You see them out there, seemingly in the middle of nowhere: a person riding a bicycle, miles from the nearest town.

Sometimes their bike is loaded to the gills using bicycle packs, called panniers, and they're moving along at a snail's pace. Others take a lighter approach and carry only a few items in a bag under their bike seat or tuck a few necessities into the many back pockets of the jerseys they wear.

If you don't cycle, you likely consider such travelers as somewhat addle-brained, if not downright insane. "They call that a vacation?" you ask.

If you're a cyclist, your response is more likely one of envy. "I sure wish that were me," you might say to yourself.

If your reaction is somewhere in between, maybe taking a trip atop a bicycle is something you'd consider, although it's not a mode you've ever tried in the past. "Could I do it? Would it be any fun?" you wonder.

Bicycle vacations come in a variety of modes; some are more suited to the beginner than others. Fitness levels, time available, preferred daily mileage and monetary levels are all considerations when picking the best bicycle vacation for you. Would you want to go solo, with a small group, or tackle the hills surrounded by herds of fellow cyclists? All options are out there.

There's the self-contained and self-directed tour where cyclists carry all they need including camping gear, and head down the road on their own or with a small group. Travel tends to be slow but the sense of freedom, especially if traveling alone, is hard to beat.

In Wyoming, self-contained riders are especially common along the highway from Yellowstone southeast through Dubois, Lander, Rawlins and Saratoga. That's the Transamerica bicycle route, first developed by the Montana-based Adventure Cycling Association. The route extends across the country from coast to coast and special cyclist-oriented maps are available through the ACA.

If hauling all that weight isn't your idea of a good time, the fully-supported bicycle tour may be more to your liking. Cheyenne resident John Hartman, along with his wife Marta, tried their first supported bike tour about 11 years ago and have been hooked ever since.

"You see a lot more and experience places so much more in depth when you travel via bicycle," Hartman said. "You feel more a part of the experience compared to traveling by car."

Hartman is a member of the Tour de Wyoming planning committee and pedals the miles in that event each July. The Tour de Wyoming caps its number at 330 riders for the six day ride.

"The route changes each year so there's always something new to see," Hartman said.

This year's Wyoming ride started and ended in Moorcroft and followed a loop through the Black Hills region, with nearly daily views of Devils Tower.

Riders experienced Mother Nature at her best - and worst. There was triple digit heat, a flash flood, severe wind and hail, and 20 mph headwinds.

It wasn't all misery, though.

There were also stunning sunrises and sunsets, a morning with a 15 mph tailwind and enough challenging uphills to make the downhills a real treat.

The route had stunning scenery, live evening entertainment, and the chance to meet similarly-minded riders from across the nation.

There was also plenty of opportunity to sample Wyoming cuisine.

One participant's T-shirt proclaimed a common sentiment: "Will Bike for Food."

Cycling generates a considerable appetite.

This year, civic groups along the tour route came out in force to provide meals for the hungry riders.

As with most supported tours, the Tour de Wyoming provided rest stops, complete with water, energy drink and food to keep the riders well fueled and hydrated as they pedal down the road each day.

Daily mileages ranged from a short 32 miles on the final day, to an optional and very hilly 100 miles on Day 5.

In the world of bike tours, the Tour de Wyoming is on the small side.

If you fancy riding with a few more people, try the ride across Iowa, Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (better known as RAGBRAI), that attracts over 10,000 riders or Ride the Rockies in Colorado with over 2,000 riders.

If you prefer a more made-to-order ride, Hartman suggests getting some friends together to plan your own route.

He does that every summer with about a dozen friends.

"We usually pick a route in either Colorado or Wyoming and plan it ourselves," Hartman said. "We typically have two vehicles and stay in motels along the way."

A couple years ago the Hartman's ventured to Italy for two weeks using a commercial tour outfit.

"We had a really good experience with that and might do it again down the road," Hartman said.

For that ride, the "posh scale" was on the mid to high side, so the group stayed in nice hotels and had much of the food included.

Commercial tours run the gamut from very posh to a more rustic experience.

There are even those that just give you a map and tell you where to be by the end of the day; how you get there is pretty much on your own.

Motorists in Italy were especially accommodating to bicyclists.

"The cars were very careful around us," Hartman said. "Even semis and trucks seemed to not mind if they had to wait to get around us. It was a huge contrast to how drivers in the U.S. treat cyclists."

In his travels Hartman said he's learned that the first impression of a town is not always any indication of what it's like.

He recalled coming into a small Colorado town.

"It looked pretty run down and there wasn't a lot of activity," Hartman said. "We asked someone where we might do a little swimming and they directed us to the nearby river. When we got there, we joined a bunch of local kids at the best swimming hole I've ever experienced. The kids got to showing off as they dove off the cliff and we, of course, tried to do the same. It turned into one of the most enjoyable little towns we ever visited."

During one trip, the Hartman group bumped into a couple from Holland who were traveling across the U.S. via self-contained bicycle.

The couple frequently e-mailed home to let family know they were doing fine.

"Their kids thought of the U.S. as a lawless country with nothing but violence and thugs - based on what they saw in movies," Hartman said. "They had to let family know they were alive and hadn't been robbed or killed."

The Holland couple started out with a lot of gear when they took off from the East Coast.

"Then they got to the hills of Virginia," Hartman said. "They were steeper than anything they had in Holland. The first chance they got they lightened their load and carried only the bare necessities."

Those "bare necessities" vary depending on if you'll be carrying the load yourself or have someone haul it for you.

Regardless, even supported tours have weight or volume limits, so it's best to travel light.

"You don't need much," Hartman said. "Some bike clothes, overnight gear and something to wear to dinner does the trick."

The type of bike makes a huge difference in not only comfort levels, but also a higher quality bike won't leave you stranded alongside the road.

"I did my first bike tour with an old heavy bike," Hartman said. "You can do it that way, but it really helps to get a good bike that fits well. Time in the saddle is critical, too. Training before a tour makes the event more enjoyable and you can relish the scenery instead of thinking about how much you hurt."

Before getting addicted to bike touring, Hartman said that pedaling 12 miles on a bike was a big deal.

"I wasn't a cyclist before that, but kept with it until I got used to doing more mileage. It takes time to build up the endurance, but the trick is to take it slow and steady and gradually increase your distance. Not only will you get more comfortable on a bike, but you'll learn how to deal with traffic."

Hartman has advice for those thinking they'll give bike touring a try.

"Just get out there and give it a try," he said. "Like me, maybe you'll end up loving it."

Sunrise Lion's Club offers a single-day supported tour

Ease yourself into it: If you think you might like to try a multi-day bike tour but aren't sure what to expect, a good preliminary option is to do a supported single-day event. The Sunrise Lion's Club offers the perfect opportunity. Their Ride for Sight takes place Aug. 12 across

the wide open plains of eastern Wyoming and Colorado. Whether you choose to ride 10, 20, 30, 50 or the full Century Tour (100 miles), you will enjoy the rolling hills and colorful vistas as you ride east out of Cheyenne on Campstool Road.

Great pit stops: Sag wagons, a mechanic's van, HAM radio support and complete rest stops with water, power drinks, fruit, sandwiches and toilet facilities, along the route and a post-ride lunch make this one of the best bike tours in the region.

When and where: A mass start will begin at 6:30 a.m. Aug. 12, from Cahill Park, off of Dell Range Blvd. at Friendship Circle. This is a fully supported tour with a pre-ride breakfast, "sag-wagons," HAM radio support, rest stops, food, etc. Riders can

register online at www.active.com (Ride for Sight 2007).

Cost: Registration fees on-line are $35, while they go up to $40 the day of the event. Children under 17 fees are $15 and $18. All riders must sign a waiver statement.

Benefits: Proceeds from the ride go toward the Lions' vision screening program for early detection of eye disorders in pre-school age children. In addition proceeds support the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Bank, Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute, Leader Dogs for the Blind and the Allen H. Stewart Lions Camp for the Blind on Casper Mountain, as well as some local requests for visual assistance.