| Months |
September | View Dates» |
| Price (USD) |
From $5,995 | See Pricing» |
| Start & End |
Santa Barbara, California | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Trip Length |
17 days | 16 nights |
| Rider Type |
4 | Learn More» |
| Daily Rides |
Options from 31 - 80 miles |
| Beyond Biking |
Hiking, Historical Site Visit, Beach, Massage, Spa, Shopping |
| Trip Options |
Make It Private or Choose Your Own Date |
| Share This |
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Back for 2012 is our ever popular Santa Barbara to Taos trip! Test your mettle on this the first leg of our epic Cross Country USA trip. This challenge is not for the faint of heart but rather for serious riders. Embarking in Santa Barbara you'll ride out of town on some of the same roads featured in recent Tour of California Pro cycling races; all the while enjoying the performance of a high end Trek Madone road bike. You'll pedal east across demanding, rugged terrain where you can just put your head down and hammer, leaving all the support and mechanics to your skilled Trek Travel guides. The otherworldly beauty of the Mojave Desert won't be lost on you as you make your way across the high desert past the ancient Mesas to the cloaked splendor of the Rocky Mountains and Grand Canyon. Finish this ambitious ride across one third of North American with a last punishing 140 mile day of climbing into Taos, New Mexico. At the end of it all have a final well deserved gourmet dinner with our intrepid Cross Country USA trip guests. Toast these hearty souls good luck before they battle on for another 2000 miles through the heartland of America all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Who knows, maybe at that point you'll be thinking about going all the way next time yourself!
Trip Wow’s
- Savor the ceremonial tire dip in the Pacific ocean to begin your journey.
- Behold the surreal landscape of the Grand Canyon.
- Tap into your "wild side" as you ride along historic Route 66.
- Discover the mystical and legendary beauty of the Mojave desert.
- Forge new friendships that become a pivotal part of your epic adventure.
| 2012 Trip |
Dates |
 |
September 14
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Days 1 – 10 | The West | Santa Barbara, CA to Grand Canyon, AZ
Stay at Grand Canyon South Rim Park Lodge (Rest Day)
Soak up sunshine and ocean breezes, while cruising the Pacific Coast Highway through “America's Riviera” | Traverse the sublime expanse of the Mojave desert | Scale the Southwestern flank of the Colorado Plateau, through red sandstone monoliths and forests of piñon and juniper | Celebrate your conquering of the West on your rest day - at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, AZ
Days 11 – 17 | The Southwest | Grand Canyon, AZ to Taos, NM
Stay at El Monte Sagrado Living Resort (Rest Day)
Spot eagles, coyotes, and pronghorn antelope - amidst canyons, mesas and monuments - as you glide through Utah's land of the Anasazi | Test your climbing skills on Colorado’s majestic, aspen-cloaked mountain passes | Sample the flavors of the Wild West in the historic and hip town of Durango, CO | Treat your legs to a soak in the natural hot springs at Pagosa Springs | Bask in the accomplishment of cycling from the Pacific Ocean to the Eastern Flanks of the Rocky Mountains with a celebratory dinner at a renowned restaurant in Taos, NM
Note:
Rest day hotels are listed below. Please download the itinerary for a complete list of trip hotels.
Grand Canyon South Rim Park Lodge | South Rim Grand Canyon, AZ
Perched near the rim of the Grand Canyon, the comfortable park lodge is a gateway to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Conveniently located on the shuttle route accessing many view points, trailheads, shops, and restaurants of the National Park, you will find plenty of ways to explore and recover on your rest day. Nature is your television at all of the park lodges, so be prepared to disconnect from the “real world” as you marvel at the enormity of this geologic wonder.
El Monte Sagrado Living Resort | Taos, NM
Set near the historic Taos Plaza, yet surrounded by acres of natural space and sweeping mountain views, El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa takes a sustainable approach to luxury accommodations and services. Experience the world-famous art collection, award-winning restaurant, and extensive spa facilities in this secluded sanctuary.
What’s Included in the Trip Price
- 16 nights of accommodation
- Daily breakfast, 13 lunches, 4 social hours, 13 dinners, and all snacks and drinks for each day
- The knowledge, support, and camaraderie of experienced guides
- Daily route support
- The use of a Trek Madone™ 5.2 carbon road bike, or Trek Madone™ 5.1 Women’s Specific Design carbon road bike (limited selection)
- The use of Trek bike helmets and other gear and equipment to make your ride comfortable
- Trek Travel water bottles
- Private tours
- Entrance fees to all group events/activities
- All luggage transfers
- All transportation during the trip, including private coaches
- Comprehensive trip literature and complimentary Trek merchandise
- All gratuities for special events, local guides, transfers, hotels, and restaurants
- $300 Discount on a 5 or 6 series Trek Madone purchase at your local Trek retailer
Not Included
- Airfare to and from the trip
- Transportation to the trip pick-up location
- Lodging before and after the trip
- Gratuities for Trek Travel guides
- Personal items purchased during the trip
- Some meals are not included in each destination, which allows you the opportunity to explore regional cuisine on your own. Your guides are happy to make recommendations should you so desire.
What is the weather going to be like?
Extremely varied. Expect all weather conditions including, rain, snow, wind, sun, and extreme temperatures. Extreme weather conditions may exist in certain parts of the west and guides will monitor the safety of riding in such conditions at all times. Bring layers for riding in any and all conditions.
What are the daily rides like?
| Rider Type | 4 |
Average Daily Mileage | 85
|
| Terrain | mountainous |
Average Daily Elevation | 3,700 |
On all of our vacations, Trek Travel strives to find quiet, paved secondary roads or bike paths to experience a region; busy roads are avoided as much as possible. Santa Barbara to Taos is best suited for our Type 4 Riders. The terrain is is extremely varied, including rolling coastal roads, long gradual climbs and descents across deserts, as well as long and steep climbing and descending in the Rockies. Roads are primarily two lane secondary highways with good shoulders, but include some stretches of primary highway and interstate with wide safe shoulders and smaller local roads and surface streets with little or no shoulder. See Itinerary for specific daily ride distance and elevation options.
What are the options for a non-rider travel companion?
This destination is best suited to guests who want to cycle every day. Because of the terrain and/or remoteness of the hotels and riding routes, there are few, if any, non-riding options available. If a non-rider wants to accompany a rider guest on this trip, they would need to spend many hours in the van and/or at the hotels on the trip. Due to this, we strongly discourage non-riders from this destination.
As an alternative, call a Trek Travel Trip Consultant at 866.464.8735 for trip suggestions where more non-rider activities are available, such as Santa Barbara Wine Country, New Mexico, or San Juan Islands.
How do I train for my trip?
We work with Vision Quest Training to give you that little boost before your Trek Travel bike trip. Vision Quest offers custom training plans that will get you ready to tackle your trip with confidence. The coaches consider the amount of hours you can train per week, what you need to focus on based on your goals and milestones you need to hit in order to achieve them. They develop a detailed write up and training plan just for you!
General FAQs
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check out our General FAQs section. You will find answers to all the most common questions that don’t necessarily pertain to a specific trip.
Wow’s From Our Guests & More Photos
When we asked our guests what their favorite WOW’s were from their Santa Barbara to Taos bike vacations, here is what they said…
The routes, scenery, food, the guides and the other guests on the trip. All was wonderful!—Sally
The guides wow-ed me. The catered to our every need and had great attitudes. I looked forward to sharing meals with them, riding with them and just joking around. They cared a lot about us.—Jeff
The on-road experience was fantastic thanks to our guide team.—Austin
