La Ruta Tierra Bike Tour August 27 - September 3, 2016

La Ruta Tierra is a adventurous and challenging cycling tour on Catalonia’s remote dirt and paved roads. The trip includes 6 guided rides, culinary delights at some of Spain’s finest restaurants. It is a unique cycling experience. “Each year, I rode ten of thousands of kilometers through the Catalan countryside while training for the professional races. The routes I sought were not only challenging roads into the mountains and along the coast, but also the most picturesque and serene. They were routes where a dozen cars, or fewer, might pass in five hours. Some were gravel roads that wound their way up a mountain, past secluded cork tree farms, orchards, or shepherds as they walked with their flocks. Up in the hills with a friend, we would stop for a workman’s lunch in an country restaurant where a fire was roaring and the patrons were chattering about the day’s events over pints and steaks, before plowing on down the road and home. Of all the hundreds of thousands of kilometres I’ve ridden in my lifetime, the rides in Girona were some of the finest. La Ruta Tierra is a weeklong tour on many of those roads. The Ruta will stretch across the province, from the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees. The experience will be unlike any other: the countryside is idyllic, the riding technically and physically challenging and the cultural experience unparalleled.” ~Michael Barry Dates: August 27 - September 3, 2016 This trip includes:

Transfers to and from Barcelona Airport.

8 days / 7 nights

4 nights in a 4 star hotel in Girona

3 nights Hostal d’Empuries

6 guided rides

Breakfast daily

Energy bars, drinks, ride snacks and coffee stops on rides

4 dinners in specialty restaurants representative of traditional Mediterranean, Spanish, and Catalonian cuisines.

Support Van and luggage transfer between hotels.

Repair service and bicycle tune up.

Road Book with detailed maps and complete information for the rides.

Specially designed trip jersey

Hiking and yoga for partners who would like to join the tour, but do not ride bikes Registration information: Price: Double room: 2520 Euro / Single option: 3120 Euro / Superior (double) option: 2710 Euro Deposit of 850 Euro required by February 15, 2016 Please contact Jaume Cabruja at BikeCat for registration: jaume@bikecat.com For more information, contact Michael Barry: michael@bikespecialties.com Bike recommendation: Cyclocross bike or road bike that can accommodate wider profile tires (28mm+ width) Trip insurance is recommended.