Wellness

10 BEAUTIFUL RIDES FOR BEAUTIFUL BODIES

The Maratona dles Dolomites, courtesy of Maratona dles Dolomites Committee.

Courtesy of Maratona dles Dolomites Committee. The Maratona dles Dolomites. Dolomites Mountains, Italy.

If you want your Beautiful Ride to be powered by your own personal steam, you will want to check out the 10 beautiful bike rides we’ve shared with you today. Whether you are up for pedaling yourself, or prefer to cheer on the pros, you will find great beauty along these routes.

1. MARATONA DLES DOLOMITES -- GRANFONDO CAMPAGNOLO, ITALY

The Maratona dles Dolomites (Dolomites Marathon) is an annual single-day bicycle race that courses through the pale Dolomites Mountains in northeastern Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

More than 9,000 riders, from over 40 countries, ride through a series of 7 mountain passes. It is one of the biggest Italian Granfondo bicycle races.

2. LA RUTA DE LOS CONQUISTADORES -- COSTA RICA

La Ruta de Los Conquistadores in Costa Rica is the only bike race in the world that spans from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts. It is often called “the toughest mountain bike race in the world,” because it rides through 240 miles of thick jungle, 5 mountain ranges, tricky river crossings, with 40,000 feet of nonstop climbing, to elevations of 2,900 feet.

Pedal, along with top riders, from all the world, through the most biodiverse place on the planet.

You will ride through 9 of the country’s 12 microclimates, as you snake through the tropical rain forest, take in 12,000 ft. volcanoes, ride across suspended bridges, and across deep river gorges. If you get hungry en route, stop for a rest and a snack at one of the lush banana plantations along the way.

3. LUCHON TO BAYONNE -- FRANCE

If you are up for a challenge, ride through the Pyrenees Mountains in southwest France, on the bike route from Luchon to Bayonne. It has been a part of the Tour de France since 1910.

This grueling trail serves up fast downhills, steep mountain passes, long climbs, and incredible vistas of the French countryside.

4. RUTA AUSTRAL -- CHILE

Ruta Austral is the name of Chile’s Route 6, a 770-mile highway that runs from Puerto Montt in central Chile, through southern Caleta Yungay, and back up to Villa O’Higgins in northern Patagonia.

This rural route will take you on dirt roads through beautifully wild landscapes, such as Queulat and Cerro Castillo national parks, and includes a few in-line ferry rides. Check out the enormous ferns in the native forest surrounding Puyuhuapi Hot Springs. Ogle at the amazing mountains, glaciers, and lakes.

5. LAND’S END TO JOHN O’GROAT -- UNITED KINGDOM

Land’s End to John O’Groats is a British bicycle route that runs from Cornwall, at Land’s End, the southwesternmost point of England, to the northernmost tip of the United Kingdom, at John O’Groats, Scotland.

The route consists mostly of unknown back roads, covering over 900 miles. Ride along the rugged headland, atop steep sea cliffs, along the Cornish coastline. Ride through the rolling hills of the Peak District. Ride til you reach the top of the bonny Scottish highlands.

It takes most seasoned riders 14 days to make the journey. But make sure you have plenty of time if you are riding a high-wheeler. The End-to-End record is 65 days, set in 1885.

6. CAPE TOWN CYCLE TOUR -- SOUTH AFRICA

The Cape Town Cycle Tour in South Africa is the largest timed cycling event in the world. This 68-mile route hosts a whopping 35,000 riders. It all begins in the center of Cape Town, then traces the majestic cape coastline. It finishes on a downhill back into the city at Green Point.

The loop around the Cape Peninsula rewards riders with breathtaking views of the shimmering blue water below, with Table Mountain National Park, Chapman’s Peak, and Suikerbossie Hill on high.

7. ROUTE VERTE -- QUEBEC, CANADA

Route Verte (Green Route), in Quebec, Canada, is the longest cycling network in North America. Ride the entire route, about 2,500 miles long, or pick sections along the way, choosing from urban to remote trails.

Ride alongside the Saint Lawrence River, ride out to the end of the gorgeous Gaspésie peninsula, and across the Îles de la Madeleine archipelago.

8. FRIENDSHIP HIGHWAY -- CHINA

Ride the Friendship Highway (aka China-Nepal Highway), a 500 mile (800 km) scenic route the connects the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, with the Chinese/Nepalese border at the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge, linking Zhangmu and Kodari.

Your ride will treat you to views of monasteries and other important cultural monuments as well as natural treasures, such as the turquoise Yamdrok Yumtso Lake and the upper valley of the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River, with its vast grasslands and meadows.

Check out the mountains. You can see five of the world's highest peaks: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma, as well as virgin peaks east of Tong La. At 14,800 feet (4,500 meters) atop the Tibetan plateau here, you can also experience the world’s highest and largest plateau.

9. THE ARIZONA TRAIL -- MEXICO TO UTAH

The Arizona Trail extends for 800 miles, from Mexico to Utah, with incredible bike paths, crossing through mountain ranges, through the magnificent low Sonoran Desert, through deep forests, and along the pine-fringed north rim of the Grand Canyon.

There are plenty of beautiful prehistoric and historic sites to admire along the way, including the old mines at Kentucky Camp, cliff dwellings at Tonto and Walnut Canyon National Monuments, the mammoth Roosevelt Dam, and the former railroad town of Patagonia.

Check out the geological wonders along the trail, such as the Grand Canyon National Park, Colossal Cave, and the White Canyon. Traverse vast swaths of designated wilderness, such as the Miller Peak, Mt Wrightson, Rincon Mountain, Pusch Ridge, Superstition, Four Peaks, and Mazatzal Wildernesses.

10. ZILLERTAL VALLEY -- AUSTRIA

Zillertal Valley, in Austria, is a bike rider’s paradise, with almost 500 miles of marked trails.

These routes begin at the foot of the snow-capped Eastern Alps, and climb to an elevation of 2,4000 meters, where you’ll get incredible panoramic views. Scan the entire sprawling valley, with the majestic Tuxer and Zillertaler Alps rising up on either side.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: Courtesy of Maratona dles Dolomites Committee. The Maratona dles Dolomites. Dolomites Mountains, Italy.
Image: Courtesy of Maratona dles Dolomites Committee. The First Pass of the Day. Dolomites Mountains, Italy.
Image: by Mario André Cordero Alfaro. Recon II Stage La Ruta de Los Conquistadores 15 Set 2011. Costa Rica.
Image: by Gilles Morneau. La Ruta De Los Conquistadores. Costa Rica.
Image: by Myrabella. The Col d’Aubisque. Pyrenees Mountains, France.
Image: by Cycling With Serendipity. Ruta Austral. Chile.
Image: by Márcio Cabral de Moura. Land's End. Land’s End to John O’Groats, United Kingdom.
Image: Courtesy of Cape Town Cycle Tour. Cape Town Cycle Tour. Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: Courtesy of Cape Town Cycle Tour. Cape Town Cycle Tour. Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: by Lovely Outliers. Route Verte. Quebec, Canada.
Image: by Anne Dussert. The Friendship Highway. Tibet, China.
Image: by Anne Dussert. The Friendship Highway. Tibet, China.
Image: by Colleen O’Neil. The Arizona Trail. Arizona, United States.
Image: by Bureau of Land Management. The Arizona Trail. Arizona, United States.
Image: Courtesy of the Dornauhof Hotel. Mountain Bike Trails in the Zillertal Valley. Zillertal Valley, Austria.
Image: Courtesy of the Dornauhof Hotel. Mountain Bike Trails in the Zillertal Valley. Zillertal Valley, Austria.
Image: Courtesy of Making Tracks Travel. Gran Fondo Campagnolo. Dolomites Mountains, Italy.
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Image: by will_cyclist. Passo Sella. Dolomites Mountains, Italy.