On my flight to Spain, I watched a documentary called Crafted, which follows the lives of three artisans–a chef, a knife welder and potter–as they reject mass production and carefully hone their craft. It was directed by Morgan Spurlock of SuperSize Me and sponsored by none other than…Haagen Daz? Yes, the ice cream brand owned by the mega food conglomerate General Mills.
Words by Trek Travel Guest Erin F. For more stories of Erin’s voyages home and away, visit her blog: VogueTrotter
This is just one example of how established brands spend big bucks trying to reposition themselves as artisanal, dusting off their “heritage” and recycling it for something more valuable. At the same time, smaller startups often build their whole identities around their hand-crafted products, which in reality doesn’t always mean better quality. Yet at the El Vinculo olive oil mill in Andalucia, Juan Urruti and his family have genuinely been living the artisan lifestyle since the mill was founded back in 1755.
Perched above the stunning Zahara reservoir, next to Grazalema National Park, El Vinculo is not only one of the oldest mills in the region but also one of the last to use traditional cold press methods of production. This means they hand pick the olives, mill them immediately after harvest to lock in the flavor, press them in stacked mats to slowly squeeze out the oil and water, and finally bottle the separated oil, again by hand.
For all the love they put into their product, Spain doesn’t seem to get the same recognition for its olive oil production as, say, Italy. But it turns out they are the largest producer of any country, supplying 40% of the world’s olive oil. In fact, one of the first things you notice in Andalucia are the rows of olive trees that systematically line the landscape for miles upon miles (which makes sense considering they have 220 million of them growing across the country).
Juan’s son, Juan Jr, gave us the tour of his family’s mill and then let us sample the olive oil, along with a glass of their sherry. We snacked as he played flamenco guitar in a rustic dining room filled with antique photos of famous bullfighters and Hemingway–exactly who you’d expect in a Spanish cafe, except that these were people his family had actually encountered in their hometown. The whole experience was an authentic Spanish moment, and something no amount of marketing budget could ever mass produce.
About Erin:
Since returning to NYC after living abroad for seven years, I’m aspiring to keep the same “new eyes” that I have when I visit a place for the first time. Whether in old or new Amsterdam, walking along the canals of Venice, Italy, or Canal street in Chinatown, I want to approach it all as an first-class adventure.
If you think your Spanish jamon couldn’t taste any better, try eating it after cycling up the side of a mountain for several kilometers straight. I realize that for some this proposition may sound like anything but a vacation, but traveling across Andalucia by bike is actually an incredible way to cover a lot of ground–stopping in small villages you might not otherwise have time for–without having to rent a car or being stuck on a tour bus. It also allows you to interact with your environment.
Words by Trek Travel Guest Erin F. For more stories of Erin’s voyages home and away, visit her blog: VogueTrotter
After much internet research–looking at high-end cycling tours that lacked top-notch bikes despite big price tags, as well as more affordable options that seemed isolating and labor intensive–we finally settled on Trek Travel.
The best part about Trek Travel is that despite their fancy race bikes and super fit cycling guides, your trip is, above all else, a vacation. No pace lines, no obligatory climbs. Don’t want to get back on the bike after too many glasses of CruzCampo beer at lunch? Just hop in Trek Travel’s magical white van and head back to the hotel to relax in the indoor pools. Or need a sugar fix to keep you energized before your final descent into town? The van’s got a full range of treats whenever you need it. In short, Trek Travel makes breaking a sweat mountainside, rather than beachside, a whole lot of fun.
Still, Jason and I were admittedly a little nervous as we waited to meet our fellow cyclists at the Seville train station on day one. Normally the notion of a traveling with anything resembling a formal “tour group” sends a chill down both of our spines (our shared distaste may be one of the reasons we fell in love). Luckily, Trek Travel treats socializing just like it treats cycling–do it at your own pace. Our group was a mix of people at different phases of their lives–CEOs, small business owners, scientists, retirees–many of whom we’d be unlikely to ever interact with back in New York, due to lifestyle or location. But much like the landscape and architecture of Andalucia–the surprising fusion of personalities and backgrounds seemed to work just fine. And together as a patchwork pack, we climbed to some of the most stunning vistas on the planet.
About Erin:
Since returning to NYC after living abroad for seven years, I’m aspiring to keep the same “new eyes” that I have when I visit a place for the first time. Whether in old or new Amsterdam, walking along the canals of Venice, Italy, or Canal street in Chinatown, I want to approach it all as an first-class adventure.
The bell tower of the Seville Cathedral in Spain fuses both Arabic and Christian styles into a single structure reaching for the heavens; and typically mediterranean palm trees grow next to wintry pines on the same Malaga mountain. While the Andalucia region is quintessentially Spanish–with its flamenco dancers, sherry drinking and white villages perched upon cliffs–it also blends cultural and natural elements in unexpected ways, keeping visitors to this southernmost province endlessly intrigued.
Words by Trek Travel Guest Erin F. For more stories of Erin’s voyages home and away, visit her blog: VogueTrotter
I’ll admit, however, that on my own recent trip to Andalucia, I arrived with few expectations. Although I had seen much of the countryside in France and Italy and Portugal, my knowledge of Spain was limited to chocolate dipped churros and pitchers of sangria from a girls weekend in Barcelona five years ago. Which is the equivalent of eating a “dollar slice” in NYC and claiming to know the south and its legendary soul food.
Ready to start our Andalusian adventure, my boyfriend, Jason, and I arrived in Seville on a rainy Saturday, confirming what all five of my weather apps were trying to tell me for days. Yet, looking at the city’s colorful buildings that still managed to pop amidst the gray skies, as bitter Seville oranges floated down the newly formed streams of the cobblestone streets, I knew something that no weather app could ever predict–we were in for a special week.
At Trek Travel, we do a little bit of exploring by bike and a whole of exploring by fork. Recently, however, we were reminded that you don’t have to travel far to eat well. With the right recipe and locally sourced ingredients, you can deliver an abundance of fresh flavors right to your table. We turned to Trek’s in house chef Dan Smith to share a few fall recipes, and below is an appetizer of some of our favorites. Wouldn’t it be great if all sports nutrition was this exciting?
BUTTERNUT SQUASH JAM Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
1 small yellow onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 cup whole milk
1.5 teaspoons salt
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 oz. butter
1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons molasses Instructions:
Peel and remove the seeds from squash. Cut the squash into medium size cubes. Chop the onion in to small pieces.
In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan melt butter, add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent.
Add sugar, molasses, pepper, salt and cinnamon. Reduce heat to low and stir to mix all ingredients. Allow to cook for one minute.
Add milk and stir, then add squash and cover. Allow to cook over low heat just below a simmer for 90 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend or mash everything together. Spread on toast or cornbread, or enjoy as a puree with chicken or fish.
PUMPKINS MIFFUNS Ingredients:
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1.5 teaspoons salt
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt, room temperature
4 large eggs, room temperature
1.75 cups light brown sugar Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray 2 muffin tins with pan spray and line them with paper liners.
Combine the flour, white wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger in large mixing bowl.
Put the pumpkin, oil, yogurt, eggs, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and whisk to blend.
Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until you have a smooth batter.
Fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the muffins are firm to the touch.
Cool for 10 minutes and then turn the muffins out of the pans and cool completely on racks
CORN BREAD Ingredients:
4 ounces unsalted butter
1/2 cup grams sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs (cold)
1 cup buttermilk (cold)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup corn flour
1/2 teaspoon grams baking soda Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
Microwave the butter until it is melted. Use a silicone spatula to stir in the sugar and salt.
Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring until it is fully absorbed. Stir in the buttermilk.
Once the buttermilk is mostly mixed in, add the flour, corn flour, and baking soda.
Stir the mixture together until it looks creamy and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Use the back of a spoon to smooth it into the corners and spread it in an even layer.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is a light golden brown and the bread is cooked through.
Remove from oven and let the bread rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Trek has been around since our country’s bicentennial in 1976. It was founded in the small manufacturing town of Waterloo, Wisconsin, about 20 minutes outside of Madison. The factory remains in Waterloo, though much has changed since its inception. Eric Bjorling, Trek’s brand communications guru, gave us a tour that began with the mini-museum in the foyer of the building. And you might notice the heritage logo popping up more and more as the brand has “rediscovered our passion for the history of the company,” Bjorling said.
Our 3700-mile seven-week Portland to Portland cycling odyssey ended about two weeks ago…and I’ve been thinking about it ever since as I return to “normal life”. My friends ask, “What was the hardest day, the best day, the worst weather, etc.?” For a trip of this magnitude there were many bests and worsts.
Words by David Kindler, Trek Travel Guest
Among the toughest standout for me was the challenge of climbing Big Horn Pass, hour after hour, at steep grade and high elevation with wind and cold temperatures. The nothing-left-in-the-tank day after Big Horn. The hail pummeling at the top of Lolo Pass. The strength-sapping winds across South Dakota and Iowa, with that morning of I-can’t-see-but-six-inches-in-front-of-my-face stinging rain. The three days of cold rain in New York. And, how could I forget to mention baking in the sun for hours on end as we rode the flat-tire-producing interstate shoulders out West! Or those early smoky rides in Idaho? Or the days when I blew it with poor layering decisions on the day’s clothing! The list goes on, but these are rides that build character!
Then there’s the subject of how your mind and body hold up to the day-after-day grind. Some days great and some days not-so-great. Now that all the miles are done it’s easy to forget the hamstring twinges, the sore left calf that-I-hope-won’t-get-worse, the overcompensation with the right leg shifting the pain to that knee, the inevitable sore-butt days, the burning quads, and so on. Fortunately, some of us had Tara–the miracle worker masseuse (we nicknamed Tiramisu) who tended to our knotted-up muscles, patching us up well enough to keep going! Of course there were mental challenges too. Probably everyone on the trip at some point asked themselves, “What have I gotten myself into?” I certainly did. Possibly somewhere on a highway shoulder scorched by the sun, pushing just a little harder than I should have early in the trip. For the first couple of weeks I lived with the worry that a twinge or muscle pain would escalate and threaten the trip. I was extremely lucky to work through the aches and pains without facing the decision about whether to rest or ride. My roommate Jay’s mantra–just keep pedaling–applied in many situations. Many days became test of wills. Facing and overcoming these challenges has made the achievement that much sweeter!
There were so many outstanding routes it’s hard to single them out. Among the favorite moments that I recall are riding from Hood River along the Columbia River Gorge, the screaming 54.4 mph downhill from the continental divide at MacDonald Pass into Helena, the views from Big Horn, the surreal landscape of Badlands National Park, the windless day after being battling it for four days, then crossing the Mississippi River into Wisconsin, riding miles of gravel wherever that was, riding the rollers in wooded Pennsylvania and the feeling of getting closer to home, and meeting my Monster friends at the summit of Moosilauke then riding the Kancamangus pass together. Kudos to the guides for their research to get us onto fabulous roads, and bike paths, often skirting traffic in and out of the larger cities.
Our group was exceptionally strong – in both determination and physical stamina. On any given day a different mix of smaller groupettos formed, so in short order everyone had cycled together, and got to know one another. I’d often ride with a different group, depending on desired pace, the alluring call of a good coffee shop, weather, flat-tire occurrence, etc. Every morning without exception the group was anxious to get on the road by sunrise. One of the tougher jobs for the guides was reigning in the early birds! We quickly fell into a daily routine: up at 5-something, repack your bags and drag them to the luggage van at 6:00, eat breakfast, finish dressing and bring your day bag to the van, get your bike ready loading course routes into your Garmin (or three Garmins in my case), grabbing blinkies (Flare R taillights), and setting off on the daily ride. Usually the group stayed together for the first 20 or 30 miles up to the first van stop, where we refueled as needed with Clif bars, peanut M&M’s, bananas, etc. We’d take a short break, and hit the road again.
The line of cyclists stretched out as the morning passed. Usually we’d have another van stop and then on to lunch, around the halfway mark for the day. Lunch was typically an assortment of stuff for sandwiches, salads, fruit, and desserts. Despite burning a lot of calories, overeating was entirely possible. Learning what and how much to eat took some trial-and-error. Frequent re-application of sunscreen became ritual for at least the first half of the trip. After lunch the push was on to complete the day’s ride, especially during the hot-weather days. More van stops, lots of Coke and Gatorade as the day wore on. If we were lucky we found a milkshake “recovery drink” near the end of the day’s ride. Finally we rolled in to the next hotel. On to a hot shower, daily washing of the cycling kit, hanging it to dry, plugging in the rechargeables, resting a bit, or getting a massage, and then to dinner. Meals were most often buffet style, which catered best, since we sometimes acted like an uncivilized flock of vultures. After dinner I usually caught up on email, wrote my daily blog entry, and crawled into bed later than I’d hoped, and slept until it was time to do it all over again. And that was the cycle…for 45 days, performing 1.1 million pedal strokes and 1.6 million heartbeats to span the USA. An adventure of a lifetime!
Trek Travel is proud to introduce a new fleet of electric-assist bikes, including the Trek Domane+ LT and Verve+. These bikes flatten hills, improve endurance, and make every ride a little more fun. There’s no reason not to love an electric-assist bike. But we can find at least ten reasons why you will:
1. Fall in love with two wheels.
We believe that bikes show a different perspective, and provide a more magical way to experience the world. Sometimes, that magic is lost in the struggle up a mountain. With electric-assist, you can ride further and see more of the world from the seat of a bike.
2. If you’re reading this, they’re built for you.
Young, old, avid or amateur, you’ll definitely enjoy a spin on an electric-assist bike.
It’s more fun than you think, and just the ticket to a perfect day on the bike.
3. It’s a workout, with just a little less work.
It’s called “electric-assist” because that’s what it is; a boost when you need it, and a bike when you don’t.
This isn’t a moped, and there’s no reason to feel guilty. It’s just another way to ride on your terms.
4. They’ll take you to the very best and back.
No longer are the greatest views and most satisfying stops reserved for the hard-core riders.
With electric-assist, you’ll see more summits, skylines and horizons that make every destination magical. You might even get there first.
5. They’re where the latest meet the greatest.
Simply put, nobody makes electric-assist bikes better than Trek.
With a longer-lasting battery, lighter-weight frame, and extra-stylish design, we’ve got those other bikes beat.
6. Grins are guaranteed.
We know they’re fun. We’ve been riding them at the Trek Travel headquarters for months now.
Yes, our guests love them. Yes, our guides love them. No, you can’t stuff one into your luggage.
7. They’re also built for the buddy system.
We introduced electric-assist bikes so travel partners of two speeds can ride together.
Because the best memories are shared, no matter the level of riding experience.
8. They’ve already taken the world by storm.
Electric-assist bikes are standard equipment in Europe, where locals zoom from work, to home and anywhere in-between.
And now they’re making a big entry into the U.S. market. If you’re riding one, you’ll fit in just fine.
9. They slay the mightiest hills.
To some guests, hills are half the fun. To others, they’re roadblocks to get to the next activity.
Luckily, electric-assist bikes can turn any mountain into a molehill. You’ll be surprised at how fast you can defy gravity.
10. They’ve got all the speed you need.
Now you won’t need to worry about gaps from the group, changes in pace, or if you want to stop for a photo opportunity.
Electric-assist bikes make it easy to stay with the Trek Travel tour at any speed. Watch how.
Don’t miss out:
They’re first-come, first-served, so act now. It’s the easiest way to electrify your experience.
Your first time traveling by train can be nerve-wracking. The bustling stations, indiscernible platforms, convoluted schedule, and absent signage can be intimidating. Add to that a foreign language and you might as well write off any hope of getting to your final destination.
But rail travel is a big part of the European experience, and there’s a reason most people opt to take the train. Driving on narrow foreign roads can be daunting, and traveling by train allows your to sit back in a remarkably large, comfortable seat and let someone else do the driving. No turbulence. No claustrophobic middle seat. Just uninterrupted time for productivity, sight-seeing, or a much-need nap.
In order to ease any concerns, we’ve put together a few tips on how to book, what to expect, and how to travel safely:
Planning Your Trip
Unlike air travel, train schedules remain fairly consistent throughout the year. Although train schedules are not typically more than 30 days in advance, you can check tentative schedules at any time. Visit the Rail Europe website, plug in your cities, and choose a date on the same day of the week that you will be traveling. This will allow you to see sample itineraries, prices and train durations. These schedules may change slightly, but can be a valuable tool for those who like to plan their vacation well in advance.
Booking Trains
Some European trains on longer routes, or high speed trains such as the TGV in France, require advance reservations. These reservations can be made through Rail Europe up to 90 days before your departure date. Rail Europe is a U.S. company that charges a nominal fee in exchange for a user-friendly booking portal. Trust me when I say that it is much easier to navigate than individual national rail sites.
During peak travel times, trains can sell out. Reservations give you security and peace of mind by allowing you to select a specific train time and receive a seat assignment seat. It can also save you money on certain routes with special fares for advance purchase.
Most journeys are e-tickets, which gives you the option to print your ticket at home or pick up your ticket at the station. While I recommend printing your ticket at home, you may pick up your ticket at a self-service kiosk using an e-ticket code, or from a train attendant at a ticket window.
Some slower, regional trains do not require reservations in advance. These trains have open seating, meaning you can sit anywhere you’d like within your ticket’s class of service. For trains that do not offer online booking, please allow time at the station to purchase your ticket.
Please Note: most kiosks will only accept credit cards with chip technology, but tend to have much shorter lines than the ticket windows.
Classes of Service
Most trains offer a choice between 2nd class (Economy) or 1st class (Comfort or Premier). Economy offers the cheapest fares, but is generally more crowded and does not offer reclining seats. First class tends to be less crowded, and offers more amenities such as outlets, reclining seats and other small perks.
At the Station
Plan to arrive at the station 30-45 minutes prior to your scheduled departure. If you have a reserved seat on a specific train, check the boards for the train number. Some routes have multiple trains departing around the same time, and you’ll want to be sure you’re on the correct platform for your train number. Be ready to board your train 15 minutes prior to departure.
If you have purchased a regional ticket with no specific departure time or train number, your ticket is valid for any of the trains that day. Most of these tickets require validation, meaning you must stamp your ticket at boxes located by the platforms before boarding. Not always is your end destination the train’s end destination, so pay attention to all cities on the route instead of just the final destination.
If you have any questions, find a uniformed train attendant, as most can speak English and are happy to assist.
Keeping Safe
In the front or back of most trains there will be an area to store your larger luggage. Keep all valuable personal items, especially your passport, with you at your seat. There will be a train attendant who comes through the coaches to check tickets and passports, so keep them handy at all times. If you plan to take a nap on your journey, make sure your passport and personal items are secure. Money belts might not be fashionable, but they are a great way to safely hide money, credit cards and your passport while in transit.
You’ve seen the photos. Riders throwing their hands in the air as they cross the finish line. The dust covered peloton crushing the cobbles of Roubaix. But have you ever wondered who’s lucky enough to experience all the biggest moments from the best vantage point? Graham Watson has spent three decades documenting the sport and capturing races from the back of a motorbike. The pain, the glory, the determination and the heartbreak — nothing is safe from lens of cycling’s most famous photographer.
Tell us your story. What inspired you to pursue a career in photography? How did you get started in the cycling industry?
To be honest, I was so uninterested in studying at high school in London that by the time it came to leave at age 16, in 1972, most ‘normal’ careers were beyond my reach — and photography seemed like a nicer way to make a living anyway. I took a job in a ‘high-end’ portrait studio in central London, then bought a bicycle for the commute as I was only getting paid about $15 a week and couldn’t afford the train fare. I became a club racing-cyclist because of the daily mileage, then discovered the Tour de France on a visit to Paris in 1977. The rest is history. I sensed the adventures to be had by becoming a cycling photographer.
What is the most challenging aspect of photographing cycling?
I think it is the expense and logistics of travel. Cycling is most definitely a worldwide sport and you have to be in it 100-percent or you are wasting your time, hence a lot of traveling and little or no contact with family and friends for months on end. These days, you need a lot of clients to fund your travel, as few magazines or agencies have the cash to pay expenses. More clients means more income, and it can snowball even bigger too. But in turn there’s a long workflow each and every day. Such challenges, however, are more than compensated by achieving a lifestyle like no other.
What is your favorite race to photograph and why?
Paris-Roubaix is my favorite one-day race. It’s the maddest, fastest, most crazy day of the year. A race where good photography is guaranteed. I like a stage-race like the Tour de Romandie, or the Giro d’Italia – both are much quieter than the Tour de France and take place when there’s snow on the mountains, plenty of greenery in the valleys, and many fresh legs in the peloton too.
Tell us about your typical day at the Tour de France.
Depending on how much wine one drank the evening before, and therefore how much caffeine is needed to recover over breakfast, I’ll try to be at the start about two hours early to settle down and discuss the coming stage with my moto-driver. I’ll study the ‘race manual’ to identify scenic locations, and to anticipate the racing to-come – both aspects influence how I’ll photograph the stage. I like to leave behind the peloton unless there’s a definite chance of an early scenery shot. Leaving in the wake of the peloton allows me to get some early action shots of cyclists fiddling with their bikes or their clothing, and to see the race unwind too. You can predict a lot about what might happen later because of the early action. And you get to see if any of the big names are still as strong, as each day goes by – or are they getting weaker? Anticipation is everything in a sport and environment that is so beyond one’s control – anything can happen and often does, and being behind the peloton is the best place to observe. Once the racing unfolds, and once an escape has gotten clear, I make a decision as to when we pass the peloton, when we get far ahead in the search of that perfect scenery shot, and also when I need to start shooting the escape or the front of the peloton. Because a client like Trek needs 6-8 action shots of its riders each day, I have to guess the best way of doing this – to stop on a corner or on a descent, or just try to do some passing shots when we are crossing the peloton. It is quite hard to pick out individual riders from a 200-man peloton, but by the time the Tour starts I will already have photographed the team for the past six months, so I can see them from a long way off. In the Tour, the racing really starts in the last 90-minutes, and by this point I have to give up scenery and individual action shots and just photograph the race. It is the quickest 90-minutes I’ll ever experience! Before one knows it, the stage is over, the podium has taken place, and photographers like me are buried in their post-stage workflow. Three hours work is a minimum period post-stage, and by then it’s off to the hotel and trying to beat the annoyingly French tradition of closing the restaurants at 9pm. Behind the glamour of working the Tour and the supposed flirtation with French gastronomy is a reality that sees most of us eating in a fast-food outlet at least twice a week.
Describe your favorite moment that you’ve captured on camera.
After a 35-year-career, I think it came in this year’s Giro d’Italia! Richie Porte suffered a flat tire on Stage 10 and a rival teammate stopped to give him his front wheel. Such assistance was unheard of, and certainly something I’d never seen, let alone photographed. My images showed a true act of sportsmanship, which moved me greatly. Yet Simon Clarke and Richie had unknowingly broken the rules, and my images went around the world on Twitter and helped get them both fined and penalized on-time. We all had a good laugh a few days later, but I’ll remember those images for a long time to come.
What tips would you give aspiring photographers?
It’s hard to give advice without knowing the photographer or knowing the extent of his or her equipment. So I always suggest to keep things simple at first, using one camera body with one lens until their experience grows. It’s important and advantageous to know as much about your sport as is possible – this gives you a huge advantage over other non-cycling specialists. Always see the sport as a bigger thing than just sport. Cycling is a beautiful vocation, so make sure you also show the beauty of the sport as well as capturing those crisp action shots. Finally, a major issue in this day and age, take care not to get in the way of the cyclists. Keep in to the curb as much as you can, because a Tour peloton uses every inch of the road and they don’t take prisoners.
You have traveled the globe for work. Do you have a favorite vacation destination? What excites you most about this part of the world?
Switzerland is a place I can go back to time and time again. Its lakes and mountains make it the most beautiful country in Europe I think. And it is also a fantastic adventure playground. For all the same reasons, I love New Zealand too – a version of Switzerland in the southern hemisphere. But to be honest, I love all the places my ‘business’ takes me to – from Flanders to the Dolomites to Paris to central Spain to the Netherlands to Tuscany to Provence – and I always want to go back when there’s no work to be done.
As the road biking season winds down for many of us in the Northern Hemisphere, hopefully you’ve put more than a few miles on your bike this year. Now is a great time to check the condition of your tires, before you start riding over slick leaves or frost-covered pavement. Don’t wait until the beginning of next season, when you’ll be eager to get out on the road as quickly as possible.
As a tire wears, a few things happen. The nice round profile of the tire starts to flatten out. This is normal, but you want to change out that tire before it gets too thin. The thickness of the rubber is one of the properties that will help protect against flat tires. If it’s too thin, very small pieces of glass will puncture the tire.
Another thing to check out is the condition of the fabric. Yes, there is fabric in your tires. A lot of it, actually. Manufactures use different thickness cord for different quality tires. These cords can sometimes fail, resulting in a bulge or wobble in the tread. You will want to check the entire diameter of the tire for any wobbles and pull the tire from use if you find one.
Choosing a new tire can be a tedious process. If you want my recommendation, I love the Bontrager AW3 Hard Case 700X25c tire. It’s a fantastic tire with low rolling resistance and great puncture protection. It’s on all of our Trek Travel road bikes as well!
If a date is marked as Private, it is reserved for a private group.
Don’t see exactly what you are looking for 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 Explorer and Luxury hotels. Rest assured, no matter which hotel level 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
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.
