Gran Fondo National Series and Zigbone Farm Retreat Announce Cycling Retreat in Maryland

Cyclist’s luxury getaway with opportunity to recon US Gran Fondo National Championships course

The SUAREZ Gran Fondo National Series and ZigBone Farm Retreat have partnered to offer a luxurious cycling retreat May 7-12, 2023. The one-of-a-kind Zigbone Farm Tour de Fondo will be led by 4-time Gran Fondo Maryland winner Cheryl Sornson and feature guided rides for relaxed to advanced cyclists. Participants will ride over historic covered bridges, through hilly farmland and the forests of the Catoctin Mountains, including segments of the 2023 USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championships course. Registration is now open. Contact Dena Leibman to book.

“The roads north of Frederick, Maryland are a cycling paradise,” said Gran Fondo National Series founder and director Reuben Kline. “People travel the world to find scenic, quiet, and challenging road cycling routes when some of the best riding is just an hour outside of Washington DC.”

“With three riding levels offered, ZigBone Farm Farm’s Tour de Fondo is the perfect getaway for any cyclist, regardless of racing ambitions. It is also a fabulous opportunity for competitors to preview the 2023 Gran Fondo National Championships course,” said Dena Leibman, co-owner of ZigBone Farm Retreat.

ZigBone Farm's Tour de Fondo Details

This five-night, 4 full-day cycling retreat in Maryland's scenic Catoctin Mountains, just one hour from Washington DC or Baltimore, Maryland, is open to riders at all levels and includes:

A choice of three rides/day, led by Cheryl Sornson and her team of local guides:
high octane: ~50 miles & 4700 feet of climbing/day
intermediate: ~35 miles & 3500 feet of climbing/day
relaxed: ~20 miles & 2000 feet of climbing/day
Support vehicle and mechanical support
Reception and dinner on arrival night; breakfast on departure day: three family-style, farm-fresh meals per day, and snacks throughout the four full days of the retreat
Tours curated to take in local sites, historic towns, scenic courses, and, for those interested, reconnaissance of the Gran Fondo racecourse, which winds through the Catoctin Mountains
Informative speakers, including Gran Fondo National Series Founder and Director Reuben Kline; Dr. Tom Little, who will speak about staying healthy on the bike; and Jill Patterson, 2022 USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Champion
Secure bike storage during the camp and luggage storage for extra departure-day riding

Pricing

Base price for Zigbone Farm’s Tour de Fondo Cycling Retreat is $1500 per person. Participants are required to book accommodations at Zigbone Farm Retreat, one of Maryland's premier, climate-friendly rural gathering venues. Accommodations range from $300 - $1000 for the 5-night duration of the retreat.

“I have cycled in Maryland’s Catoctin and South Mountain Ranges for more than 30 years and been a part of Gran Fondo Maryland from its inception,” said Cheryl Sornson, who helped develop Zigbone Farm’s Tour de Fondo Cycling Retreat. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to bring people together to ride bikes, explore this wonderful region, and come back to Zigbone for great food and camaraderie.”

Sornson is an experienced competitive and recreational cyclist, mountain and road bike guide, a mountain bike coach, and wellness counselor. In addition to being a 4-time Gran Fondo Maryland Champion, she is a 3-time US National Ultra Endurance Mountain Bike Champion, 2-time Transylvania Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race Champion, and finisher of both Cape Epic and La Ruta des los Conquistadores international mountain bike stage races.

About Gran Fondo National Series

Founded in 2012 by event director Reuben Kline, the Gran Fondo National Series is the largest and most competitive series of gran fondo cycling events in the United States. Gran Fondo National Series was the first series to implement timed-segment racing into US gran fondo events and has crowned Gran Fondo National Champions and Gran Fondo National Series Champions since 2012. Since 2020, Gran Fondo National Series has been the organizer of the official USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championships. 

For more information, please visit: granfondonationalseries.com

About ZigBone Farm Retreat

Since its opening in 2016, Zigbone Farm Retreat has grown into one of Maryland’s most unique and sought after event venues, available for weddings, reunions, business retreats, and other gatherings. In 2023, ZigBone is offering its own retreats, including the Tour de Fondo Cycling Retreat. Guests learn, play, and relax on the 100-acre farm with its lovely views of the hills and valleys of the Catoctin Mountains. Designed by internationally renowned natural building architect Sigi Koko and built by local craftsmen and the owners, the buildings are a treat in themselves with craft timber framing, re-purposed old barn beams and wood siding, straw bales for insulation, and clay plaster hand-made and hand-applied. ?It is extremely climate friendly, with seven geothermal wells that, in tandem with the super-insulated strawbale walls, provide energy efficient heating and cooling; a solar array offsets all electricity use; and a state-of-the-art septic system protects the Chesapeake Bay watershed.