1. When does my Tour of California Cycling Vacation begin?
We will meet you at the Monterey Peninsula Airport on February 17, 2009, with planned arrival before 3 p.m. If you have plans to arrive into the area earlier, please meet us at Monterey's The Clement Hotel at 2 p.m. for check-in. Thanks

AAA Travel Planning: For all of your travel needs, including airline tickets, additional hotels, and rental car (if you are going to extend your stay in California), we would like to invite you to contact Shelley Lulow, our AAA Travel Rep , at 1.800.854.5044 Ext. 272 or at slulow@aaane.com . Her hours are M-Th, 1pm-6 pm, CST. She has been taking care of our guests for over 9 years and she has our complete confidence!

2. What gears should I plan on using and can I ship my bike?
The rides on this vacation vary from everything from flat to mountainous. Thus, you should have a 26 or 27-tooth cog on your rear cassette along with either a compact crank or triple crank on the front. Since it is early in the season for guests from the northern part of the country, please bring larger gears than what you would normally ride in the summer. Other than these few reminders, you won't have to make any adjustments on your road bike. Simply bring what works best for you and be ready for one of the most beautiful rides of your life.

Shipping my bike: If you would like to ship your bike in advance, please contact us before you do this as we have an agreement with the best company in the world for shipping bikes. They have been batting 1000% for us and our guests for the past 4 years and are the best in their customer service.

3. How many meals are included?
All breakfasts, 1 Welcome Cocktail, 3 dinners and 3 roadside lunches.

4. Do you provide full sag support on the vacation?
Yes, we will provide full sag support during your entire vacation. Our support vehicles will be stationed at various points along the cycling route and stocked with chilled bottled water, Clifbar drinks, gels, and bars, pastries, fruit, and cookies. Each day's itinerary and the location of the sag support vans will be discussed each prior evening during a brief group meeting before dinner. It is highly recommended, however, that you please bring your own drink powders with you if you have a flavor you just can't do without. The reason for this is that everyone has different tastes, sensitivities, and responses to various sports drinks. Again, if you have a drink or energy bar that you simply can't do without, please bring it with you. Thanks!

5. What kind of weather should we expect?
Normally, winter days on the West Coast are full of sunshine with temperatures that range from the mid-50's - low 80's. The evenings are quite pleasant and a bit cooler so you will want to make sure you have a light pullover, sweater or fleece top with you so you don't get a chill.

6. What is the group size for this program?
The group size will be 25 riders maximum. We are keeping the group level small to insure that everyone gets the needed attention during their vacation.

7. What is included in the price of the vacation?

• 6 nights of accommodations at Velo Echappe' selected properties.
• Live viewing of 3 stages of the Tour of California.
• All breakfasts, 1 Welcome Cocktail, 3 dinners, and 3 roadside lunches.
• All gratuities, taxes, and fees for all hotels, meals, and porter services.
• Daily guided challenging cycling on routes of 25 - 120 miles, depending on the day's schedule.
• All luggage transfers, and on-road sag support in our support vehicles.
• All daily prepared routes with maps and cue sheets detailing each days route with each turn and its corresponding mileage. This is all outlined for you in advance.
• Professional mechanics who will build your bike up for you, do the daily maintenance if needed, and repack your bicycle for you when the tour is finished.
• Professional staff with a ratio of 1:6 so everyone gets the needed attention during the tour.
• Professional Velo Echappe Cycling Jersey and Shorts / Bibs
• Daily supply of bottled water, Clifbar drinks, gels, bars, fruit, cookies and other goodies to keep you fueled on the road!
• Cell phone communications.
• Pre-Tour Information Packet that will be sent out to you in advance detailing each day's program, hotel info, sponsor info, what to bring, how to pack, etc. so you're fully prepared before you leave home.

8. What is not included in the price of my vacation?
Airfare to Monterey Peninsula Airport, airfare from San Diego International Airport, extra lunches, 3 dinners, lodging before and after the vacation, any gratuities for Velo Echappe' staff, and any incidentals.

9. When does my Tour of California Cycling Vacation end?
Your vacation will end on February 23 when we transfer you to the San Diego International Airport for your departing flight home. All flight departures must be scheduled for later than 12 noon. If you are staying in the Carlsbad / San Diego area, then your vacation will conclude with checkout at 12 noon.

10. How do I transport my bike on my flight?
We recommend the Bike Pro Travel Case. You can visit Bike Pro USA online and view their entire selection. After you have found the case that you want, please call us at 402.345.7445 for special discounted pricing.

11. What should I bring on the vacation?
Off the bike, Velo Echappe's programs are casual. Informal polo shirts, one sweater, pullover, jeans, khakis, shorts, and slacks are all very appropriate. In addition, please bring a swimsuit.

For your cycling, you should bring your bike, cycling shoes, plenty of cycling socks, extra cleats, padded cycling shorts or bibs, cycling jerseys, arm and leg warmers, light jacket, cycling gloves, 1 long sleeve cycling jersey, poly-pro under garments for layering,  cool weather jacket, fleece pullover, 3-4 bike tubes, sunglasses, waterbottles, drink mix, preferred gels and energy bars, and sunscreen.