Screenshot from ExperiencePlus!
I always perk up when tour operators design active trips for travelers over-50 — so I was delighted to learn about ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours. The 40-year-old company is co-owned by two sisters, Monica and Maria Elena Price.
“Some 80 percent of our travelers are baby boomers and beyond, between the ages of 50 and 75,” says Maria Elena.
To prepare cyclists for the trips, which range in length from a week to 45 days, the company works with cycling coach, Joe Friel, author of Cycling Past 50. Friel has designed 12-week, step-by-step, pre-trip training programs for the tours.
The programs and training calendars (available online for free) are segmented for ages over- and under-50. In addition, the training is customized for tour ratings based on miles per day and terrain difficulty.
Although the sisters aren’t the only ones leading tours for their company, National Geographic Traveler named Monica and Maria Elena Price as one of their ten great tour guides.
Tours in 2013 go to Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, India, Italy, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA and Vietnam, among others.
For more information about ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours and the pre-trip training programs, see http://www.experienceplus.com/blog/?tag=bicycle-training-packet
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5 Comments
Suzanne (Just One Boomer)
March 6, 2013 at 3:53 pmI wish I had the nerve to try one of these. The last time we planned to train for an active trip (a hiking trip in that case), my father and my husband’s grandmother both broke hips and we spent our training time shuttling between hospitals and rehab centers. We still managed the hike (in New Zealand) OK, but we were younger then.
Irene S. Levine
March 6, 2013 at 3:56 pmCaregiving for aging parents can definitely crimp travel plans; I know from experience!
Best, Irene
Mira Ahipara
March 23, 2013 at 5:47 pmNew Zealand is a great place for leisure cycling. We have trails for cyclists of all ages and levels. My favourite place for cycling with the family is the Hauraki Rail Trail with its gorgeous New Zealand scenery, including Karangahake Gorge.
Irene S. Levine
March 23, 2013 at 6:34 pmThanks for visiting and adding this info. Best, Irene
Sally
July 16, 2014 at 8:05 amHi Suzanne,
Cycling is much softer on your muscles than hiking therefore it would be a good option to try.
I work for a cycle tour company called SpiceRoads and we offer tours in Thailand and over 25 countries worldwide. Each of our tours are rated with a ‘chili’ rating. If I was you I would suggest picking a “one chili tour”. On most of our tours we also offer a fully supported van too – just incase you fancy a break.
If you have any questions about cycling please let us know. I (or one of the team) would be more than happy to help out where we can.
Cheers,
Sally