EPIC Cross Country – Southern Tier Bike Tour

Rider Requirements: Must maintain a daily average pace of 12-18 mph.

We have chosen the Southern Tier of the US from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL as the route for our EPIC Cross Country, Southern Tier Bike Tour for Spring 2025.

Why this route? This is the shortest route from coast to coast at 2940 miles, yet you’ll still have bragging rights of cycling across the country.

The timing will be perfect for those who want to get a big jump on their 2024 miles. As we progress West to East, we should have the best, consistent temperatures ranging from the 60s to perhaps the 80s–perfect cycling conditions.

While we won’t guarantee freshly paved bike trail for the entire route, we will boast that we have sought the most accommodating routes available in the area and you will enjoy scenery to include: seashores, mountains, ranch lands, wildflowers, bayous and citrus groves.

This southern route takes us through wonderfully warm towns in southern California. We climb out of San Diego and head toward the Arizona border, Tucson, Tombstone, and the Chiricahua Mountains before taking on our 3rd state, New Mexico (Land of Enchantment).

Then, we are on to Texas where we will ride 1/3 of our tour crossing TX at its widest part. We enjoy the flat ranches of western TX, the TX Hill Country, just outside of Austin, and on to the rolling hills of east TX.

From there, it’s a few days of riding across Louisiana. Time to enjoy some Cajun cooking. We cross the boot heels of both Mississippi and Alabama, then take a ferry across Mobile Bay to enter FL’s panhandle. North Florida has a varied landscape of strawberry fields, lush Live Oaks, horse farms, small college towns and orange groves, as we move toward the coast. If you are curious, try connecting the dots:

San Diego, CA · Tucson, AZ · Tombstone, AZ · Columbus, NM · El Paso, TX · Del Rio, TX · Austin, TX ·  LaGrange, TX · De Ridder, LA · St. Francisville, LA · Poplarville, MS · Mobile, AL · Dauphin Island, AL · Pensacola, FL · Tallahassee, FL · Gainesville, FL · St. Augustine, FL

Cycle of Life Adventures has and always will offer all-inclusive bicycling vacations. We encourage you to compare our cross-country tour to others in the industry. We do not camp, but stay in nice clean hotels and inns. There are no wet, cold tents to set up and break down. There are no cold, clammy showers and outhouses. You are not sharing the cooking and cleaning chores with other cyclists. We eat dinner at nice restaurants in the evenings and sometimes grill out under the stars. We have healthy breakfasts, nutritious fruits, vegetables, snacks and beverages on the van.

Every morning, you simply take your items to the van and we take care of your things from there. Our vans are equipped with Wi-Fi and charging stations. Your family and friends are welcome to visit on our off days or ride along for a day.

We use the Adventure Cycling maps as our basic guide, but do not adhere to them entirely, as we have our own special stops, quaint backroads, amusements and break days planned. The average daily riding mileage is 74. Due to geography and lodging availabilities, there will be several century days scheduled. Along the route, we have 5 layover days scheduled at approximately 7-day intervals.

Final route details and lodging arrangement are being finalized. Please call with your questions. Routes and hotel accommodations will be provided upon registration.

See the blog posts from our 2018 and 2021 rides.

Travel

Airline service should be scheduled into San Diego by October 4, 2025 prior to 1 pm. Returning airline service should be scheduled out of Jacksonville, FL, after November 18 at 11 am. Travel insurance is highly recommended due to our refund policies for this tour. Various insurers are available. We suggest Allianz.

Accommodations

All hotels (no camping).

No details found.

Included

• Lodging (see above)
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner (see above)
• Park entry fees
• Ride with GPS mapping; printed guide sheets, if desired
• Minimum of 2 guides
• Mechanic
• Van support
• Luggage transports
• Airport transfers
• Souvenir jersey

Not Included

• Airfare
• Rental bikes
• Alcoholic beverages
• Bike box shipping fee
• Lunch and dinner during off days
• Souvenirs
• A 12% gratuity is not included but suggested; all gratuities will be divided among all tour support personnel