Who comes to bike camp?
Unless noted, bikecamp.com provides road bike programs for young-at-heart adults ages 16-79. Groups sizes vary from 18-36 like-minded individuals. Our cyclists are described as serious recreational cyclists.

Ladies on Lake Garda

rec-re-a-tion-al adj:
done or used for pleasure or relaxation rather than work.

serious recreational cyclist noun:
one who loves to ride, rides with passion and enjoyment, rides as often as one can on a limited time budget; one who loves a challenge and enjoys the scenery, too. How do you know if this is you?

And while we are at it, we consider va-ca-tion to be an active verb (as in spending your vacation devoted to recreation).

Spanish Flyers - Girona 2006

Locations:
mec-ca noun:
a place that is an important center for a particular activity. We pick cycling meccas - locations where cyclists are kings of the road. Quiet and diverse road networks. Scenic. Challenging. Tuscany. Dolomites.

Camp:
We like to unpack and stay, kind of like a pro training camp. When transfers are required, (Giro camp for example), we try to make them as seamless as possible. Quiet accommodations, great food, good company, and time to recover - are all key ingredients for successful bike camps.

Castagneto Carducci – Tuscany home base!

Typical day:
Morning coffee. Breakfast. Ride 2-6 hours often including lunch on the road. Note on ride lengths: usually 40-125 km depending on terrain (each program varies). Excursion or workshop (cooking lesson, guided walking tour, cultural or bike industry visit). Time to relax. Dinner. Time to laugh and enjoy life. Lights out. Sogno d'oro (sweet dreams, literally golden dreams).

More detailed itineraries can be requested but are not posted on this site. As these are constantly changing, your specific itinerary is sent to you prior to your trip.

Ride support.
We don't simply give you a route map and then... sweep the course. That is not our style. We ride in small groups, each with a dedicated ride leader (or two). We work on bike handling and riding etiquette, and try to enjoy the power of riding together rather than apart. We employ at least one & quite often two support vehicles. We won't leave you behind; all rides are supported.

Who runs the show?

Connie & Davis enjoy life!

The full name on our business is Carpenter/Phinney Bike Camps. Connie Carpenter & Davis Phinney run the show at Bike Camp. We used to be world class cyclists with many credits to our resumes and thousands of miles in our legs. We love what we do and we know how to teach, because of that - we are now in our 20th successful year producing bike camps. We started in 1986 with instructional camps in Colorado. We've evolved our game over the years and have always valued our clients, cycling, and the fact that it's your well-deserved vacation. We have maintained our passion for riding, our sense of humor and love of adventure - which we share with you - our valuable clients.

"On my entry essay for college (UC-Berkeley undergrad, CU-Boulder master's degree) I had to detail what I'd be doing in ten years. I wrote that my goal was to create and run youth sports camps. Amazingly, I never did stray too far from that path as our camps are certainly for the young at heart. Our clients are exceptionally playful, daring, and youthful."

Connie produces Bike Camp with vision and attention to detail, relying on local experts and all while honoring local customs. Our goal is to create the ideal cycling vacation experience. Safety, scenery, and value are all keys to successful camps - good food (Italy!) and good company (cyclists!) make the experience extremely memorable.

Davis provides his good humor and warmth of personality, vast expertise, and playful on the bike attitude. His years in the pro peleton give him both a unique perspective and a reservoir of great stories.

Please note, we both try to attend all camps. Unless otherwise specified, at least one of us will join you for the entire trip.

Lennard Zinn stops the group for a look at a Palladian Villa in the Veneto

Mary Rachel Shomaker runs Bike Camp from our Boulder office (303 442 2371) - info@bikecamp.com. A veteran of the travel industry in general and bike camps in particular, she is available to answer questions & help with your final arrangements. Mary Rachel is also responsible for other important details, like collecting payment.

Our expert on-site staff are diverse, but share our joy of teaching and riding and add volumes to each camp. Guest staff members often include industry leaders like Lennard Zinn, former world-class cyclists like Dede Demet Barry & extreme skier Chris Davenport. Other guides are experienced local riders with a wealth of local knowledge, allowing you to feel more in sync with the regions we are visiting. We are connected to cycling & cyclists on all levels from the pros in the peleton to cycling enthusiasts, like you.