Val Venosta to Venice

† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW

We led this trip in 2008, 2012 and 2016. This first class trip begins in Munich, Germany and ends on the Lido in Venice. After a day to enjoy the fun city of Munich, we ride in a deluxe bus with enclosed bicycle trailer through the Alps, to a small town in northern Tyrolean Italy. Cycling starts high in the Italian Tyrol at 1025 meters. This was part of Austria prior to World War I, and German is the still the language. Coast down bike paths and small mountain roads amid vineyards, and below glaciers and snow covered peaks. There are 2 night stays in Burgeis, Meran, Riva del Garda and Venice Lido. We ride almost all the way to Lake Garda on the Adige river bike path. After you reach Lake Garda you hear only Italian spoken. We spend 4 nights in towns along Lake Garda before heading east to Verona, Vicenza and Padova, and then atop a dike and across the lagoon by ferries to the Venice Lido for 2 days of sightseeing in Venice. E-bikes and tandems are welcome.

After a bus ride across Austria, we ride a short distance from Austria to the hotel in Burgeis. The next day there is an optional ride to Switzerland. We cycle on the Adige river bike path visiting the medieval walled city of Glurns, called the Italian Rothenburg, on the way to the riverside spa resort of Meran. We continue cycling on the path to Tramin, the town that gave its name to Gewürtztraminer wine. The Adige river bike path leads us to Bolzano and the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, which houses Ötzi, the 5000 year old Iceman of the Alps, on the way into the medieval center of Trento. We descend to Lake Garda and spend 4 nights in different resort towns, Riva del Garda, Gardone Riviera and Sirmione. Next we ride to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, followed by Vicenza, with the Palladian Villas of the Veneto in the surrounding area, and Palladio's renowned Teatro Olimpico (Olympic Theater). Verona and Vicenza are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Next we pass through the vineyards of the Euganean Hills to Padova, the oldest city in northern Italy and home of the University of Padova where Galileo lectured, and artists and scientists studied the human body during public dissections in the anatomical theater. We then ride on a dike and finally take 2 ferries across a lagoon to Venice Lido for sightseeing in Venice.

RIDE RATING

The trip is rated 1A, averaging 630 feet daily elevation gain over 33.7 miles. 4 days exceed 35 miles, with 42, 39, 38 & 45 miles. Greatest elevation gain is 1920 feet over 17.4 miles on an optional ride. Longest distance is 45.3 miles with 160 feet elevation gain. Most cycling is on bike paths or roads with light or moderate traffic, but this tour may encounter heavy traffic on the east side of Lake Garda, and going in and out of the old city centers of Verona, Vicenza and Padova.

WEATHER

In June, in the mountains at the beginning of the trip, the average overnight low temperature is 44 and the average high is 62. Later, near the coast the average overnight low temperature is 61 and the average high is 77. Expect the unexpected. Temperatures can range from cool and rainy to warm and dry. Be prepared for cold weather and/or rain.

LODGING & MEALS

The accommodations on this trip are mostly very nice 4- & 5-star hotels, with a few 3-star hotels. 16 breakfasts and 10 dinners will be provided.

LOGISTICS

The trip starts at 5:00 PM on June 5, 2022 in Munich, Germany and ends in Venice, Italy on June 21, 2022 after breakfast. Bike boxes will be shipped from Munich to Venice. We strongly encourage you to bring your own bike as we start in Germany and end in Italy, making rental arrangements very expensive.

COST & ADMINISTRATION

Preliminary cost estimate $3600 per person double occupancy at $1.20/Euro. The cost of the trip may change if the exchange rate increases significantly. Included in the cost for 16 nights are 16 breakfasts, 10 dinners, luggage van, maps, route sheets, happy hour including daily route review and sightseeing information. Participants will be provided snacks and one drink during route reviews and can purchase additional drinks if they would like more. Initial deposit of $1800 with an additional payment of $1800 December 1, 2021. Greg Compenstine will be our van driver.

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY

Singles are welcome and encouraged to find compatible roommates and/or riding partners.   The Ride Directors will introduce and assist singles to find roommates, but singles must make their own rooming decision.  Singles will not be able to sign up for the ride until they have a designated room-mate.  We do not take solos due to room limitations.

CANCELLATION POLICY

The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled due to participation below stated minimum requirements. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

COVID

The specific safety precautions to protect participants from COVID will be determined 90 days prior to the tour start date. At that time, we will meet with tour participants using a video conference to explain any safety precautions that will be necessary. You may be required to wear PPE in public, maintain social distance in public and limit social gathering in public according to the state's mandate. All participants must have received a vaccine, and booster if offered, prior to starting the tour. Negative COVID tests may be requested. Ideally we would like to consider our group a COVID-free bubble.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY

Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and clean-up. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you may have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

Before participating in any BAC tour, members should review their medical coverage and assess whether what you have is sufficient. If it isn’t, you should purchase additional travel medical coverage. BAC maintains a policy that provides coverage for expenses related to medical emergencies and repatriation when members are on tours outside the US and their home country. The policy ceases to be applicable if a member makes a personal deviation (e.g., makes a side trip not related to the planned BAC tour), has limits on expenses covered for family members and only applies for 45 days following departure from home. None of the policies maintained by BAC will cover costs associated with self-quarantines that may be government mandated. Members should also ensure that vaccinations are up to date (e.g., annual influenza, tetanus, etc.). If traveling outside your home country you may wish to consult with a travel physician or nurse to ensure that the appropriate vaccinations are up to date.

SIGN-UP

To submit a request to join this ride use the "links" displayed above this Ride Description. When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List. At this time you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee and the initial tour deposit of $1800 by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. To contact the Ride Leader, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description.