RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride 2012 Luxury Support and Accommodation

For those arriving in Lakes Entrance a day early we can arrange a night of pre-tour accommodation for you. We will also have our bike mechanic on hand to assist in unpacking your bikes out of their boxes and tuning them up so they are running smoothly.

For those that stayed in our pre-tour accommodation last night, you will get a good breakfast in before heading down to the Bicycle Network Victoria start-line to begin your ride. For those arriving in Lakes Entrance this morning, we will greet you with your registration pack and our bike mechanic will be able to help you unpack and assemble your bike if required. You can then head off on day one of 'A Week in Another World'. Starting in Lakes Entrance, the route weaves around through Metung riding along the water's edge allowing you to watch the sailing boats glide by as you make your way up to Swan Reach and Tambo Upper and then stopping on the first night in Bruthen which is a very small township with not enough motels for us all. We will be doing transfers to Bairnsdale to accommodate some of the group. We will transfer your luggage to your motel and have afternoon tea ready for you so you can sit back and relax after your first day on the road and our massage therapists and bike mechanic will be there for any running repairs to bikes and bodies. Our bus will be taking transfers back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site for your dinner if you wish to head back to the campsite or you may wish to source your own dinner at a local restaurant with some of the other AllTrails group.

Start with a big cyclist-sized breakfast at your accommodation, leave your packed luggage at reception and head out on the day's ride with Bicycle Network Victoria. For those staying at Bairnsdale, we will transfer you back to Bruthen to start your ride. On Day 2, you set out of Bruthen heading towards Briagolong, a tiny village which once produced the red gum paving blocks for Melbourne streets and the stringybark for the flooring of Australia House in London. Since Briagolong is another very small township we will also be staying in Maffra and Stratford. We will transfer your luggage to your motel and have afternoon tea ready for you. Our massage therapists and bike mechanic will be there for any running repairs to bikes and bodies. Our bus will be taking transfers back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site for your dinner if you wish to head back to the campsite or you may wish to source your own dinner at a local restaurant with some of the other AllTrails group.

Start with a big cyclist-sized breakfast at your accommodation, leave your packed luggage at reception and head out on the day's ride with Bicycle Network Victoria. For those staying in Maffra and Stratford, we will transfer you back to Briagolong to start your ride. Today you'll ride 84km to Rosedale through the town of Maffra (where some stayed last night) with its tree-lined 19th century main street and onto Rosedale, home of the Rosedale Bakery! Some of the group will be accommodated in Rosedale, others will be taken to a lovely B&B out of town, or ahead to Traralgon (where you will have 3 nights in the same motel room). We will transfer your luggage to your motel and have afternoon tea ready for you. Our massage therapists and bike mechanic will be there for any running repairs to bikes and bodies. Our bus will be taking transfers back to the BNV site for your dinner if you wish to head back to the campsite or you may wish to source your own dinner at a local restaurant with some of the other AllTrails group.

Start with a big cyclist-sized breakfast at your accommodation, leave your packed luggage at reception and head out on the day's ride with Bicycle Network Victoria. For those staying in Traralgon you can leave your bags in your room - we will transfer you back to Rosedale to start your ride. From Rosedale, ride along the magnificent Grand Ridge Road, through the Tarra Bulga National Park as you make your way into Traralgon for rest day. We will transfer your luggage to your motel and have afternoon tea ready for you - all accommodation tonight is in Traralgon. Our massage therapists and bike mechanic will be there for any running repairs to bikes and bodies.

Tonight we have a group meal organised which is included for all cyclists on the 8 night package and an optional extra cost for those on the shorter packages (subsidised by AllTrails to just $50). Established in 2001, Neilsons Restaurant, under the guidance of Executive Chef and owner Lewis Prince, is recognised as one of Gippsland's leading fine dining restaurants. In 2007 Neilsons became the first Restaurant in the Latrobe Valley to be awarded the coveted Chefs Hat and has been the recipient of The Age Good Food Guide Chefs Hat from 2008-2011. Enjoy.

Today there is as little or as much to do as you like on your rest day. Relax at the motel and get a massage or make the most of your time and explore Traralgons wide tree-lined streets, beautiful gardens and spacious parklands. The town is the region's entertainment capital with alfresco dining at cafes and restaurants, and thriving pubs and clubs. We can transfer you back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site today for those that wish to enjoy the rest day activities at the campsite.

Start with breakfast at your accommodation, leave your packed luggage at reception and head out on the day's ride with Bicycle Network Victoria. Today we're heading to Yarragon passing local farming properties with sheep and cows encouraging you along the way. The quiet country town of Yarragon is nestled in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges. Relax amongst the rolling green hills and explore some of the region's best antique shops, art galleries and restaurants. Some of the group will stay here tonight and some will be transferred ahead to Warragul. We will transfer your luggage to your motel and have afternoon tea ready for you. Our massage therapists and bike mechanic will be there for any running repairs to bikes and bodies. Our bus will be taking transfers back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site for your dinner if you wish to head back to the campsite or you may wish to source your own dinner at a local restaurant with some of the other AllTrails group.

Start with breakfast at your accommodation, leave your packed luggage at reception and head out on the day's ride with Bicycle Network Victoria. Today we ride another 34kms along Grand Ridge Road, a total of 53km for the day. The countryside is not flat, but boy is it spectacular and your effort will be greatly rewarded by the scenery as you come into Mirboo North, home of the Grand Ridge Brewery. Tonight we will be staying in a number of small motels, homesteads and B&Bs. We will transfer your luggage to your motel and have afternoon tea ready for you. Our massage therapists and bike mechanic will be there for any running repairs to bikes and bodies. Our bus will be taking transfers back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site for your dinner if you wish to head back to the campsite or you may wish to source your own dinner at a local restaurant with some of the other AllTrails group.

Start with breakfast at your accommodation, leave your packed luggage at reception and we will get you back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site to start your day's ride. From Mirboo North, ride the longest leg on the event. A total of 100km from Mirboo North to San Remo passing through Inverloch and Kilcunda (Bass Coast Rail Trail). Tonight we will be staying in a number of small motels, homesteads and B&Bs. We will transfer your luggage to your motel and have afternoon tea ready for you. Our massage therapists and bike mechanic will be there for any running repairs to bikes and bodies. Our bus will be taking transfers back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site for your dinner if you wish to head back to the campsite or you may wish to source your own dinner at a local restaurant with some of the other AllTrails group.

Start with breakfast at your accommodation, leave your packed luggage at reception and we will get you back to the Bicycle Network Victoria site to start your day's ride. On the last day enjoy the spectacular sights of Phillip Island - a perfect place to finish as you'll get the chance to see the penguins, Seal Rock and the Grand Prix track. AllTrails will have your luggage and bike boxes at the finish line ready for your arrival. We help you pack up your bikes into your boxes where required and get you ready for your bus back to Melbourne. See you next year!

[Hi All, Thanks for the Great Alltrails experience. You all make our ride a pleasure...! [and] run the warmest and friendliest and comfort-ablest! package and make the ride a real treat for us. Count us in for next year. Have a great Chrissie and Best wishes for a prosperous 2012.] Mike and Wendy 2005-2011

[Dear Susan and Phil, Thank you so much for the wonderful support you provided for the Great Vic Bike Ride. I love doing the ride and there is no way I could manage the camping option - so the motel option is terrific. But better than that is knowing your support and the support of your team is there whenever we need it. I really appreciated it. Many thanks to you both and also to JB and the other members of the team. I would like to put my name down for the next Great Vic BIke Ride.] Joan C

[Phil, Susan & the team at AllTrails, Thank you for another great experience with the 2010 GVBR, and the excellent professional services you provide. It makes the whole thing so much more enjoyable and painless. Everything went smoothly, which is a credit to yourselves, your planning and active involvement.] Bruce R

[Hi Susan and Phil, Thank you so much for making our bike experience so wonderful. As you are aware, I enjoyed every minute of it and was so relieved to be with you and not under canvas. The motels were good, the breakfasts made life so easy and to have the mechanic and the massages each day were the icing on the cake.] Pat T

[Phil and Susan, thanks for another fabulous ride this year and thanks to your team as well Midge,JB and Richard and Mark. I hope you have booked us for the 2011 tour!!!] Michael R

[Dear Susan & Phil. I want to thank you both and your team very much for taking great care of me and aiding me in completing this year’s Great Vic Bike Ride 2010... I was very pleased when I learnt you also support MS Australia and saw the logo on your trailer, made me feel good and thank you for your support!] Peter J

[Hi Phil, Susan, Midge and all, Thank you so much for your fantastic work on the 2010 tour. Your approach was professional, friendly and clearly illustrated a love for bike riding in all its many forms. Yes please can I sign up for 2011] Mary-Anne C

[Dear Phil and Susan, Please book me in for Pheels Phantastic for 2011. Thank you for this year's ride it was your usual impeccable organization I really enjoyed the ride and look forward to next year with you all] Joan G

[Susan and Phil, had a great time on the ride, and will be booking in advance for the package for the Great Vic Bike Ride 2011.] Peter H

[Please put me down for next year] Richard M

We do everything possible to source ensuite accommodation that is up to our AllTrails standard and 99% of the time we can do this. Our city hotels are usually 3-4 star in great locations, and in smaller towns we can almost always find a great little boutique hotel with character and charm. On the very odd occasion we are in a remote area with very limited accommodation and we may need to stay somewhere of a lower standard but you can be assured that it is the best place that we can find. Over the week of the ride we are able to balance out the good with the great and the odd no-so-great accommodation so you will always get a good overall experience. In any case, the alternative is camping in a field with thousands of other riders so even the odd lower standard room is gratefully accepted by those on our package! Our repeat clients take up around 75% of our places on these tours so we must be doing something right!

One of the great things about our package is that you become part of a small group cycle-tour within the larger ride. So you get all the benefits of being part of the big event, but you are still part of an intimate group and you get to know a small handful of like-minded people. Many of our riders have made friends for life on these rides.

On our Luxury Support and Accommodation Packages we take the hassle out of your bike ride. We have massage therapists with us daily to help those aching muscles and a bike mechanic that will keep your machine in tip top order. Unlike the rest of the cyclists on the ride who throw their bags into a cattle truck for transport every day, we carry your luggage personally between each of your accommodations so you don't need to worry about it.

AllTrails is a proud Australian owned company with a great reputation in the bicycle tour industry. We have earned that reputation through hard work and dedication and we genuinely care about every person on every tour. Our large community of loyal AllTrails riders that keep coming back year after year are testament to the high standard of tours that we provide.

On this package, Phil and Susan (legendary owner-operators of AllTrails Bicycle Tours) are totally involved with your support. The confidence that comes with that is one of many great reasons to complement your cycling holiday with a Luxury Support and Accommodation Package with us.

Our tours are not bargain basement tours. We do not cut corners or take short cuts and we genuinely care for each cyclist's experience with us. We are not always the cheapest, but we consider ourselves the best in the business and we always make sure that our tours represent great value at a fair price.

Feel free to contact us at any time through our website ‘Contact Us’ page, phone or email. We love what we do and want to get you on the best bike ride for you. Speak to us about what's on your mind and we'll help you make your decision.

The massage therapist is complimentary and will be available each afternoon. To be fair to everyone, we have limited the massage time to ten minutes for each person. In some towns where we are using three or four motels, the massage therapist will usually be at the motel where the most cyclists are accommodated. Massage locations will be listed in your ride guide and booking is not required. We try to allow everyone 3 or 4 massages sometimes more. Names will be ticked off, but please speak up if you are somehow missing out.

A bike mechanic will be part of our crew and is there to help you with minor adjustments and servicing of your bike and will have a good stand pump for different valves. We will have limited parts available for replacement which will be charged at shop prices. Labour is free for the first fifteen minutes, there after costs may be incurred at the mechanic's discretion. Cyclists with rare or different bikes are asked to contact us at AllTrails and advise our mechanic.

Your luggage will be delivered from your previous night’s motel, to your allocated motel. It will be left in the foyer or safe storage area. For 2 day package cyclists your luggage will be taken from the motel and placed on truck number 1 after your stay with us, for your pick up at day’s end.

We always try to obtain great accommodation in the best location for you to rest your weary head (and legs) in each town whether it be a motel, hotel, cabins or similar, usually 3, 3½, 4 star. We choose the best and most welcoming motel for cyclists and our tour group needs. On occasion we travel through some very small towns and villages where accommodation is extremely limited where we book the best possible accommodation options. Accommodation is in same town as the main ride campsite, otherwise in the nearest town where accommodation is available.

If for whatever reason, such as limited options, the accommodation one night is below normal standard, we strive to improve this with an extra good room the next night or nights following.

On the online entry form you can nominate any travelling companions that you would like to share a room with and/or be accommodated close to so that couples or friends can be roomed together. This can be in a double bed or in twin beds. If you are travelling alone like many of our riders, you can choose to 'twin share' where single riders are paired with other riders of the same gender and sometimes changed at each accommodation to create interest in sharing rooms. Single Supplement is also available for those that would like their own room for the whole trip. If you are a chronic snorer or have other habits that may affect your fellow room-mates we suggest booking your own room.

Our cyclists will be given detailed maps of overnight townships, showing your motel, HQ campsite, luggage pick up area and cyclist pick up point, directions and other finer details approximately one month before the commencement of the ride.

If your accommodation isn’t near the day’s ride finish point, AllTrails will set up a compound with a storage rack at the main entrance gate to the camping area. Although security guards are present all night, we suggest you carry a lock as your bike is your responsibility. From the compound we will transfer you to your motel and back.

Cyclists will be given specific maps, detailing where their overnight motel is situated and how best to ride there from the finish. In the case that your accommodation is not nearby the finish you have the option to leave your bike in our AllTrails compound near front gate of the campsite. We will take you to motel, bring you back for dinner at the campsite if you wish and return you to motel then bring you back to collect your bike the next morning.

We suggest you carry your own personal goods, like camera, wallet, perhaps rain gear if it’s threatening. We carry your main luggage to your accommodation each morning once you have departed. You will not have access to it during the day so you will need to take everything that you need for the day with you in the morning. Your luggage will be available to you once you check into your accommodation or shortly after.

People from all parts of Australia and overseas. Ages generally range from 25 - 70 with the average age about 50 years old. Adventurous cyclists usually about 40% women & 60% men with a mix of singles, friends and couples.

Your rest days are designed give you a chance to recharge the batteries and give your legs a rest. Unless there is a particular reason to do so, we generally do not organise any group activity for your rest days but you are welcome to team up with other riders to explore the local area, or you can simply relax at our accommodation. The rest day on the RACV Great Vic ride this year is at the township of Traralgon. You can make the most of your time of rest and explore Traralgon's wide tree-lined streets, beautiful gardens and spacious parklands. The town is the region's entertainment capital with alfresco dining at cafes and restaurants, and thriving pubs and clubs. It's also the perfect place for a relaxing holiday - what a great place to spend your day off during this week-long ride.

Right here, right now. Go to our 'Pricing' tab and click the 'Book Your Place Today' button, or call us in the office on +61 3 9645 3355 or email alltrails@alltrails.com.au for more information.

Yes. Either Bicycle Network Victoria membership insurance, Cycle Queensland membership insurance or similar, travel insurance, or another personal accident insurance is compulsory on our AllTrails rides. We also strongly suggest travel insurance to cover cancellation fees and lost/damaged luggage.