Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour

Please check out the daily details of our Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour itinerary from September 14-23, 2018 below. The route across the scenic Andalucia region in southern Spain is 430 kilometers long over five cycling days, which averages out to 86 kilometers (53.4 miles) per day. Although stages are relatively short, most days will involve substantial climbing. Anyone with a moderate level of fitness should be able to complete the trip. Road bicycles are strongly recommended. For more technical details about the trip, consult the blog for occasional updates. We will be staying in historic, luxury "Paradores" most nights. Accommodations throughout will be centrally located and extraordinarily relaxing allowing you to mix biking, great scenery, tourist attractions, comfort, and a great cause! Each registrant's fee helps us pay for a half scholarship for a Rivas Light and Life Cultural Center student and participants are encouraged to raise the half scholarship match ($360). To download a summary sheet of the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour, click here.

Itinerary

friday, september 14

All participants need to fly into Madrid, Spain - arriving early afternoon at the latest, if possible. We will do all airport pickups and transport you to an area hotel where you will be staying for two nights. We will organize a late afternoon / early evening tour of Madrid followed by a group dinner with introductions, discussion of the overall organization and schedule of the event followed by a "Love Spain" campaign presentation.

Saturday, september 15

We will be staying in Rivas Vaciamadrid for the day to get involved in activities in conjunction with the Rivas Light and Light Cultural Center. You will have a chance to meet some of the students and we will plan a variety of community activities including a possible community "fun ride" on bicycles on nearby roads. We will plan an evening pool party and "paella" dinner at the home of Peter Clark, a long-time Rivas Vaciamadrid resident.

Sunday, september 16

We will depart Madrid early by car for the four-hour drive to Cordoba, where we will stop to tour the ancient city center, visit the old mosque (now converted to a church) dating from Moorish occupation times, eat lunch and continue on for another 2.5 hours drive to the southern coastal town of Cadiz, where we will stay on the beach at the lovely Parador de Cadiz. The old town is a short walk from the hotel. The warm air and the Mediterranean breeze should get everyone in the mood to begin cycling the following morning.

monday, september 17

Our first day of cycling takes us inland from the coast at Cadiz for 80 kilometers to the Andalusian town of Arcos de la Frontera. The route is relatively flat until a short final climb at the end up to the town center. Arcos de la Frontera is the westernmost of the Andalusian "white villages" with most building painted white so they remain cool in the summer heat. Our hotel, the Parador de Arcos de la Frontera, has a good view of the valley below. To download a Google Maps route map of the day's cycle, click here. To view and download the Strava route, click here. To download the Strava cue sheet, click here.

tuesday, september 18

Our second day of cycling takes us from Arcos de la Frontera into the mountains for 87 kilometers and about 1,500 meters of net climbing to the town of Ronda. Our hotel, the lovely Parador de Ronda, sits on the edge of a ravine with a view of the famous clinging homes. To download a Google Maps route map of the day's cycle, click here. To view and download the Strava route, click here. To download the Strava cue sheet, click here.

wednesday, september 19

Our 105-kilometer third day of cycling continues eastward as we wind through the interior of Andalusia until we turn south and more downhill to the coastal city of Malaga where we will stay at the Parador de Malaga Gibralfaro with its view overlooking Malaga's bull ring and harbor. To download a Google Maps route map of the day's cycle, click here. To view and download the Strava route, click here. To download the Strava cue sheet, click here.

thursday, september 20

Our short, 74-kilometer fourth day of riding will hug the south coast eastward from Malaga to our destination at the Hotel Helios Costa Tropical at the beach resort town of Almuñecar. This short distance and relatively flat route will give us more time to enjoy the beach and save up strength for the "queen stage" the following day. To download a Google Maps route map of the day's cycle, click here. To view and download the Strava route, click here. To download the Strava cue sheet, click here.

friday, september 21

Our 84-kilometer fifth and last day of cycling takes us along the coast eastward from Almuñecar until we turn inland and north near the town of Motril and begin a long climb up to Granada. This will likely be the hardest cycling day of the trip, though the climb is not excessively steep even as you are going from sea level to above 800 meters in elevation. Our lodging for the evening will be in downtown Granada at the NH Granada Centro Hotel within sight of the magical Alhambra palace. In the evening we can celebrate successful completion of the cycling route with a live flamenco presentation inside a nearby gypsy cave. To download a Google Maps route map of the day's cycle, click here. To view and download the Strava route, click here. To download the Strava cue sheet, click here.

saturday, september 22

In the morning, before checking out of our Granada hotel, we will take a tour of the buildings and grounds of the Alhambra - an unforgettable must-see tour. After checking out of the hotel and lunch, we will drive four hours back to Madrid with a chance for an evening tour of Spain's capital or a relaxing evening by the pool at the home of Peter Clark.

sunday, september 23

Alas, all good things must come to an end after breakfast. Madrid's airport is a 20-minute drive from Peter Clark's home. We hope you will have had an unbelievably spectacular experience and we will be grateful as you contribute significantly to the "Love Spain" campaign.

Registration and Payment

In order to become an official participant in the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour, everyone must register and pay below. Scroll down on the registration filling in all items as you go. Once you have completed the registration, proceed to make your payment.

The total cost of the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour is 1495 euros payable only via this website. A 4% PayPal processing fee will be added to your payment. Payment covers all internal travel, backup, lodging, cycling jersey, and breakfasts during the entirety of the trip starting from lodging on the night of September 14, 2018 and ending with breakfast on September 23, 2018. Lodging will normally be 4-star and above in Paradores and other hotels (double occupancy). Payment does not cover international travel, lunches, dinners, tips, snacks, drinks, entrance fees, and incidentals.

1,495 euros is the early bird price for those registering and making a deposit payment of 595 euros or full payment of 1,495 euros by June 15, 2018. After this, the price rises to 1,595 euros so get your early bird payment in as soon as possible. If you make the early bird deposit payment of 595 euros by June 15, 2018, you can then make the remaining 900 euro payment by August 15, 2018. All payments are fully refundable (less processing fee) prior to August 15, 2018 and transferrable but entirely nonrefundable after August 15, 2018. THE FINAL DEADLINE FOR FULL PAYMENT FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IS August 15, 2018.

We encourage everyone participating to bring their own road bicycles. For a limited few cases, we may be able to find rental bikes for participants at a cost of 260 euros for the trip, but this is not guaranteed. Contact us if you think you will have difficulty finding a bicycle for the trip and we will try to help.

Thank you for your interest in the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour. If you have any questions or we can help you in any way, please do not hesitate to get in touch via the Contact Us page. Please note that you will not be considered fully registered for the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour until you have fully completed and submitted your registration below and made your trip payment. In the past, places have filled up quickly so the earlier you register and pay the better.

Registration

Name

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Phone

Please provide the best way to contact you by telephone if we need to. (Include country code).

Emergency Contact Information

Please provide the name, email, phone number, and relation to you of an emergency contact.

Travel and International Health Insurance

We require all participants to carry international travel and health insurance for the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour. Please check below to acknowledge that you are required to have your own travel and international health insurance for this trip. (Please check box below).

I will make sure I have international travel and health insurance coverage for the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour.

Passport Information

Please scan or photograph and email a copy of your passport's photo page to us at info@visionquestride.org. We need this in advance to make reservations and do advance check in at hotels on the trip.

I confirm I have emailed a scan or photo of my passport information page to info@visionquestride.org

Unexpected Cancellation

Your payment for Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour is refundable until June 15, 2018 and nonrefundable after that. However, your payment can be designated for another person going on the trip if you reach an agreement with that person. As mentioned previously, we recommend all participants obtain travel insurance that covers loss of revenue due to unexpected cancellation after June 15, 2018. Please check box below.

I understand that my registration fee is 100% nonrefundable after June 15, 2018.

Liability

The Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour is run on a non-profit charity basis. All participants join the ride fully at their own personal risk and no organizing person or organization bears any legal or financial liability of any sort for any mishaps that may occur during the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour.

I understand that I am solely responsible for my own well being during the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour and no other party except myself bears any legal or financial responsibility in the unlikely event of any mishap (physical or financial) that may befall me during the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour. I am participating in this activity fully at my own risk, and neither myself, family members, relatives, or friends have any right to hold any and all other parties or organizations liable for any potential harm to myself as a result of my voluntary participation in the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour.

Cycling Uniform Size

Everyone on the Love Spain 2018 Cycling Tour will receive a cycling jersey the cost of which is included in your registration fee. The jersey will be pro quality, made in Spain. As a result it is European sizing which tends to run smaller than USA sizing. The rule of thumb for jerseys is to go one size up from cycling attire you would buy in the USA, and two sizes up from "normal" clothing sizing. So, for example, if you wear an L size cycling jersey made in USA, order an XL.

M - Medium

L - Large

XL - Extra Large

XXL - Double Extra Large

XXXL - Triple Extra Large

Payment

Please select either the early bird second payment option of 900 euros if you made an early bird payment of 595 euros before June 15, 2018 or the full payment of 1,595 euros below to be paid prior to the final deadline of August 15, 2018 then click "add to cart" and follow the PayPal payment procedures that will pop up on your screen.