A self-confessed national park bum, Lauren grew up "in the shadow of Yosemite" and now frequents Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier and Waterton National Parks, where she leads trips for Backroads. She spends her winters leading in Costa Rica, and in her off-time she comes home to her family in the Bay Area. Before Backroads, Lauren spent eight months cycling across the U.S. and around Southeast Asia. She's happiest of all when her whole life fits on her bicycle. Some of Lauren's favorite aspects of trip leading? Cycling through the most stunning landscapes, sampling from the best breweries and coffee houses, tasting local cheeses and artisan baked goods and falling in love with new cultures. She also loves watching a group of strangers turn into great friends on trip--this happens all the time! Prior to uncovering her bicycle obsession, Lauren wrote for a weekly newspaper, managed two blogs and fostered her love for English Literature.