Guest Post: Self-Guided Bicycle Vacations to America’s Southwest

Pure Adventures Brings Self-Guided Vacations On Bicycles to America’s Southwestern Deserts

(Guest Post) Pioneers of self-guided cycling vacations, Pure Adventures (http://pure-adventures.com/), provides October through May self-guided bicycle itineraries in America’s western deserts offering warm and dry conditions that draw top athletes for winter trainings.

Two itineraries include planned routes with must-see highlights as well as advance lodging reservations secured for riders who cycle at their own pace – not at the whims of a group mentality. Top quality bike rentals from hybrid to elite road bikes are available from their extensive fleet; the largest in the Southwest.

With over 300 days of sunshine and incredible scenery, the conditions in this region are perfect for exhilarating road rides, including challenging climbs to beautiful views of the surrounding desert. The ever present Saguaro Cactus is everywhere, but so, too, are the flora and fauna and wildlife that comprise the most diverse southwestern ecosystem in this country.

Scottsdale Arizona Desert Self-Guided Cycling Tour is available Oct. 15, 2015, through April, 2016. The rates start at $1,495 per person double. Road bikes with GPS are available for rent starting at $170 for the Giant Defy. Trek Madone or Specialized Roubaix upgrades are available. This is a moderate-to-challenging six-day itinerary through the Sonoran Desert that begins and ends at Pure Adventures’ headquarters in North Scottsdale, AZ. Riders cover 45-50 miles per day.  Guests lodge at, among others, Saguaro Lake Ranch Resort in one of Arizona's most magnificent scenic areas, the Tonto National Forest on the banks of the Salt River and made famous by the writings of Zane Grey. Day six of this tour is through the Fountain Hills including a popular KOM ridden last year by Bob Roll during a Gran Fondo.

In Scottsdale and Carefree resort lodging on the edge of the desert offers spa and luxury and fine dining or western night out at one of the local saloons! Rides visit the desert where wildlife spotting is highly likely.  At the end of the tour, the trip finishes with an included use of the recovery suite at Faster®Labs, a unique service for cyclists including 3D motion capture bike fitting, and wind tunnel. Tour guests can use the compression boots, cold plunge, and change before onward travel.


US - Tucson & Borderlands Self-Guided Bicycle Tour starts in the cycling hot spot of Tucson, AZ, before diving farther south into the land once home to Geronimo and Cochise. These desert mountains (or sky islands) still hold pockets of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in North America. This six-day tour is available from Oct. 15, 2015, to Apr. 30, 2016. The per person, double rate, is from $1,395. Road bikes with GPS navigation start with the Giant Defy at $170 with upgrades to Trek Madone or Specialized Roubaix models available.

The program starts in Tucson. The first adventures are in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area and include accessing rides in the Catalina Mountains. A famous loop through Saguaro National Park East passes Colossal Cave before heading south to Sonoita, AZ. This route is along the foothills of the Rincon Mountains before climbing steadily into the rolling grassland hills of Arizona’s wine region. Winery stops along quiet roads tucked into big mountains advance the route to near the border of Mexico. Esplendor Resort at Rio Rico is an overnight for exploring local lore. This ride is rated fit to challenging with rolling countryside and some notable hills with an average riding distance of 50+ miles a day.


The rate for each itinerary includes a personal orientation with a local coordinator upon arrival to go over the route book, set up the bikes and get pointers from local experts; accommodation with breakfast for five nights; luggage transfers; detailed road book with maps, cue sheets and suggestions for visitation and site information as well as restaurant suggestions; pre travel documentation and information; pre and post travel assistance and travel planning. Lunches and dinners are usually on-own.
In addition to self-guided programs, Pure Adventures offers other ways to organize domestic and international bicycling and hiking vacations: Guided vs Self-Guided vs Supported, Self-Directed, See: http://pure-adventures.com/blog/2014/06/23/how-to-choose-the-perfect-bicycle-vacation/#.VUk4UvlVhHw
For more information on all of Pure Adventures guided, self-guided and supported, self-directed tours, call: 800-960-2221 or 480-905-1235, Email: info@pure-adventures.com, or visit online: http://pure-adventures.com.

About Pure Adventures

Pure Adventures was created to meet North America’s growing demand for high-quality, self-guided cycling tours. Pure Adventures leverages and utilizes local expertise for route development, sites to see, people to meet, where to eat, and shop and experience life as a local would. Pure Adventures award-winning tours are competitively priced and meticulously planned with substantial behind-the-scene support creating a unique combination that makes a bicycle adventure more easily accessible to today’s active traveler.
This company pioneered self-guided tours in Europe in 1994 and recently launched its first itineraries in North America. Tours span Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and now the United States with the introduction of 20 programs in the West.
Pure Adventures was recently recognized with a Best of Travel 2015 award by OUTSIDE Magazine for their California tours that elevated that state to the top destination in the category of Best Road Biking.

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