Pete’s Pick: Open Your Home to Cyclists

Last fall, fellow cyclist Rob Issem turned me on to www.warmshowers.org, which is a free worldwide hospitality exchange for touring cyclists. Now that my family is taking part, I have to say it’s pretty worthwhile. Through the program, you open your home to people who are doing some pretty amazing things on a bicycle and just need a warm shower and place to spend the night.

We chose to list our home because I wanted my kids to be exposed to cool people doing worldly things. I wanted them to meet people and hear stories of their adventures. I want my kids to know there is a whole big awesome world out there just waiting for them to explore and opening our home for a night or two is an easy way for them to get a taste.

Two weeks ago we hosted Charles and Denise, a Montreal couple who has spent the last 23 months (yes, you read that correctly) bicycle touring through South, Central, and North America. Visit their blog and translate it to English (unless you speak French) to read about their adventures. They were biking the Blue Ridge Parkway on the final leg of their journey home. We enjoyed two evenings of food and drink with them, each night listening to stories of their travels. And last week we hosted Logan, who just graduated from Old Dominion and was biking from Boone, NC to Pittsburgh, PA before starting graduate school.

The beauty of Warm Showers is that you can choose to open your home when it is convenient for you. You don’t always have to say yes to a request. But there is demand for housing and I encourage you to sign up. I’ve received eight requests in the past three weeks … I guess it’s that time of year.

Make it a great weekend … outside!

— Pete