As time has gone on and #bikeschool has grown in popularity, our online community has forged many friendships along the way. Due to these friendships and a shared passion some class members have been lucky enough to travel across States and Counties to meet up and even ride with one another. Although I have not personally been lucky enough to meet up with any of my fellow class mates, I believe that the opportunity this gives people to hang out and meet new people, potentially from all over the world, is the greatest achievement of #bikeschool. It has created connections, laughs, jokes, nicknames and a few internet phenoms!

So now is the time that we all need to come together… in mind and then hopefully in person. We’d like you all to discuss with us the demand and logistics for the first official #bikeschool vacation, preferably on planet Earth. Everyone will have their favourite destinations either based on previous experience, current location or a desire to see and ride a particular country or State. All we ask that people are open to others’ suggestions and all options are able to be discussed in a positive and adult manner. For instance, I would personally suggest a European venue… as I like in the UK and it would be much easier for me! But… I’m well aware of the traveling distance and cost implications that a Euro tweet-up would have on most of my North American colleagues. This discussion is aimed at finding the best vacation for as many #bikeschool classmates as possible. Of course, it’s entirely possible there could be more than one meet up… let’s discuss!

@StevieDexter starts his cycle across the ocean!

As it is almost June it is slightly unrealistic to think that we may be able to organise something for this summer as by now most people will have made other, less #bikeschool orientated plans! [ED - Did you see how I spelt organiSe with an S!? Spell checker hates it, you probably hate it... but this is the UK baby! That's how I roll!] Anyway…! We think that late December would be a good time to set off this firecracker of an idea and have the inaugural #bikeschool Tweetup, with a view to creating a summer vacation in 2012. This is truly open to discussion and we want to hear all of your ideas; from 20 class-mates sleeping on the floor of someones apartment in New York city and experiencing ‘city’ riding for the first time, to some bad-ass hill climbing in California, or even some winter bike riding madness through the snowy passes of Canada. This could be your vacation destination so make your views known!

If you are still not convinced that this is a good idea, take a look at this video and see how the Rapha Continental team do there vacations! If this doesn’t give you tingles in places that you shouldn’t get tingles, maybe you should stay at home!

Friends      Pain      Laughs      Sweat      Hills      Bikes      Smiles      Speed      Vistas      Ecstasy      Suffering

Please use the comments box below and the #bikeschool hashtag to discuss the class vacation. If there are any class-mates heading to Le Tour this July, I will be there for the first week so let me know!