Coby Werlin

Cycling, photographing, video-ing, and traveling -- what could be better?! I cherish the many precious and unique experiences that these tours have unlocked for me over the years, so let's keep 'em coming! You might see me out on the road snapping pics, shooting a short rider interview at lunch, or editing on a rest day in the lobby. My goal is always to bring the tour to life through visual media -- to share with friends, family, and the greater TDA community, and as memories for riders to cherish for years to come. See you on the road!

Felice de Schutter

Hitchhiking through Argentina and Chile 6 years ago first inspired me to travel by bike. Meeting so many long-distance cyclists and listening to their stories I just couldn't help it but buy a bike for my own adventures. And once you start travelling by bike, you can never go back. The freedom it gives you, not having to wait for a bus but just hop on the bike, the perfect pace at which you move through the environment, fast enough to cover some distance, but slow enough to see everything, interacting with the locals whenever you like, occasionally stopping for delicious local meals, and in the evening, finding the most beautiful campspot for setting up the tent, it's unique. Not to forget just feeling good moving in the fresh air all day. Since I fell in love with bikepacking, I spend a couple of months every year on self-supported bikepacking trips. The Alps, Eastern Europe, Dolomites, Italy, and most recently I spent 6 months cycling all the way through Mexico from North to South. Before I started working with TDA, I guided MTB tours crossing the Alps, and, combining my degree in Psychology with my passion for the outdoors, I took troubled kids for month-long hiking trips through the German forests. I am convinced that being outside in nature, especially in combination with sports is the best way to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Being confronted with and testing and overcoming your own limits each day inevitably leads you to become stronger. Share this experience with a like-minded, adventurous community like you meet with TDA, and the positive outcomes double. I'm super excited for this next trip and curious to meet everyone! Hasta luego!

Colleen Gordon

I just love Africa. I love introducing Africa to people that have never been here or have never done anything like this. You can just see their eyes open, and all of their prejudices drop as they ride through it. The bike is just such an amazing way to do it, I’ve done tours in the past where the passengers are in the vehicle with me, and it’s just not the same. [On a TDA tour] you stop at coke stops all the time, and are constantly interacting with your environment. You often rely on locals for something like water, that interaction is absolutely essential to the tours. In the end, it’s one giant road trip with people that become your family. I love camping. You get addicted to the camping lifestyle, to see the sunrise and sunset everyday. You’re in the mix, you’re hearing the hyena’s and the owls. The amount of times I’ve had elephants come through our campsites in Africa, it’s magic.

I have been leading tours in Africa for over a decade, but I started at TDA as a chef. I love shopping at local markets in Africa, the interactions with the mama’s, and just buying everything they’re selling in bulk.

I love the behind the scenes moments. Everything it takes to keep the show on the road. Trucks getting stuck, and us having to try and pull vehicles out with help from the locals and their tractors. I remember another time on the North American epic, on the Arctic section, we had such a hard time trying to source water, that we sent up the drone to find the local water tank in a little First Nations village. It’s stuff like that that I love, the behind-the-scenes challenges. I like the spontaneity, the natural chaos of Africa.

[As a tip for future participants of our expedition tours], get comfortable with all your camping gear. Set up your tent first, maybe even sleep in it for a night or two in your apartment. Test your mattress, take it up and down a couple of times, because you’ll be doing that a lot. People don’t always realise this. You’ll be coming into camp after a long ride, and having to set your tent up and then tearing it down again in the middle of the night, just day after day after day, it’s relentless. So packing well and being comfortable with your set-up is absolutely essential in my opinion.

Malcolm Juring

I love traveling, riding bikes, and meeting new people. What more could you ask for?

My most memorable experience on a TDA tour is swimming in the Arctic Ocean at the start of the North American Epic. *spoiler* It's not very cold in July :(

My advice for anyone planning to join a TDA tour is to read a book set in your tour's destination. Try learning a few phrases in the local language and don't forget your towel!

Christopher Thompson

Carolina Ceravolo

There are many things I love about my job, but my favorite is to dive deep in the route to learn all about its features, profile, geographical and historical facts, and to reunite with the team and riders to explore the journey together. All of us are very privileged to be able to explore the world at the pace of a bicycle; to really be present and see, feel, hear and smell all the environments we are cycling through. I love to keep the riders focused on their journey, motivating them to see the magic and the beauty of what we have the opportunity to be doing. I like to be the bridge to their experience, helping them face the challenges and persevere.

I currently live in Belgium. I have been traveling through all hidden corners of the American continent and Europe for the last 10 years where I learnt about its history and culture. I'm a certified nature and history guide in Mexico, specialized in Mayan History. I'm also a technical cave diver and worked with cave exploration in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, where I lived for 9 years. Here I developed skills in safety and risk management, which is one of my favorite aspects of the job as a tour leader: to be able to foresee hazards and plan ways to mitigate them.

Cycling is my favorite thing to do, so in 2017 I did a solo self supported bike trip for 4 months from Mexico to Brazil. This was when I decided to change the course of my career from guiding nature and cave diving tours to working with cycling tour companies, realizing I could transfer my skills in safety and risk assessment from cave diving into leading cycling tours/expeditions.

My tip for cyclists joining our tours is to trully allow yourself to be out of your comfort zone and to enjoy being there. Traveling by bike is physically challenging, but having a strong, open and adventurous mind is what you need to take the most out of it. Learn to appreciate the differences. To think as a group and to be realistic about what crossing a country - or a few of them - by bicycle implies. It's a unique and a massive achievement for everyone involved in it, don't forget that! Have fun, and smile always.

Jonathan Atkins

I am engineer from Toronto-always keen to travel and be active. Skiing, sailing and cycling & golf in no particular order would be top of the list. I loved the Hippe trail trip a few years ago and I'm looking forward to my next trip in 2023

Miriam Gold

I have been on a number of TDA bicycling trips, and I am really looking forward to going on the Journey to the East. We had originally been signed up for that trip for April, 2020, but you all know how that ended! I have been to both S. Korea and Japan, more than 25 years ago. I am interested to see how things have changed. Looking forward to biking with everyone.

Tomas Gold

Melissa Morse

I have settled in Houston, Texas after living overseas for most of my adult life. Originally from suburban New Jersey, I headed to the Rocky Mountains for college and stayed a while to enjoy all the healthy living. I enjoy traveling on a bicycle; it provides more opportunity to interact with people, to smell the aromas and feel the elements, and it's a great way to burn enough calories to enjoy the flavors along the way. I have been on some long rides across the USA, Europe, North Africa and Asia and want to keep the momentum going. On, on!

Paul Holbrook

Got a taste for long distance cycling after completing LEJOG in 2017. Retired in 2022 and celebrated by cycling Coast to Coast across the United States self guided with 3 friends. My first TDA trip came in 2023 when I cycled Journey To The East which was amazing and this year rode a section of the Bamboo Road- Bangkok to Penang. Looking forward to riding in Spain and Portugal for the first time and experiencing wonderful scenery and amazing, cafes, restaurants and coffee stops!

David Jones

My wife and I are so excited to experience Japan with the TDA Team.

Mimi Jones

I am South African but live most of the year in Ontario, Canada. I love riding my mountain bike and do adventures such as TDA offers and 7 years ago I met the love of my life on the last leg of the Td'A East Africa. I've always been fascinated by Japan and am very excited for this next adventure with (now my husband) David, TDA and the fellow riders.

Michael Marugg

I am a retired lawyer living in the Zurich area when I'm not on a short or long distance bike tour.

John Benoit

A traveler, wanderer, and seeker of new landscapes. Since retiring from an international career, I’ve spent my time living, traveling, and cycling through off-the-beaten-path places across Africa, Asia, and South America. I’ve completed the TDA South American Epic and the Silk Route, with a few more rides ahead before lining up for the Path of the Jaguar. Looking forward to the miles, the landscapes, and the people along the way. ¡Happy trails!

Michel Bee

Geophysicist, cyclist, hiker. I am retired in Bend, Oregon, where there are many opportunities for outdoor activities.

Heather Sia

This will be my first TDA tour but I am really looking forward to the challenge. I love cycling and have lived in Japan previously, so this seemed a perfect match!

Lee Taylor

I am retired in Tucson, Arizona, in theprocessofmovingtoThailand, and have been a bicycle tourist for the last 25 years or so. I road bike, mountain bike, and try to get in a tour each year. I have toured South America, Vietnam, Singapore to Thailand, Japan. At home rode the Great Divide Trail and Northern Tier among others. Normally I tour with friends self supported. The last five years I have done four supported tours. Did the last section of the North American Epic in December 2019, Tour de Europa, Slovenia to Barcelona, NAE, Puerto Vallarta to Nicaragua, and Journey to the East

Jackie Silverberg

I’m a retired high school teacher . Im very fit and love riding my bike . I have ridden in Patagonia , the Atlas Mountains , Rwanda and Uganda , Laos, Thailand ,and Borneo .Road Egypt and Sudan., southern US and Transoceania , Japan and Korea with TDA Heading off the cycle NAE from Mexico City to Panama City

Bob Kieckhefer

Geophysicist, cyclist, swimmer. I currently live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where there are plenty of hills to climb. I rode Cairo to Cape Town in 2018/19/20/23/25 and several other TdA tours. I look forward to riding around across Europe, completing the Orient Express that I started in 2019.

Elizabeth Feit

Currently based in Florida USA, and enjoying the road biking here . The winds are our hills...I am always up for a distance riding, and the Pub Ride with TDA looks like the perfect blend of challenge and fun…

THOMAS GIBSON

I'm mostly a mountain biker, but enjoy long distance road biking. Living in the mountains of Colorado.

Glen Greedy

Leah Jay

Bruce Lawson

Greeting. I'm Canadian, born & raised in Toronto. Until recently, I led a private charitable foundation in the area of career development and employment for young Canadians from coast to coast to coast; we also have a particular focus on working with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. I have participated on Pub Ride, Journey to the East, the final two sections of Tour d'Afrique (Victoria Falls to Cape Town), and Road of Empires in 2025. Really looking forward to cycling in Norway.

Max D

I’m a self-employed engineer in San Francisco who enjoys biking at a casual pace, with plenty of stops for snacks + photos. Before 2022, most of my bike touring was DIY 1-week-or-less trips with friends, but I joined the first month of the 2022 TdA Bamboo Road (Vietnam and Cambodia), and the full Journey To The East in 2023 and had a great time on both (the riding, the people, the food)... so I'm hoping to join another tour some day-- the 2026 Tea Route and/or Odyssey.

Joanna Jaworska

This trip will be my 4th trip with TDA. I’ve done the New Zealand part from TransOceania, Journey to the East and Morocco. The trip to Korea/Japan was amazing and I’m very happy to go to Japan again to learn more about this fascinating country and culture. I live in Warsaw, I’m an entrepreneur operating in the packaging industry.

Peter Glasson

I have cycled, run, and tramped all my life. My first long ride was riding the length of New Zealand years ago self supported but raising money for CPR training equipment for the NZ Red Cross. Later I cycled from Vancouver to Calgary over those beautiful magnificent Rockies. I have mountain biked off road across Spain on the Via de la Plata. Also across Europe from the Atlantic to Belgrade on the EV6. Last year (2018), the moment I retired (!), I cycled 3,200 kms right around France (Vive la France! Wow!) . In 2019 I cycled with TDA from Tuktoyaktuk to Puerto Vallarta. I completed the Baja California and Central America cycle tor in 2022 and am looking forward to teh Journey to the East.

Neil Casson

A Brit "by passport" but with strong nomadic tendencies having spent the last 40 years overseas (Europe, SE Asia, Middle East, North & South America). A committed cyclist for the last 20 years and a TDA veteran, having participated in the Bamboo Road in 2022, Journey to the East in 2023 and South American Epic in 2024.

Marie-Josée Vasseur

It’s always a joy to be on a bike, see the world and meet new people. See you on the road!

Henry Gold

Founder, TDA Global Cycling

Paul Forster

Bob Peltzer

I am a 73 year old, avid 4 season cyclist who loves cycle touring. Retiring in 2014 I rediscovered my love of bicycling and have since done two cross continent tours, one across the USA and one across Australia and two with TdA : 2021 on their Trans Europa and in 2023 I enjoyed their Journey to the East. From my home near Eganville, Ontario, Canada I have some great cycling routes as well as some challenging hills to keep me in shape. In the winter there is fat-biking on snow packed roads and trails. Numerous bush trails and tracks allow me to mountain bike with my dog, Rascal. When touring, I enjoy writing a daily blog at idoitoutdoors.com for friends and family to follow while I am on the road. I am a decent bicycle mechanic and general fixer of things.

Ronnie Mandowsky

After riding with TDA on the Hippie Trail and Journey to the East I am very much looking forward to The Tea Route.

Carolina Ceravolo

There are many things I love about my job, but my favorite is to dive deep in the route to learn all about its features, profile, geographical and historical facts, and to reunite with the team and riders to explore the journey together. All of us are very privileged to be able to explore the world at the pace of a bicycle; to really be present and see, feel, hear and smell all the environments we are cycling through. I love to keep the riders focused on their journey, motivating them to see the magic and the beauty of what we have the opportunity to be doing. I like to be the bridge to their experience, helping them face the challenges and persevere.

I currently live in Belgium. I have been traveling through all hidden corners of the American continent and Europe for the last 10 years where I learnt about its history and culture. I'm a certified nature and history guide in Mexico, specialized in Mayan History. I'm also a technical cave diver and worked with cave exploration in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, where I lived for 9 years. Here I developed skills in safety and risk management, which is one of my favorite aspects of the job as a tour leader: to be able to foresee hazards and plan ways to mitigate them.

Cycling is my favorite thing to do, so in 2017 I did a solo self supported bike trip for 4 months from Mexico to Brazil. This was when I decided to change the course of my career from guiding nature and cave diving tours to working with cycling tour companies, realizing I could transfer my skills in safety and risk assessment from cave diving into leading cycling tours/expeditions.

My tip for cyclists joining our tours is to trully allow yourself to be out of your comfort zone and to enjoy being there. Traveling by bike is physically challenging, but having a strong, open and adventurous mind is what you need to take the most out of it. Learn to appreciate the differences. To think as a group and to be realistic about what crossing a country - or a few of them - by bicycle implies. It's a unique and a massive achievement for everyone involved in it, don't forget that! Have fun, and smile always.

Michael Coo

Nirmika Athalye

What I love most about this work is the constant puzzle of figuring things out, the hands-on problem-solving, working closely with local teams, and adapting to whatever comes our way. Alongside that, the camaraderie that grows across borders with people you never expected to meet is what keeps me coming back for more. At the heart of it all, though, it’s you - the riders. Watching people from all kinds of backgrounds come together, each pushing themselves for their own reasons, and achieving things most wouldn’t even dream of, is endlessly inspiring.

No matter how diverse our backgrounds, cultures, or professions may be, out on the road everyone is equal. All connected by a shared passion and a curiosity for the world around us and the world within us. That quiet determination, that raw humanness, is truly beautiful to witness, day in and day out.

I live in Central India, close to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ellora Caves, right along the Hippie Trail route. Thanks to my parents and their wonderfully offbeat way of raising us, I grew up exploring the outdoors from a very young age, in a way most kids in India probably didn’t. At 17, I left the country for the first time as an exchange student in France. Everything was new; the food, the language, the culture.. but it gave me a taste of what else was out there. After that, I knew I had to keep chasing the horizon. During college, I began leading treks and summer camps across the Indian Himalayas. That was the start of my professional journey in the outdoors, more than a decade ago.

Over time, I found a way to blend my two favorite things, adventure and photography into a path in adventure filmmaking....and that’s how I found TDA in 2019!

It’s hard to pick a single favorite memory, but riding the full Tour d’Afrique in 2023 was truly life-changing. Cycling for months through places I’d only ever seen in books or on screen was like a dream. The expanse of the universe in front of you, and watching it change slowly one sunrise, one pedal, and one sunset at a time was unforgettable. I think I’ll be chasing that wilderness feeling forever.

If you're thinking of joining a TDA tour, my one tip would be this: come with an open heart and an open mind. Some of the toughest days on the road might just become the most meaningful ones. Embrace whatever the journey throws at you and enjoy the flow. Because once you go back home, this will be all you’d be daydreaming about.

Michaela Pye

It's a sweltering day riding through rural Uzbekistan. I'm riding sweep, when a rider stops in a lazy town square to adjust something on his bike. Within seconds of stopping, there are a dozen local folks offering us fruits, tea, shade and trying to communicate with us. It was just an example of the immense generosity and community minded nature of so many folks on the Silk Route. The simple act of nurturing from these strangers struck a chord with me. It's one of my favorite moments on a TDA tour; the simple reminder that most people are kind and that makes the world smaller in the best way possible. Experiences like those remind me why I started guiding, and why tour leading for TDA is so special; as a tour leader you have this opportunity to create an environment that breeds curiosity, kindness and allows riders to relax into the riding, and the culture.

I started guiding backpacking and sea kayaking when I was 17 as a summer job near my hometown in Newfoundland, Canada. I found it amazing that I had the opportunity to share wilderness and culture with folks from all over the world, and that sentiment has never really left me. I worked as a guide and treeplanter throughout university where I obtained a degree in Environmental Science. Post-grad, I decided a traditional science job wasn't for me, and went down the long certification process of becoming a Canadian Ski Guide. These days when I'm not on a TDA tour, I work as a ski guide for helicopter and snow-cat skiing, near where I live in Northern British Columbia. Somewhere in there I squeezed in lots of travel, some highlights being: living and working in Ukraine as part of an international development program, cycling across South America, studying and mountaineering in Alaska!

My biggest advice for a TDA participant is to let go! Really settle into the experience, and the routine. Most people's day to day lives exist at a pace much more hectic than riding your bike all day, this is your opportunity to totally settle in!

Samuel Roy

I see bike touring as an opportunity to slow down and bring yourself back to the essential things in life. Food, water, shelter, love, connection, space in your heart, space in your mind, movement, exploration. I believe that travelling by bike is the best way to discover our beautiful planet because of the pace of travel. It's fast enough to cover ground and cross continents, as we do with TDA, but it's slow enough to be able to truly soak in the destination you're in and everything that comes with it. The vulnerability of being alone on a bike, dressed up in bright lycra in the middle of nowhere makes you approachable and sparks curiousness and interest in the locals you meet on the road. As a tour leader with TDA, I am grateful to have the opportunity to facilitate these experiences, moments and connections.

I'm originally from Montreal in Canada where I studied business and tourism, but I have recently moved to Barcelona where cycling is unreal, even over the winter months. For the past few years, my career has been a collection of different projects and opportunities such as working as a TV host back home in Quebec, guiding with TDA and other outdoors companies as well as running my own vanlife conversion business. I've always loved getting around on two wheels, for some years, my focus was to go as fast as I could while I raced Ironman triathlons as a semi-pro. Nowadays, I still enjoy riding my bike, but a little slower, and looking around much more.

My best memory on tour is without a doubt when both my parents joined the 2019 Tour d'Afrique as riders to cycle the last two sections of the tour, from Vic Falls to Cape Town. It was such a precious privilege to be on sweep duty and get to ride with both of them through the namibian dunes.

As a tip for future participants, I think the best mindset to come onto a tour with is one of gratitude. We are all so privileged, both staff and riders, to be on these trips that being grateful for this life we get to live is an attitude we must cultivate.

See you on the road!

Jordan (Jordy) Montroy

Hey, I’m Jordan, from Inverness in the Highlands of Scotland. I’ve always had a love for bikes, all types old and new and also love fixing them especially old classics (despite them sometimes being a nightmare). Looking forward to meeting you all and having a great time on the tour.

Mats Fredrix

I remember the first time I had tears of joy running down my cheeks on a descent. The day after I was screaming every syllable of 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light' suffering the wind battering down on my nose. You'll soon experience those beautifully painful joys of riding yourself. It's my mission to make sure you get home and have a way to show and share those moments with your friends and family. See you soon, rouleurs!

Mitch Long

I am a retired emergency physician living in Ketchum/Sun Valley, Idaho. My wife and I have two kids, and after dropping our youngest off at college, we moved here so that we could have easy access to skiing, biking (both road and mountain), and hiking. My first taste of bike touring was when I joined a college buddy for just four days of his several month ride that went the length of the Mississippi River. I truly enjoyed the comaraderie and the travel. Seeing the countryside change fast enough to feel you were seeing new sights, but slowly enough to enjoy them seems the ideal way to explore.

Katherine Slotnick

I am a retired public health nurse and live in Juneau, Alaska. I’ve done several TDA tours with my husband Neil.

Stephen (Neil) Slotnick

Looking forward to slowly making my way through Italy and Corsica with a fabulous group of people.

Janice Lanyon

Cycling tours are such a great way to travel and to meet and make friends. I am looking forward to the challenge of riding with TDA again.

Nancy Wright

I am exciting to be travelling and cycling Japan. My husband, Rob, and I enjoy travelling by bike.. We look forward to riding with friends and making new friendships.

Rob Wright

Having heard so many good things about TdA trips from Joe, Simon, Janice and Caroline - Nancy, Lisanne, Rob D. and I couldn't resist and are looking forward to sharing new adventures on our first TdA cycle, and meeting new friends.

Joseph Lee

I love to travel, and bicycle touring is my preferred way to see the world. This will be my first tour since Covid cancelled many plans. I’ve enjoyed 4 full TDA tours: Indian Adventure, Ruta Maya, Pub Ride, West Africa en Vélo. I’m excited to see Korea and more of Japan than Tokyo. I have travelled lots, but my list of places to visit never gets any shorter. I became a teacher, mainly because of the holidays, and I am now semi-retired, doing occasional teaching in between travels. Looking forward to renewing old friendships and making new ones. Now I need to get cycling again!

Simon Lanyon

Mike Jakeman

Bike and travel.....it's a retirement thing and these days avoiding Global Gong Show Politics!

Frank Wichlo

I have done 5 TDA trips and I plan to keep doing them as long as I am able, or the money runs out.

Kelley Hale

Cyclist, photographer, goofball from Santa Fe New Mexico. Looking forward to my third trip with TDA.

bo fagergren

Borned -56. Swedish. Love family, wife and son. Love bicycles and cycling. Half retired. Done 2 TDA trips Journey to the East and Golden Buddha.

Lizz Hale

Avid cyclist from Santa Fe, New Mexico. This will be my third trip with TDA.

Clement Lam

This is my Sixth time cyclo-touring with TDA. The other five times were portions of Orient Express (Vienna to Istanbul, 2007), Silk Road (Shanghai to Dushanbe, 2012), North American Epic (Anchorage to Fort St. John, 2015), Oh Canada (Winnipeg to Quebec City, 2017) and North American Epic (Tuktoyaktuk to Whitehorse) 2019. I enjoy travelling and cycling very much so TDA tours are perfect match. I look forward to meeting like-minded friends on this trip.

Margit Donhowe

I live in Ketchum, Idaho and I love to be outdoors. I ski, bike, hike, backpack, canoe and paddle board. I am also an avid reader and traveler.

G. Michael Keltos

Aloha, Greetings from O'ahu. I have been living and riding around these beautiful islands over the past 35 years and am currently a member of the Hawai'i Bicycling League to stay active and socialize with fellow riders and also often train indoors with ROUVY. As an avid global traveler who enjoys experiencing new places and cultures, I discovered TDA in 2022 and its unique way of exploring the world from a bicycle vantage point. My most recent TDA tour was The Tea Route in early 2026. The Bamboo Road trip will be my 7th tour with TDA, and I look forward to many more to come. May this be a safe and exciting adventure for us all!

Herman Sans

Storting this year with the tea route witch was very Nice. Now we are in for the northern part of europe. And we meet a lot of people again wit h we saw on zeverlap tda tours

Ada Sans

Now I am almost 70 Herman and I decided to do some more tours . Europe is for us almost home but we never saw the Scandinavian countries by bike. So Lets do it 😁

Michael Netzsch

I am happy that I can join another tour with TDA.

Holger Keller

This is my second tour to Japan with TDA and my third visit to Japan. I like the country, the people, their friendliness, and their respect for others. I am really looking forward to this tour.

Jeanine Hartnett

This will be my seventh TDA trip. I retired from a banking career in New York in 2016. I’ve done many other long distance cycling trips, including across the US in 2017.

Didier Muller

Soon retiring from corporate life , i enjoy riding almost daily and i am looking forward to enjoy traveling with my bike. ...Born in France , US Citizen and a Brazilian resident for a few years

Cindy Pittman

I'm from Calgary, Alberta and love riding my bike! I've been a *bit* obsessed with TDA since 2011 when an acquaintance completed tour d'Afrique - one day I will to. I loved the Hippie Trail trip that I completed with TDA in 2017! I look forward to meeting everyone and getting on the road!

Eric Wolinsky

I love bicycle touring and I've been looking forward to this trip for a while.

edward sokol

retired, single worked 44 years in retail business, owned it for 30 years like cycling, hiking

Rob Dowler

I'm a semi-retired 66 year old from Toronto who spends winters teaching and riding on Zwift while dreaming of travel in far-off places. Since retiring, my partner Lisanne and I have enjoyed backpacking on the Great Divide and John Muir Trails, canoeing, trekking the 3 Passes in Nepal, hiking and climbing in Scotland, Norway and Switzerland. We look forward to hanging out with TDA riders on the Nagasaki to Tokyo section while soaking up the culture and scenery of this fascinating place.

Lisanne Hill

Jane Bloodworth

I live in Melbourne. I love cycling long distances with the assistance of TDA.

Kristen Mueller

I am based in London but originally from the west coast of the US. I am really looking forward to exploring, meeting lots of new people, and sampling all the local food and wine. I can also promise to always say yes to finding some gelato :-)

William Reid

Linda's husband. Old Sailor Woodworker

Linda Reid

Per Sörner

Freelance engineer, musician and reality hacker from the Swedish west coast. Currently on an indefinite sabbatical to explore life more fully. I find expedition cycling a good way to practice living in the present, enjoy the "simple" downsized life, see the world, fill up with new impressions and stretch the edge of my comfort zone. Previous TdA experience: Hong Kong to Bangkok (Bamboo Road premiere 2013), Bali to Alice Springs (Trans-Oceania premiere 2014), Quito to Cusco (SAE 2015), Ulan Bator to Gorno-Altaysk (Silk Route 2016), Freetown to Cape Coast (West Africa en Vélo premiere 2018), Kashmir to Kathmandu (Trans Himalaya premiere 2019) and Journey to the East (2024).

Murray Beare

Rode from Tuk to Fort St John on the NA Epic 2109. Trans Caucuses late Summer 2022. Journey to the East Tokyo to Sapporo June 2024. Hiked to Tengboche monastery in Nepal in 2011. Picked up the NA epic from Fort St John this year and rode to Banff. Hope to join the Next NA epic.in Banff 2029.

Rachel Farr

Christina Palassio

My bike is my main vehicle. I bike for fun, for travel, for work, for peace, and to get from place to place. I've biked all over Canada and a few places further afield. I live in Japan between 2001 and 2023 and am really looking forward to being back! I'm joining the Nagasaki > Tokyo leg and writing about the trip for Canadian Cycling.

Emily Currie

“‘Happiness is only real when shared’: I think this counts for a whole spectrum of experiences and emotions—pain, hardship, excitement, joy, for instance—and explains why sharing an adventure or journey with a group makes it so very real!”

Who would have thought that growing up on a farm and a career in rural healthcare would prepare me for a job like my job at TDA? I always had the desire to travel and even though I thought working here would be too good to actually come true when I sent in my job application, here I am, six tours and 28 countries later. I’ve learned more about the world and myself then I ever expected.

With so many incredible memories—and so much food shared, so many friends made along the way—it will take me years to process everything I’ve experienced courtesy of TDA. Highlights of my travels so far include finishing the North American Epic (NAE) in Mexico City on the Day of the Dead, cycling Central Asia’s Pamir Highway, Abdul’s pilaf in the parking lot, Colombia, pan con chicharron, Patagonia, a massive thunder storm in Zambia, Hami melon, Madagascar, Samarkand, walnut and honey spread on fresh bread and topped with whipped yak cream, eaten in a warm yurt… and the list goes on! It’s amazing to realize that everything I experience with TDA will have an impact on my life long after these adventures are over.

One adventure I don’t expect to have again is the one I had in Mexico, when we discovered Hurricane Patricia was heading right straight at us. Monitoring the storm’s progress through the night—from stage 4 to stage 5—seemed so unreal. By 5:00 a.m., CNN was calling Patricia the strongest hurricane ever measured on planet earth. A few hours later, we loaded all bikes, riders, kit and crew onto an extra van and bus … and took off, tails between our legs, because Patricia was shaping up to be a beast! By nightfall we were safe and sound in the heart of tequila country, and, as Patricia lost most of her fury at landfall, the party at our lodgings ramped up.

There are so many wonderful aspects to working with TDA but key amongst them are travelling with purpose, meeting people from all over—and the food!

Yanez Novoa

A long time ago, I had a ten minute conversation on the beach with Steve who had been on a TDA tour through Africa. I didn’t know it then but it planted a thought in my head that would soon change the course of my life.

It seemed that everything I had done before had in some way prepared me for this. A life in hospitality and a few years at sea - from some grand establishments to some very inhospitable vessels and anything in-between.

There were a variety of less stimulating occupations I had explored before I landed at TDA. I think this is what has kept me here for so long, the almost overwhelming stimulation that one gets from daily life on tour, which is miles apart from my quiet country life in South Africa.

That, and the other people. There is always such a variety of people from all walks of life and from all over the world that I would otherwise not have met.

Nirmika Athalye

What I love most about this work is the constant puzzle of figuring things out, the hands-on problem-solving, working closely with local teams, and adapting to whatever comes our way. Alongside that, the camaraderie that grows across borders with people you never expected to meet is what keeps me coming back for more. At the heart of it all, though, it’s you - the riders. Watching people from all kinds of backgrounds come together, each pushing themselves for their own reasons, and achieving things most wouldn’t even dream of, is endlessly inspiring.

No matter how diverse our backgrounds, cultures, or professions may be, out on the road everyone is equal. All connected by a shared passion and a curiosity for the world around us and the world within us. That quiet determination, that raw humanness, is truly beautiful to witness, day in and day out.

I live in Central India, close to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ellora Caves, right along the Hippie Trail route. Thanks to my parents and their wonderfully offbeat way of raising us, I grew up exploring the outdoors from a very young age, in a way most kids in India probably didn’t. At 17, I left the country for the first time as an exchange student in France. Everything was new; the food, the language, the culture.. but it gave me a taste of what else was out there. After that, I knew I had to keep chasing the horizon. During college, I began leading treks and summer camps across the Indian Himalayas. That was the start of my professional journey in the outdoors, more than a decade ago.

Over time, I found a way to blend my two favorite things, adventure and photography into a path in adventure filmmaking....and that’s how I found TDA in 2019!

It’s hard to pick a single favorite memory, but riding the full Tour d’Afrique in 2023 was truly life-changing. Cycling for months through places I’d only ever seen in books or on screen was like a dream. The expanse of the universe in front of you, and watching it change slowly one sunrise, one pedal, and one sunset at a time was unforgettable. I think I’ll be chasing that wilderness feeling forever.

If you're thinking of joining a TDA tour, my one tip would be this: come with an open heart and an open mind. Some of the toughest days on the road might just become the most meaningful ones. Embrace whatever the journey throws at you and enjoy the flow. Because once you go back home, this will be all you’d be daydreaming about.

Jason Roussel

Canadian bike mechanic and ski tuner.

Joris Brants

Born and raised close to Antwerp in Belgium, I was so lucky to grow up in a family of mountain lovers. When my dad would go cycling in the Alps (he rode the 100 cols tour in France), we would cheer him on from out of the car. It's in my blood. More of a winter sports lover myself, I chose to focus on skiing, became a ski racer and eventually coach and ski guide. During the last winter season, I worked as a ski instructor and guide in Central Hokkaido, Japan. The Journey to the East '25 from Seoul to Sapporo was my first trip as bike mechanic for TDA and I'm very happy to be going on this Cape to Kili adventure next!

Camille Kirby

I am a filmmaker from all over the U.S., but I've found myself now in Detroit, Michigan. I have a background in narrative storytelling, so I'm excited to bring that knowledge to TDA and capture such an incredible journey :)

Christina Palassio

My bike is my main vehicle. I bike for fun, for travel, for work, for peace, and to get from place to place. I've biked all over Canada and a few places further afield. I live in Japan between 2001 and 2023 and am really looking forward to being back! I'm joining the Nagasaki > Tokyo leg and writing about the trip for Canadian Cycling.

Stephen Growdon

I am 64 years old and live in Seattle with my wife. In 2022 I retired following a 20-year career as a high school Social Studies teacher. Since my retirement I have spent a good deal of time bicycling. In 2023 I completed the Southern Tier bike tour across the US, and in the summer of 2024 I completed the TransAm Express tour across the central US. In 2025 I completed TDA's Journey to the East and also the Pacific Coast bike tour from the Canadian border to the Mexican border of the US. Needless to say, I love bicycle touring (and I have a very supportive wife). Every day is an adventure!

Karen t’Kint de Roodenbeke

The last time I was in Rome was for spring vacation Junior year. You’d be correct to infer that it was a different kind of trip! I’m excited to return and explore this gorgeous part of Italy at bike speed and share the journey with a fun, strong legged, like minded cohort of adventurers.

Paul Graham

I am 65 years young and keen cyclist I did competitive triathlons until age of 52 and gave up as a result of knee injury’s running but all good now with new knee, I spend my time now between the UK and in Portugal most of the year. I am also a keen golfer and enjoy watching my Footbal team Liverpool play when I can. I was born in Chester in Cheshire and have dual nationality NZ and Irish. I am married to Sarah and have four children and three grand children. I have been successful in building up several businesses over the years and still involved with two. I enjoy long distance challenges and I am looking forward to meeting new people and making friends along the way..

William Harper

Married for 45 years to Carolyn, who will also be on the trip. Father of two adult sons. Retired Episcopal Minister. Currently work seasonally providing on mountain ski support for Sun Valley Guest Services and teaching Wilderness First Aid for NOLS. Dedicated cyclist. Ride more than 3,000 miles annually.

Michelle Frost

I enjoy gravel riding, long distance cycle touring and bikepacking in more remote locales. My favourite way to see a country is from a bike.

Carolyn Harper

My best thinking and my best non-thinking happen on my bicycle. It is my happy place unless the hill is too steep and long or I need carbs.

Amy Jenkins

I am so excited to join this ride! I am married and have 2 adult children, their spouses and a 14 year old grandson, all of whom are the light of my life! In addition to biking, I love everything outdoors including skiing, snowshoeing and am a Special Olympics Coach. Because I am retired, I spend my time volunteering for Hospice, am on the board for a youth empowerment organization and therapy animal program. Life is grand and I look forward to this wonderful adventure with all of you!

Kelly McNamara

I have found riding a bike a great way to travel and see the world. There is no barrier between you and the environment. You see all the small things and of course you feel and smell everything. Tda has been my favorite company as the tours are longer and more independent. It's addicting to fall into the day-to-day rhythm and routines. I've done the Odyssey, Viva Italia and Trans-Europa and Journey to the East.

Stephane Lancereau

………………. but …..……….., also ………………!

Brian Rodgers

I'm more of a general adventurer than a hard core bicycle enthusiast even though I've ridden TDA's Tour d'Afrique, Orient Express, Silk Route, Hippie Trail and half of the Trans-Europa from Tallinn to Venice. It's been life changing. Thanks Henry and staff!

Gonzalo Pastor

Hi. I am a Peruvian economist. I am 67 years old. I am not a regular rider, but I like the experience when I do it.

Judith Gold

I am a casual cyclist, who has participated in several TDA Global Cycling trips, including the Bamboo Road, part of the Africa ride, and part of Korea/Japan ride. I am coming with my husband, Gonzalo Pastor. We are slow, and get to know the sweepers really well. We are really there to make all the other riders feel good! Looking forward to reuniting with some riders, and meeting new ones.

Karin Lind Hansen

I love travelling. I love biking. I love visiting new places. I have visited several places with TDA - but there are still places left to see, explore, and enjoy :)

Wes Rother

Touring on a bicycle is one of the nicest ways to enjoy myself outdoors. I can combine inhaling LOTS of fresh air, get HEAPS of exercise and ENJOY sight seeing, all at the same time. Even in the busiest, or quietest spots, simply pull over, put your foot down and breathe, take in your surroundings, and a take a few pictures too. As a TDA first-timer on Journey to the East: Seoul to Sapporo in 2025, the experience was fantastic, and exceeded expectations. I could not wait to sign up for more tours. The Odyssey and Viva Italia for 2026! See you there.

Patrice Rother

After travelling with TDA on the fantastic Journey to the East in 2025, I’m excited about this new adventure,

Sherry Schulz

Hi there! My name is Sherry, I’ve been riding a road bike for about 9 years. Lately I’ve averaged 8,000 miles per year. I’ll be traveling with my boyfriend Pat. We have done many tours, including one TDA tour Seoul to Tokyo! See you soon :) Ps… i don’t participate in social media

Patrick Wenning

Along with my girlfriend Sherry we love to travel by and with our bikes. We've done a variety of cycling camps and tours and have especially enjoyed point to point trips. Our first trip with TDA was Journey to the East. Excited to be back.

Richard Hughes

I did Tour D'Afrique in 2024 and loved the experience, camaraderie of fellow riders and the amazing staff. Journey to the East in 2025 reinforced the challenge and joy of riding. I have travelled extensively throughout my life but have never been to South America so I'm looking forward to challenge of the South American Epic.

John Florin

I took up regular cycling after a long break in my early forties about 30 years ago. Since then I've been on a few short tours around Australia and New Zealand, which I've found a great way to take in different landscapes and experience local areas. Apart from cycling, I like outdoor activities such as sailing, camping and bush walking. I like travel, especially experiencing different foods and cultures, so the opportunity tour cycle through Korea and Japan is really something to look forward to. I'm a grandparent, have been retired for about 10 years and am enjoying life and family without the restrictions of work.

Catherine Hodges

I love adventure in all its forms. I'm stoked to have another cycling trip to look forward to!

Peter Hodges

Kiwi who enjoys getting out and exploring. (tda veteran)

Luke Louchheim

Joseph Louchheim

Chris Dean

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Michael Coo

John Hecht

Retired Canadian who enjoys seeing many parts of the world on two wheels.

Mark Pritchard

TBD

Ed Hahn

This is my first long-distance ride, other than some long ago San Francisco-to-Los Angeles charity rides on a folding bike. Looking forward to meeting other newbies and TDA veteran riders from around the world.

Margaret Simon

Born and bred Australian, I am a lifelong adventure seeker who settled in the United States 40+ years ago. I am a proud grandmother to 6 beautiful grandchildren. I travelled extensively in my youth but never by bike. I started riding in my late 50s and fell in love with it. Now my life revolves around cycling. I have ridden across the US as well as many other multi day tours. My first TDA tour was Tour D'Afrique in 2023 which I loved so now I am back for another adventure!

Kaye Hudson

Previous tours Trans Europa 2012, South America 2015, NZ section Trans Oceania 2016. Odyssey 2017 sections Bosnia to Amsterdam, Pub Ride 2018, Africa Kenya to Cape town 2019, Trans Oceania 2022 (Adelaide to Melbourne and Tasmania), Morocco Kingdom of the West 2024, Olive Route 2025 and North American Epic 2025. Looking forward to another ride with my husband Brett and catching up with riders from previous rides and meeting new riders.

Felicia Eisenberg Molnar

Oriol Ribas

Hello, I am from Andorra, semi-retired from the banking industry but still active in other fields. I cycled in Europe and Asia, bikepacking most of the time but with TDA in a couple of occasions. I like to alternate both, when you bikepack you miss all the magnificent logistics and the kind company of the TDA world… I don’t do social media, sorry.

Elizabeth Rooke

Liz Rooke Love cycling and love travelling and caught the TDA bug a few years ago. Did Venice to Barcelona leg in 2014 and it was so good that in 2015 I completed the Orient Express and the Bamboo Road before realising I had to get a job again! Sadly this year I can only do one segment but with lots of old friends (no reference to ageism) I couldn't resist returning - looking forward to joining you in Banff

Keith Whitwell

Kelly Leach

Maria Senichkina

Chris Coggans

I think cycling is the perfect speed of travel. I have done several 1-week cycling trips, but nothing this long or with such consistent mileage each day, and so I’ll need to train for this. But what a great way to see these countries!

Robert Couillard

10 years retired....and lots left to do !!!

Denise Couillard

Brett Lanham

I’m an ex seafarer, retired now for 13 years, fortunate enough to have been able to get away on a bike tour with TdA every year since 2011, until 2020 that was! My last rides were Morocco, Kingdom of the West, in 2024, and the Olive Route mid 2025. I'm joining the NAE 2025 in Yuma and looking forward to catching up with friends from past rides, meeting new ones, and sharing this adventure with a beer, or should that be, a wine or two.