Aerostich Tours

[KimR1]

Anyone have any experience with Aerostich Tours? (Yes, I know I can do it cheaper, better, etc. myself--let's not start that discussion...)

[Mickey D]

Sorry, don't know anyone who's actually done the Aerostich tours. A couple guys who used to post here (or was it on ADV?) got hired by Andy to guide. This 4 or 5 years ago.

I can't recall if it was Helge Pederson's company or Andy Goldfine's, but one of those two had a bad accident on an early tour, rider or riders killed? Sorry for lack of details. In any case, not the fault of the touring company, but tends to put riders off. My guess is their liability insurance has gone up sharply.

Most of these companies contract out the actual guiding and day to day chores to a local company. A friend got comp'd a Lotus Tour to Peru'. The whole trip was handled by locals and not real well organized, but they got the job done. About a $5000 tour for 10 days or so. The paying riders turned out to be quite well off and super competitive faux racers. Seems they thought they were racing to breakfast everyday .... but these cats were well out of practice.

Crashes and lots of injuries followed. One guy head on'd a truck, another rode off a slippery bridge in the rain, fell into river/rocks below. Permanent paralysis. Kind of ruined the tour.

[chris]

Originally Posted by Mickey D

Sorry, don't know anyone who's actually done the Aerostich tours. A couple guys who used to post here (or was it on ADV?) got hired by Andy to guide. This 4 or 5 years ago.

I can't recall if it was Helge Pederson's company or Andy Goldfine's, but one of those two had a bad accident on an early tour, rider or riders killed? Sorry for lack of details. In any case, not the fault of the touring company, but tends to put riders off. My guess is their liability insurance has gone up sharply.

Most of these companies contract out the actual guiding and day to day chores to a local company. A friend got comp'd a Lotus Tour to Peru'. The whole trip was handled by locals and not real well organized, but they got the job done. About a $5000 tour for 10 days or so. The paying riders turned out to be quite well off and super competitive faux racers. Seems they thought they were racing to breakfast everyday .... but these cats were well out of practice.

Crashes and lots of injuries followed. One guy head on'd a truck, another rode off a slippery bridge in the rain, fell into river/rocks below. Permanent paralysis. Kind of ruined the tour.

The original poster asked if anyone had experience of Aerostich tours.... So why random third hand rumours with no relevant/useful input to the questioner?
Chris