The worlds of adventure cycling and professional road racing rarely overlap. But once in a while, these vastly different disciplines can meet. They did recently when the riders of The Odyssey found themselves riding on the route of the Giro d’Italia Women race, mere minutes before the arrival of the peloton.
It seems that searching the globe for the best cycling roads can lead us both to the same places!
These two worlds will meet again soon. When we heard that the UCI Road Cycling World Championships for 2026 would be held in Montréal, it seemed that TDA Global Cycling should be there.
Despite the differences between cycle touring and road racing, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to be in attendance at one of the world’s largest cycling events, here in our own country. And so, when the World Championships arrives in Montréal from September 20th to 27th, you will find a TDA Global Cycling booth in the Fan’s Village at Parc Jeanne-Mance. If you are in town for the races, please stop by to visit us. You can also attend our film screening night on September 24th.
Maybe Tadej Pogačar will get some ideas for how to spend his time once he one day retires from racing.
When: September 24, 2026 @ 6pm
Where: Cycles Régis, 1150 Avenue Van Horne, Montréal, QC H2V 1K2
Register for your free ticket here (spaces are limited)
What: ‘Because it’s There – A story of a group of strangers crossing South America by bicycle’ – a 40 minute documentary.
Please join us on September 24th for the first Montreal screening of ‘Because it’s There – A story of a group of strangers crossing South America by bicycle.‘ This visually rich and thought provoking documentary follows the 2024 South American Epic – a 6-month cycling expedition stretching from Colombia to Patagonia run by our team here at TDA Global Cycling. What compels a group of strangers to cross an entire continent by bicycle? This film tries to answer that question.
Led by unflappable tour leader, Carolina, and her resourceful crew, the cyclists pedal across vast salt flats, mountain passes, wind-blasted deserts, and remote river valleys. Along the way, they confront mechanical failures, political protests, wild weather and personal doubts — but they also experience a shared joy that can’t be measured in distance travelled.
Through candid interviews, moments of adversity and scenes of breathtaking beauty, the film captures more than just a journey — it reveals the formation of a tight-knit community. This is not just a film about cycling. It’s about choosing discomfort, embracing challenge and discovering meaning in movement — together.
Pictured above – Steve (left) celebrating in Patagonia and Tom (right) fixing a flat in Chile
At the end of the screening, we will answer all your questions about this cycling adventure across South America as well as any of our other tours and expeditions.
Register for your free ticket here (spaces are limited)
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Over the past 20 odd years TDA Global Cycling has earned its spurs by cycling across countries and continents. Cycling the entire route has always been a primary element of our tours, but from the very first Tour d’Afrique in 2003, which included a ferry transfer across Lake Nasser between Egypt and Sudan, TDA Global Cycling has found interesting ways to transfer our cyclists by means other than bicycle when necessary.
>>Related Post: Paradise Lost – The Good Ship S.S. Sagalnaam
Most often a transfer by boat, train, bus or plane is incorporated into the tour route long in advance, as part of the original planning of the tour. This can be done to avoid areas with political unrest or closed borders, to avoid dangerous traffic, or simply to cross an area where roads or bicycle paths do not exist.
Colombia boat transfer on the 2024 South American Epic (San Marcos to Ayapel)
It also is done at times to add to the overall enjoyment and experience of the tour, such as the boat journey along the Bosporus into Istanbul at the end of the Istanbul Express, an overnight ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway in Mongolia during the Silk Route, or an amazing journey by small watercraft through Colombian wetlands on the South American Epic.
Some transfers we’ve organized over the years were not planned pre-tour, but created out of necessity along the route, to avoid potentially unsafe situations. These transfers can be temporary additions to tours, due to reasons such as sudden protests, political unrest, weather events related to climate change, and other causes. In all cases, we make these decisions based on rider safety and enjoyment.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for, and history of transfers on TDA tours.
Geopolitical
Some are temporary and unexpected. For example, in August 2008, the Silk Route (which at that time ran west to east, Istanbul to Beijing) was just about to cross the border from Turkey into Georgia when Russian forces invaded that country. Instead, the riders retreated to the Turkish town of Kars and were bused to Ankara. From there, they flew to Baku, Azerbaijan where the tour restarted.
Earlier that same year, election violence in Kenya meant that the riders on the Tour d’Afrique had to skip the entire country. The riders cycled all the way to the Ethiopia/Kenya border and then the group bussed back to Addis Ababa to fly to Tanzania while the support vehicles drove through Kenya. After a 2 week break, the group met up in Arusha and the tour restarted from there.
>>Related Post: The Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition: The Next 10 Years
On the Silk Route in 2012, an unexpected clash between the government and local militant groups in Khorog, Tajikistan meant that some of the the riders had to be transferred by Tajik army helicopter to the country’s capital, Dushanbe in order to restart the tour while others arrived in vehicles arranged by the Aga Khan organization.
Some are hard to predict like the December 2025 border closure between Cambodia & Thailand, which remains to this day. As a result our 2026 Bamboo Road cyclists will fly from Siem Reap to Bangkok. On the positive side, this closure allowed us to create an exciting new route from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap that includes both a bus and boat transfer!
>>Related Post: The Bamboo Road: Cambodia Update
The continuing horrific situation in Sudan and the ongoing civil unrest in Ethiopia has meant that for the past few years, and likely long into the future, the Tour d’Afrique includes a flight transfer from Aswan, Egypt to Nairobi, Kenya to avoid those conflicts.
Environmental
Unexpected rain in Namibia on the 2026 Tour d’Afrique
We have had to occasionally transfer groups before due to extreme rainfall and flooding, such as a camp on the South American Epic in Argentina in the foothills of the Andes, but have generally avoided any longer transfers due to climactic events. However, climate change is accelerating. Extreme summer heat in Europe. Typhoons in Asia. Drought and forest fires in North America. In response, we need to be prepared, flexible and quick to adjust.
Developmental
The Great Eastern Road in 2006
As countries around the world, especially those of whom in the past have had poor road infrastructure, see an increase in their wealth, the first thing that happens is more cars and trucks appear on the road. In 2006, when I cycled the Tour d’Afrique, the Great Eastern Road through Zambia was, to me, a wonderful ride. There were virtually no vehicles on the road at anytime and the cycling was divine. Fast forward 20 years and we now have rerouted the riders into Zimbabwe to avoid the traffic. This change meant taking a ferry across Lake Kariba which, happily, turned out to be a favourite memory for many cyclists on the tour!
>>Related Post: Suspended In Time: A Ferry Ride On Lake Kariba
It is not just in Africa, this situation is occurring everywhere and requires us to seek out even more remote and quiet roads for riders to pedal on.
Enhancement
Leaving a ferry on the 2025 Island Hopping Japan tour
Some transfers, such as mentioned in the introductory paragraphs here, are not done out of necessity, or unsafe situations, but are done purely to enhance the overall tour experience. Long and arduous bicycle tours at times can benefit from a day or two of a different mode of transport, whether that be Island Hopping by ferry in Japan, a mountain train journey in Sri Lanka, or a bus / game drive across Kruger National Park in South Africa. Though this isn’t something we choose to do lightly, a group transfer can allow TDA to maximize the experience on tour.
It is a credit to our staff, past and present, both in the field and back in the office, that we have been able to successfully deal with a wide variety of these situations, especially the unexpected ones and still create incredibly unique and memorable travel experiences that only TDA Global Cycling knows how to pull off.
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The cyclists who rode the 2026 Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition from Cairo to Cape Town have had a few months to digest their time in Africa and reflect on their experiences . Let’s see what they had to say!
“The Tour d’Afrique was one of the most rewarding and unforgettable experiences of my life. There were beautiful landscapes, amazing people and so many moments that will stay with me forever. I loved the adventure of it all, the simplicity of life on the road, the camaraderie, wildlife, and seeing Africa change country-by-country on two wheels. I genuinely wish I could go back and live the whole experience again!” – Nicky Fox (UK)
“An amazing journey through places I would never experience otherwise. When you choose this trip you choose hard, but you also choose fun, fulfillment and a shared experience with staff and rider group who exponentially add to the experience. When you pack for this trip, leave your ego at the door, and bring your determination, kindness and good humour. You’ll want them all.” – Paul Kelley (USA)
“Oh boy, it’s so hard to describe what we have experienced. Can say this: I will never forget it and we made very special friendships. It’s both a physical and mental challenge and it will give you moments of reflection and a rollercoaster of emotions all day every day. You will have good days and there will be bad days but that’s the beauty of it.” – Loes Zijlmans (Netherlands)
“It was everything I had hoped it would be. It was really tough for me, and I was frequently at the edge of my capabilities. But the impeccable organization, the friendliness and support of the leaders and crew and the incredible camaraderie of the riders helped carry me through it. And because of that I got to see and experience, smell, feel and taste so many wonderful things.” – Tony Free (UK)
“Unbelievable on so many levels. This is not a bike tour, this is a life experience.” – Michael Marek (Austria)
“The tour was so incredibly good that it is hard to grasp, let alone to describe with words. It was far more than merely cycling, it felt like a true expedition. Valuable (self) insights have formed during the tour. A “normal holiday” or work related course would not be able to come nowhere near this experience. Some of the other riders have become friends and we will certainly meet again in the future. Also, the TDA staff we had was great. The downside of this all is that, now the tour is over, I miss every aspect of it, even the head wind and rainy days 🙂” – Gijs Blok (Netherlands)
“The Tour d’Afrique was a life-changing experience–the journey of a lifetime. I enjoyed every minute and every mile: even those in the pouring rain and the slippery mud.” – Eric Hirst (USA)
“Hit the ground running in this circus treadmill that has its own pace. If you can’t keep up, it flips you over and puts you back on again. It’s intense. Nothing is autopilot and there’s overstimulation. And then, you start to realise you’ve adapted. Simple tasks that required a lot of thought before just another simple task to your daily routine. And then, you start to realise you aren’t falling forwards but you’re keeping pace with the circus. And then, you realize you really enjoy the circus treadmill and you can have more fun and flare with your days. You don’t want it to end.” – Fiona Sandrock (Australia)
“Every day was a new adventure. Sensory overload in just about every way. This is exactly how I wanted to explore Africa. Yes there were constant challenges, but this is type 2 fun in its truest form.” – Daniel Chemtov (Canada)
“Super challenging and exhilarating tour filled with memories of a lifetime! TDA staff and support were first rate ensuring we had the best conditions to maximize our experience.” – Rob Knowles (Canada)
“The tour met and exceeded my expectations – from the perspective of experiencing a little of the lives of the local inhabitants as seen from a bicycle saddle, the staff skill level and teamwork, the fascinating riders – with varied home countries, languages and experiences, all combined with an amazing landscape with a bio-diversity new to me as a first time visitor to the countries on the route.” – Clyde Scollan (Canada)
“Although challenging at times and not as comfortable as what I’m used to, the experience of biking and participating in the Tour d’Afrique has been very rewarding and life changing. I’ve been home for over a month now and I still long to be back in Africa riding my bike. The other night I woke up longing to be in my tent. I miss the other riders. I miss the staff. I miss everything about this expedition. I am so thrilled and happy that I had the opportunity to participate.” – Quintin Clark (USA)
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Tour d'Afrique
The trans-African crossing from Cairo to Cape Town has long been one of the world’s epic journeys and an iconic goal for global adventurers. Over...
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Summer is well underway, which means many of our riders are currently out on the road. It also means something else we’ve started noticing in the office: more inquiries about 2027, more registrations coming in, and more tours beginning to fill. If you’re still focused on this year’s adventures, that’s understandable. But if your mind has already started wandering toward next season, we thought it would be a good time to share a quick update on what’s currently on the calendar for 2027. Whether you’re looking for a four-week cultural journey or a four-month expedition, here’s what the year ahead looks like.
Road to Shangri-La
This tour has been sitting on the shelf for far too long, and we can’t wait that it’s finally here. First scouted during a carefree 2019, and rescouted in 2025, Road to Shangri-La has at last found its place on the calendar. Starting in Saigon and finishing in Shangri-La, this route takes riders through Vietnam and deep into China’s Yunnan Province, combining vibrant cultures, spectacular landscapes, and a gradual climb toward the foothills of the Himalayas. For those of you who like room to yourself, single occupancy is currently available for this tour.
2027 Tour Status: Registration open
Hippie Trail
Running alongside Road to Shangri-La, the Hippie Trail returns to India for another journey from Agra to Goa. Expect iconic landmarks, colourful markets, rural villages, incredible food, and the kind of sensory experience that makes India unlike anywhere else in the world. Like Road to Shangri-La, this tour offers a single supplement for those who prefer a room to themselves.
2027 Tour Status: Registration open
Tour d’Afrique
Our flagship expedition needs little introduction. Beginning beneath the pyramids of Cairo and finishing in Cape Town, the Tour d’Afrique remains one of the world’s great cycling adventures, crossing a continent and creating friendships and memories that last long after the final finish line.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open, Limited Space Available
Road of Empires
After the successful inaugural RoE last year the tour linking Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, and Italy returns hopefully for another great version. The Road of Empires explores centuries of history shaped by some of the Mediterranean’s greatest civilizations. It’s a journey through cultures, landscapes, and cuisines that have influenced the world far beyond their borders.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open
Olive Route
The first running of Olive Route sold out. From Athens to Lisbon, the Olive Route follows the heart of the Mediterranean. Riders experience ancient history, coastal roads, mountain villages, and some of Europe’s most celebrated food and wine regions along the way.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open
Journey to the East
South Korea and Japan continue to be among our most popular cycling destinations. Journey to the East combines both countries into a single adventure, offering outstanding riding, fascinating culture, and a remarkable balance between modern cities and traditional landscapes.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open
Silk Route
Following one of history’s most famous trade corridors, the Silk Route stretches from Beijing to Istanbul. Crossing multiple countries, cultures, and climates, this expedition offers riders the chance to experience Asia on a truly continental scale.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open, Limited Space Available
Africa: Ocean to Ocean
There is no other continent like Africa. As a result we decided to create another amazing route. Africa: Ocean to Ocean connects the Atlantic and Indian Oceans through Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Eswatini, and Mozambique. It’s a route defined by vast landscapes, wildlife, and the unique experience of travelling across Southern Africa by bicycle.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open
Amber Route
The Amber Route follows the ancient trade paths that once connected the Baltic and Adriatic Seas. Beginning in Tallinn and finishing in Venice, riders travel through nine countries, discovering medieval cities, castles, and some of Europe’s lesser-known cycling destinations.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open, Limited Space Available
Plum Ride
If you thought that Plum Tour is only about plums think again. The word plum also means something desirable. And the tour is exactly that. Travelling from Poland to Greece, the route explores Central and Southeastern Europe, including Serbia and North Macedonia, offering riders a chance to discover regions that remain largely overlooked by mainstream tourism. Single occupancy is currently available for this tour.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open
Island Hopping Japan
Similar to Road of Empires and Olive Route the maiden tour of Island Hopping tour was a great success. For those looking for a different side of Japan, Island Hopping tour explores lesser-visited islands and coastal regions on the journey south toward Okinawa. It combines excellent riding with unique cultural experiences and spectacular ocean scenery.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open
Path of the Jaguar
Closing out the year is one of our newest adventures. Path of the Jaguar takes riders from Costa Rica through Central America and into Mexico, combining tropical landscapes, volcanoes, colonial cities, and rich cultural traditions into a truly unforgettable journey.
2027 Tour Status: Registration Open, Limited Space Available
Looking Ahead
The world has a way of reminding us that very little is certain. Plans change, headlines shift, and tomorrow rarely looks exactly the way we imagined it would. Maybe that’s all the more reason to start thinking about where you’d like to ride next. Whether it’s crossing Africa, cycling the Silk Route, exploring Japan, or finally visiting that one destination you’ve always dreamed about, perhaps 2027 is the year to cross at least one bucket-list adventure off your list. So, why not start thinking about where your bike might take you next year?
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Have you heard of mini-retirements? Until a few days ago I certainly hadn’t. And what are mini-retirements anyway? Is it something like mini golf, a small playful version of real retirement? Or is it a thing that has been around forever, but some creative media decided to rebrand it, give it a new name and make it trendy?
Judith on the 2026 Odyssey
There is a rider on the current Odyssey tour in Europe, who happens to be my sister, who graduated from university with a masters degree in economics and received an excellent position in the Canadian Ministry of Finance. Her future looked bright. Except there was a minor problem – after a few years, she wasn’t happy. She wanted to quit. What she really wanted to do is travel the world.
I suggested that she ask for a leave of absence for a year. She was reluctant, who will give her a leave of absence after only few years of working? She spoke to her colleagues whose reaction was “this will be the end of your career”. She tried anyway. To her surprise the Ministry gave her a leave of absence or call it sabbatical without pay. She spent a year bumming around Asia and came back to work.
A few months later, there was an opening at the office of the Canadian Executive Director at the IMF in Washington DC for an advisor. This was rather a desirable position and a dozen people put their name down including our wanderer. She thought that her chances were slim but it turned out that the Executive Director was looking for someone who had a broad world view, and given her recent travels, she was selected. She never looked back…
On the first Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition we had the pleasure of having a senior detective with Manchester police riding with us. When he heard about a bicycle expedition tour across Africa from Cairo to Cape Town, he went to his boss and said: ‘I am burned out. There are two options, I quit or you give me a year of absence’. The captain knew what to do. There are other similar stories that participants from our expedition tours tell.
A leave of absence can lead to unexpected roads – and unexpected opportunities.
Why am I telling you this? Well according to Reuters story published on 29th of May by Hani Richter ‘Why more young people are taking mini retirements’ the individuals above took mini retirements. Who knew! I guess they were trend setters.
The author writes that “a 2025 HSBC Quality of Life report found that Gen Z and millennials are leading a shift among affluent investors … towards treating retirement not as a single moment at the end of working life, but as a series of planned career breaks.”
As I read that I thought of Alex, an engineer who negotiated with his boss for a four-month leave but also managed to negotiate his salary in such a way that his income was reduced by two months in two calendar years and thus saving on taxes he pays. Creativity is the name of the game.
Whatever it is called, a break from work, a mini-retirement, sabbatical, leave of absence, gap year, a necessary strategic reset to supercharge their careers, I am all for it. I may be biased but if you want to supercharge a career, consider taking one of our company’s epic expeditions or start with something shorter. In a recent blog, – It Takes A Village: The TDA Global Cycling Community – I wrote about one of the riders whose life and career took a completely different direction as a result of a tour. And he is not the only one.
There are other reasons why long breaks are a positive idea. On a web site called MONEY UNDER 30 on a subject of mini retirements Chris Muller writes: “According to a study the Society for Human Resource Management, more companies are offering sabbaticals and extended time away from work than ever before. The study also found that employees who take time away from work for a more extended period come back feeling mentally refreshed, psychologically energized, and overall more productive and happier.
Mueller goes on: Many people realize that waiting until you’re in your mid-60s to start a life of peace and relaxation isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. We don’t know where we’ll be financially or physically at that time.”
A change of scenery often leads to a change in perspective.
He then goes on mentioning Tim Ferris book The Four-Hour Workweek and how important it is to enjoy life now. He continues by giving an example of graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister who is known for a TED talk and how he shuts his studio for a full year every seven years to help him become more creative.”
I can only add that though they may not have written books or given TED talks, over the years participants on our epic tours were artists, designers, businessman, high tech workers, physicians and others who took the time off to cycle the world and in the process recharge, redirect, reassess, reboot.
So, if you are one of the people who are contemplating a mini retirement, or just need a longish break, check our offering of adventures. There is much to choose from.
Adventure, friendship, inspiration – and occasionally much more
By the way, you will recall the senior detective mentioned above. On the tour he met another rider a lovely human rights lawyer. Though a policeman and a progressive minded liberal lawyer are not a common match, I am happy to report that they are now happily married and bringing up two youngsters.
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We all have a back story, a past before we hooked up with Henry Gold’s crazy concept of crossing continents on a bicycle. Part of our Operations Manager, Miles MacDonald’s pre-TDA history includes a touch of competitive cycling.
The Junior (18 and under) Canadian National Cycling team (above) departed Ottawa airport in early September 1993, flying to a Canadian military airbase near Lahr, Germany on a Canadian Defense Force flight. The base, a cold war relic, would be shut, at least for Canadian troops a few years later. For the team, including myself, the base was our first destination in Europe and despite the oddity of seeing vehicles driving around with Canadian license plates, we had arrived.
If you are not a hockey player in Canada, or maybe a figure skater, then your national sports organization has a tight budget. We had gotten onto this flight for I would assume nothing, the drawback being the scheduling was a bit tight. Descending the stairs from the plane down to the tarmac, our bicycles, in cardboard boxes, awaited us. At that point it was a race to open the boxes, put our bicycles together, get changed into cycling gear, and ride towards the start line of our first race, the Pepsi Lite Challenge, a Junior World Cup 6-day stage race in the Black Forest region of Germany.
Miles, the Younger
The first stage of the race was an evening criterium in the center of the town of Lahr. After cycling to the start line, with our team support vehicle following behind, our impatient coach honking the horn most of the way, we waited nervously with anticipation for the start of the race. First though there was the word passing through the local crowd, as well as the riders, that the world cycling championships happening on the same day in Norway, had finished, with a young Lance Armstrong claiming the title.
The sun lowered in the sky, and the organizers positioned cars with headlights turned towards the corners of the course for extra light, the start gun went off and away we went. Criteriums are short and fast, at least short by road race standards, usually not more than an hour long. In America they remain one of the most popular forms of bike racing due to the ease of watching for spectators. In Europe they are enjoyed by the locals as well for this reason, but they are treated more as show than serious cycling, and the epic road races of the continent are what every cyclist dreams of winning. That doesn’t make criteriums any easier though.
Our team was 6 riders and none of us had experience racing in Europe. We had performed well during the year in North America to make the Canadian team, with national champions and World Cup stage race winners in the group. For all that though, everything about being in Europe felt fresh, exciting and foreign. Maybe due to the adrenaline of our recent arrival, all of us were towards the front of the race, with many attacks flying up the road, my teammate Guillaume from Quebec jumped into a breakaway, and when another rider attacked to try and bridge up to the lead group I jumped on his wheel and followed him up to the leaders.
As the local crowd cheered us on, and the sky grew completely dark, with the roads illuminated only by the street lamps and car headlights, our breakaway raced on towards the last lap, and it became apparent we would succeed in staying away from the main peloton. Unfortunately for myself and Guillaume, neither of us could sprint very well, and so as we rounded the last bend and headed for the finish line, I pretty much went backwards and finished 4th, while Guillaume managed 2nd.
All in all, after being on a plane across the Atlantic Ocean only hours earlier and now taking 2 out of the top 4 spots in the first stage of the race, we were feeling pretty good about ourselves. Our coach wasn’t quite as impressed. Meet Yury Kashirin. Russian, Olympic gold medalist as a cyclist with the Soviet Union team time trial squad in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He was also the winner of the U.K.’s prestigious “Milk Race” in 1979 and 1982 and later coached the gold medal winning Soviet team time trial squad in the 1988 Barcelona Olympics, the last Olympics to fly the CCCP flag.
Yury was distinctly underwhelmed, with 2 out of 4 riders in the breakaway we still hadn’t managed to win, and that wasn’t something to celebrate. Regardless, the main goal of our European racing excursion was preparation for the upcoming world championships in Australia, and Yury felt pressure to get results, and to whip us into Soviet style shape for the world stage. So, he did what he would have done with his Soviet era teams, and told us to cycle the 40 km in the dark to our hotel, in the direction of Freiburg. The crisp dark air enveloped us as we cycled, with only the team car’s headlights to illuminate our way.
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Each year, we ask our community to tell us what we’re doing well, where we can improve, and where you want to ride next. This year, 379 newsletter subscribers and 274 past participants took the time to share their thoughts. That’s hundreds of voices impacting the future of TDA Global Cycling.
First – Thank you! We read every comment and we’re also randomly drawing the name of one lucky respondent who will receive a US$250 gift card to their local bike shop as a small thank you for being part of the conversation.
Now, here’s what we learned.
Who You Are
Our community remains wonderfully consistent. More than 80% of both newsletter subscribers and past riders are 56+. Around two-thirds are based in North America, with a growing European contingent as well.
What Your Ideal Tour Looks Like
While our epic multi-month camping expeditions continue to attract many riders, the surveys revealed a common preference for a slightly different style of tour as well.
Across both surveys, a very clear picture emerged.
The dominant preference:
- 4–6 weeks
- Moderate difficulty (“challenging but not brutal”)
- 80–100 km per day
- A mix of camping and hotels
- Mostly paved roads, with some gravel
- Scenic routes with real cultural depth
Of course, this doesn’t capture everyone’s preferences – many riders are looking for hotel only based tours, while others are happiest on long distance expedition routes.
Still, it was interesting to note how often this type of balanced tour appeared in responses.
Where You Want To Go
Yuanyang Rice Terraces on The Road To Shangri-La
Africa remains the most aspirational region, followed closely by South America, the Silk Route, Japan, and parts of Mediterranean Europe.
What stood out most was that destinations themselves remain the biggest driver of interest. Riders consistently told us that the specific countries and landscapes on a route matter more than almost anything else.
As one rider put it: “Location, location, location.”
What’s Holding People Back
TDA staff preparing a delicious lunch on the Viva Italia Tour
For newsletter subscribers who haven’t yet joined us, the biggest barriers are clear:
- Cost
- Time
- Travel logistics, including flying with a bike
- Concerns about fitness or “keeping up”
- Worries about illness or unexpected challenges during a long trip
For past participants, cost appears less dominant, but scheduling, logistics, and life timing still play a role in deciding whether to join another tour.
These are all things we’ll continue working to address through clearer information, preparation resources, and open conversations with riders. A recent blog post has already started exploring some of these topics in more detail.
Loyalty & Momentum
TDA alumni on the Island Hopping Japan Tour
The Participant Survey rated TDA very highly again this year and alumni had many positive things to say about their experiences. Nearly 40% of past riders said they are planning another group cycling tour within the next 12 months, which is encouraging to see.
Among newsletter subscribers:
- 56% say they plan to ride with TDA in the future
- 35% are undecided
- Only 3% say no (which is half less than last year)
To those undecided amongst you, we will continue to try and provide information to address some of the things holding you back.
What You Want to Read – And What You Want to See
Mt Kilimanjaro on the Tour d’Afrique
One thing is very clear: you want to feel what the ride is like.
In the newsletter, rider stories remain the most popular content. Nearly a third of respondents told us that personal accounts from the road are their favourites – the real experiences, the long days, the unexpected moments, and the quiet pride at the finish.
Tour information and itineraries follow closely behind. You want clarity about where the tours go and what the experience actually looks like.
Visual content – photos and short videos – also ranks high, reinforcing something we already know: it’s much easier to imagine yourself somewhere when you can see it.
When we asked what you’d like to see more of, many of you asked for more preparation guidance – training advice, packing tips, gear recommendations, and a clearer sense of what a typical day on tour really feels like. That suggests many readers aren’t just dreaming about these trips – you’re seriously considering them and trying to understand what it would take to join.
On social media, the message was even simpler: show us the ride.
More real footage, daily updates, more terrain, more camps. Less polish, more struggle and challenge. You want to see what it’s really like out there – not just the highlights. And honestly, we love that. Because that’s where the real story is anyway.
About 30% of our newsletter community follows us on social platforms. Among past riders, that number jumps to nearly two-thirds. Facebook remains the strongest platform with participants, while Instagram continues to grow. YouTube trails behind but still has a loyal audience.
Just as interesting: many of you openly said you’re simply not into social media at all. That’s completely fine. We know some of you prefer a long read over a scroll, and we’re not here to drag anyone into algorithms. But if you ever do feel like seeing more from the road – the daily ride clips, the camps, the behind-the-scenes moments – you know exactly where to find us.
What Happens Next
At the finish line. 2025 North American Epic
Now we sit with it.
We read it all again: praise, tough feedback, thoughtful suggestions, one-line jokes and the long, heartfelt paragraphs. Henry will ask a few questions – he always does. The kind that start with “But what does this really mean?” And then we’ll talk, and we’ll make a plan. Not just to adjust a tour here or tweak a newsletter there, but to keep inspiring you. Because this feeling goes both ways. You inspire us – to be better, to think bigger, to create smarter routes, to refine the details, and sometimes, yes, to be a little crazier in what we attempt next. At the end of the day, this is what TDA has always been about: human connection, shared effort, shared stories, and shared roads. And what we have with all of you – we value that immensely.
Thank you for riding with us. In every way that you do.
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Are you thinking about joining a TDA Global Cycling tour but have some questions about the experience? To help you out, we will be holding a live, online, general information session on Wednesday, March 11th at 13:00 EDT.
Moderator: Olha Kurochkina, Office Manager
Panelists:
• Michael Coo, Customer Service Manager
• Shanny Hill, Marketing Manager
• Miles MacDonald, Operations Manager
We’ll use this info session to share our years of experience and hopefully encourage you to join one of our upcoming adventures. Even if you aren’t planning to ride with us in the near future, this event will provide you with the opportunity to learn more about the world of cycle tourism and TDA Global Cycling in particular.
If you couldn’t find the answers you were looking for on our FAQ page or in our TDA Starter Kit, this live, online event is the place to ask us anything – whether it’s about a specific tour, preparation, logistics, or cycle touring in general. You’re also welcome to submit questions beforehand to Olha at [email protected]. We’ll make sure they’re addressed during the session.
DETAILS
When: Wednesday, March 11th, starting at 13:00 (1:00 PM) EDT (Toronto/New York).
What: A brief introduction and overview of upcoming tours, followed by an open Q&A session.
Length: 30–45 minutes.
Who should attend: Anyone interested in joining a TDA tour.
Please click here to register. We will alert you shortly before the session starts and even if you aren’t available for the live event, a recording will be emailed to everyone who registers.
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Recently, one of our Tour Leaders, Sam, posted a reel about the most common concerns he hears from riders. The response was immediate. People wrote back saying, “That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking!”
As a result, we decided to expand on that conversation and reassure you that your dream trip is not as far away as it may feel. These concerns are incredibly common and almost every rider who joins their first big TDA cycling expedition has them in one form or another.
If we were to say just one thing, it would be this – You’re probably closer to joining us than you think. Sometimes the difference between ‘one day’ and ‘this year’ (or ‘maybe in a decade’) may be a few unanswered questions. Not fitness. Not gear. Not even time. Just those ‘what ifs’ that pop up the moment you start taking the idea seriously:
• What if I’m too slow?
• What if I get sick?
• What if the roads feel unsafe?
If you’ve had thoughts like that, you’re in very good company. Almost everyone does before their first big tour. So, let’s treat this like a little virtual therapy session. Imagine you’re in a cozy armchair, take a breath in… and out… and let’s talk through it.
“What if I’m too slow?”
This is the big one. A lot of people imagine a TDA tour is full of cyclists hammering all day, racing into camp, treating the ride like a competition. That’s not the culture. We care much more about determination than raw performance. Yes, it helps to train beforehand. You’ll enjoy yourself more if you arrive with some base fitness but once you’re out there, nobody’s handing out medals for the fastest rider. Some people roll into camp (or the hotel) early. Others take their time, stop for photos, enjoy the surroundings, and soak up the experience. Both are having exactly the trip they came for.
“What if I get sick?”
It’s a fair question. You’re travelling for weeks or months, your body is working hard, and you’re in unfamiliar places. Things happen. That’s why our tours are built with support, not just logistics. Every Expedition and Adventure tour includes a medic as part of the staff. If you need to rest, you can always ride in the support vehicle until you’re ready to get back on the bike. No one is expected to suffer through something alone just to ‘stay tough.’ Taking care of yourself – and doing it proactively – is part of doing this well.
“Will I get hit by a car?”
Let’s be honest: cycling on any road comes with risk. Pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone but there are also things we can control. We choose routes carefully. We scout them in advance and aim for the safest roads available. We talk a lot about visibility and awareness: flashing rear lights, bright clothing, riding predictably. And we’re realistic about the fact that in many countries, cyclists don’t automatically have priority. Sometimes the safest choice is simply to give space, slow down, and let traffic pass. And if a stretch of road ever feels overwhelming, you always have the option of riding in the support vehicle and skipping that segment.
>>Related Post: Thinking About Joining A TDA Tour But Not Quite Ready Yet?
There are also a few fears people don’t always say out loud. Some worries come up quietly, usually in emails or private conversations.
“What if I get lost?”
You won’t be navigating alone. There’s structure, daily briefings, staff support, and a group moving through each day together. We also use proven tools like Ride with GPS, and our sweep rider stays at the back of the group to make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. Our staff are always in communication, keeping track of where riders are throughout the day.
“What if I don’t fit in?”
Most riders show up not knowing anyone. It doesn’t stay that way for long. Shared effort builds community fast, and we’re proud of how many friendships begin on tour and last long after the ride ends. That said, every participant plays a role in making the group dynamic work – being respectful, supportive, and a good travel companion is part of expedition life.
>>Related Post: How To Be A Fantastic Roommate On A Cycling Tour
“What if I can’t do it?”
Almost everyone has that moment early on. And almost everyone ends up surprising themselves. That’s part of why people come. You don’t always know what you’re capable of until you’re out there doing it – and by the end of the tour, you may look back amazed at how far you’ve come.
The point isn’t to be fearless. The point is simply not to let fear make the decision for you. These concerns are normal. They’re common. And they’re exactly why TDA tours are designed the way they are: experienced staff, comprehensive preparation bulletins, pre-tour info sessions, vehicle backup, and decades of learning how to do this safely and well.
Your dream trip isn’t reserved for the toughest or the fastest riders. Sometimes it’s just waiting on the other side of a few honest questions and we’re always happy to talk them through with you.
If you have questions or concerns about joining one of our exciting tours, reach out anytime – we love helping riders take the first step.
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When: January 22, 2026 @ 7pm
Where: Blacksmith Cycle, 1A Givins Street, Toronto, ON M6J 2X5
Register for your free ticket here (spaces are limited)
What: ‘Because it’s There – A story of a group of strangers crossing South America by bicycle’ – a 40 minute documentary followed by a Q&A with two of the 2024 cyclists featured in the film, American Steve Johnson and Canadian Tom Perlmutter.
Please join us on January 22nd for the first Toronto screening of ‘Because it’s There – A story of a group of strangers crossing South America by bicycle.‘ This visually rich and thought provoking documentary follows the 2024 South American Epic – a 6-month cycling expedition stretching from Colombia to Patagonia run by our team here at TDA Global Cycling. What compels a group of strangers to cross an entire continent by bicycle? This film tries to answer that question.
Led by unflappable tour leader, Carolina, and her resourceful crew, the cyclists pedal across vast salt flats, mountain passes, wind-blasted deserts, and remote river valleys. Along the way, they confront mechanical failures, political protests, wild weather and personal doubts — but they also experience a shared joy that can’t be measured in distance travelled.
Through candid interviews, moments of adversity and scenes of breathtaking beauty, the film captures more than just a journey — it reveals the formation of a tight-knit community. This is not just a film about cycling. It’s about choosing discomfort, embracing challenge and discovering meaning in movement — together.
Pictured above – Steve (left) celebrating in Patagonia and Tom (right) fixing a flat in Chile
At the end of the screening, we are fortunate to have two of the characters from the film – Tom Perlmutter, and Steve Johnson – in attendance to answer your questions about their cycling adventure across South America.
Register for your free ticket here (spaces are limited)
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It is likely that when the phrase ‘All roads lead to Rome’ was first coined in the 12th century, they were not thinking a cycling tour 900 years later but, hey, to use another common expression, ‘If the shoe fits…’. Our Viva Italia Cycling Tour, a 2625 km exploration of mainland Italy, Corsica, Sardinia & Sicily that begins and ends in the ‘Eternal City’, first ran in 2019 and then again in 2022 and 2024. In all 3 cases, the ride sold out and we would not be surprised to see a repeat for 2026.
Highlights include Vatican City, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, stunning Corsican beaches, remote hilltop villages in Sardinia, Mount Etna, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and the Colosseum in Rome. If you still need a reason to join us in 2026, please check out the following posts.
Viva Italia! “Every Day Was A Wonderful Adventure!”
“Every day was a wonderful adventure riding through Italy and Corsica , with the rich history, art, culture, architecture and buildings, scenery and natural beauty, magnificent coastline, and interest around every corner , experiencing this with a great group of people from all around the world.” – Maurice Efron (Australia) (Read more)
Vive La Corse!
“Each day of the tour has left a distinct impression, but Corsica? Corsica is something else entirely.” (Read more)
Florence – ‘I Won’t Have Time, Won’t Have Time’
“Florence is overwhelming, to say the least. The number of art galleries, palaces, museums, piazzas, churches, places of interest seem endless.” (Read more)
Cycling Italy: A Vicarious Viva Italia Experience in 2 Parts [VIDEO]
“What stands out to me about the Viva Italia videos is the orange glow that permeates these scenes. Italy is blessed with some incredible natural and man-made scenery – towns clustered along hillsides, sunsets and sunrises that seem to hit you differently.” (Read more)
Reflections On The 2022 Viva Italia
“We saw magnificent art and glorious architecture, mind boggling museums and out of this world Duomos (cathedrals), azure bays and sandy beaches, orchards of olives and fields of tomatoes, rugged mountains and green valleys, vistas that take your breath away and towns that seems about to slide into the sea.” (Read more)
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It has been said that ‘All roads lead to Rome’ and the Viva Italia cycling tour is simply more proof that this may indeed be the case...
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Happy Holidays! Here are the 10 blogs that drew the most interest from you, our loyal readers…
1 – The Joy Of Bicycle Gearing: Everything You Need To Know
Who knew that bicycle gearing could be so fascinating!? Our resident bike expert, Micah Markson, took a deep dive into the world of chainrings, cassettes and gear ratios.
“I wish I had an easier gear!” – Many a TDA cyclist (Read more)
2 – The 2026 South American Epic Cycling Expedition
As the start of the 2026 South American Epic Cycling Expedition drew ever closer, we took a look at some of the highlights in each of the 6 countries along the 13,255 km route.
“Remote, isolated, and challenging. The famous border crossing from Villa O’Higgins to El Chalten is one of fabled myth in the world of South American cycle touring.” (Read more)
3 – A Compendium Of Lost Tours
Nothing lasts forever…and that goes for our tours as well. Changes in climate, security, logistics and many other factors can sometimes lead to the demise of some of our cycling adventures. Here are some that fell by the wayside…
“Will any of them return in the future? Well, as the old saying goes, ‘Never say never.’” (Read more)
4 – Algeria & Tunisia: Impressions Of Cycling Through North Africa
All of us were nervously excited to see how our inaugural cycling journey through the North African countries of Algeria & Tunisia would go as little information about cycle touring in the region was available.
“Algeria and Tunisia offered not only stunning landscapes and roads but also a chance to engage with local people and cultures in an incredibly genuine way.” (Read more)
>>Related Post: Top Ten Blogs From 2024
5 – “Because It’s There” – A Film About A Group Of Strangers Crossing South America By Bike
On the 2024 South American Epic Cycling Expedition, Content Creators Mats Fredrix and Benjamin Levin, worked to come up with video footage that would answer the question of why a group of strangers from around the world had committed to spending nearly 6 months together, pedalling across a continent.
“All my friends think it’s a bit crazy.” (Read more)
6 – E-bikes On TDA Tours – Riding The Olive Route On An E-bike
Love them or not, e-bikes are certainly everywhere these days, even on some TDA tours. Restrictions on flying with e-bike batteries are challenging but a few riders on the Olive Route came up with some ingenious solutions.
“The e-bike has enabled me to keep doing the type of riding that I love, and it is wonderful that TDA have made provision for e-bikes on some of their tours.” (Read more)
7 – Packing Your Bike For A TDA Tour: My First Attempt At “Adulting” As A Cyclist
Do you wake up in a cold sweat when you think about packing your bike for your next flight? You are not alone. Our Office Manager, Olha, breaks the process down into 6 easy steps.
“It’s one of those things that looks intimidating from the outside, but once you’ve done it, you’ll wonder why you ever worried.” (Read more)
8 – The Bamboo Road: Not The Guidebook Version Of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is more than just beaches, great food, sunshine and happy pizzas. The best way to be surprised, unexpectedly and often, is to pedal through the countries, slowly and immersively, open to all possibilities.
“It sneaks up on you at a roadside stall, a shrine glimpsed on a hill, or a festival you hadn’t expected.” (Read more)
9 – Old Friends, New Roads – TDA’s Incredible Cycling Community
When Content Creator Benjamin Levin was working on the 2025 Olive Route, he was struck by just how many of the riders of the tour already new each other from previous TDA adventures.
“The essence of the journey is the same: cycling through spectacularly beautiful, culturally rich landscapes, alongside friends from all around the globe.” (Read more)
10 – Sri Lanka & The Tea Route: A Personal Pilgrimage
After many thwarted attempts to visit the island previously known as Ceylon, TDA staffer Michael finally arrives to discover a hidden gem, a country almost perfectly designed to be explored on a bicycle.
“Did the country live up to the high expectations that I had created in my own mind? Yes, absolutely yes!” (Read more)
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If I had to sum up 2025 in one word, it would probably be, learning. Not the comfortable kind. The kind that comes from doing, deciding, rethinking, letting go – and then doing it all again. These are my favourite photos from the 2025 tours. Not necessarily the ‘best’ ones objectively – but the ones that stayed with me. Each of them holds a story, a conclusion, or a quiet reminder of why we do what we do at TDA.
Tour d’Afrique
Setting up a bush camp in front of Mount Kilimanjaro, Kenya
If I were to pick just one photo of the year, this would be it. To me, it captures the essence of TDA perfectly: our truck, our camp, one of our signature tours – and Mount Kilimanjaro, one of Africa’s undeniable highlights – all wrapped into one frame, bathed in the soft light of the end of the day. Movement, simplicity, scale. This is what it feels like from the inside.
Hippie Trail
Andrew Schneck cruising through the Western Ghats
The legend himself – Andy. A long-time TDA alumnus, and 2025 turned out to be his most productive year with us: three tours in one season, and even more ambitious plans for 2026 already ahead. Consistency, curiosity, commitment. Way to go, Andy!
Road of Empires
The Algerian Road Horseshoe – Neil and Bob
You can always recognize Bob by the way he holds the handlebars. This was an amazing inaugural tour! Who would have thought that from the first idea in fall 2023 to riding through Algeria in spring 2025, we’d get here – revealing the country’s beauty in such a powerful way. Well, I’ll tell you who would… it’s TDA. Duh!
Olive Route
Ada climbing the Camino on the coast
One of the hardest choices – this route is one of my absolute favourites, and also something I’d love to ride myself someday. The Camino has been on my bucket list for years. Add wonderful Ada – whom I was lucky to meet earlier on Viva Italia – and my least favourite cycling activity ever: climbing. And yet… watching someone else do it – seemingly effortlessly – is pure joy.
Journey to the East
Brian cycling past Lake Shikotsu on the final day
Journey to the East has become one of those tours that doesn’t need to prove anything anymore. Since its double launch in 2023, it quietly found its place – especially for first-time TDA riders – and every year it simply confirms that it belongs. Looking at this image, I’m reminded that not everything has to be extreme or overwhelming to be meaningful. Some routes work because they give space – to settle into the rhythm, to look around, to arrive without needing to conquer anything. And sometimes, that’s exactly what people are looking for – whether it’s their first TDA tour, or just the right moment in life.
Magical Madagascar
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This year also taught us how to let go. As incredible as this route is – and as excited as we were to run it – the decision was made not to include Magical Madagascar in the upcoming calendars. Still, when I look at this photo, it feels bright and optimistic. Almost like a reminder: never say never. And yes – it looks a bit like our logo, so I’m keeping my hopes alive.
Trans-Europa
Trans-Europa was hard to choose from. I joined the tour for the first section, met wonderful people, and was especially happy to reconnect with someone I’d ridden with before. Because TDA is about people. And sometimes it’s not even about cycling. Sometimes you disembark, slow down, and simply let the beauty around you sink in. That’s what this Venice moment is about. But since this is my blog, and I don’t actually have to be objective…
Jenna, Jordy, Balazs, Masoud behind the camera, and – last but definitely not least – Gergo, our tour leader somewhere in the bag van, doing his job with peak professionalism and quiet elegance. Thank you, guys. Truly. And yes – I already know I’ll see some of you again in 2026 😉
Trans- Himalaya
This tour brought some of the toughest lessons of the year. We were reminded that we live in a reality where things move fast – sometimes too fast. Climate change is no longer abstract. Political situations shift rapidly. Decisions made far away can affect everything on the ground. We learned to keep our eyes open, to listen to different perspectives, and how crucial timely, honest communication really is. And as Henry once said – “to be on the angels’ side.” My personal takeaway? Deep respect for the people I work with and the values we share. Tough decisions were made. Lessons learned. And we move on – thoughtfully and respectfully.
Silk Route
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Have I mentioned that I hate climbing? It’s the hardest part of cycling for me. But this photo reminds me – again – that sometimes you simply have to push harder. And sometimes that’s the only way to reach the place you’re meant to be. I’m linking an Instagram carousel here because it deserves your attention. (And while you’re at it – follow our Instagram if you don’t already. Pretty please.)
North American Epic
Svend riding toward Monument Valley
The more epic the tour, the harder it is to choose just one image. This road feels endless – no beginning, no visible end. But we all know the truth: if you keep cycling, eventually it stays behind you. Always does.
Cape to Kili
Kids gathering around the lunch truck in Malawi.
Among all the breathtaking landscapes, this is the image I’d keep. Because TDA is also about connection – seeing beauty not only in nature, but in people. Engaging with locals. Listening. And through their stories, learning something about yourself.
Island Hopping Japan
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This might be unfair but another life lesson: sometimes it doesn’t have to be. This set of three Instagram videos was the first thing that came to mind when I thought about our inaugural Island Hopping Japan tour. So here it is.
Golden Buddha Ride
Fabrizio walking his bike in Laos
Fabrizio had to walk his bike on a steep climb through the mountains of Laos. And that’s perfectly fine. You don’t have to be perfect. I do it myself – as long as I keep moving. And look at him: still smiling. That’s the plan for next year too, right? We keep rolling. Keep smiling. Keep enjoying the good moments – no matter what. Let’s do it together.
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Here at TDA Global Cycling, we are blessed to work with so many talented, interesting, adventurous people, both in the Toronto office and out in the field. Their diverse backgrounds and outlooks provide us with a wide variety of views on our tours and on the world we live in.
Here are our staff picks for best blogs of 2025:
Ohla Kurochkina (Office Manager)
Cycling In Stressful Times
“To my mind, a very honest reflection to what’s happening in the modern world. And I also like Rudyard Kipling.”
You’ll Never Be The Same: Reflections From The Baltic Road
“This blog takes a special place in my heart. I started drafting it the next day I arrived in Tallinn and finished it when I left from Vilnius, and it was my real path of transformation, dealing with my own scars and still open wounds, so writing this blog was my special way of healing and I sincerely love every single sentence of it.”
Miles MacDonald (Operations Manager)
Tips & Tricks For Riding On Dirt
“We’re very lucky to work with so many talented staff people on our tours, and it’s wonderful when they can share some of their knowledge with our readers. Here, Tour d’Afrique 2025 mechanic Lorenzo Bouttall shares his tips on riding on dirt.”
Arctic Spirit: A Journey Through The Wild North
“Content Creator Arjuna describes what was a truly Epic start to the North American Epic, in one of the most remote regions across all of TDA’s tours.”
Shanny Hill (Marketing Manager)
The Elephant In The States: Cycling Through America During Tense Times On The North American Epic
“Our American content creator Camille finds a new perspective while riding through her country at this moment in time. ‘This journey through America has felt like a revelation; this territory we call the United States of America is a lot more nuanced, a lot quieter than a lot of us had known.'”
A Postcard From Algeria; Risks & Rewards
“This is a small window into the enormous amount of work Miles put in that made the Road of Empires possible, a tour that we hope will bring more and more cycle tourists to north Africa in the future.”
>>Related Post: Staff Picks: Best Blogs Of 2024
Henry Gold (Founder)
The Himalayan Puzzle
“A visceral description of what happened on the Trans Himalaya and challenges the crew faces.”
Oaxaca On Two Wheels: A Street-Art Ride Into Mexico’s Soul
“I love street art. We come across it on many TDA tours and our Content Creator, Arjuna, captured the magic of it in this blog.”
Micah Markson (Tech Wizard)
Choose Your Own Adventure – The Morocco: Kingdom Of The West Cycling Tour
“I so fondly remember the landscapes and rich culture of Morocco, and this blog captures it well.”
The Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition: The Next 10 Years
“We live in an ever changing world and this post reminds us that despite whatever may change in the world, the desire to cycle across continents persists!”
Michael Coo (Customer Service Manager)
Climate Change & Cycle Touring
“Politicians may wish to avoid this topic, at their own peril, but as Founder Henry Gold points out, ‘we should all try our best to reduce our impact on this precious little planet.'”
The Silk Route Cycling Expedition: A Cast Of Characters
“It may take a village to raise a child, but as Operations Manager Miles MacDonald writes, it also takes a cast of characters to run a cross-continental tour.”
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The inaugural Island Hopping Japan Cycling Tour recently came to a conclusion on the island of Okinawa. What did the riders think of their journey through the Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, Setonaikai, Honshu, Kyushu, Yakushima, Amami & Okinawa? Let’s take a look…
“Amazing scenery with views enhanced by the effort to get to there, fuelled by exquisite Japanese cuisine, and supported by exceptional staff, in the enjoyable company of interesting fellow riders.” – Stephen Williams (Australia)
“This was my second TDA tour. I found the crew, the cycling group, and the tour itself to be everything I’d hoped it would be. The tour was challenging but an exploration of parts of Japan that many don’t get to see. Our entire group was fun, supportive and inclusive. Our TDA crew and staff were all wonderful! Well done yet again TDA!” – Charlene Cebryk (Canada)
“This tour was a personal adventure and challenge. I met extremely interesting engaged riders. The staff were outstanding. I visited places and did things that i could not imagine organizing by myself. I would recommend this trip to anybody who wishes to discover Japan in the presence of motivated co-travellers.” – Padraig O’Carroll (Canada)
“The Japan Island Hopping Tour is a fabulous new tour – the variety of landscapes, challenging and remote cycling, wildlife and a great introduction to Japanese culture off the beaten track are just a few of the highlights. The ferry travel added another fun and interesting dimension.” – Ruth Storm (UK)
“TDA is a world class operation based on adventure, cultural awareness and the environment. Safety was paramount as was keeping us well informed as to what was coming up. I loved the ‘white board’ that gave us a glimpse of our riding future the next day. The riding was challenging but well within reach for most of us and having the option to not ride or ride part way relieved a lot of anxiety for some in the group. We had great group dynamics so that was also a bonus. Thank you TDA for this one of a kind experience, I don’t think anyone is on par with you.” – Catherine McDonald-Smith (Canada)
“The tour was much more than I expected. We were in the back and beyond on most of our rides. There is not a chance that you could travel to Japan on your own and see the true country. Travel would most likely be along the train, bus, plane and ferry routes. The land and places beyond these corridors would be missed. We got to see, smell and experience the real Japan. What a great experience. Thank you TDA!” – Frank Smith. (Canada)
“The TDA model has been undeniably successful. Why? Because TDA preserves the raw adventure while still providing significant structure and organization, a safety net and opportunity for kinship with like-minded riders. As our first long haul “guided trip” we’d say they over-delivered in almost every category. We will do another.” – Jay Zammit (Canada)
“A fabulous way to see a part of a fascinating country. A bicycle allows one to cover substantial distances but still immerse in and savour the country, its people, and culture.” – Ian Tingle (South Africa)
“This was my absolute favourite tour of the four tours that I have done with TDA! I felt spoiled and was blown away by the routes, hotels, food, crew, scenery, culture, history. We saw a Japan that I bet 99% of tourists would never see. That is what made this trip very special.” – Brian Cebryk (Canada)
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Japan Island Hopping. We have taken what was once a military strategy used by both the Japanese and American forces in World War Two and transformed...
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While there will be no future Cape to Kili expeditions, riders can experience a similar route on our annual Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition.
It has been just over a month since the riders on the 2025 Cape to Kili Cycling Expedition completed an epic journey through Africa and they have now had time to reflect on their adventure. Here’s what some riders had to say:
“I absolutely loved it. Wish I were still out there!” – Zach Allen (USA)
“Adventurous, challenging, and eye-opening. Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.” – Jamie Fuhrman (USA)
“The tour has been an amazing, deeply immersive experience for me. Thanks to the kindness and constant support of the staff, I never once felt overwhelmed or stressed by the physical effort — I always felt safe, cared for, and confident. I achieved more than I ever thought I could, and that’s very much because of the truly wonderful team.” – Kristin Waeterloos (Belgium)
“The crew on the tour was outstanding.” – Matthias Kramer (Germany)
“The crew were excellent , professional, enthusiastic , motivating , helpful . They were well led to deliver a great adventure.” – Ted Malden (UK)
“The northern Cape and Cederberg mountains in South Africa were beautiful. Namibia was simply stunning and the star of the tour. Vic Falls and rafting were amazing and Tanzania and the nature were beautiful too!” – Hubert Schanne (Germany)
“We had excellent support in every way from bike maintenance to medical and most importantly nutritious meals. The staff were outstanding and riding with a bunch of like minded cyclists is highly recommended.” – Jim Pollock (Australia)
“An incredible adventure!” – Simon Prince (Canada)
“Nothing can prepare you, for how you will feel, when you are riding along a road and a family of elephants casually crosses in front of you. Those memories remain forever whether you managed to get the camera out or not!” – Adel Tyson (UK)
“This was my first “real” cycling trip. TDA helped me push the boundaries of what I was capable of in a way that felt safe but the right amount of challenge. It’s ignited a passion for bike packing and I’m excited to continue to explore this form of travel in the future. I felt that the experience with TDA has really well equipped me with the knowledge and experience to be able to do trips on my own in the future.” – Josh Zweig (Canada)
“Tour Leader Yanez noted we should ‘fill our buckets with silence in these quiet places.’ The ride wasn’t a race but an adventure full of fun, an opportunity to challenge yourself and to meet new people along the way – riders, crew and strangers, embracing each other in our shared journey. Growing up in South Africa but having been living abroad for many years the sectional ride from Cape Town to Windhoek renew my love for the place and people and exposed me again to the wild, ancient landscape that can so captivate the mind and replenish the soul. Thanks for making it happen.” – Michael Viljoen (Australia)
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The trans-African crossing from Cairo to Cape Town has long been one of the world’s epic journeys and an iconic goal for global adventurers. Over...
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Doug Percival has been worked on many TDA tours over the years and in many roles. In this piece, he takes a look at one of them, the staff cyclist who stays behind all the riders.
TDA has undeniably changed the way it operates since its inception in 2002. In all the Chaos that is mostly occurring, set staff duties and patterns of ‘to-do’s” and “need to be dones” are fulfilled by the staff on the road each day, often to the sound of a well oiled machine… *Add sarcasm.
Food shopping, or checking in at a hotel for 30 people, or servicing some bikes in the evening. There are 100’s of small details that take place each day, to
make a successful day of Cycling and Food for the clients.
(Somedays it just goes Pop, and the unexpected stands up tall!)
As every TDA client of ours will know, TDA has One role that sticks out, that makes them Different to any other Brand. Sweep Duty.
Ive been asked by hundreds of clients over my 17 tours with TDA, Why do we have a sweep?
Ive been told by many, ” isnt that pointless?”
And in all the years i have never known the real reason we have a sweep.
I just always knew, that Henry wanted it in place.
One Rule.
So we have sweep duty in place.
First time readers might ask : What is this Sweep duty thing He is muttering in about?
The veterans of TDA tours will know it well.
A member of the staff, rides as the last rider of the tour each day.
A vital piece of the daily puzzle.
So what is Sweep’s use?
Sweep is the key time source to how your day is planned.
Checkins, checkouts, dinner plannings’, refill stations positioning, the list is long…
Sweep is the person who makes sure, that all the chickens return to the coup.
But still many ask, but is it really that Nesessary?
So whilst i have just cycled across South Africa’s karoo desert for ten days, with family and some close old friends, it took me to chatting to my wife Frida
about the experience We have just had, and she gave me The Answer of Why do We have a Sweep.
It is the psychological Feeling of comfort.
Knowing that someone from The Staff, is there.
Now some riders never see Sweep in a tour of 5 months, not once.
But i can assure you, many many have!
Sweep Baba and rider Trixie ride through the mountainous region of Madagascar
Sweep for some is like the Boogey Man, they get all restless and feel they cant be seen.
Some love the chit chat, the company, the sharing of a coffee.
Some people get lost so Often in a day, they meet Sweep 5 or 6 times at different intersections in a city.
(A fine gentleman called Andy, im looking at you).
As i have a fair handful of tours under my belt now, and earlier in the year had tried to do some rudimentary math of my tours, and how many “Sweep Miles” i
have done…
I got lost on the answer, but it is Tens Of Thousands of kilometres.
Crazy.
Doug sweeping the Blue Nile Gorge in Ethiopia
What i have seen from the seat of my Sweep Chair, what i have heard, or what i have conversed in over those 40 odd thousand km’s.
It would fill several britannica’s.
What a free education in Humans.
A bike is an extension of my body, its what i do.
So to ride 100km, or 200km, or even 300km, they all will take time for sure, but the mileage is not something that bothers me at all.
Ive ridden alot, for 30 years now.
Thats what 30 years of riding has given me, but i have put in the time.
30 hours of cycling each week, for 9 months a year, for several years, taught me that i can ride the distance.
So when im on Sweep duty, i dont have the mental fear of mileage.
However it was on my second Tda tour in 2013, the Bamboo Route, from Shanghai to Singapore, that i really learnt my role as Sweep.
What is Easy for Me, is Hell for someone else.
And respect that.
Walli Pagniello going for the century on the 2013 Bamboo Road
It was a big day, 166 planned kilometres.
I rode Sweep all day.
And i mean, ALL day.
The Lady i was with, was on a mission.
She had dreamt of riding 100 miles in a day (160km).
I watched This Lady push her 70+ body, mind and soul, so far to achieve that goal.
I dont care how fit i was, when you sit on a bike seat more than 12 hours in a day, you know its a big day out!
>>Related Post: Going For The Century
As i said, the psychology of having someone there, when all others have moved on…you not left behind, and you can continue on your mission.
Walli, I have not forgotten our 172km day together.
We did do 6km extra, due to your navigational strategy of some Cambodian village.
But whats 14 hours on a bike together like ?
One hell of an experience!
To all the people who have tried to duck and dive, and hide and play tricks, and evade our spying eyes….we know.
Its Game On when We come following….
Perhaps some should not worry about the Boogey Man so much, come hang at the back and chat… Ive yet to meet a member of staff who doesnt like a cold refreshment or a hot brew on the side of a road…
A happy sweep!
To those who’ve never met Us at the back, you are always welcome!!
“Sweep’s” have been known to finish an all time Brutal double shift in the baking Sun, and enjoy a thirst quenching refreshment with his or her companion at the end of the day.
Alot has been shared on the road, alot of beans have been spilt.
Relationships have occurred from Sweep.
Im telling you, its an experience back there!
– ive heard it all.
But to summarize,
Why Sweep?
Because We like knowing you safe, or at least on our Radar, until you “home” each day.
Thats it.
Simple and Good for the Human experiment, just as i imagined Henry had planned 😊
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We recently took a look at our 2026 tour schedule and thought that maybe we should take a longer look ahead, all the way to 2027. This will give you plenty of time to choose between the 11 tours on offer that year – 2 Expedition, 3 Adventure & 6 Touring.
The Road To Shangri-La (Saigon – Shangri-La) NEW
Our ‘newest’ tour was originally announced in 2019 but was, of course, cancelled due to the pandemic. Even as the emergency eased, China maintained a strict health regime, so the trip was reborn as the Golden Buddha Ride in 2023. Now that China has reopened its borders, we are happy to announce the return of this amazing route – from Saigon up through Vietnam and Laos and on into China and the finish line in fabled Shangri-La!
Hippie Trail (Agra – Goa)
The year continues with an unforgettable kaleidoscopic cycling journey through India, a country like no other. This 2900 km adventure takes riders from the legendary Taj Mahal, past the palaces and forts of Rajasthan, stopping to explore the ancient temple complexes of Ajanta and Ellora, into the hustle and bustle of Mumbai, and on to the golden beaches of Goa.
“I’m glad I did the tour, it was challenging for me, and I expected that. This is a WOW kind of tour for the cultural differences. It really is worth seeing and experiencing the intensity of India.” – Erin Ely (USA)
Tour d’Afrique (Cairo – Cape Town) LIMITED SPACE
The one. The only. The original epic cycling adventure. The Tour d’Afrique. This is your chance to join the exclusive group of cyclists who have pedalled across the African continent. 80 Days. 7180 kilometres. 9 countries. Epic.
“The trip was fantastic. It went beyond my expectations. I am truly happy and proud of my decision to join the Tour d’Afrique. What an experience! A trip of a lifetime.” – Sushee Nzeutem (France)
Road Of Empires (Seville – Syracuse)
The inaugural Road of Empires in 2025 was an immediate success! The tour sold out quickly and a large number of riders on the waitlist were very disappointed when no spots opened up. To avoid missing out on this unique trip through Spain, Algeria, Tunisia & Sicily, be sure to register soon.
“Spectacular scenery, ridge tops, valleys, Mediterranean views, long climbs and exhilarating descents. Most of the roads were either deserted or had good shoulders. This is a great way to see the people and cultures of northern Africa, the moorish influence on Spain, the food of Sicily.” – W. Neal Fisher (USA)
Olive Route (Athens – Lisbon)
Our second new tour of 2025 was the Olive Route Cycling Tour. Covering almost 5300 km through Greece, Italy, France, Spain & Portugal, this ride featured incredible scenery, delicious food and an intoxicating mix of culture and history.
“This was a movable feast through five culinary jewels of Europe. Greece. Italy. France. Spain. Portugal. An embarrassment of riches – the views, the routes, the people along the way, the wine, and as Oliver and Poorhouse boys sang, the food, the glorious food. Every pedal cycle earned another bite.” – Britton Morrell (USA)
Journey To The East (Seoul – Sapporo)
We always thought a tour through Korea and Japan would be popular but the Journey to the East ride has blown past even our wildest expectations. In 2023, we had to run 2 tours to meet the demand and the 2024, 2025 & 2026 tours all sold out. Don’t miss out on this 2790 km journey across 2 of Asia’s most fascinating countries.
“It is very exhilarating to hop on a bike and experience a new country. The incredible bike route infrastructures were an absolute delight to pedal along. The routes through Japans hills as challenging as they were did not disappoint in providing beautiful views. The many historical sights, the experience sleeping in Ryokan, soaking a weary body in Onsens and the food were all delightful.” – Ursula Simpson (Canada)
Pub Ride (Dublin – Copenhagen)
You don’t have to like beer to enjoy the Pub Ride…but it doesn’t hurt! After the 2026 Pub Ride filled up, we added a new Pub Ride tour to the 2027 schedule. Thirsty riders can sample brews from Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany & Denmark.
“Great ride – the name says it all and enjoying it with good friends from previous rides makes it even better. We stayed in some great places drank some great beer.” – Kaye Hudson (New Zealand)
Silk Route (Beijing – Istanbul)
The Silk Route was the second of our trans-continental expeditions and remains a bucket-list item for many cycling enthusiasts. Stretching from Beijing to Istanbul, the route includes the Gobi Desert, the Mongolian Steppes, the remote Pamir Highway along the border with Afghanistan and the historic Silk Road cities of Samarqand, Bukhara & Khiva.
“Probably the greatest travel experience we have had ever !!!!!” – Soren Schriver (Denmark)
Amber Route (Tallinn – Venice)
This 5 1/2 week ride, 2930 km ride takes you across 9 charming countries. Beginning in the Baltic States, the route takes in historic cities, captivating museums, ancient castles and numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites before finishing in romantic Venice.
“I was satisfied, delighted, fulfilled, full… tired! My eyes, my mind, my legs loved it!” – Stéphane Lancereau (France)
Plum Ride (Gdansk – Thessaloniki) NEW
We couldn’t be more excited to introduce our newest cycling adventure, a 3475 km pilgrimage across 9 European countries, including 2 new TDA destinations – Serbia & North Macedonia. Join us and raise a glass of plum brandy to the history and culture of Old Europe.
Island Hopping Japan (Osaka – Okinawa)
Another of our new 2025 tours, the sold out Island Hopping Japan tour just recently finished after a 2550 km journey through 7 Japanese islands, including many lesser known gems like Yakushima, with its towering peaks, warm waters and lush forests.
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After 31 days of riding, 2500km (1553 miles), two long ferry transfers, two additional travel days, nine rest days and 36 km (118,000 ft) of climbing, TDA Global Cycling’s inaugural Island-Hopping Japan Cycling Tour has arrived in our final destination, the city of Naha in Okinawa as planned. I write- as planned – because for several days things didn’t look that great.
Probably the main characteristic that hits you when you walk around Naha is the presence of mythical animals called Shisas. A cross between a lion and a dog, they are guardians of the city and are supposed to bring good fortune and ward of evil spirits. There are two types of Shisas – one with an open mouth to ward off bad spirits and another with a closed mouth to keep good spirits in. Traditionally, locals place Shisas at entrances or on rooftops. If you walk the main shopping streets, Shisas are for sale in a wide variety of forms. I bought a pair of small Shisas sitting on a miniature banana. You might ask, why am I giving you all these details?
Well, as mentioned in the first paragraph, for several days things didn’t look good. It was just two months ago that I wrote a blog – Climate Change and Cycle Touring – describing how climate change is affecting our cycling tours. We were scheduled to reach Okinawa after the typhoon season and yet every night my roommate Kazu, our local support, would be sitting in front of the TV watching the weather, particularly the typhoon that devastated the Philippines and was predicted to eventually hit Okinawa.
We first got the true indication of this on the day-long ferry from Kagoshima. The ferry normally makes three stops before arriving in Okinawa but due to the winds and some rough seas, the captain decided to bypass one of the scheduled stops. Debarking at our destination an hour earlier in late afternoon, the weather was still not bad but in the morning when we went to pick up our bikes at the ferry terminal, the rain was in full swing and conditions for the next three days were looking – let me say – worrisome. As it was a rest day, we decided to take some precautions and rented a small bus in case it would be needed.
I will not bore you with more details of the next three days, except to say that we must have had help from the Shisas, as we arrived in Naha under a full sun with winds not even worth mentioning. In fact, sitting in the hotel writing this, I feel that the Shisas have been warding off bad spirits and keeping the good ones in on this tour from the day we started in Osaka as we have been blessed with wonderful weather.
As one of the riders wrote to me, “We had a wonderful experience on our inaugural TDA trip. The staff, the routes, the hotels, the food – everything was well done and organized. Like most (participants) on this trip, we will be back.” And so the first ‘TDA lite tour’, here I would refer you to my first blog on this tour, is a wrap!
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Japan Island Hopping. We have taken what was once a military strategy used by both the Japanese and American forces in World War Two and transformed...
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One of the most beautiful things about a TDA tour is that you never really experience it alone – even when you’re pedalling by yourself on a quiet stretch of road. Every rider sees the journey differently and together their photos and stories create a kaleidoscope of perspectives.
Some notice the food, capturing every steaming plate of pasta or surprise roadside picnic. Others tilt their cameras upward and find architecture, clouds, or dramatic skies. Some spot the tiniest details – street art, flowers growing through a crack in the pavement, the expression on a passerby’s face. And then there are the adventurers with drones who lift us above it all and show us the road winding endlessly into the horizon.
A quiet pause to take in the view. Photo by John Karwoski
What amazes me is how these fragments come together into something greater. When riders share their photos, you get to see the same day, the same place, the same ride – but through so many different eyes. It’s humbling, and it’s a reminder that beauty reveals itself in countless ways.
Mikal with Princess Daisy and Jenna’s photobombing
I’ll never forget riding alongside Peggy. She has the most adorable habit of stopping every few minutes to take a photo – a true blessing for every sweep rider. That evening, when I looked at her pictures, I was stunned. We had cycled through the exact same landscapes, but she saw beauty I completely missed. Her photos opened my eyes. Since then, I’ve started looking more carefully at what others capture.
Along the Latvian Roads by Peggy Morsch
Of course, there’s also the official Content Creator. Most tours have one, and they play such a big role in tying all these perspectives together. They film, write blogs, snap countless photos – and, yes, sometimes torture riders by sticking a camera in their face at just the wrong moment. But believe me, it’s for a good cause. While you’re cycling through the world, your friends and family back home are desperate for updates. You wouldn’t imagine the messages we get: “Go, John!” “Show more pics of Brenda!” “Where is my uncle Stéphane?!”
Stunning Ligurian coast by Todd Miller
What’s less obvious is that the Content Creator also provides the space where everyone – riders and staff – can share their photos and videos. By the end, you don’t just have one slideshow; you have a whole mosaic of perspectives. Different eyes, different lenses, different stories.
Grant’s sharing Italian artistry on wheels
This year on Trans-Europa, I had to leave too early (the sad fate of the office rat – needed at the desk sending invoices instead of pedalling beside you) but I stayed in the WhatsApp group where riders kept posting their photos. And while I felt very jealous, I decided I shouldn’t suffer alone – so I’m making you jealous too. Because honestly, there were so many great photos. What I’m sharing here is just a tiny sneak peek.
Together, those photos create a living memory of the tour – each frame a glimpse of what caught someone’s eye, a moment that moved them, a small story that otherwise might have gone unnoticed. The diversity of perspectives is what makes these memories so rich, so human, and so unforgettable.
A photo of Trans-Europa Content Creator Masoud by Barbara and Grant
And finally, a big shoutout to Masoud, our Content Creator on Trans-Europa. It was his first TDA tour (and I sincerely hope not the last). His photos were authentic, his videos bold and experimental, and his blogs so personal and wise, with a style you could recognize instantly.
To Masoud – and to all of our Content Creators across the tours -thank you. You are the ones who hold these threads together, who transform fragments into stories, and who quietly write our history. And let’s be honest: cycling and taking high-quality photos at the same time? That’s a superpower. (I still can’t manage it – can you?)
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Doug Percival was slated to be the Assistant Tour Leader on the 2025 Trans-Himalaya Cycling Expedition. He shared his first-hand experience of what transpired as the rains began to fall and the tour was cancelled.
Trying to Find a place of where to Start with this Blog, is a Puzzle in itself.
The Original Tour From Kashmir to Kathmandu, took its first knock just a few months before our
scheduled arrival. The Politically fragile region of Kashmir, had sadly once again put itself into a ‘No-Go Zone’ for
tourism, and TDA changed its scheduled start in Srinagar, further Eastward to the Mountain
town of Leh, in the Ladhak region.
Leh sits nestled at 3600m, pretty much ankle height to its Surrounding Mountains.
It is a Dry and Tough Climate, with the only bit of agricultural land being along the banks of the
Mighty Indus River.
Leh is also home to a Large amount of Military.
With its proximity to Pakistan to the West, and China to The North… To say the Area is highly
monitored is an understatement…it is reportedly the highest militarized zone on the World…
Unsurprising with 3 Nuclear powered states all rubbing shoulders in a small corner of the globe.
Leh is also home to 10 000 stray dogs who live a life of clear skied nights, and i need not explain
what a dog does on a beautiful fully moonlit night shall i?
But, besides the Scouting fighter jet patrols, and the nightly canine choirs, Leh’s backdrop of
Colossal Mountain Ranges is what stands out the Most.
We set about starting the Tour, in a town called Kargil, close to the Kashmir border..with the
intention of riding back eastwards towards Leh, and then the plan was to progress further
Eastwards into the Mountains, towards Manali, then through the famed Spiti Valley, and pop
out in Shimla.
From Shimla, we planned to traverse the slopes of the Himalaya, cross into Nepal…and make
our way to the capital, Kathmandu.
That was the Plan, and how the plan became a frog in a frying pan within the click of a finger!
Within a day of starting the Tour, reports of violent storms, flooding, and severe damage to the
south, made its way to our news feeds.
By the 2nd day, that weather had moved itself into the mountains.
Not only were we dealing with 4600m mountain passes to cycle over, we had gone from bright
sunny dry air, to pouring rain and single digit temperatures.
The Himalaya’s are new mountains in the Big Picture of Our Earths development..they comprise
of sand and loose rock.
There is no vegetation up high, so it is a geographical painting around every bend.
But with the lack of any flora life form, comes the fine balancing act of rock upon rock, glued
together by very soft granular sand.
Now add severe quantities of fast falling rain, and a mountain range so tall, its area becomes
kilometres of vertical catchment Zone.
I think you see where this is going…
Yes that’s right, Flash floods and Loose Rocks…
By day 3, the rainfall had loosened just about every surface Rock on the slopes, and we were
now dealing with a new term…something we had read on local sign posts… Beware of Shooting
Stones.
I never thought much of a ‘Shooting Stone’, until i witnessed them.
A cluster of rock that falls from a 7000m mountain cliff, and has about a 2.5km free fall,
splintering and shattering its way into smaller shrapnel, and then at some point making its way
in front of you at warp speeds, whilst you pedal innocently along on your 8kg bicycle.
It certainly upped the Peripheral vision!
So We pulled the plug, enough fear and danger for a day, and the group got Shuttled home bit
by bit, not before making ourselves at home in a military cantine whilst the tour leader
performed Her usual juggling act of logistics to make a safe transition out of trouble.
We were back in Leh, it felt like we had been served some Hoerdervs before the main meal
began.
But there was something bigger Looming.
There isn’t anything i know bigger than the Himalaya’s. That is the lure of them, their Size.
But i was wrong. Weather is the bigger Player at the table.
Mother Nature is angry. Very Angry.
News from all angles came in, we were facing large scale weather systems from every angle.
Reports of serious floodings became a constant. Road closures grew by the hours, and ominous
forecasts were there to stay.
The tour was placed on hold, something i have only heard of twice maybe in over a decade of
being involved with TDA.
This must be serious….
I didn’t Envy Shanny & Nirmika that morning, telling a group of Clients, that their Dream Trip was
on pause, because of ‘things’ we could not control.
– all whilst mother nature laughed at us, because the sun came out and blue skies deceived us!
Surely Blue sky and starry nights meant all was fine? The night time Canine Choir seemed to
think so.
The riders disbanded and the staff split up. Half went to the End of the ‘danger area’ in
Rishikesh, and half of us joined the local support crew, and took the vans eastward, to shepperd
them toward Shimla, the chosen Rendevouz point of ‘safety’.
Day one in the vans, it felt like we had robbed everyone of what they came to see.
Mountains so sky high, its hard to explain their enormity.
It is very hard to explain the sheer Size of those mountains, ive seen pretty much all the big
mountain ranges around the planet..the alps, the andes, the atlas, the rockys,
yes they epic, and yes they are magnificent..but they just hills in comparison to the Himalaya’s.
We are specks of dust in size to each peak.
Behind a colossal peak, is another peak, which is just a foothill to an even bigger peak. They
stand over you with more Power and Might, than the brain allows you to understand.
Day one of Transit was glorious, a feast to the eyes for me.
Day two… Now that’s where the pendulum swung, and it swung right off the shelf.
Heavy rain in the night, delivered chaos by day.
Our roads became rivers, bridges disappeared, queues of truckers backed up, they all knew what this meant.
We were in a one way funnel…
And forward was the way.
Mother nature threw her fury into those mountains, i saw what were bridges, now look like
ground salt on a kitchen table.
I saw hillsides, taller than city buildings, just eaten away into mud, and dissolved into the angry
mountain river.
Chaos had begun, and further down the funnel we went.
We had a goal, rendevouz in Shimla in a few days right?
Day 3 of the transit, was when i realised this is taking a turn..and not a promising one. We
reached a small mountain village called Hull, in the famed Spiti valley.
On arrival into the village, a local farmer gave our local drivers and guide, a thumbs up to
attempt an upcoming ‘tricky section’ of road….we went around the corner, only to find a
boulder the size of a 6 story building now residing road central.
We scurried back to the village, only to be given a shoulder hunch and cheeky smile from the
man, it wasnt his problem was it.
For the next 3 nights, we bunkered up in a local farmers home.
The family gave up their lounge and rooms and accommodated us.
Phone signal floated in and out when it desired, and so did the updates on the status for the
roads.
Where we came from, had now had a freak snow storm (a month too early according to the
mountain men)…closing any chance of backtracking for us.
The Giant boulder was shoved out the way by one of the insanely brave mountain road workers,
and we could get ourselves to the small town of Kaza.
Kaza is nestled deeply in the Spiti valley, and is surrounded by Snowy capped peaks and Littered
with wonderful Buddhist temples. The rain eased up…in Kaza,
But not with the other crew in Rishikesh!
They were dealing with their own threats of ‘liquid mountains’.
Shimla became a hotspot for wild rainstorms, reports of landslides on almost all access roads.
The town of Manali to the south, had such extreme damage, there was no access from any
angle.
Day and Night we had conflicting information coming in, one road opened, another shut, then
both shut, then both opened… A clear sign nothing was open, was the fact there was no traffic
flowing through the village of Kaza.
By some divine miracle, we did happen to be Bunkering down in a Local hotel, that just
happened to be co-owned by an Australian, and with that, a top of the range coffee machine.
I think that caffeine supply is what kept me sane.
The TDA office crew in Toronto (& South Africa), the TDA crew on the south side of the
mountains, and us 7 crew stuck in Kaza, slowly and steadily formulated an extraction plan.
… And it involved backtracking!
Forwards, we had reached a wall. Literally a mountain wall.
That wall wasn’t being moved anytime before the potential First winter snows, which were now
predicted within 3 weeks time.
That drive back out the way we came, by some stroke of divine luck, went relatively smoothly.
Smoothly is subjective here, the road was Kaput… But there was a deep mutual desire from all,
to get out.
Whilst Getting out of the Mountains, it would only seem fitting that the final hour over the final
pass, would see deluge rains and fog….
Again i watched mud and rock flow off the side of a mountain with ease.
Of course it had to show us who the real boss is of this wild place one final time….
In all this commotion, TDA took the heavy hearted choice, to cancel the tour.
The Outbreak of a global pandemic in 2020, is the only other time in 23 years such a decision has been taken…
We got out those mountains, got ourselves to the flatlands of Delhi, where we rejoined our
Comrades and dealt with the realities of an early ending tour.
We all going home early, somewhat short changed of an experience for sure, but despite the
emotional loss of that journey, i will try explain the gain…
I witnessed Real Human Spirit in those mountains.
I saw people that don’t own much material possession, give out far more than any person i’ve
seen in the 1st world do in 20 years of living there.
Subsistence living Village people, giving up their personal rooms for strangers, local mountain
herdsman pushing stuck vehicles out of mud, local tea houses giving free meals and hot cups of chai to people in need, because they understood the situation…its survival up there.
i watched 3 special Indian men, who arrived in Leh as our local support vehicle drivers,
transform into the Backbone of our Tour when We found ourselves in real trouble.
They waved that Indian flag proudly, we were guests in their land, and they made sure our
safety, comfort and well being was more important than anything else.
How they got those vans out those mountains, i still don’t know.
No anger, no showing of stress, no critique…
Masters of disguising anxiety indeed, maybe helped by a couple boxes of cigarettes per hour.
But i also witnessed Mother Nature get really angry.
Those environments are changing fast, and the signs are there.
Villages, towns and Life, stand No chance when a Mountain decides to move…and it is
increasing with the Severe Weather changes the are experiencing.
The Himalaya’s once again Humbled me, for the 3rd time i have been into them.
I am so insignificant when i stand there and look up.
I got to see them in their beauty, and they also showed me just how Ruthless and cruel they are.
It is a hard life up on the Roof of the World.
To those who had their trip cut short, what a great shame we didnt get to experience the TDA
circus in that Phenomenal Place…
But In some ways, i’m glad you didn’t have to see those roads, i wont ever forget the noise a
mountain makes, when it decides to kick one of its 100meter high ‘Rock Shoes’ off.
Let’s All try play nice with Mother Nature please, the more We all pedal our bikes, hopefully the
happier She will be!
Cheers, Doug
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Founder Henry Gold shares his thoughts and insights in the aftermath of the cancelation of the 2025 Trans-Himalaya cycling tour.
‘Can you write a blog on Climate Change & Cycle Touring’- read the email from our Editor in Chief. This came while a large part of our senior staff was trying to deal with the situation created by unprecedented rains in northern India. Unfortunately for the cyclists and organizers, the Trans-Himalaya tour got underway just a few days ahead of these massive rains. Reading the email, a big sigh escaped from my mouth, one that could be heard clear across the room.
It is not like I am ignorant on the subject. After all, my first engineering job, fresh out of McGill University, was on an anti-pollution project with a company called Union Carbide in Beauharnais, Quebec, just outside of Montreal. Several years after I left the company, Union Carbide became famous worldwide, or rather infamous, for allowing the release of toxic gas from a factory producing insecticide in Bhophal, India that killed at least 2,600 people, and according to an Indian government report injured over half million people including 3,900 severely. Apparently, that is a low estimate. Encyclopedia Britannica estimates 15,000 to 20,000 deaths. Later, when I was heading a Canadian NGO called CPAR, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief, we initiated a fundraising project, called ‘Plant a Tree in Africa’ which allowed for the planting of 76 million trees.
So it is not like I don’t have an interest in what is happening on our small planet. However, I am not a scientist, a politician, and certainly not an investigative journalist so what can I add to the conversation on climate change? Except, of course, I am part of a small company that has wonderful, challenging and very adventurous bike tours all over the world. One thing is for sure, every year our company is now presented with striking evidence that things are changing and changing fast.
Three years ago, I had the privilege to be at the start of our North American Epic tour in Tuktoyaktuk, on the shores of Arctic Ocean. The area was experiencing an unprecedented heat wave with temperatures hitting as high as 30C (86 F). The elders had never seen anything like this, and their health system had a hard time adjusting. Two months ago, I participated on our inaugural Olive Route tour from Athens to Lisbon. It was when we hit Northern Spain that we started getting emails from friends and relatives asking us how we were dealing with the heat that hit Southern Europe. Fortunately, the area on the shores of Northern Spain where we were cycling, only had two days of extreme heat, as compared to weeks in the rest of Southern Europe.
We were not so lucky in India. Just a few days after the Trans-Himalaya tour started, heavy rains started and with that came mud slides, dangerous rock slides and of course flooding. Roads and tunnels closed, vehicles were stranded, in short, chaos. TDA staff reacted quickly and managed to get everyone to a safe place in Leh. A couple of days later we decided to interrupt the tour and give cyclists an opportunity to fly out of Leh to pursue alternative adventures. We were to recommence again, further down the route in Shimla. In the meantime, the vehicles with bikes and bags would slowly make their way to Shimla. It turned out to be an optimistic idea. The rains didn’t stop and in some areas, intensified. Our vehicles got stranded for several days and the rains kept coming. Finally, realizing that we would face a similar situation (or worse) if the tour continued from Shimla, we made the difficult decision to cancel the tour. The participants were understandably disappointed – the adventure they had anticipated for many months was no more.
Credit: Doug Percival
If we ignore the cancelation of Tour d’Afrique tour in 2020 when the Covid pandemic was declared, this is the first instance that our company has had to make this unprecedented decision. A recent BBC article ‘Why monsoon rains have been so deadly in India this year’, talks about how the climate crisis is changing the behaviour of the monsoon. One thing I know for sure, the ‘behaviour’ is not predictable, not when it comes to rains, heat, cold and everything in between. What does it all mean for cycle touring? For one, when you hear us say ‘expect the unexpected’, it means that things will happen that we can’t predict and thus we all must be physically and mentally prepared to deal with the unforeseen issue whatever that may be. And get good trip interruption insurance.
Besides that, we all need to reassess what we do, where we go and what are reasonable and acceptable risks that we are willing to take. One thing, at least from our company’s perspective, is that we are not willing to quit cycling. In fact, cycling, second only to walking, is the least harmful activity humans can do. Going back to my McGill engineering days, I have a friend from those days with whom I had a climate discussion several years ago. An engineer, who among other things worked many years for General Electric, he didn’t believe that humans contribute to climate change. I tried my best to convince him, failing miserably.
Nowadays I don’t try to convince anyone as I know that I am also part of the problem. I don’t have a car that I drive in Toronto, I have solar panels on my home roof, try to recycle what can be recycled, I even grow some fruits and veggies in my backyard. But I do use airplanes, taxis, even occasionally rent a car. So, I can’t preach to anyone. Still, we should all try our best to reduce our impact on this precious little planet.
By the way, there was a journalist, Rajkumar Keswani, living in Bhopal, who raised the alarm about safety issues at the Union Carbide plant and tried very hard to convince the authorities that a disaster was coming. One of his articles was titled – ‘If you don’t understand, you all shall be wiped out.’. The more he tried, the more he was ridiculed. Even his friends thought he was crazy. When the explosion happened, he knew exactly what had happened, got his family into a car and drove away as fast as he could, saving himself and family. Unfortunately, with climate change none of us has that option.
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Audrey Spielmann rode the 2024 Morocco: Kingdom of the West Cycling Adventure. She shares what she has been working on when she isn’t on a cycling tour with us.
It was such a privilege to see Tanzania for the first time in 2018, when we were on a family trip with our three kids, visiting the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. How wondrous to see the animals while on Safari, life changing for all of us. We spent a number of days in the game reserves but I could have been there for weeks, never tiring of the animals nor the look on the kids’ faces as they saw these interesting creatures. My favourite was the warthog, such a silly little beast and, of course, the lions and their cubs.
The other highlight of the trip was a visit to a small school in Engaruka which is situated between Lake Natron and Lake Manyara. It had just opened in February 2018, with boarding students attending the first primary school class of the Engaruka English Medium Primary School-EEMPS. The kids were chosen from Maasai families in the neighbourhood based on high need, including the area involving the Ngorongoro conservation area and Ol Doinyo Lengai (Mountain of the Gods).
The idea initially was to educate and protect the young girls from early childhood marriage and other cultural habits (such as fmg) but the community wanted both boys and girls educated. Martha Olemisiko, a prominent Maasai women, founder of the school and a number of grass roots initiatives for Maasai women and children, told us the need was to provide English immersion to prepare the Maasai children for entrance exams for high school, only provided in English.
This was absolutely something I wanted to get involved with. I was fortunate to meet Theo Dillaha and Brian Benham, founding members of the USA-based Maasai Education Foundation (MEF), also at the school at the time, who had been fundraising to develop the school along with the other board members of MEF. This has been one of my most cherished and satisfying endeavours; to help fundraise for sponsorship and materials to build the school one class at a time. Now the school has just graduated their first grade 7 class with honours last fall and because there are a limited schools of such good quality nearby, a secondary school has been started on the same grounds so these kids can continue their education in Engaruka.
I have been successful in forming the Maasai Education Society in April 2024, a Canadian registered charitable society, to facilitate fundraising for sponsorships for the children in Canada. There has been tremendous growth for the school since 2018, development of the grounds with orchards and gardens, girls and both boys dormitories, a dining and assembly hall, classroom building and the beginnings of the secondary school. If anyone is interested in supporting the school, please check out the Maasai Education Foundation (American foundation), or Home • Maasai Education Society ( Canadian registered charity).
Feel free to contact Audrey Spielmann anytime if you have any questions about the school at [email protected].
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Paige White was the Content Creator on the 2025 North American Epic from Whitehorse to Fort St John.
Most of the travellers on the iconic Alaska Highway aren’t on two wheels. Stretching from Whitehorse, Yukon, southward to Dawson Creek in British Columbia, the Alaska Highway is steeped in history, built as a strategic military project during World War II.
By the time our riders made it to the second section of the tour, they’d already endured a wicked storm at the North American Epic’s starting line in Tuktoyaktuk. The reality of life on a bicycle had begun to sink in. When you’re on a bike for 128 riding days from the Arctic Ocean to Panama City, you risk misremembering some of the smaller details from the beginning of the trip.
Let’s share a few highlights from our riders on the Alaska Highway section of the North American Epic to make sure those moments stay alive and ensure that the beginning of this long trip is not so easily forgotten.
Luca Bortolami, Italy
Luca breaks records for the most sandwiches he can eat in a day. His record is 12.5, which he gets dangerously close to, day after day. When he isn’t breaking his own lunch records, he can often be found riding by himself at the front of the TDA pack – until one day he wasn’t alone anymore.
In Northern Canada of all places, Luca was reminded of a transformative experience he had in Kruger National Park, South Africa but this time it wasn’t a herd of elephants and he wasn’t in a world renowned national park. This time, Luca was on the side of a Canadian highway and now he had suddenly made friends with the largest Canadian land animal, the bison.
“They were so close and everything felt so peaceful. I felt like I was a part of the group with them, a part of the herd and it was a really beautiful feeling. I really enjoyed it and there was no fear or concern.” Luca had managed to go from riding solo to joining over 25 bison. Not only could you see him cycling side by side with these large animals but you could hear the rhythm of their hooves hitting the ground while they ran alongside him. He had the security of Tour Leader Britney cruising close behind him (after all, bison are large wild animals) so we were able to capture the moment on video and Luca can relive and share his special moment.
Kaye Hudson, New Zealand
Kaye is a seasoned rider, with the North American Epic marking her 10th tour with TDA. No matter how many tours you have done, if you sign up for an expedition tour you will still need a reliable tent and sturdy tent poles. Kaye learned this lesson the hard way and, after completing the first stretch of the tour through the Arctic, she stopped in Whitehorse on the rest day and bought a brand new tent.
With her fancy new digs, Kaye left Whitehorse heading for the next stop, Squanga Lake Campground. No problems. From Squanga Lake, the next stop was Teslin, which is a gas station, motel, campground, laundromat, restaurant, a one -stop shop kind of campground. Leaving Teslin, Kaye arrived at the Continental Divide RV Campground for the night…but Kaye’s tent poles did not. After a minor freak out and with the reality setting in, Kaye managed to wrangle the campground owner to borrow their phone. He wasn’t incredibly enthusiastic but maybe he deals with a lot of city-slickers who can’t cope one night without cell service.
Kaye called Teslin and got a hold of the manager who was equally as unenthusiastic and uninterested in her dilemma, “I said look, a tent without poles is pretty useless and I really need it, could you please and go have a look for them and I’ll pay you for your time.” Some nervous waiting and one phone call later, she heard an enthusiastic, “Yep. I’ve got them” before facing the next problem, how to transport the poles to her. It turned out every evening there is a shuttle that passes through Teslin and conveniently passes the Continental RV Campground. “All was good. Until the shuttle arrived, and they were not on the shuttle. I talked to the shuttle driver and he said no one spoke to him about the poles.”
So Kaye called back to Teslin, again. This time a new woman answered. “Yep, yep, they are on the shuttle.” “Yep, yep – No they’re not. Can I talk to the guy who was going to put them on the shuttle?” Silence. “Oh ya, I missed the shuttle driver by about a minute. Don’t worry I stopped a couple of guys in a white Nissan asked them to drop them off.” Kaye, of course, thought she would never see the poles again as the Teslin manager couldn’t remember what time the Nissan left, and couldn’t make any guesses as to when the car might arrive.
Kaye got some camp chores done and sat near the road for an over an hour. Fed up and frustrated, she decided to go to bed, and then what does she see? A white Nissan. Just like that, Kaye walked back to camp, tent poles in hand.
Keith Elliott, United Kingdom
Keith loves to swim. In the lobby of the Super 8 Hotel in Fort Nelson you could hear the TDA crew cheering like sports fans and pounding their fists on the glass window while Keith was hitting the hotel water slide at full speed, with the energy of a toddler.
Keith says that he goes out of his way to make sure his TDA trips are about more than cycling and if that means a swimming stop, he’s always open to the possibility. Canada is the land of fresh water and lakes with no shortage of swimming spots but it isn’t everyday that you pass a natural hot spring. Liard Hot Springs, is a top tourist attraction, and Keith made sure to stop and peel off the lycra to enjoy a midday swim.
“On these trips I can relax and enjoy myself, I don’t have to think about the outside world and the reality of life. You can just get up and cycle, and do things like swimming. When I was a teacher I was very stressed at the end, and this is one of the best ways of de-stressing.” Lucky for Keith, the next rest day hotel also had a water slide.
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North American Epic
This incredible expedition is the only cycling tour that covers the entire North American continent, from the shores of the icy Arctic Ocean to the...
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Congratulations! You’ve explored our website, checked our Tour Calendar and Tour Finder features and decided on which one of our amazing cycling adventures you would like to try first. Now what?
Tour Status
The first step is to go to the home page for the tour you have selected to check the tour status. If there is no note next to the tour/section start/finish cities or it says ‘Spaces Available’, the tour/section is open for registration.
If the note indicates ‘Limited Space Available’, then the tour is still open for registration but spaces are limited and the tour may be marked as ‘Sold Out’ soon.
If the note indicates ‘Waitlist Open’, then the tour is sold out but we are accepting names for a waitlist. There will be a link under the tour/section details that allows riders to email the office to be added to the waitlist. If spaces become available, riders on the list will be contacted on a first come, first served basis and offered a spot. The registration fee does not have to be paid to be added to the waitlist but must be paid immediately upon being offered a spot on the tour.
If the note indicates ‘Registration Closed’, the tour is sold out and the waitlist has already been closed. No further registrations are allowed.
Tour Registration
Once you have established the tour’s status, you are ready to move to the next step. Return to the home page for your desired tour.
On the right hand side you will see a ‘Register Now’ tab. Please click on that. This will take you to the Registration page.
The first section is – ‘What Tour Are You Registering For?’ The default tour/year is the tour and year from the homepage you originally clicked on. You can change the tour/year by clicking on the relevant drop down menus but let’s assume you are sticking with your original choice.
The second section requests some personal information that we use to process your registration. This must be completed to move ahead with the registration.
The system will now ask you to confirm that you are doing the full tour or one or more sections.
The next step will prompt you to read our Terms & Conditions. It is very important that you do this before signing up for the tour. They include information on Cancellations, The Entry Fee, Collection Of Personal Information and much more. Once you are comfortable with those details, you can check the box and move on to the next step.
You can now review your registration details before paying the registration fee. If you need to make changes, you can use the back arrow at the bottom left corner of the page. Please be aware that the registration for any tour or section(s) is US$250 payable only by credit card. This fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. The Registration Fee holds the Rider’s place on the Tour until the payment deadline. The Registration Fee is in addition to, and is not deducted from, the Entry Fee amount.
If everything looks good, then click on the Pay Now arrow. This will take you to the Payment Page. Enter your credit card details and click on the Pay button to complete the transaction.
Success! You are now officially registered and will receive an e-receipt shortly for the registration fee. Time to celebrate and look forward to your first incredible TDA cycling adventure.
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We sat down with author, musician and cyclist David Houghton to talk about his newest book – Thirty Three Cyclists. David, who completed three tours with TDA – 2005 Tour d’Afrique, 2012 Doomsday Ride and 2017 Magical Madagascar as well as the 2007 Race Across America, explained why he decided to take a unique approach to telling the story of cycling and what he discovered in the process.
TDA: How did this book come about?
David: In 2017, I wanted to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the bicycle by taking two hundred rides on different bicycles in different locations. I also wanted to write two hundred blog posts during the course of the year. After about a hundred blog posts I really had to start digging into some obscure information to find interesting things to write about. I went way down the rabbit hole! That’s what led me to discover a whole host of cyclists I’d never heard of, and I wanted to share their stories in much more detail in this book.
TDA: Tell us about a few of the cyclists in the book.
David: The first is Karl Drais, a German inventor who really just wanted to make his job as a forestry administrator easier. So he created a running machine, which was a bicycle with no pedals and no drivetrain. He wheeled his running machine through the forest and showed it off to the locals. It took a long time for his proto-bicycle to evolve into the bicycle we know now. The book features some well-known figures, like Albert Einstein, the Wright brothers and Freddie Mercury. But it also features some very obscure people who did incredible things on a bicycles. Like Anthony Pizzo, who rode across the United States handcuffed to his bike. Thomas Orde-Lees, a trick cyclist who took his bike to Antarctica on Shackleton’s expedition. Jose Meiffret, who was hell-bent on hitting 200 kilometres an hour on his bike. Gerhard Schönbacher, whose goal was to finish last in the Tour de France. Nelson Vails, who went from being a bike courier in Manhattan to a medalist at the Olympics.
TDA: And one chapter features our own Henry Gold!
David: Henry and I have connected many times over the years since I participated in the Tour d’Afrique in 2005. I was shocked when I heard that he’d been trampled by an elephant in India and I met with him a few times during his recovery. His story underlines what an incredible journey he’s been on since creating the TDA. I think Henry probably experiences more in a year than many people do in a lifetime.
TDA: So do you have any conclusions after putting this book together?
David: For the past two hundred years, cyclists have either wanted to go faster, go further, or do something crazy on the bike. Some lucky devils have managed to achieve all three.
Thirty Three Cyclists is available through Amazon worldwide, or you can ask for it at your local bookseller.
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Having just added the new Amber Route Cycling Tour to our schedule for 2027, it might be a good time to look back at some other tours that, for one reason or another, have slipped off the TDA Tour schedule. Will any of them return in the future? Well, as the old saying goes, ‘Never say never.’
Indian Adventure (RIP 2014)
I remember scouting this route with by Shanny back in 2010. Let’s just say the experience was, well, adventurous! For a month we roamed the backroads of India, plotting a way to get from Agra and the Taj Mahal to Kanyakumari at the southern tip of the subcontinent. The result was that in January 2011, a group of eager cyclists, including Founder Henry Gold, left Agra and headed out into the countryside.
Unfortunately, almost 2 months later, as the tour left the beautiful royal city of Mysore, Henry was attacked by elephant. I was awakened by a call in the middle of the night from Shanny who was leading the tour. Quite a way to wake up! While Henry suffered some serious injuries, he did recover but never returned to complete the route. Maybe some day..
The Indian Adventure ran again in 2012 and 2014 but the elephant issues in Southern India continued to be a concern so in 2016, we decided to shorten the tour, end it in Goa and rename it as the Hippie Trail. In 2026 The inaugural Tea Route Cycling Tour will herald our return to Southern India but in an area far from the elephants!
Fat Bike Lake Winnipeg (RIP 2106)
A precursor to a planned Antarctic Cycling Expedition (Seriously!), we wrote “Who says you can’t ride your bike on a frozen lake in the middle of the winter and then camp out for a night or three? Not us. As part of our preparations for the first commercial fat bike expedition to the South Pole, we are hosting a winter fat bike training camp on Lake Winnipeg.”
In the end 10 riders took part including Founder Henry Gold who recalled, “Yes it was fun. How could that be? Well, when you get your hands on the brand new Specialized Fatboy carbon bike, with studded 45NRTH tires, you pedal and get a nice momentum on the freshly packed snow only to suddenly sink 10 inches and zoom, now you’re rolling in the snow, with that white stuff covering your face. You can only laugh because, if you are 64 years old like I am, and you fall and nothing – and I mean nothing – hurts (except maybe your ego that is if you are foolish enough to believe that falling into snow is embarrassing).”
French Connection (RIP 2016)
In 2015, a cyclist who took part in the 2012 Silk Route responded to our automated birthday greeting by wishing us well and noting that he was about to cycle from Montreal to New Orleans, the 2 great francophone cities in North America. Henry added the idea to his Future projects file and soon enough the French Connection came to pass, with the addition of historic Quebec City to the start.
We suggested many reasons to join the tour noting “Quebec City was founded way back in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, making it one of the oldest European settlements in North America while New Orleans was founded just over a 100 years later in 1717 by the French Mississippi Company, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. See how these 2 cities have managed to retain their unique French culture in a sea of English-speaking North Americans.”
Oh, Canada (RIP 2017)
We are a Canadian company so when we realized that the year 2017 was the country’s 150th birthday, obviously we decided to celebrate by planning a tour from British Colombia’s Haida Gwaii Islands on the Pacific coast to St. John’s, Newfoundland on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
The route ended up being 98 days and crossed all 10 Canadian provinces. Along the way the 22 cyclists who joined the party learned about Indigenous culture, Prairie myths, Maple syrup, Upper & Lower Canada and the history of the Acadian people.
At the end of their journey at historic Signal Hill in St John’s everyone agreed that, “the variation in scenery – mountains, seas, prairies, lakes and coastlines – meant that we really did experience the great country that is Canada, celebrating its 150th birthday in the best way possible!”
West Africa (RIP 2018)
Originally conceived as an western counterpart to the Tour d’Afrique, the plan was for Casablanca – Cape Town. Once we started to do some research, however, it became clear that there were some serious issues such as security in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo not to mention the intricate bureaucratic dance required to obtain a visa for Angola! Well, if it couldn’t be Cape Town, then we’d settle for Cape Coast in Ghana.
Personally, this is one tour I hope returns from the dead. As one 2018 rider put it, ““An incredible experience: challenging riding, fascinating cultures, tough conditions, brutal heat and humidity, and great company! I’m a fairly intrepid traveller, but I would never have tackled West Africa on my own, and the staff and fellow riders made it so enjoyable.”
Carnival (RIP 2018)
We will do almost anything to avoid cancelling a tour…and this one proves that we are not exaggerating. Three, yes, count’em 3, riders enjoyed this ride down the coast of Brazil. When we came up with the concept, another tour on the South American continent, it seemed like a a winner – an incredible month long ride to Carnival in Rio along Northeast Brazil’s stunning, sun-drenched coast. Who wouldn’t want to do that?
In the end, only 11 riders signed up and then 8 of them cancelled. It just goes to prove that you can’t win them all!
Pura Vida (RIP 2021)
We all know what happened in 2020 and for 18 months, we were unable to run any tours. As a result, we had lots of time to plan for the eventual end to the pandemic. Border restrictions were still quite severe as COVID petered out so we tried to plan rides that didn’t cross borders and were in countries whose health requirements were more straightforward.
So in December 2021, 23 cyclists from the US, Canada & Europa enjoyed a 3 week jaunt through Costa Rica’s verdant scenery. You may ask why we haven’t run this tour again? Well, in 2019 we extended the route of the North American Epic through Costa Rica and now that borders are open again, riders who want to cycle that country can do so as part of our North American tour.
TDA’s Great American Roadtrip (RIP 2021)
By early 2021 we were all deeply feeling the words of Willie Nelson – “On the road again Just can’t wait to get on the road again.” This trans-America ride from Santa Monica, California to Savannah, Georgia would be our first after COVID and as we noted in our scouting report before it began, “In normal times we would run a scouting trip well before the tour is planned but, as we all know too well, these are not normal times!”
Despite our apprehension, our return to long distance cycling tour was a complete success! As one rider put it, “The Great American Road Trip was great all around. Great route, great food and great support. From the flat deserts of California, to the rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, the tour showcased the variety of the American landscape.”
Trans-Caucasus (RIP 2022)
Although the COVID pandemic was loosening its grip on the world in 2022, many countries maintained health restrictions and that meant that we could not run the Silk Route Expedition as planned in 2022. Instead, we decided to try to save at least a part of the journey, that is, the stages from Tbilisi in Georgia to Istanbul, Turkey.
A good crowd showed up and we managed to successfully complete the ride. Intent on improving the route in 2024, we decided to add a start in Yerevan, Armenia. We believed that cycling through this ancient land would be an added bonus for our riders. Unfortunately, an ancient squabble between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region led to this tour being cancelled for good.
Ruta Maya (RIP 2023)
This one is personal! In 2011 we were looking for a new tour in a part of the world that we hadn’t already covered. At some point in the brainstorming (OK, Friday afternoon beer sessions), I mentioned that the Mayan calendar was predicting the end of the world on December 21, 2012. From that emerged the Doomsday Ride (best tour name, ever!), starting in San Jose, Costa Rica and ending at the Mayan Lamanai Temple in Belize on the day the world would end.
I was lucky enough to be sent with my good friend and fellow TDA staffer, Cristiano, to scout the route. Amongst the many unforgettable memories of that experience was venturing far off into the Honduran jungle looking for an ill-advised short cut and losing all 4 brakes as the sun began to set…no service, no nothing. This challenging adventure ran again in 2015, 2016 and 2023 as the renamed Ruta Maya but serious logistical issues have put this on the shelf…for now.
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Once upon a time in Europe, TDA Global Cycling offered only 1 tour, the Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul. Then in 2009, after completing the Silk Route Cycling Expedition, Founder Henry Gold was visiting a family friend in Slovakia who was a writer. While chatting with him, his wife mentioned the Amber Route, from Roman times. Henry had never heard of it so when he returned home, he looked it up and – Eureka! – a new European tour was born.
In 2010 we launched the original Amber Route, St Petersburg, Russia to Venice, Italy, from the Baltic to the Adriatic, a 6 week, 3100 km ride through Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia & Italy. 26 Full tour riders were joined by 12 sectional cyclists and were led by a team including our Founder, Henry Gold, our Marketing Manager, Shanny Hill and longtime European Tour Leader, Gergo Szanyi.
2010 Start in St Petersburg (top), Finish in Venice (bottom)
In Tallinn that first year, a staffer wrote, “At a small amber shop in Tallinn I stopped in to take a look. I’ve always loved amber jewelry but never known much about, except of course that you can extract dinosaur DNA from bugs trapped inside it and grow a Tyrannosaurus Rex in a jar. The jewelry in the shop was gorgeous and what surprised me the most was the variety of colours, over 250, according to the young clerk. Baltic Amber, which was what was sold here, is mined from all over the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) and Russia. Some of it also comes out of the Baltic Sea. Some of the many colours are natural, depending on what soil or water the tree sap was petrified in. White Amber has more than 1,000,000 tiny air bubbles per cubic millimeter to give it an ivory glow. Other colours are derived from the age of the Amber or sometimes from special treatments after it has been harvested. A traditional way to darken amber is to boil it in honey.”
>>Amber Route Cycling Tour Details
In 2012, we extended the Amber Route all the way to Lisbon at first, and then to Gibraltar as part of the Trans-Europa project while keeping the start in St Petersburg. Unfortunately, Mr Putin made that increasingly difficult so in 2018 we moved the start line to Helsinki before finally settling on Tallinn in 2023.
The ‘Amber Route’ moniker remained throughout the years but only as a sectional name for the Vilnius – Budapest stages. In 2016 the route bypassed Krakow due to a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis at a church dedicated to the late Pope John Paul II in the that beautiful Polish city (no hotel rooms!) and, subsequently, we never changed it back.
Krakow’s central square with Town Hall, Cloth Hall and St. Mary’s Basilica
In 2027, we celebrate the rebirth of the Amber Route Cycling Tour and the renewal of the route through Krakow. We invite you to join us on this fascinating ride retracing the ancient trading route which sent amber, known as the ‘gold of the north’, southwards to Venice where it continued on as far as Syria and Egypt. Along the way cyclists will encounter UNESCO World Heritage Sites, castles, museums, historic cities, spectacular scenery and a captivating mix of European cultures.
We are pleased to add this extraordinary route to our existing stable of 6 tours covering the European continent.
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Amber, an enigmatic object of beauty, both a semi-precious stone and a mineral, was the main reason for the creation of the Amber Route, the most...
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When I arrived in Cartagena, Colombia last July, it was hot and humid. There was no breeze and it would remain around 30C at night. As I sweated it out in the hotel parking lot in the pre-departure days – assembling equipment, organizing gear – I slowly met each of the cyclists taking part in the South American Epic Cycling Expedition as they arrived. I’ve been to the start of probably 20 or 30 of our tours over the years and I am always amazed that we are able to convince people to fly in from all over the globe to set off into the unknown as part of our intrepid crew of cyclists. Is it faith in TDA Global Cycling or is it curious people willing to jump into the deep end and try something new?
>>RELATED – Facing Adversity on the South American Epic
Whatever it is, this particular group of strangers had committed to spending the next 6 months together (for those going the full distance). When, in our adult lives, do we ever do something like this? It is unique to say the least. The openness of this group to new adventures and experiences was inspiring. There was no single reason that they all chose to do this but they were open to finding the answer to ‘why’. This film’s title – Because It’s There – gives us one possible answer.
The film takes you along for the ride and introduces you to a number of the cyclists. We are very proud of the film and wanted to thank Mats Fredrix for his efforts to put this all together – capturing footage, interviewing the participants, editing and post-production. We also want to thank Benjamin Levin for capturing footage and assisting in the film’s production.
Please enjoy the film. We’d love to get your feedback in the comments.
Because It’s There – A Group Of Strangers Crossing South America By Bicycle
“Why are you doing this?” That’s the question posed at the start of this visually rich and thought provoking documentary following the 2024 South American Epic — a 6-month cycling expedition stretching from Colombia to Patagonia. The answers, at first, are uncertain. “All my friends think it’s a bit crazy,” one rider admits but as the film unfolds, so does a deeper understanding of what compels a group of strangers to cross an entire continent by bicycle – starting in Cartagena on the Caribbean coast and ending up in Ushuaia at the southern tip of the continent in Argentina.
Led by unflappable tour leader, Carolina, and her resourceful crew, the cyclists pedal across vast salt flats, mountain passes, wind-blasted deserts, and remote river valleys. Along the way, they confront mechanical failures, political protests, wild weather and personal doubts — but they also experience a shared joy that can’t be measured in distance travelled.
Through candid interviews, moments of adversity and scenes of breathtaking beauty, the film captures more than just a journey — it reveals the formation of a tight-knit community. “I like the circus metaphor,” one rider says. “We are putting up the big top, our tents, everyday, taking them down.. travelling to the next place.”
In the end, no simple answer to ‘why’ emerges but one thing becomes clear – this is not just a film about cycling. It’s about choosing discomfort, embracing challenge and discovering meaning in movement — together.