Open Search
Tours
Close

ExperiencePlus! Blog

Carol Busch

  • Smooth and refreshing creamy cucumber gazpacho

    Carol Busch

    Hot summer days call for cold, refreshing, and tasty soups that remind you why heat it not such bad a thing. I mean, without hot days you might not want to eat a chilled soup, right? This month, we turn… Read full article

  • Simple “salade Lyonnaise”: gateway to poached egg perfection

    Carol Busch

    When I want to make a refreshing summer salad that features protein, lots of color, and a vinaigrette-forward flavor, I think of salad “Niçoise,” but I rarely have all the ingredients I need on hand, especially ahi tuna. While many… Read full article

  • Follow Erik Weihenmayer’s self-guided bicycle adventure

    Carol Busch

    The trailer for “Soundscape” – an award-winning 2023 short documentary by Timmy O’Neil that features Erik Weihenmayer, a global adventure athlete and author who is fully blind, as he ascends a massive alpine rock face deep in the Sierra Nevada,… Read full article

  • Storm clouds behind Pienza in spring

    Riding through time: UNESCO on The White Roads of Tuscany

    Carol Busch

    Cyclists head to Tuscany to pedal quiet roads, drink amazing wine, savor Pecorino cheese, and immerse themselves in a remarkable landscape, such as what you encounter in the Val d’Orcia – a prominent corner of Tuscany best experienced cycling the… Read full article

  • pistachios in a cup

    Recipe: Pistachio-Lemon Bars

    Carol Busch

    While hunting for a recipe to feature this month, I came across a lovely pistachio-lemon bar recipe from Molly O’Brien at The New York Times. The gorgeous photo adorning the easy-to-make treat made me longingly sigh, “Ahh, pistachiooohhs.” Then I… Read full article

  • Spotlight: Road bike fleet

    Carol Busch

    When you bicycle tour with ExperiencePlus!, you should expect to ride a professionally-tuned piece of high-performing equipment that amplifies your travels. You’re on a bicycle tour, after all! ExperiencePlus! takes great pride in the quality of our diverse fleet of… Read full article

  • grated carrots on a counter

    Faenza, a stolen pig, and carrot tartare

    Carol Busch

    Last night the entire U.S. staff toasted to our good fortune with a glass of La Sabbiona sparkling brut rosé, Bella Vita, as we sat around a table in the cellar of Bisinì dla Sghisa, a local food osteria in… Read full article

  • Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Roasted Vegetables

    Sheet Pan Gnocchi With Roasted Vegetables – delicious & easy!

    Carol Busch

    Gnocchi is one of those absolutely fabulous foods that blow my mind: you can buy it pre-made in a shelf-stable form, boil it in no time, add some sauce and boom: dinner is served. The idea of baking gnocchi never… Read full article

  • abbey of hambye, France

    Spring to Normandy and fall for Brittany

    Carol Busch

    Two primary destinations draw tourists from all walks of life to Normandy: the magical tide-engulfed island of Mont Saint-Michel and the hallowed grounds of the D-Day beaches. The allure of these coastal and storied Normandy sites is easy to grasp.… Read full article

  • downtown fort collins with Block One Events circled

    Fort Collins 2024 Winter Social

    Carol Busch

    Read full article

  • Best bike movies for inspiration

    Carol Busch

    I’ll never forget the first time I watched Breaking Away. Everything about the film mesmerized and charmed me. The fake Italian identity. The friendship among the Dave, Mike, Cyril, and Moocher. The ambition. The catastrophic pump in the spokes. The… Read full article

  • cathedral view in Narbonne

    What’s wrong with the South of France?

    Carol Busch

    Each year ExperiencePlus! staff in the U.S. are gifted the amazing opportunity to join a tour of their choosing. Sometimes we can’t realize our dreams because no one has booked the tour we want to take, and so it gets… Read full article

  • 2023 Holiday gift guide

    Carol Busch

    This year’s ExperiencePlus! holiday gift guide features a handful of staff picks, a few items observed on other gift listicles, and one item in particular that comes highly recommended by a husband-wife team who joined us on our inaugural Gravel… Read full article

  • roasted carrots on a platter

    Grateful for carrots

    Carol Busch

    Not until my 40th year on Earth did I realize that the humble carrot had become my favorite vegetable. I started growing them with mixed results, but when the seeds make it through the onslaught of neighborhood squirrels that routinely… Read full article

  • chickpea salad

    Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

    Carol Busch

    As spring approaches we look forward to fresh and filling salads. Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are one of the most versatile bases for a salad and can be found in recipes throughout the Mediterranean. Whether you eat this as a… Read full article

  • Biking unpaved roads in Portugal's Algarve region

    Is a Gravel Explorer tour right for you?

    Carol Busch

    Since launching our new Gravel Explorer tour style in 2022, almost 100 travelers have joined us on one of our new offerings in Croatia, Portugal and Italy. When we developed this new tour style, we wanted to create an affordable… Read full article

  • Prague at sunset along the Charles River

    Updated Czech Republic itinerary brings Bohemia to life

    Carol Busch

    Whether you are drawn to the beauty of bicycling down the Danube through the Wachau valley, are fascinated by the expanse and history of the Holy Roman Empire, marvel at Baroque architecture, or are drawn to the beauty and intrigue… Read full article

  • Top 5 back-to-back tours

    Carol Busch

    We love the idea of making the most of your time and resources in Europe by combining tours in the same or different countries. Back-to-back tours also can help you ‘train your way’ into a harder tour by going on… Read full article