Backroads Trip Leaders: Meet a Few of Our Trip Leaders

Lindsey McKelvey

Leader since 2017

I grew up in Michigan, aka the land of Great Lakes, near Lake Huron. As a kid, my mom's idea of a good day was to make pb&j's and ride bikes down to the beach, where we would swim all day and eat sandy sandwiches. Would I say we were outdoorsy? No, but we liked being outside in pretty places.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, I taught first grade for a year in rural Indiana. As great as the cornfields were, I quickly decided it was time to try something new, see something different, and stretch myself. I took a leap of faith, packed up my car, and followed friends to Portland, Oregon with just a couple thousand bucks in my bank account, no job lined up, sight unseen. It was thrilling, even with the scary bits. I LOVED my new life and learning all there was to learn about myself. It was in this period that I realized I was indeed an outdoorsy person.

After about seven years living in Portland, I decided I once again needed to stretch myself. So, I embarked on a thru-hike of the 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail the summer of 2015...and then again the next year.

On both of my thru-hikes I met so many incredible travelers that were so different from me and yet the same, learned so much about my strength, my resiliency, my ability to push when the going gets tough, and, ultimately, that nature is my sanctuary.

I learned about Backroads because a friend of mine worked for the company, saw my growing love of being outside and sharing nature with others, and encouraged me to apply. In 2017, my first season with Backroads, I worked as Camp Crew in Yellowstone and the Tetons. The stories I could tell from that summer would fill a novel. Let's just say it was the best introduction to Backroads, which is more than a job, it's also a lifestyle that inserts you into a beautiful community of like-minded outdoorsy weirdos. The following season, I took a position as a leader.

I LOVE being a leader. I've had the pleasure of taking folks bear "hunting" in Waterton National Park, on sunrise hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park, deep into the Narrows of Zion, for a swim in the icy waters of Crater Lake, on a bike ride through the wacky cactus forest in Saguaro National Park, to watch the sunset behind the Teton Mountains with a drink in hand, bouldering among the Joshua Trees, star gazing in Yellowstone with 5 year old twin sisters that had never seen the night sky, wandering through 800 year old Puebloan ruins in New Mexico...I mean, what a gift!

I typically lead trips year-round and have been an Operations Expert in Arizona since 2019, with some dabbling in the world of Trip Experts. If you ask any leader what the best part of the job is, you are going to get different answers. I think I would even answer it differently depending on the day I'm asked. But today, I would say what I love most about being a leader is the satisfaction I get when I know I'm giving people the chance to connect with a beautiful place in a way that brings joy into their lives, when I see my coleaders laughing because I've just said something ridiculous in a route rap, and the fact that this job awards me the off-time I need to experience nature in the way I see fit: on a long hike for a long time on a long trail.

Ed Krajsky

Leader since 2010

I'm not what one would consider a "typical" Backroads leader. For one thing I'm older, (I got a Father's Day card from the other new leaders during training), I'm married, have a full-time job as a hotel manager and a son in college. But it works! I end up working a number of trips in the summer in an area I love and a region where I live.

While in college, I had the opportunity to work a summer in Yellowstone National Park. That one summer has turned into a lifetime. It was love at first sight with the Yellowstone/Teton area which has worked well with my career choice in hotel management. I met my wife while working here and we were fortunate enough to raise our son in the shadow of the Tetons.

Backroads started out as one of my best hotel customers. Their guests would stay or meet at our hotel before heading off on their adventure. One week later, they would return jubilant and I would watch the guests hugging, crying and laughing as they said their goodbyes: "this was the best vacation ever," "come visit us in New York," "we have to get the same leaders next year." I decided I wanted to be a part of that.

One of the greatest things about my job at Backroads is working with my fellow leaders. I'm convinced there isn't a better, more dedicated, hardworking, talented group of fun-loving people anywhere. Working at Backroads, not only have I have found a unique job fit for my lifestyle but I've found my own little fountain of youth. I am much younger now than when I started with Backroads.

Jonathan Danh

Leader since 2013

As a child of a Vietnamese father and a French mother, I grew up in a small remote village in the south of France. At the age of 21, I decided to take a break from my studies in English literature and opera singing for a year and head to the US to explore a new culture. Though many years have passed, I still have not moved away from San Francisco, and I proudly became an American citizen, which makes me now a dual citizen!

I find that this job combines every element of the many different jobs I had in the past, from working as a cheese specialist to teaching French to adults in a private school to working with children with disabilities in a high school... even being Pluto at Disneyland!

I am a dreamer and I’ve always had the desire to learn about the world and its beauty. Being a trip leader not only has fulfilled this goal of mine, but it also has allowed me to share this knowledge with people in a thoroughly enjoyable way: on a bike! Though I tackle going uphill on my motorcycle better than on my bike, I truly get inspired by the motivation of our guests who always seem up for taking on new challenges, no matter their skill level. At first, I thought to myself: "If they can do it, I can do it.” Now I think, “If I can do it, anyone can do it!” and I’m excited to encourage our guests every step of the way!

One of the nicest surprises I’ve experienced while working at Backroads is being part of an incredible team of leaders from all around the world who quickly became my close friends. Working at Backroads, the world is my playground and the road is my office... no need for wings, I have two wheels!
 

Jenn Peach

Leader since 2021

One of my earliest memories is boarding a plane to Germany with a small backpack filled with coloring books and puzzles. As a kid we spent a lot of time on the go; we moved quite a bit with the military, we had a dispersed family, and we took a lot of road trips. I had a small Hamburgler-themed suitcase that I loved to pack. I was relatively patient with long drives, long conversations to pass the time, and long periods away from my own room and toys. In essence, I've been training for Backroads for years!

Most of my jobs since high school have involved me taking people outside: hiking, camping, kayaking, or learning about the natural world. I spent 6 years in Grand Canyon National Park, then 7 years in Yosemite National Park, all the while helping get people out into nature in some way. Just after college I even spent a summer serving in the gorgeous North Rim Grand Canyon dining room, where I remember waiting on Backroads groups (and noting how much fun they were having!)

So I knew about Backroads for a decade before I applied, having seen the groups in the National Parks. When my husband and I moved to Washington State in 2020, I decided it was time to apply and I was hired in 2021!

Fast forward four years and I've found more community and professional growth opportunities than I thought was possible! I've led trips in our Canyons region, Vermont, Glacier National Park, Puget Sound, Scotland, Belize/Guatemala, and Bavaria, and I hold an elevated role in our Puget Sound region as a trip expert. I also mentor incoming and tenured field staff, and I consult on the quality of our family trips for guests and leaders. But all of my roles intertwine with trip leading, which goes back to the heart of what I love: getting people outside in nature and sharing experiences in our beautiful world!

Of course, the glamor and fun of the role has a lot of work behind it, which reminds me of some of my favorite moments of the job. One of the most impactful moments: I remember watching our guests on a family trip to Guatemala playing soccer in the street with other families their own age, completely carefree about not speaking each others' language. Truthfully, every day spent leading has that magical combination of the silly and the sublime, and that's what keeps me coming back every year!

Oscar Garcia

Leader since 2019

I grew up in Mexico, a land where the earth sings with the whispers of ancient souls and the skies paint sunsets only the gods could imagine. My childhood was steeped in that magic, but as I reached my teens, my parents sought new opportunities in the United States. In Houston, I earned a degree in Finance, though my true dreams were never about spreadsheets and suits, but about the far corners of the world, where beauty hides in the unknown.

What I thought would be a six-month journey through South America—a brief escape before starting a career—became two and a half years of transformation. Life, like the rivers I would raft and the mountains I would climb, took its own course. I traded my car for hiking boots and my bed for the constant question, "Where will I sleep tonight?" From the shores of Brazil to the ends of Tierra del Fuego, I wandered. When my legs could go no farther south, I turned northward, following the spine of the Americas until I stood beneath the northern lights at the Arctic Circle.

But the pull of adventure did not stop there. I crossed the Atlantic, walking the Camino de Santiago, and finally found myself in the Himalayas, among Nepal’s monasteries, where silence spoke louder than words. By the time I returned, the pull of the corporate world had faded, replaced by a deep need to stay connected to the world’s wild beauty. That’s when I remembered Backroads, whose name I had seen along trails, guiding others to life’s most hidden places. It felt like fate.

In 2019, I joined Backroads, starting with a van transfer from Salt Lake City to Alaska—a journey that felt like an extension of my travels. I began leading trips in Costa Rica and Peru and soon became the Trip Expert for the Peru Lodge-to-Lodge Trekking Tour, a role I still hold. I’ve also was the TE for the Southern Patagonia Hiking Trip for two years and led trips in Alaska and Portugal.

The best part of being a Trip Leader? It’s the dreams we help bring to life. One of my most unforgettable moments was early in my career, hiking toward the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu. Mrs. Mary, a wonderful guest, walked beside me, her pace slow but steady. When we reached the Sun Gate, and the golden light revealed Machu Picchu, she hugged me, tears in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’ve dreamed of this for more than fifty years.”

That moment made me realize something: we are not just guides. We are keepers of dreams, and companions on life-changing journeys. That is why I lead, and why I love what I do.

Noah Spitzer

Leader since 2019

I grew up in Ottawa, with plenty of car camping trips with my family, swimming in Ontario's lakes, hikes around the Canadian Shield, and plenty of time in nature in my childhood. My family would travel to a different city or town every summer (my parents were both photographers), and I always loved researching the next place we would be visiting, and looked forward to a new travel experience each year. I loved "running the show" when we travelled as a family (my mom remembers a trip to Disney World when we were kids; I had printed out laminated itineraries for everyone to maximize our time and avoid lines at the Magic Kingdom)...

I pursued a career as an actor and moved to Toronto when I turned 18, and in my twenties started to travel more and more outside of Canada. Whenever I booked a commercial or a feature film or a voiceover, I would often spend a big chunk of the money I earned on travel, whether it be a trip to Europe or Southeast Asia. In 2019, I was scrolling through Instragram when I saw an ad for Backroads. At first it seemed too good to be true ("I could get paid to travel to these beautiful places?!"), but I applied and ended up getting hired, and it has been truly life-changing. Backroads has allowed me to spend time in some of the most beautiful places on the planet and fulfill many childhood travel dreams. I've led hiking and cycling trips in the Canadian Rockies, gone heli-hiking in the Purcell mountains, explored underground cave rivers in Belize, led multi-adventure family trips (hiking, biking, surfing) in Costa Rica, walked along the D-Day beaches in Normandy, and cycled Tour de France training rides in the Pyrenees.

More than the places I've been, though, it's been the incredible community of field staff I've met over the years that keeps me coming back. On my very first trip in my first year, I led with two other leaders who were quite new to Backroads, and even though it was a chaotic trip (we got caught in an absolute downpour with a bunch of 10-year-olds on the side of a mountain, for example), we became very close over that week together. Six years later, I consider both of them to be among my best friends, and we have shared many laughs and adventures together. Joining the community of field staff has definitely been the highlight of my Backroads career for me, and I'm constantly inspired by the people who join us every year.

Raphael Rivest

Leader since 2021

I grew up in a small town in Northern Quebec, in a place where not a lot ever happened. For most of my life, I wanted to work in the movie industry – until I studied in Australia, traveled through Asia and Europe, and realized that there was a lot more to the world than I thought. When I returned home from nearly 2 years spent abroad, I knew working in the media industry wasn’t for me, but I didn’t really know what else I could do that would make me feel useful, happy, and fulfilled.

Then one day, I saw an ad on Facebook. “Get paid to travel the world!”, or something like that. I thought it was a scam. But I must have looked at it a few too many seconds because it kept coming back! Then I researched Backroads online – and applied. I couldn’t believe such a job actually existed! I was so convinced that this was the right move for me, that I quit my job the day after the hiring event. After a year-long wait due to Covid, I finally trained in July of 2021. Since then, I worked as a leader, a training mentor, a photographer and a trip expert in France, Argentina, Ecuador, Norway, Spain, Japan, Costa Rica, and more.

One of the first things I noticed and loved when I started the job was the immediate impact my work could have on others. It’s a feeling I never had working elsewhere. Working for Backroads is not easy. But being able to positively impact people’s experiences on a daily basis is so rewarding. From our guests to our vendors, and from my co-leaders to the new mentees I helped train, I’ve met countless incredible individuals in the last few years. Our job is to take guests on vacation – often, that means being with people in what turns out to be the best week of their whole year. I can’t really think of a more fun and rewarding thing to do for a living!

Jami-Lynn Hastings

I grew up in Medicine Hat, Alberta, a small city on the prairies of southern Alberta. I was always a curious kid, and can remember my mom telling me that my favorite thing to ask was, “why?” I think it was this curiosity that led me to want to discover the “why’s” of this big world we live in.

It wasn’t until college, when studying Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership, that I truly discovered my passion and sense of adventure for the outdoors. After graduating with a Bachelor of Applied Science, I worked for a summer camp, leading hikes in the Rocky Mountains, guiding whitewater rafts, and teaching kids to rock climb outside. Sharing my passion for the outdoors and helping others develop a sense of curiosity and “why” was something truly special.

I learned about Backroads through a friend of mine who worked as a Leader, who reached out to me and suggested I apply. At that time, I was volunteering in Guatemala, guiding hikes with a non-profit organization. After serendipitously guiding a Backroads leader on a 6-day trek, I knew that was the sign that I should apply and go for it!

Fast forward to 9 years later and today. I have led with Backroads all over the world: Canadian Rockies, Guld Islands, Newfoundland, Croatia & Montenegro, Finland & Sweden, Ireland, Greece, Belize & Guatemala. I was an Operations Expert in the Canadian Rockies, am currently a Trip Expert for our Canadian Rockies Hiking trip, and also work with the Hiring & Training team to mentor and train new leaders.

Being a Backroads leader has taught me many things. This job allows me the opportunity to teach people new things, which inspired me recently to go back to school and earn my Bachelor of Education!

My true favorite part of trip leading is, and always will be, the connections and communities that we form when exploring something new outdoors together. Often, when I am leading a group and we are about to see an outstanding view, I look back at their faces as their expressions fill with awe and wonder. To me, Backroads is all about connections and that’s why I love leading trips. Through these connections we create stories and memories that will last a lifetime. Creating experiences for people is the best feeling and being a part of our guests’ stories is an honor.

Vincent Soyer

French, Leader since 2004, Argentina & Patagonia Trip Specialist

After receiving a B.A in Economic Sciences, I studied international commerce in Montpellier, France, and graduated in 1988. My first job was to sell software all over Europe for a company based in London. But I was dreaming of discovering the world...

So, I took a job abroad working for Club Med, and then for other companies throughout Europe. These summer jobs gave me the opportunity to save some money during the season and finally discover the world during the time off. I've traveled from Pakistan to Cambodia, through Tibet, China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and trekked in Nepal, Ladakh and Zanskar. Then, I went on to discover Latin America and finally lived the last years of the 90's in Argentina where I was a teacher at the French Alliance of Cordoba, teaching managers working in multinational firms.

Upon returning to Europe, I've lived in Spain since 2000. Looking for a change from the mass tourism industry, I started working as a biking and mountain guide. I was looking to lead for an active company with a reduced number of guests on trips in order to get more individual connections. I was hired by Backroads and have enjoyed the chance to be part of an unbelievably organized team, where each and every individual is a source of help, knowledge, happiness and kindliness.
 

Petra Skerlj

Slovenian, Leader since 2013

I have always had a passion for travelling and I realized at a young age that nothing else would make me experience life more intensely. I grew up in Slovenia, when the country was still part of old Yugoslavia when traveling abroad was not easy. But growing up in a small and diverse country, surrounded by nature, mountains, sea and active parents, gave me the opportunity to stay outdoors all the time. My earliest memories from childhood are camping holidays through the Dalmatian Coast with my family where we have spent endless summers swimming, fishing and smelling the pine trees.

I studied Marketing Communication and worked as a tour guide during my studies so I could afford to travel in my time off. I organized, promoted and led trips all over Europe and spent most of my summers in sunny Greece and then traveled in winters. My desire to travel while learning led me to study abroad in the Netherlands and the UK to finish my Master's degree in Public Relations. Later, I worked in marketing and PR and missed traveling so much that I would sometimes take days off and lead trips around Europe. Soon I realized that sitting in an office was not for me and that traveling and working in tourism could become my way of life.

For me, working as a Trip Leader with Backroads means sharing knowledge, passion for travel and creating unforgettable moments with the amazing people that come our way: both guests and co-workers. I will say that it's hard work but that's part of what makes it such a rewarding job. It gives me the opportunity to grow as a person and the freedom to do the things I truly enjoy.

Dino Vucic

Croatian, Leader since 2019

I grew up in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, but at 19, I packed up and moved to Split on the Dalmatian Coast. Though I didn't know a soul when I first arrived, it wasn’t long before I found my people in an expat community, a group of friends from all corners of the world. Together, we started exploring Croatia’s mountains and coastlines, turning our weekends into epic hiking adventures. It was the start of a life full of outdoor pursuits that I never could have imagined.

I’ve always had a love for organizing people, bringing friends together, and making adventures happen. This passion for creating memorable experiences only grew stronger when I moved to Split. I spent years managing apartments, hosting guests, and making sure everyone had an unforgettable time in my city. The joy of working with people—helping them discover new places and create lasting memories was something I immediately connected with, and it’s what eventually led me to become a Trip Leader.

In 2018, along with two of my best friends, I applied for the Trip Leader position at Backroads, thanks to a recommendation from a close friend who had worked as a Trip Prep Specialist. Since then, I’ve been leading trips primarily in Croatia, but have also led a few trips in beautiful Portugal.

During my Backroads career, I've had a few different jobs. I’ve been a proud Trip Expert of Croatia Walking and Hiking trip since 2021 where I get to brainstorm and create memorable itineraries for our guests. One of my biggest passions now is mentoring other leaders as they grow in their Backroads careers. I’m part of the Hiring and Training team, and I love spending my winters chatting with people interested in joining our team from all over the world.

Meeting the incredible people, both co-leaders and our lovely guests is my highlight of what we do! Through Backroads, I’ve made friends all over the world, and wherever I go, I always feel connected. Additionally, knowing you played a part in creating lasting memories for our guests makes me proud of what I do, and it’s what keeps me excited about every new adventure ahead.