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Sedona Bike & Hike Tour |
(nearly year round)
This tour is another of our adventures that focuses on the easy-on-the-eyes famous red rock country. As a background, there is no place that rivals Sedona's rugged and beautiful setting. There is also no place like Sedona when it comes to feeling totally natural and relaxed. Our aim is not only to bond the group, but bring Sedona's ambience meant to appeal to those who want to hike and bike the area and concentrate on this peerless region of the state. All the meals come with the tour as well as accommodations, ground support, transportation, and entry fees. The tour is hosted by knowledgeable, friendly guides, and all are expert bikers. In addition to the geology, natural, and people history that comes with the tour, the guides will even pass along some essential information about mountain and general biking maintenance and safety tips.
Here is what we have in store for you in this exception riding and hiking experience.
Day 1:
We will meet the group in Phoenix and drive 90 miles north to Sedona,
which happens to be part of the southern gateway to the famous Colorado Plateau
country. Over dinner we will discuss the details of the tour. Our meet and greet
gatherings are designed to make our guests feel comfortable, not only among
themselves, but with us and all that we have to offer on our tours. As in most
of our tours, equipment, in this case, the bikes, can be supplied by our guests
or rented through us. We will supply the group with a list of essential things
each participant needs to have prior to coming on the tour. This important list
will also discuss the health and safety factors we feel are necessary for any
biking tour that we offer.
Day 2:
The group will enjoy visiting one of our secret riding destinations. We say
"secret" because we don't want to spoil the setting by exploiting
its remoteness through advertising to the general public. We are sure you will
agree that sometimes it is necessary to protect such places, especially in this
day and age when too much tourism is as harmful as too little moisture in typically
dry places (like Sedona). After a hike in the area and a picnic style lunch
in a picture perfect location, we will board the van back to Sedona, where the
group will enjoy the rest of the day sightseeing. Later, we will enjoy a fine
meal and a great night's sleep in a restive and quiet setting. Oh, and just
wait until you see how gorgeous the rock colors are when the sun is setting.
It's a sure bet you have never seen such an awe inspiring crimson glow.
Day 3:
The group will ride mount their two wheeled steeds and enjoy Sedona's biking
trails. Here again we know the best places to ride where fewer people are seen,
which means more solitude for the group to enjoy. For lunch, we will gather
in the formidable beauty of Oak Creek Canyon that runs north out of Sedona.
Just wait until you see those towering, narrow walls that encompass the setting!
From there we will ride back to the hotel and offer an optional afternoon hike
to one of Sedona's world famous vortex (or energy) centers. Besides the spiritual
energy most people claim is part of the vortex, the utter beauty of the stunning
surroundings practically guarantees everyone will feel a special calm and tranquility
in the exchange. Natural beauty usually has that kind of hold on people, but
in this case Sedona seems to have a monopoly on the exchange.
Day 4:
Today it is time for what Sedona is also known for: the sensational geology
and what makes the color of the rocks what they are. The group will learn the
easy way what many others don't understand. Where the geology of any setting
dictates what natural history will follow (i.e., the flora and the fauna), it
later determines the people's history. The afternoon will be on your own, so
you will have plenty of time to experience Sedona on an individual basis. Some
say the best shopping for art, especially Native American arts and
craft, is found in Sedona. After dinner we have yet another surprise in
store for you: the group, or those who wish to attend, will enjoy a special
class on trouble shooting problems with bikes, as well as helpful maintenance
tips. We know bikes and we want to share this information with our guests, simply
because we not only have the passion to do it, but because we are an educationally
oriented touring company in every respect.
Day 5:
Today is another driving day, but this time we will take the bikes with us.
We will head north, climb to the higher ramparts of the Colorado Plateau, and
visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (for the morning). We
plan on taking Oak Creek Canyon up to the top of the Colorado Plateau country,
which some call this route another Grand Canyon, only with a road. In this two
or so hour drive watch how the terrain changes, for the plateau country above
Sedona is typically characterized by what it is known for: the land of flat-lying
rocks. Of course, you will also drive through Flagstaff, which is the
home of Arizona's highest mountains, the San Francisco Peaks. After taking
in the sights of the world's greatest natural wonder (some of us think so),
in the afternoon we will drive back to Flagstaff where, after lunch and dinner,
the group will visit the world famous Lowell Observatory. Do you know
what planet was discovered at this observatory? It was Pluto. Now we'll
let you figure out who was the famous astronomer who first sighted this distant
planetary object. Bet you will figure his name out without another clue.
Given this added feature to the tour we sometimes felt another name, like STARS ABOVE THE GRAND CANYON, might be a better name for it. The fact is, we think this biking tour, including a select knowledge we will share with you along the way, is just about perfect given what there is to see and do along the way. We think you will agree with us once you take the ride and hike for yourself. After the tour of the observatory we will drive back to Sedona, but this time traveling the I-17, since it's nowhere as sinuous as Oak Creek Canyon.
Day 6:
Today is a day we will cycle some really neat and cool forest trails, including
having lunch in the forest and beneath the umbrella of the tall ponderosa
pines. These tall, eloquent pines are the ubiquitous forest of the high
country and we will even share a secret with you why they shed their lower branches
the taller they grow. Talk about an ingenious way of preserving a genus of trees!
Later in the day we will board the van back to Sedona. There is always plenty
of time to rest before dinner, which tonight will be our farewell dinner we
have in store for you. The one thing we absolutely know already is this tour
will provide a lifetime of great memories and it's a sure bet someday you might
come back on your own to take in even more of this splendid scenery.
Bon voyage and happy trails. But come tour with us first!
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