housemartin - all mountain adventures
What is Soul Trails?
I started up Soul Trails bike & yoga adventures because I love to travel to new places with my bike
and I wanted to create a platform for other women to be able to book a proper riding trip with other likeminded women
without having to worry about being the only woman on the trip, or holding up all the guys in the group (not always the case), and just to offer a more comfortable option for women who want to start exploring the world with their bicycle.
We have partnered up with some of the best guiding outfitters around the world to show off their secret gems.
This is our fourth year of trips & we strive to visit new countries each year to keep things exciting.
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My GOAL is to put the SOUL into our Soul Trails trips by raising awareness & selling WBR bikes for this charity that I have worked with for many years.
They are owned & run by SRAM and run an amazing program where you can purchase a Buffalo Bicycle for US$147 and then they distribute these bicycles mainly to women & girls in rural Africa to help improve their lives and to mobilise them.
It's usually the women & the girls that end up having to give up their dream of education
to make sure all the chores and work gets done around the house and by providing such a simple tool as a bicycle can change their lives forever.
When you purchase a trip with us, you've also bought ONE Buffalo bike that will be delivered during a bike drop at the end of each year. Easy as that.
To learn more about WBR have a look at their website & video's, it's really pretty cool.
Head over to our fundraising page if you'd like to purchase another badass Buffalo bike or make a donation towards one. http://fundraise.worldbicyclerelief.org/anka-martin-soul-trails
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What about the yoga?
Don’t be scared! We’re not going to sit and meditate from the early hours of the morning or chant for hours on end while doing crazy headstands.
It is an introduction to yoga, to show you how it can benefit your riding and also benefit your daily life in general.
It is merely to make you aware of how to tune into your body, to create awareness and to create a balance in your life.
Most mornings we will start off with a lovely yoga flow / stretching of course gauging on the energy levels,
some classes will be more strenuous and others will be more yin and relaxing.
These trips are 90% biking and 10% yoga and of course this is not boot camp so if you prefer to get some extra sleep in the morning,
that is totally fine or join us in Savasana for an hour.
***Please note that due to some locations or trip itineraries, we will not be able to do yoga.
Is this a skills trip?
Not at all.
These trips are adventure riding holidays, they are not skills trips.
There are many other amazing companies who offer skills courses, but we’re focusing on going riding!
Of course when we get to sections on the trails and you want to check out the different lines and work on getting through certain features,
we will stop and work on those, but there will be no cones in the parking lot.
Riding trips are about having fun, but also to try and push & progress your own riding and abilities within reason of course.
Why do you collaborate with different outfitters?
I’ve structured these trips around some of my all time favourite riding destinations
and trips that I’ve been on with some of the BEST guiding outfitters around the world
and I feel that collaborating with them, we can offer you the best experience and riding of that specific region and country.
Because we collaborate with different companies in different countries,
payment for each trip may vary in terms of how to make these payments & their pricing options as well as operational logistics.
Do I need to be fit for these trips?
Yes.
We are not doing marathon cross country rides, but the fitter and more prepared you are for your trip, the more enjoyable it will be for you.
Each trip will vary in terms of length of days, riding time, ascending and descending,
but even if we do shuttles all day descending up to 3000m a day still requires a good amount of fitness.
We will specify what sort of riding trip you can expect under each trip description, but you should be able to ride at least 40km in a day and manage at least a 1000m of climbing (this doesn’t mean we will be doing this exactly, but it’s just a gauge for you).
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***We're not really into Strava and setting QOM records here, so if you're into that sort of thing, this may not be the best trips for you.
We take our time to reach the top, enjoy the views, eat a snack or two & then rip down the descents.
While we're on this topic, please leave those annoying beeping devices at home ;)
Are these trips for complete beginners?
Not really, no.
These trips have been designed for women who already have a good understanding of their bike and a solid set of riding skills.
It is not for experts only, but you need to be comfortable and confident riding various different types of terrain, natural single track,
and be able to handle different weather conditions and most importantly have an open mind to experience
new places, trails and the want to progress your riding.
A good attitude is far more important than being super fit or super fast.
We want women who already like to shred to have this option of heading out on an adventure holiday without all the blokes getting in the way ;)
If you are wanting an adventure, then you will love these trips.
Are all the trips for women only?
Not always.
Every trip is slightly different, and sometimes when there are interested couples we can turn it into a mixed adventure if everyone is ok with that.
We are by no means “anti men”, quite the opposite, I believe that men can be very encouraging and helpful and add a lot to these trips as long as they are supportive. No macho dudes wanting to race the girls please!
We will have a male guide on most trips & generally like hanging with the dudes.
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Is it all just about riding bikes?
Well, kind of...
Mostly, but we do want to provide you with the full experience.
Our main aim is to provide sweet mountain bike adventures for women to ride endless trails, explore new parts of the world,
meet new people, practise some yoga, sample some fine regional food & some wine & beer of course
and learn about new cultures.
It’s like using your bike as an excuse to go traveling.
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Do I need Insurance?
Yes, most definitely.
You will need to provide us with proof of travel insurance for your trip which clearly states that it will cover you for extreme mountain biking activities.
This is for your own protection & safety if something had to happen.
Of course nothing is going to happen, but just in case ;)
This is also good to have in case you have to cancel your trip, your bike gets lost or damaged or the trip get's cancelled for some reason.
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How many people are needed for the trip to go ahead?
We will need 6 guests to go ahead with the adventure.
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What is our Cancellation Policy?
12 weeks before the trip you’ll loose 20% of the total trip cost.
6 - 12 weeks before the trip 40% of total cost.
4 - 6 weeks before the trip 80% of total cost.
Less than 4 weeks before the trip 100% of the cost.
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