Harvey Botzman, author
Writing the tour guides
or how the guides are written
Photograph by Ferguson & Katzman, St. Louis MO for the USPS
In the Office
If you are touring the Great Lakes, Erie Canal and New York State's Finger Lakes during a
major bicycle ride or bicycle race then you are in for a treat. Sipping locally made wine,
cheese and bread as you wait for and watch the cyclists pass your view is the essence of
this scenic area's ambiance.
Harvey Botzman, Author, March, 2007.
In March, 2007, Harvey was
elected to be a member of the New York Bicycling Coalition Board of Directors. The
Coalition is the primary bicycling advocacy organization in New York State.
From June through October, 2003 Harvey Botzman and Cyclotour Guide
Books were featured on posters in the every United States Post Office. It was a great
honor being chosen as a winner of the United States Postal Service's Real People, Real
Success contest for small businesses.
Harvey wrote a 125 word essay based on the topic, How does the
Postal Service help your business? In an interview with Neil Sandler of Spokes
Magazine, Harvey stated, It is much more difficult writing a concise 125 word
essay on a topic than writing an entire book!
There were 21 winners out of 10,000 entries. Contestants had to submit
proof that they used the Postal Service product they wrote about. Since Cyclotour Guide
Books' preferred method of sending its products is by USPS Priority Mail and Global
Priority Mail it was easy to think about how efficient and cost effective the Postal
Service is for small businesses.
Harvey and Cyclotour Guide Books thanks the men and women of the United
States Postal Service for the cheerful and excellent service they have rendered to us over
the past 10 years.
Harvey’s cyclotours
include traveling southward on the Pacific coast bicycle route from Vancouver, BC to
Oakland, CA; along the Atlantic coast from Wilmington, DE to Fort Lauderdale, FL; across
the tip of Florida through Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Swamp; from
Rochester, NY to Chicago, IL via Sault Ste. Marie; ‘round Lake Ontario; ‘round
Lake Erie; ‘round Lake Michigan; ‘round Lake Huron; 'round Lake Superior; the 11
Finger Lakes of New York State; the entire New York State Canal System from Niagara Falls
(Tonawanda), NY to Lake Champlain; and parts of Québec’s Chambly Canal from Lake
Champlain to Montréal, QC.
You can use Harvey’s tour guides whether you bicycle tour with a
tiny load (some clothing, snacks and a credit card); a partial load (staying in commercial
lodging; a full load (camping); or are a motorist. Harvey usually cyclotours fully
loaded with camping gear.
Both motorists and bicyclists appreciate the complete listings of
b&bs, campgrounds, information sources and attractions along the described route.
Bicyclist’s particularly like the mile by mile (km. by km.) route descriptions in
both directions.
Mr. Botzman has presented workshops on bicycle touring at the League of
American Bicyclists’ GEAR bike rallies. Each rally is attended by approximately
1200 bicyclists. He has been a presenter and panelist on bicycle tourism at New York
State Department of Transportation and hospitality industry conferences.
As a bicyclist interested in improving roadway and trail conditions,
Harvey is Cyclotour Guide Books official representative on the Bicycle-Pedestrian
Advisory Committee of the Genesee Transportation Council. The Council is the local
Metropolitan [Transportation] Planning Organization which administers Federal Highway
Administration funds in a nine county area of New York State.
Harvey is an active member of the Rochester Bicycling Club. In
past years he served as on this 600 member bicycle club's Board of Directors; as publicity
chairperson; and as Bike Week chairperson.
That picture at the top of the page? It is Harvey and it was
taken in February, 2003.
Oh, yes! Harvey does have a car and he uses it often.
Scroll down to find out how the Tour Guides are written.
Click here: Great Lakes or New York State to read descriptions of the acclaimed bicycle tour
guides written by Harvey.
Click here: Featured Biking Areas to view maps
and text from different Cyclotour Guides written by Harvey.
Click here: Files & Information to
download How to Box a Bicycle for Public Transportation, Adventure From The
Bronx, Share the Road Campaign, and other articles for your bike club,
outdoors club or company newsletter.
How Each Tour Guide is
Written
After a preliminary route is determined, Harvey bicycles the
entire route before setting pen to paper. Along the way he checks each
mile/kilometer; scrutinizes the road/bikeway surface conditions; collects brochures and
data on information sources, attractions, facilities, bike shops, and lodging (b&bs,
campgrounds). All this information is then sorted and compiled for inclusion in the
Tour Guides’ text.
A refined route is plotted and the miles/kilometers accurately
figured. Logical stopping points, approximately 50 mi. (80 km.) apart are
determined. A second tour via bicycle is conducted following the revised route.
Side trips are explored and their routes configured.
A third, bicycle/automobile trip is used to confirm the route.
Each Spring, a bicycle/automobile trip is made along the routes which
have been published. If significant route changes mysteriously appear then they
are posted on this web site.
Click here: Great Lakes or New York State to read
descriptions of the acclaimed bicycle
tour guides written by Harvey.
Click here: Order Form to
order Tour Guides.
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