OVERVIEW
Self Contained trips provide a memorable small group self-contained touring experience. These trips begin on day one at 4:00 PM and generally finish late afternoon on the last day. It is recommended to book flights home for the day after the tour ends or later.

Group Dynamics
On a Self Supported tour, you'll travel with the same small group of people (typically 12 to 14). During the day, participants usually travel with others in the group with similar riding and traveling styles. At night you'll all get back together for dinner, conversation, and camping. There are a few requirements for successful group touring; paramount among those requirements are a cooperative spirit and a desire to seek adventure with other bicyclists. Group members may face uncertain conditions and hardships together, and must cooperate as a team to make the best of a situation. You will need to be flexible to get along with others and to help create a rewarding and memorable bicycle travel experience. We have a saying that sums it up – “Adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.”

Trip Costs
The trip cost covers one or two leaders, group food, camping fees, designated indoor overnight fees, maps, a T-shirt, a safety triangle, preparation materials, and use of group cooking gear, tool kit and first aid kit.  

Accommodations
Typically you will camp out every night except for indoor accommodations at the beginning of the tour. (Exception: Trans Am and Southern Tier include ten nights of motel lodging.)  Campsites range from small-town municipal parks, church lawns, and Forest Service campgrounds with minimal services to private campgrounds and state parks with luxuries such as laundries and hot showers. Indoor facilities such as hostels are occasionally used. On some dirt or road tours, and parts of the Great Divide rides, the camping may be quite primitive at times and, due to the remote nature of some trips, groups will sometimes make their own campsites next to the route, and will not always be able to count on the luxury of a shower. Layover days on all tours are typically spent in towns with services such as laundry, groceries, and hotels. Please feel free to call the Tours Department with any questions, or to learn more about the type of accommodations provided on your chosen trip.

Meals
The trip cost includes three meals per day. You will participate in a cooking and cleaning rotation with the rest of your group. This means that about once a week you and your partner (assigned by the leader) will purchase food for that evening's dinner and the next day's breakfast and lunch. You will prepare the dinner and lay out the foods the next day for breakfast and lunch. Each participant then prepares a lunch and takes it with them on the route. The advantage of cooking rotations is that each participant has to cook only once every five to seven days during the tour. On rare occasions, riders will need to carry food for multiple days when grocery stores are unavailable. Vegetarian and special dietary needs will be addressed, though food selection may be limited in some locations. Food and group cooking equipment are separated into similar portions to be carried by group members. Each participant must set aside a portion of cargo space for this purpose. Please feel free to call the Tours Department with any questions, or to learn more about the food logistics on your chosen trip.

Gear
On Self Contained tours, you'll carry all your gear -- and a portion of the group gear -- in panniers or on a trailer. You will need a good free-standing tent with a ground cloth, a sleeping bag rated for below-freezing temperatures, and a sleeping pad. Each tour participant receives the Adventure Cycling "Before You Go" booklet when you sign up for a tour. This booklet provides complete information on preparing for a self-supported bicycle tour.

Leaders
Our leaders are the best professionals we know. They will not hold your hand, and they won't place mints on your pillow (not that we know of) -- but they will: present route and recreation options, secure overnight accommodations, make sure everyone participates in the cooking and cleaning rotation, and keep you apprised of the budget. Tour leaders may assist you with basic bicycle repairs and/or help you get to a bike shop to solve more elaborate problems. Some leaders have led for us for 30 years, and others will be leading their first tour. All leaders have either had extensive experience leading tours for other companies or passed our Leadership Training course. All of our leaders are trained in first aid and CPR and will enforce safe riding techniques.

GENERAL LOGISTICS
Trip Application and Sign-up
Upon signing up for a tour, you will receive a Tour Confirmation Invoice and preparatory materials, including a “Before You Go” booklet that contains a packing list and training tips. About 60 days prior to the tour or sooner, you will receive a Tour Information Packet with specific details about your starting location, recommended bike shop, travel tips, and much more.

Please feel free to contact the Tours Department if you have questions that are not answered here. Call (800) 755-2453 toll-free or (406) 721-1776. Or send an email to

Bike Transport
The two most common options are (a) to ship your bike to the start of the tour or (b) transport your bike with you by plane, train, or automobile. If you decide to ship your bike, send it to the recommended bike shop at the start of the tour. For each tour, we select a local bike shop to manage this. They are able to provide several levels of service for you. They can assemble your bike before the ride and ship it home afterward for a reasonable fee. They can also simply accept shipment if you plan to assemble it yourself. Your best bet is to take your bike to your local shop and have them ship it to the appropriate place.

The other option is to take your bike with you, however you’re traveling to the tour. If you plan to take your bike on an airplane, the airline typically will charge an additional fee to take a bicycle. Please check with the airlines or travel agency directly for details.

Bike and Gear
You need to supply all of your own cycling gear (bike, helmet, shoes, and clothing) and camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, and pad). A suggested packing list is included in the “Before You Go” booklet.

Parking
We plan to accommodate parking on all of our tours shorter than 14 days. In most cases, cars will be left at the starting location. At other times, parking is available at another location nearby. On some occasions, there is a cost involved to park your car during the trip. Details are provided in the Tour Information Packet.