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Desert Winter Sunshine

Summary

This tour offers great cycling on quiet roads. Experience the Sonoran Desert with giant cacti, vast grassland prairies, pine forests and rugged rock formations. Experience the rich history of Hispanic architecture, food and culture and the cowboy culture.

Recreational, Road bike

7 days

475 km / 295 mi

$ 2,495.-

Bike in comfort on quiet roads in the desert winter 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.
Stay in the best local inns and B&Bs and enjoy the local cuisine in fine Southwestern restaurants.

Gallery

Details

Type

Recreational, Road bike

Duration

7 days

Level

Moderate

Support

Guided

Daily distance

80-100 km / 50-62 mi

Total distance

475 km / 295 mi

Climbing

3260 m / 10695 ft

Lodging

Deluxe, full board

Luggage transport

Daily luggage transfers

Bicycle

Rental

Dates

01 Feb 2022 - 28 Feb 2022

Start

Tucson (15.00)

Finish

Tucson (15.00)

Transfer

Tucson airport. Transfer not included.

Airport at start

Tucson Int. Airport (TUS)

Airport at finish

Tucson Int. Airport (TUS)

Prices Please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

Price per person / please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

The tour price per person

$ 2,495.-

rental hybrid bike

$ 200.-

Optional

rental road bike

$ 200.-

Optional

Single supplement

If you travel alone a single supplement is charged. With some group tours you can avoid a single supplement by sharing a room with another rider.

$ 495.-

Itinerary

Inclusive / Not Inclusive – lodging

Day 1

Sunday: Arrival in Tucson
Day one of the bike tour we meet for bike fitting and introductions at the Lodge on the Desert at 4 PM. Our hacienda style boutique hotel is situated in Tucson framed with the majestic backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Guides and guests will meet again in the lobby at 6:15 PM and dinner will follow at the hotel at 7:00 PM.
Meals included: Dinner

Day 2

Monday: The Western Sonora Desert and Desert Museum
Day two of the bike tour we bike through the magic of Saguaro National Park with majestic cacti of all shapes and sizes. We will stop for lunch at the fabulous Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. There are several restaurants at the museum including the Ocotillo Café for a great Southwestern lunch from locally grown foods. After lunch we bike to the beautiful Madera Canyon and our lodgings, the Santa Rita Lodge, in the Coronado National Forest.
Daily Mileage Options: 30 to 67 with various drop points available
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 3

Tuesday: Madera Canyon to Sonoita
We bike from Madera Canyon in the morning and, after a picnic lunch, bike the Nogales Highway to Sahuarita Road. 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.
Daily Mileage Options: 30 to 58 with various drop points available
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Wednesday: Sonoita to Sierra Vista
Today we will bike to 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 19th Century. We will bike through Sierra Vista and then enter Ramsey Canyon road, which is a beautiful gradual uphill pedal to the lovely Ramsey Canyon Inn located immediately next to The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve. There are world-famous bird watching and hiking trails here for those who are interested.
Daily Mileage Options: 28, 43
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

Thursday: 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 and historic town. We will lunch in Tombstone and then guests will have the afternoon to explore this unique Western town. Bikers will stay at the Tombstone Bordello.
Daily Mileage Options: 26, 42, 70
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6

Friday: Tombstone to Bisbee
Today our bike route traverses desert, rangeland 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.
Daily Mileage Options: 33, 45, 52, 71
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7

Saturday: Saguaro Park East to Colossal Caves
For our final ride of the bike tour we start off from Saguaro Park East and head out the Old Spanish Trail to Colossal Caves Park. We will celebrate with a wrap-up picnic in the park and say our farewells.
Daily Mileage Options: 20
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Included:

Six nights lodging at unique and historic guest ranches, hotels, and B&Bs.
All breakfasts, five dinners, four lunches.
Entrance fees to the Saguaro National Park and the fabulous Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.
Experienced guides familiar with the local area.
SAG (Support and Gear) Van to provide baggage relocation, mechanical support, snacks, fresh water, and “rest rides” as needed.
Cue sheets and maps with daily meetings to review route options and points of interest.

Not included:

Bike Rental: approx $200 for hybrid or road bikes
Airfare is not included.
Night before and night after the tour.
Gratuities guides

Lodging

Lodge on the the Desert:
Lodge on the Desert was built as a private residence in 1931. The family compound was purchased by Homer and Cornelia Lininger and opened for business as Lodge on the Desert in 1936 with seven guest rooms. From 1936 to today, Lodge on the Desert – in design and operation – has remained true to its Southern Arizona roots . . . it is at once authentic, charming, historic yet contemporary. It reflects its southwest heritage . . . simply and completely.
Canoa Ranch Resort:
Guests of our Green Valley resort will stay in luxuriously appointed guest rooms and suites, many offering sweeping views of the tranquil and stunning Arizona landscape. Explore nature at your leisure with their hiking and biking paths. Whether coming for adventure or relaxation, the Canoa Ranch Resort offers guests the serenity of one of Arizona’s most picturesque locations.
Sonoita Inn:
Inspired by Secretariat and designed by his owner, Margaret Charmichael, the Sonoita Inn is a one-of-a-kind western country lodge nestled in the high grasslands of Southern Arizona. Each room is named in honor of a local ranching family, and the decor is elegantly southwestern. Guests at the inn are perfectly located for hiking, biking, birding, boating, fishing, horseback riding, winery visits and shopping
Ramsey Canyon Inn:
Named one of the Top 10 Bed and Breakfasts in Arizona by The Arizona Republic, The Ramsey Canyon Inn sits amidst the hummingbird capital of the United States. The garden at the inn was planted and designed specifically to attract butterflies and the 15 species of hummingbirds known to reside in the area. Guests will also enjoy coffee and tea in the afternoons with generous helpings of blue ribbon pies make from fruit grown on the property.
Tombstone Bordello:
Rumored to have been a Wild West house of ill-repute run by Big Nose Kate, long-time companion to Doc Holliday, the Tombstone Bordello is rich in history and western lore. With names like Scarlett Lady, Fallen Angel and Diamond Annie, the rooms reflect the inn’s sordid past. Guests at the Bordello will feel themselves swept back in time as they tour defunct mines and old west saloons or watch a reenactment of the gunfight at the O. K. Corral.
Copper Queen Hotel:
Opened in 1902, the Copper Queen Hotel is Arizona’s oldest continually operating hotel. In its day, the Copper Queen Hotel was considered quite modern with two-foot thick concrete walls and an open-air hallway along the southeast wall to keep it cool in the summer, Italian mosaic tile on the floors of the lobby and the entrance and cathedral ceilings fitted with tiffany glass. Guests today can enjoy a dip in the solar-heated pool, a Pickaxe Barbeque Pork Sandwich on the outdoor patio or a visit from one of the three ghosts in residence.

Map & Routes

Map

Satellite

Bicycle

Road bike or Hybrid bike rental for $200.-