Arches National Park
The Vail Pass -- 10,666' Pedal downhill only, uphill only, both, or skip the whole damn thing -- your choice!
The flat $10 billion-dollar no-car bike path along the Colorado River
Paddle the Colorado River
Dead Horse Point
The famous naturally-heated thermal pool in Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Denver International Airport
DAY 1 - SEPTEMBER 9th
VAIL, COLORADO
Fly into Denver and meet up in fantastic Vail, Colorado to begin our adventure.
When you get to the hotel stop by for a drink and snacks -- welcome!
Depending on what time you arrive in Vail, you can pedal the wonderful local bike path through town, or even tackle the challenging Vail Pass. The pass is at 10,666' and you can pedal it uphill only, downhill only, both, or skip the whole thing! (There will be another chance to do the pass early tomorrow).
In the evening we have a rather spectacular meal planned - all included in the price of the ride.
We will also offer a shuttle to the nearest legal marijuana store, for those who care about such things. More details on legal marijuana in Colorado here.
In one trip we're going to...
Pedal the West
Another swell ride from yer old pal Glen
September 9 - 14, 2020
(This is NOT during the Jewish holidays!)
Routes each Day for Beginners and Experts
• • •
Free round-trip transportation for your bike
No packing • No shipping • No disassembly •No airline surcharges
Just drop off your luggage and
fully-assembled bike here:
New York City
Paramus, NJ
Pittsburgh
Columbus, OH
Indianapolis
St. Louis
Kansas City
Denver
Live near a different city?
We can help with easy bike transport.
• • •
Get ready for an amazing bike trip full of spectacular places you can't get to on your own.
Here we go!
NOW THEN... I know NOTHING about mountain biking -- I ride a road bike. And at my age I promise you that on a mountain bike I am not jumping off of anything tall, and I am not jumping over anything tall. I want to see beautiful stuff, but I want to take it nice and easy. (I figure I'm already too old to learn to snowboard, so I better learn how to mountain bike.. gently! -- while I still can.) This will be mountain biking for... uh... slightly-older beginners. OK!
We'll provide the expert guides and the mountain bikes. (We are NOT taking our road bikes on dirt trails!)
Are you already an experienced mountain bike rider? We'll have a more advanced route for you.
Lunch after our ride will be followed by an optional beautiful road bike ride on Potash Road in the afternoon -- 19 or 38 easy miles.
After our rafting trip we'll grab some lunch and then head to Moab, Utah --- home to Arches National Park, Dead Horse Canyon, and some of the most beautiful bike riding in the world. Even the drive from Glenwood Springs to Moab is spectacular -- through the mountains and the desert.
Among other things Moab is kinda known for being hard to get to (that's why we're here to make it all happen!) and for crummy hotel rooms.
Until now.
We are staying at the new Hoodoo Moab hotel
DAY 3 - September 11th
COLORADO RIVER RAFTING AND THEN OFF TO MOAB!
We'll start the day with a full breakfast, followed by rafting down the Colorado River! Beautiful, exciting... get ready! The trip is lead by professional guides.
The $10 Billion-Dollar No-Car Bike Path From Vail to Glenwood Springs, CO
Tonight we are at the historic Hotel Colorado -- the same place Teddy Roosevelt stayed in 1905 during a three-week bear-hunting expedition.
DAY 2 - SEPTEMBER 10th
VAIL TO GLENWOOD SPRINGS
We start the day with a great breakfast and then pedal from Vail to Glenwood Springs on the $10 billion bike path. Today's ride is downhill the entire way!
The Lodge at Vail
The Hotel Colorado
When you arrive at the Hotel Colorado your luggage will already be in your room. Drop off your bike, grab your swimsuit, and meet us across the street at the wonderful Glenwood Hot Springs pool -- naturally heated by thermal waters. We'll have a private cabana -- come hang out so we can buy you lunch and drinks!
By the way, your hot springs admission is valid until 10 p.m. -- you can come back after dinner. I highly recommend the warm thermal waters under a dark sky!
The Glenwood Hot Springs
In the evening we'll head out to dinner in Glenwood Springs and then to bed (eventually...) -- we have a VERY big day tomorrow.
DAY 5 - September 13th
MOUNTAIN BIKING MOAB
We'll have breakfast and then we are off on a VERY special day.
We are going cycling in the most famous mountain biking spot in the U.S. -- Moab, Utah.
Delicate Arch, located inside Arches National Park
The hike to Delicate Arch is 3.4 miles total round-trip (1.7 miles each way). You can do it in sneakers or hiking boots (but definitely NOT in cycling shoes or flip flops!) It gets a bit more strenuous near the top, but nothing severe. Total hiking time -- one - two hours.
One last great dinner together in Moab!
Get settled in and then it's time for dinner and a drink to toast our heroic rafting exploits.
DAY 4 - September 12th
DEAD HORSE CANYON
After a great breakfast we are off on one of the most amazing rides of your life -- Dead Horse Canyon.
How far a bike ride is that?
How far would you like it to be?
We'll have routes from 8 miles - 62 miles.
The eight-mile route is VERY flat.
The 62-mile route includes more than 3,000 feet of beautiful climbing.
Some people think that 3,000 feet of climbing is an awesome idea.
Other people think that 3,000 feet of climbing is a terrible idea.
That's why we proudly offer lots of different route distances this day -- you get to pick the one that's right for you.
My personal favorite?
Catch a lift with us to Dead Horse and then ride mostly DOWNHILL 32 miles back to the hotel.
Lunch is at a great spot I am not at liberty to divulge. (Actually, I AM at liberty to divulge... I just won't.)
I definitely recommend some post-ride time by the hotel pool or in the hot tub. Dinner tonight is at leisure -- lots of good choices nearby.
DAY 6 - September 14th
Farewell!
We will offer an optional crack-of-dawn trip to Delicate Arch (above) for those who skipped it yesterday. If you missed Potash Road (above) yesterday you still have time to sneak in an early-morning short ride.
Full breakfast, of course!
Now then... how to get home?
If you have your private jet, you can fly out of the Moab airport.
We will offer a free van departing Moab at 11:00 a.m.
We will stop at the Grand Junction, CO airport -- we recommend you fly home from here. I wouldn't book a flight that departs any earlier than 3:00 p.m.
If you prefer, stay on the van and we'll take you to the Denver airport. (Personally I think you're better off flying home from Grand Junction - it is a long van drive back to Denver, but if that is your choice we are happy to help.) I would not book a flight home from Denver any earlier than 8:30 p.m.
We'll start with a great full breakfast and then we are ready to ride! Routes today from 16 - 78 miles.
This morning pedaling the Vail Pass (10,666') is optional -- you can pedal uphill only, downhill only, both, or skip the whole thing. (If you want to do the pass you should plan on an early start today.)
From Vail it's off to Glenwood Springs. As you can see from the chart above, it's a gentle downhill for most of the ride.
In the 1880s surveyors spent a year positioning a ribbon of rails through the narrow chasm. Decades later a twisting two-lane highway joined these rails.
In the 1980s, when the Federal Government revealed plans to fill-in the last gap of America’s Interstate system, Colorado asked, “What about bikes?” After billions were allocated to replace the old road with four lanes of scenic freeway plus an entirely separate pathway for cyclists, locals dubbed this project “The $10 Billion Dollar Bike Path.” In places this spectacular bike trail is cantilevered out over the roaring rapids of the mighty Colorado. The 15-mile descent through the Glenwood Gorge is amazing.
Potash Road -- Our optional afternoon ride. (Or do it crack of dawn tomorrow).
OR... if you'd rather we can drive you to the trailhead for Delicate Arch:
Road bike riding in Moab, UT
Mountain bike riding for uh... older beginners (like me!) in Moab. We provide the mountain bikes and the pro instructors.
An advanced route is offered too for those with mountain bike experience.