friday, february 17, 1978
travel supplement
page5
Long.d
By Paula Dittrjck
"It's partly a sport. It's partly a mode of
transportation," said Tim Fickenscher. He
was describing long distance bicycling.
"Not everyone is going to enjoy it," he
siid. The person who doesn't enjoy cycling
but tries taking a vacation that way will
probably find himself miserable, he
warned.
Fickenscher, a senior, and Carrol Wind
rum, a UNL alumna, spent June and July
of 1976 cycling in Europe. As art majors,
their course ran from museum to museum
while they pedaled across England, France,
Germany and Switzerland.
Describing those months as a "fantastic
time," Fickenscher said, "It was probably
the only time when I didn't know what I
was going to do the next day."
Although each day's activities were
planned before leaving, Fickenscher said;
the schedule was soon abandoned. Wind,
rain and road conditions gauged the bicy
lists' pace.
Fickenscher recommended that people
should be in shape and should be accus
tomed to their bike before attempting such
a trip in Europe. '
He suggested individuals who would
like to take a planned tour with a group
seek information about the American
Youth Hostel.
However, he said, if a person wants to
travel at their own pace and plot their own
course, they should plan their own trip.
He claimed his trip became more enjoy
able after he quit worrying about traveling
a certain distance each day. He said he got
a different perspective of the sights and the
people than many tourists see.
The pair traveled country roads and
through smaller towns as much as possible.
"On a bike it doesn't make sense to go
into a large, city," Fickenscher said. "It's
amazing we came out of Paris alive.Tf
istahce bicyclist pedalled way acrdSs
Europe
He said that if he bicycles in Europe
again he will store his bike in a small town
flowers on each of the bikes in accordance
outside a large city and .take a train into a plant.
iSE; u . i:L.; W.;;; ' ' bikes made them appear less like
rr"6 " ? uwsiyw, ricKenscner said tourists and heoed them meet oeooe.
the bicyclist is always aware of his bike.
The biggest travel problem is shifting be
tween modes of transportation. He said he
lost his bike for awhile wrjen he left a train
and got onto a ferry while the bike stayed
on the train.
Bikes also are vulnerable because "the4
only thing keeping people out of your
.bags is a zipper," he noted. Although he
said only a walking cane was stolen off
their bikes he recalled glancing from a store
window and seeing a woman hunched over
the bikes.
Despite his suspicions, the woman was
giving and not taking. She had placed
said Fickenscher. They met few hostile
people. Only one person ever refused to let
them camp on his land and another once
questioned them so intensely that they de
cided to seek another campsite, he said.
- Fickenscher said he knew some French.
However, language differences posed few
problems as most people spoke English
He said people would become insulted
if they refused an offer to use someone's
bathroom or takeomejbod. Fickenscher
said their course included some commercial
campsites as well as youth hostels so they
would have access to a shower.
He said they carried an ice cream con
tainer o carry water, and use as a sink for
washing their clothes and hair: He said
they also stopped at laundromats and
, washed their tent and sleeping bags.
Another stop was the daily visit to the
markets. During the two months in Europe
the pair only ate out five or six times, ac
cording to Fickenscher, who said he and
Windrum tried to outdo one another
noting they never, ate without a tablecloth
and that they used cutgtass wine goblets
for every evening meal.
tie said tney tried to carry enough tood
for that day and always kept dried milk
aim soup aiung su uiey wuiuu nui ue
caught without anything to eat.
Biking is a cheap way to travel Europe,
according ito Fickenscher, who said he and
Windrum together spent about $2,500.
Cather stude
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By Paula Dittrick
;nt has wuriderlxist, M ghariistkri next on list
A sign which friends placed on his
Cather Residence Hall door advertises
"Everett Travel Agency Andre Everett
admits that he has some maps. Xs
"I collect them like anything,' he said,
adding that he is happy to help anyone
plan a trip anywhere; especially : a - bike
triP- --...-,
His bed hangs from the ceiling above
a shelf holding the file of maps and infor
mation brochures. Originally from Munich,
"wuncleriust (the Just for wandering lie
said he travels because !YouVe got to go.
With another glance toward the Afgh
anistan materials, Everett said theprimi-'
tive or underdeveloped countries where the
people are not overly cultured have the
noblest hearts In the whole world.; "
. Qaimingtechnology. shuts people off
s from one another, Everett . said he' has
heard that people in underdeveloped re-"
gions fight to have the. traveler stay in their ,.
house. " , ' ' ' ' - - - j
crude illustrations can bridge any language
gap. "
; .If sCwieone can't understand you it's
because they don't. want to understand
you " Everett said. 1
; Obstacles such as a foreign language -or
money shortage make a trip more inter- '
"esting, he added.
. Everett plans to take a world tour five
or six years after graduation. The trip he
envisions will cost about $ 1 500 a year
and take between seven! to 10 years, he
Urniany he said he can help the Wanning 'h v .- He. contrasted this with the experience. - nMn!at'i
traveler plot routes across ; the United rKe had bicycling ; in 'Kentucky ' where ' : .T -. " , .. -M1 x . .
States, Europe, Africa and even Afghan- - beer cans were thrown at him. . - otmS he Probably wul not , have the
istan. X -;--' , - -ffirt he Emitted he has met friendlv v Paiienc l0. wail unm ne nas.enouga
"That's the one I plan to go to next'V ; people on these same trips. Everett has "P0",0 cmJvL exVe
he said with a glance toward a pamphlet .Xbikedin 20 different countries and pedaled said he will leave with 5300. .
of Afghanistan. X - x, about2100 miles. , ' "If youVe got $25,000 in your back'
He claims he travels to see both sights X . -, Although he speaks English, French and . pocket it's less interesting than if you've .
and to meet peopled Attributing it to . German, Everett said sign language and got 25 cents," he said with a smile.
Everett said he hopes to work along the
way during this world trip and to get to
know the people better by working for
them.- :- - ' . " ;
: He said he once took time from a tour
in Norway to wash shrimp cases.
"I worked 23 hours and made $100.",
: Everett said American bicyclists have,
more, expensive, more streamlined equip
ment than most European travelers. He
said his own bike is "falling apart but it's
still going,"
If everything breaks and the bike keeps
going then you didn't need all that stuff'
he said. His own bike is a combination of :
American, German, Italian and Japanese
parts as well as some string- and tape he
admitted. " -
- Monday afternoon that bike stood in
the bike racks under Cather Residence IhH
still. wet from Everett's trip downtown.-'
Where do you plan to
go this spring
and summer?
Let Lincoln Tour & Travel -plan a cJorious
vacation just for you! They will provide
you with compltta information about
things to do around tha world, without
charging a service fea . Stop by or cz.ll
today. Your fli;!Tt can h confirmed ,
immediately nd tha only thinj you ' .
nsed to do is pack your b;!
ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS
AREV.'ELCC.VZ!
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