I've biked all over the country , but if I had to choose only 1 place to bike for the rest of my life it would be on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Why do I like it so much? There are no route changes, the road surface is excellent, no commercial traffic, the max speed limit is 45 (does that apply to bicycles?), and there is breath taking scenery almost everywhere. There's probably no highway more suited to bicycling in the world.
Mike, AL
The Blue Ridge Parkway is cyclists' best kept
secret. It is a quiet, peaceful road with
gorgeous scenery, awesome views, excellent
road conditions and very little traffic. I
have cycled in many places over some wonderful
areas but this trip was the best. A challenge
in paradise. Shh!!--keep the secret,
cyclists. Don't tell too many folks. I know
I want to come back and cycle the entire
length again and again and again---".
Patty - New York, NY
I wanted to thank you again for providing
such an excellent cycling experience for us
last week. The trip was without a doubt the
best time I have ever had cycling! I
appreciate all of your planning and advice
during the trip and I will highly recommend
your tour service to anyone. I
sure have many great memories from our tour
and I can't wait to ride another tour with
you next year- I really would like to ride
the entire route, even including some
additional "classic climbs" along the way! Thanks
again for everything!
Andrew
- Greenville, SC
I am just now coming off the euphoria of the
Blue Ridge. It was really an awesome time.
Take care. We had a really great time. One of
our most memorable trips!
Amy - New York, NY
It was the best. I’ve already started
spreading the word about how great and
professional the entire trip was.
Trey - Simpsonville, SC
We
enjoy the variety of accommodations and meals.
Your level of attentiveness and service
continues to impress us. It is reassuring to
have your bicycle knowledge and tools at hand
to address any problems. You do a great job of
assessing each guest's riding ability and
interests then adjusting the tour to meet each
person's needs and ability.
Jim & Pam
What makes your tours so special is the that
they provide the opportunity for guests to
really experience the culture of the region.
The bicycling is great, but it goes way beyond
that. We love traveling with you!
Private Natchez Trace Tour
I've been thinking about what I can say
about our trip with you. Everything was
wonderful, but I think the one thing that
really makes your tour stand out is your
careful attention to detail. By taking the
time to check out and find the very best in
accommodations and dining you make your
tours a truly memorable experience.
Your familiarity with the area and your
experience in cycling showed in every aspect
of the trip. Lots of companies do nice
tours, but it's the details that really make
yours stand out.
Jim & Ida -
We found Black Bear after a search on the
Internet seeking a bike company to help with
a trip down the Natchez Trace Parkway. The
trip itself exceeded our expectations. The
accommodations and food were excellent. The
bike routes were well selected to meet our
mileage and degree of difficulty
expectations. They offered a good mix of
Trace and country road riding to keep things
interesting. Rest stops were well spaced
apart to keep everyone together and provide
appropriate on-the-road support. The guide
was very bike knowledgeable and made the
trip fun. We would recommend Black Bear to
any serious bicyclist who is looking for a
challenging but supported trip.
Bob & Sally - Rochester,
NY
I have longed to cycle the Blue Ridge Parkway from end to end and Black Bear Adventures made this dream possible. I have taken numerous cycling tours and others don't measure up in value for the dollar. The support you and your staff provided was outstanding! The scenery and terrain were awesome, the accommodations were first rate, the food was fabulous and the van was there when ever I needed anything. What else could I ask for? Thank you for the most memorable tour I could possibly imagine on the most difficult terrain I have ever cycled. I look forward to future tours with Black Bear Adventures.
Janae - Chicago, IL
The
trip was truly wonderful. Everyone in our
riding group was not only a good rider but an
intelligent, friendly companion as well. Brian
was a great group leader and the support was
perfect. Add to this the beautiful scenery and
excellent riding and you get a truly memorable
trip. I can now take the Blue Ridge Parkway
bike trip off my lifelong checklist of things
to do. I would do another Black Bear
Adventures trip in a heartbeat.
Jeff - Kingsport, TN
It was a FANTASTIC trip!! Thanks again for
a great trip - I will definitely tell all my
friends and come back again as soon as I
can!
Shelly - Bethesda, MD
5 star service, 5 star accommodations. 5
star scenery, 5 star workout!
Paul does a great job of finding the greatest
places to stay, Great mechanic and ready to do
anything that is necessary or even just
helpful! Would recommend to anyone!
Jay - Dallas, TX
We
had a fantastic experience! We're on our way
to planning for next year's adventure.
You were very attentive to our needs and
professional in your approach. We felt like
you would have done just about anything to
make sure we had a great time.
Panos & Cheryl- Atlanta,
GA
About the most enjoyable biking trip that I
have ever had!
Charles "Big Red" - Atlanta, GA
Western North Carolina has some of the most
scenic and smoothest roads that we have ever
ridden on. It is one of cyclings best kept
secrets!
Dwight & Linda - Granite Bay, CA
I wanted to say again how much I enjoyed our
week of riding through the Mississippi and
Louisiana.
Your enthusiasm for the region and for riding
were infectious, making the trip exciting. I
also appreciated all the energy that you put
into all the arrangements, allowing us to do
nothing but have lots of fun. It was an
unexpected bonus for me that I learned a great
deal about the Civil War.
Harvey - Chicago - IL
Hi Paul!! Just got home and wanted to thank
you for the great trip!! Thanks for
accommodating us......we had a perfect
week!!
Don and Suzy - San Diego, CA
We
all had such a great time, and the trip
exceeded our expectations. The bike routes,
food, accommodations, and company were more
than we had hoped for.
Erica - Charlotte, NC
Last week I
emailed all of you letting you know that I
would be out of town on a bike trip in the NC
mountains. Well, I made it back to Cary, I’m
tired…and can’t wait to go back! Eleven of my
coworkers and I used a guided tour service,
Black Bear Adventures, to provide us with a
completely supported bike trip. These guys
were amazing – we just showed-up, pedaled,
ate, relaxed, ate some more, slept, and had
lots of fun while they took care of
everything. The ride routes were challenging,
but not extreme especially for experienced
athletes like all of you. Each cyclist could
take the climbs at their own pace, and then we
would regroup at the top. Every hour or so
the support van magically appeared with cold
drinks, several kinds of bars and gels, solid
foods, mechanical support, and our bags of
extra clothing and gear. I felt like a pro
Tour rider having someone carry my arm warmers
and vest on the climbs so I could put them
back on for the descents. Huge breakfasts,
lunches served along the route, and great
dinners were part of the package.
Darren - Raleigh, NC
I had a great
time and thank you very much for making
everything work so well. I need to say
that I would do the whole thing over again
just to eat all that food.
Thomas - Carbondale, IL
Thanks so much for a truly outstanding week, and I'm not just thanking you for the great scenery & such. Your efforts/approach to running a tour are really first class, and it has been just great to be with you all this time. Based on this, your tour business has a wonderful future.
John - Wilmington, DE
EXCELLENT tour - fantastic, incredible, and
many more superlatives... I'm actually having
a difficult time "coming down" from it and
settling into day-to-day life.
Jane - Charleston, SC
Had a great time and you all made it a fantastic trip. I've gone on a few cycling tours in the past but this one was the best. Had many great laughs and fun. Will be looking forward to your next cycling adventure tour.
Audrey - Homewood, IL
I just want to thank you so much for
making our bike trip so wonderful. Everything
about it, was perfect. The lodging was so
varied and each night I looked forward to
seeing where I would lay my head. I love the
idea that you went from luxury hotels, to
rustic cabins, to out of the way lodges. The
dining experience was just as impressive. I
love the relaxed picnic lunches along the blue
ridge parkway to our huge feasts at dinner
time. After biking all day, food as you know,
is very important ...but I never expected to
eat that well! Or that much! It was beyond my
expectations. I really can't say enough, but
you out did yourself.
Warren & Robin - Long Island, NY
My
October tour was thoroughly enjoyable and
operationally well conducted. The group of
riders was very congenial and robust, the food
was super, and the tour itinerary was suburb.
Aside from the fantastic scenery, the Blue
Ridge Parkway is an ideal venue given its ban
on commercial traffic. I particularly enjoyed
lunch when we ate right alongside the parkway
- looking out at the panoramic fall foliage.
Needless to say, I hope to make another such
tour in the future
Dennis - Ellijay, GA
The Natchez Trace was a delightful, historical bicycling adventure of varied scenic beauty, fun camaraderie,
enthusiastic guidance and the welcome flavor of reputed Southern Hospitality.
Stephen & Civia - San Diego, CA
Bicycling the Natchez Trace is a wonderful experience for both body and mind. The leg muscles rejoiced at cycling up to 60 miles per day on smooth, lightly traveled, slightly rolling roadways. Our whole bodies blessed the big soft beds in the great old antebellum B&Bs that we stayed at most of the time. Our stomachs were treated to great breakfasts, customized -tailored lunches, and excellent local cuisine for dinners. Our eyes were treated to clean curving roads with manicured grassy borders, and healthy green trees in the process of converting to autumn colors. Finally, our brains were in for a treat as we took in the culture of the South - its history, its architecture, its music, some of its art and photography, and the graciousness and charm of its people.
Joseph & Edith - La Jolla, CA
Our custom tour
of the northern Natchez Trace and the area
around Nashville, Tennessee, took us through
lovely scenery, showed us many places of
interest, and provided enjoyable cycling. Our
accommodations were of the highest quality and
the meals were superb. Black Bear Adventures
treated us to cheerful and generous support
that more than met our needs and granted our
every request. We highly recommend cycling
with Black Bear Adventures Bicycle Tours.
Pam & Jim - Spencerport, New York
We loved the bike trip. You guys are the
best tour guides ever. The rides were tough but fantastic. The scenery was beautiful. Thanks again!!!!
Mike & Beverly - Thomaston, GA |