Corporate Spotlight: Great Divide Mountain Bike Tour

May 5, 2014

This post is part of a series spotlighting Adventure Cycling's Corporate Members. These companies support our mission and programs and do some cool stuff of their own. We decided to ask them some questions and, as a result, have learned a few interesting things about our supporters that we'd like to share with you. The answers below are direct from the companies. We hope that this gives you the chance to get to know them a little better, too. For this post, Corporate Member Great Divide Mountain Bike Tour's Ryan Correy tells us a bit about their tour offerings, their passion for cycling, and why they support Adventure Cycling Association.

Tell us a little bit about your business.

The Great Divide Mountain Bike Tour is an 8-day supported ride along the fantastic Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. We filled all of our spots in 2013 and 2014, and are starting to fill up for 2015! Our tour is a great compliment to the trips that Adventure Cycling offers.

Each tour supports a maximum of eleven riders, aided by two experienced trail guides, and two additional crew driving a support vehicle to designated stops. The ‘camp crew’ is also responsible for cooking healthy meals, providing snacks and Hammer Nutrition products, and helping to set up our comfortable surroundings. Accommodations are a good mixture of modern campsites and rustic lodges. A shuttle is provided to and from the start and finish of the ride.

Why do you support Adventure Cycling through corporate membership?

It is important to acknowledge the passion of Adventure Cycling, and their efforts to map the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. I also see it as great opportunity to connect with our target demographic. 

Where would you like to see cycling in America in 5 years?

I’ll keep this one simple ... get more kids riding to school. Let’s do our part to nip obesity and a growing disconnect to the outdoors in the bud.  

What is your favorite service or program that Adventure Cycling offers?

Honestly, I’m most impressed with the organization as a whole. It’s time to expand more into Canada though. How can I help lead the charge?

If your staff could relocate to any place in the world, where would they choose?

We have a variety of cycling experiences in the works, including cycling retreats in Carefree, Arizona and Kona, Hawaii. Looking out at frozen Lake Ontario right now, either of those places sound pretty great!

As your business grows, have you had mainly tailwinds, headwinds or crosswinds? 

Tailwinds, mostly. The need for our tour already existed. Any resemblance of a crosswind comes in the form of hours that are required behind the scenes, both in the year leading up, and out on trail. But it’s our passion. That’s why we do it! 

Have you or any of your staff ridden Adventure Cycling’s mapped routes?  If so, which ones?

In June 2012, I rode the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route as part of the Tour Divide race. Our tour evolved out of a desire to showcase that wanderlust. I’ll be back to race in 2015.

What do you like best about Adventure Cyclist magazine?

It’s nice to read two-wheeled literature that touches more on passion, rather than results and controversy. The stories inspire me to dream. The pictures are pretty too!

What cycling related benefits do you offer your staff?

Ask any of our crew this question and they will likely say that the benefit is being able to work in the outdoors with other cycling enthusiasts, and being a part of their growth. The tour is an invigorating break away from a desk position.

Is there anything else about your business that you would like to share with our readers?

A college education in Ecotourism has taught me the importance of sustainability. We make an extra special effort to partner with local businesses (such as the Whitefish Bike Retreat) and include our veteran riders in building future tours. And now, I encourage other members to connect with us. Let’s grow awareness for this great route together! 

Photos by Ryan Correy

—

MEMBERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS is posted every other Wednesday by the membership team — Julie, Josh, and Paul — spotlighting the various benefits of membership, our accomplishments thanks to member support, and interviews with some of our most passionate and dedicated members, both individual and organizational.