The Palm Springs Summer
in Winter GetawayTM
When:
February 4 - 12, 2006
Where:
Palm Springs, CA
Come to the world famous and world class resort cities of sunny Coachella Valley and enjoy a week of cycling that will make you forget all about winter back home. Big Wheel Tours has been conducting fully supported bike tours in the Palm Springs area for seven years and has developed a series of rides that will highlight the best bicycle routes in our sunny Valley. So come and enjoy seven days of fabulous weather and great riding through some of the best routes and prettiest scenery that the Southwest has to offer.
Each day's route takes riders to one of the area's scenic byways and highlights beautiful scenery, local color and history, top notch service and a terrific route. Also included are delicious daily breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Riders will be shuttled from the Palm Springs airport to the Best Western Vacation Inn in Palm Desert. There, cyclists will enjoy a welcome dinner and orientation meeting. The Vacation Inn is located in the heart of Palm Desert within close walking distance of shopping, restaurants, and the ever important Starbuck's Coffee. Just a few blocks away is El Paseo, the Coachella Valley's version of Rodeo Drive. After the meeting riders can hit the town or hit the hay to get ready for a beautiful week of riding.
Day 1 - The Thousand Palms - 55 miles
Riders will depart directly from the hotel and head out of Palm Desert towards the Little San Bernadino foothills created by the San Andreas Fault. It's there that we begin a steady five-mile climb up Thousand Palms Canyon Road. At the top riders can enjoy the vistas from Dillon Road before they head back down a well-earned descent past the sand dunes and citrus orchards.
The ride home includes and optional hill climb in La Quinta to get the heart pumping.
Day 2 - The Joshua Tree Extravaganza - 75 miles
Riders will be bussed to the start at the main entrance to Joshua Tree National Park in the town of Joshua Tree. There, riders will begin the week's most desolate and stark day of cycling.
The route will take riders through the length of Joshua Tree National Park where they will be treated to the spectacular Mojave Desert scenery that has made the Park famous. After a sag stop at Cottonwood Springs Visitor Center, riders will enjoy a 23 mile downhill ride into the narrow canyon walls of Box Canyon before the day's conclusion in the agricultural wonderland of Mecca.
Day 3 - The Thomas Mountain Bike Challenge
- 25 miles
Today will see riders shuttled into the heart of the Santa Rosa Mountains
for a challenging and scenic mountain bike in the Pinyon Flats area. The
route is a double wide road with two substantial hills that finishes off
with a great single track section. All the while, riders will be treated
to spectacular views of Garner Valley, the Santa Rosa Mountains, and Mt.
San Gorgonio and Mt. San Jacinto. After a hearty lunch at the Sugarloaf Cafe,
riders will be shuttled back to the Valley for an afternoon of golf, sitting
by the pool or shopping. Dual supension mountain bikes will be provided for
today's ride.
Day 4 - The Alpine Wonderland - 62 miles
Riders will get to sample a variety of the best topography that Southern
California offers. From the valley floor to the high mountains, riders will
experience several climatic zones on today's route.
Riders will be shuttled to the Sugarloaf Cafe which sits over 3,000 feet
above sea level on State Route 74. The riding will begin there and continue
along Highway 74 throught the spectacular Garner Valley. Riders will then
climb to the mountain village of Idyllwild where lunch awaits. The route
climbs to an altitude of over 6,000 feet in Pine Cove before descending towards
our finish in Banning.
Day 5 - The Anza Borrego Treasure - 62
miles
Today's ride will start in Salton City and head west through California's
largest state park, Anza-Borrego, towards Borrego Springs. The out and back
course features stark desert scenery, rolling roads, and a trip into a valley
that "reminds people of the way Palm Springs was fifty years ago".
Prices and Registration Fees:
The total price of the Summer in Winter Getaway $2399. The registration fee simply reserves your place on the tour and is due at the time of registration. Riders have the option of paying the tour price amount at the time of registration or in equal monthly installments. Riders must be paid in full at least twenty days before the tour start date. Riders wishing to pay by credit card may choose to register at active.com
Riders can also register and pay by credit card using our registration form.
Tour Fees:
Registration Fee: $100
Tour Price: $2299
Total: $2399
What's Included:
- Airport Transfers
- Daily Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinners
- Sag Support
- Mechanical Support
- 8 Night Hotel Accomodations (Double Occupancy)
- Dual Suspension Mountain Bikes on MTB Ride
- Local History
- All Park Entrance Fees
- Detailed Cue Sheets
- Entry fee to the Tour de Palm Springs
- Great Weather and Great Rides!
