Food and Drink

10 Reasons to Visit Santa Barbara

Posted on December 7, 2015 - 11:21 pm by keith_ritter

I don’t know about you, but I’m always dreaming of a getaway, and typically, my daydreams involve fine wine, good food, great company, fresh air and maybe a plush robe. Not that you need an excuse for a vacation, but I can think of ten reasons to jet set to Santa Barbara right now. And surprisingly, one of them isn’t just because winter is upon us.

Words by Bryna Rudy, Trip Consultant

1. Canary Hotel
The only rooftop pool in Santa Barbara? Check. A glass of wine with check-in? Yes, please. Redesigned in 2012 to reflect its Moroccan roots, this stylish boutique hotel seamlessly combines Mediterranean hand painted tiles and vibrant textiles with Californian red-tiled roofs and palm trees. Winner of a 2015 Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Award, this picture-perfect hotel in the heart of downtown is reason enough to visit Santa Barbara.

2. State Street
The best palm tree-lined street in the country is filled with shops, restaurants and bars. Discover hidden Paseos, experience the trendy and popular Funk Zone, take your pick of charming outdoor patios to enjoy a coffee, shop at the amazing boutiques, or follow this ‘red-brick road’ all the way to the beach.

3. The Wine Cask
According to owner Doug Margerum, “The unique, transverse nature of the valleys of Santa Barbara Wine Country provides a patchwork quilt of microclimates and terrains, resulting in one of the most diverse grape growing regions in the country.” This may be the place to find coveted single-vineyard Santa Barbara wines, but their innovative cuisine is no less outstanding than the wine list.

4. East Mountain Drive
Imagine winding along a gorgeous ridge with incredible vistas over the city and sea the entire way. Meet East Mountain Drive. While it seems as though every road in Santa Barbara offers buttery-smooth pavement and breathtaking views, this particular route deserves a shout-out. The jaw-dropping scenery makes this one of the prettiest rides in North America, with stunning panoramic views of private estates in the hills above and the glittering blue expanse of ocean below.

5. Sunshine
Temperatures in the 70s and 80s make for spectacular cycling weather and a great excuse to lounge by the rooftop pool or rent a paddle board at the beach. Speaking of the beach, Santa Barbara’s oceanfront is hard to beat. Lined by palm trees and the Cabrillo Bikeway, the miles of pristine sand are perfect for people watching, volleyball, and long evening walks. Plus you can also check out Stearns Wharf, offering the best views in Santa Barbara as well as many incredible shops and restaurants.

6. Santa Ynez Valley
Where there’s wine, there’s a way. A fan of red? The Pinot Noirs of the area are world-renowned. Prefer white? Give the Chardonnay a try at Sanford Winery. The historic town of Los Olivos awaits, ready to charm you with its tasting rooms, art galleries, upscale shops and laid-back locals. And cycling through the Santa Rita hills to get there is just the cherry on top.

7. Scenic Train Rides
Many of the beautiful views along this rural coastline are visible only from the train. Board the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner for a gorgeous ride from downtown Santa Barbara to Surf Beach, and along the way you’ll enjoy up-close views of the seabirds, dolphins, and surfers who inhabit this wonderful area. To get any closer, you’d have to be on a surfboard.

8. The Lark
Dine al fresco at The Lark, and enjoy course after course of locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. One of Santa Barbara’s most highly acclaimed new restaurants, I promise you won’t leave hungry after a family style dinner with new friends. Don’t like Brussels sprouts? I’ll ask you again after you’ve tried them here.

10. Handlebar Coffee
Voted one of the World’s Best Coffee Shops and a favorite among our guide team, Handlebar Coffee Roasters began when two former professional cyclists shifted their focus, training and determination from racing to coffee. A visit to this warm cafe and world-class micro roaster in Santa Barbara’s “Gourmet Ghetto” is guaranteed to start your day on the right foot.

Bonus: Cycling (of course)
The University of California-Santa Barbara has so many bikes they’ve built a network of bike paths that include adorable mini roundabouts. It’s no wonder students here choose cycling as their primary mode of transportation, since every ride includes wind in your hair and sun on your face. Ride though affluent neighborhoods, pedal past vineyards and olive groves, and reward yourself with a well-deserved glass of vino. The views don’t disappoint. I promise. And whether you want to coast along the ocean and take photos or prefer to tackle the climb up Gibraltar Road, Santa Barbara has the perfect road for every type of rider.

EXPERIENCE TREK TRAVEL’S SANTA BARBARA WEEKEND VACATION»

Top Reasons California Wine Country Is About More Than Wine

Posted on December 4, 2015 - 11:02 pm by keith_ritter

As if you need another reason to take a trip into the heart of wine country, where sunshine meets vineyards and incredible cuisine, our California Wine Country 4-Day Weekend vacation is a foray into the state that produces 90% of America’s wine inventory annually. But this experience is about so much more than just wine.

This trip is about cycling through a mecca of culture. It’s dusty fields, majestic forests, and farm-to-fork food. Not convinced? Here are our top reasons why the California Wine Country is about so much more than just full-bodied reds and crisp whites.

Ogle the Armstrong Redwoods

Our guides’ first piece of advice? Watch where you’re riding. Because all you will want to do is stare upward at the tree canopy shading the pavement from hundreds of feet above your head. These remarkable trees can live to be 1,000 years old and grow to a diameter of 16 feet! The towering redwoods stand in stark contrast to the low-laying vineyards in the valleys, and it’s impossible not to marvel at the majestic, natural beauty of the landscape around you.

Enjoy the charm of Healdsburg

In a town known for its world class shopping, art museums, locally grown produce, and endless number of wine tasting rooms, it is impossible to run out of things to do here. The luxurious shopping boutiques mix with a delightful town square (complete with an adorable gazebo) and seemingly year-round gorgeous weather to create irresistible charm.

Extend your stay in the City by the Bay

A city with global appeal, San Francisco offers a little bit of everything–from the Fisherman’s Wharf and Coit Tower to cable cars and the Painted Ladies. Also named “The Best Food City in the Country Right Now” by Bon Appétit magazine, it’s no wonder 18 million visitors flooded the city in 2014. That’s why we pick you up and drop you off at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in downtown San Francisco before and after our California Wine Country 4-Day Weekend vacation, so you can easily explore the city on everyone’s “must-see” list.

See the Golden Gate Bridge

This three-mile long landmark that crosses from San Francisco to the Marin headlands is heralded as one of the top ten construction achievements of the 20th Century. Often seen in movies, postcards and advertisements since it opened in 1937, this architectural marvel is nothing to sniff at. A place you have got to visit at some point in your lifetime, we make it a point to drive across this iconic structure and park in the visitor areas so you may take in the spectacle on our way out of town.

Since returning from wine country, my sunburn has faded but the pictures–and the distinct feeling of having discovered an incredibly unique and distinct culture–remains intact.

Book your Wine Country Getaway

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A Foodie’s Tour of Italy

Posted on November 24, 2015 - 2:18 am by keith_ritter

I grew up around the table. Weekly dinners at my grandmother’s were part of the family routine and while us kids were allowed to run off and play after the meal, the adults would linger for hours, retelling family stories, discussing world events, and enjoying one more glass of wine.

Words by Katherine Usher, Sales and Guest Services Manager

Now as an adult, I treasure each moment spent at the table. Although the company changes–friends and family, old and new–there is always something special about lingering around the table.

Our new Cinque Terre vacation is a foodie’s dream, offering many unique culinary experiences and opportunities to gather around a table with new friends. This past September I had the privilege of being a guest on this trip, and while the riding and hiking are spectacular, my lasting memory is one of robust flavors that linger on your palate long after the table is cleared.

The trip starts in Tuscany, nestled in the hills above the sought-after town of Lucca. The grades of these “rollers” are no joke but the traditional Toscana cuisine that awaits is worth the ride. The first hotel of the trip, Tenuta San Pietro, boasts its own vineyard, olive grove, and vegetable garden and Chef Guido Lotti is not shy to craft a Mediterranean menu directly from the land.

As the trip moves toward Cinque Terre and the region of Liguria, you start to notice the cuisine change as drastically as the landscape. The menus of handmade pastas, garden fresh tomatoes and aromatic herbs now feature sardines, squid, anchovies, and whatever the sea is generous to provide that morning. Perhaps the taste I savored most, however, is the Italian Riviera’s renowned artisanal pesto.

The shared experiences of riding through the unspoiled countryside and hiking the rugged hills of Cinque Terre’s five historic villages are certainly highlights, but the time spent gathered around the table is truly something special. The flavors are memorable and even more unforgettable are the stories behind them. From the young up-and-coming chef in San Pietro who is willing to take risks with his menu, to the woman who learned how to roll pasta from her grandmother and would never dare to change her ways, the stories behind the meals bring the experience to life.

EXPERIENCE TREK TRAVEL’S CINQUE TERRE VACATION»

Andalucia Part 4: Relax, Resurface & Raise a Glass

Posted on November 20, 2015 - 7:15 pm by keith_ritter

I had expected to end my days with endless local red wine, but quickly discovered that the real drink of choice for locals was the gintonic.

Words by Trek Travel Guest Erin F.
For more stories of Erin’s voyages home and away, visit her blog: VogueTrotter

On our first night, I asked the bartender at our hotel, the Reina Victoria in Ronda, to help me choose from the 60 different types of gin they had on offer. She quickly returned and served me up a softball sized coupe with a generous portion of Gin Mare. Produced in the small fishing town of Vilanova, just outside Barcelona, this tasty spirit boasts typical mediterranean flavors like Seville orange peel, Arbequina olives, basil and thyme. (And luckily for us, they’ve just started importing it in the US.)

Drink in hand, proud of having completed our first day of riding, we sat on the hotel’s deep gray outdoor sofa, nestled under a heat lamp, and watched the rain fall on the mountainside through a sea of palm trees and ethereal fog. Most people go to Spain for the sun, but in yet another unexpected twist, it was the rain that gave us our perfect vacation moment.

On the Grid in Madrid

One of the best reasons to go off the grid is the feeling you get when you resurface back on it. After a week of batting my mascara-less eyes and looking at the rolling hills rather than a scrolling iPhone screen, it felt exhilarating to arrive at the luxurious boutique hotel, Only You, in the big city of Madrid. Fancy cocktails! Facials! Fluffy white beds! Not that we didn’t stay at some lovely Andalucian hotels, but we’re city people at heart and being in the capital felt just a bit more like home.

Completely worn out after our week of cycling in the mountains, we let ourselves truly indulge, simply by doing very little. We opted to eat lunch, dinner and breakfast the next day all in our hotel–a renovated neoclassical townhouse from the early 1900’s, clad in a modern day Delft-Blue motif–and stepped out to see the Prado museum and Botanical Gardens in between meals. We also spent several rounds of gintonics at the hotel bar and learned some more about Spain’s gin craze from Only You’s head bartender, Marc Puig.

Tell me about the gin trend in Spain.

People have been drinking gin and tonics in Spain since the 70’s; however, they made a huge come back about 10 years ago aiming to become a more “premium” drink. Nowadays they are one the most popular drinks in almost every cocktail bar around the country. What I love about the gintonic is that there are so many subtle variations that everyone can find their perfect drink. It also can be consumed from the late afternoon until the moonlight; it’s refreshing and light making it easier to deal with even the hottest Spanish day.
What’s the best way to make a gin and tonic?

Take a big cold glass, filled with ice to the top, 5 cl of premium gin and a nice Indian tonic water. Absolutely superb! Add a twist of lemon for a fresh touch of citrus.
How many different types of gin do you have at the bar? What’s most popular?

At Only You, we have 44 different types of gin. I think the best we have is Tanqueray because it has just the right balance of botanicals; we serve it with a twist of lemon or orange to bring out the flavor.

In terms of the most popular – I’ve noticed a big difference between our Spanish and international customers. While the Spanish tend to order Beefeater, guests from other countries really have a thing for Bombay Sapphire and Hendricks (I mean, who doesn’t like a bit of cucumber with their gin?).

And for those who enjoy gin but not the bitterness of tonic, I always recommend a gin fizz or Tom Collins.
Why should someone stop by your bar?

Here at the Only You bar, we take our cocktails very seriously and have created the perfect drink-pairing for every gin. We carefully study the ingredients of our gins to achieve the best possible harmony for our guests.

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.

EXPERIENCE ANDALUCIA, SPAIN»

Andalucia Part 3: Artisanal Tastes of Spain

Posted on November 19, 2015 - 4:06 pm by keith_ritter

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.

EXPERIENCE ANDALUCIA, SPAIN»

Favorite Fall Recipes

Posted on November 10, 2015 - 5:31 pm by keith_ritter

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.

Top 3 Hard Ciders for Fall

Posted on October 8, 2015 - 9:14 pm by keith_ritter

Summer has quickly turned to fall and the crisp air is here to stay. More than once we’ve caught ourselves day dreaming about foliage, apple orchards and pumpkin flavored treats as we are mesmerized by the falling leaves outside our window. But perhaps the thing we’re most eager to enjoy, the reason we anticipate the changing of the seasons, is hard cider.

The recent growth of cider is not a new sensation–prior to the days of prohibition, cider was America’s beverage of choice–but not many would have predicted the incredible growth hard cider has experienced in recent years. Quietly taking a backseat to the highly publicized craft beer and local food movements, American hard cider production tripled from 2011 to 2013, from 9.4 million gallons to 32 million gallons. According to TIME magazine, craft beer growth rose from 11.5 million barrels brewed to over 15 million barrels in that same time period, making hard cider the fastest-growing alcoholic beverage category in the U.S.

One of the reasons cider has taken off is due to the ease of production. The renaissance of cider in Europe came much earlier, so we turned to the experts at Stonewell Craft Cider in Ireland to tell us about the process from branch to bottle:
1. Washing and Sorting: When the apples arrive we wash and manually sort them, removing any which we consider over-ripe or damaged
2. Milling: Cider apples contain much less moisture than other apples so these apples are milled into much thicker chips.
3. Press and Fermenting: The milled apple is then moved to our press, from where the juice feeds straight into our fermentation tanks. Similarly to our milling process, each different apple variety is pressed and fermented separately.
4. Add the Yeast: We then add a naturally cultured champagne yeast which gives the cider such a distinguished “nose” and smoothness on the pallet. Depending on the temperature the juice will ferment in 4 to 8 weeks.
5. Taste Testing: Once the cider is fermented it is laid down to mature is flavor for a minimum of 3 months.
6. Add the Apple Juice: We take the ciders fermented from the different apple varieties and blend them together with fresh apple juice to replace the sugar, which has disappeared during fermentation, and restore the perfect level of sweetness in our finished product.
7. Filter, Pasteurize, Carbonate and Bottle: Our cider is now ready to be filtered, pasteurized, carbonated and bottled.
8. The Finished Product: It’s time to indulge!

Stonewell Medium Dry: Ireland
Our favorite cider is undoubtedly a bottle of Stonewell Medium Dry. The first cider on their production line, the Medium Dry blend consists of three ciders drawn from different apple varietals. The high content of eating apples provides the strong golden color, while the cider apples are higher in natural sugars and increase the alcohol content. The strong apple aroma, initial burst of flavor and smooth finish make this Stonewell’s most popular cider.

Woodchuck Amber: Vermont
The result of an experiment in a two-car garage back in 1991, Woodchuck Amber lead the way for all other U.S. ciders on the market. While other cideries experiment with ingredients to create one-of-a-kind flavors, the Woodchuck Amber recipe hasn’t changed in nearly 25 years. It’s traditional. It’s clean. And it boasts and big red apple flavor. For those of you looking to wow family and friends this Thanksgiving, give the turkey a sweet cider flavor with this Woodchuck Amber Can Turkey recipe!

Reverend Nat’s Revival: Oregon
In true Portland fashion, Rev. Nat West was a die-hard craft beer revolutionary. But the taste of his first homemade cider–the sweet, rich, tart, and nutty flavors–spurred his passion to search for superior ingredients and create ciders that no one else offers. His newest release, Revival, is a blend of Washington-grown apples and piloncillo (dark brown evaporated cane juice). Add in the complexity of two exotic yeast strains and the result is a distinct, yet subtly familiar cider with just the right amount of sweetness.

Guest Choice: Bend, Oregon

Posted on September 1, 2015 - 9:10 pm by keith_ritter

A bustling mountain town of more than 82,000 people, Bend has made its way into the limelight and stolen the hearts of outdoor enthusiasts everywhere. With a population that has quadrupled in just two decades and a vivacious tourism economy, it’s a good thing this outdoor mecca is chalk full with enough activity for all its admirers.

On our Crater Lake and Oregon Cascades and Bend Mountain Bike vacations, not only will you have the opportunity to take in panoramic vistas of the crystal blue Crater Lake or experience world class riding on an expansive network of trails, but you will also have the chance to explore our favorite recreation destination: Bend, Oregon. Be sure to take advantage of the many adventures available in town–rafting, hiking, golf, and more–before satisfying your taste buds at one of the eclectic and delicious local eateries.

Where To Go For Drinks: Bend is synonymous with amazing beer. With a startling abundance of world-class breweries clustered close together like the gold at the end of a big, beer rainbow, Bend has been dubbed Beer Town USA. Trek Travel guides sometimes fancy themselves as beer connoisseurs, and the unparalleled local favorite amongst our team is the renowned Deschutes Brewery. Just a 3-minute walk from your hotel, the original Deschutes Public House has been a vibrant fixture of the downtown scene since 1988. Not only can you find their very first beer–the Black Butte Porter–still brewed with craft and passion, but there are a total of 19 full-flavored taps available to satisfy your taste buds. If you’re not afraid to explore the many nuances and endless possibilities of the almighty hop, try our favorite Fresh Squeezed IPA.

Where To Go For Dinner: After sharing a round with family or friends, stroll down the block to Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails for incredible Northwest cuisine with a southern twist. Chef Steve Halt’s from-scratch kitchen is focused on freshness and quality ingredients, and features a full gluten free menu. Arguably the most well-loved restaurant in town, and a 2014 restaurant of the year winner, Zydeco’s confident combinations such as Barbecue Shrimp & Grits or Shrimp, Andouille & Crawfish Jambalaya consistently impress even the most discerning palates. Besides, our guides are pretty sure they have the best dirty martini in town.

Where To Go Out: After a delightful meal with even better company, cap off your night out in Bend with a stroll through Drake Park on your way back to the Oxford Hotel. With one-half mile of riverfront property, this is truly the centerpiece of downtown Bend’s extensive park system. The perfect way to unwind after another adventurous day, take in the picturesque reflection of Mount Bachelor off Mirror Pond or meander along the Deschutes River while admiring the majestic ponderosa pine and deciduous hardwoods.

About Guest Choice:
You will often hear us say, “It’s your day, you decide,” because our smaller group size allows the flexibility for you to decide how your day unfolds. In addition to multiple daily ride options and shuttle flexibility, this also means that we offer ‘guest choice’ nights designed for you to indulge at a local restaurant of your choosing, or explore the local sites. Whether you want to order take-out while relaxing by the hotel pool or get dressed up for a fancy dinner in town, guest choice nights let you craft your own perfect evening.

EXPERIENCE BEND ON TREK TRAVEL’S CRATER LAKE AND OREGON CASCADES CYCLING VACATION»

EXPERIENCE BEND ON TREK TRAVEL’S BEND MOUNTAIN BIKE VACATION»

Designing A Trip to Asheville

Posted on August 27, 2015 - 3:03 pm by Rebecca Falls

Trek Travel trip designer Rebecca Falls knows what it takes to create a one-of-a-kind vacation. So when she crafted a cycling trip in her own backyard, the outcome was extraordinary.

What drew you to live in Asheville, North Carolina?

The first time I ever stepped foot in Asheville was the summer of 1999, when I was working as a raft guide in Bryson City, NC. My friends and I came to town for the Bele Chere Festival. This festival no longer takes place unfortunately, but its name comes from an ancient Scottish dialect and means “beautiful living.” It was a perfect way to meet this beautiful city, at a time when the streets were full of music, art, and the energy of people gathered to celebrate many of the things that make Asheville special. I knew after that first visit that I would love to call this place home.

Very few places in the eastern US have access to vast tracts of public land as Asheville does. The nearby Pisgah, Cherokee, and Nantahala National Forests along with the Great Smoky Mountain National Park are unbelievable places that have more to appreciate and explore than you could see in a lifetime. Couple that with a great music, food, and beer scene all in a college town of less than 90,000 people and it sounded just about perfect to me. I’ve lived in western North Carolina on and off since 1999 but have been a full-time Asheville resident for four years and I don’t have any plans to leave anytime soon!

What was it like to design a trip in your hometown? What are you most excited for guests to experience?

Designing a trip in Asheville felt somewhat familiar, as friends from out of town often come to visit and I want to show them around and pack as much into their stay as possible! It was fun to have an opportunity to create a trip in an area I know so well, and to be able to build on those past experiences. It was a lot of pressure too! I always approach trip design with this in mind—most people want to see as much of the world as they can, so they may not travel to the same place twice. So if I have one week to show you what this place is all about, what should we do? I made a list of must-do’s and put the trip together from there.

It’s always fun and exciting to take guests to places they haven’t been before, and even more so when that place is your home. I am looking forward to the little things—playing a game of bean-bag toss at The Wedge before dinner on Monday night, introducing someone to a classic southern dish like fried green tomatoes they may not have tried before….and of course the big things are pretty cool too, like standing on the summit of Mount Mitchell, taking in the 360 degree views and knowing you rode your bike up there.

Did you make any new discoveries about the region while completing the research for this trip?

I had not visited the Highlands area before I started researching this trip. I knew that I wanted to get guests out of downtown Asheville for the second part of the week, and I was looking for a smaller town somewhere that felt more wild. A good friend of mine is from the Highlands area and he suggested I come check it out. I was blown away by the access to low-traffic roads, waterfalls, the walkable/upscale downtown, cool restaurants, and was really excited to find the perfect hotel in 200 Main, which is owned and operated by the well-known Old Edwards Inn. He took me riding and hiking around the area one day and I was sold!

Asheville is well-known for outdoor adventure, local food and craft beer. What are the lesser known qualities that make it great?

Personally, one of my favorite things about this area is the local music. I love old-time music—a style that is played on acoustic instruments and usually involves the fiddle and banjo. It’s widely recognized as a feature of Southern Appalachian culture that has roots in the Welch, English, Irish and Scottish music brought by early immigrants to the region. It is associated with folk dancing as well—square dancing and contra dancing, which is also very popular in Asheville. Every Wednesday and Thursday night you can stop into Jack of the Wood, one of the great downtown bars, and catch an old-time or bluegrass jam session. And in Highlands, every Wednesday night a local string band plays at the Ugly Dog Pub—right down the street from our hotel! It’s awesome to have a style of music that is so strongly connected to a place, and to the history of that place.

Tell us about the brewery scene in Asheville. What is your favorite local beer?

The brewery scene here is going nuts! If I may quote NPR…”With more breweries per capita than any U.S. city, Asheville, North Carolina has become a sort of Napa Valley of beer.”

One of Ashevile’s oldest and best-known local micobreweries is Highland Brewing Company, located really close to my house here in east Asheville. Their Gaelic Ale was one of the first beers I ever really loved, so they will always have a special place in my heart! There are SO MANY great breweries here now though. We have really great water in Asheville, which has helped attract bigger breweries like Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Oskar Blues. The smaller breweries, however, are of the greatest interest to me and there are really too many to name. I recently suggested a walking brewery tour in downtown to some friends and was surprised to realize you could walk to 6 breweries in a 1-mile loop on the “South Slope” of downtown. That’s pretty amazing to me. My favorite local beer is the Perfect Day IPA by Asheville Brewing. You can only get it at certain times of the year, which makes it more special, and especially delicious to toast with your friends after a long summer day of adventures.

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Il Gallo Nero

Posted on August 14, 2015 - 3:39 pm by keith_ritter

The Black Rooster marks some of the greatest wines in the world.

It is easy to see why Tuscany remains one of our most popular trips. I moved to Italy some 12 years ago to immerse myself in this magic, and have determined that cycling through this region is the ideal way to learn about the place.

On a bike, we leave other tourists behind and get to experience places as they have remained for thousands of years. The epicenter of Tuscany – flanked by Florence to the North and Siena to the South – for its wine, wild boar, small, winding roads and forested hilltops. In the center of Chianti is the ideal, 9th century one-strip hilltop wonder of cobblestones enotecas and cafés known as Radda in Chianti. Ride up to the entrance of Radda in the morning and you’ll find Fabrizio Ferrucci, owner of Bar Dante making panini for the hungry denizens who flock to his café for local treats. Fabrizio will assure you that while Radda is not perfect, it is pretty close.

Radda is so ideal, in fact, that the two warring city-countries of Florence and Siena have fought over it for centuries. Legend has it that late in the 12th century, these two archenemies finally decided to end their bloody land-feud peaceably. By parliamentary agreement, at the first crow of their respective roosters on the appointed day, one knight from Florence, and one knight from Siena would depart on horseback down the road the connects the two cities. At the precise point the two knights meet on their journey, the line would be drawn to divide the Province of Florence from the Province of Siena.

While Siena chose to fatten and spoil a fine, plump rooster, the Florentines were far more devious. They selected a lean, black rooster and locked it in a windowless dungeon without food or water. When the date arrived, the rooster’s hyper-sensitive retinas led him to crow his heart out, giving the Florentine knight a dramatic head start. He reached all the way to Fonterutoli, a territory of Castellina, before he met the Sienese knight. And so they established the border at Castellina, a mere 19 kilometers from Siena’s walled city.

To this day, the internationally recognized symbol of Chianti is a silhouette of Il Gallo Nero, The Black Rooster. It marks some of the greatest wines in the world, and cyclists wear the jersey with pride. Next time you find yourself in Radda, ask Fabrizio about his story. He just may fill you in on some more history of this remarkable area that we are fortunate to ride our bikes through. The rest of the learning comes from the air flowing in your face while you spin down the winding roads, the same roads the two knights thundered down all those years ago.

By Jacob Young, a guide for Trek Travel

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Il Gallo Nero

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