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The birth of Ride Strong Bike Tours was met with more than the usual challenges. We were told cyclists don’t travel and travelers don’t bike. Trusted advisers instructed us to forgo the French Alps for every day flats; individual adventure for canned travel and behemoth buses. Essentially, they wanted us to sell-out on the soul of the sport.
But travel is our passion and cycling scenic back country hills is our obsession. And nothing gives us greater pleasure than to inspire other riders to travel by bike and share our epic bike journeys with fellow cyclists the world over.
Ride Strong Bike Tours was founded by Julie Gildred, a touring cyclist, triathlete, marathoner and recovering attorney who is, perhaps, best known for her extraordinary travels through third world countries on ‘Ganesh’ (a 1996 Specialized Rockhopper). Ride Strong Bike Tours is based in Carlsbad, California.
A Stronger Team
Our peloton is comprised of diverse men and women who share common characteristics: good energy, a passion for bike travel, a sense of humor, adventurous spirits and a daily need for endorphins. Our office is run by guides and our guides run the gamut: elite triathletes, mountain bike champions, lawyers, yoga instructors, inventors and mechanics. Where possible, our guides are denizens of the region or country we’re cycling.
A Stronger World
We believe world change starts with stronger individuals which is why we support two organizations dedicated to strengthening the mind and bodies of those in need: Room to Read and the Challenged Athletes Foundation. We encourage you to check out these amazing charities: roomtoread.org and challengedathletes.com.
A Stronger Bike Tour
We don’t offer cycling vacations to every destination or pretend to be the panacea for every level of cyclist. The fact of the matter is when it comes to bicycling vacations one size does not fit all. We are a boutique bike touring company run by cyclists for cyclists; placing just as much weight on riding as we do on our end-of-the day wine.
Our bike tours are small, 6-16 riders, allowing for flexibility and spontaneous fun. We try to minimize driving and maximize riding by offering point to point, (hotel-to-hotel) rides. Our typical day starts in the saddle around 8:30 or 9:00 and ends when it ends; about 100 kilometers, 3 cols and several medieval towns later. That’s the beauty of a bike trip; spinning and exploring until your heart is content. We ride in groups, we pedal with partners, we spin solo, we ride anyway you want. The very nature of our cycling routes, however, dictate one thing...we ride s-t-r-o-n-g. Pleasure is our primary objective and, for most of us, that usually means a little bit of pain and a boat load of adventure.
Accommodations
We don’t promise a certain ‘star’ accommodation as many of our family-owned farm houses or Tibetan tea houses are not rated. We do promise comfortable, charming and even sometimes luxurious homes, chateaus or rural inns that we’ve fallen for during our explorations and travels. Indeed, our unrated retreats tend to win highest accolades. If a particular room does not have an en suite bathroom, we’ll tell you in the specific tour itinerary.
Fresh Food for Fuel
Riding all day over successive steep slopes naturally ignites a major food craving and thirst. Fortunately, fresh food and fine dining is as esteemed as cycling itself in France and Italy. When it comes to unforgettable meals we go for fresh local specialties generally frequented by locals and run by families whose personalities add as much to the experience as the food itself. No blazers required.
So with the road open, the day free, your snacks schlepped and luggage shuttled by your domestiques...you need only settle in your saddle and discover what will undoubtedly be the most memorable vacation of a lifetime. Ride Strong!
A Stronger Soul (our guests)
You prefer six hours in the saddle over two in a bucket seat; you shower, only after you sweat; descents are deserved; endurance fuels your adrenaline; each song begins with the melodic ‘click’ into your pedals; you work hard and want to ride strong. Our tours are designed for you. You don’t need to be a licensed cyclist, amateur racer or fast sprinter. Our clients are ordinary people with extraordinary appetites for climbing and descending through isolated medieval villages and over alpine peaks. Our clients are equally voracious for relaxing evenings, lively discussion and gastronomic feasts!
‘Because life, if you know how to use it, is long enough!’
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