Bringing your children on a family bike trip to Europe will undoubtedly ignite life-long passions - for travel, history, nature, biking. Ciclismo founder Lauren Hefferon's passion for cycling starting in childhood as she told Inc Magazine this month in the feature:
How I Built A Lifestyle Business I Love
She says parents shouldn't worry too much about whether their kids will enjoy biking. Through her years leading family trips and numerous trips with her own children, she has learned "kids will enjoy doing it if other kids are doing it!"
Lauren shares this story from her own family's bike tour on Sardinia last year: " After many years of having to hear them whining at some point during the ride, this year they all literally turned a corner. They were each able, not only to ride the distance, but were excited to do so. The fact that there were other kids on tour and that the kids were pushing each other helped. They not only rode the whole distance but led the way for much of the rides and served as inspiration to the other kids. I remember our last gorgeous day of the tour, the route was a rolling 40-mile ride along the coastline. We stopped to eat gelato, swim and learn about the local Sardinian history. They took it all in with tremendous zeal and excitement!"
She can't wait to return to Italy this summer, this time on the family tour she's personally leading in The Italian Alps and Sud Tyrol starting July 6th, 2012. The Ciclismo founder will be joined by husband Mauro and children Luca (9), Valentina (12) and Lorenzo (14). But she will also be joined by Mitch and Rebecca Cooper. Mitch and Rebecca actually met on the first teen tour Lauren ever lead - from Rome to Paris. They eventually married and have two teen girls. Everything has come full circle and they are joining this trip. There's still room for your family to tour Italy's Sud Tyrol with Lauren!
