Mass BikePike Tour 2012 - back to the Berkshires! (all new routes)

Cross-posted with Charity rides board. It's time to think VACATION! This is an amazingly fun and affordable tour - sign up before early bird rates expire on February 29th!

Looking for an adventure less than a day’s drive from home? Join “The Friendliest Ride in the East” this summer – the 6th Annual Mass BikePike Tour! From August 2nd through 5th, riders will explore the back roads of the famous Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. Proceeds from the ride will benefit the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, which promotes a bicycle-friendly environment statewide.

With a diverse group of riders and rides of differing lengths available, the Mass BikePike Tour is especially appropriate if your cycling companions ride at different speeds.

“The combination of freedom to choose your own route and ride at your own pace while still being part of a group was great. The Mass BikePike Tour’s perfectly marked routes and quiet roads let cyclists of the same skill level ride together during the day, and regroup with everyone in the evenings.”
-rider David Benninga of Israel

Daily rides are longer (40-75 miles) and shorter (20-45 miles) with a free “Head Start Drop-Off” option to shave additional miles off the ride. Western Massachusetts is characterized by quiet, scenic roads and challenging hills. There are plenty of attractions en route and many participants enjoy combining tourism or ice cream stops with the great riding.

Off the bike, enjoy a nightly social hour. Then, join your new friends for impromptu excursions to Tanglewood or other local attractions – or stay at camp and roast marshmallows at the evening campfire.

The Mass BikePike Tour includes a hearty breakfast and dinner, luggage transport, hot showers, rest stops, SAG support, and camping. For an additional fee, you can camp in style using the “Comfy Campers” service.

Whatever your experience level, you will be welcomed onto the Mass BikePike Tour– to sign up or find out more, please visit www.massbikepike.org

“The staff of the Mass BikePike Tour consistently went above and beyond the call of duty. On the second day of the tour, my partner realized that her saddle just wasn't going to work--she'd never used it on multi-day tours before, and it was causing her a lot of pain. A couple of the staff drove with her down to the bike shop in Great Barrington that evening so that she could buy a new saddle. For us it made all the difference between a really miserable and a really enjoyable tour.”
-rider John-Paul Ferguson of California

QUICK FACTS

Dates: Thursday, August 2nd thru Sunday, August 5th.
The route: 2012’s ride features the rolling hills and picturesque towns of the Berkshires, including Great Barrington, Williamstown, Lenox, North Adams, and Chatham, NY
How long? The Mass BikePike Tour offers two routes each day. The shorter route is between 25 and 45 miles and the longer route is between 45 and 70 miles.

• [li]For riders getting back in the saddle: Riders who want to shorten their distance can use the free “Head Start Drop-Off” service that allows you to start up to 20 miles into the route.
  For riders seeking an extra challenge: The 2012 route features a ride into scenic Bennington, VT, and an optional ride up Mount Greylock to the highest point in Massachusetts.[/li]
  [li][/li]

The food: We provide hearty breakfasts and dinners each day and strive to serve the best of what is local. The ride has frequent rest stops and lists other options for lunch on your own.
Creature comforts: This is a camping tour that includes hot showers. We provide motel/B&B suggestions as well as the very-popular “Comfy Campers” service for those who prefer to camp in style
Included: luggage transport, camping privileges, support vehicles, rest stops every 15 miles, excellent route marking, and a tour t-shirt.
The fee: $415 registration fee – all proceeds go to the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition.
Start/finish location: Simon’s Rock College, Great Barrington, MA. Transportation from Boston to and from the start is available for an addition $85.
Leap to it: The last day for the early-bird discount is February 29th, and the Mass BikePike Tour is limited to 150 riders!

• One of Bicycling Magazine’s “Top ten multi-day tours”
• Named to spryliving.com’s “America’s best bike rides”
• Featured in Adventure Cycling Magazine, the Boston Globe, the Hartford Courant, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the Springfield Republican, and the Berkshire Eagle