Meet a Few of Our Trip Prep Specialists
We'd like to introduce you to a few of our current TPSs. Read on to hear about their experience as a Backroads TPS
Elana Fisher
TPS since 2023
After college, I was looking for a dream career that would check all my boxes: the outdoors, teamwork, traveling, growth, and hands-on work. Backroads had it all. A built-in community of like-minded colleagues from all over the world that have the same drive, passion, and work ethic and who live by the mantra: work hard, play hard.
Over four years, Backroads has brought me all over the world from Japan to Vermont to Hawaii and so many other incredible places. I have cherished the journey of becoming a local in each one of these regions and that is one of the best parts about being a TPS. I have the advantage of traveling for work while having the stability of a routine and the fulfillment of helping others live out their dream vacations in bucket list destinations.
The seasonality, the training, Staff Ride, career growth, and the constant opportunities to learn new things have also kept me excited about coming back season after season. The TPS role is an amazing starting point for growth opportunities. In my career, I have had the privilege of holding a role as an Operations Expert in Japan and the Canyons as well as a Hiring & Training Mentor. However, the most appealing part of the role isn’t the constant adventure; it’s having coworkers that turn into lifelong friends.
Some of my favorite memories have been at Staff Ride in India, Croatia, and Thailand! The chance to see all of your friends from all over the world coming together to ride and celebrate is incredibly rewarding at the end of a long season of hard work. I’ll cherish all of the family dinners, hikes, swims, bonfires, hibachi nights, porch hangs, and game nights forever. But my all-time favorite memory is Cowboy Prom in Jackson Hole, Wyoming which was filled with line dancing, promposals, and a raffle. You work hard and you play hard, and that is why I keep coming back to Backroads as a TPS. For me, this role has been filled with so many once in a lifetime experiences. It is a real life, dream job!
Francesca Baldanza
TPS since 2018
Where did you grow up? What are some of the life experiences that led you to Backroads and shaped your worldview?
I grew up in Sicily and got hooked on mountain biking pretty early on. My journey as an athlete ran parallel to my desire to travel and see the world. I wanted to do something meaningful for people while feeling connected to nature every single day. While I was struggling with my career as a filmmaker, a friend introduced me to Backroads, and a new chapter began as TPS in 2018. I’ve traveled across Italy, Europe, and South America.
How did you learn about Backroads and what did you like about the TPS role? When did you start working for Backroads and where have you been a TPS? Do you/have you held any elevated roles (and where)?
My inclination for mechanical skills led me to become a crew chief during bike overhauls in the winter and work as a mechanic in the field during the summer. My responsibilities grew along with my enthusiasm, working in operations, handling the behind-the-scenes with more elevated roles; feels a lot like backstage filmmaking—preparing every detail for people, nurturing teamwork and leadership comes naturally to me.
What is your favorite part of being a TPS? Is there one trip or moment you remember from your time in the Field that has been particularly special?
There have been so many special moments—hiking the peaks of Patagonia, riding through the mountains of the Dolomites, or cycling the rolling hills of Tuscany with coworkers who became friends, and finding in them the kind of people I’d always dreamed of meeting.
Zoltán Zillmann
TPS since 2018
Before joining BR, I had been working in more traditional office jobs, but I eventually realized I was looking for something different—something more exciting, active, outdoors, and meaningful. I wanted a role that would get me out from behind a desk, allow me to experience new places, and give me the opportunity to work alongside great people. That search eventually led me to BR and the TPS role.
I keep coming back each season because this combination of people, variety, and adventure. One of my favorite parts of the job is getting to meet, work, live, and spend time with such an amazing and diverse group of people. There is a strong sense of community in field staff, and the people you meet along the way become a huge part of the experience.
I also love that no two days—or even weeks—look quite the same. The role brings together a surprisingly diverse range of tasks and skills. One day I might be fixing bikes, another I could be driving, traveling, organizing an event, working on a computer, or helping with something completely unexpected. That variety keeps the job interesting and gives me the chance to constantly learn and try new things. All this in various corners of the world!
For me, BR has been a great combination of work, travel, the outdoors, and community. It’s a job that feels much more like an experience than a typical office position, and that’s ultimately what drew me here in the first place—and what keeps bringing me back.
Rebecca Risedorph
TPS since 2025
Two days after I finished my TPS training, I found myself sprinting up the stairs of a very rural French train station with one of my new colleagues (and friends), our duffel bags and overweight suitcases dragging behind us. We just barely made it onto our next train and I remember thinking that this is the beginning of many moments that make my heart race. As our Backroads vans say, live your adventure! A few weeks later, I was driving one of our vans out of our staff house in Catalunya, and a man biking by on the street shouted, “What an adventure”. He didn’t know just how right he was. Working for Backroads means deciding to pack your bags, board many planes and trains all over the world, and live your adventure. Travel opens the door for these moments where you feel fully alive.
I find my work to be fulfilling and challenging in all the best ways as I prep for trips, hoping that everything will go as planned and create special memories for our guests. There is such variety in the kinds of work that we get to do. One day you’re covered in bike grease, then you’re workshopping personal charcuterie board cups for guests to carry on a boat off the coast of Maine (hard to make those look pretty, trust me). The problem solving and forward thinking in the TPS role allow me to envision what would make the trip even more meaningful, and the cherry on top is working with kind and creative people who inspire me and become close friends outside of our workdays. I have gained many connections and adventures during my time here, and I look forward to many more!
Ludovico Bargeri
TPS Since 2022
I’ve always been curious about the world and the people moving through it. Studying philosophy gave me plenty of reasons to ask questions, but eventually I found myself more interested in experiencing life than analyzing it from a classroom. Travel, new landscapes, unfamiliar roads, and time spent outdoors became the best way to keep learning. Somewhere along the way, that curiosity led me to Backroads, which turned out to be a pretty good place for someone who enjoys movement, adventure, and the occasional change of plans.
One of the biggest reasons I keep coming back season after season is the freedom the job offers. I've never been particularly interested in measuring life in office hours. I prefer days with a little more unpredictability, where hard work and personal passions can coexist. Some mornings start with a surfboard under my arm and a sunrise session before work, the ocean still quiet and half the world asleep. Then it's time to get on with the day. I appreciate that the role leaves room for that balance. It allows me to work hard, stay connected to the outdoors, and still have space to enjoy the places I live in rather than simply pass through them.
But more than anything, it's the people that keep me coming back. Some of my favorite Backroads memories involve nothing particularly extraordinary: just legendary barbecues with friends after long days, good food appearing from nowhere, stories getting slightly better with every retelling, and everyone slowly unwinding as the sun disappeared. Those evenings always felt like a reminder that a good day isn't measured only by what you get done, but by who you're sharing it with. For me, that's what Backroads is all about: great people, a bit of adventure, and just enough freedom to catch a few waves before getting back to it.
Heidi Pentney
TPS Since 2019
Backroads is the job I wish I had found sooner. Before joining Backroads as a TPS, I spent years working in events and festivals, and I’ve always loved bringing people together through shared experiences. I enjoy the planning, coordination and problem-solving that happen behind the scenes. The TPS role brings all of those things together. It lets me use the skills I’ve built throughout my career while meeting new people, discovering new places and being part of a great community.
Working in the field is great for people who like to be on the move, enjoy the outdoors and like some variety. In my relatively short time with Backroads, I’ve had the opportunity to work with teams in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Czech, Poland, Thailand and the Baltics, and no two season have felt the same. The work can be exciting, tiring and unpredictable; but the constant is always the people. Some of my favorite memories occur between the work: bike rides to the beach, family-style dinners, yoga sessions, hikes and impromptu dance parties.
The travel and adventure may be what draws you to Backroads, but it’s the community that keeps me coming back.
Jack Canter
TPS since 2021
Before joining Backroads, I had spent years working in various roles in the cycling industry, but I was always searching for a way to combine more of my passions: cycling, the outdoors, travel, and language and cultural exchange. I was feeling a little stuck in my career and an itch to travel, and a tip from a former Backroads employee came at just the right time. What I found was an opportunity to turn all those interests into a career. These days, my passport is filling up faster than ever!
What I love most about being a TPS is that no two days—or seasons—look quite the same. The work is incredibly dynamic, and where I am and what I'm doing can change from one day, week, or month to the next. I thrive on staying busy, thinking on my feet, and tackling whatever the day brings. Just as rewarding is knowing that the work I do behind the scenes has a real impact, helping my teammates do their jobs more easily and enjoyably.
One of my favorite memories is hiking Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica's tallest mountain, with my coworkers. The hike took a couple of days, as well as planning and transit time, and some seriously tough hiking to reach the summit. But the flexibility of our schedules and the opportunities to travel made an adventure like that possible. And that's just one adventure of many! Seeing the sunrise at Tikal in Guatemala, sea kayaking in Croatia, walking the quiet streets of Japan, driving the United States coast to coast, the list goes on and on. For me, that's what makes Backroads so special: meaningful work, incredible places, and the great people you get to share with every day.
Júlia Domingo Anglès
TPS since 2024
My desire to travel, meet new people, lead an active lifestyle, and, above all, stay connected to the world of cycling were some of the reasons that led me to start this adventure with Backroads. From the beginning, I was drawn to the opportunity to combine all these passions with the chance to be part of an international team and have experiences in different parts of the world.
For me, being a TPS means helping make the experience as positive as possible for both our guests and my coleaders. I like paying attention to the small details, anticipating what might be needed, and making sure everything is ready so the trip can run as smoothly as possible. I also enjoy finding simple solutions when something comes up and helping the leaders and the rest of the team wherever I can. At the end of the day, knowing that my role can make things a little easier for the team and help our guests have a great experience is one of the things I enjoy most about my job.
It is always exciting to start a new season with Backroads: arriving in a new place, discovering a different region, reconnecting with coworkers from previous seasons, and having the opportunity to meet new ones. Every region has something special to offer, and every season surprises me in a different way, leaving me with experiences and memories that I will always carry with me. It would be very difficult to choose just one favorite memory, as every season has given me special moments. However, one that holds a special place in my memory was during a winter season in Bariloche (Argentina), a few friends and I went bikepacking and had the opportunity to explore the Seven Lakes region. We rode through spectacular landscapes, shared incredible moments, and experienced the region in a very special way. It is precisely these kinds of experiences, and the people you share them with, that make me continue to enjoy this adventure so much.
Aaron Finkelstein
TPS Since 2025
Growing up in Oakland, California, I was always just a stone's throw away from the Backroads office - I even had a nanny who has gone on to become a Backroads leader. Starting at fourteen, I began cooking in fine dining restaurants, and I loved it. However, as my time in University was nearing an end, I was tired of the long hours and wanted a job that would let me spend more time outside. I had also just become an EU citizen. Looking for the chance to travel while staying in the hospitality industry, I applied to work for Backroads.
The TPS role checked those boxes and surprised me with many more great opportunities. When I explain my job to friends and family, I tell people I am the line cook equivalent for Backroads. Many of the reasons I loved being a cook are also why I enjoy the TPS role. I love diagnosing a problem on a bike and working with my peers to find the solution. It reminds me of workshopping a dish in the kitchen. Every prep day has unexpected hurdles. Overcoming those obstacles to complete a prep and better support trip leaders is really fun.
The best part of the TPS role, however, is the opportunity to work with amazing people. Like so many who love to travel, I am always searching for the “authentic experience.” I crave the moments when I meet someone, and then all of a sudden I am on a new adventure while simultaneously making new friends. This happens constantly in Backroads. In every region, there are like-minded people who also love long bike rides and sharing big family-style dinners. I return to the TPS role year after year because it allows me to continually experience the thrill of exploring new places alongside others.
