Canada/US tour operators?

[oz rider]

Hi everyone. I haven't posted in ages but I pop in from time to time. I've decided to come see a bit more of North America. :) I'm planning to do a supported tour next year, and maybe get brave enough to fly solo after that. I've narrowed the choices to a couple of road tours run by Cycle Canada and the Adventure Cycling Association. Both seem long established and have some amazing itineraries, but I just wondered if anyone here has done tours with either company and could share any local knowledge? Thanks in advance.

[shootingstar]

Not familiar with either bike tour operator.

Which areas of North America do you especially would like to see?

Trip described to Vancouver Island area including Saltspring, Sunshine coast looks good. Yes, we've done some multi-day touring, etc. and short trips several times to different destinations in the area. This area is best June to Sept. in terms of more sunshine or lack of rain. The climate would be wonderfully temperate for you. Never gets blistering hot. Beautiful views of ocean, mountains, coastline, islands, etc.

Actually now that we have an additional new rapid transit rail line, you could easily get on directly from Vancouver airport and get off at a station (Bridgeport) and take 620 bus, throw bike on bike rack and it will take you directly to Taswassen ferry dock yourself instead of figuring out as a visitor how to cycle to the ferry docks with gear.

This will get around the problem of the other alternative, is finding as a visitor, where there is bike shuttle in Richmond, B.C. to take you through the George Massey tunnel which is forbidden to cyclists.

[Tri Girl]

I have not personally taken a trip with Adventure Cycling, but know someone who has. They HIGHLY recommended the company. Said the routes were planned out well with great roads, great support, and fun and energetic staff. I'm a member of Adventure Cycling and whenever I've called them up they've been very helpful.

[oz rider]

Thank you both for the info. I have a short list of a few trips that interest me but wanted to check out the operators to feel a bit more confident about them. Just a bit more research now. :)

[Tri Girl]

Which Adventure Cycling tours are you considering? Every year I look at their tour schedule and dream of doing one... just have to convince DH to let me go off on vacation and have fun without him (since I'm off in the summer and he has to work). ;)

[stokerpam]

We rode w/Cycle Canada this August 2009 from Toronto to Montreal & loved it. Margot & Bud are nice & helpful w/o holding your hand the whole time. Our group had 17 cyclists who gelled into a big family together. Wonderful group! The trip was mostly on secluded roads or along the Lake Ontario bikeway. Toronto & Montreal are great cities to explore. Do NOT miss the lunch stop at Boulangerie Premiere Moisson the last day!

[stokerpam]

we've done a few (paved road) rides - pretty new to this too. All were well done & each was a little different. I loved these & highly recommend them:

Great Hudson Valley Pedal - Parks & Trails NY, From Albany to NYC. Wonderful, very historic, great food & sags @ interesting sites, relatively short distances but there are hills. Ride downstream along the beautiful Hudson River Valley. Rest day in Hyde Park, home of the Culinary Institute : ) Cross Hudson 5 times. Breakfast at West Point Acad. NYC was easier than expected & delightful. (camping)

League of Michigan Bicyclists offers various tours. We did the Eastern Upper Peninsula (MUP) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's camping too & most of meals were provided due to the remoteness of the area. Historic & beautiful, along 3 Great Lakes & Mackinac Isl.

Have already posted Cycle Canada & Festivelo. My husband loves the BRAG - Bike Ride Across GA, which I haven't done. As a rule, club sponsored & ".org" rides are cheaper than ".com" commercial ones, depends on frills.

We are considering the LAGBRAU in Utah next year but the altitude/hill climbs concern us.

[oz rider]

Which Adventure Cycling tours are you considering? Every year I look at their tour schedule and dream of doing one... just have to convince DH to let me go off on vacation and have fun without him (since I'm off in the summer and he has to work). ;)
hehe, I hope your convincing goes well.:) I was keen on the Death Valley loop and Tetons Yellowstone, but they both filled, plus Cycle Utah. And there was a longish Mississippi ride by another company that I liked, but I thought it would wait for me.

I liked the LAGBRAU too stokerpam, and it's good to hear your experience with CC. I've been more interested in roadie tours too. I looked at a few mtb tours but these others were higher on my list.

But I was intrigued by CC's Tour Arctic (http://www.cyclecanada.com/Tour_Arctic.html)as soon as I saw it. So Merry Christmas to me: I've registered. :) I will need a new bike for it (insufficient tyre clearance on the roadie) so it's a bit more hassle, but it just sounds fascinating. Not sure I can do the Icefields Parkway that I keep reading about as well, so we'll see how things pan out over the next couple of months, depending on the bike. Bit excited!

[shootingstar]

congrats on deciding Arctic bike ride. Ferry rides should be lovely...I've done it, including up to Prince Rupert. Who knows you might be lucky to see a whale or dolphin.

My partner has bike toured from vancouver northward but their group went to Prince George, interior B.C. before heading as far north as the Alaskan border.

Take mosquito/black flies repellant. They can be big and frequent up there in the summer.

[Tri Girl]

But I was intrigued by CC's Tour Arctic (http://www.cyclecanada.com/Tour_Arctic.html)as soon as I saw it. So Merry Christmas to me: I've registered. :)

Oh that looks like a dreamy tour!!!! Now I've got another tour on my dream list. Congrats and Merry Christmas to you!!!

[oz rider]

Yes I keep reading about these bugs shootingstar. They're famous, hehe. And I've always been keen on the inside passage, so it was a bonus, even though it will be summer.

Sorry to add to your list Tri Girl. ;)

I'm just waiting for the info package now and thinking about the practicalities, like the bike and whether I can fit in Icefields Parkway.