Trip Leaders

The Spanish love their ham. I just never realized the profoundness of their devotion until I first stepped into a local cervecería (bar). To say I was astounded by what I found would be an understatement. The sheer volume of pig legs hanging from the walls and ceiling... the bar sported more pork parts than pints!

Oh, Canada...such a beautiful landscape, which we get to ride our bikes through! While the land of the maple leaf is known for its incredible scenery, what you don't often hear about is the fantastic cuisine that can be found here.

Cycling in the ridiculously hot region of South East Asia for months on end with no support, camp assistant Brant Haflich and I figured we'd be spending a good amount of time in search of clean drinking water. We had just finished cycling across our own country and we wanted to continue our bicycle adventures while learning something along the way. We wanted a purpose for our pedal strokes and we had questions about global water issues.

Backroads Family Trips are packed with fresh air and outdoor activity sure to keep even the most energetic kids entertained. Our on-trip Kid Coordinators love to get kids playing with these fun variations on the classic game of Tag.

The wind is blowing in your face, which is usually a pleasant feeling but today it's making the riding one hell of a lot tougher. Your head feels heavy and your eyes are fixed on the tarmac just inches ahead of your front wheel, the beautiful scenery stopped mattering a long time ago. As the sweat drips from your face, you struggle to find your breath and you wonder, "How in the hell was I ever talked into going on an active travel trip?"

The sun's shining, there's a white carpet of snow covering the ground, and the trees are heavy from the latest snowfall. Working up a sweat, I ascend a small hill and drink in the view. As far as I can see, forest covers the landscape...

Your own hometown has secrets to share. Your daily routine can be delightful. It all depends upon you opening your eyes wide to novelty, surprises and adventure. What if you approached your daily commute from a totally different direction? Infused your evening walk with a sense of wonder? Try it, and you might just find there really is no place like home. Be Curious. Chances are, when you travel somewhere new you enter your experience with excitement and curiosity. Imagine if you approached your own backyard with that same attitude.

If you’re lucky enough to visit Italy, then you undoubtedly need to experience one of Italy’s great initiatives, agriturismos. If you’re lucky enough to travel to Italy with Backroads, we’ll take you there. For lunch! Agriturismos are farms with lodging for travelers.

Patagonia, the geographical region of the Southern Andes shared by Argentina and Chile, is often referred to as one of the last great frontiers. It's a remote, spectacular landscape of craggy, jagged peaks that protrude skyward out of windswept pampas...

It’s not unusual to gear up with new equipment before a Backroads trip; we all know how wonderful it feels to don a fresh pair of bike shorts with a brand new shammy. There are some things, however, that should be broken in before embarking on an active travel adventure.