NEW ZEALAND - 2009 Post Trip Comments

Dear Bill and Jan,

After reading earlier comments, it seems that Mike and I can't add much. As you know, we are bike tour veterans - 40+ earlier single-bike trips and now 4 tandems-only trips with Santana. We have fallen in love with taking tandem bike tours with you and Jan (Robert, too!). [Bill's note: for those who don't know him, since 1994 Robert has been Santana's Consulting Chef.]

As everyone has said, you provide excellent logistical support, magnificent cuisine and wine, wonderful lodging. Bill, you think really BIG (P.T. Barnum big!) and you and your team are able to take BIG and make it reality. Whether is it chartering 737s to cross remote areas of a large country, or exclusive Antarctic cocktails and dining, your tours are amazingly creative and provide unique positive life experiences to treasure. You showed us a New Zealand that we wouldn't have been able to see on our own.

Your tours also provide an opportunity that we haven't found elsewhere. It is wonderful to be with fellow cyclists who ride for the pure joy of it. What is unique it that we are all couples of one sort or another. We are young and not-so-young, tip-top shape and not-so-much, taking a vacation or living vacation. Your groups are filled with positive, energetic, fun-loving, adventurous couples who...LIKE each other! Tandem couples cannot do what they do without being a good team. It is this aspect of your trips that truly sets them apart from all others. The camaraderie is priceless.

Okay...after reading what I just wrote, it looks as though it came from your Marketing department. Oh well. We are glad to have you and Jan as our friends and we look forward to many more vacations with you! See you in May at the Chesapeake!

Love,
Hope & Mike Cantrell

Bill and Jan,

New Zealand was our first Santana tour. You guys really pack a ton of sights and activities into each day. Understandable because New Zealand has so much to see, and outdoor activities seem to be a huge part of the local lifestyle. For us, an excellently sane step was to sign up for the pre-tour. I'm also glad we arrived in time for the pre-pre-tour dinner.

This way we had an entire post-travel day for building and checking our tandem before day two of the pre-tour, which set the pace for the next 11 days. We'll always remember the day that started with packing bags near dawn, and ended with a stroll along Queenstown's moonlit lakeshore. Sandwiched in between was the gentle-at-first climb, brake-scorching descent, bungee jump, aerial tram, luge racing, air show, Maori performance, amazing buffet and live music.

That one day included enough activity for a normal week. But the tempo had been set. Instead of providing a day-by-day commentary, let's just say your pace kept us "in the groove" enough so that all normal stress faded. The oddball concern I heard was "Hey, it's been two hours since we ate. Will someone recheck the schedule?" With no lack of food or drink we came to enjoy just rolling along. Everything worked. No need to worry. We knew we'd get there.

The one slight misgiving I heard from Kat is that while we were enjoying ALL of the scheduled activities, we may have missed some of the unscheduled romantic moments that could have been. In the future, we'll know to keep our eyes open for those opportunities. The couples who've traveled with you before seem to have figured that part out.

Congratulations on the great planning and execution. Like all the new tandeming friends we made, we plan to be back for more.

Well done,

Grant and Kat Chu

 

Bill,

Thanks again for the great trip. We were discussing the incredible intricacies on timing with lunches, buses, chartered planes (every seat filled on the ATR 72), rest stops, routes, ferries, hotels, dinners and the ton of *&^%$# luggage. Not to mention all the different riders with differing abilities. Amazing logistical support and planning. 

I've done enough complex project management (my projects are timed to the day and not to the minute) to at least guess at the effort that went into the planning. For you, Jan, Robert and Norm to pull it off without a hitch is simply astounding. The high points of the trip were renewing acquaintances, bungee jumping, and (for me personally) learning about stoking while riding 40 miles through the rain to Tauranga. The low point was changing out of wet my wet cycling clothes in the public bathroom in Tauranga.

As always, I learned a lot about an area I’d never even considered.

Our new Beyond just got in at Richardson Bike Mart. I am heading over this weekend to pick it up.

Thanks so much and please thank Jerry and Maggie again. [Bill’s note: Jerry and Maggie drove our tour’s pair of *&^%$# luggage trucks.]

Michael Davis

PS. Weather in Abilene, Texas this morning is 32F and raining. High today is supposed to be in the mid 30s. I wish I were riding in the rain to Tauranga.

PPS. I would like to officially nominate Norm for Paris.

 

Bill,

Thanks for another great trip. This collective photo album idea is perfect. We uploaded ours!!!!!

Bob and Judy Faulhauber

*****

Bill and Jan,

I closed my eyes, my whole body was shaking I could not see where I was going, I prayed thinking this will soon end—I just know it cannot go on forever. Bill Pederson leaned over and asked if I was ok—I nodded weak-heartedly. Our ride from the airport to the International Antarctic Centre was nerve-racking and horrible—but I would not change it for anything. This was yet another special experience which we have come to enjoy about Santana’s trips.

The only bad call on a route sheet was when it said go straight to the city center and the sign indicated a left turn toward the city center. But guess what—we found it anyway. You can’t get rid of us that easy!

After 7 days of straight biking we needed a break in Picton. But that was our choice and we enjoyed our rest day.

Thanks for a great tour and for bringing so many wonderful couples together. We enjoy the friendship as much as the trip.

Judy Faulhauber

Bill/Jan,

Job Well Done!!!!

Laurie and I were extremely pleased with this tour and feel that you and your crew did an exceptional job on every aspect. We were initially apprehensive about moving from hotel to hotel. However, the timing and “cadence” of the moves with two-night stays sprinkled in was just right. It allowed us time to repack, do laundry, and be ready for the next couple of days.

My first tour experience with you was last summer’s Danube trip where things seemed too tightly scheduled. I had some anxiety regarding this tour that I would not feel like I had time to relax (it’s still a vacation, right?). Our experience on this tour was quite different. The pace, even with the hotel changes, left us time to relax and unwind before the next “scheduled” event. That little bit of extra time allowed me to decompress and feel that I was on vacation. It was also nice to know that when we were out on the road I did not have to worry about a mechanical or some other issue (can you say lost?). I will admit little anxiety on the days we had chartered flights. Though I became fairly relaxed after that first “pedal to the plane” day when we started late and passed almost everyone along the way, even the short-route riders.

Laurie and I enjoyed every aspect of the trip. Even on my “bad day” [Bill’s note: their GPS was misplaced] when I did not particularly like the idea of a dirt path through a redwood forest, the sights were great. We love being in the country and seeing country. You covered it well. Thanks again for the great planning, and delivering an exceptional experience.

Now for the nuts and bolts. I needed lots of them! I am still on the steep side of the learning curve relative to traveling with a tandem. Norm was there and did a superb job keeping my wheels rolling. 

One request for change: I am a picture person. Words don’t do me well without a picture to make them make sense. A queue sheet without a map does not help me. You provided standard maps in your packet. Those were not particularly useful when I am out on a ride (even when I bring them). My request is that you (or whomever prepares the queue sheets) also prepare a map showing the route. This lets me know where I am going and I can relax a bit during the ride.  It also helps when the words don’t make sense. I can just look at the picture. Worth a thousand words! 

This has been a long letter. Please feel free to distill it to get the feedback you are after. [Edited by Bill with permission—thanks.] You and Jan have done a fabulous job. You take a diverse group of people and drag (lure?) them across a country and give them everything they want (or think they want). Hear! Hear!

You have our hearty recommendation for anyone that is contemplating your ’11 trip.

Your friend Leland Fondren

[Thanks to Leland’s inspirational request—instead of those hard-to-refold commercial maps we used in 2009, our 2011 NZ tour will include hand-drawn maps that convey the various routes and shortcuts without all the extraneous clutter].

Dear Bill and Jan:

Ken and I had a fantastic time, even beyond our very high expectations having ridden with you before.

Thank you both. And please convey our thanks to Robert, Norm, Maggie and Jerry, and the whole delightful group of confederates.

It may be that a “Test Dummy” cycling jersey is in order.

Mary Foster

Ken Pennoyer

[Bill’s Note: Because our 2009 participants had been warned that they would be the “Guinea Pigs” for Santana’s 2011 New Zealand tour, they adopted the name Team GP and jokingly referred to themselves as the Test Dummies]

 

Dear Bill, Jan and Robert- 

The NZ Tour exceeded all our expectations (and they were high to begin with!) Thank you soooo much! Our journey had a dismal beginning, but having Bill and our new best friend Norm meet us at the airport when we thought you would be long gone was a pleasant surprise! Then, to not get our bike for 3 days, but to have you so generously let us ride YOURS, so we would not miss a moment's fun, was over and above!! Thank you again!!!

How you handled the intricate details and coordination is beyond us! We loved every jam-packed minute, and would not have missed ONE adventure! Highlights for us included Bungee Jumping!! (what an experience—and something we would NEVER have done without your encouragement!) Jet Boating, the Antarctic Adventure, the Kiwi Dundee Adventure, the Gondola and Luge; seeing dolphin, seal, penguin, and kiwi—oh my! And did I mention riding? Wow! Loved that too—even in the rain!

The people of NZ were so hospitable, charmingly understandable, the dollar worth something, and the scenery beyond compare! 

Our only suggestions for 2011 would be trading one of the three flights for an additional relaxing boat ride, perhaps more time in Queenstown (loved it, and was sorry that some people missed it) and maybe one Maori Cultural night instead of two (although learning about the culture was fascinating!) AND making sure Jerry, Maggie, and Norm are along!!! They were wonderful, and really seemed to lighten YOUR load, being able to help answer all our stupid questions! On second thought—we think Paris is a must for them too!!! The food was fabulous—and loved, as always, sampling regional foods and wines! Loved ALL the hotels (even the Yacht Club!) The only things better were seeing old friends and meeting so many new ones! Thank you once again! Can't wait for Paris!

Mary Beth and Chuck Hetrick 

Hi Bill and Jan,

We are still on the road so to speak. Returning via Canada where we visited with our Grand Babies (6 yrs and 11 yrs ;-). We have not forgotten about the requested feedback or the pics. Gord is returning to his job in Kazakhstan tomorrow. We are still basking in MEMORIES & so, so many! NZ was more than we ever expected.

Lynda Kent

*****

Hi Bill & Jan,

I have just got back to Atlanta from Canada and have uploaded pictures to the site. I am on my way to Almaty, Kazakhstan tomorrow—no more fun here in the West.

I have to thank you & Jan and Jerry & Maggie and Robert and Norm for all you did.  This was the first “high-end” vacation that Lynda and I have done and we loved it. Now looking forward to your Danube tour this summer. You are very creative in your ideas and planning—it sure helps to make it special.

Suggestions for 2011:

Flatten out the hills & lower the mountains.

Lynda mentions that the recommended Kiwi-fruit cocktail at the last ferry landing was too sweet. I instead chose a beer as it is essential to replenish carbs after cycling;-)

Hope you like the pictures and maybe can use one or two.

All the best & please say HI to Jan for us,

Gord Kent

Hi Jan and Bill,

I thought Jon was responding and he thought I was, hence our late reply. Does that happen to other tandem couples?

Our thoughts of New Zealand keep coming back to... did we really do ALL that

We saw and experienced far more than we could have conjured on our own, and thank you for showing us what a truly grand tour is all about.

We appreciate our chance to be a part of a great bunch. We thank you also for the support as on most days we were the last team to finish, including the downpour rain day when we shared a delightful soggy cookie with Norm in the lee of the van before our last sprint into Tauranga. The range of riders' abilities was beautifully monitored by you. The encouragement we got to keep going rather than 'quit' helped us to grow. We weren't as prepared as most teams for the climbs and miles, but we got stronger each day!

As members of Team GP we will be thinking of your next group for 2011 (and have marked their dates on our calendar). We’re already envying their opportunity to view such an amazing part of the world from a tandem while traveling with equally adventurous riders. Your New Zealand tour is a beautiful thing... including the amazing logistics and tireless support crew taking care of all contingencies. It was all remarkable to us, yet apparently the norm for Santana!

Through this note we want to invite you and all of our new friends from this trip to visit us in Colorado. You have our number and e-mail. We have plenty of room and lots of great routes to share.

Be well and ride on...

Ann & Jon Macomber

 

Dear Jan and Bill,

I will be sitting down to put on paper to you my thoughts on the trip. Each day was better than the day before. I couldn't believe you could continue to provide so many exciting events for us. From the first night’s wine tasting dinner, next day’s bungee jump and Skyline ascent, to the last dinner at the top of the Sky Tower. I can hardly recall all that happened and am waiting for Hugh’s famous day to day diary to print for my scrapbook. Thank you for making the trip of a lifetime so memorable.

Song leader and major slacker,

Lucy Moorman

*****

Bill,

Lucy again. After discussing this with Hal, here’s our suggestion for next time:

Remember what we did and recommend it to the slackers of 2011. I noticed that we were one of the few couples that did not get exhausted. To prevent getting sick (or worse) we recommend taking advantage of those days when we didn’t change hotels. We pulled no muscles, and didn't fall even once!

Guidelines for slackers:

1. Leave dinner early the first night; and hit the hot tubs.
2. Take the 2-mile shuttle to reach the top of the mountain pass.
3. Show up for breakfast late, catch a lift to the vineyard lunch, and then bike back.
4. Take the short ride on the day of the lake volcano.
5. Get the early bus to the last resort, and stay put the next day. On that day we slept in, went to the beach, had lunch with Norm [Bill’s note: on most layover days Norm was our on-call SAG driver], hit the pool and hot tub in the afternoon, and had the bike packed before the rest of you returned.
6. Skip walking tours of towns to savor early dinners alone.
7. Only sign up for centuries that will be cancelled!
8. If you have weak hands, go down the luge once. Save braking strength for biking.

This list makes it sound like I actually missed something. There was so much to do that missing an event or two does not matter. I loved that this was over-filled with stuff to do. I just didn't always want to do it.

Honestly, you gave all the options and we took advantage of them. I hope to train for the Paris trip and possibly ride faster, but I think I am dreaming.

Lucy Moorman

*****

Bill,

Lucy forgot one thing... On that boat day, skip the hike and remain on the boat. Have a 2-hour lunch at the trail’s end hotel before taking a nap in the grass. That's what we did. The hikers only had an hour for lunch, and seemed pretty rushed. We LOVED that place. In other words, for the slackers, don't kayak or hike, just boat rides and lunch.

Hal Moorman

Dear Bill and Jan,

I have wanted to go to New Zealand for the last 20+ years, and am glad I waited to go with my Santana friends. I honestly don't know how you could have made it any better. You always seem to find the little extras that no one else does (like the Antarctic taxis... they were a hoot!). Every couple that goes on these trips is fun to be with—we make new friends with every tour. Who ever knew that Lucy and Nicole could get the whole airport terminal singing! We did just about everything we wanted to do. There were highlights every day and I would not want to have missed any of them. Your ability to find the right people to make things happen is amazing. We are looking forward to next year in Paris!

Randy & Faith Mueller

*****

Bill,

This is my addition to the earlier feedback from Faith

Overall, the tour was a smashing success and everyone had a great time despite some unfortunate rain. This was our 7th Santana tour and—because of all the extra activities we were able to do—I'll rate it as my favorite.

As far as the tour went, there is only one item I would change. The pizza lunch that Norm arranged on the day we rode from Christchurch took way too long. The pizza was OK, but Norm needs to figure out a way to do it faster, possibly by limiting choices and having them pre-cooked. Yet, that is a minor issue with all that you and he did. Norm was great to have on the tour. 

I think it might be fun to have some extra time in Rotorua to rent some mountain bikes and ride in the Redwood mountain bike park. From the optional loop you provided it looked like a really fun place to spend more time.

It's too bad so many couples skipped the following day’s ride to Tauranga. Even though it rained the whole way, it was by far the easiest day riding.

Thanks for the chartered planes instead of long bus rides. The extra expense was well worth it.

You might suggest that more couples come early to do more activities in Queenstown. I feel sorry for those who skipped the pre-tour.

I really cannot think of anything else I would change for the next tour. I've been wanting to go there for years. I'm glad I waited to go to NZ with my Santana friends. Thanks for all you do!

Randy

Bill

What I liked a lot: having a couple of free nights for dinner on your own and the lunch on your own a day or two. It breaks up the schedule. As tight as I am, I don't feel like I am throwing away money by not attending a planned event when I just want to chill out if there is no event scheduled. 

I am always amazed at the incredible energy level of most of the folks on these trips. I work a 60 hour week a lot, but I think these people could all work about 100 hours a week and still ride a century!

I preferred one-hour airplane rides instead of entire days in a van. I liked the trans-alpine train and the boat rides on the Charlotte Sound; and especially the lunch place you found there. The hotel rooms were all nice except for the Yacht Club, but I understand that it was supposed to be rehabbed earlier—not really your fault. Their two dinners made up for the frayed rooms. 

What I loved: the three Maori events and our buddy Huru who was at Buried Village and then played the guitar and sang that night.

I liked your talks about the history and topography of the area, as well as the choices for route lengths on our daily rides. I never felt like I missed out on something because I took the short ride. The nature hikes were also great especially those having a Lord of the Rings emphasis. I don't know how you got the young man to beach our jet-boat so we could have that neat experience of getting it off the rocks. That was a lot of fun even though I was pretty cold when it was all over. 

Thank you for goading us into taking the bungee jump. That was great! 

Say hi to Jan

 [identities withheld by request ]

Dear Jan,

We really did have a great time. I bet you are glad to be home after such a long time away, but wasn't it fun? To remind you, we have sent you our favorite photo of you having a good time, plus a couple of photos of the Queen Charlotte Track jewelry stand that you said you wanted. Thank you for everything. You and Bill did an outstanding job!

Howard Parsons

Kristal Rupert

******

Dear Bill and Jan,

Our number one comment on this tour is that it was fantastic. It had the potential to be super-fantastic, but, alas, you cannot control Mother Nature. We know this wasn't your first rodeo, but we are still amazed at how well organized it was. We highly commend you on getting the logistics of trains, planes, buses, trucks, luggage, and people flawlessly coordinated. We appreciate all of your effort and planning, as well as the work of Robert, Norm, and Jerry and Maggie. You really know how to plan a party!

We do not want to say anything negative about this trip. Anything we say here, or you heard about in the past, is not a complaint. Having said that; here are our comments and/or suggestions for improvement.

1. This is not your fault. Kristal's biggest disappointment was that the DVD we purchased of our bungee jump is not compatible with our American players, so we are forced to watch it on our 15 inch computer monitor. Not quite the same.

2. We would have liked more time at Rainbow Springs Nature Park. We found it fascinating, therefore we felt a little rushed.

3. Buried Village was interesting, but the guided tour was not necessary. The signage told enough of the story. Our tour guide did not seem to add much except time. Most of our group, including us, drifted away before it was over.

4. We loved the Skytower Farewell Dinner, but we felt sorry for the people who were still eating dessert when they were told it was time to leave for the airport. We stayed because we couldn't get a flight that night, but we were glad that we did. We enjoyed going to the parks the next day, and loved the Auckland Museum with it's wonderful collection of Maori and Pacific Island artifacts.

5. We think you should move up the ride start on the day leaving Punakaiki. We only know of one team that rode to the seal colony. We got to the turn off ten minutes past the cutoff time, so we did not go. Since it was such a late start that morning, leaving a little earlier might have allowed more people to do that option.

6. Howard thinks that one Maori performance would have been enough. They were similar enough that one would have been sufficient. (Kristal enjoyed going to both shows.)

Finally, we want you to know that the day from Wanaka to Queenstown on the pre-tour was the single best day we've ever had that included bike riding. We had thought that the day on the Hawaii tour where we went from Maui to Lanai to Molokai couldn't be beaten, but we were wrong. This day was amazing from start to finish. Not just because of the bungee jumping. We had as much fun on the luge as we did on the bungee. The buffet dinner was awesome (as was most of the food), the views were spectacular, the Crown Range was an accomplishment...even the hot chocolate at Cardrona Hotel was a work of art. Thank you for giving us the chance to have these wonderful memories.

Howard Parsons
Kristal Rupert

******

Hey Bill

Just a note to let you know that we are really enjoying the NZ photos at Eric's site. I don't know what your actual goal was—to find catalog worthy shots, to have an easy way to share, or to entice potential customers to sign up for tours—but I like it. We sent in our favorites already, but I wanted to let you know one thing. I took pictures on the train of each couple. Most of them are decent, except one couple was asleep and two couples were sitting with the opposite partners. Would you want those individual shots uploaded, or are you content with what you gotten? Thanks again.

Kristal Rupert

[Bill’s note: a very special thanks to Kristal for all her couples’ photos]

 

Hi Bill and Jan,

Jennifer and I really enjoyed the trip, and were very impressed by how well everything went. You all obviously spent a huge amount of time and effort getting things right, and it showed. Thanks to Robert, Norm, Jerry and Maggie too, of course. 

The bungee jumping was a big hit (with me, anyway ;-) and the luge as well. Most of the hotels were great, and I’m sure Picton will be by the time you go back. Jennifer really appreciated knowing there was a support van / broom wagon available most of the time, even if we didn’t usually need it. One suggestion we have is that, having seen the Maori show in Rotorua, you could probably forgo the one in Queenstown. On the other hand, it was useful to learn that bit about Maori culture early in the trip.

The routes were good lengths and were generally easy to follow – a definite plus.

Awesome job, overall! I hope we’ll join you in Ireland next summer.

Thanks,

Jaye Peterman

Hi Bill & Jan,

Thanks to both of you for putting on a fabulous tour of New Zealand. There is no way any of us could have experienced so much of the country and both islands ourselves in such a short time without all the planning, logistics, and organizing you guys did! The events you guys planned and the help of Jerry, Maggie, Robert, and Norm were great. And of course the attitudes of all the participants were great.

Highlights:
- Pre-tour was really fun—loved Cardrona, Dart River and Arrowtown
- Gondola, Luge & Dinner in Queenstown was a blast!
- Food + wine was excellent. Dinners and wine pairings great. (Wanaka & Picton first night especially so.)
- Antarctic shuttle and dinner.
- Dirt road through the redwoods!
- Rainbow Park and Kiwi House!
- Support folks and SAG when needed
- Your flexibility w/weather and other unexpected stuff was super

Nit Picks:
- Ride to Glenorchy was beautiful, but we needed an earlier start.
- The first day of the pretour was stuffed—bungee on a different day?
- Maori show and Kiwi Dundee hike—would one of each be enough?
- Needed an earlier start on the day with all the ferries
- Christchurch bike parking—fix the stupid electronic door!
- Bike storage at Wanaka was crowded—why not store cases in truck?

One other thing: we signed up for the Moselle/Rhine trip. Would you send us a copy of the original email about it. We enjoy your descriptions of trips—they get us energized.

Regards,
John & Anita Rasper

******

Wow! We smiled, we laughed, and even cried a little—THE VIDEO really brings the pictures and the memory of the tour to life. Please thank Eric for a fabulous job. And we can’t thank you enough for making our 25th anniversary so memorable.

Fondly,
John and Anita

[Bill's note: Eric M. Davis is the artist who edited the photos and created the video]

Jan and Bill,

We wondered after last year’s Danube trip if we had experienced the best…well until New Zealand it was the best …now it’s only #2. We thought we were getting a tandem tour, but in addition there was the constant culinary competition to determine which night would win the prize for the ultimate dining experience. (My vote is for the Picton wine tasting dinner). We never imagined that this was also a bacchanalian wine tasting …make that drinking cruise across New Zealand. The logistics were orchestrated like a well-rehearsed dance and the hotels were pleasant. Queen Charlotte Sound was my favorite ride. I could have done without the mountain bike path on the return from the Buried Village. I had my first luge ride, my first jet boat ride, first tour of an abandoned gold mine and first hootenanny sing-along in an airport lobby…lots of firsts for one trip. Many thanks to Maggie, Jerry, Norm, Robert and of course Bill and Jan. You’ve set a really high standard…we’re expecting more of same for the Paris – Rhine Cruise.

Hugh and Becky Reeves

 

Greetings

Thanks again for the fabulous New Zealand adventure. We love the photo album as well.

As for feedback & evaluation…. here are just a few (minor) comments that might help with future planning:

1) On the move. We suspect you have received comments about the packing/unpacking and moving every couple of days. For us, this was not a problem. Since it allowed us to see so much of New Zealand, it was worth it. (In fact, we already have a “notional itinerary” for our visit back to NZ someday, to include the places we liked the most - Queenstown, Rotorua and Picton—and to enjoy their mountain biking opportunities.) Your years of planning to deal with the logistics of getting us to so many places certainly paid off in our minds. You deserve tremendous credit for executing the complex itinerary so well. Congratulations to your entire team!

2) Christchurch, South Pole/Antarctic Museum – it would have been great to have more time to peruse the exhibits. The polar explorer vehicle ride to the museum was something wonderful that we will never forget!

3) Generally, for us, late dinners didn’t work so well. Especially when they were so fabulous! Earlier dinners several nights (South Pole and Picton, in particular) would have been our preference.

4) Puka Park Resort—this bungalow was definitely our favorite hotel! 

5) Lonely Cove—this beach was incredible and is another place we would have liked to dwell a bit longer (we understand that the hike with Kiwi Dundee necessitated that we keep moving!)

6) Route Options—though the riding was challenging on some days, we have learned to expect this, and appreciate this aspect of Santana tours. In other words, please continue to have “longer ride” options for those major roadies who need the centuries!

7) Pre-tour—this was fabulous and well worth our time. Thanks for adding it.

Thanks again and please know that our feedback is offered in the spirit of continuous improvement to an already great event!

Best Regards,

Mark Reineke and Margie Tatro

Dear Bill and Jan:

If this trip to New Zealand provides a correct insight into what it is like to be a guinea pig, then they are the luckiest animals on earth. Thanks so much to you and the rest of your team. We were very fortunate to have been part of the largest tandem ride in the history of New Zealand.

Our two favorite parts of the trip included the Queenstown area (especially the rides from Wanaka to Queenstown and to-and-from Arrowtown) and Marlborough Sound (the 15 km hike being was amazingly beautiful and experiencing the boat / trail / inn system is a fun memory).

What didn’t we like? We could have done without the Dart River boat spins. Having been a boater essentially my whole life, zooming at supersonic speeds right next to sharp boulders and spinning a boat around are things we’ve been trained NOT to do. I appreciate that many others enjoyed this and you probably should keep it as part of the trip, but we were happy when it was over.

What could have made a fantastic trip even better? Answer: More time on the South Island and more time on the North Island.

Thanks again for providing yet one more “trip of a lifetime”.

Jim & Vida Rothschild

 

Bill & Jan,

Thanks again for such a wonderful, fantastic trip. We loved it!!! You
guys do such a great job every time and we can't wait until the Paris trip.

We do have a bunch of great pictures, but we may not be able to upload this
weekend because we are going to Solvang today for the Century ride, where
we'll be spreading the word about your trips of a lifetime and the fun
tandem lifestyle!

We'll upload them ASAP!

Maureen & Mark Tresnak

P.S. We love this collective photo idea. Send our thanks to Eric.

 

Hi Jan and Bill,

Doug and I had a fantastic time on the NZ trip!

Your support team, Norm, Robert, Jerry, and Maggie amazingly seemed to cover all the many, many details flawlessly. They were always there, on time, with smiles on their faces. We really appreciate all the time and energy that went into planning and executing this trip. GREAT JOB all of you ! ! !

And as for you both, it is nice to be lead by competent fun seekers! We definitely loved the many adventures you mixed in with the biking. This really made the trip unique and extra fun. We also loved moving around the country so much. The train, ferry, bus, and plane rides added an element of comradeship and excitement to the biking adventures. It was a very nice mix that allowed us to see more of New Zealand. We also very much appreciated the great food, wine, and hotel accommodations you selected.

The only suggestion we could think of for your 2011 NZ trip is a packing list. As this was Doug and my 1st Santana trip, we would have felt more comfortable having a suggested quantity and recommended clothing guide.

We really look forward to more Santana adventures with you both. We appreciate all your efforts in planning and executing such fine tandem trips.

THANK-YOU !!!

All the best,

Doug and Cory Ward

 

Bill and Jan,

Both Julia and I had a wonderful time. As you know, we were not the strongest of tandem teams, but you were able to accommodate the different levels of bike riding capacity in a very warm and sometime "dry humor" fashion. My only comment in the critique arena would be the on-going habit of understating the number of hills and the like. I would like to hear the requirements of the trip prior to taking off. I do understand that most people who ride bikes enjoy riding every hill that is before them. This is a minor critique, because we have wonderful thoughts and memories of New Zealand and the trip.

Great job, especially with the management of the logistics of the trip and keeping everything in a fun and enjoyable "state." We are looking forward to the Paris trip in 2010.

Dwight and Julia Wilson