 Why Should I Bicycle With Noo Funteers Adventure Vacation Tours?
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Noo Funteers is owned and operated by vacation cyclists. Our vacations are adventure vacations. We have many years' experience in adventure travel. For years, we have traveled with various outfitters throughout the Western United States, Canada, and Alaska. Frequent comments by other customers, along with our own desires, prompted us to begin a different kind of adventure touring company. Noo Funteers endeavors to provide the most scenic and spectacular routes, coupled with the finest available meals and accommodations, while providing more challenging routes than other outfitters offer. On all of our trips we stay in lodges, motels and inns, as opposed to camping. The following 11 points illustrate why you should choose Noo Funteers for your next active vacation tour.
1. GREAT SCENERY
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Foremost in our trip route selection is the magnificent scenery. Your scenery possibilities range from towering snow capped peaks to eerie desert rock formations. In addition, our remote routes offer the opportunity to see a wide variety of abundant wildlife on each trip.
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2. MORE CHALLENGING TRIP ROUTES
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In addition to beginner trips, we also have several trips that will challenge even the most experienced cyclist. The longest trip in terms of daily and overall mileage is the Grand Junction trip that averages 77 miles a day for a grand trip total of 844 miles. Elevation climbs per day range as high as 8,947 feet on our most difficult trip.
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3. LOWER TRAFFIC VOLUME
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Most of the western roads on which we bike have much lower traffic volumes than the roads in the eastern half of the United States. Most of our trips are scheduled before or after peak tourist season. Those scheduled during tourist season are on roads that are not as heavily traveled by tourists as the other roads in the vicinity.
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4. WIDE SHOULDERS
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Most of the selected roads in our routes have fairly clean, two to eight foot wide shoulders on which to bike.
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5. LONGER GRADES
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On the more difficult trips for advanced cyclists, some days have long, more gradual grades, as opposed to the short steeper grades found in the East. This means some of our downhills may be 15 to 30 miles long. Some days may be fairly flat, however if there is a climb it is usually not as steep as the grades in the East.
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6. BICYCLING AT YOUR OWN PACE
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None of our trips are races to see who finishes first. Our detailed, easily understood descriptions and directions will allow an individual to pedal at his own pace without the help of a guide. Indeed, if you ride too fast you may miss seeing some wildlife or scenery that others behind you are enjoying. If you so desire, you may take all day to complete each leg of your trip, stopping as often as you feel necessary to take pictures, watch wildlife, or to absorb the beauty of the moment. If you do not want to pedal the whole day, then just flag down the van and hitch a shuttle ride at any point.
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7. EXCITING OPTIONS ON DAYS OFF
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Although the costs of optional activities are not included in the cost of the trip, some options are available at a group rate. Most of our option days allow for a wide variety of fun and exciting (or just restful) activity selections. Some of the many options from which you may choose on different trips range from hiking, mountain biking, shopping for trip momentos, horseback riding, boating or white water rafting. Hot mineral spas, train rides, balloon riding, and sightseeing at National Parks are available on certain trips. On many of our trips, we have off days scheduled in areas considered by many outdoor magazine polls as some of the best areas in which to hike in the Western Hemisphere. For the hiking enthusiast, we recommend the Bryce-Zion, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, or Big Bend trips.
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8. BEST FOOD AND INNS AVAILABLE
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We utilize the best restaurants and inns available. Our evening meals are not pre-selected. You may order any appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert offered on the menu. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the cost of the trip. We try to make our overnight accommodations the finest in the area. If there is a famous landmark inn or hotel in the area, we try to patronize that location.
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9. SMALL GROUP SIZE
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We insist on maintaining small groups for our trips. Our maximum amount of participation is 31 guests plus two to four guides. Our normal group size is 15 to 22 people plus guides. The small size of our groups makes for much safer, less crowded road conditions. This also allows our guides to devote more time to each of our guest’s specific requests.
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10. WELL SPACED REST STOPS FOR FOOD AND WATER
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We have roadside rest stops at which we provide snacks and drinks, usually every 10 to 15 miles. Lunches are specially prepared and served at a scenic roadside stop, which is usually three to four hours into the ride each day.
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11. PHYSICALLY ACTIVE VACATIONS
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We offer some of the most active and unusual vacations to be found anywhere in America. You may select from trips ranging in duration from four to 14 days. The mileage ranges from the highest of 844 total miles (77 miles a day average) to a low of 76 total miles (25 miles a day average). Elevation average climb is a high of 6,481 feet per day to a relatively flat 1,455 feet per day.
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Meet the Noo Funteers Owners:
LARRY & KAREN: After 15 years of riding the flowing blue highways kayaking and canoeing, we decided to switch to the paved gray highways. This was a somewhat reluctant decision, for whitewater satisfied my free time as well as my work time since I spent some time as a guide. But, after my wife Karen’s last accident in the waters, she insisted that we switch to a "safer" sport. I took her advice and we began bicycling.
We shortly became dissatisfied with biking in the east due to unaware drivers and heavy traffic and decided to test the western roads. We found roads with shoulders actually wide enough for a bike or two, scenic bike routes and paths, less traffic, heightened drivers awareness of cyclists, abundant wildlife and of course beautiful views. We feel the west spoiled and tempted us and as a result have spent many of our vacations on the western roads. The mountainous terrain of the west fulfilled my desires to push and challenge myself.
About 11 years ago, Karen and I decided to take trips with various outfitters. Most of the trips we thoroughly enjoyed, yet there were a few complaints felt by ourselves as well as voiced to us by others. After hearing similar complaints, we decided the best thing to do would be to make the situation better. That’s how the idea for Noo Funteers began. Just as a cook adds and takes out ingredients and spices that they dislike and add flavors they like, we have done the same with the creation of Noo Funteers.
The greatest complaints were voiced during the difficult trips. Many outfitters combined a day of biking with a planned meal and a nightly stay in a tent. If one wanted lodging, they would have to make the reservations themselves as well as pay for it. We enjoy camping, but after a long, sweaty day a bed sure sounds nice. There was also the complaint of group prepared meals for dinner. Let’s face it, we all have different culinary likes and dislikes and it is impossible to satisfy everyone’s appetite with a couple menu items to choose from. Also, with group prepared meals you have to stand in line while waiting for your meal. To by pass these problems, we stay in lodges and resort, and our evening meals are at a sit down restaurant where you can indulge in a four course meal.
These two parts of Noo Funteers sets us apart from the other outfitters. What sets us apart even more so, is the level of difficulty of some of our trips. As well as beginner trips, we have hard trips with some of the best accommodations. Our groups are small, approximately 20-30 people. We feel this, combined with our scenic well planned routes, eventful free days, and knowledgeable guides make Noo Funteers an excellent outfitter.
Hope to see you on one of our trips! If you want any more information, please give us a call at 1-866-539-BIKE.
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Why Should I Bicycle With Noo Funteers Adventure Vacation Tours?