Cycling at the Grand Canyon is not just for your super-athletic friends with zero body fat anymore. Bright Angel Bikes has bikes and tours for just about anyone who can pedal.
With fresh air, clear skies, exercise and stunning scenery, Christine and Mark Germano of North Carolina found cycling at the Grand Canyon to be a great way for the whole family to unplug.
“We wanted to get the boys away from [electronic] screens,” said Christine Germano about her sons Matthew, age 8, and Ryan, age 5. “It’s nice that even cell phone coverage is spotty up here!”
The Hopi Point Tour takes about two hours and covers five miles of majestic Grand Canyon beauty.
“It’s like a kaleidoscope,” said Brian Vance of Florida. “Every view is spectacular and different.”
The highest point is at an elevation of 7,700 feet. The path is paved and has a couple of gentle climbs, but it is mostly downhill with stops at lookout points where cyclists can catch their breath and then lose it again with breathtaking views.
Tour guides like Mark Gullo point out Colorado river rafters going through rapids, rocks that are a billion years old, ravens playing on thermals, and plants like English tea that may have re-energized weary pioneers with a natural hit of caffeine.
A van pulling a bike trailer transports visitors a short distance to Hermit Road where the only traffic is an occasional shuttle bus, hikers or other cyclists.
“We come from the land of Disney World where there are people everywhere and you’re being run over by strollers,” said Linda Vance. “We are very, very surprised by the lack of people on this trail.”
Bright Angel Bikes spun into existence from the imagination of two former Colorado River rafting guides. Wes Neal and Kyle George have been friends since their high school days in Flagstaff.
“On the Colorado River you wake up to your surroundings and realize what a gem we have in Northern Arizona,” said Neal.
“I thought I would never quit my river running job. I thought I’d die down there, but life changes. We have families now and it wasn’t sustainable for us to be gone for 14 days at a time,” said George. “With Bright Angel Bikes we’re able to build a business while providing a new way for others to experience the Grand Canyon.”
The bike-touring company has been at the canyon for the past two summers, but only since Memorial Day weekend has the business operated out of a building. Last fall, the National Park Service asked for proposals from bike tour outfitters and Bright Angel Bikes was the successful bidder.
“The bicycle rental is a perfect complement to the extensive Greenway trail system that we’ve developed in the last decade. Now people can get out of their cars to enjoy the park in a way that’s fun and physically active,” said Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga.
For $30 a person, visitors can rent a bike for five hours. The rental fee includes a helmet, map, and safety information about the equipment and the area. Three-hour guided tours are under $50 per person. The bike rental part of the business will close during the winter, but the café will stay open all year, offering burritos, salads, sandwiches and beverages.
“We use Flagstaff businesses as much as we can, including Late for the Train coffee and bagels from Biff’s Bagels,” said Neal. “We’re running up and down between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon with food and supplies all the time.”
The business has nine year-round employees and will ramp up to 42 during the summer season.
“Our primary goal is to see people go away happy,” said George. “Most people are really stoked on that ride along the rim,” added Neal.
For the Germano family, seeing a natural wonder from the seat of a bike was overwhelming. “I would recommend this tour in a heartbeat,” said Christine. FBN