So what do I get for my money? First, I get to make use of someone else's experience and knowledge of the roads in Ireland. I'm looking forward to beautiful scenery, lightly traveled roads, and accommodations in a Bed & Breakfast each night. Iron Donkey will provide maps, cue sheets, B&B accommodations, suggestions for interesting things to see, information on restaurants, an emergency contact number, and... The Iron Donkey web site describes the routes as "secluded minor country roads and lanes". That sounds good to me!
And how much does it cost? I think the cost of my tour is extremely reasonable. I have a tour that was customized to my needs, and I'll be riding on roads that I doubt I could find on my own. Of course I could do my own planning, but the roads I'd find would probably be more traveled than those Tony has chosen for me. And the price is very fair.
Looking back...
Could I do it for less? Yes - but for me (and in particular for me on this trip), the money was money well spent. My fee for the trip for 13 nights (including B&B, singles supplement, and 1 airport transport) was $1090, which comes out to $83 per day. A good chunk of the money went towards my accommodations, and the rest to the services that Iron Donkey provided. Done on my own, I think the money I spent for B&Bs would have varied a bit - I probably would have stayed in more expensive places in some towns, but to balance that out I may have stayed in hostels for a few nights too. All in all, I was happy with my choice - but the answer to the questions could I (or could you, if you're looking to do a low cost tour) do it for less is yes.
Supported? Not this time!
Iron Donkey offers the option of transporting luggage from point to point.
I chose not to use this option. Yes, the biking is easier. But I think that self-contained touring is a different experience than touring with someone carrying your bags. And no, I'm not trying to make it harder.
I started out in this touring world by doing supported tours. I discovered that I loved traveling by bike, but I discovered that I liked it even more when I experienced really being on my own. For some reason, a loaded bike (panniers or trailer, it doesn't seem to matter) provides an introduction to strangers, a reason for people to spend time talking with you. Although touring has taught me to be more open, and I tend to talk with more strangers than I did before I started this touring thing, I still feel that I meet more people when I'm traveling on a loaded bike.
And since part of the magic of touring for me is meeting people...
