So I turn my Map My Ride on the moment I get on the bike, and turn it off once we return - an example from last week, we spent 5 1/4 hours out and about, during that time we rode 22 miles - in that 5 1/4 hours we rode through a forest, stopped, hydrated, took photos, wandered; rode a bit came to a village, spent 2 hours independently wandering having coffee, etc; rode a little more, came to another village, enjoyed a lunch as a group, split off as a smaller group in search of gelato; rode some more, stopped to view a flamingo lake, took a group photo, hydrated; final ride back to the ship.
Whereas, at home if I do a 22 mile ride, it’s over about 2 hours. I ride an hour, take a 10 to 15 minute break to stretch and hydrate, then back to riding.
On the tour we’re not just getting on the bike and riding. We’re sightseeing, eating (a lot of snack/coffee/water breaks!), wandering, etc. It’s a great way to get from one spot to another.
The one I mentioned is through VBT. If you book a 2027 tour and pay for it by @ the end of October, you get a 5% discount.
I’d really like to find a good cycling or multi-sport trip through Norway, but I haven’t found anything I really liked (I haven’t done much research yet).
I don’t think we had rain in Provence in early September when we were there, but you will be less affected by rain if the trip is mostly day trips from a few hubs, because you can decide not to ride on a rainy day if your route for the day is a loop from your hotel to your hotel rather than from your hotel to the next hotel.
My brother recently had a different kind of cycling travel adventure - he did an organized motorcycle trek in the Himalaya mountains with some childhood friends (we grew up in nearby Pakistan; our father worked for USAID). They used Discover-Himalayas and he said it was amazing. Definitely aimed at experienced riders. A few in his group couldn’t handle the altitude and decided to drop out.
They did have the option to ride in the bus/van if there was a segment they didn’t feel comfortable with, with their assigned motorcycle transported for them. He did choose that option once.
That makes sense. I think self-guided is fun as a couple or with a group but would not be great as a single cyclist. I would probably opt for a organized group.
I like self-guided because I am not crazy about eating meals/coordinating with a bunch of folks I don’t know. It is probably really hit or miss. ShawWife is so good with people that it would work no matter what, but i have been happy with her company on self-guided tours.
We did a little biking in China more recently with a company called WildChina, I think. But, our trip had hiking, cycling and lots of other activities. Not cycling-focused.
We have almost always had a great time meeting new people and socializing on the group guided trips. I only remember one “really odd dude,” and his wife was lovely. Just last weekend we had dinner with some of the people we met on our France/Switzerland trip, and when we went to the Canadian Rockies this summer we met up with some Canadians for a day of riding and lunch.
I suspect that we would enjoy the people as well. ShawWife did an organized tour and left with several people with whom she was going to get together, but nothing ever happened. That were a couple weird folks.
As much as we are training (I bought ShawWife her own Zwift Ride and she is now on it most days), I fear our kids would leave us in the dust. But, we would for sure do it with them. We’d probably have to find longer routes for them and meet up at the end of the day. When we were the young’uns cycling in China with ShawWife’s parents, we would finish the ride for the day by noon and then find a loop to cycle on after lunch (this was frowned upon by our minders and on at least one occasion, our forward passage was stopped by the universal sign language of soldiers pointing rifles at us.
They are a small company and we contacted them and told them what we wanted. We had ten family members and wanted a guided tour with a van. They were able to make a trip just for us and it was reasonable. It was before covid and I don’t remember the cost but I don’t remember it being crazy high. It was early pedal assist days but we requested two such bikes (I am not strong on hills) and they got them for us.
I hear you on the kids. My son has become a “sponsored” (quotes bc he just gets free food each month and maybe a couple hundred bucks back related to race fees he’s paid). If we took him and his wife, she would cycle with us and be happy. He would “lap” us and still not feel like he’s ridden enough. When we were at the beach and rented beach cruisers (you know, the one’s with pedal breaks), he rode something like 38 miles on a very windy day. Other young couple isn’t in shape enough to even keep up with us old people :(.
Well I didn’t last very long…Just 2 weeks off my last bike trip (Tuscan islands) and I’ve booked my next - Provence, France. May 2027, as JustADad and JustADaughter pointed out that’s a personal record for me, as it usually takes me a month before I decide and book. But I’d been eyeing this itinerary before I left for Italy, and I knew I wanted spring, for the lavender fields. The route Avignon – Aigues Mortes, with longer bike rides (but much easier terrain than Tuscan mountains and hills!), up to 40 miles a day. I’m currently looking at flying into Geneva, and spending 3-4 days in Lyon (France) before taking the train to Avignon. Imagine my bosses expression when I turned in my vacation paperwork! They know me and my penchant for wanderlust so simply asked “where?”
That sounds incredible (the lavender fields, in particular). I’m still in the contemplation stage, but feel reasonably confident a European bike trip is in the cards for 2027.
I just rode my first ever 40-miler over the weekend. No elevation gain, but it was a distance milestone for me (and a pace achievement, too, as I averaged 12.3 mph over the entire ride). I want to feel ready and capable of whatever it might be.