Best Bike Vacation

[massbikebabe]

Hi All, I have a question...

What is the best bike vacation you have ever taken??? My hubby and I are celebrating are 20th wedding anniversary this May and we are thinking of taking a bike vacation. I know everyone is going to say Hawaii, but we have promised that to our 16 year old when she graduates from high school. My brother recently moved to Las Vegas, so we were sorta thinking about going in that direction. We are not gambling types so we would be looking for a ride out that way. Any and all recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

karen

[CorsairMac]

try nmcycling.org. It has some cycling options for the state of New Mexico and since we're a poor state - we LOVE tourists!.....Santa Fe is here with the Miracle Staircase and the Georgia O'Keefe museum and studio. Taos is here which is a huge artists community plus lots of movie stars, plus many small quaint communities. The weather right now is highs in the 70s and lows in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Since we're a desert state there isn't much rain here and most of the upper 2/3rds of the state is part of the Rocky Mtns so we have Gorgeous views. Just a thought!

[emily_in_nc]

My husband and I enjoyed a Bike Vermont tour many years ago. Charming inns, fantastic food, knowledgeable ride leaders, gorgeous scenery, little traffic, and interesting people (very small group size).

www.bikevermont.com

Emily

[Waverly]

I read a great article on Cycling in Quebec. They have bike paths all over in that area apparently. I know that isn't the direction you wanted but it has become one of my dream vacations so I thought I would share. Apparently the rides are not very strenous and there are B&B all along the way and very neat shops etc.

Jess

[pedalfaster]

Karen,

Congrats on the 20 years! What a great way to celebrate.

Are you looking for a fully supported tour, or are you guys more do-it-yourself types?

Road or mountain bike or both?

Will you fly out and need to rent bikes, or are you driving with the bikes?

Personal Favorite moutain-bike destinations include:

West Virginia (Elk River Touring Center, Snowshoe etc)
Ashville, NC(Pisgah, Tsali)
and the previously mentioned New Mexico (I really do think New Mexico is the great, under-discovered bicycling state: great scenery and probably the best FOOD in the whole darn country!).

On the road bike I've really enjoyed:

Shenandoah National Park
Big Bend National Park and the whole West Texas region.
San Diego area--Alpine, Julian (gotta give one vote to my home town!)

Favorite big-city for cycling:

Washington D.C.

I'm mostly a do-it-yourself type, but
two US tours I'd be interested in doing:

California Wine country

and a tour of Utah's National Parks like this one:

Trek Travel (http://www.trektravel.com/Trips/05_Explorer_Utah/Overview.php)

Wow...now you have me daydreaming (it's cold and rainy here).

Have fun planning your trip!

p.s. you might also want to check out Hell Week (http://www.hellweek.com/vegas.html)

The one in the Texas Hill Country is the original, but the Vegas trip (in May!) might be right up your allley...

[Dogmama]

Another vote for Bike Vermont. Luxury B&B's, wonderful scenery, tours guides that are fantastic. Bikes were very well maintained and fitted to each rider.

[Surlygirl]

I also vote for Vermont. Hubby and I biked around Grafton, Vermont and Middlebury, Vermont in September for our Anniversary. It was beautiful. We want to do Hero Island on Lake Champlain next year. Check out bikevermont for ideas.

[syklnsoph]

here's a good website.
www.vbt.com
specializing in bike vacations. register, and they send you the neatist brocures! and all over the world. personally i'd like the wine country tour..... but worry about hopping from one tasting to another on a bike? wheeeeeee!
soph

[Trek420]

Hey syclinsoph,

since you're a fresno grrl do you know anythng about this ride? It's not a cycling vacation but...

http://www.blossombikeride.com/

as i contemplate the nasty weather and shortening days I noticed this is one of the earliest CA centuries to look forward to. Ever done it?

[syklnsoph]

since we just moved up here last year, i was not able to do it on a bike, but we took the mr.'s m/c on it. neighbor said she did the 1/2 cent. and it is really pretty. it's mostly when all the fruit trees are in bloom. good roads, flat, and with lots of company along the way. most of the Fresno driver's are very polite with cyclists. i plan on doing it this next spring........maybe a group thing?
soph

[Trek420]

did you say flat? hmmmmm

[SadieKate]

Are you thinking road or moutain?

My hubby and I take a supported mtb tour every year. Even if you don't mtn bike, there are mountain bike tours geared to roadies (i.e. less technical riding). The very 1st tour we took, we rode from Telluride to Moab in 6 days. It was glorious and I would do it again in a heartbeat. You feel like you're on top of the world up on those plateaus. We've been on mtbike tours all over the west (red rock canyons, to pinon forests, to high desert). We'll also go someplace and do our own rides every day. Bend, OR and Ketchum, ID are both good places to stay and plan your own mtb rides at all levels of abilities.

Escape Adventures (tour company) is located in Las Vegas and has rides all over the place.

If you're looking for road riding, I would highly recommend northern CA in the spring (late March to May). The wildflowers can be spectacular. Plus, you can find good cheese and wine!