Ed: Last week our Trip Design Manager, Meagan, spent a week out in the field with a few of our guides getting ready for our California Wine Country bike trips. What follows is her experiences.
I’ve always known our Trek Travel guides work hard. Until this past week, though, I had no idea just how hard. The final trip preparation is the time for our guides to put the finishing touches what has been laid out by our expert trip designers. I had the unique opportunity to shadow the final trip preparation for our 10th Anniversary edition California Wine Country Luxury trip and three of our top-notch guides, Rustin, Greg and Jason gave me an inside perspective on the whole process.
We rode and drove all of the bike routes, detailing every turn, tracking mileage and modifying when there were road closures, traffic or other unforeseen issues along the way. We met with hotel managers, restaurant maitre’d and servers, local bike shops, spas and specialty shops, working tirelessly to make the trip flow without a hitch. We selected picture perfect picnic locales and sketched out the tablescapes in addition to seeking out local specialties and recipes for delectable roadside feasts. Each and every reservation was confirmed from start to finish. They wrenched on bikes, getting each one dialed for the guests soon to arrive. It’s no wonder our guests rave abut the seamless flexibility of our trips—it’s all by design and hard work of our Jacks and Jills of all trades, our extremely professional and fun Trek Travel guides.
Here are some photos of what was an exciting (albeit a bit exhausting) week in California. Don’t worry, we managed to have some fun along the way. We told jokes, had competitions to see who could come up with the best ways to use the word of the day, tried out some spectacular local fare and I even got to visit the Redwood forest that I haven’t seen since I was a kid. So, take it from me, the next time you’re enjoying aTrek Travel adventure be sure to thank your guides not just for the stellar service they provide each day during the trip but for all the preparation that goes into arranging a cycling vacation of a lifetime.
