HE Travel

Starting in Tucson, we’ll tour the city to get a bit of local color while getting used to our bikes, and then enjoy a welcome dinner. The next day we’ll make our way south through historic and Mexican-flavored neighborhoods before entering the San Xavier Indian Reservation. We’ll stop at the magnificent Mission San Xavier del Bac, founded in 1700 by Father Kino. From the mission, we’ll pedal through the Indian village of Bac, with its picturesque graveyard, and then plunge into the stark and sometimes startling landscape of the Sonoran desert on quiet Mission Road.

Our route follows the beautiful Santa Cruz River, a linear oasis in the desert. From the artists’ village of Tubac (Arizona’s oldest town) to the Tumacacori National Historic Park, there is plenty to see. We’ll learn of the cultural clashes between Spanish settlers and local Apaches, and see the beautiful remnants of the old, failed mission. Continuing southward we head to the border town of Nogales with its laid-back atmosphere and plenty of sights and shopping, and we’ll walk across the border for dinner. We’ll return to Tucson via an alternate route which will include a ride through Saguaro National Park. From the lush green grasslands to the sea of sand and desert, from cosmopolitan Tucson to honky-tonk Nogales, our Cycling Arizona tour offers plenty of variety, great rides and a chance to experience the Southwest like no other tour.

Most of our riders have found that road bikes (with drop-down handlebars, narrower seats and thinner tires) are most suitable for this trip. Therefore, if you rent bikes through us, these are the bikes we will rent for you. If you prefer a hybrid or other kind of bike, we will try to rent one in Tucson, but we cannot guarantee the availability of any particular type of bike.

Ride along Portugal’s rugged Atlantic Coast
The Costa Azul, also known as the Blue Coast, is a long and beautiful stretch in southwest Portugal. The pristine countryside follows the Atlantic coast where caravels sailed off to make the greatest of the 15th and 16th century New World discoveries. The remarkable history of the area is just one of the charms of this stunning corner of the world. There is the quiet beauty of the uninterrupted beaches, lagoons and fishing villages.

For a week our gay Portugal trip will have us riding through the virgin landscape across vast valleys and along the Atlantic shore, staying at remarkable inns that each reflect the ambiance of their corner of the Alentejo region. Along with the unique accommodations will be culinary feasts and a chance to sample the best port wines in the world. Portugal, often overlooked by travelers, is being discovered and celebrated by visitors, but it still retains its off-the-beaten-track charm. A fun and moderately challenging bike trip, fine food, and comfortable, unique accommodations make this a trip of a lifetime.

A gay bike tour through oak forests, fragrant vineyards, and historic sights of Burgundy:
Few regions in the world offer such a diversity of natural scenery, fine cuisine, and history as does the ancient kingdom of Burgundy. Join a small, friendly gay bike tour group and pedal through a historic area.

We begin in Beaune, a town dating back to the Caesars. Here, under the arched stone ceiling of a long cellar, sample some of Burgundy’s world-famous wines.

The next day, we bike through vineyards to the wine village of Pommard and an unexpected stop: a stone dolmen(dwelling) dating from the dawn of history, on an out-of-the-way road. Burgundy is filled with such reminders of its long past, many of which don’t appear in guidebooks. Finding such spots is part of what makes this trip an adventure.

In the afternoon, we bike out of a forest to see another historic sight ahead: the feudal castle at Chateauneuf, rising among the cow-filled pastures.

Another day’s biking brings us to the fortified town of Semur-en-Auxois. Perched high on a bend in the Armancon river, this medieval site seems frozen in time. Inside the town walls, cobblestone streets are still lined with tiny bakeries and butcher shops. Burgundy is synonymous with fine red wine, but this evening, as the orange sun sets over the valley, we’ll sit outdoors to sample the white wines of the region as well.

And so the week continues, an invigorating mix of quiet biking roads, villages lost in history, time-outs for hiking and skinny-dipping, encounters with the people of Burgundy, and of course, the food and wine for which Burgundy is known.

Burgundy would be magical under any circumstances. As you’ll discover, the magic is even greater in the company of a lively gay group.

Twenty-five centuries of history, and beautiful cycling
We offer biking vacations in several regions of France. The romantic corner of southern France known as Provence is the focus of one route, which we call The Provencal. After just a day here, you’ll understand why so many people say that biking in Provence was “the best vacation I ever had.”

Provence is so named because it was the first of the outlying provinces established by the Romans. On this trip, we’ll travel past many remnants of the old empire: from the Pont du Gard aqueduct, towering 160 feet over our heads, to a Roman arena still used for concerts and bullfights.

This is primarily a bike vacation, but with many other activities available. You’ll have opportunities for hiking and swimming, for walking tours along streets that date to the Middle Ages — and, of course, for some leisurely and memorable dinners.

Cycle along the ancient Appian Way and lightly traveled roads through countryside that reflects centuries of pilgrims, soldiers, and other travelers. Stay in a villa that has stood since the 14th century (and some parts even older), which has been restored to its ancient splendor by a gay American with deep family roots in the soil of Puglia.

During our gay Italy bike tour in Puglia, we’ll have five biking days, designed in a “roller coaster” fashion, with light days in the beginning and end and harder days in the middle.

Each day you are fully supported with a van, an SUV with a bike rack and two Italian guides. Most rides take you on back roads you’d never be able to find on your own (avoiding a lot of traffic in the process), allowing you to see and enjoy the beauty of the land that few get to see. From local fishing villages to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Castel del Monte to ancient Roman bridges, you’ll experience all that Puglia has to offer. Each day, enjoy the food and wine of the region, freshly prepared in the kitchen at Villa Cappelli, or at restaurants in Terlizzi and around the area.

Spend a week cycling along ancient Roman lanes, coastal drives, and mountain paths. Each night, relax at an authentic gay owned and operated agriturismo, enjoying a glass of wine from the villa’s vineyards, gourmet meals, and a dip in the pool, with cute locals always stopping by to enjoy the festivities. 

Bicycle to France’s better homes and gardens — and a millennium of French history.
For two centuries, the kings of France outdid one another as they built palaces and chateaus along the Loire Valley. Our bicycling week begins in Blois, at a chateau constructed over four distinct and romantic periods of French history. We’ll enjoy a festive French dinner, and those with extra energy can explore the regional nightlife.

Then we begin bicycling. Each day you’ll discover the distinct personality of a new chateau, from the grandeur of Amboise to the elegance of Chenonceau (where gay Henri III held drag parties — a fact omitted from most b guidebooks!) and the enchantment of Azay-le-Rideau. Between castles, you’ll realize why bicycling is such a perfect way to travel on a vacation in France. Pullover with ease for a quick swim in a solitary woods, or at a café on a cobblestoned street, in a whitewashed village where time seems to have stopped.

A gay Salt Lake City bike tour? Why? Two words: Mormon Missionaries. The Mormon Church sends young men from Salt Lake City all over the world to preach from their bikes. Ever had a set of them on your front porch? Cute right? But where do these strapping young boys come from?

We kick off with the Salt Lake City Pride Parade! Enjoy a morning of pure entertainment as the community comes together and celebrates. We will spend the afternoon enjoying the festival, full of a broad spectrum of activities and entertainment.

In 2012, the Advocate Magazine rated Salt Lake City the gayest city in America. HE Travel is sending a group of gay folks to Utah to see why.

We’ll ride two by two up the mountains, over the hills and through the bushes that surround this desert Oasis in Northern Utah. We’ll tour Temple Square, headquarters of the Mormon Church, and see firsthand what those adorable Mormon boys were trying to tell us. Then we’ll wash it all down with a cocktail at a local gay bar (yes, Utah has both gay bars and liquor).

Opposition to the strict Mormon lifestyle has given rise to one of the most fascinating counter-culture communities in America. Salt Lake City has a vibrant gay community, a wild nightlife, and a slew of local breweries producing delicious, and uniquely named, beer (Polygamy Porter-Why Have Just One?).

Each day of riding will feature a different viewpoint of the Salt Lake Valley. We’ll ride up canyons with houses, other canyons with undeveloped watersheds, and along the Jordan River; a riparian zone that bisects the Salt Lake Valley draining Utah Lake into the Great Salt Lake.

On our last day, we’ll head up to Park City, Utah, home of the Sundance Film Festival. We’ll ride the Alpine Slide, tour the historic city center, and soak our troubles away in “The Crater”- a secluded hot spring.

Our gay Italy bike trip begins in Tuscany, in the fabled Renaissance city of Florence, and home of Michelangelo’s “David.”

Florence is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, as recognizable names from History like Siena, San Gimignana and Radda become more than just points on a map, they become living, breathing time warps which we will cycle through and into!

After the first night in Florence, we spend two nights at each hotel, allowing time to get to know each region in more depth. Tuscany has hills, and part of the fun of this trip is riding over the hills, and enjoying the vistas as you descend the other side. This trip has the perfect combination of riding and relaxations, with plenty of art, touring, and gelato thrown in! We’ll also explore and savor all the “Flavors of Tuscany” guiltfree after all our hard work!

Highlights

• Stroll along Florence’s picturesque Ponte Vecchio, crammed with leather shops, admire Michelangelo’s David, then check out Tuscany’s nascent gay scene.
• Enjoy lunch in a medieval town in the heart of “Chianti Classico”, sampling the red wine that made the region famous.
• Watch for the wild boar, pheasants, and occasional wolves that still inhabit the forests of scrub oak and pine.
• Sip a cappuccino in Siena’s breathtaking Piazza del Campo, one of the most beautiful public plazas in the world.
• Delight in the scents and flavors of Tuscany: Fresh-picked wild mushrooms, robust cheeses, crusty Italian bread, and ruby Chianti wines.