Just Follow the Arrows
The unmistakable ExperiencePlus! chalk arrow is the primary tool for providing guided independence for all riders on Classic, Bike and Boat and Expedition tours. These arrows serve as a personal navigation beacon and are a feature that both first-time and returning ExperiencePlus! rider appreciate.
The arrows are easy to follow and they allow us to design incredibly complicated routes that free us from reliance on cue sheets and GPS. They help us keep you away from traffic and easily direct you to hidden gems along the way. Here’s what our travelers think of them:
“Your chalk arrows are the best idea in tour riding. I would never go on a tour that did not use them. You did a great job. One of the best 12 day vacations ever. Michael D., Boulder, CO”
“I have done over 20 cycling tours in Europe with 5 different touring companies …. they were all good, but this was one of the best …. the routes, the arrows so each could cycle at their own pace, and the guides were all excellent. Bill M., Paso Robles, CA”
“The arrows are wonderful! Bill W., Naples, FL”
“The chalk arrows are outstanding. My wife and I ride at different levels and the arrows allowed us to each ride at our own pace without the anxiety of getting lost. I think it makes the whole tour flow much better. Bill M., Ridgecrest, CA”
“The arrows…we love them. There is no substitute! We cannot imagine biking the routes we took and the roads we were on with any kind of written directions. It would take dozens of pages, we would have spent all our time looking at the maps and not the beautiful scenery… and we would never be sure we were on the right road = stress…just what we wanted to avoid. Jim B., Incline Village, NV”
ExperiencePlus! is very conscious of the impact our arrows may have on the communities we travel through and therefore we consider and train our tour leader to use the following guidelines:
- The material we use must not be permanent and must be 100% natural. We select gypsum chalk which has a neutral pH that isn’t harmful to the environment. Each arrow uses a very small amount of powdered chalk and is purposefully not mixed with water in order to lessen its durability.
- The principal goal of our arrows is to provide navigation. We want to use the number and quantity of arrows necessary to safely provide direction for our travelers but not so many that they appear intrusive.
- If we point out sights or suggested rest stops for our cyclists, we talk to vendors and partners to make sure they understand that a bucket of water on an arrow will wash it away.
- In historic city centers our tour leaders use as few arrows as possible. In some towns we refrain entirely from using them and instead provide city maps to enter and exit town to each of our riders.
- Tour Leaders often write encouraging messages to our cyclists on mountain passes just as people do in the classic cycling races throughout the world. However our chalk, unlike paint, will disappear under car traffic after a few days, or a week.
- In fact our arrows rarely last more than a week or two if they are in an area that receives some traffic. Under moderate traffic they typically disappear after a few days.
- We don’t use colored chalk to avoid coloring agents.