Padraig here, pinch hitting for Robot, whose Instagram feed is brimming with summertime views of New Zealand. The text messages I’ve gotten him are the stuff of epic, napalm-throwing envy: “You should try mountain biking here.”
*squeezes eyes shut
Back in the early aughts (as opposed to my school-age oughts), I led a number of bike tours in France and Italy. That’s me about 60 miles into an 80-ish day in the Chartreuse Mountains above Chambery. And, yes, I miss being that fit.
I’d put together the itinerary, design the routes, pick the part of town I wanted to base us in (if the population was more than a couple thousand), contract with a tour company to provide support and logistics (read: vans), and then I’d sell the spots.
When I started, I’d begin my marketing in January for a June tour, but at some point I had to shift to a pre-holiday announcement because by the first of the year, many people had booked their summer vacay.
In the ensuing years, the vacations cyclists I know have taken rarely revolved around the bike. Those week-long tours of riding the big climbs from the Tour de France took a huge hit after Oprah nuked He-who-shall-not-be-mentioned. The trips I do hear people taking with bikes have often been three- or four-day excursions for gravel events.
This week we’re wondering, are you taking cycling vacations? And if so, how far in advance are you planning? Does a cycling trip for you require more advance planning?
Oh yeah.
Kingdom trails long weekend of fat biking in February (please let it snow)
Meeting my college age son in Sedona on his spring break—4 days of MTB. (Luckiest dad ever)
Back to VT for Rasputista gravel long weekendwith my wife and some friends
Trans-sylvania MTB stage “Race” (3 day version) this spring because I’ve been meaning to try it for years.
All of the above planned in December over holiday break and gets us to the end of May. Have not thought beyond that yet but hoping for something cool in the fall too. Let’s ride.
In 30+ years of riding I’ve never actually taken a cycling vacation, except for the time I brought my bike on a family vacation to Disney World. Riding the service roads in the early morning was surreal and bizarre in the Least Bicycling-Friendly Place on Earth. I’ve been looking at riverboat tours in Europe where my wife and I can ride all day and rejoin the boat each night at the next stop.
Most of my riding is from home or a short drive from where I live in New England. When I drive to PA and spend a weekend riding with my buddy it feels like a vacation. Minimal planning involved!