Time flies when you’re having fun, and 2024 has been an incredible ride for The Cycling House! We’re excited to share the highlights from our Spring & Summer seasons, plus some sneak peeks into what’s ahead.
What’s new
- New Vans, Same Great Support & Fun Vibes: If you’re joining us on one of our domestic trips, keep an eye out for our fresh new vans—and believe it or not, they’re not white! We know… we are as shocked as you are. While that new car smell won’t last very long, we’re soaking it in while it does.
- James Farrugia is Full-Time at TCH: If you’ve ridden with us over the past decade, you’ve probably met James—our guide, mechanic guru, and reigning champion of the Tucson ring game. Exciting news: James is now full-time at TCH, stepping into the role of Business Manager. We couldn’t be happier to have him in the office!
- TCH Roadshow: You may have seen us in action at Midsouth Gravel, Unbound, SBT GRV, The Rad Dirt Fest and local favorites like Dusty Bandita & The Last Best Ride. Our staff have been putting their fitness to the test, jumping into these races whenever possible. Special shoutout to our TCH cacti, Hannah and Kernan, for tackling the challenging SBT HLL CLMB!
- Meet Birdie! Big news from Zeb—he got a puppy! Birdie is already a fan favorite, and we’re pretty sure she’s destined to become a trip mascot.
Fresh additions in Tucson!
- New Bed Upgrades: All the rooms now have brand-new Casper memory foam mattresses, wood bed frames, and linens. Oh, and we couldn’t resist some Pendleton wool blankets to keep things cozy after a long day in the saddle.
- Owen Finally Bought an Ice Machine! It’s the little things, right? Whether filling your bottles on a hot day or chilling your post-ride cocktail, the ice machine is already a staff favorite.
- Tool-Time Home Improvements: We’re giving the house some extra love this offseason—re-stuccoing, treating the big wood beams, and doing all the little maintenance things that keep the good times rolling.
Trip highlights!
- We just wrapped up our Montana season with a group that has traveled with us for 12 years! We rode the gravel roads, enjoyed Chef Liz’s great eats, and made the most of the incredible Fall days. This was a special way to wrap up the Montana season and a big THANK YOU to those of you who joined us in Montana in 2024.
- New Trips for 2025: Have you heard the news? We’ve added incredible new destinations to our lineup, including the Chiricahua Mountains, Puglia, Pyrenees, and Ireland. These trips are already generating a lot of excitement, and we can’t wait to share these experiences with you.
- MT Gravel Luxury Ranch: We’re adding more dates to our Montana Gravel Luxury Ranch trip next year due to popular demand. If you missed out this year, now’s your chance to join!
Team news!
- Landon’s Off to College: Landon began his college journey at Lees McRae, and we couldn’t be prouder—especially since he won his first bike race right before heading off! Don’t worry; he’ll return for another Montana season in 2025.
- Welcome Baby Finley! A big congratulations to Cory Kaufman on the arrival of Baby Finley! We’re thrilled to welcome the newest member of the TCH family and can’t wait to see the next generation of cyclists grow up in our community.
- A Milestone Birthday Celebration: Brendan Halpin and Chef Drew—our brothers from different mothers—celebrated their 40th birthdays in style in Tucson, AZ!
- Racing updates: Chef Steven recently won The Ride Across Girona in the Spanish Pyrenees. Ellen Campbell crushed Leadville 100 (6th – whoop whoop!). Jacob Deysher impressed us all by winning the Leading Ladies Marathon in a smoking-fast 2:43. All that guiding is paying off :). Cyclocross season has kicked off in Missoula, and we’ve got Cory, Brendan, Mike Kernan, and a few others jumping into the local races. If you’re around Missoula on October 19th, come cheer us on at Rolling Thunder!
- Chloe’s Off to Nursing School: Chloe is heading off to nursing school, but that’s not all—she’s also acquired a new paella pan. When she’s not hitting the books, you might find her cooking up her famous dish at TCH.
Fun & games
- Door-to shore excursion. Our MT Gravel Summer Camp trip is always a highlight. This year, the bridge to Camp Paxson was under construction, and leave it to our all-star staff to create the door-to-shore portion of the camp. A few rides would end across the water channel from camp. Canoes and eager spirits were waiting to paddle guests and their bikes back to camp. Don’t worry; if you come on this trip next year, you can always ride around. Just know that the door-to-shore event is not to be missed!
- Pickleball has quickly become our crew’s favorite pastime! We’ve set up a court in the driveway of our Tucson house to keep our skills sharp. It may not be regulation size, but it’s perfect for some fun. As you can imagine, we aren’t competitive at all! If you’re joining us in Tucson this fall or winter, let us know if you want to squeeze in some active recovery with a game after your ride!
What’s next
- We’re excited to kick off our Fall trips in Spain, Arizona, and California. If you find a few free days on your calendar between now and Christmas, be sure to check out our trip schedule.
We can’t wait to close out 2024 with you all in style. We say it repeatedly, but it’s all about the people at TCH. You are what makes this community so special, and we can’t wait to celebrate our 20th year with you in 2025. Thank you for being part of The Cycling House family and making all these unforgettable days on bikes possible. We couldn’t do it without you!