Tucson Spring Warm-up

This ride is a fixed-base or semi-fixed-base ride, please read the ride description for more details.

† 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 $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW
Tucson is a city that loves to bike.  With its mild climate, stunning scenery, and abundance of trails, it's no wonder that Tucson is a popular destination for cyclists from all over the world. Tucson has a top rating from the League of American Bicyclists and is regularly noted as an outstanding riding destination by numerous cycling magazines and media outlets. Our fixed-base tour provides a chance to escape the gloom and get in some sunny and warm spring riding days!

One of the best things about biking in Tucson is the variety of routes available. Whether you're looking for a leisurely ride along the Santa Cruz River, an urban ride to view the murals, or a challenging ride up Mount Lemmon, you'll find the perfect ride in Tucson.

This fixed-base tour has no required riding days, instead it offers choices of more than 20 RideWithGPS routes, featuring a long and a short ride for each day. Most rides start directly from the hotel, but we also include choices with optional remote starts (For this reason, a car or carpooling is recommended for the tour). The tour leader will help arrange carpooling. With so many choices to choose from, you’ll want to pay particular attention to road conditions as well as route length and BAC rating.

Detailed route descriptions are included in a separate document listed in Ride Info, Ride Leader Docs, however the rides can be classified into several groups:

Rides on The Loop Trail:
The Loop began as a series of flood dikes containing the Santa Cruz River and its tributaries. Pima County administrator Chuck Huckelberry was the driving force in converting those flood control dikes into the 12-foot wide paved shared use path we enjoy today. There are over 134 + miles of paved trails which comprise the trail system - with attached parks, restrooms, and sculptures.  Loop (https://tucsonloop.org).

Pedal assist E-bikes are welcome on the Loop; no motorized vehicles or devices are allowed. Be aware that some of the trails have cattleguards. Even though you are close to town, riding on the Loop feels quite removed from the hustle and bustle of modern life (and services).

The Loop Trail is a great way to see some of Tucson's most popular attractions, such as the University of Arizona, the airplane boneyard, San Xavier mission and the Tucson Museum of Art.  We offer a variety of rides featuring different parts of the Loop Trail system.

Urban Mural Rides
Tucson is known for dozens, no hundreds of murals. This ride goes into downtown to see many of them. Expect urban traffic, trolly tracks, some great murals, and possibly a street market. This is not a fast ride, plan on finding lunch at one of the many great restaurants.

Rides to Sabino Canyon, Tohono Chul Park or Catalina State Park:
These rides go to various destinations in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The rides feature a combination of riding on the Loop Trail and then county roads to our destination, often on a bike path. These destinations also offer a variety of hiking and biking trails, as well as stunning views of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Saguaro National Park East:
This is a great option for cyclists who want to see the saguaro cacti up close. The park offers an 8-mile scenic loop with stunning views of saguaro and the Tucson Mountains.  This loop ride can be combined with a ride from the hotel or as a remote start with varying distances and climbing.

Mount Lemmon:
Mount Lemmon is a great option for cyclists who want to experience a ‘significant change in elevation’. This is a there and back ride that is rated 4C if you do the entire climb.  The mountain is located about 50 miles from Tucson and offers stunning views of the desert below.  The low traffic road just goes up and up. Remember, this is an optional ride.

This is a remote start ride with up to 60+ miles with 7000 ft. of climbing (the ride leader will provide water and snacks part way up the road on the designated riding day). On that day, riders car pool to the start where I will check them off and then check them off again on their way up to Windy Peak, or all the way up to the summit.

The weather can be quite variable, pack your rain and cold weather clothing just in case. If it is a warm day we may start early to avoid the heat (and to give us time to visit Le Buzz Inn café at the start).

Additional Routes:
We have other routes that we will share with tour participants. There is a complete listing in the Ride Descriptions document. 

Social Hour
The Ride Leaders will suggest a short and a long ride for the next day at Social Hour. Although the focus at each Social Hour will be the next day’s featured daily rides, all rides are optional and participants are welcome to choose whichever route they want to ride at their own speed and pace. 

Other Attractions:
For those riders who would like a day off the bike there are several good museums and other attractions in Tucson. The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum is one of the best in the world for desert environment, the world class Tohono Chul Park and Botanical Gardens is only 6 miles from the hotel. The Pima Air & Space Museum has an excellent selection of vintage and historic aircraft. Further out of Tucson, the Titan Missile Museum and Karchner Caverns offer unique tours.  And there are many opportunities for hiking in the area.

HEALTH & SAFETY
Health and Safety: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader(s) and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

RIDE RATING
Although this tour is rated 2B, there are many routes that can be chosen that are more or less than the ride rating. The routes offered during the week provide many different types of riding and many different road surfaces; dedicated car free trails, urban cycling on busy streets with/without bike lanes, several challenging climbs, and some rural roads with little or no shoulder.  The Ride Leaders will help you choose the ride that is best for you.

If you decide to do the Mount Lemon climb on the suggested day, the Ride Leaders will use their van to provide a rest stop with water and snacks on the climb. With the exception of Mount Lemon, this tour is self-supported, no SAG support is provided.

Bikes: Tandems and e-bikes are welcome on this tour; the Ride Leaders will be on either a tandem or e-bikes. Bike rentals are available in the Tucson area.

Tucson Bicycle Rentals (https://tucsonbicyclerentals.com/) has received good reviews and will deliver bikes to the hotel. All arrangements for bike rental are between the participant and the bike shop. The Ride Leaders cannot guarantee bike rental availability or quality.

CUE SHEETS, MAPS, GPS FILES
Links to the Ride with GPS (RWGPS) files will be posted and available for download under Ride Leader Docs. No maps or hard copy cue sheets will be provided but participants may print their own from the RWGPS files.

WEATHER
The average daytime temperature in Tucson is in the mid-70s, with low humidity and plenty of sunshine. This makes it the perfect time to get out on your bike and explore all that Tucson has to offer. Having said that, the weather in southern Arizona is famously variable and temperatures can run +/- 20 degrees from these averages. Rain can be a possibility and it can be windy one week; it can be unseasonably hot the next week. Bring your rain and cold weather clothing just in case.

We will adjust our daily riding schedule based on the local and Mt Lemmon weather forecasts.

LODGING & MEALS
Lodging will be at the Comfort Suites near the Tucson Mall. This Comfort Inn is located two blocks from the Loop Trail. The hotel was completely updated recenty and is very nice. If you store your bike in your room, please keep the carpet clean.  There is plenty of free self-parking available at the hotel. 

The tour includes seven nights of lodging, seven Social Hours with snacks and beverages, two catered dinners at the hotel, and seven hotel furnished continental breakfasts. For more variety, the Ride Leaders can suggest local restaurants and bakeries.

Breakfast buffets are at the hotel. Water and snacks will be provided to riders at a rest stop during the Mount Lemon climb. 

Please contact the Ride Leader to discuss any specific strict food requirements before requesting to join the tour.

LOGISTICS
Tucson Stagecoach (https://tucscoach.com/) van service and taxis are available between the Tucson airport (TCS) and the hotel.  Some previous participants have found flights to Phoenix (PHX) with a rental car more economical than flying directly into Tucson.  A car is recommended for the trip as you may opt to start a few rides remotely, or want to venture out and visit some of the various attractions in Tucson.  There are several good restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.

The tour begins on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at the Comfort Inn. Social hour will begin at 5:00 PM in the hotel meeting room. The tour ends with check-out on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The hotel will honor our tour rate if you wish to extend your stay. Send your requests directly to the Ride Leader, not to the hotel.

Bring your America the Beautiful pass, if you have one, for admission to Saguaro National Park.

COST & ADMINISTRATION
The estimated cost of this bike tour is $1250 per person plus the non-refundable $85 BAC registration fee. This cost includes seven nights lodging, two group dinners, seven breakfasts, and seven social hours with snacks and beverages. Electronic RWGPS files will be provided. The cost does not include additional lodging before or after the tour, or bike rental.

A deposit is $700 is required within 2 weeks of ride acceptance. The final payment of $550 is due no later than November 1, 2025.  Any riders who register after November 1, 2025 will need to pay the full tour amount at registration.

SINGLES & SOLOS POLICY
A “single” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and wishes to share a room with another participant. A “solo” is a member who signs up by himself or herself and does not wish to share a room.

It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single rider without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until November 1, 2025 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 Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the $672 Solo Supplement 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 Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.

The solo supplement payment of $672 is due by November 1, 2025 and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle:

● In your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org
● Initiate a payment
● In the Message block, enter the name of your ride.

If you have questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. 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 POLICY
The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled 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 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.

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 a well-maintained bicycle.  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 Social 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.

INSURANCE
Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents. This coverage applies when touring inside the US, regardless of your nationality. It’s assumed that members’ personal insurance will cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, so these have not been included in the BAC policy. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible. You may want to consider personal coverage for emergency evacuation, as this is not included. The costs of treatment or quarantine for Covid and other unexpected illnesses are not covered. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date.

SIGN-UP
To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. There is an $85.00 domestic ride fee and $150.00 international ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.

BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Leader by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description, or preferably calling Albert at 253-797-4647, or emailing at albert.meerscheidt@gmail.com.