OVERVIEW
Designed to raise the comfort level, while still providing experiences in the mold of traditional Adventure Cycling tours, each Supported trip offers luggage and staff support and its own unique combination of food and overnight accommodations. Supported trips generally finish on late afternoon of the last day. It is recommended to book flights home for the day after the tour ends, or later.

Tour Costs
Each Supported trip includes luggage and staff support. Please check individual trip descriptions for food and overnight details. Price includes: 

• Meals – Catered meals, restaurant meals, group cooking, or a combination
• Overnight lodging – Camping, motels, or a combination
• Luggage support
• Leaders and leader expenses
• Maps or cue sheets, T-shirt, and a safety triangle

Camping
Supported trips are either 100% camping, or a mix of camping and indoor accommodations. Campsites range from private campgrounds to school athletic fields to state parks. Overnight facilities vary, but tents are typically pitched on large, flat, grassy area, or designated sites. Bathrooms and showers are always available. If access to indoor facilities is unavailable or insufficient, we may supplement the facilities with portable toilets and/or a shower truck

Motels
If your chosen Supported trip includes indoor accommodations, motels and resorts are the typical facilities utilized. Double occupancy reservations are secured for each planned overnight.

Meals
Bicycle travelers really enjoy eating while on tour and we place great emphasis on food quality and quantity. When catered meals are included in a Supported trip, the meals will be prepared by a professional caterer or a quality restaurant. When group cooking is included in a Supported trip, participants and leaders share cooking rotations for the tour. Cooking equipment is provided and carried along in the support vehicle. Vegetarian and special dietary needs will be addressed, though food selection may be limited in some places.

Support Vehicles (SAG)
There are no designated SAG support vehicles on Supported trips.

Luggage Transport
The luggage truck will deliver your bags to each overnight destination. When packing, keep in mind that you must be able to carry your bags to and from the luggage truck. Pack as lightly as possible, and keep your total luggage weight under 50 pounds. If your bag is not waterproof, we recommend protecting your gear with plastic bags in order to keep it dry in case of rain. Because you will not have access to the luggage truck during the day, you will need to carry items such as rain gear, snacks, and anything else you might want during the day.

Mechanical Support
Some Supported trips include the services of a mechanic who follows the route every day in a support vehicle to take care of mechanical emergencies, and is available each evening at the camping location. The mechanic vehicle carries a supply of tires, tubes and spare parts.

Other Supported trips do not include a mechanic or mechanic support vehicle. In these instances, your leader will be versed in basic bicycle repair skills. Regardless of the level of mechanical support on your chosen trip, please come prepared with at least two spare tubes, a pump and a patch kit.

Your Bicycle
Just about every type of bicycle has been used on our tours. We’ve seen touring bikes, racing bikes, tandems, recumbent, mountain bikes, and even triples. For a safer and more comfortable ride, we strongly recommend beefier tires for paved road trips – at least 700 x 28. Ride the bike you’re comfortable with, and be prepared with the extra tubes and tools you’ll need to repair a flat tire. For our dirt road trips, and trips including a mix of dirt and paved roads, we strongly suggest riding a mountain or cyclo-cross bike with durable wheels and knobby tires. On dirt trips that include technical terrain, a mountain bike equipped to handle rough ground is necessary. If you have questions about the suitability of your bike for a specific trip, please call us to discuss.

Bike Cases
Hard-plastic bike cases, cardboard bike boxes, and other packing materials will be stored during the event and available at the ending point. You do not need to make any arrangements for this prior to arrival.

GENERAL LOGISTICS
Trip Application and Sign-up
Upon signing up for a tour, you will receive a Tour Confirmation Invoice and preparatory materials, including a “Before You Go” booklet that contains a packing list and training tips. About 60 days prior to the tour or sooner, you will receive a Tour Information Packet with specific details about your starting location, recommended bike shop, travel tips, and much more.

Please feel free to contact the Tours Department if you have questions that are not answered here. Call (800) 755-2453 toll-free or (406) 721-1776. Or send an email to

Bike Transport
The two most common options are (a) to ship your bike to the start of the tour or (b) transport your bike with you by plane, train, or automobile. If you decide to ship your bike, send it to the recommended bike shop at the start of the tour. For each tour, we select a local bike shop to manage this. They are able to provide several levels of service for you. They can assemble your bike before the ride and ship it home afterward for a reasonable fee. They can also simply accept shipment if you plan to assemble it yourself. Your best bet is to take your bike to your local shop and have them ship it to the appropriate place.

The other option is to take your bike with you, however you’re traveling to the tour. If you plan to take your bike on an airplane, the airline typically will charge an additional fee to take a bicycle. Please check with the airlines or travel agency directly for details.

Bike and Gear
You need to supply all of your own cycling gear (bike, helmet, shoes, and clothing) and camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, and pad). A suggested packing list is included in the “Before You Go” booklet.

Parking
We plan to accommodate parking on all of our tours shorter than 14 days. In most cases, cars will be left at the starting location. At other times, parking is available at another location nearby. On some occasions, there is a cost involved to park your car during the trip. Details are provided in the Tour Information Packet.