• First 2 days to see and explore Salt Lake City and nearby Little Mountain.
• We visit the Historical Parowan Gap Petroglyphs.
• Next up - we make the most of Utah's magnificent sights - Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park, plus we make time for a ride out to Rainbow Point.
• Time to take in amazing views combined with the unforgettable challenge of cycling to Bluebell Knoll (part of Boulder Mountain).

• We see and experience the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
• Another must - a ride through Capitol Reef National Park.
• You can't have a cycling holiday without taking advantage of a fondo - we get amongst the action with the two day Moab Century Tour Race.
• It's near the end and on our way back to Salt Lake City - we visit the Utah Olympic Park, home of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Tour Inclusions

The Tour Price Excludes

• International airfares - Karl can give advice.
• Travel Insurance - compulsory! Karl can advise. (We can also offer insurance for the Fondo).
• Pre-& post tour accommodation or tours.

The Tour Cost

Day 1, Friday 13 September

Welcome to Salt Lake City

We realise quite a few of you will have already been here for a day or 2. Let’s catch up for a coffee in the morning. The hotel has its own café but it is Starbucks so we may look for something a little wee bit more local and chuck it on the App. Stay tuned.   

For those joining us today, we’ll meet you at the airport. It’s only a short transfer to our central city hotel. Please keep in mind that the standard check-in time is 2pm.

Please make sure you are familiar with the RH App as that’s how we’ll communicate.

We have a specific bike room at our hotel. This afternoon, we’ll have our guides on hand to help those assembling their bikes. All the hire bikes will be ready to go.

Once we’re all organised - we’ll pop out for a short ride. Which focuses on the local climb up Emigration Canyon. Out and back is almost 40km. That includes 625VM though. We won’t be in a rush. It is purely to turn the legs and make sure that everything (you and the bike) is behaving.

SLC – our home for the next couple of nights has a population of 1.5m. This isn’t rocket science, but I thought I’d mention it anyway, the name derives from the Great Salt Lake that sits slightly to the north of the city. The largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere and the 8^th largest terminal lake in the world, clocking in at 8500km2. (Lake Taupo is 616km2 so it’s reasonably big.)

Salt Lake City is relatively young, having been founded in 1847 by Mormon pioneers. You will see evidence of this today. In fact, Religion is still listed as one of the region’s main incomes, along with mining and tourism. SLC hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and is a candidate for the 2030 games.

Getting back to today, dinner is at the Stoneground Italian Kitchen. It also serves beer. Up until recently, the strongest beer you could buy in this State was 3.5%. That's changed and another good reason to visit Utah.

We'll introduce the team over dinner and run through the plan for the next few days. Great to have you here. Thank you for trusting Ride Holidays. We won’t let you down.

/ Accommodation: Double Tree Suites by Hilton Salt Lake City
/ Meals: Dinner

Day 2, Saturday 14 September

Big Cottonwood

It's our first full day on the bike. Like all our tours, we’ll have various ride options to fit everyone. For example, the short ride today is only 60km and the long ride is 100km with room for more.

SLC sits at 1300m above sea level so it's a good day to simply ride at your own pace. We will have 3 guides on bikes today and 1 support vehicle following us around.

Speaking of support, how can you help us? It would be great if you could start each ride with 2 full bottles of water and if we pop into a café then make sure you top up there. Yes, we’ll have water in the vans but let’s use that for when we have to. Also, at the end of each day’s ride, please take your drink bottles, bike computers, helmets, shoes, etc. back to your rooms. That will help us not losing anything. Thanks.

Our target today is a mountain called Big Cottonwood. It sits at 2700m. Hmm, that's considerably higher than Mont Ventoux. You will feel this. Riding your bike at this altitude will mean 25% less oxygen than say if you were cruising around the bays. You need to take the first few days easy.

A bit more about the climb. It’s officially a category 1. The actual length is 27km at 5.3% average. Our turn around spot (and suggested lunch) is the spectacular Brighton Ski Resort on the Guardsman Pass. Also, a popular trekking, mountain biking and wildlife destination. (Especially Moose I am told, so keep an eye open.)

Big Cottonwood Canyon holds a few ski resorts that consistently receive the mot annual winter snowfall of anywhere in the US. Over 800 inches. That’s 20 meters. Also, this part is well known for its birdlife. Keep an eye open for the American Bald Eagles. Any twitchers amongst us?

For those who want more mileage, we’ll carry on cycling once we get back to the city. Please remember, we are on holiday and it’s definitely more of a marathon than a sprint. Feel free to chill this afternoon. Do nothing. Go for a walk. Speak of ... when researching this trip, I had a look at the SLC events calendar and there are a lot of things going on. From music festivals to Art in the Park. You name it, Salt Lake has it and it’s happening today.

Tonight, we’ll make suggestions on where to dine. You are welcome to join us or do your own thing. Please make sure you keep an eye on the App though. There are a few logistics to talk through before we leave on our 9-day National Parks Roady. Can’t wait. 

/ Accommodation: Double Tree Suites by Hilton Salt Lake City
/ Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & Dinner own arrangements)

Day 3, Sunday 15 September

Has anyone seen Brian?

SLC, Thanks you. See you in a few days. It’s time to leave the city and travel to the mountains.  

After breakfast, we head south on the interstate 15 which runs all the way to the Mexico border. Fortunately, we're not going as far as that.

It’s important that we make the most of each day. It’s about a 4-hour drive to Cedar City and the start of our ride. It’s also our coffee and lunch spot. While you are eating and drinking, we’ll sort out all the bikes. 

By the way – Yes, Cedar City is indeed named after its trees. The city's arid climate and high elevation create favourable conditions for the growth of native trees like Utah Juniper, Ponderosa Pine and White Fir.

Today’s ride is known for being one of Utah’s best. For many years it featured at the professional race known as the Tour of Utah. The narrow mountain pass was used centuries ago by Fremont and Anasazi people as a shortcut through the Red Hills, and they’ve left their mark — literally. Our ride features Gap Road which has wide-open views of the Escalante Desert.

There are 2 choices of distance. Both end up at our hotel. 83km with 1500VM or 60km and 285VM. That’s quite a difference in VM. I know which one I’m going to do ...  

We will all stop at Parowan Gap Petroglyphs. Believe me – it will be a highlight. We’ll look after your bikes while you take a look. Approximately 15 million years ago, a long slender section of sedimentary rock sheared from the earth's crust along parallel fault lines. Native Americans travelling through the area stopped and pecked designs onto the smooth faces of large boulders. Most of the petroglyphs are believed to have been left during the Fremont period which took place after 500 A.D.

Also, keep an eye open for big things. You are now in Dinosaur country. There’s a very famous footprint which you can clearly see at Parowan Gap.

Our lodging for the evening sits at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level. Live high/train low as they say. Please hydrate adequately to ensure that you’ll get a good night's sleep as the next few days will see you ride across the State of Utah.

/ Accommodation: Cedar Breaks Lodge, Brian Head
/ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 4, Monday 16 September

Ride cancelled – let’s go fishing.

Lunch is in the town of Panguitch. The name Panguitch comes from a Southern Paiute word meaning “Big Fish”, likely named after the plentiful nearby lakes hosting rainbow trout year-round.

So, we’ve cancelled today’s cycling and decided that fishing for trout would be better.

Hmmm, not really – so, here’s the plan.

We’d like to depart early to make the most of the cool temperatures. September temperatures aren’t nearly as hot as say the Tour Down Under or the Tour de France, but they’re still warm. We expect nights to be about 10 degrees and highs in the late 20’s during the day. There is a very, very, very slim chance of any rain.

Hotel to hotel ride days are the best!! All you need to do is pedal from A to B. We’ll take care of all the rest. Your job – eat, drink, ride and sleep!!! That’s all we need from you today. (Actually, everyday.)

The distance for the riders is exactly 110km with about 1200m of climbing. Please, please, we aren’t in a rush. Take time to smell the flowers and take photos – there’s a lot to see. Today’s ride briefly climbs to over 3,200 meters before a 50km descent into Panguitch through the stunning Dixie National Forest

What if I don’t want to ride 110km? Your signal for us to stop is to pat your helmet as we drive past. If you wave, then we will wave back. Patting your helmet lets us know you need our help. It could be that you want to hop in the van, get a water or a coke … or simply want a hug.

Over the next 2 days we ride 2 of America’s most scenic bike paths. The Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon bike trails aren’t massively long but they are incredibly beautiful. It’s also a great chance to relax without having to worry about traffic.

Speaking of relaxing, today’s ride will not be fast. You are riding right through the middle of Dixie National Forest and Utah’s National Parks - the whole reason for you being on this trip. So, stop, take photos, drink coffee, smell the roses and enjoy – there’s no need to bike fast. (SM!!)

Free dinner tonight although the team will probably eat at the Cowboy’s Buffet & Steak Room. You are very welcome to join us. Giddy up.

/ Accommodation: Ruby’s Inn, Bryce
/ Meals: Breakfast and Lunch (Dinner own arrangements)

Day 5, Tuesday 17 September

Day 6, Wednesday 18 September

Peekaboo!

Early in the morning is the best time for wildlife spotting. Yes, there’s a chance you could even see Yogi. It’s estimated that there up to 3000 bears that live in the State. Don’t pat the bears!!! On that note, mainly for the Australians on this trip, there’s a chance you could bump into a Kangaroo today. Yes, this area is home to the Kangaroo Rat. (How on earth did that happen?)  

By day 6 we start to see cyclists getting a wee bit tired so don’t be afraid to take the day off. We’ll always have a plan B for those who are getting sore bottoms. It will involve a good walk.

Otherwise, there are 2 rides to choose from. The longer ride is again hotel to hotel. Boom.

The cappuccino ride is only 50km and pretty flat. Espresso is 110km and again pretty flat. Except for the 35km of gradual climbing from the 40 – 75km mark. But, other than that – it’s flat (VM1000).

There can be a latte ride which will be somewhere in the middle. We’ve also factored in a side trip to Kodachrome Basin State Park. Paul Simon will be a must in the van today.

We’ll probably suggest that you wear the famous pink and blue today. A team photo at the amazing Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument would be a smart idea. Its name doesn't really convey the beauty and size of this area of protected natural land area of southern Utah. Peekaboo and Spooky are two Canyon names. 

Tonight, we're staying in Escalante. It's a cowboy town. Not much has changed since Butch Cassidy was in town. You'll see. Population – 821. For tonight it’s more like 841. I wonder if the locals will notice the 20 people in pink lycra!

Dinner tonight is at the Escalante Outfitters. You could actually buy a cowboy hat after you’ve had your compulsory buffalo steak. Make sure you eat up. Tomorrow is the biggest day on tour. 

/ Accommodation: Canyon Country Lodge, Escalante
/ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7, Thursday 19 September

We ride to the clouds.

OK, today will be testing. But that's what it's all about. We want to challenge you. And the timing is good. Give today some effort and you’ll still have 48 hours to recover.

Boulder Mountain is the highest timbered plateau in North America with Bluebell Knoll sitting at 3,448 meters.  

Hotel to hotel is just under 110km and again includes the Scenic Byway 12. Often described as being the greatest road in America. Unlike NZ and Australia, we ride on a smooth marble-like surface. Let's just hope the wind is blowing in the right direction!

Surprise - We added the Burr Trail. Out and back from Boulder. Absolutely stunning stretch of tarmac that was added to the agenda after Ryan and Jen’s recce trip to Utah. The route carves its way through pale Navajo sandstone dunes and past landmarks such as The Gulch and The Lampstand and through the rugged Waterpocket Fold. 

OK… Let’s go through the distances.

The Sherie Masterson distance. Hotel to hotel. 200km. 3705VM. The highest point is actually 3000m above sea level. This is a tough ride. Join Sherie at your peril.

Espresso – up and down all day at altitude. 140km but still 2500m of climbing. As I said, big day in the saddle but less daunting than the SM option. Keep in mind that at this altitude you will have 25 – 30 % less oxygen in the sails. At its highest point, we’ll sit at just over 3000m altitude. That’s 400m higher than Col du Galibier. Easy peasy.

Latte and Cappo – they’re closely related. 100km with 1600VM.

Really looking forward to seeing our hotel for tonight. It looks out over the incredible Capitol Reef National Park. It also doubles as a spa. There are massage options as well as a private soaking tub. I’m reliably told (by Jen) that the coffee will be the best on the whole trip. Ryan was also bragging about the craft beer selection.

It could be a tough gig but I’m sure we’ll cope!!   

/ Accommodation: Red Sands Hotel, Torrey
/ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 8, Friday 20 September

Coffee ride - Capital Reef National Park

Saturday and Sunday are reasonably large days as we tackle the 200km Century Tour. We see some of you taking the day off the bike. It's a good idea to rest those legs.

There is a 50km ride planned for the John McKie’s of this world.

The other idea is a guided hike with Ryan. The last time he walked the planned trail he saw a real-life wolf.

Actually, no, he didn’t see a wolf. He did see some bighorn sheep though and a few massive birds of prey so the walk could be a pretty good option.

Some H&S. If you see what you think is an eel and it has a tail that rattles, please leave it alone. This is mainly for the Kiwis, as we aren’t used to having snakes about. Generally, there are signs warning you when you are in rattlesnake territory so please pay attention. Thanks. H&S over.

Lunch is a pie and ice cream from the Gifford Homestead. They're compulsory. Perfect nutrition. This area was settled, developed by Mormons and you will start to see their influence.

The aim is to arrive in Moab early afternoon. Our home for the next 3 nights is known as nature’s masterpiece. It could easily be described as an outdoors playground. It’s hugely popular for trekking, cycling, rafting and much, much more.

Utah currently has the most certified International Dark Sky Parks anywhere in the world and the Moab area is at the top of the list. In fact, the public lands surrounding Moab have some of the darkest skies remaining in the USA. We will factor a stargazing experience into our plan for the next few days.

Anyway, getting back to today. Our hotel also doubles as headquarters for the century tour so we shouldn’t have to go too far to register. There will also be retail opportunities in Moab as there are a lot of bike shops. Including names like – Poison Spider Bicycles and Chile Pepper Bike Shop. Cool names mean cool t-shirts.

We have dinner booked at Sultan Mediterranean Grill. Just checking out the menu and I doubt any of us will lose weight on this tour. Maybe it will be a compulsory walk after dinner. Nite nite.

/ Accommodation: Aarchway Inn, Moab
/ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 9, Saturday 21 September

Day 10, Sunday 22 September

Rinse, rinse and repeat...

Another 100km. Yesterday was amazing. Let’s not change anything today.

Stage 2 offers a shade more undulation than yesterday. You’ll climb about 1700VM today. That’s not overly hilly in my eyes. Personally, I’m looking forward to the epic bike path that follows the Colorado river. Again, I don’t see today as a race.

Departing Moab, we are out and back. 50km out and 50km back. That would make it … ahhh. 100km.

We ride the scenic Highway 128, locally known as “River Road” - aptly named as you carve through the canyon parallel to the Colorado River. We turn onto Castleton Road and slowly climb through Castle Valley. The summit is at Bull Canyon. Here you take in the incredible views and even walk to some real dinosaur tracks, before heading back towards our starting point.

The climb starts at the 25km and finishes bang on 50. It’s bang on 1300VM. The first 20 or so are relatively gentle. There is a section which averages 8%. Man, I hope there’s a coffee cart at the top.

Speaking of coffee, in my experience with Utah, the coffee is big. Even a small coffee in the States would be bigger than our largest. I’ll be bringing my little wee keep cup from NZ. Purely so I don’t need to explain that 2l of milk really isn’t necessary and I’d prefer to be able to taste the coffee.

Anyway, getting back to today’s route. The last 30km is flat. If not, downhill. By now you will have many new friends. Sit back and enjoy everything that’s exciting about being on a bike. Great chat, exercise and seeing new places ... the list could go on and on.

This is a truly unique route that will only be available for our 2024 event!

Upon arriving back in Moab, we celebrate our achievements with our best 300 friends.

Tonight, we dine at the local brewery which weirdly doubles as a cycling clothes shop. Drink up, spend up. Cheers to you.

/ Accommodation: Aarchway Inn, Moab (Official home of the actual event)
/ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11, Monday 23 September

One last ride in Moab…

Originally, we were planning on visiting Olympic Park. After some thought we decided that rather than spending time in a museum, we should really get outside and go for a bike ride. We presented this to you back in May and there were zero arguments. A bike ride it is.

We looked out for a 50km flat ride that had great coffee. We’ve gone with a local Moab ride called Potash. It’s 25km along the river – out and back. Ahhh, that’s makes 50km. And includes a stop at Horsethief Coffee.

The other bonus about riding from our hotel is that we can change into comfortable travelling clothes, rather than travel in stinky lycra. Most importantly, after 3 days in Moab, we’ll know where the best coffee is.

So, here’s the plan. Wake up – breakfast – bike ride – coffee and then travel. It's about a 4-hour drive back to where it all began – Salt Lake City.

The last 10 days has gone pretty quickly. That’s a great sign. Here are my highlights ...

Big Cottonwood - 2700m.

Parowan Gap Petroglyphs.

The Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon bike trails.

Adopting a Prairie Dog. We’ve called it Barry.

Rainbow Point - 2800m.

Burr Trail – stunning.

Cycling the Colorado River trail.

Dead Horse Point 100km.

Arches National Park 100km.

On arrival back in the big city, we will help pack down the bikes prior to our last dinner together. What an amazing trip we've had.

/ Accommodation: Double Tree Suites by Hilton Salt Lake City
/ Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (Flash)

Day 12, Tuesday 24 September

Home James

Thank you for joining us.

Feel free to stay on. We can easily arrange extra accommodation.

This morning we’ll offer airport transfers.

We look forward to seeing you again on the next adventure.

Thanks again.

The team at RH.