Click a question below to see the answer. You can also download this as a PDF if you like to have all the details handy when planning your next adventure.
General Info and Questions
Photography: What to Expect
Cycling: What to Expect
FAQ for Bike Photography Tour Guests
1 file(s) 790.24 KB
download
General Info and Questions
How far in advance do I need to reserve my spot for a tour?Maximum group size is 14 guests so trips can fill up several months in advance of departure dates. While we can occasionally accommodate a late addition, reservations close 30 days prior to trip departure. Why do you run so few tours?This is not a big business affair where I organize logistics and then wish you happy travels. I plan and ride on each trip with you.How large will my group be?Group sizes are a minimum of 6 and a max of 14 people. Sometimes I go with smaller groups if I’m doing an initial scouting trip. What kind of people will I be riding with? Who takes these trips?Adult solo travelers, couples and friends who are photographers and cyclists from anywhere in the world. Professional photographers and competitive cyclists are not likely to join these tours unless they are working with us as a trip leader. Can I bring children on the trip; do you provide children’s bikes?These are not family style trips and we don’t have children’s bikes available. Please see trip itineraries for daily mileage and activities. Guests need to be able to ride an average of 40 miles a day; sometimes more. Guests also need to be responsible for themselves; sometimes in unusual environments and foreign countries.My partner doesn’t ride/photograph. Can we both do the tour?Definitely; although just to be clear, on most days we do ride between 3 to 5 hours so any non-cyclists would be riding in a support vehicle for that time each day. For anyone who rides but doesn’t photograph; we will be in locations with plenty to keep your interest while your partner is off making photos. What happens to bikes and photography gear when we are not with them?Someone will be with the bikes and photography gear at all times. If you bring your own bike you are welcome to take it to your hotel at night, but you really don’t need to. One of our own guides/drivers will be with the bikes during daylight and at night the bikes will be locked up. The same goes for photography gear – bags and cameras in the support van will be with one of our people at all times.Do I have to carry my own gear and baggage? Hand your baggage and camera gear to one of our ride support staff before we start the ride They will load it on our transport vans, you retrieve your bike from them and enjoy the day. Pick up your gear when we arrive at our location for the evening.Will we be photographing mid-day or in the middle of a ride?Photo stops are planned at the beginning or end of each ride day. As a general rule, we want to be riding by 9am so we are not out in the heat of the day and we arrive at our evening accommodations early enough to shower and relax before the optional evening photo shoot. Photo locations are never planned in the middle of a ride where you would get back on your bike after a photography session. Can I photograph in the morning before the ride?You can certainly photograph on your own in the mornings. I don’t plan organized shoots in the mornings but we do often venture out for sunrise photos within walking distance of our lodging. What kind of insurance should I have for this trip?You should have at least basic insurance covering yourself during the dates of the trip. You can add coverage for yourself, your bike, and your camera equipment as well. I recommend www.tripassure.com or 1.800.423.3632 or www.worldnomads.com
We don’t require coverage but do strongly recommend the following:
Accident & Sickness Medical Expense Coverage (minimum $100,000 USD)
Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation of Remains (Minimum $200,000 USD)
Accidental Death / Dismemberment
Trip Cancellation Coverage
What do I need to bring; is there a recommended packing list?See the Travel Planning page for detailed packing lists.Short answer…Camera, lenses, tripod and bag to carry them.Your own cycling shoes and pedals, any bike bags you like to ride with, your bike helmet. Helmet is included in bike hire if you don’t want to travel with your own helmet.Ride snacks and ride prep: bars, gels, chamois cream, sunscreen. Sometimes you can get these at our location but don’t count on it.Are there things I should not bring?Yep – any bike tools or parts should stay at home unless you’re bringing your own bike and it has exotic parts or tools needed for repairs. Rides are fully supported with guides, SAG vehicle and bike mechanics.What kind of hotels and accommodation should I expect?These are not luxury trips. We stay in 3 & 4 star accommodations. I like to be comfortable and get a good night’s sleep but we’re mostly on our bike and exploring with our cameras so luxury accommodations seems unnecessary. Wouldn’t you agree? I am traveling alone; will you find me a roommate or can I have a private room?We will find you a roommate. Pricing is based on double occupancy – two guests to a room. Each trip will have a pricing option for single occupancy so if you pay for that option then you will have a private room throughout the trip.Will I have internet service?Sometimes. We always make every effort to book accommodations that have wifi but, if you’ve traveled much you know that’s not always something you can count on. Depending on the country we’re in, your network, your phone, the remoteness of our locations…you get the idea. We ride for escape and adventure, not for posting a selfie every 30 minutes…okay, soapbox moment over.What are the meals like?We try to eat local cuisine whenever possible. If you have special diet restrictions, please tell us on your welcome packet. We are rarely in a location so exotic that we can’t meet everyone’s needs. That said, this is not a culinary trip. While I like to have excellent meals; especially for dinners, we are not seeking out the best restaurants and chefs. We want to spend leisure time making photos rather than waiting for hours on table service.Can I join the trip late or leave early?Every trip has unique limitations – are you starting to sense a theme there? [Contact me directly](https://intentionallylost.com/contact-kevin-wenning-intentionally-lost/)and I’ll make every reasonable effort to work with you.What out-of-pocket expenses do I need money for?Gifts, alcohol, personal excursions, transportation to and from airports, tips to guides and waitstaff.Are tips included in the trip price?We will cover tips to waitstaff for meals that are included in your trip. If you feel that bike and cultural guides have been excellent, please consider tipping them at your own discretion.
Photography: What to Expect
What level of photographer do I need to be to enjoy this trip?Everyone from phone photographer to seasoned pro are welcome. We don’t spend classroom time to cover basics of photographic theory or composition, but tour leaders and even other photographers on the trip will help with any questions and learning challenges you have. Anyone who has been practicing photography for more than six months and can operate their camera in manual mode will get a lot out of the photography instruction on these trips. Is this a photography workshop?Not the way you would normally expect a photography workshop to be conducted. By that I mean that we don’t visit a location more than once or spend several hours in one location waiting for perfect light, or shoot a location in several different ways. Will there be photography instruction?Yes! If you are a seasoned photographer and want to take off on your own then go for it. If you are a new photographer then stay with the group for some planned and impromptu instruction. The locations planned for photography are not just overhyped tourist stops like you’ll get on most bike tours. We are staying at a location specifically because of its interest as a photographic subject.What kind of people will I be riding with? Who takes these trips?Adult solo travelers, couples and friends who are photographers and cyclists from anywhere in the world. Professional photographers and competitive cyclists are not likely to join these tours unless they are working with us as a trip leader. Do I have to stay with the group for photography shoots?If you are a seasoned photographer and want to explore on your own then go for it. We will brief everyone on planned activities, and you always have the option to do them with the group or explore on your own.How long will I have for photography at each location?The short answer is 2-3 hours. Mornings are mostly yours to explore and photograph on your own. In the evening, we don’t always have an organized shoot planned since sometimes we want to just relax. We aim to finish the ride and get everyone to our accommodations (hotel, inn, casa, riad, flat, etc) between 3-4pm so you have time to shower before any organized evening photography sessions.
Cycling: What to Expect
Is this bike packing?We are most definitely not bike packing. Baggage and camera gear is transported by support vehicles. We stay in clean comfortable accommodation every night. Meals are mostly taken care of for us. When you’re on the bike your only responsibility is to enjoy the ride. Somebody else will take care of all logistics.What level of cyclist do I need to be to enjoy this trip?You should be comfortable riding 25-50 miles / 40-80 km per day over flat or hilly terrain. You will need to be in condition to ride these distances on back to back days. Don’t rely on “riding into trip fitness”. Please arrive to the event ready to ride. Check out the training plan for a multi-day bike tour.How should I train for a multi day cycling tour?Download a tour training cheat sheet.
Summary – ride 3 to 4 days a week for three months prior to your trip. Three weeks before the tour try to ride average daily distances expected on your tour (avg 40 miles / 65 km). Taper off slightly for the next two weeks prior to your tour dates.What bikes are available to ride?We will always have newer models that are designed for performance and comfort over longer distances. Most commonly these are Giant Defy Advanced and/or Cannondale Super6 Evo models. The bikes will be a little different for each trip depending on the bike hire partner we have in that country. I have ridden enough crappy rented bikes that I won’t subject myself or guests to something that’s not a joy to ride.Can I bring my own bike?You certainly can bring your own bike. There is no refund for travelers arriving late or unexpectedly leaving a trip. If your bike doesn’t arrive before we depart, there is no guarantee that our bike hire partner can get a bike in your size at the last minute. How can I ship my bike?A good resource for shipping a bike overseas is www.luggagefree.com To ship within the US I like www.shipbikes.com and www.bikeflights.com If I bring my own bike, will someone help me assemble it?Absolutely. On our arrival day, everyone gets fitted to their bike. We assemble any bikes, parts, and accessories necessary before we head out.Can I mount bags on the bike to carry my gear?Yes, but please travel light. Support vehicles will be with you at all times to handle mechanical problems or hand you your camera gear if you really need to stop for a shot.Should I carry my camera gear on the bike?You really shouldn’t take camera gear on your bike. I know, I’ve been there too – you want to stop during the ride because the light is just perfect or you see a composition you just can’t pass up. Don’t worry, our planned photo stops will give you amazing photo opportunities. When you’re on the bike just enjoy the ride.Do I have to ride each day?You can always ride in the SAG or lead support vehicle if you just need the day to rest. Or maybe you start out the day on the bike feeling strong and realize you’re done after 6o minutes, there’s an air conditioned seat waiting for you.Is there more than one ride option each day?We do just one ride option and route each day. Do we ride every day or will there be rest days?We have rest days at locations that warrant more time for photography exploration. I never want to rush through a location and miss the chance for good photography time. What is the average pace of the rides?Ability of riders can vary widely so on most tours we are not doing group rides. The average pace is 14-17 mph / 22-28 kmph but everyone is encouraged to ride at their own pace.
Ride routes are marked, we provide you with a map of the route, and support vehicles and a mechanic are always available to you. The SAG vehicle will collect anyone who is off the back at the right time to make it to our evening accommodations and photo locations.What happens on bad weather days? Usually we do photo review and editing sessions on bad weather days. Sometimes we go out and make photos if the landscape or cityscape is interesting given the weather conditions. Let’s just say it’s fluid…I have a question that isn’t listed here; can I contact somebody?Email tours-at-dev.intentionallylost.com and I will answer your questions by email or set up a skype, google hangout, or FB messenger chat to talk with you in person.
Go Back to Available Trips
Spring in Tuscany Cycling Tour and Photography Workshop
I Talk with artists about why we create the art that we do
