Freedom Ride 2020 Madrid to Mediterranean Cycling Fundraiser and Tour

Please check out the daily details of our Freedom Ride 2020 itinerary from June 6-20, 2020 below.  The route from Madrid to Cadiz is around 930 kilometers long over nine cycling days, which averages out to 104 kilometers (64 miles) per cycling day.  The itinerary also includes four rest days to allow for ample enjoyment of the places we will be. Stages are planned to allow us us to have afternoons and evenings for recovery, sightseeing, and group activities. Anyone with a moderate level of cycling fitness should be able to complete the trip.  Road bicycles are strongly recommended.  Non-riders are welcome and each day for them will be filled with unique tourist opportunities. We will be staying in quality hotels (including five different paradores) and resorts on all nights save for house accommodation the first night in Madrid.  Accommodations throughout will be centrally located and extraordinarily relaxing allowing you to mix biking, great scenery, tourist attractions, comfort, and a great cause!   To support outreach in Spain, each registrant's fee also benefits local ministry to immigrants, refugees, and disadvantaged children and youth. To download a summary sheet of the trip, please click here.

Itinerary

Saturday, June 6

All participants need to fly into Madrid, arriving by noon at the latest. In the afternoon, we will assemble bicycles, and in the evening the Mosaic Cultural Center in Rivas Vaciamadrid will host an ethnic dinner to welcome all participants.  We will make introductions, debrief the route, and get organized for cycling departure the following morning. Participants will stay in private accommodation in Rivas Vaciamadrid for the night.  

sunday, june 7

After breakfast, we will depart for a 95-kilometer relatively flat ride to the walled, medieval city of Toledo. There will be an optional stop about halfway through the route at the Royal Summer Palace in Aranjuez. Toledo is one of Spain’s three-star Michelin attractions. It has a rich and diverse history and was also where the Spanish Inquisition began. Non-cyclists will travel directly to Toledo for a walking tour of the various quarters in the city. We will be staying for two nights at the Parador de Toledo, which overlooks the walled city.

Monday, june 8

The first rest day comes early in the trip so that we all get to know each other a little better and, most importantly, get sufficient time to explore Toledo and all its wonders. Wander the streets and get lost in time, and then return to the sumptuous Parador de Toledo to rest up for another night before hitting the road again. 

tuesday, June 9

We cycle 124 kilometers on a relatively flat route into the heart of La Mancha (look out for Don Quijote) until we arrive at the Parador de Manzanares. The surrounding town of Ciudad Real is interesting to explore - and is surrounded by natural parks. If you wander off, you might come across an old windmill. Be sure to give chase.

wednesday, JUNE 10

We cycle 93 kilometers into the Despeñaperros Natural Park - a wild reserve filled with waterfalls, canyons, rock formations, and hidden trails. We will spend the night at a rural hacienda where we will enjoy a barbecue together together in the evening as you listen to sound of the wind whistle through the trees. Our evening lodging is at the Finca Casa Real El Collado de los Jardines.

thursday, june 11

We have a shorter cycling day - only 75 kilometers - so there is plenty of time to enjoy Úbeda at the end of the day, a classic medieval town, just as you enter the southernmost province of Andalucia. The old stone carvings, the city walls, and the terra-cotta roof tiles will remind you of an age gone by, as you rest, pampered at the Parador de Úbeda.

friday, june 12

By now, legs will be getting tired after the fourth day of riding in a row - but after 121 kilometers, the destination will be worth it - the historic city of Granada - the last bastion in Spain of the Moors who left weeping in 1492. They did, however, leave behind the Alhambra Palace, a World Heritage sight and memory of a bygone era. The city of Granada will be a good resting spot as we spend two nights at the luxurious Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula in the city center.

saturday, june 13

Free day in Granada. A tour of the Alhambra is a must. Wander the streets - see the ancient Jewish and Muslim quarters and see how they continue to thrive today. In the evening, we will have dinner at a local teahouse at the foot of the Alhambra followed by a flamenco show in one of the gypsy caves. Everything is walking distance from our hotel, the Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula.

sunday, june 14

Our 105-kilometer route takes us out of Granada via the “Last Sigh of the Moor” pass, before rapidly descending to the Mediterranean and then following the coast westward until we reach the resort town of Nerja. Our hotel, the Parador de Nerja, sits on a hill overlooking the beach. The coast stretches away for as far as you can see.

monday, june 15

Our route follows the Mediterranean coast westward for 86 kilometers and after a short, sharp climb, finishes in the scenic Andalusian “white town” of Mijas, that among many attractions, boasts a donkey taxi service. The handicraft shops, art stores, and many cafes are enticing - and we will get a crack at them the following day as we take a break from cycling while relaxing at several local guest houses in Mijas.

tuesday,JUne 16

We take a rest in Mijas. Sit back, relax, watch the world go by. Have a coffee. Talk to your friends. Learn about many things happening in the south of Spain. Enjoy your rest day at one of several local guest houses we will rent.

wednesday, June 17

We continue to follow the Mediterranean coast westward for 114 kilometers till we arrive Gibraltar, the only British-governed enclave on the Iberian peninsula. Gibraltar has a long history and actually was the headquarters for the Allied command for a time during World War 2. Take a cable car to the summit and look across the Mediterranean to the North Africa coast, but watch out for the Barbary apes! Our hotel, the AC Hotel La Linea, will be just across the Gibraltar border with Spain.

thursday, JUNE 18

Our final cycling day (all good things must come to an end) will take us 125 kilometers across the southern tip of Spain and end in the coastal resort of Cadiz at the stunning spa resort Parador de Cadiz, strategically located on the beach. We can dip our wheels in the ocean, knowing we have completed the Madrid to Mediterranean 2020 ride.

friday, june 19

On our last full day together, we will kick back and relax at the Parador de Cadiz, explore the town, and finish off a wonderful trip with an evening meal together.

saturday, JUne 20

Time to say goodbye! Everyone flies home. The tour officially ends after breakfast at the Parador de Cadiz. We will make sure we provide you as much information as possible so that you are able to navigate to your point of departure home - whether it is Seville, Malaga, or even Madrid! Let us know how we can help you figure out the best way to get home.

Registration and Payment

In order to become an official participant, everyone must choose the ministry team they are joining from the options listed. Everyone must also register and make a deposit below.  Scroll down on the registration filling in all items as you go.  Once you have completed the registration, proceed to make your deposit.  

While you can choose your fundraising goal, and we recommend a goal of $10,000, the first $2,500 will pay for your costs to participate in this event. This amount does not include an additional 3% credit card fee, which is also required if paying by credit card.  Payment covers all internal Spain travel during the trip, vehicle backup, lodging, cycling and/or dri-fit attire for participants who have not previously been on an event with us, and breakfasts during the entirety of the trip starting from lodging on the night of June 6, 2020 and ending with breakfast on June 20, 2020. The registration does cover an airport pickup in Madrid upon arrival, but does not include transport to your return airport from Cadiz at the end of the trip. Everyone will be responsible for their own expense to their own return airport at the end of the trip. Nearby airports include Seville and Malaga. Another option is to take a train back to Madrid to return home on a flight from there. Ask us to help you with travel arrangements (we can find the best and cheapest options) before booking your airline tickets.  Lodging will normally be very high quality hotels (double occupancy) with the exception of the first night in Madrid in private homes .  Payment does not cover international travel, lunches, dinners, tips, snacks, drinks, entrance fees, and incidentals.  

In order to secure your spot, a deposit of 1,000 USD is required by January 31, 2020. We expect this to be a very popular trip, so please guarantee your space by paying the deposit. If you make the deposit payment  of 1,000 USD by January 31, 2020, you can then make the remaining 1,500 USD payment by April 1, 2020.  All payments are fully refundable (less processing fee) prior to April 1, 2020 and transferrable but entirely nonrefundable after April 1, 2020.  THE FINAL DEADLINE FOR FULL PAYMENT FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IS April 1, 2020. Registration after January 31, 2020 and prior to April 1, 2020 is on a first come first served basis at which point a payment in full of 2,500 USD will be required. Your best option is to pay the deposit by January 31, 2020 in order to guarantee a spot.

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 300 USD 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 Freedom Ride 2020 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 Freedom Ride 2020 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.