Cycling ‘Super Moms’ Take a Trip to Remember from Colorado to Croatia

By Lonna Ramirez

Ordinarily, a typical day for Sarah McAllister and her friends includes preparing meals, dropping and picking up kids from school or various activities, errands and a multitude of other duties. But for 10 days in the fall of 2007, McAllister and her friends left their families and responsibilities at home for a guided cycling trip in Croatia with Adventure Travel Group (ATG).

This adventurous group of moms, ranging from 37 to 50 years of age, live in Colorado (four in Crested Butte, one in Boulder), where they raise their kids, ski and bike together when they can. After McAllister and another girlfriend went on an ATG cycling tour in the Italian Dolomites the year before, McAllister convinced her friends with stories of days spent riding and exploring, free of decisions and responsibilities, that they too should go on a cycling vacation. They decided on Croatia, since none of them had ever been there before. For two of the moms, this vacation was the first time they had ever left their kids and husbands—one woman had never had a passport before. McAllister (second from left) and friends—all in Marmot PreCip jackets.

After much juggling of schedules and mixed emotions of leaving husbands and kids at home, the group landed in Dubrovnik, Croatia, for the start of their tour. “After getting off the plane, we arrived in this beautiful city and spent the day touring the city, sitting in the sun, sipping cocktails and swimming,” recalls McAllister. The next day the tour began, covering 50 hilly miles or more each day exploring the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia. Although all the Colorado women were athletic, two bought their first bike just a few months before the trip. “There was quite a bit of climbing, but they did just fine—we all do a lot of skiing and other activities to stay in shape,” says McAllister.

ATG Owners Gary Bezer and Lise Fleury, a husband-and-wife team, are experienced, professional cyclists who have vast knowledge of the areas they offer tours, giving cycling tour guests an opportunity to experience the best riding, dining and accommodations. Each morning, over steaming cappuccinos and breakfast, ATG provided maps and detailed descriptions of the day’s route, offering easier or more challenging options. Throughout the day, Frano (Gary’s Croatian cousin) parked the van along the route, offering water, snacks and transporting jackets and other items so cyclists didn’t have to carry them. The van was also available for anyone who wanted to rest their legs or cut their ride short.

“At the end of the day, we’d relive the day’s ride over drinks and then a group dinner at one of Gary and Lise’s great restaurant choices—they always picked unique places with great ambiance” says McAllister.

“Croatia is beautiful and the scenery was spectacular. It felt like the Mediterranean and although it’s influenced by many different cultures, it has a culture that is uniquely its own. We loved taking the ferries to the different islands; every island was different and great to explore. We did a lot of swimming as well as riding,” says McAllister. “Another highlight was going to Gary’s cousin’s farm and watching them prepare homemade grappa and sampling it directly from the alambic still!”


For this group of moms, McAllister explains, the vacation was more than just great scenery and cycling. “Being able to ride all day every day was addicting! It was incredibly liberating, there were no decisions to make, no meals to prepare or errands to run—we had the luxury of simply getting on our bikes every day and riding at our own pace. We were no longer mothers, PTA members, wives or anything else—we could simply be ourselves without any responsibilities. Gary and Lise took great care of us!”

In 2009, McAllister and friends (a few from the Croatia trip and few new friends who couldn’t make first trip) are planning another cycling trip with ATG, this time to Slovenia or Spain. “I keep looking at my Croatia photos and look forward to a new adventure with my friends in another new locale,” says McAllister.

For more information about fully guided cycling tours Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Chile, Argentina and Canada visit www.adventuretravelgroup.com.