The Ghost Stations of Paris, FranceCycling through Paris usually involves dodging traffic around the Arc de Triomphe or cruising along the Seine. However, a subterranean-themed surface route traces the city’s abandoned “phantom” subway stations. Hobbyists can map a path from the closed gates of Arsenal to the forgotten platforms of Saint-Martin. This route keeps riders entirely above ground but weaves through historic, quiet backstreets. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the literal underbelly of Parisian history without requiring a underground transit ticket.
The UFO Highway of Rachel, NevadaExtraterrestrial enthusiasts will find their sanctuary along Nevada State Route 375, officially designated as the Extraterrestrial Highway. The stretch near the tiny town of Rachel is flat, dusty, and wonderfully bizarre. Cyclists can peddle past the famous Little A’Le’Inn, surrounded by desert landscapes and quirky alien-themed signs. The route provides an eerie sense of isolation under a vast desert sky. It is perfect for night-sky viewing or catching a glimpse of experimental aircraft from nearby military installations.
The Donut Loop of Portland, OregonPortland is famous for its bike-friendly streets and its obsessive culinary subcultures. The Donut Loop connects the city’s most eccentric bakeries in a single, high-calorie morning ride. Cyclists navigate the quirky neighborhoods of the Pacific Northwest while stopping for vegan pastries, bacon-maple bars, and Mexican hot chocolate donuts. The route is highly customizable, family-friendly, and offers the ultimate reward system for every mile pedaled through the misty rose city streets.
The Gnome Reserve Trail in Devon, EnglandDeep in the English countryside lies a route that feels like a page torn from a fairy tale book. Tucked away in Devon, cyclists can navigate narrow, hedge-lined lanes that lead toward ancient woodlands filled with garden gnomes. Local residents have placed thousands of these ceramic figurines along specific rural pathways over the decades. Riding this route requires a slow pace and a sharp eye, making it an enchanting treasure hunt for cyclists who appreciate British eccentricities.
The Abandoned Interstate of Pennsylvania, USAImagine riding down a massive four-lane highway with absolutely no cars in sight. The bypassed section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike offers exactly that experience. This thirteen-mile stretch of asphalt was abandoned in the late 1960s and has since been reclaimed by nature and cyclists. The route features overgrown cracks, decaying highway signs, and two massive, pitch-black mountain tunnels that require a powerful bicycle headlight to navigate safely.
The Cheese Passport Route in Emmental, SwitzerlandWhile Switzerland is famous for grueling alpine climbs, the Emmental cheese route offers a much more whimsical journey. This self-guided path takes hobbyists through rolling green hills, past traditional farmhouses, and directly into the heart of Swiss dairy culture. Cyclists can use a smartphone app to collect virtual stamps at various cheese-making stations. The reward is a deep understanding of how the famous holy cheese is made, complete with plenty of tasting opportunities along the way.
The Whispering Giant Tour of Ohio, USAScattered across the state of Ohio are massive, hand-carved wooden statues of indigenous leaders, created by artist Peter Wolf Toth. A specialized cycling route connects several of these “Whispering Giants,” which stand up to forty feet tall in various public parks and town squares. The route combines flat Midwestern road riding with a scavenger-hunt atmosphere, allowing cyclists to appreciate monumental public art that honors native history in unexpected municipal corners.
The Sunken Ship Path of shallow Ontario, CanadaThe waters of Tobermory, Ontario, are so crystal clear that several nineteenth-century shipwrecks are visible directly from the shoreline. A coastal cycling route follows the jagged peninsula, leading riders to specific vantage points where wooden hulls rest just beneath the surface of Lake Huron. It is a hauntingly beautiful ride that combines fresh lakeside air with the somber, frozen-in-time visuals of maritime history.
The Musical Highway of Lancaster, CaliforniaFor a truly auditory cycling experience, a specific stretch of road in Lancaster features grooves cut into the asphalt that play the “William Tell Overture” when driven over. While designed for cars, cyclists riding along the extreme edge of the lane can experience the strange, vibration-induced acoustic phenomenon at a much slower pace. The surrounding Mojave Desert scenery provides a stark, minimalist backdrop to this short but acoustic marvel of a route.
The Tree Cathedral Ride in Milton Keynes, EnglandMilton Keynes is home to a unique piece of living architecture known as the Tree Cathedral. The outline of a medieval cathedral is formed entirely by distinct species of trees, with limes representing the nave and maples forming the pillars. A network of smooth, traffic-free redways allows hobbyists to cycle directly into this botanical place of worship, offering a serene and highly unusual destination for a afternoon pedal.
The Dinosaur Tracks Trail of Moab, UtahMoab is universally famous for extreme mountain biking, but hobbyists can enjoy a gentler, quirky paved route that leads to fossilized dinosaur footprints. The trail winds along the red rock canyons of the Colorado River, terminating at a rock slab containing perfectly preserved tracks from the Jurassic period. It offers a profound sense of scale, allowing modern cyclists to park their aluminum frames next to the literal footsteps of ancient giants.
The Street Art Alleyways of George Town, MalaysiaGeorge Town is famous for interactive street art that incorporates real physical objects into painted murals. A popular urban cycling route winds through narrow, UNESCO-protected alleyways to find these hidden gems. Riders can photograph themselves interacting with a mural of children sitting on a real bicycle, or a monster chasing a real motorcycle. The chaotic, vibrant energy of the city makes this a thrilling scavenger hunt on two wheels.
Exploring the world on two wheels does not always require scaling massive mountain peaks or breaking speed records. By choosing routes that focus on local history, bizarre landmarks, and unique cultural phenomena, hobbyists can transform a standard workout into an unforgettable adventure. These twelve routes prove that the journey is often much more entertaining when it takes a turn for the unusual.
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