Winter 2013 Newsletter

Last Updated on Monday, 18 February 2013 10:33

• Busy bees in Summer 2013
• Climb Every Mountain
• For all you 2 wheelers
• Marmot Merchandise
• Info Snippets

At this time of year as you draw the curtains to greet yet another wet day, or worse still a slushy, icy one, you battle to fight the temptation to phone in and claim a duvet day.  On Sunday you reluctantly leave your bike in the garage and settle for another session on the trainer, facing the wall (ok, maybe watching the TV but give me some artistic license!).  We can’t do anything about any of this APART from giving you a goal and a bit of reassurance that it won’t always be like this because you CAN escape to sunnier climes (and climbs!).  So don't get the blues, book a holiday for you and that special bit of sporting equipment in your life ...

Busy bees this summer

Thanks to all of you who have returned to the welcoming arms of Marmot Tours for another holiday, and those of you who are giving us a go for the first time.  James and I are constantly in awe (and grateful for!) the enthusiasm and dedication you all show to the most important cause of... ‘holidays’!   Our idea was to have a bit of time off this winter but as yet it hasn’t quite materialised as we plan for what is going to be a truly excellent and very busy summer (no resentment there obviously!).  So, to help us out we have some new and welcome additions to our Marmot Tours team of experienced, approachable and downright fabulous guides.
Welcome onbaord to Kevin Penny, Graham Hey, Debbie and Gary Devine, Tim Myers and Eric Ludlow!  They bring skills and heaps of experience with them and we are confident putting you in their capable hands.   We will let you know which guides are leading your holiday in the final details email we send to you prior to the start of your trip.  So now onto the fun stuff ie what is happening later this year...

'Bag that Peak!'

Our Peaks and Ridges  holiday is a truly ‘Pyrenean’ trekking experience, getting to know some of the more remote peaks of this Eastern corner of the mountain range.  This itinerary is aimed at experienced walkers who want to 'bag peaks' with the comfort of just a day sack on their backs.  We stay in manned mountain refuges at about 2000m which allow us to take on the stunning peaks up at around 2900m with ‘relative’ ease (yes, it is James who says that so you have to take it with a little pinch of salt!!).

 This holiday is true escapism.  Walking out to stay in the village of L’hospitalet half way through the trip gives us the luxury of stocking up on supplies thus avoiding skanky clothes and being able to get hold of some fresh edibles!   Guided by an IML, the maximum group size for this trip is 8 so don’t wait too long to book!

For all you 2 wheelers

At this stage quite a few of our road cylcing holidays & challenges are very nearly fully booked.  So, if you have not quite yet decided what you want to do this summer, or if you want to set that goal to focus your winter training and kick start the pre Easter diet, then don't leave it any longer...get in touch!
As the summer season draws closer, we will be using Facebook and Twitter to advertise last minute spaces on the trips so keep your eyes on that if you are interested.   

Raid Corsica (May): 6 spots left on the departure from the 12 - 19th May due to cancellations! Get to know Corsica before the TDF pro's do!
Raid Pyrenean Reverse (June) : a new trip this year, it this replaces our 3 stage challenge trip.  Not for the faint hearted as we cycle the 720km traverse of the Pyrenees in 4 days.  Its going to be an epic – how can you resist?
Raid Pyrenean (June, July, August, Sept): We have space on our July trip from 15 – 21st July, a few spots from 19 - 25th August and a few on our 2 newly scheduled September trips (1 – 7 and 8 – 14th Sept).
Raid Alpine: Generally pretty booked but get in touch for odd spaces / cancellations
Raid Dolomites: Chocca for this year.  Let us know if you are interested in 2014 trips - dates now confirmed as being 30 June - 10 July, 14 - 24 July and 1 - 11 Aug.
Pyrenean and Alpine Classic Cols trips: Various places here and there for the Pyrenean Classic Cols, 6 spots on ACC from 4 - 11th August.

Marmot Tours Merchandise for Raiders

You may have seen that a while ago we asked a few questions on our facebook page about what you thought about our Marmot Tours merchandise.  Historically we have offered a Marmot Tours cycling jersey to every new road cycling client.  We have enjoyed having a company cycle jersey but we were aware that there were some issues with supplying a company jersey that not everyone might like or choose to wear once they are back home.  (Having a Marmot as a logo doesn't necessarily = cool and trendy cycle wear!)  This, combined with the fact that we have some 'Raid' specific cycling jerseys available to purchase (ie for the Raid Pyrenean & now also for the Raid Dolomites) meant that clients were getting jerseyed out!  Feedback was that they wanted a jersey but problaby wouldn't have chosen the Marmot one! 

We ummed and ahhed and got a lot of opinions about this before umming and ahhing again.  What we have come up with as a result, is some new freebie 'non company jersey' merchandise that is included for all of our clients coming on a Raid, regardless of if they are new to Marmot or not.  You will be getting a high quality Raider Musette Bag, a Marmot Tours Water Bidon and a customised 'Velopac' for your specific Raid - items that we reckon it is useful to have more than one of!!   Then, on the trip itself you will then have the option of purchasing a souvenir item as follows:  Raid Pyrenean - a jersey, Raid Alpine - a gilet, Raid Corsica - socks, Raid Dolomites - a jersey.  The Raid Dolomites jersey, musette bag and Velopac are still in production so no piccies on line as yet but watch this space...  We'll let you know when they have arrived!

Snippets (bits & pieces of random information we thought you might like to know)

If you love bikes (probably a LOT of you!) and you need a little distraction at work (probably ALL of you...), then take a peek at Piuma, the brand new website bought to you by Marmot Tours’ very own Ranieri Casalini.   Rani, who will have guided some of you on cycling trips last year, has set up Piuma, designing high quality handmade Italian bike frames.  If retro is your style then you are going to be drooling.  Be sure to take a look – these bikes are truly beautiful.  Good luck to Rani with his business (but don't worry, he is still fitting in some time to guide trips for us this summer!)

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Some of you have expressed an interest in an independent holiday in the Ariege and the lovely valley of Ax, recently featured in 'Cyclist' magazine's March edition, and some of you have partners that want to stay around here while you do our Raid Pyrenean trip so they can go and meet you at the end.  James and I are obviously biased as we live here, but it is a beautiful area to explore in any month (apart from November which is pretty damp!), with a great variety of things to do from road cycling (obviously!), walking, climbing, mountain biking and sightseeing.  Our Marmot website has a bit more info on the local area so do take a little look.  We recommend having a hire car in order to get the best out of your visit.  Other possibly helpful links about local accomodation are for our very own Cherry Cottage (gite in our village), L'Alpage B & B in Ax les Thermes,  the nearby Pyrenees Haven B & B in Perles, plus the Ferme de Quai gites in Les Cabannes.