I have been lucky enough to take the best biking vacations imaginable. Not to brag, but climbing Going To The Sun Road at Glacier National Park and hitting the downhill at Big Sky Bike Park in Montana are two major highlights. My wife and I love to travel. We looked at the cost of booking our own vacations versus booking them with a travel agent. The pricing was always the same, but the travel agents knew exactly which excursions would make our trip wonderful.
To make a long story short, my wife decided to become a travel agent. Now she books epic cycling adventures for our family, friends and their referrals. These are some of the most common questions we get after one of our many biking vacations…
Which Biking Vacations Are Best?
This is a common question we get. Many of our cycling friends don’t have the luxury of remote work and flexible scheduling. (Although, thanks to COVID that seems to be changing.) Our favorite biking vacations are the ones that last four to six weeks over the summer. We usually rent an RV.
Our first real downhill mountain biking experience was at Big Sky Bike Park in Big Sky, Montana. We rented full suspension mountain bikes and spent the entire day touring the blue and green trails. We did this while staying in a travel trailer at a nearby RV resort. The RV resort was so amazing we rarely wanted to leave. My wife booked it all and planned the itinerary.
Why Book Bike Vacations With A Travel Agent?
This is simple. In exchange for the commission a travel agent receives, they provide you a plan that fits your desires within your budget. The price we paid through travel agents was the same we would pay booking it ourselves. For the same price we get excursion options already fitting our budget.
I know not all travel agent experiences will be the same, but the process through More Time For Adventure is great. You answer questions on budget, location, “must-do” activities and more. Then a week later I have a spreadsheet to review that includes excursions with pricing.
For example, our Glacier National Park trip coincided with the week Glacier shuts down Going To The Sun Road for cars, but opens it for cyclist. Those notes were in my vacation spreadsheet so I knew what day to book if I wanted to climb and descend Going To The Sun Road without traffic. It was an unforgettable experience.
Do You Record Videos Of Your Rides?
Yes, I try to record all of my rides when on vacation. I rarely record when riding near home. That is all changing though. Beginning in February 2022 I will be recording all my cycling activities and uploading them to YouTube. The channel is created, although there is no content, if you want to subscribe now. It is called, Riding With Ryan, believe it or not.
I don’t know exactly what the channel will be like at this point, but I know enough people have asked that I am willing to give it a try. Initially I plan to review my current equipment, share some cool scenery from my rides, and talk about whatever is currently going on in my life as it relates to riding my bike(s).
Guided or Self-Guided Bike Tours?
This is a loaded question. I would never speak poorly of someone willing to trade their time to tour someone around on a bike. That being said, the answer to this question depends entirely on the quality of your guide. When we book biking vacations my wife will often research bike rental prices and public trails that are well reviewed. If she isn’t having luck we look at guided bike tours.
Guided tours can get you onto private land you may otherwise be unable to ride on. This is especially true for XC mountain biking tours. If you have a guide that is funny or incredibly knowledgeable it elevates an already awesome experience.
If you get a guide that doesn’t know how to maintain a good riding pace and only points out good spots for pictures, the added price of that guide will not add value to your experience. Reviews are key. Guided bike tour companies will have social media reviews. If they don’t have reviews then stay away.
How Do I Book A Bike Vacation?
To book your next biking vacation contact my wife, Christy, at More Time For Adventure. Getting a vacation quote is always free and she’s great at answering questions. Better yet, become a travel agent yourself and save some major dough on your next trip. Either way, Christy can help.
Most of our biking vacations have been ‘west of the Mississippi’. but Florida and North Carolina are already booked! Christy can book vacations anywhere in the world, although we won’t start our international bike vacations for a few more years.
For more biking vacations related content please sort through my Bike Travel section.
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