Thinking about joining a TDA Global Cycling tour but still have some questions about the experience? To help you out, we will be holding an online information session, hosted by our Marketing Manager Shanny Hill, to answer all your pressing questions. Head of Customer Service, Michael Coo, and TDA Global Cycling’s Operations Manager, Miles MacDonald, will also be in attendance to share their insights.
From left: Shanny Hill, Michael Coo, Miles MacDonald
We’ll use this info session to share what we know and hopefully inspire you to sign up and join one of our exciting tours. Even if you can’t join one of these tours immediately, join us for the info session anyway. If you couldn’t find answers you were looking for on our FAQ page or in our TDA Starter Kit, this live online event is an opportunity to ask us anything – it could be related to any of our tours around the globe or any cycle touring questions you want answered by our experts.
DETAILS
When: Tuesday, February 13th starting at 13:00 in Toronto/New York (18:00 in London)
What: We will have brief introductions and summary of the 2024 & 2025 tours, followed by an open Q & A session.
Length: 30 – 45 min
Who should attend: Anyone interested in joining a TDA tour in the future.
Click here to register and we will alert you shortly before it starts. Even if you aren’t available for the live event, a recording will be emailed to everyone who registers.
]]>
Live viewing double feature of ‘Cycling the Trans-Himalaya’ and ‘Cycling the Bamboo Road’.
Longtime TDAer Shanny Hill and filmmakers Nirmika Athalye and Esen Küçüktütüncü will be at the ready on their keyboards to answer your questions in realtime as we all watch the films together. We hope you will join us!
The screening will be on Friday, July 10th at 10:00am Eastern time (Toronto / New York) on YouTube. If you would like to RSVP to the facebook event, click here. Otherwise simply find the direct links to the YouTube pages below.
The first video will start at 10:00am, followed by a short break, and the second will begin at 10:15am. You will have to click to the 2nd link at that time to continue watching.
10:00am – Cycling the Trans-Himalaya:
https://youtu.be/Z_CPLQGxfDg
10:15am – Cycling the Bamboo Road:
https://youtu.be/MIXmP9S-JKI
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We continue with our 10 part series, ‘Reflections on Cycling the World‘, by Henry Gold, Founder of TDA Global Cycling.
“In early 2002, without a job or money, having just turned 50, I decided that it was time to do something drastic, something that had never been done before, something that would set me off in a completely new direction in my life. Thus was born the Tour d’Afrique. In the 16 years since, I have cycled on six continents, seen a few countries, met a lot of people, and had plenty of time to think.
Each blog in our 10 part series features five thoughts drawn from my experiences over those sixteen years of cycling around the world. I hope that these meditations will inspire you to get on a bike – whether to cycle around your local city, your province or state, your country, or even another continent. Every ride is an adventure bound to expand your physical and inner world. You will not regret it.”
Read ‘Reflections on Cycling The World: A 10 Part Series – Part 7′
On the Best Meal Ever
No, it was not at a Michelin 3-star restaurant or even one recommended by Lonely Planet. It was in a place that may, or may not, have a name, somewhere in Northern Sudan, not very far from the Nile. Two companions and I were looking for food – any food – and as darkness fell we walked by a house from which, unexpectedly, came an invitation to spend the night. An hour later, we were feasting like I have never feasted before or since.
On Food and Cycling
Be wary of all the stuff your read about nutrition, energy bars and gels. The only thing to remember is that when you cycle 100 km day in day out, you can eat everything you want, as often as you want, and probably still lose weight.
On Hearing Music in the Wilderness
Imagine this. You are lying in your tent; you have just cycled over 100km; you are tired and falling asleep. Then, almost as if you were dreaming, you hear music. Should you get up and investigate or should you turn over and go to sleep? Well, if you are like me you will get up and follow the musical Pied Piper. Next thing you know, you may find yourself the guest of honour at a wedding.
On Kids in Foreign Lands
As you cycle the world, you will pass by numerous schools and come face to face with many kids. They are always fun to have around, curious, in need of attention and eager to learn something or share a moment. Be kind, as they most likely will face a hard life. If you choose to spend some time with them, they will likely remember you fondly for the rest of their lives.
On Detours While You Cycle
You have probably heard it a million times. Set your goals and follow them relentlessly but, if you do not take some unexpected detours from your set itinerary, you may never discover why you left home in the first place.
]]>Spring is in the air and we know what that means – Bicycle shows! In the next week, TDA Global Cycling will have a booth at shows in Utrecht, Toronto & Vancouver. We hope you can find the time to stop by and say hello!
Fiets en Wandelbeurs, Utrecht
Come visit TDA Global Cycling from Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4th – Stand 4.C.94
We will also be holding an information session in Leusden, Netherlands on March 6th. Let us know if you would like to attend.
Toronto International Bike Show
TDA Global Cycling would love to see you at the Better Living Centre at Exhibition Place – Booth 803 – on Friday, March 2nd to Sunday, March 4th – . See you there!
Vancouver Bike Show
TDA Global Cycling will welcome you at Booth B107 on Saturday, March 3rd & Sunday, March 4th. Come and talk to us about our amazing cycling adventures.
]]>We are very excited to begin accepting applications today for the Best. Video Internship. Ever.
With cycling adventures in over 80 countries around the world, we have the fortunate position of being able to explore a wide array of places, and to meet many people from different cultures and backgrounds. For our cycling participants, and the support staff, these experiences have a lasting value that enriches their lives.
But not everyone is able, or ready to make the leap from cycling with friends on the weekend, to embarking on a multi-month overseas cycling tour. So more and more we have been trying to open a window on these experiences through video. Our best effort so far was the 9-part ‘Cycling the Silk Route’ series filmed, and edited by Jacob Warner. His months of hard work and dedication on the Silk Route cycling tour resulted in a hugely popular set of short videos that has allowed all of us to get a glimpse into life on the road on a TDA tour.
>>Learn more about our new video internship
The videos have been viewed thousands of times, and it has motivated us to pursue even more video production during our upcoming tours. It was through this that we created a unique and unprecedented opportunity for an aspiring filmmaker or travel videographer to gain valuable experience while traveling and filming on our tours later this year.
A Travel Video Experience in Europe and West Africa
Starting September 1, 2018 one talented amateur videographer will embark on a four month, all-expenses-paid internship in Europe and West Africa. They will fly into Barcelona, and document the final three weeks of the Trans-Europa – Europe’s longest supported cycling expedition, until it concludes in Lisbon.
Europe will be the warm up and a chance for the intern to settle into their new role and new environment. The intern is then off to Casablanca, arriving in time for the start of TDA’s inaugural West Africa en Vélo – an ambitious new project that hearkens back to the rough and ready roots of our company. The intern can expect lots of scenic beauty, emotional ups and downs, and daily surprises to keep him/her, the tour support staff, and the cyclists on their toes. With adversity comes great stories and great video content, right?
>>Learn more about our new video internship
Through the trials and triumphs, and with the initial guidance of our senior staff and the company founder Henry Gold, this will most certainly be a great stepping stone in pursuit of a travel film-making career.
Know someone who might jump at this opportunity?
Please share this blog post far and wide. We want to attract as much new talent as we can with the hopes of producing great videos to give future participants a window into what it’s like to participate in these unique adventures.
]]>“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.” – Confucius
“It is not a donkey and it is not horse. Maybe it’s a mule.” – Gizaw Shibru, Bamboo Road e-bike tester
It was 25 years ago when I attended a bicycle show in Taiwan and came across an e-bike. Being an electrical engineer, I was eager to try it. Mind you, that e-bike was simply a car battery with a motor but it did run on stored electricity. I cycled around the hall and when I got off it, I said to myself this is the future.
A quarter of a century later, if you are a cyclist you have most likely noticed that your neighbourhood bicycle store is probably showcasing one or another kind of e-bike. It is the latest craze; the one that the industry hopes will bring in some dollars. On the other hand, if you are a long distance cyclist, you probably shudder at the thought of using an e-bike on a tour.
My curiosity in e-bikes goes beyond my professional background. The interest is also from my perspective as the owner of TDA Global Cycling. TDA is known around the world as the company that creates extraordinary long distance tours. The New York Times has called us ‘Specialist in long-distance trips’. So I have been asking myself, “Is there a room for e-bikes on TDA tours, and if so, how? Is an e-bike an option on existing tours, or should e-bikes have tours of their own?”
Perhaps the way to start is to figure out what the motivation is to use e-bikes on long distance trips. After all, it is obvious why e-bikes can play an important role in commuting and transporting cargo as I have explained in an article focused on Africa. But why use bikes to cross continents or even on shorter tours like the Bamboo Road, the Pub Ride, Orient Express or other tours now in the planning stages?
There is another reason that is not so obvious, but that I have witnessed myself. Long distance cycling and touring is conceptually intimidating to many people. We all know that. E-bikes are much less so. And as I have witnessed, an individual came on the Bamboo Road with an e-bike, and after a month he announced that his next trip with TDA would be on a regular bike. He realized that he can do it without an ‘e’ assist.
The purists, including some in our office, will say categorically – no! NO E-BIKES!!! But as Bob Dylan sings, “The times they are a changing”. “Resistance is Futile” declared no less an authority than Joe Murray, former mountain biking National US Champion in an article in the 200th issue of Dirt Rag magazine. So with all this in mind, I decided to look for an e-bike to use as a test from Shanghai to Hanoi, a distance of 2,710km. I contacted a manufacturer, Ezeebike, who last year was ranked by the Australian bike magazine RideOn, as the best e-bike in the touring category.
To my great pleasure, the owner of Ezeebike, WaiWon Ching (lead photo), responded within half an hour, and we started a conversation. This resulted with myself, Gizaw – a cycling novice from Ethiopia – and WaiWon being at the start line of the Bamboo Road this past September 23rd. For the next 5 weeks, I and several others experimented, tested, played and generally just used the e-bikes. Gizaw and I cycled each day – including our longest ride of 180 km – with the battery we charged each night in a hotel.
There are of course differences cycling with an e-bike as compared to a traditional touring, hybrid or road bike. The one main thing is that an e-bike is heavier than any bike you have used or lifted, and that can be an issue if you want to put the bike on the roof of a van for example. Being heavier than any regular bike also means it handles a bit differently. E-bikes can also be an issue if, for example, you forgot to charge the battery and it runs out in the middle of the day. That can mean pushing a heavy bike up the hill.
Otherwise, the bike is easy to use, and great for hills as you do not get tired at all, and it takes little time to get to the top. The e-bike is fun in the same way a motorcycle is fun, meaning you can give yourself a push anytime you need or want. But the main benefit, in my opinion, is that the e-bike allows anyone who wants to have an adventure, to be out there, and to enjoy cycling life and its benefits, be it improved health (yes, latest research shows that even e-biking is beneficial for health), camaraderie, or the joy that comes with seeing new places and having unexpected encounters with strangers all over the world.
The experiment was a success, so where do we go from here? Stay tuned and you will find out.
P.S. If you would be interested in a long distance e-bike tour, or have opinions about the rise of e-bikes, let us know in the comment section below.
]]>WE’RE HALFWAY THROUGH
Some exciting things are happening around the #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge. We’ve reached our halfway point, new teams are forming each week and our World Record Breaking rider and #200for200 supporter has just broken his first world record and will soon head off to attempt his second.
NEW WORLD CYCLING RECORD
On the morning of July 26, 2017 Jonas Deichmann (#EurasiaChallenge) set a new world record! He arrived in Ufa, the capital city of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, and, in so-doing, completed the fastest bicycle ride across Europe ever–6450 km in 25 days, 3 hours, and 38 minutes–beating the former World Record by almost 5 days. As of July 27th he will be continuing across the Ural Mountains and into Siberia in the pursuit of history’s first bicycle ride across Eurasia. CONGRATULATIONS, JONAS! Thank you for supporting the #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge with this incredible feat.
YOUR #200for200 IMPACT
The stories shared by the beneficiaries of bicycles donated to community partners in Africa by our TDA Foundation best illustrate the impact your participation in the #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge will have. Your contribution WILL change and even save lives. “My life was saved from Cholera because a volunteer with a bicycle came and picked me up to the hospital for treatment.” says Margaret in Ming’ongo Village, Lilongwe, Malawi (Image provided by CPAR (Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief), 2015 TDA Foundation Bicycle Recipients
So far we’ve raised almost $5,000, which translates to 25 new bikes for donation–big thanks to all our donors and challengers thus far! We’re a long way from our goal yet and we still need your help. Every donation counts. Every $200 raised buys another bike for someone in need. Please help us spread the word by sharing the challenge far and wide with friends and family, through social media channels, and with anyone in your network you feel might be willing to help us get there.
Donate or Take the Challenge: www.200for200.bike
]]>We have been in London before promoting our tours. We had a lot of fun and met lots of local cyclists. So we are back to do it again, with two events in the month of July. A film screening at London Velo Cafe (July 19) and we have a booth at the RideLondon Cycling Show (July 27-29). Details below. Hope we see you there.
Bike Film Screening and Info Session
Where and When:
London Velo
@ 7pm on July 19
18 Deptford High St, London SE8 4AF
+44 20 8691 1500
FREE of charge
The film is 20 minutes and will be followed by a Q & A session with long time TDA staff Shanny Hill.
London Velo is a bike shop café bar in Deptford, South East London. They also host other cycling-theme events, yoga classes, and they operate a cycling club too.
>>Tell us you are coming from our Facebook event page
Film Trailer
>>Tell us you are coming from our Facebook event page
Who Should Attend?
The event is FREE and ALL ARE WELCOME and encouraged to come. If you are interested in the Silk Route, cycle touring, or any social cycling evening, you will enjoy this event.
(If you are a TDA alumni, your drinks are free too – find Shanny and he will make sure you don’t pay.. that’s just a small thanks for being part of the family.)
And for those looking to learn more about our tours, it’s a fantastic opportunity to meet former cyclists from our tours and to hear their stories.
Shanny will be on hand to answer questions after the movie for those who want to stick around.
>>Tell us you are coming from our Facebook event page
Our Booth at RideLondon Cycling Show
Where and When:
ExCeL London
10am – 8pm July 27 – 29
1 Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL
Booth #608
Details here.
We will be happy to talk to anyone and everyone that comes by the booth. We have handy patch kits to give away, and we can tell you all about our upcoming tours. Please stop by.
Any questions about either event? Please let Shanny know [email protected]
]]>June 12, 2017 marked the 200th anniversary of the bicycle and TDA Global Cycling is celebrating all summer long with the #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge, presented by its TDA Foundation. The idea is to get more people out and about on bikes this summer, challenging themselves and others to ride further and share the experience, fostering a greater sense of community and doing good for people and the planet in the process.
The goal is to raise enough money ($200,000) to get 1000 new bikes into TDA’s partner communities in Africa—a gift that will create greater access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity for the people within those communities, the same people that TDA riders may meet along their route on the annual epic Tour d’Afrique from Cairo to Cape Town. Donated bikes are purchased in Africa and recipient organizations are carefully vetted to be sure they’re utilized in the context of what the organization is doing—whether it’s an HIV/AIDS outreach program working with a hospital and thus able to increase the range of work or an NGO such as BEN Namibia. Each recipient group has to have a project to which bikes are donated.
The challenge launched June 12 and runs through the summer until September 12, 2017.
On the morning of June 23 #200for200 Project Manager, Lara Marjerrison, sat down with TDA founder, Henry Gold, to chat about his completion of the #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge on June 21, at 65 years of age.
Lara: So, you did it. You rode the entire 200 kilometres on one day. Congratulations. Can you tell me the route you took?
Henry: The route started at my (Toronto) home early in the morning. We then cycled to Exhibition GO station and took a GO train to the last Southwest GO station—Aldershot. From there we cycled to Hamilton and from Hamilton to Grimsby. At Grimsby we cycled to Lake Ontario trail and then on the Lake Ontario Waterfront trail all the way to Oshawa GO station, the last easterly station on this line. We took a train back to Exhibition GO station and then made our way home.
Lara: I know your friend who passed away is who inspired you to get out there and just do it. Is there anything else you’d like to say about him or that moment of clarity you had?
Henry: Dr. Bill Nelem was not a friend. he was a client and I only met him when I joined the 2010 tour for a bit of the time. You can read about how he inspired me in this blog post.
Lara: Can you tell me the last time you rode 200K in one day?
Henry: The last and only time I rode 200km was in 2004. I was 52.
Lara: How much of a challenge was it for you?
Henry: Well as it turned out it was more of a psychological challenge than physical. Don’t get me wrong, being on a bike for 13 hours was not easy but it also was not devastatingly hard.
Lara: What did you enjoy most about the day, getting out there and just doing it?
Henry: I enjoyed discovering whole new areas of Ontario nearby that I have never seen and the changes that have happened in other areas since the last time I have been through, especially with all the rain and the high water on the lake. And the realization, when I was about 3/4 of the way, thinking… yeah i am going to do it; it is not as hard as I thought it would be. The usual game we all play that this is going to be one day of torture and in fact it was hard but it was not torture. Last it was great to see the reaction in a pub of young guys and gals when Micah (TDA staffer) and I told them we just cycled from Grimsby and that I am 65. They could not believe it!
Lara: Can you tell me a bit about what ever inspired you to start the TDA Foundation to begin with and why this campaign matters to you? What the overall impact of the foundation means to you?
Henry: I worked in Africa with an NGO which I co-started and it was, to my surprise, frustrating and very challenging but also great fun to do good. So when I decided to start a for-profit company that was going to cycle across Africa, I felt that part of the experience of crossing Africa on a bike would not only be to observe and enjoy Africa but also to remind each participant how well they have it and thus we should all do just something little, call it symbolic, and give something back. So I decided to give one bike for each Tour d’Afrique participant to heath care workers and HIV trainers. And 15 years later we still are doing it, though we also now give bikes to women’s cooperatives, to girls to go to school, entrepreneurs who need to get their produce to market, and so on.
Lara: Can you tell me a bit about how you’re careful (and have always been careful) not to be that “white saviour” that traipses into Africa to come to the rescue? From my point of view it has been clear from the outset that TDA Foundation is very respectful in its approach and that the work being done has a sustainable impact.
Henry: When I first went to work in Africa, during the 1980’s famine, I used to say a bit flippantly, to people who commented that I have a saviour complex, that in fact all I was trying to do it save myself. I come from a background where both my parents were survivors of a Holocaust and I personally registered at the holocaust museum 72 close family members of my parents: siblings, parents, nephews and nieces who perished in the Holocaust, so growing up without any family whatsoever I always felt a certain sadness, heaviness of the world. And for me the best way to deal with this was not therapy but to be actively involved in doing something positive for humanity, for the planet, for the environment we live in, even for the animals. But, in reality I am doing it for myself. It gives me great satisfaction to do something for other’s benefit who do not know I even exist.
Lara: Any other comments or remarks?
Henry: There is no better way of feeling good about yourself than doing something fun like cycling that is so enjoyable and at the same time an act benefiting others. My advice: go cycle and raise money for a bike and remember the day you got your own bike and then think I can make someone else feel the same way today. Its the best therapy for all sorts of things.
Henry completed all the challenge by:
1. riding 200 kilometres
2. raising $200
3. challenging two friends when posting his accomplishment to social media and tagging them.
He then went above and beyond by issuing an additional challenge, stating that for anyone willing to donate $2,000, enough to purchase 10 more bikes, not only will he do another 200 kilometre ride, he’ll tack on an extra 50K! Remember: he’s 65 years old! He’s up for it. Are you?
There are draw prizes to be won from Specialized Bikes and Lonely Planet, as well as a grand prize of one full section of the 2018 Tour d’Afrique (flight included) from TDA Global Cycling, which will be given to the #200for200 challenger with the most funds raised.
You can learn more and join the challenge at www.200for200.bike.
Contact Project Manager, Lara Marjerrison with questions and comments at [email protected]
]]>You’ve heard we’re celebrating the 200th birthday of the bicycle all summer long, yes?
Did you also hear there are prizes to be won for participating and sharing? What’s a birthday party without presents, right?
Everyone who enters the #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge is eligible to win a draw prize of one of three (3) Airnet helmets, compliments of Specialized Bicycles, or one of ten (10) gorgeous copies of Epic Bike Rides of the World, compliments of Lonely Planet. That’s some sweet swag!
PLUS.. our GRAND prize winner will receive one full section of TDA Global Cycling’s EPIC 2018 Tour d’Afrique (including entry fee, flights, all meals, tour support, and an invitation to attend the #200for200 bicycle donation ceremony)!!
Will YOU be a #200for200 winner?
Share your completed challenge with us and the world and you just might be. 🚴🚴🏻♀️🚴🚴🏻♀️🚴
Link to the details: www.200for200.bike
]]>HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR BICYCLE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR BICYCLE!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR BICYCLE!
HAPPY 200th BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!
Hooray! Hooray! TODAY is the day! The bicycle is 200 years old and we’re CELEBRATING!
Birthdays are for gift giving, right? That’s exactly what we’re doing to celebrate the bicycle’s 200 years of existence. We aim to give the gift of transportation to 1,000 individuals and families in Africa through our partner community organizations. That gift will create greater access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity, making real wishes come true.
You can help and have fun doing it. Challenge two friends to join you in the #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge then get on out there and ride and raise and share, share everywhere.
We’ve got gifts for you too! Draws will be made throughout the summer for amazing prizes from Specialized (helmets), Lonely Planet (books), and us, TDA Global Cycling (dream bike trip). Keep your eyes on social media for prize draws and other exciting announcements. Hashtag: #200for200
JOIN THE CHALLENGE NOW www.200for200.bike
You are invited!
Je bent uitgenodigd! (Nederlandse taal hieronder)
With the help of our friends in Amsterdam, we have organized a special film screening and information session for anyone interested in our Silk Route cycling tour, or any other tour we have on our calender. All are welcome, and its free!
When: 19.00 to 21.30 on Friday, June 30
Where: Theo Meijer Sport, Plantageweg 6, 3833AZ Leusden
What: Our 9-part film series is a short film in 9-parts (total time approx 18min). Last year we did lots of filming during the Silk Route cycling expedition – a 12,000 km cycle journey from Beijing to Istanbul along some of the famed routes of silk traders of 
centuries past. We gathered some stunning footage with the use of our drone, GoPro, and other gadgets. The series does a great job of capturing the magnitude of the physical challenge as well as the enjoyment of experiencing the many cultures along the way.
The evening will be hosted by Arthur Rijk who rode with TDA Global Cycling from Cairo to Cape Town, and Henry Gold, the company’s founder.
Please RSVP Arthur Rijk in Holland: arthurrijk
Informatie avond: “Zijderoute; Op de fiets van Beijing naar Istanbul”
Arthur Rijk fietste al eerder van Cairo naar Capetown. Een 12.000km lange fietstocht die hij met 31 andere fietsers in 4 maanden heeft afgelegd. Inmiddels hebben een aantal gepassioneerde fietsliefhebbers vergelijkbare tochten in de wereld georganiseerd. Allemaal mooie en lange tochten bedoeld voor de gepassioneerde avontuurlijke fietser.
Arthur zoekt geïnteresseerden die mee willen fietsen in het spoor van de Zijde Route; van Beijing naar Istanbul. Met gelijkgestemden, voor enkele weken of voor de volle vier maanden.
Vrijdag 30 Juni organiseert Arthur in samenwerking met TDA Global Cycling een informatie avond bij Theo Meijer Sport (TMS), Plantageweg 6 te Leusden. Aanvang 19.00 uur. Henry Gold is oprichter en eigenaar van TDA Global Cycling en is aanwezig om informatie te geven over deze Zijde Route van Beijing naar Istanbul maar ook over andere vergelijkbare fiets-avontuurlijke tochten elders in de wereld.
Naast informatie over de voorbereiding, de tocht, veiligheid etc. worden er mooie foto’s en films vertoond.
Als jij het nu echt tijd vindt om de regie in je leven te pakken voor jouw “once in a lifetime experience” zien we jou graag op deze informatieavond. Informatie bij Arthur Rijk 06 2489 1568, [email protected].
]]>We have cycling tours in over 80 countries around the world. On each of these tours, we pass through a variety of cities and towns in Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand and beyond – and so there is a pretty good chance that we will have a cycle tour that will be passing near to you in the next 18 months.
That’s why we created Guest Rider Days so that you can come and experience our cycle tours without having to commit to a longer expedition. Just a few nights, close to where you live to get a feel for what the daily routines are like, and more importantly, what type of people take part in these grand cycling adventures.
This program is open to anyone who has never ridden with us before and is willing to challenge themselves for a few days of cycling on our tour!
How it Works
- Take a look at our calendar, and our tour map and see where our tours come nearest to where you live.
- Send us an email, and tell us that you are interested in participating in the Guest Rider Days.
- As the date of the Guest Rider Days draw near, we will send you a few forms, and let you know where and when to meet with the group.
Then you set off with the group! Headed for new adventures with some new cycling friends.
What We Cover, What You Cover
We will carry your bags in our support vehicles and feed you most meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during the ride. We will also cover your camping fees and staff will be available to answer your questions and make you feel at home… on the road.
Transportation to meet us (and to return home) and hotel arrangements (and costs) are at your own expense and you will need to come with your own bike and camping gear. If you are staying offsite from the rest of the group, you will also need to find your own way to join the group each morning.
The Guest Rider Days program is intended for those who have never been on our tours before, but former TDA participants can inquire to see if space is available to ride for a day or two when the tour pass near their home.
Spaces are limited to 3 guest riders in any one location, so make sure to contact us well in advance.
>>Email us to work out the details
What Riders Said About Guest Rider Days…
Veronica from Wellington, New Zealand
“It was such a pleasure to join your ride from Napier to Wellington as a guest. Wonderful company superb support and a privilege to enjoy the TDA family for a bit. You have quite a package I have to say. Once again thanks for you wonderful generosity in adding me to your trip. I hope I will get to do more with you.”
Ray from Ottawa, Canada
“It was a physically challenging three days but very rewarding…I have always been tempted by the rides offered by TDA and I appreciated the opportunity to get a taste of them. Am I prepared to sign up for a two month ride? Probably not, but a 1-2 week section could be in the cards.”
We would love to introduce you to what we do and prove to you that this is not only for uber-athletes or experienced adventurers. It’s for anyone willing to try something a little different, to take on a real challenge and be rewarded with tired legs and a deep sense of accomplishment. Do you think you might enjoy a couple days on the road with us?
]]>Some things may appear as pure coincidence but such is life. Last week we sent a newsletter to our cycling alumni in which the top story was our new #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge. Cycle 200 km and donate $200 for a new bike to deserving individuals in Africa. The last story in newsletter was the announcement of the passing one of our TDA Alumni, Dr. Bill Nelems. The announcement was linked to an obituary on Dr. Nelems in the Globe and Mail.
>>Read all about the #200for200 fundraising challenge
Bill was a man of great accomplishments including being part of the team that successfully performed the world’s first lung transplant. He was also the first doctor in the world to use ECMO – a technique now routinely used for treatment of advanced respiratory failure – in support of lung transplantation. But Dr. Nelems was much more than a successful physician. I had the pleasure meeting him when he joined the 2010 Tour d’Afrique in which he was riding for fun but also doing some good – raising funds to support healthcare in Zambia.
I remember his warmth and enthusiasm for life. He was simply a pleasure to be around. What I recall most was his immense pleasure and satisfaction on achieving something special on his 71st birthday while riding the 2010 Tour d’Afrique, something he has never done before – he cycled 200 km in one day. As coincidences go, I am sure Dr. Nelems would appreciate that on the day we have to inform our alumni of his passing, we are also asking them also to cycle 200 km and do some good in the process.
I cycled my first 200 km in Africa when I was 52 years old and was immensely pleased with myself. And though I planned to ride the 200 km challenge myself, I was planning to do it over several days (The rules of #200for200 Challenge allow that). After all, I am now 65 years old and I felt 200 km might be just too difficult. But after reading the obituary of Dr. Nelems and remembering our great joy and feeling of accomplishment after cycling 200 km, I have been inspired and have decided that I am going all out and will be cycling the 200 km – even if takes me from sunrise to sunset! Fortunately, at this time of year here in Toronto the days are quite long so if I average 12 km an hour I should be able to do it…just.
I hope all of you will do the same.
]]>We are excited to announce the dates, prices, and details for the 2018 Tour d’Afrique. After a year away, we will be returning to Ethiopia and our full route from Cairo to Cape Town. But every year we like to offer some new and unique. So we have introduced a new section we call Tribal Lands which include a special trip to visit the tribes of the Omo Valley (more on that below).
>>Review all the prices, dates, and details now.
The Tribes of the Omo Valley
For the first time ever, Tour d’Afrique will take participants to one of most remotes parts of Africa. We will be including a side trip in Ethiopia to the Omo Valley to visit the fascinating Mursi, Hamer, and other tribes. From the town of Konso in Southern Ethiopia, we will take a 3 day hiatus from cycling and head for the Omo Valley. Here is what one possible itinerary might look like (the village where we start the side trip is dependant on the market day of each tribe)…
>>Review the details for the Tribal Lands section.
Day 1 Arbaminch to Turmi
In the morning we travel out to the Karo people at Kolcho village on the banks of the Omo River. The Karo people excel in traditional body painting. During the evening we visit a Hamer village near to our accommodation. The Hamer take great pride in their appearance. The women, especially typical have red dyed plaited hair and wear leather skirts decorated with shells. Each Hamer village is amazingly still free from western influences and non-organic materials. Their homes are constructed entirely of local materials, mud, wood and thatch. Each village consists of a single extended family unit of approximately 10-15 huts in close proximity around which daily life rotates. Opportunities to witness the Bull Jumping ceremony are possible today as well.
Day 2 Turmi To Jinka
We will drive across dry sandy plains to Key Afar then into more fertile rolling hills to the small town of Jinka. We visit a small museum which gives valuable insight into some tribal customs then we take an optional walk down to the town, meeting the people on the way, before driving out to our accommodation.
Day 3 drive to Arbaminch
Taking an early start we drive across the mountains through some of the most beautiful Ethiopian scenery, on the dry plains we visit a Mursi village. The Mursi people are known for their decorated clay plates which are inserted in the lower lips of women. Starting at adolescence the plates eventually become larger, some plates are finally reaching the dimensions of a bread and butter plate. This custom seems to be used less now and many of the older women just have the loose skin with no plate inserted.
>>See more photos from Sharita’s trip to the Omo Valley last year.
Other Route Improvements in the Last Few Years
- Hotel stays along the Red Sea in Egypt for added security (and comfort).
- Safer and more enjoyable route in Ethiopia. Feedback from the past participants and staff suggest that avoiding the problematic days made all the difference. Their experience in Ethiopia was overwhelmingly positive since we made this change a few years ago.
- Triple rest day at Victoria Falls.
- Double rest days in Gonder, and Windhoek.
- New route in South Africa avoids the cold and altitude and grueling finish they had in 2016 and 2017. This year we will return to our previous routes closer to the Atlantic coast.
“What a place to go cycling.” Epic Rides of the World, Lonely Planet
“An epic adventure dissecting the heart of one of the most fascinating continents on the planet, the Tour d’Afrique not only challenges competitors’ resolve, it opens their eyes and minds to a different world.” World’s Toughest Endurance Challenges, Bloomsbury
More About TDA Global Cycling
Chosen ‘Best Adventure Travel Company’ in the 2015 Indy Travel Awards (The Independent newspaper)
Called “specialist in long distance trips” by the New York Times
“TDA takes clients on the most grueling, life-changing rides anywhere.” – Velo News
Learn about our history here.
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Join Our Summer Cycling Challenge & Give the Gift of Transportation
Did you know that June 12, 2017 marks 200 years since the first bicycle was ridden by Karl Drais in what is now known as Mannheim, Germany? That’s right. The bicycle is 200 years old!
We bicycle lovers think the 200th anniversary of the world’s greatest form of transportation is worth celebrating—I mean, come on, who doesn’t love a birthday party? That’s why we’re pleased to announce our upcoming #200for200 Summer Cycling Challenge, that will officially launch on June 12, 2017 and run right through the summer until September 17, 2017.
Our wish is to see to it that even more people in the world get to benefit from the incredible gift of bicycle transportation. Our goal is to raise $200,000 to purchase 1,000 bikes for donation through our TDA Foundation to students, community health volunteers, and entrepreneurs, in the communities we pass through on our annual Tour d’Afrique expedition. It has always been important for us to give something back, in a significant and responsible way, to the local people who help support us along our routes. We’re hoping that you, as a member of our TDA Global Cycling community, will be among the first to take up the challenge and help us spread the news through any and all of your social media channels. All the details can be found on the challenge website at www.200for200.bike.
Here are the basics:
1. Ride 200K—as a solo rider, pair of riders, or team of riders, all in one day or over the summer, log 200 kilometres of riding on Strava, MapMyRide, Ride with GPS, or any ride recording device.
2. Raise $200—make a straight donation or appeal to friends and family for increments to get you to your goal.
3. Challenge 2 Friends—via social media, using the official challenge hashtag (#200for200) and TDA Global Cycling social media handle (@TDAcycling on Twitter, @TDACycling on Instagram and @TDA Global Cycling on Facebook), tag and challenge two friends to take up the challenge and help spread the word.
Visit www.200for200.bike now and add your name to our list of challengers, so we can keep you updated on challenge news and other bits you need to know as we lead up to our June 12th launch day and our first BIG RIDE DAY on June 17th.
Together we’ll celebrate 200 incredible years by giving the gift of transportation to those in need. Learn more about our TDA Foundation here. See you on the road!
Seeking Ambassadors
As our loyal followers, we are asking you to help us make this campaign a huge success. We need your help to spread the word or cyclists around the world.
How you can help
- Distribute posters
- Join our tweet storm on June 12th
- Repost our June 12th Instagram announcement
- Forward this blog to a friend
- Share the news on Facebook
There are many other ways to help us, so please get in touch with me at [email protected] if you would like to become an ambassador to help us reach our goal of getting 1,000 bikes to Africa next year. Together we’ll celebrate 200 incredible years by giving the gift of transportation to those in need.
Learn more about TDA Foundation here.
Lara Marjerrison
#200for200 Project Manager
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When you were a little kid one of the great joys of cycling was the way that it expanded your universe. Where once the backyard was as far as you could explore, suddenly on two wheels the whole neighbourhood was within reach. As you grew that desire to explore by bike stayed with you, except with stronger legs and a larger allowance you found your universe expanding to take in your city, then whole countries, and with the help of TDA whole continents.
>>Get all the prices, dates, and details here
There are very few things in life that are better in our later years than in our youth, but for those of us who still yearn to explore by bike, this experience has only grown richer and more rewarding. Not only do we now receive the freedom of exploration, the expansion of our minds and the health of our bodies from biking, but as well we have the chance to taste a cold beer as we contemplate our joys.
In this frame of mind, we invite you to the inaugural Pub Ride. Over 5 weeks we’ll cycle from storied Dublin to the waterfront of Copenhagen. Through Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Denmark. To the great cities of Belfast, Edinburgh, York, London, Bruges, Brussels, Amsterdam and Hamburg. Each day’s journey through lush green countryside, villages and historic cities giving us an opportunity to discover a new land, a new brew, a new spirit!
We’ll leave our tents at home for this journey, with a bed greeting us each night. We’ll share our meals together in local eateries, and you’ll have a chance to explore the local pubs as you please. For it is in the pubs where the community meets, where stories are told and retold and where local life unfolds.
>>Get all the prices, dates, and details here
One final note – we have also timed this tour so that you have several days to sober up before you join the Trans-Europa (if you so choose). We will be offering an additional discounts for those doing both tours back to back – email us if that’s your 2018 plan.
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“The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure at heart.” – Renowned Irish novelist Iris Murdoch.
The 2017 Tour d’Afrique cycled west out of Nairobi last week and, after some exciting riding days across the equator and the Ugandan border, arrived in Kampala. This brand new section of the tour has not only granted us the incredible adventure of cycling through the Pearl of Africa, but it has also presented us with an opportunity to bring the charitable work of the Tour d’Afrique Foundation to a new country.
Shortly after cycling into our accommodations in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, a very special ceremony commenced in which TDA Global Cycling donated 19 brand new bicycles to several carefully selected community groups through the CAP/AIDS Organization.
Founder and Managing Director of TDA Global Cycling Henry Gold flew into Kampala to personally hand over the bikes to these worthy recipients. Speaking to everyone who attended the ceremony, Mr Gold thanked the Tour d’Afrique riders, who each donated a bicycle as part of their tour fee (more bicycles will be donated in other countries during the tour).
“It’s a great pleasure to give to CAP/AIDS, because we have very strong confidence in their ability to do the right thing, they help the right people and they have the right attitude, which is always a key thing when you’re making a donation – you can see who is getting it, and these donations can often make a life or death difference in people’s lives,” Mr Gold said.
The Tour d’Afrique Foundation donated 8 bicycles to the OBANG Ber Women’s Group, 7 bicycles to the Aboke HIV/AIDS Women’s Association and 4 bicycles to the Neddy Support Center, which works in the slums of Kampala.
We also had one cyclist, Canadian rider Valerie Dosiere, donate her personal bicycle to Home of Hope, an organization which cares for children with disabilities in Uganda. 
The objective behind donating bicycles to these organizations is to increase awareness of bicycles as an alternative and often more beneficial means of transportation, as well as supporting bicycle advocacy and promoting projects that protect the environment.
The Tour d’Afrique itself, a 12,000km bicycle expedition from Cairo to Cape Town over a four-month period, is a testament to the potential freedom and opportunities a single bicycle enables.
TDA Global Cycling’s international cycling tours have allowed the Tour d’Afrique Foundation to gladly donate as many as 150 bicycles a year.
Mr Gold said he was happy to see that 15 years since the Tour d’Afrique Foundation was founded, many organizations around the world have also started donated bicycles to worthy causes.
The next Tour d’Afrique donation will take place in the Tanzanian city of Arusha later this month, with a third donation ceremony scheduled at Victoria Falls in April.
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It may be frigid here in Toronto at the TDA headquarters, but spring is coming up fast and we will be attending several bike shows and cycling events this spring and summer.
If you live in Toronto, Vancouver, Berlin, London, California, or Sweden we are headed your way!
We have 100 patch kits to give away to lucky show attendees at each show – so get there early! We will be highlighting our new Oh, Canada! tour, the monstrous South American Epic, and the Bamboo Road. We also have great draw prizes from Schwalbe – 
anyone who signs up to our newsletter at the shows is automatically entered to win!
Come by and ask us questions about any tour or any topic at all. Below are the details of where you can find us:
Berlin Fahrradshau – March 3-5
Toronto International Bicycle Show – March 3-5
Vancouver Bike Show – March 4-5
Other Shows Coming June – December 2017
Vätternrundan – June 16-17
Motala, Sweden
RAGBRAI XLV – July 23-29
Iowa, USA
RideLondon – July 28-30
London, UK
Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria – August 20
British Columbia, Canada
Levi’s Gran Fondo – September 30
California, USA
Do you know of another bike event you think we should be attending? Let us know.
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Have you ever considered joining one of our cycle tours but couldn’t find the time or felt intimidated by the scale of our trips? Well, you aren’t alone. Not everyone can make the leap from reading a blog post to signing up for a 4 month cycling odyssey. That’s why we created Guest Rider Days.
Last year we organized several Guest Rider Days in North America and Australia/New Zealand and several people took up the challenge (see their testimonials at the bottom).
Join Our Guest Rider Days in 2017
We would love to introduce you to what we do and prove to you that this is not only for uber-athletes or experienced adventurers. It’s for anyone willing to try something a little different, to take on a real challenge and be rewarded with tired legs and a deep sense of accomplishment.
Learn the joys of camp life, meet new cycling friends and experience the new routines that make our tours a memorable and unique experience.
>>Email us to work out the details
The following are three options, but if you live (or will be travelling) in or near other cities along our various routes around the world, let us know and we can see if we can accommodate you.
1. Paris to Troyes (part of Orient Express ride)
2 cycling days, covering 181 km
July 9 and 10, 2017
There are several trains a day from Troyes to Paris that will take you and your bike (approx. 1.5 hours).
2. Frieburg to Ulm (part of Orient Express ride)
3 cycling days, covering 257 km
July 17 – 19, 2017
There are many transportation options between these cities and nearby Munich.
>>Learn more of the 2017 Orient Express
3. Toronto to Kingston (part of Oh, Canada! ride)
3 cycling days, covering 314 km
August 2 – 4, 2017
There is train and bus service between the two cities.
>>Learn more about the 2017 Oh, Canada! ride
What We Cover, What You Cover
We will carry your bags on our support vehicles and feed you most meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during the ride. We will also cover your camping fee. Transportation to meet us and hotel costs are at your own expense and you will need to come with your own bike and camping gear.
>>Email us to work out the details
What Riders Said About Guest Rider Days…
Ray from Ottawa, Canada
“It was a physically challenging three days but very rewarding…I have always been tempted by the rides offered by TDA and I appreciated the opportunity to get a taste of them. Am I prepared to sign up for a two month ride? Probably not, but a 1-2 week section could be in the cards.”
Veronica from Wellington, New Zealand
“It was such a pleasure to join your ride from Napier to Wellington as a guest. Wonderful company superb support and a privilege to enjoy the TDA family for a bit. You have quite a package I have to say. Once again thanks for you wonderful generosity in adding me to your trip. I hope I will get to do more with you.”
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It is the season of giving and so I thought it timely to focus on one of the key elements in the founding of TDA. When we registered our company with the Canadian authorities, we also registered the TDA Foundation on the same day. The reason for this was that from day one, as we planned to cycle the world, I wanted to also do something that did good, something altruistic, something that would remind us how unusual it is for us to be able to travel the world and enjoy all it offers. I wanted to ensure that our adventures had at least some positive impact for the communities and areas that we cycled through.
Since the beginning the TDA Foundation has given away thousands of bikes, mainly in Africa, has helped set up a bike repair shop in the slums of Nairobi and made other donations to a variety of causes. The most important thing is how the foundation has acted as a catalyst, helping when it was most needed. For example, this morning I received an email from Bicycle Empowerment Network (BEN) and its latest project which “uses bicycle trailers to collect recyclable materials (bottles, cans, plastic packaging, paper and cardboard) and sell it to be processed and recycled”. The TDA Foundation was the very first donor to the organization when it was originally set up. BEN has done some wonderful work and has helped in creating a bike culture in Namibia, putting thousands of people on bikes. Interestingly, our attempts to do something inspired some of the participants on our tours both to donate to TDA Foundation but also to personally get involved, whether in getting more bikes to people all over the world or in educational and other activities.
As some of you already know, before I set up TDA (now TDA Global Cycling) I spent many years in the not for profit sector, running projects in several African countries. There are two things that I learned about making an impact; the first is that ‘doing good, well, is hard to do’ – much, much harder than running a successful business enterprise. This is something I repeat whenever I hear people complain about not for profit organizations and I always provide concrete examples of why it is more difficult to do good, well, than to run a private business successfully.
The second thing I learned it that it is easy to give and feel good about oneself but it is much, much more difficult to decide what cause and which organizations one should support. To know what organizations do and how they do it requires, besides a commitment of money, a commitment of time. I like to ensure that my small donations do make an impact. As I like to say ‘minimum input, maximum output’ a concept straight out of my engineering background.
Here is a short list of organizations with which I am involved. I believe they are doing excellent work and doing so efficiently. Any donation to them would be much appreciated.
1. CPAR is an organization I co-funded in the 80s and is doing some wonderful work in several African countries.
2. Farm Radio International, based in Ottawa, Ontario, is run by a former co-worker Kevin Perkins. The organization makes a serious impact on food security in Africa.
3. I am on the Board of TiME, a new organization that is attempting to buy and protect Biodiversity Hotspots around the world. Here is their current campaign.
4. I would be remiss if I did not mention our very own TDA Foundation, which has zero percent overhead so that every penny you donate goes to its activities in Africa.
However, if none of the above peak your interest and you are still interested in making donations which will have an impact, here are two suggestions. Check out The Life You Can Save, an organization founded by Philosopher Peter Singer or GiveWell. Both of these sites can recommend effective charities that you can feel confident supporting, knowing that your money will be well spent.
]]>It is 30 days since TDA lost its number one fan – my mother. In the tradition I was raised in, 30 days of mourning are the second stage of a yearlong mourning period. When I searched Google and asked why 30 days, I came up with this:
“We find in the Torah (scriptures) thirty days as a period of mourning for someone who is very special.”
Those who had an opportunity to spend some time with her would likely agree that she was very special. Her life was extraordinarily hard. At the age of 17 she was sent to the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp and for the next three years she survived what some have called ‘hell on earth’. When she came out she found out that her seven brothers and sisters, her parents and her grandparents perished as well as many cousins and extended family. Later in life she would tell us that finding out that there was no one alive from her immediate family was the most difficult time for her and for a while she contemplated suicide.
She got over the suicide thoughts by taking care of a friend’s little girl and resolved not to look back. She married, had three children with my father, a difficult man with his own tragic past and a very different personality. Yet not the demanding life with my father, neither life under communism, nor moving twice to a new country, working on her feet until her mid seventies, nothing would deter her from taking the best that life would offer and just about ignoring the rest. No negativity for her.
When at the age of fifty, unemployed and broke I told her that I am starting a new venture, initiating a cycling expedition across Africa, something that many people considered insane, not doable and dangerous, my mother’s response was “I will come and visit you.” And she did, half way through as we rode into the Nairobi campground, at the gate was my mother waving and smiling. She stayed with us for a few days helping with the lunch truck and hiding some salad, which she knew I liked, so when I arrived the last of the riders, there would be fresh veggies for me.
For the next twelve years my mother simply loved coming and spending times on TDA tours anywhere around the world. All I had to do was ask if she wanted to come and she would start planning. She was a person for whom the term Carpe Diem – ‘seize the day’ or as Webster dictionary defines it, ‘the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future’ – was invented. Five years ago when she was 86 years old she came with Ruth and me to the start of the Indian Adventure cycle tour (now the Hippie Trail). After a few days Ruth and my mother left for some sightseeing in Mumbai. At one point when Ruth was concerned that my mother was tired and suggested that they had enough and should rest for the day, my mother had an angry response: “I will rest when I am in the ground. Now we go.”
Those who had an opportunity to chat with her on our trips, would realize that without my mother’s gift to me – raising me and my siblings to be curious, open and most important not to be afraid of the world and the unknown but rather embrace it – TDA would just not exists.
She was 91 years and 8 months old. Six weeks before her passing, she sent me her itinerary for her next trip so I would make sure she had travel insurance. May she now rest in peace!
]]>Check out the full details here.
After 15 years of taking cyclists to some of the most exotic places on earth, TDA Global Cycling would like to invite you to our home, Canada. Join us to discover a country like no other and celebrate this country’s 150th birthday by cycling over 8,800 km from the mystical First Nation’s archipelago of Haida Gwaii on Canada’s Pacific coast to friendly St John‘s, Newfoundland on the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, Lonely Planet has just announced that Canada is the #1 country to visit in 2017. Along the way experience and cycle almost 1,500 km of the Trans Canada Trail – the longest cycling trail in the world, a cycling/hiking/canoeing route that will be inaugurated as part of the country’s 150th year celebration. And 2017 is the 200th birthday of the bicycle. And, come to think of it, 2017 is also TDA Global Cycling’s 15th birthday. Those are some pretty great reasons to celebrate.
Come explore the history and culture of a country known around the world as peaceful, multicultural, forward-looking, vast, beautiful, self-deprecating and less we forget, polite & funny. Experience Canada’s unique social mosaic – Aboriginal, English, French and millions of immigrants from just about every country in the world. Did you know Montreal is the world’s second largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris? That Toronto is the second largest Tamil-speaking city in the world after Chennai? Or that fabulous Vancouver has been voted over and over again as one of the three most liveable cities in the world?
Check out the full details here.
Riders will spend the traditional Canadian summer, those amazing months between the May 2-4 weekend (more on that later) and Labour Day, cycling across the world’s second largest country. Cyclists will pedal through the majestic Rocky Mountains, over the immense Great Plains, and along the rugged shores of Lake Superior. They will weave through Ontario & Quebec’s’s endless lakes and forests, spin along the mighty St Lawrence River, around Cape Breton’s incredible Cabot Trail and across the wilds of Newfoundland.
Along the way riders will fuel up on some distinctly Canadian treats like Nanaimo bars, Pemmican, Poutine, Sugar Pie, Timbits, Beaver Tails, Butter tarts, Figgy Duff, Bannock, Flapper pie & Prairie Oysters – all washed down with some Newfie Screech or a 2-4 of Molson Canadian. Not to mention catching glimpses of Canadian wildlife – grizzly bears, the statuesque northern moose, the dam-building beaver, Canada Geese – or hearing the song of the most iconic of Canadian birds, the call of the loon whose image has been immortalized on our one dollar coin.
Sounds like a plan, eh?
Registration is now open, check out the full details here and a list of what’s included can be found here.
]]>Are you about to embark on an epic bike ride? Are you a photographer, selfie-addict and/or an avid Instagrammer?
Or maybe you have been inspired by some of the photos we have been posting on Instagram at @tdacycling.
Well, our friends at Lonely Planet are having a contest to coincide with the release of their new book. Epic Rides of the World is a collection of some of the best cycling routes/rides around the globe (including our own Tour d’Afrique).
The contest is simple and the prize is quite incredible!
Follow @lonelyplanet and @tdacycling on Instagram. Take a pic of what you think is an epic ride and mention #lpEpicRides. That’s it! (Well mostly, read the full contest details here)
The winner will be chosen by a panel of Lonely Planet judges, and receive this amazing prize pack:
- An unforgettable cycle tour provided by TDA Global Cycling (up to $3000 US)
- 2017 Specialized AWOL Expert
- $1000 US towards your flight
- copy of Lonely Planet’s new book
So head over to Instagram and start snappin some pics. Contest closes October 20, 2016.
]]>Have you ever toyed with the idea of joining one of our cycling tours, but felt a tad intimidated at the thought of undertaking a multi-month cycling journey, having no idea what you are really getting yourself into? You aren’t alone.
Last week, we announced a series of ‘free rides’ in North America to give people the opportunity to test drive our tours without committing any serious money or time. Now here is that same offer for our friends living in Australia and New Zealand.
Ride with TDA as our Guest
On the Trans-Oceania cycling tour, we are passing thru Melbourne, Sydney, and Wellington (NZ) among many other cities. We have outlined below how you could join us in one of these cities. We would love to introduce you to what we do, and prove to you that this is not only for uber athletes, or experienced adventurers. It’s for anyone willing to try something a little different, to take on a real challenge, and be rewarded with tired legs a deep sense of accomplishment.
Learn the joys of camp life, new cycling friends, and the new routines that make our tours a memorable and unique experience.
We will carry your bags on our support vehicles and feed you most meals during the ride. We will also cover your camping fee. Transportation to meet us and hotel costs are not included and you will need to come with your own bike and camping gear.
Here are three options to choose from, but if you live in Adelaide, Auckland, Queenstown or elsewhere near our route, we would be happy to have you meet us as well. Please email us and we can work out the details. Limited spots available, so let us know soon.
Melbourne to Bairnsdale
4 cycling days, covering 395 km
Oct. 27 – 30, 2016
Bus service available to get you back to Melbourne (approx. 4 hours).
Canberra to Sydney
3 cycling days, covering 385 km
Nov. 6 – 8, 2016
Daily flights available between the two cities.
Napier to Wellington
4 days cycling, covering 430 km
Nov. 23 – 26, 2016
Flights (approx. 1 hour) and bus service (approx. 5 hours) available to get to Napier.
Send us an email and get started of your TDA test ride.
]]>Have you ever considered one of our tours, then stopped short and convinced yourself that its just too crazy for you? Well here is an opportunity to try out the TDA experience close to home, and at no charge!
Ride with Us for Free
This summer on our inaugural French Connection cycling tour, we are passing thru Montreal, New York City, and Washington, among many other cities. Let us know if you live nearby and would like to join us for a taste of TDA.
We would love to introduce you to what we do, and prove to you that this is not only for uber athletes, or experienced adventurers. It’s for anyone willing to aim big and take on a real challenge.
Learn the joys of camp life, new cycling friends, and the new routines that make our tours a special experience.
Here are three options to choose from, but if you live in Boston, Philadelphia, or elsewhere near our route, we would be happy to have you meet us as well. Please email us and we can work out the details. Limited spots available, so let us know soon.
We will carry your bags on our support vehicles and feed you most meals during the ride. We will also cover your camping fee. Transportation to meet us and hotel costs are not included and you will need to come with your own bike and camping gear.
Quebec City to Montreal
3 cycling days, covering 319 km.
Take a train from Montreal to meet the group at the start line in Quebec City (approx. 4 hours).
New York to Cape May
2 cycling days, covering 160 miles.
Bus back thru Atlantic City (approx. 4 hours).
Washington to Roanoke (Christianburg)
4 cycling days, covering 273 miles.
We will give you a lift to Christianburg, and then you can take a bus back to Washington (approx. 5 hours).
More Options in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand
With tours this year passing thru much of Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand, we may just be coming thru your city too. If you would like to cycle with us, let us know and we will see what can be arranged.
As cyclists, the staff at TDA Global Cycling are naturally interested in the environment and we try to do the best we can to safeguard our planet. One small thing we do is we source green energy from Bullfrog Power here in Toronto. They provide only renewable energy and, sure, it costs us a bit more money every month but we think it is worth it.
They recently sent us an email about the upcoming World Environment Day – this Sunday June 5th, encouraging us to write about how we act to protect the environment. Well, besides buying renewable energy, all of us in the Toronto office cycle to work and back using only human power- rain or shine, hot or bloody cold. The office complex where we rent a space is huge with dozens of companies in the building but in the depth of a Canadian winter you will only find TDA staff bikes in the parking spots.
We not only cycle, we also advocate for sustainable transportation. We donate bikes through our Foundation. Over the last 14 years we have donated over 2000 bikes to healthcare workers and other worthy recipients throughout Africa.
Despite all our best efforts we are still guilty of creating carbon dioxide from our support vehicles and staff flights to and from our tours. In an attempt to mitigate this, we work in partnership with a Canadian NGO called CPAR (Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief) and plant trees in Africa.
However, if you asked me what I think is really important to share today, I would suggest reading and sharing a blog I wrote on Earth Day simply called Do Nothing on Earth Day. It calls for one day a year, whether it is Earth Day or Environment Day (or better yet both days), where the one thing we should all do is literally do nothing for 24 hours. “By nothing I mean we refrain from any activity that needs energy. Only energy created by human power is allowed. Earth Day would be a complete 24 hour break from TV, phones, computers, work of any kind, travel and so on. Nothing would operate except essential services and by this I mean hospitals and fire trucks. We sleep, eat, play music the old fashioned way using traditional instruments. We sing the old fashioned way using our voices, go for walks in parks, in nature, even on highways as there will not be any traffic and visit friends. In short, we give ourselves, but more importantly Mother Earth, a complete 24 hour rest”.
So to our friends at Bullfrog Power, while we support what you have accomplished, I suggest that the best thing you can do is to help spread the word that next year we should all do nothing for 24 hours. As with many great modern movements, this one begins with a humble hashtag. On World Environment Day 2016, tell us how you will celebrate 2017 #DONOTHINGDAY in support of the environment.
]]>Three years ago I began to follow one hell of a fascinating adventure. No, this is not about unclimbed peaks to ascent, no amazing ‘firsts’, no ‘never before done’ by mankind. In fact, the adventure is something that was done a long, long time ago – at least in human evolutionary terms. An individual by the name of Paul Salopek, a Pulitzer prize winning journalist and a National Geographic Fellow, decided on a 21,000 mile (34,000 km) walking journey called Out of Eden which started in Ethiopia and will stretch out over several years all the way to South America.
Salopek’s journey in which I monitor on National Geographic dispatches is following the global trail of the first humans who migrated out of Africa during the Stone Age. The Pulitzer Centre web site describe his journey: “The goal of the world walk—and the Out of Eden project—is to slow readers down and allow them to reflect on current events as a form of pilgrimage. By using the history of our migration as a backdrop for international news, Salopek will examine the most important global stories of our day from ground level, at three miles an hour—walking into stories as diverse as human conflict and local innovations, mass migration and the Internet revolution, climate change and cultural survival.”
His dispatches make for fascinating reading, much more so for me and others who have participated in TDA Global Cycling Expeditions. This is because quite a bit of the terrain he covers is familiar territory. By looking at a map the viewer will quickly recognize the similarity of the route to the outline of 7 Epics that TDA runs. It is for that reason that reading his dispatches brings back memories of our own adventures and experiences, the sights and smell of the places and the people he encounters. His current report is from Kazakhstan a country which the Silk Route participants who started the tour just a few days ago – mind you in the opposite direction from Beijing – will be cycling through in 7 weeks or so.
TDA Global Cycling’s 7 Epics
Salopek’s latest dispatch talks about the most precious life giving commodity water, which all of us cycling the desert parts of the world have pretty good appreciation of – see my own blog from cycling through the heart of Australia and one I wrote on World Water Day.
What makes his walk even more fascinating for me and what I have never realized when over the years we added one cycling epic after another is that our 7 Epics somehow follows the routes of humanity dispersal from Africa. And, of course, TDA Global Cycling started with the Tour d’Afrique tour, the place of humanity’s birth and its source of subsequent dispersal. It almost begs the question – do we all carry a genetic memory of human migration – a concept that has been studied by scientists in the last decade or so? My life partner often tells others when we are in a new place and lost that I have an internal GPS in my head but is there something more to this joke?
]]>Before we get to the donation…YAY for Tanzania!!! Cold beers, great meat and gorgeous scenery. Crossing the border we had a beautiful clear view of Kilimanjaro and even before lunch riders had spotted giraffes on the road. So we are off to a good start for Tanzania. Coming in to Arusha is always crazy with the busy roads and riders stretched out from border to camp, but everyone got in without any major hassles.
Coming in to camp I was worried about the donation, is it all set up? Have the bikes arrived? Will the riders be willing to sit through it after a long day in the saddle? But as always Gizaw (our local contact and friend) had everything under control! At 4pm riders where seated, the local charities where here and we were ready to get started, Gizaw started us off by explaining about how the bikes get allocated and just as importantly how the charities get chosen for the donation. Then the charities themselves had a chance to stand up and explain what they were all about and how they would be using the bikes to further their work in their local communities, it is just amazing to hear what obstacles some people are will to overcome to help their fellow human beings and just how much of a difference a simple thing like a bike can make to them.
That being said, it wasn’t all teary-eyed stories that put a lump in your throat, there was plenty of good humoured banter and cheeky comments flying around. (this is TDA after all) so with a few good laughs and everyone smiling we handed over the bikes, shook hands and posed for the picture session that followed. It is an amazing feeling to be part of an organization that puts so much effort into giving back to the communities that we pass through instead of just zooming past on our bikes while chewing on PVM bars.
Well now it’s time to get ready for the dirt stretch and Tsetse flies that no rider can out run!! And I’m looking forward to some beautiful landscapes, muddy roads and maybe a glimpse or two of the local wildlife!
]]>Yesterday I wrote about the International Day of Forests. Now its time to talk WATER…
If you are a cyclist who likes to put some distance on your bicycle, you most likely have a very deep relationship with water. Today, however, I am thinking about water, not because I cycled 100 km (actually just 6km to work and another 6km await me on my way home), but because today is World Water Day.
World Water Day was created because, unfortunately, many of us do not have enough respect for water. We use it as if there is no limit to it, we waste huge amounts of it and we despoil it. It is only when we are either forced by nature, such as drought, or when we put ourselves into a dangerous situation do we garner respect for it and start treating it as we should.
There are of course exceptions and I think many cyclists belong to that category. After all when you spend hours on the bike, you are thirsty and start running out of water, you do start to be mindful of water as I did while cycling on the Trans-Oceania Tour.
Cyclists, myself included, even after we finish our century ride and after we reward ourselves with a cold beer tend to focus our thoughts on water around such things as how great the shower will feel on our exhausted body.
The purpose of World Water Day, however, is much bigger than simply focusing on our thirsts and hygiene. This year the UN Agency responsible for World Water Day points out that “almost half of the world’s workers – 1.5 billion people – work in water related sectors and nearly all these jobs depend on water and those that ensure its safe delivery”.
The theme of this year’s Water Day is not Water and Cycling but rather Water and Jobs “focusing on how enough quantity and quality of water can change workers’ lives and livelihoods – and even transform societies and economies.”
Image courtesy of CPAR
We at TDA Global Cycling often talk about how transformative our long distance trips are for the participants. Have you ever seen a young girl’s face, a child whose daily chore is to walk a mile or two or more to a dirty water source in order to bring water home and then see that child’s face when she opens for the first time a faucet, now close to her home, and clean water runs out. That is transformative. This is something I had the good fortune to witness long before I started crossing continents on bikes, long before I even thought this was a good idea.
Image courtesy of CPAR
So today, if you are a cyclist or if you are not, take a minute and drink your clean water slowly, mindfully. Think how fortunate you are and think a bit also about those who are not. It may even make you a better cyclist.
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