Guest Stories: Amber & Dave Zaharchuk

Why We Keep Coming Back: Finding Joy, Movement, and Friendship on Ciclismo Classico Tours

Home Base and High‑Speed Lives
My husband Dave and I live in Burlington, Connecticut. By day, we work in fast‑paced, high‑pressure roles—he directs thought leadership research at IBM, and I build tech partnerships at Disney for our direct‑to‑consumer apps like Disney+, Hulu and ESPN. On the side, I’m a strength and conditioning coach, focused on helping youth athletes become stronger and more resilient. With our schedules, we only get one chance a year to truly unplug. We want those days to count. While I love a good beach day, it’s important for our minds and bodies to stay active, experience new cultures, and connect with like-minded people over incredible food and shared adventure.

How We Found Ciclismo
We stumbled across Ciclismo Classico almost by accident, looking for a redemptive second chance after a wild first experience with another tour company. That first trip? Let’s just say it left us…cautious. So cautious, in fact, that we brought our own bikes to our first Ciclismo Classico tour. Spoiler alert: totally unnecessary. Ciclismo’s bikes are fantastic, so we leave those bulky bike cases at home!

Now we’re preparing for our seventh tour.

The Ciclismo Difference: It Starts with the Guides
The guides are where the magic starts. Each one brings a mix of elite cycling ability and unexpected talents—former pro footballers, musicians, photographers, and even a marine biologist. They’re kind, intuitive, and incredibly fun. They remember your favorite snacks, cheer you through big climbs, and make every single rider feel like part of something special.

There are so many guide moments that make me smile when I randomly think about them over the years:

• Planting the seed for me to race uphill.
• Laughing every time I hear “Girl on Fire.”
• Learning which beer glass is right for every pour.

I’m still waiting to master the flying mount (you know who you are).

Movement, but Make It Joyful
Back home, my training is focused on racing—constantly pushing harder. But during our annual Ciclismo trip, I rediscover something I often lose in all that training: joy. I get to simply move, without pressure. Just gratitude for my body, the scenery, and the shared ride.

Found Family on Two Wheels

One of the best surprises from our first tour? The friendships. The kind that last well beyond the tour. We’ve built a crew we laugh with all year long, and whenever we can, we plan future trips together. It’s like a rolling reunion on beautiful roads. With wine.

See You Out There
If you ever find yourself on tour with me, I’ll be the one zombie-walking to breakfast until I’ve had my first three coffees, climbing into the van to raid the snack basket at the end of every ride, and petting all the dogs.
Whether we’re climbing hills, clinking glasses at dinner, or laughing at jokes that don’t make sense to anyone else, I hope we cross paths. Because there’s nothing quite like the connection that comes from riding, exploring, and just being with a crew who gets it.