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Arizona Bike Tour - Desert Winter Sunshine - Nov. 7-13, 2010

"An A+, an amazing selection of routes with outstanding local interests, great views and variable distances". Vern C. - Hallowell, Maine

"I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The people, guides, routes, scenery and towns we visited were a wonderful mix of scenery, history, challenge and breathtaking beauty. The weather held and the B&Bs and inns were wonderful, especially the Ramsey Canyon Inn."- Tish M. - Washington, DC

"Barb and I had a fantastic bike tour in Tucson. The weather was mostly sunny, with cool nights and warm days. The scenery was beautiful. This was a super vacation from the dark, cold, snowy winter in Michigan." Walter J, Alpine, Michigan

Our Arizona Bike Tour offers great winter biking on quiet roads. Experience the Sonoran desert with giant seguaro and other cacti, vast grassland prairies, pine forests and rugged, rock formations. Arizona is rich in history: Hispanic architecture, food and culture, the cowboy culture of Tombstone, Bisbee and other wild-west towns. This bike tour is a perfect introduction to the natural beauty and historic traditions of the Southwest.

Arizona Bike Tour - Highlights

Bike in comfort on quiet roads in the February sunshine
Walk in the desert at the wonderful Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and learn about hundreds of species of plants and animals in their natural habitat
Hike in the magnificent Ramsey Canyon Nature Preserve
Visit the historic, old west town of Tombstone and the preserved copper mining town of Bisbee
Enjoy distinctive southwest culture and cross over into Mexico
Stay in the best local inns and B&Bs and enjoy the local cuisine in fine Southwestern restaurants

Arizona Bike Tour - Detailed Features

Terrain: Variable: flat, rolling to very hilly.
Difficulty: This bike tour is reasonably challenging and is for intermediate-level bikers and above.

The trip is designed to provide biking alternatives for bikers of differing abilities.
Weather: The average high temperature for this area of Arizona is 70 degrees F and the low 43 degrees F at this time of year.
Accommodation: Best quality, charming inns and B&Bs.
Daily Distance: Basic routes: 25 to 45 miles with longer and shorter options available on all days.
Activities and Options: There are lots of activities that can be arranged during the bike tour or for before or afterwards: bird watching, exploration of Native American culture, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, visits to local wineries. Please let us know what your special interests are.
Other February Events: The Tucson Gem and Mineral Festival and the largest Winter Rodeo in the U.S.

Arrival and Departure: Tucson, Arizona
Seven-Day Trip Costs: $1,695 including seven days, six nights lodging, five dinners and all breakfasts, three picnic lunches, snacks, support van, baggage moving, guides, route notes and maps. Single supplement: $395 (room mates will be sought when requested).

Bike Rental: $200 for hybrid or road bikes

Arizona Bike Tour - Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Tucson

Day one of the bike tour we meet for introductions and bike fitting at Hacienda del Sol. This unique and historic guest ranch is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains; the first stop on our Southwest adventure. Guides and guests will meet for a dinner of wonderful southwestern delights. Meals: (D)

Day 2: The Western Sonora Desert and Desert Museum

Day two of the bike tour is rich with great bike riding and wonderful things to see. We will bike through the magic of Saguaro National Park with majestic cacti of all shapes and sizes, the deep colors of mountains, rock formations and wild life. We will stop and lunch at the fabulous Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, where you will have a chance to walk through the desert, see wild live animals and desert plants, attend lectures and visit an art show. There are several restaurants at the museum including the Ocotillo Café for a great Southwestern lunch made from locally grown products. After lunch we bike on beautiful and quiet roads to Sasabe. Our bike tour ends the day a stones throw from the border and miles from the city lights at the unique and intimate Rancho De La Osa. Meals: (B), (D)

Day 3: Sasabe to Sonoita

We bike from Sasabe in the morning and, after a picnic lunch, bike the Nogales Highway to Sahuarita Road, which traverses range land with low-growing cacti and mesquite and grasses with the backdrop of colorful rock formations and mountains. The last part of the route we bike through the Santa Rita foothills to the grassland prairies near Sonoita. We will stay at the Sonoita Inn, which is owned by a woman who also owned the great racehorse, Secretariat, to whom the inn is dedicated. Meals: (B), (L), (D)

Day 4: Sonoita to Sierra Vista

The bike ride to Fort Huachuca is a delightful trip on quiet roads over rolling terrain with beautiful scenery, crossing through the Coronado National Forest. You will bike on an old country road into Fort Huachuca, an army base established in 1887. The buildings of the old army post have been declared a National Historic Landmark and one is now a museum dedicated to the many forts that dotted the Southwest in the latter part of the 19^th Century. We will bike through Sierra Vista and then enter Ramsey Canyon road, which is a beautiful gradual up hill pedal to the lovely Ramsey Canyon Inn located immediately next to The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve. There is world-famous bird watching and hiking here for those who are interested. Meals: (B), (D)

Day 5: Sierra Vista to Tombstone

Day five of the bike tour is a relaxing day with a lovely ride to Tombstone and a chance to explore this interesting town. Most of the biking is on the quiet, scenic Charlestown Road. Along the road, you will see little dome-like hills, which rise out of the desert and dot the countryside. We will lunch in Tombstone and then explore this old, restored Western town. Bikers will stay at the Tombstone Bordello Bed & Breakfast, a one time bordello that now offers unique and historic accommodations Meals: (B)

Day 6: Tombstone to Bisbee

Today our bike route traverses desert and rangeland with almost no cars. The trip offers a real view of pure, unspoiled desert land and plenty of quiet countryside. We will enjoy a picnic lunch along the way. Entering Bisbee, you will get a good view of the copper mine, the great traditional industry of this part of the world. Bisbee is perhaps one of the best-preserved, western towns in

America

. We will stay at the famous old Copper Queen Hotel. Meals: (B), (L), (D)

Day 7: Colossal Caves to Saguaro Park East

For our final ride of the bike tour we start off from Saguaro Park East and head out the Old Spanish trial to Colossal Caves Park. We will celebrate with a wrap-up picnic in the park and say our farewells. Meals: (B), (L)

Making Reservations

Submit your deposit online or send us a deposit of $400 via mail to hold the reservation. Payment for the balance due is required at least six weeks before the start of the trip. You can pay via credit card by phone or mail a check.

Checks payable to Bike Escapades LLC should be sent to:

Bike Escapades

64 Webster Street

Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Phone: 877-880-2453

Email: tours@bikeescapades.com

Refund Policy: We will refund all but $200 of your deposit or other payments made to Escapades if you cancel at any time up to six weeks before the start of the trip. Because of hotel cancellation policies and other logistical considerations, we will not refund your deposit or any other payments if you cancel for any reason six weeks or less before the start of the trip. In the unlikely event that Escapades cancels your trip, all payments made by you to Escapades for this trip will be refunded in full.

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