† 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 $50 and $100 for all other countries, both are per participant.
OVERVIEW: Come cycle a classic—Germany’s Elbe River Path from Dresden to Hamburg and visit historical communities of Germany, many dating to the 1st millennium.
Our first city, Dresden, located in the Free State of Saxony, is known for having the best museums in Germany. We will stay here for three nights, exploring the city and on another day, cycle the Elbe River Path south of Dresden, with an option to return via train.
Our last city Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany, with its port is known as the “Gateway to Europe”. Largely destroyed by firebombs during World War II, it has rebuilt to a splendorous metropolis. We spend two nights there to explore the city.
We cycle through dreamy villages and broad floodplains. In Dessau, the birthplace of modernism architecture, we will see the Bauhaus Dessau Building, one of the buildings of a UNESCO World Heritage site, and many other buildings of modernistic design. In Wittenberg, the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation by Martin Luther, we will visit the historic center, the site of several UNESCO World Heritage buildings. We spend two nights in Magdeburg, which was founded by Charlemagne in 805 A.D, while there we can see several historic buildings such as the Lutheran Cathedral of Saints, the tallest church building of eastern Germany. In Hitzhacker, we stay in a four-star hotel, and peruse the historic timber-framed houses, the 1589 Customs house and the city’s historic dome with built-in Gothic elements. Along the way, we will see Lauenburg, founded in 1182, with a number of historic buildings, and further the UNESCO biosphere “Flusslandschaft Elbe”. The route is well-known and follows the Elbe River.
Consult with your favorite guidebook about arriving early in Dresden to tour the city before the tour or staying in Hamburg after the tour. Both cities are well-worth a longer visit than outlined in this tour.
RIDE RATING: The tour is rated a 1A with an average daily distance of 34 miles, and an average elevation gain of 720 feet. There are 11 riding days. We rest on Day 9 in Magdeburg.
This Excel Spreadsheet gives the daily milage and elevation gain for the tour. There are four days which exceed the distance milage of 35 miles for a Level A: (1) Day 6, 37 miles; (2) Day 10, 42 miles (3) Day13, 48 miles and (4) Day 15, 42 miles. There are no days which exceed the elevation gain of 1500 feet for a Level 1.
Routes are on paved roads in good condition, and most have little traffic. Most are on trails along the Elbe River Cycle Path. At the start of the day, you have the freedom to leave at any time, since we do not ride as a “stay together group”.
The route has not been scouted but may be scouted by car prior to the tour. The Elbe River Cycle Route is one of the most popular in Europe used by many families with their children.
We will purchase for each participant two guidebooks (Bikeline) used by most cyclists touring by bikes in Germany and specifically for this route. The two Guidebooks give the route and in incredible detail every turn and every sight you will want to see. The Guide gives information on road surfaces, lodging, bakeshops, and places of interest. Here is a Sample Page. Unfortunately, the latest version of the English version guidebooks is 2019 and we will not purchase these books until 2023 in the hope a newer version will be available. Despite being published in 2019, they are still worthwhile purchasing for the many sights highlighted and any route changes from the 2019 edition can be implemented through downloading the latest version of the GPX files which all purchasers are allowed to do.
While a van will transfer luggage and be available for emergency support due to injury, illness, or major mechanical problems, it is expected that riders will cycle the entire ride. BAC tours are designed for serious cyclists who are able to ride independently.
WEATHER: In July the average high temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average low is 52 degrees F. In August, an average of 2.75 inches of rain falls, spread over 11 days. Be prepared for wet conditions.
LODGING AND MEALS: We will be staying in three- or four-star hotels. We will have four group dinners and daily breakfast.
LOGISTICS: The tour starts in Dresden with an afternoon meeting on July 20, 2023, followed by our first group dinner. and ends in Hamburg on August 5, 2023. after breakfast. Dresden and Hamburg both have international airport. Numerous options are available to travel from the respective airports to the start hotel and end hotel.
BIKES: If you are bringing your own bike, make sure you have as a minimum tire width of 28 cc. Your bike boxes will be transported to Hamburg if the vehicle rented has enough space. In this regard, cardboard bike boxes which could be folded flat should be used to reduce the amount of space taken by the bike box. Tandems and E-bikes will be allowed on this tour.
If you will be renting a bike, the Ride Leader will assist with recommending businesses who will rent bikes and return them to the starting location. One possibility is GreenBike which will rent bikes and pick them up in Hamburg after the tour. The rates for the 17 days will vary depending on the number of bikes rented. The pickup at Hamburg will be shared with those who will rent bikes.
By assisting in the location of bike rental businesses, the Ride Leader or BAC does not warrant the safety or reliability of the bikes. Bring a strong lock for your bike, as bikes will not be allowed to be stored in your hotel room.
COST AND ADMINISTRATION: The estimated costs for this 17-day tour is $3150, based on an exchange rate of $1.20 per Euro. The first payment of $1600 is due upon acceptance on the tour. The second and final payment of $1550 is due on November 1, 2022. The payments are made on-line by credit card at the BAC website.
The cost includes 16 nights of accommodation at three- and four-star hotel. The costs also include all breakfasts and four group dinners. It does not include lunch. Included in the overall costs are daily happy hours including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, luggage transfer, and emergency sag service.
The costs also include the Bikeline books mentioned above, and which participants are expected to read in navigating the routes and points of interest. A further navigational aid included in the costs are RWGPS files which you may download to your smartphone or bicycle computers such as Garmin. The files which you will load on your smartphone will enable voice navigation.
SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY: This tour can accept solos. We recommend that singles who would like a roommate should try to find their own. However, after the receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the tour and will be given until November 1, 2022, to find a roommate. If unable to find a roommate, the single will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC fee and payment processing fees) or pay the $810.00 solo supplement and stay on the tour. If a single pays the supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist in pairing singles who apply for the ride. Solo supplement payments need to be sent to the BAC Office and are due by November 1, 2023. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check. They should be mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.
MEDICAL COVERAGE: Before participating in any BAC tour, members should review their medical coverage and assess whether what you have is sufficient. If it is not, you should purchase additional travel medical coverage. The 2020 version of the BAC insurance policy provided coverage for expenses related to medical emergencies and returning home 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). It also has limits on expenses covered for family members and only applies for 45 days following their initial departure from home. That policy maintained by BAC did not cover costs associated with self-quarantines that may be government mandated. If there any changes to an updated policy, you will be informed. Members should also ensure that vaccinations are up to date (e.g., COVID, annual influenza, tetanus, etc.). If travelling outside their home country members may wish to consult with a travel physician or nurse to ensure that the appropriate vaccinations are up to date.
COVID STATEMENT: Participants must be fully vaccinated including booster shots if applicable and be prepared to present vaccination documentation for viewing by Ride Leader if requested
If we still have a Covid 19 risk or Covid variant risk, we will follow all the necessary rules, and change activities as needed to remain Covid compliant, and can keep the tour as safe as possible. You may be asked to wear PPE in public, maintain social distance in public and limit social gatherings in public according to the country, province, or city's mandate.
CANCELLATION POLICY: The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee are not refundable unless the entire tour is cancelled due to the 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 cancelling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time, minus BAC fee and payment processing fees. If the cancelling participant cannot 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 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.
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.
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 tour deposit, $1600, 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
Bicycle Adventure Club
PO BOX 23998 San Diego, CA 92193
Telephone (858) 715-9510 office@bicycleadventureclub.org