Wonder

It’s a beautiful world. There are places where when you first see them, you're dumbstruck with wonder at its amazing beauty. Other places have a story to tell causing you to wonder and admire the human spirit. And some places are just fun and make you wonder how soon you can come back. These places are worth the extra effort to experience.

Pedaling for Good

Remember your first pedal strokes into the unknown? The exhilaration, freedom, and joy with the feeling that the whole world was waiting to be discovered? Remember the time you volunteered yourself to help others? The feeling of joy that came with doing good and perhaps a true expression of yourself. We combine the joy of pedalstrokes and doing good by using the proceeds of our tours to support charities. I call it bike-joy. To maximize bike-joy I often partner with a charity to provide riders a chance to personally fundraise in addition to the tour fee. Fundraising is strictly voluntary.

Fun

If you want to pedal through corn all day, ride so long you fall asleep at dinner, ride a week of centuries, or have a need to shower in public, then we recommend the many other awesome tours out there focused on the classic routes, endurance, or economy. That’s not us. We pedal for good, provide modern conveniences, and full on the route support.

Beauty and exploration is fun! Meeting new people or re-uniting with old friends is fun! Riding through amazing places and having time to sightsee or hike to a viewpoint is fun. Enjoying good food and sometimes just leaning back to soak it in is fun!

Don’t get us wrong, it’s not all sunshine, descents and tailwinds. Sometimes that amazing place includes a 10% grade, but we design the tour so you don’t have to do it all day on traffic heavy roads. Savor the world at your goldilocks speed and pedal through it!

No Worries.

We are here so you can enjoy your active vacation on and off the bike. As long time tour creators and participants, the team is focused on service that removes the hot spots and chaffing that could detract from your bike vacation. Just remember this is a fully supported ride to raise money for charities.

• Rest Stops - placed so you can recharge yourself and your bike. They will be there if your average speed is 20 mph or 8 mph. They serve riding and recovery foods and drinks. There is a tool box, generator, and floor pump in case you need it.

• SAG Vehicles - are on the route to care for your riding needs. A vehicle equipped with a platform bike rack to carry your 14 or 50 pound bike, and you to the finish or modify your distance.

• Finish Line Refreshments - are available at the daily finish line where you’ll find your favorite beverage waiting and your luggage in your room. We try to anticipate your tour needs and welcome the opportunity to satisfy your requests. Have something in mind for a special group of friends or family? Please contact us to arrange a private tour designed to create an enduring memory.

• Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinners - are provided as described on each tour page. In general all breakfasts and lunches are included while some dinners are on your own.

• Affordable. We love to ride and helping other riders have a great time. We charge enough to pay the bills and have something meaningful to give to charity.

I’m Terry

I’m Terry, founder of Pedalstroke Tours. I don’t have other folks leading my tours, I’m with you every time. I’m not here to build an empire and don’t want a bunch of lieutenants out running groups. You’re signing up for my tour and my mission to provide a fun ride that helps charities. I’m a small shop and want to be there to see folks having fun, be there to fix things when they go a little wonky, and see you get the experience you deserve.

Since 2008 I’ve been a part of transcontinental and one week bike tours for nonprofits. I was the tour director for the League of Michigan Bicyclists and Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance back in the day when we had a thousand riders on Shoreline West or the Michigander. I had the pleasure of being a part of Sea to Sea, the largest cross country bike tour with hundreds of riders each year that raised millions of dollars to fight poverty. Helping a charity while riding bikes is great feeling so every tour is about both.

I hope you’ve gotten this far because I want to be clear about the tours. They are not cheap but I try to keep them as affordable as possible. They are not filled with shiny vans and trucks with logos all over them. To do either of those things would take away from my mission (see above). So we rent vans, we rent U-hauls, my small staff of volunteers use their personal vehicles for SAG if they are appropriate. We stay in mid-range hotels usually run by Hilton or Marriott. When they are not available then I’ll use a local Inn. The more riders we have, the more we can give to charity. I try to keep the tours between 15-35 people. At 10 riders or fewer we are unable to give much to charity, so help them out and bring a friend or two.

With millions of bike tour miles under my wheels, I hope you’ll trust me and join me on Pedalstroke Tours to help YOU experience a beautiful world. I hope you’ll join me on an upcoming tour. Thank you!