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LifeCycle Adventures Expands to Pacific Northwest


WEBWIRE

Successful in California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys, Upscale Bicycle Tour Company to Offer Tours of Oregon’s Columbia River and Willamette Valley Beginning May 2010

SAN FRANCISCO -- (February 4, 2010) LifeCycle Adventures (www.lifecycleadventures.com), a premier bicycle tour company known for its customized tours of California’s Wine Country, is expanding to the Pacific Northwest. Beginning in May 2010, the company will offer its signature, premium-service rides in Oregon’s Columbia River and Willamette Valley regions.

“We’re thrilled that despite the challenging economy, we’re growing,” said Tony Blakey, LifeCycle Adventures founder. “Our clients have been asking for more routes and we’re excited to be bringing our unique brand of customized, high-touch bike tours to some of the most beautiful regions of Oregon.”

LifeCycle Adventures launched in 2006 to provide tailored, self-guided tours throughout Napa and Sonoma Counties, primarily for couples and small groups. The company was named by National Geographic as one of their "Best Outfitters on Earth for 2008 and 2009; the company’s Quality of Service rating was the highest of all the bike tour operators on the list.

Unlike some bicycle-vacation companies, which either simply rent bicycles with maps or require guests to join a group, LifeCycle Adventures works with travelers to create custom itineraries, rent bikes, arrange lodging and move luggage. They also provide private transfers from regional airports to maximize the time guests have for riding.

LifeCycle Adventures also acts as a facilitator to help travelers add additional activities into their trip, from culinary demonstrations to hot-air balloon rides and kayaking.

Pricing varies depending on accommodation choices and length of stay, but commonly range from $1,000-3,000 per person. Guests can book a tour by calling 1.888.NOW.BIKE in the U.S. (0800-587-8663 in the U.K.) or visiting LifeCycle Adventures on the Web at www.lifecycleadventures.com.

COLUMBIA RIVER TOUR

Riders will enjoy gliding across rolling wheat farms, past bucolic fruit orchards and down the spectacular Columbia River Gorge, which Bicycling Magazine called one of the best rides in America.

Trips typically start and end in Portland from where riders are transferred to the start of their particular ride. Routes loop around Mount Hood, descend through the Oregon wheat belt to the Columbia River and then descend down the Gorge to end at the town of Troutdale. Guests can choose to start and end anywhere along this loop; some riders might choose to ride all the way back into Portland on what Bicycle Magazine described as a “must ride” bike path. Riders may also choose to extend their riding by adding on a trip to the Willamette Valley.

Guests will stay at small towns including Hood River, described by Outside Magazine as one of the Best Towns in America. Other towns visited include Mt Hood Village, The Dalles, Dufur and Cascade Locks.

Optional activities include hiking in the National Forests & State Parks, windsurfing at Hood River and whitewater rafting on the White Salmon River. Sights include the 620 foot Multnomah Falls, the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center and the Bridge of the Gods.

WILLAMETTE VALLEY TOUR

The Willamette Valley produces some of the country’s best Pinot Noir but gets far less tourist attention than its Californian neighbors. The riding is great too, with mile after mile of quiet, rural lanes, hop farms, orchards and the wheat fields of the French Prairie. Towns are on the distinctly small side where the welcome is always warm.

Riders are transferred from Portland to the start of their particular ride, usually in the northwest corner of the Willamette Valley area near Forest Grove. They then follow a horseshoe loop south through McMinnville and then across the Willamette River to Silverton and over the French Prairie to Canby. Guests can choose to start and end anywhere along this loop. For example, riders who are only interested in the grape-growing areas would stay to the east of the Willamette Valley. Riders may also choose to extend their riding by adding on a trip to the Columbia River Gorge.

Overnight stops are in small Oregon towns with a warm welcome and plenty of character. Overnight options include: Forest Grove, Carlton, Dundee, Newburg, McMinnville and Silverton. Optional activities include wine tasting, hiking and kayaking. Sights include many wineries, Silver Falls State Park, Mount Angel Abbey and the Evergreen Aviation Museum.

NAPA & SONOMA TOURS

With great weather, breathtaking scenery and over 500 vineyards, the wine valleys of Napa and Sonoma are a cyclist’s paradise. Ride in the rolling valleys or head into the surrounding mountains; you’ll find terrain suitable for family fun and super-fit pros. In just a few days you ride fertile wine valleys, majestic redwood forests, open pastureland, forested mountains and the rugged Pacific coast. As one guest put it, “It’s like six vacations in one.”

There is a natural east-west route that broadly follows the rolling terrain carved by the meandering Russian River -- named for the Russian traders and hunters that used to frequent this coast. Beginners will tend to stay in the rolling valleys while more experienced riders may head up into the surrounding mountains. Whatever the terrain guests are looking for, LifeCycle Adventures will help them find quiet back roads and hidden gems.

Along the way, guests cycle through the classic wine valleys of Alexander and Dry Creek. After Guerneville, they cycle through deserted single lane roads that pick their way through the mighty and ancient redwood forests. At Jenner, riders emerge onto the little populated Sonoma Coast with its quiet sandy bays and rugged cliffs. South is Bodega, where guests experience classic California cycling on Route 1, with the coastal range to their left and mighty Pacific rollers crashing into the craggy coast beneath them to the right. Fantastic!

ABOUT LIFECYCLE ADVENTURES

LifeCycle Adventures is an independent bicycle tour company based in San Francisco that offers cyclists some of the most personalized and well-supported tours in the industry. The company is meeting a growing demand by travelers for tailor-made vacations, combining local knowledge previously only found on group tours with the flexibility of individual travel. Visit LifeCycle Adventures on the Web at www.lifecycleadventures.com, email info@lifecycleadventures.com or call 888-NOW-BIKE/888-669-2453 (from outside the U.S. call +1 415 366 3806).



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 Cycling
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