A bike trip is a great way to see the countryside.
Whether you're riding on paved roads or up and down singletrack trails, biking gives you the chance to outrun the bugs and cover long distances. The trails around Anchorage are perfect for gearing up for bike adventures around the world.
My first European bike trip was a DIY project. I rented bikes outside of Paris, packed them into the back of my rental car, drove through the Loire Valley, parked at the hotel, and rode through the French countryside, passing famous castles like Chambord and Chenonceau. Finding the best route was a bit of a luck thing, but I had a great time.
These days, you can rent a bike and head out on your own. Last week in Eugene, Oregon, I borrowed my brother-in-law's bike and rode along the many bike paths that run along the Willamette River.
But there are some great options out there: work with a company that will plan your itinerary, provide you with top-of-the-line bikes, and secure campsites and accommodation along a pre-determined route.
Jared Fisher founded Escape Adventures in Las Vegas in 1992. I caught up with him as he was fixing a flat tire on his gravel bike outside Bentonville, Arkansas. “I've biked across the United States five or six times,” Fisher says. “I even biked from Sheep Mountain Lodge in Alaska to Valdez.”
Today, Jared and his wife, Heather Fisher, plan a variety of active trips from offices in Las Vegas and Moab, Utah, but they still have a special place in their heart for multi-day bike tours of the region.
“The Maze Course is a great trip out of Moab,” says Jared Fisher. “It's a three-and-a-half hour drive from Moab just to get to the start.”
The five-day trip traverses some of the most remote areas of Canyonlands National Park. There are no hotels or lodges within the park, so all of the trails are “first class camping.”
“You don't need to bring anything except a change of clothes and a duffel bag,” says Fischer, whose guides set up tents and prepare meals.
One special feature of “The Maze” itinerary is camping near the Standing Rock ruins.
“We're the only place to stay near Standing Rock,” Fisher says. “You set up camp and you can sit under the stars and see the Milky Way. There's no noise. It really feels like you're there.”
The tour is limited to seven participants and costs $1,660 per person.
Another popular guided tour leaving from Moab is the four-day White Rim Trail, which covers 100 miles of Canyonlands National Park. Again, there are no lodges; your guide will set up camp each night and prepare all your meals. Prices range from $990 to $1,099 per person.
“The White Rim Trail is the most popular mountain bike tour in the world,” Fisher said.
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There are many variations on these itineraries. New this year is the combination of an RV rental and a guided bike tour, meaning cyclists can stay overnight in an RV instead of camping. Escape Adventures and Blacksford RV Rental offer both road and mountain bike tours.
Fisher's favorite bike tour is one that runs along the north rim of the Grand Canyon. “The north rim is only open about six months of the year, so not many people visit,” Fisher says. “It's got mountains, trees, the Grand Canyon, and beautiful night skies.”
The cycling is not particularly challenging, but the elevation gain ranges from 6,000 to 9,000 feet. Cyclists often camp, sometimes for several nights, as only casual lodging is available. Prices for a five-day tour range from $1,349 to $2,499 per person. A camping kit rental costs $100 and includes a tent, sleeping bag, mat, and other equipment. Mountain bike rentals cost $70 to $85 per day.
Bike tours are popular in Europe, and one of my friends is planning his third “bike and barge” tour with Bike Planet, a small Dutch company that owns just one barge, the Iris. Aunts, uncles, and cousins will be taking part, so it's not like they're all natural cyclists. Bike Planet staff emphasizes that there are e-bike options and options for non-cyclists, too.
Bike Planet's popular nine-day itinerary starts in Amsterdam and travels along the Rhine, stopping off in Arnhem, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Bonn and several other smaller towns.
The cycling is easy, about 28 miles per day. Daily breakfast and six dinners on board are included, with several days allowing guests to taste local specialities. Prices for this itinerary start from €2,035 per person. Bike rental is an additional cost: €150 for a regular bike or €250 for an electric bike.
Another group of friends flew to Vietnam for an adventure along the central coast. Their 10-day tour, run by Spice Road, started in Hue city and visited the beach community of Hoi An. Most of the route was along the coast, but there were also some climbs in the hills.
Group size is limited to 16 people. The average distance is 59 kilometers per day. Bike rental costs extra: $200 for a mountain bike and $425 for an e-bike. One participant said that not everyone got an e-bike, but “some people wished they had one.”
Spice Roads also offers several tours in Thailand and Sri Lanka.
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If you want to see where world-class cyclists live, visit the town of Girona in northeastern Spain. Located about 40 miles from Barcelona's airport, the town offers easy access to the Mediterranean coast, Spain's wine region, and the Pyrenees.
Cycling House runs a variety of bike tours in Montana, Arizona, Italy and Spain. Many of the tours accommodate groups in large private homes. In Girona, Cycling House offers week-long tours for both road and gravel bike riders.
Looking at the day-by-day itinerary from Girona, the ride is designed for serious cyclists: Day 2 of the Costa Brava cycle is 41 miles with an elevation gain of 3,200 feet, while Day 5 is 64 miles with an elevation gain of 4,900 feet.
If you love cycling, you'll love Girona and might even bump into Olympic cycling champion Kristen Faulkner from Alaska.
Wherever you're going, you don't have to go far to find a place to ride your bike – just don't forget your helmet.
