Bike touring around Buenos Aires

Great walking cities are not always great biking cities.

Take Manhattan for example. While I relish a good sunny day wandering the deep urban canyons of that big city, the thought of biking down Fifth Avenue leaves me a bit cold. Between racing taxis, darting buses and car doors opening without warning, the hazards of big city biking are numerous.

I felt similarly ambivalent about biking in Buenos Aires. That is, until we signed up with La Bicicleta Naranja for a bike tour around the city.

The day was a sunny one and I was looking for a new way to see the sights. When I mentioned a bike tour, the response I received from Cousin Andy (visiting from NYC) and Erin was tepid at best.

Always a glutton for punishment, I decided to persevere. After years of preaching physical activity by walking and biking, I am committed to living the talk.

Donning our helmets, I noted we were the only people in our group of 15 wearing protection. As a slave to fashion, I considered what the helmet might do to my perfectly coiffed hair. Nonetheless, I thought it best to wear one.

Following our fearless guide Carla, we struck out into Buenos Aires traffic. Applying the "safety in numbers" principle, we created a long line of orange bikes, eliciting stares wherever we rode.

I quickly learned biking in Buenos Aires wasn't too bad. Cars mainly avoided us and the biggest hazard was posed by buses cutting into the curb for passengers. It made me feel like I was home again, where I routinely battle bus #28 on Dexter Ave. for pole position along the curb lane.

Mostly we were on quiet side streets or bike paths, seeing a wide variety of neighborhoods, restaurants and parks. Throughout, the novelty of the bikes brought stares, hoots and laughter. It seems the Porteños aren't that accustomed to tourists on bike.

After four hours of fairly relaxed riding, we returned to our starting point in one piece. With smiles on our faces, we all agreed the tour exceeded our expectations. Under-promise and over-deliver, that's my motto.