressed is the bottom half of my body; I’ll wear the same pair of jeans three-four consecutive days with different tops.
I felt comfortable with what I packed, toiletries and all, so I didn’t pull my usual unpack-change-contents-pack-repeat routine of years’ past.
Let’s Go
James and I decided to drive to Jim Thorpe the day prior to the start of the bike tour. We didn’t want to wake up at the crack of dawn, drive three hours to our destination, and then start a 36-mile bike ride on Day 1. Just reading that sounds exhausting. We decided to head out at 11:30 am on Sunday, May 16. It was smooth sailing through New York City and into New Jersey, reaching Murphy’s Loft on PA-115 just in time for lunch.
We pulled into a parking space in front of a log cabin. It really is an authentic log cabin, having originally housed a hunting lodge before being converted into a family-owned restaurant. As I readied my mask and walked across the covered patio to the main entrance, I touched the wood and looked around admiringly. I’m a city girl through and through so whenever I venture out to the country, I’m alert to my new surroundings. I “ooh and aah” loudly and quietly more than I should, an idiosyncrasy I don’t wish to shed.
We entered a dimly lit restaurant with the bar a few feet in front of us, plexiglass separators marking the required social distance for diners. About ten feet above the bar, hang two log beams stretching twenty-thirty feet across. Three television screens hang at the back and a deer mount keeps watch over employees and patrons alike. The dining area is spacious and outdoor seating is available, but we opted for two places at the bar.
The menu was limited given the circumstances, which we fully understood. I ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and Fish & Chips, and James ordered a sandwich and a beer. Our conversation revolved around the coming days, sharing our excitement at being out and about far from the city.
We didn’t linger long after we finished our meal. We paid, thanked the bartender, and continued to our final destination.
Nothing beats arriving at the historic town of Jim Thorpe via the North Street bridge. Yes, I oohed and aahed as the green mountains came into view. We drove across the bridge, a slow Lehigh River flowing below us. Yes, I oohed and aahed seeing that too. We made a left onto Lehigh Avenue at the light, driving a half mile down to Broadway, the town’s main thoroughfare, to find our hotel.
The Inn at Jim Thorpe is the lodging choice of the bike tour on Day 1, so we decided to book a room at the same hotel to keep things simple. Built in 1849, it’s the last remaining Victorian hotel in Jim Thorpe according to its website. Its façade is a beautiful red brick building with a porch on the first floor and a balcony on the second, both with beige balustrades and soft green beams, and dark brown balcony planters evenly spread out.
We parked close to the entrance and walked into the hotel to check in. The foyer is small with dark wooden door frames and floors. Along the walls hang photographs of local celebrities and one or two nationally recognized musicians. Half-carpeted stairs lead up to guestrooms, with the entrance to the hotel restaurant steps away to the right.
The reception desk is off to the left in a room with dark beige walls, a wainscot cap separating dark wood covering the bottom third of the wall. A pair of Victorian armchairs upholstered in red suede and a beautiful dark wood fireplace, with a mirror above its mantel, adorn one side. A cream-pattern upholstered sofa and a light flower-pattern upholstered single armchair adorn the opposite side, balancing the room.
The front desk agent checked us in for two nights after we informed her that we were staying a second night as part of the Pocono Biking tour. With room keys and parking permit in hand, we returned to the car to find a parking spot at the back of the hotel. There was no need to return to the front to get to our rooms because we entered through the back.
I was impressed with the building’s main façade and the lobby, so I was a bit disappointed to see the hallway leading to our room. It was lacking the same grandeur I experienced when I first walked into the hotel. Our room was even less impressive. It was old. The furniture was old. Not vintage old. Worn out old. The beds were made in a hurry, or so it seemed. Before we settled in, I performed my basic flight attendant pre-settling in duties. I never once checked for creepy people or creepy bugs before becoming a flight attendant. The things you learn!
I checked the bathroom and closet, and underneath the beds as a security measure; I checked the bed, underneath the mattress and pillows for bedbugs.
The room wasn’t to my liking, but it passed my test. It was clean and convenient for our purpose. We settled in, staking a claim for our preferred bed; I prefer sleeping away from the entrance. James took the bed of potential death due to its proximity to the entrance. To dark?
It was still early enough for an afternoon stroll. We headed north on Broadway, slipping in and out of shops. I purchased Chamomile tea at Habitual, a holistic wellness boutique located on the first floor of Kelly Suites on Broadway. The historic town of Jim Thorpe is small, so we headed back toward the Lehigh River, walking down Race Street to change things up.
We stopped at the Jim Thorpe Visitor Center to watch a vintage train pull in with its last cargo of passengers. One day I will take that train ride. After who knows how many Instagram-able photos of said train, we walked to the riverbank. I dipped my hands in the cold water, a habit I picked up on my first hike.
With nothing more to do except scout for a restaurant for dinner, we returned to our hotel. Through the front entrance, of course. Instead of returning to our rooms, we ventured onto the second-floor balcony. The coast was clear. We picked the wicker rocking chairs to our right, sitting back to admire the stunning view. Before us, a historic town with beautiful architecture and green mountains as a backdrop.
An hour or so passed when a couple stepped onto the balcony, choosing a pair of wicker rocking chairs at the opposite end. It was our cue to leave and find a place for dinner. We were not in the mood for a big meal, so we headed to the deli across the street.
It was a good day. We did the right thing by leaving the day before. I didn’t have any expectations for the trip. I didn’t research the towns we’d pass or the towns we’d overnight in, which is unusual for me. I can attribute that lack of effort to the trip being planned out for me. Did I really need to do extra work? Not this time.
My journal entry that night read, “Here’s to the start of a great experience tomorrow.”
(The trip will be broken up into different posts; otherwise, how else would I keep your attention? Stay tuned for Day 1 of my Pocono Biking trip!)
I want to do a bike tour!! This sounds like you had a great time!