† 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.
OVERVIEW: The Camino del Cid is a cultural and historic route from Burgos to Valencia, following in the footsteps of the legendary Castilian knight and warlord, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, more commonly known as “El Cid Campeador,” or simply “El Cid”. El Cid is one of Spain’s most well-known and beloved folk heroes.
We’ll start our Camino del Cid tour from Burgos, a stone’s throw from El Cid’s birthplace, riding southeast to the Mediterranean, and ending in Valencia. The route winds through unspoiled remote countryside with large natural areas, and breathtaking landscapes dotted with castles, and small, quiet villages. The medieval heritage of Camino del Cid is unique within Europe, and boasts many very interesting examples of Visigoth, Romanesque, Gothic, Islamic and Mudejar art and architecture. Some of the villages where we’ll overnight have been officially designated by the Spanish Government as historical and/or artistic sites, and thus receive special protection:
-- Albarracín, a legendary minor Islamic kingdom perched above the Guadalaviar River, reputed to be one of the prettiest villages in Spain
-- Santo Domingo de Silos, where the monastery is renowned for its concerts of Gregorian chants and whose cloisters are reputed to be among the most beautiful in Spain
-- El Burgo de Osma, an attractive Castilian town located in the shadows of the ruins of a medieval castle, noted for its porticoed streets and Baroque buildings
-- Teruel, designated a Unesco World Heritage site for its magnificent Mudéjar architecture, situated amongst rugged hills and deep ravines
-- Sigüenza, where we’ll stay in a medieval castle within an Arab fortress built atop a Roman settlement
Our riding will be predominantly on quiet back country roads with little or no traffic. Spanish roads are generally in very good to excellent condition, although there will be occasional rough stretches, and on two days the ride will include about 15 miles of rough tarmac and gravel paths.
In addition to superb cycling and overnight stays in beautiful and interesting small towns, we’ll enjoy the friendliness of the local people, and plentiful delicious food and wine. This region of Spain is known for its wild mushrooms, rice dishes, roast kid and baby lamb, game stews, wonderful vegetables, cod, very sweet desserts, and designation-of-origin wines. What more could you ask for in a cycling vacation?
Logistical support for this tour will be provided by Simon Proffitt of Iberocycle, who has scouted the entire route. Iberocycle has supported a dozen tours for BAC members to date, all with very high to excellent ratings.
LOGISTICS: Arrive in Burgos no later than mid-afternoon on September 2nd, 2022. We’ll have our initial BAC happy hour at 6pm, followed by a group dinner. Fly into Bilbao or Madrid, and travel on to Burgos by bus, train, rental car, or shared car. Our last day of riding will be 9/16, and we’ll depart from our Valencia hotel after breakfast on September 17th, 2022. Valencia has an international airport, or you can travel to Barcelona or Madrid by train, bus, or shared car. Rome2Rio is a great website for researching travel options. For those who want to visit the magnificent Burgos Catedral (a Unesco World Heritage Site) or do a short ride to visit El Cid’s birthplace in nearby Vivar, plan to arrive at least a day early. We’ll spend the first night of our tour in Burgos; one night each in Santo Domingo de Silos, Atienza, Sigüenza, Medinaceli, Molina de Aragón, Orea, Albarracín, Teruel, and Montanejos; two nights each in Burgo de Osma and Monasterio de Piedra; and our final night in Valencia. The tour rate for the Burgos and Valencia hotels will be available to BAC members who wish to extend their stay either before or after the tour.
RIDE RATING: 4C. This tour is for those who like to climb. Although the daily ride average is 48 miles with 3200’ of climbing (a 3B per the BAC rating system) there are 6 out of the 12 required riding days that exceed the “B” mileage range rating, and 6 out of the 12 required riding days that exceed the “3” climbing range rating. The ride rating is based on the shortest ride options available for each riding day. There will be longer rides available for several days, and riding options available for the tour’s two rest days. Iberocycle will provide emergency transport for riders with significant health issues or whose bikes have a major mechanical failure, but each tour participant is expected to ride the entire route each day. We will not ride as a “stay together” group, and thus riders must bring (and be able to use) a navigation device (e.g., Garmin, Wahoo, smartphone with RWGPS, etc.) or plan to navigate via cue sheet and map.
BIKES & BIKE RENTALS: Road bikes, gravel bikes, or hybrids are appropriate for this tour. Because some of the road surfaces will be rough, and several days may require some riding on gravel/tarmac paths, the Ride Leader recommends that your bike tires be 28c wide at a minimum. If you bring your own bike, Iberocycle will store your bike case during the tour, and transport it from Burgos to Valencia. Contact Iberocycle directly to arrange to rent a bike. Bikes available to rent include carbon road bikes (180€), hybrids (130€), e-bikes (220€), and tandems (180€). E-bikes will be permitted on a case-by-case basis at the Ride Leader’s discretion. If you plan to ride an e-bike or tandem on this tour, contact the Ride Leader before signing up.
WEATHER: Temperatures should range from 48° at night to 74°F during the day for the first part of the tour, and 64-83°F as we approach Valencia. For the area where we’ll be riding, the average number of days with precipitation for the month of September is 7, and the average rainfall for the month is less than 2”.
LODGING & MEALS: Included in the tour cost are fifteen (15) nights of lodging in 3-star or 4-star hotels, a hot European-style breakfast each morning, four (4) group dinners, and happy hour snacks, wine, beer, and soft drinks. Lunches and all dinners other than the group dinners will be on your own. Many hotels have pools, and several have spas which can be used by reservation at extra cost. For those who haven’t been to Spain before, dinner time tends to be much later than in the US, with restaurants often opening to serve dinner at 8pm. However, even the smallest towns have one or more bars which, in addition to drinks, serve a variety of tapas and are a viable option for an earlier dinner. Most towns also have a grocery store.
COST & ADMINISTRATION: The estimated tour cost is $3000 based on a currency exchange rate of $1.2 = 1 Euro, and a minimum of 14 participants. The first payment of $1500 is due at sign-up and the final payment of $1500 is due on April 1, 2022. Depending on currency exchange rates, there may be an adjustment in the amount of the final payment. The estimated cost includes all lodging (double occupancy) with full breakfast; a BAC social hour with wine, beer, soft drinks and snacks each evening except for rest days; 4 group dinners; luggage transport & emergency sag support; bike box storage; maps, cue sheets and GPS files; a tip for the guide; ride leader expenses; and a 5% contingency in the event of unanticipated expenses or emergencies. It does not include lunches, or alcoholic beverages during group dinners, bike rental, or airfare. After the tour the Ride Leader will provide a report of all expenses and return any remaining funds to participants.
SOLO & SINGLES POLICY: It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own, although the Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the tour. After receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until January 31, 2022 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fee), or to pay the solo supplement cost and stay on the ride. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Solo Supplement cost is $700 in addition to the per person tour cost. Solo supplement payments must be sent to the BAC office by January 31, 2022. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check, and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.
CANCELLATION: The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. 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 cancelling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the cancelling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the tour 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 cancelling 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 REQUIREMENTS: All participants must be fully vaccinated including booster shots if applicable, and be prepared to present vaccination documentation for viewing by the Ride Leader. We will follow all the necessary rules and protocols to remain Covid compliant, and the Ride Leader may change activities as necessary to keep tour participants as safe as possible. When in public you may be asked to wear a mask, maintain social distance, and avoid crowded places and situations in accordance with Spanish national and local mandates, or as recommended by the Spanish Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), or the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Participants will be invited to a Zoom meeting approximately 45 days prior to the tour start date to discuss and finalize COVID protocols for the tour.
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 tour 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 tour, 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). None of the insurance 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 travelling outside your home country you may wish to consult with a travel physician or nurse to ensure that you are up to date on appropriate vaccinations.
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 that time, you’ll 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 $1500 by credit card. The final payment of $1500 is due April 1, 2022. 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.
Bicycle Adventure Club
PO BOX 23998 San Diego, CA 92193
Telephone (858) 715-9510 office@bicycleadventureclub.org