Tailwinds Blog Logo
Uncategorized / January 1, 1970

Staff bucket list: Natalie's quest for beaches, boats, and mountain bikes

We at BikeTours.com have the incredible job of talking about bike tours all day, every day. And we think you might be interested to know what we'd pick, if we're picking (and we do often get to!). Read the staff bucket list and profile below, and see if you have any of the same interests or bucket list tours! Read all the staff bike tour bucket lists.
**Natalie has left BikeTours.com to pursue other opportunities, but let us know if you have any of the same interests! We'd love to help you make your own bucket list a reality!





Meet Natalie

Natalie signed on at BikeTours.com in 2011 to combine her background in marketing with her passion for travel. She came down Natalie head circlewith the "wandering fever" at age 15, which is when she first
suspected there might be a big world outside her small hometown in South Carolina and promptly applied for a youth exchange program. She spent a year studying in Bern, Switzerland and hopping trains with a backpack and a network of friends across Europe, and she's loathe to be stuck at home for too long to this day.

Note that Natalie didn't own a bike when she started her career with us -- in fact, not being asked to ride a bike was a condition of her taking the position. Fast forward 4 years: she's currently shopping for bike #3 and trying to figure out how to store the expanding collection in her city apartment.

When she's not at the office or hosting a house full of friends, you'll often find her in the mountains around Chattanooga (hiking, mountain biking, camping) or weekend road tripping with her boyfriend and a rack full of bikes heading in the direction of some new town or trail system.
Likes

Leisurely rides with plenty of reasons to stop along the way. Beaches. Local wine. Any wine.
Dislikes

Cold weather. Riding super hilly terrain. Chain restaurants and hotels.
Adores

Swapping stories with new friends on the road. Trying local dishes and delicacies.
Traveler type

Adventure Seeker (mild)

Bucket list tours


1. Mountain Biking Montenegro's Coast

Montenegro
Croatia has become Europe's newest hot destination, and while I'm dying to go there too, I'm even more attracted to its smaller neighbor, Montenegro. It's said to have similar scenery, great beaches, and equal charms -- but without the recent tourist boom found further up the Adriatic coast. I'd do this trip with my boyfriend, Roger, because it's a logical extension of our weekends at home -- getting off-road but taking our time to explore. Uncommon among mountain bike tours, this one is self-guided, which would give us the freedom to go our own pace but not have to worry about setting up camp like we would for a mountain bike getaway back home. Plus, the final day has the option of riding or lounging on the beach. We like rides with choices for the more aggressive rider (him) and the leisure seeker (me). (But I think we both agree that the final day of our recent Brazilian bike tour spent on the beach was a welcome change of pace!)

2. Morocco's Berber Villages by Mountain Bike

Morocco mountain biking
This one's a "stretch goal" of a bucket list trip for me -- my ability level on the mountain bike has a ways to go before I'm ready for this one! But what a goal to work towards, right? I'm fascinated with the unique blend of cultures and influences that have shaped Morocco and am glad this itinerary includes a couple of nights in Marrakech (souk shopping, anyone?). But I know I'd also be happy to quickly escape the crowds and noise in favor of trails and villages in the High Atlas mountains. The Berber villages aren't easily accessed, and the sweat and grit it takes to explore them by mountain bike would make the tasty tagines so worth it. Plus, holy cow this tour is a great value for the money.

3. Island Hopping in the Philippines

Philippines
Coastal views, boat rides, a variety of diverse islands to cover by bike....this one just seems dreamy. And Filipinos are reputed as the warmest hosts you could hope for, so there are bound to be plenty of chances to get friendly with the locals. This itinerary covers 5 islands of the more than 7,000 that make up the country, but the rides are selected to showcase the diversity of culture, flora, and fauna to be found. Plus you ride through something called the Chocolate Hills. I don't know what that is, but I'm in.

4. Turkey's Lycian Coast by Bike and Boat

Lycian Coast
First off, I love bike and boat tours. They feature the best parts of cruising (covering a lot more ground than you could just by bike, visiting remote islands, relaxing on deck and watching the coastal scenery) but bypass the worst parts (sedentary days, massive tour groups on excursions, bad musical revues). Being on a smaller boat with like-minded adventurous travelers makes for great camaraderie, AND you don't have to pack and unpack every day like a hotel-based tour.

Now combine all that with one of my dream destinations: I've been obsessed with going to Turkey since being mystified my childhood friend's Turkish mother that seemed impossibly exotic and fastinating. This tour starts and ends in Marmaris; I'd probably arrive a day early to get plenty of time in the city's famous bazaar.

5. Wine and Bike in Hungary's Balaton Uplands

Balaton Wine and Bike
I'm not gonna lie -- Hungary hadn't been on my radar as a super sexy destination. But our president, Jim, did this tour years ago and his stories made me a believer. He shares memories of sumptuous picnics in the vineyards and family-run wineries. Of samplings aplenty of fabulous Hungarian wines (who knew?). Of blankets laid out in the shade to nap it all off before hopping on the bike again.

I also really enjoy working with our partners who operate this tour, Sophie and Gabor. They're a young couple who started the company years ago with a shared passion for cycling and their home country, and I'd be tickled to meet them in person. Jim assures us that a trip with Sophie and Gabor is like being received by old friends who want to show off the best of their home and introduce you to all their favorites. And that's my kind of travel.




Want to make your bucket list dreams come true? E-mail a tour advisor today to get started.

Leave a Comment