In the midst of staying home, we find it uplifting to continue to explore the world online. Join us in experiencing our Yellowstone and Grand Teton bike tour day by day through photos.
Day 1: Ride through Grand Teton National Park on the nation’s most scenic bike path
Day 2: Take a private tour of Yellowstone with renowned wildlife experts
Day 3: Pedal past the Tetons, Jenny Lake and Antelope Flats
Day 4: Raft through Snake River Canyon
Day 5: Ride to Wilson, Red Top Meadows and Teton Village
Many thanks to our guest Bob Joy for contributing his photos for this post!
See the full Yellowstone and Grand Teton itinerary
During this difficult time in the world, we are continuing our efforts to make it a better place for all by reducing our carbon footprint one step at a time. Our goal is to become an environmentally friendly company and influence others to join us in protecting our beautiful destinations around the world.
We believe it is our responsibility to protect and preserve the beautiful planet that we love to share with our guests. Learn more about some of the green initiatives we have in place and a few new ones we are laying the groundwork for, too! This is just the start for Trek Travel, and we look forward to continuing to expand our sustainability efforts.
Going green at the office:
Green Miles: Our office staff is encouraged to commute to work by bike in order to reduce the amount of emissions we put into the atmosphere. Every team member who participates logs their daily mileage and earns a reward based on how many miles they commuted by bike in a year. In 2019, our team completed over 1,500 green miles!
— Does your company have a similar program you could participate in? If not, could you start one? Think about the impact you and your coworkers could have if you each swapped even one weekly commute to your bike!
Volunteer Time Off: Our employees are encouraged to support the local community through volunteering. Each employee receives paid time off to complete volunteer activities like park cleanups.
Wind power: In order to reduce our carbon footprint, our office purchases wind power for our electricity as part of Madison Gas and Electric’s Green Power Tomorrow program.
Eco-friendly kitchen updates: In order to reduce plastic waste in the office, we stocked our office kitchen will reusable utensils, plates, and cups instead of single-use options. We also replaced our water cooler with an sink filter system. We already have recycling in place but plan to implement a composting station in the near future as well to help put food waste to better use.
Guide Clothing: During past Guide Training events, we held guide clothing swaps, where guides upcycle gently-used cycling clothing by gifting it to newer guides who want additional gear. Starting in 2021, we ordered guide clothing from more sustainable brands and the 2021 guide hat is even made from recycled materials. When it comes to supplying guide clothing, we set up an internal ordering system so guides can request only what they need instead of getting a pre-made pack with items they may not want. As much as possible, we send guide clothing out with our vans as they depart from our warehouses to reduce shipping and our carbon footprint.
Catalogs: We print our catalogs on recycled paper to help minimize environmental impact, and in 2021, we took our catalog digital to save thousands of sheets of paper.
Measuring our carbon footprint: We will be working with an outside organization in the coming months to officially measure our carbon footprint and determine the areas where we can reduce our impact.
Going green on our trips:
Reduce Plastic Waste: We have banned single-use plastic water bottles and utensils on our trips and provide every guest reusable water bottles to use during and after our trips. We are in the midst of modifying our standard from two water bottles per guest to one and encouraging guests to bring their own bottles for us to fill. This could save up to 750 pounds of plastic annually.
Reduce, Reuse, Upcycle We have started bike tube upcycling by finding local artisans that take used bike tires and tubes to create cool new products to sell.
RWGPS To reduce the number of printed materials that we produce for every on of our trips, we have shifted to using Ride with GPS (RWGPS) to offer a simplified digital version of necessary trip information.
Shopping Local As much as possible, our guides try to shop locally for supplies, food, and other items that are used on trips. This not only helps to support to local economies where we travel, but also provides a more authentic experience for our guests, who get to try regional food and more.
Best of all… biking! One of the sustainable practices most near and dear to our hearts is at the core of business: biking. Discovering destinations by bike is a fantastic way to reduce the impact you have on the local environment.
Working with Green Partners:
For many years, we have been supporting People For Bikes, an organization dedicated to making biking more accessible to all. We believe that commuting by bike should be a safe, enjoyable option for more people and have been proud of the work done by People for Bikes in making this a reality.
More recently, our trip design team and sustainability team developed and sent out a 16-question sustainability survey to all of our hotels, collecting information about the sustainability practices they have in place. This survey will help us determine if current and future partners are taking action to be good stewards to guests and the planet. Get to know a couple of our hotels that are finding ways to make a positive impact for the planet:
UNDER CANVAS
From Mount Rushmore to Glacier, Under Canvas has eliminated single-use plastic wherever possible and utilizes pull-chain showers and low-flow toilets to significantly reduce water usage compared to most hotels.
Located in Washington’s charming San Juan Islands, this inn uses body care products from the local, organic Pelindaba Lavender Farm, which are provided in bulk dispensers to cut down on plastic waste.
Hear from our guide, Max Ackermann, as he reflects on his experiences guiding and how he found home while on the road.
It’s the first night of our 42-day trip. We’ve finished our first ride, a few guests have knocked out an afternoon nap, and the first sips of Santa Ynez chardonnay go down smooth. It’s time to enjoy dinner and get to know our group as we settle in for the trip ahead.
The question “where’s home for you?” is tossed around the table. It’s a starter for small talk, quickly left behind as the conversation deepens. When it’s my turn to answer, I catch myself in a double take.
For a long time, the answer had been simple, even automatic. Now, after moving out, packing my life into two duffel bags, and saying a series of goodbyes, the question seems complex. Do they mean where I grew up? Or where I go when I’m not guiding? Where do I consider home?
Is home where we live or work? Where we find our sense of community? Is it where we go grocery shopping, enjoy a night out with friends, or wake up with our morning routine?
I glance across the table to my co-guides. One I met three months ago. Another I met three weeks ago, just before the three of us crossed the country in a minivan finalizing the trip. The last one I met three days ago. I think back to the evening when the four of us toasted to the start of what would surely be an unforgettable adventure, biking across America.
Just imagining my days guiding that lay ahead excited me. Wake up before the sun and immediately put on a kit. Pack everything neat and tight. Don’t forget to check under the bed. Greet the guests, then fill up all the coolers with ice. Squeeze in some breakfast and coffee. Pack the luggage and double check the lobby. Ride all day. Arrive at the rest stop to set up snacks. Collect mail and packages at the next hotel. Shower, make a grocery run, and eat dinner. Moonlight bike wrenching and laughs with co-guides. Sleep.
For the next six weeks, life would be simple. Thirty-five people, all from different and distant walks of life, would embark on the same crazy adventure together.
My mind returns to the table. I look at the people seated with me who were strangers not long ago but will be coworkers, best friends, and family by the time we cross from California to South Carolina. And after far too long a pause to maintain the coolness with which the question was initially asked, I can’t hide an emerging grin. “Here,” I answer, as if I hadn’t just figured it out right then and there.
Our guides inspire us all the time. They are multi-talented, creative, and adventurous. They are busy, go-getters who follow their passions and pursue a wide range of activities. Learn a little bit about what three of our guides do in the off-season when they aren’t riding with Trek Travel!
Interior Design with Marquette Edwards
I’ve been guiding for Trek Travel since 2010, and I also worked as the East Coast dealer sales representative for four years during that time. I’ve been doing interior design informally for over 15 years but decided to get my certification in design and property staging in 2015. I have always been creative visually and have a passion for reinventing a space, seeing it from a different perspective and bringing it to life. I opened my own business, Design Remedy, in 2016 in Greenville, South Carolina. Since then, I have worked on both residential and commercial projects as well as provided property staging services for realtors. I love working as a designer along with guiding because it allows me to combine the things that make me happy and fulfilled. The cool thing about my design business is that I not only work with clients in person, but I can also work with people online from anywhere, providing a full range of design services including color consultations, room styling, sourcing furniture, decor suggestions, and property staging assessments to get your home ready for market.
I’ve always been active in the off season. In the off-season during my first few years of guiding, I would just pack up a backpack or my Trek 920 and get off the grid. But when I started to feel like settling down some, I had to funnel my energy elsewhere. I became a yoga instructor, learned Spanish, and got diving certifications. But the best endeavor out of all was getting involved in local cycling races in my home country, Cyprus. In the last two years, I have become part of a small team of individuals who are responsible for the biggest international races that happen on the island of Cyprus, including the Cyprus Sunshine Epic, a mountain bike stage race for professional and amateurs every February, and the UCI Cyprus Gran Fondo, which is one of the few qualifying events for the world championships of Gran Fondo. There’s additional smaller races including Ocean Lava Triathlons, the “Olympus Man,” and many more. Aside from that, we also organize community rides, mountain bike skills clinics, and events focused especially on women. I believe that putting more people on bikes is a great cause and Cyprus is a cycling paradise, especially in the winter!
Painting & Drawing with Jessie Walker
In my own time, I like to be creative, and I love trying out new arts and crafts. I always seem to question “can I make this?” when it comes to items I see on social media or things I need around the house. I just recently bought my first house, so I currently have a big canvas to play with, which is very exciting for me.
At school I studied art and design, but never at university. My first career was in professional road cycling, so that took up all my time. It wasn’t until I was sick and off the bike for a week that I started drawing. My first drawing was the tiger in the image below. After that, I realized how much I loved it and began drawing more often. I’ve now set up a social media account on Instagram called @yorki_rose for anyone to view my work or request commissions. I’ve even shown a few Trek Travel guests my work when they’ve asked about my hobbies, and I’ve had a few commissions now. The landscape below is of Tuscany and was requested by a guest that I guided on the luxury bike tour in Tuscany. It’s a great way to make amazing memories last forever!
Once I really got into the creative swing of things, I decided to mix it up a little and start custom painting cycling shoes. My practice run was painting my brother’s shoes to match the colors of his team, Team Wiggins. I’ve now done quite a lot of different shoes, and I even have the man himself, Sir Bradley Wiggins, on my current client to-do list.
Art and design for me is the perfect balance in my life. With my job as a Trek Travel guide being so active, it’s nice to have my weeks off in a tranquil environment doing something I love!
If a date is marked as Private, it is reserved for a private group.
Looking to travel with a small group or looking for a custom date? Call our trip consultants at 866-464-8735
What is the Difference?
Ultimate Luxury:
Savor some of the most spectacular, 5-star properties in the world. Exuding luxury and elegance, these one-of-a-kind accommodations offer the chance to rejuvenate at award-winning spas, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, and more.
Luxury:
Enjoy luxurious accommodations handpicked for a refined experience. From signature spa treatments to delicious local cuisine, you’ll be more than provided for; you’ll be pampered.
Explorer
These handpicked hotels provide relaxation and fun in a casual and comfortable environment. Delicious cuisine and great service mix perfectly for a memorable stay.
Combined
On select cycling vacations, you’ll stay at a mix of hotel levels, from Explorer to Luxury to Ultimate Luxury. Rest assured, no matter which level of hotel you’re at, our trip designers carefully select every accommodation.
Road: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 25 mi (40 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).
Gravel: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 20 mi (35 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).
Hiking: 1-3 hours of hiking. Up to 5 mi (8 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).
Level 2:
Road: 2-4 hours of riding. 20-35 mi (35-60 km). Up to 2,500 ft (750 m).
Gravel: 2-4 hours of riding. 15-30 mi (25-45 km). Up to 2,000 ft (300 m).
Hiking: 2-4 hours of hiking. 4-8 mi (6-12 km). Up to 1,500 ft (450 m).
Level 3:
Road: 3-5 hours of riding. 25-55 mi (40-85 km). Up to 4,500 ft (1,500 m).
Gravel: 3-5 hours of riding. 20-40 mi (35-60 km). Up to 3,000 ft (900 m).
Hiking: 3-5 hours of hiking. 6-10 mi (9-16 km). Up to 2,000 ft (600 m).
Level 4:
Road: 4+ hours of riding. 40-70 mi (60-110 km). Up to 8,000 ft (2,400 m).
Gravel: 4+ hours of riding. 30-50 mi (45-80 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).
Hiking: 4+ hours of hiking. 7-15 mi (11-24 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).
What are your trip styles?
Classic - Reserve:
Savor the finer things as you relax in luxurious 5-star accommodations and wine, dine, and ride in some of the most unforgettable destinations around the world.
Classic - Signature:
Explore beautiful destinations by bike, enjoy extra inclusions, savor delicious local cuisine, and enjoy the perfect mix of accommodations.
Classic - Discover:
Enjoy a casual cycling vacation with fantastic routes and comfortable accommodations.
Ride Camp:
Train like the pros in some of their favorite riding destinations.
Pro Race:
See the pros in action at the biggest cycling events of the year.
Cross Country:
Tackle an epic adventure that takes you point-to-point across mountains, countryside, and more.
Self-Guided
Enjoy a bike tour on your schedule with just your chosen travel companions.
Sometimes it’s more convenient and comfortable to have your own room while on vacation. We understand and that’s why we offer a Single Occupancy option. The additional price guarantees a private room all to yourself
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