Chris Wille

After an intense 30 Year career, and 4 Ironman Triathlons, whats a guy to do? While searching long distance bike tours way back in the early 2000's, the TDA site came up. Cycle across Africa- 12,000kms, 4.5 months- What? Thats nuts! However, the more i thought about it, the more intrigued i was. Wow- people- 'ordinary people-doing extraordinary things' actually participated in those rides, and lived to tell about it! They didn't get killed by lions or headhunters or...Fast forward to 2008 TDA and there we were,at the Pyramids, 60 strangers from 14 different countries about to have the ride/total experience of our lives. It was incredible, just like cycling through the pages of the National Geographic, every day for 4.5 months- i was hooked! The Tda was/is like a drug- the more trips you go on, the more you want to do. In Africa i met Michael Linke and the BEN (Bicycle empowerment network), inspired by the great things they were doing, started a chapter of Bicycles for Humanity here in Victoria as a way of giving back. To date we (B4H Victoria) have collected and shipped 11 container loads of bikes to 3 African countries- Two container loads each to Namibia & Uganda and 7 to Malawi ( 5000 bikes + spare parts to date and counting!) So fortunate and blessed to be able to give back... Since TDA 2008, I have been super lucky to have cycled the Orient Express, Silk Route, Trans Oceania, South American Epic, Trans Europa and (most of)- Bamboo road rides with TDA. Completed Trans Europa 2018. In 2015 my goal of cycling around the world was completed, albiet not all on TDA trips. I am extremely lucky, fortunate & grateful. The North American Epic ride marks the 7th of the TDA 7 Epics for me.Working hard to be the first client to complete all 7 Epics- It's been a fun ride so far... There is no greater way to see the world than from the seat of a bike, under human power. How blessed am I to be able to share the experience with so many incredible fellow riders, TDA staff, and all the amazing people you meet along the way!

Bob Whitehead

Bob Whitehead Age: 71 Profession: Retired Chartered Civil Engineer Resident in Hong Kong: 29 years I was attracted to join my first bike tour in 2012 with Tour d’Afrique by the prospect of long distance adventure cycling in intriguing and sometimes remote and hostile environments. This was their Silk Road tour. Some time later, when I saw their South American bike tour advertised, I was immediately attracted back to do my second long distance tour. And when fully payed up late in 2013, I became totally committed, motivated and almost ready to go! It now looks as if I have to fit bike touring into my already full & active lifestyle in future! So where have I come from? I’m a retired civil engineer living in rural Hong Kong, where there is such a great variety of outdoor activities locally on the doorstep, from trail and gorge running to sailing and paragliding. It’s also a good hub from which to take off to countries in the region and indulge in skiing, trekking and even simply just travelling! When one is still fit, why would you want to leave Hong Kong, even after 27 years? As for what else got me into cycling……..Well, I’ve been a trail runner for most of my time here in HK and reached the top level in my age category in cross-country, long distance trail running and mountain marathons at the ripe old age of 55. Then, after a few years, I decided to take after the great ultra-marathon runner, Marshall Ulrich, and diversify. This, as a way to keep motivated. It started with adventure racing and along with a team mate, we travelled around SE Asia competing at the top level for a number of years. Mountain biking was an important discipline and to help with my bike fitness, I brought my trusty 30-year old Carlton Gyro road bike over from the UK as my training steed. This had to go back recently to be sandblasted and painted after suffering from the ravages of Hong Kong's humidity for 10-years. Then in 2010, we competed in the Scottish Coast to Coast adventure race, for which I purchased a 16-speed cyclo-cross bike. I decided to "tour" back along the route over 5-days. This started me thinking about doing a "proper" bike tour and since I possessed a book about the Silk Road, such a bike tour loomed high on the agenda. I had also picked up a couple of books in a second hand bookshop back home in England. They were travel books on Morocco and Yunnan province in China. Glancing through those I rediscovered trekking, something I had experienced years before in Nepal in the early ‘80s. So long distance bike touring and high altitude trekking have been the focus for the last 3-years or so. In 2012, it was the Silk Road for 10-weeks for which I set up my mountain bike with road transmission components. In May 2013, I completed two solo treks in Morocco each based on the two highest peaks of Toubkal and Mgoun, both a little over 4000 metres. And in May 2014, it was the Big Kora, a Pilgrims circumnavigation of three 6000-metre peaks in western China involving seven mountain passes of up to 4700m. Late in 2014, I completed a 5-day tour in Devon, UK on my cyclo-cross bike. This with a view to tackling LEJOG, a bike challenge of 970 miles taking in the UK from bottom to top (SW to NE). I needed to test out my gearing for the many hills on LEJOG. The idea was to take in LEJOG as a warm up for the SA Epic. The part of the LEJOG in Devon has the toughest hills on the whole LEJOG route, so this was an ideal testing ground for my equipment and gearing. And the result? I straight-away ordered a new MTB cassette and new rear changer for the bike! As for LEJOG, well I completed this in 12-days after Easter 2015 …….. and still had to walk up a number of the hills! For the South American Epic, starting in July 2015, I decided to take my mountain bike, which had proved very successful and trouble free on the Silk Road. I felt it more suitable and comfortable for the longer distances and longer climbs. Meanwhile I'm still enjoying trail running. And having discovered the value of training and recovery mixed in with various lifestyle changes, I've managed to remain competitive in the vets categories in Hong Kong up to the present time. And I'm counting on my running fitness to help me with my upcoming bike tour of West Africa!

Kaye Hudson

Have done 3 rides with TDA Trans Europa 2012, South American 2015 and NZ section of Trans Oceania in 2016 and m doing the Odyssey from Bosnia to Amsterdam in 2017. I look forward to catching up with riders from previous rides and meeting new ones on the Pub Ride plus catching up with old friends on the NA

Jason Becker

Like everyone here, I love my bike...as a glorious mode of transportation, but much more importantly as a freedom tool, taking me to places around the world I would never have seen if not from atop my bike. I have kept myself busy the past decade and a half as an art teacher and freelance artist and designer. I also love traveling, hiking, drawing, painting, building models, and anything else involving creativity. I currently live in Kansas, but look forward to the day, very soon perhaps, when I can wake up to mountains out my window.

John Stowe

My first thought about biking the SAE was: "I'm not letting Chris Willie, Chris Jones, and Dudley Jesser get all the glory...and drink all the beer!" :) ...and so begins my 4th tour with TDA. Can't wait to see you all again!

Catriona Kennedy

Mike and I have cycled from Istanbul to Beijing, Shanghai to Singapore, through India, Cartagena to Santiago and Brazil with TDA and done numerous cycling tours through Europe and across America. This trip in Himalayas sounds fantastic and we're really looking forward to it.

Michael Netzsch

In the past I have done a few tours with TDA. It was always a great and enjoyable experience. I am looking forward to meeting you all in Srinagar.

Aloysius Carlay

This is my fourth TDA tour - did North America, South America, and India. Looking forward to this part of the world and reuniting with some old friends from previous tours. I currently ride with a full carbon moutain bike setup w/ 29 inch wheels and 2.35/2.2 sized tires and a 1x11 setup. It worked really well in South America where there was a good combination of pavement and dirt/gravel roads. Expecting something similar with the Bamboo tour.

Eriberto Roana

Questo è il mio secondo TDA, nel 2010 ho fatto il Coast to Coast Los Angeles-New York, nel 2015 SudAmerican Epic, nel 2017 Il Great Divide, adesso andiamo ad affrontare questa nuova avventura e felice di incontrare alcuni ciclisti del SAE 2015.

Tim Padmore

I am a slightly rusty veteran of three TDA full tours (and of life in general I suppose). Ronda and I will tear ourselves away from three toddler grandchildren and our Gastown condo for a month on a fine new road with a few old friends and more friends to be.

Ronda Green

Hi, I am Ronda, one half of Mr. and Ms. 'Slow', Tim being the other half but we totally enjoy watching the world go by at a manageable pace. I have been a potter for forty years. Traveling to different countries gives me an intimate connection with the local culture. Pre-Columbian pottery of South America is amazing, detailing the life style and skill of the indigenous people before the Spanish invasion. Tim and I have traveled with TDA on four of the original excursion. I liken the experience to being a kid at camp: all of the adventure and fun with little of the work or management. Perfect, if we could just find someone to pitch the tents

Victor Beijen

I'm 55 and I feel lucky to ride the Silk Route. Ok, it is just one stage but I'm looking forward very much.

Bob Briggs

My name is Bob Briggs, 71 year old State of Florida retiree. Since my retirement in 2001. I have completed bike tours in India, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, TDA Africa, Silk Route to Xi'an before crashing and SAE to Lima. Have not done a tour in over a year. I am presently suffering from TDA Global Cycling withdrawal. I've also done numerous less formal long distance tours prior to hooking up with TDA. Went to college in Salzburg, Austria in 1966 but have never done any cycling in Europe. Really looking forward to it!!!!

Theo de Klein

Theo de Klein from the Netherlands, 52 years young. I've decided to join the TDA again , After great Africa and South America Section Cycling experiences ( 2013 & 2015) It's time to prepare for a new challenge. Looking forward to this trip and to meet you all !

ray harder

i am a 72 year old male from missouri, usa. i have ridden on bike tours across the us, and this will be my fourth out of country. i speak a little spanish at the intermediate level and i enjoy talking to the locals... this is my first sectional tda ride and i will start in mazatlan and ride to panama city... i am looking forward to this trip... good to see a lot of international riders... and several alumni of tda sa 2015, tda wa 2018.... email me -- harderr@umsystem.edu if you want to talk... ray

Klaus Michael Jensen

I'm 65 years old and retired. I have done Africa-tour and South America epic.

Peter Hodges

Kiwi who enjoys getting out Mountain biking, and exploring.

Erwin Attenberger

Hi, I´m Erwin, already 65, retired. My first long tour was TDA 2014, where I went from Khartoum to Nairobi and on my own through Uganda, back to Kenia and from there down to Southafrica, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. Meantime I´ve been on several TDA-Tours including South America and Silk Route. Looking forward to meet you on the next tour with TDA.

Nicholas Harrison

I live in Perth Western Australia, married to Johanna (Jo) who is also on the Trip. I am reasonably active enjoying outdoor activities, ocean swimming, windsurfing, snowboarding and of course riding. I ride a hard tail mountain bike in preference to a standard road bike even when commuting, makes me work harder chasing guys on road bikes. Getting into single track riding, enjoy the physical and mental challenges. The longest bike trip I have done was in 2013 when we completed the 'Traverse of Costa Rica", which was the inspiration to take part in the Epic South America Trip. I have worked as a Surveyor for about 40 years on land and sea, remote areas to urban centres. Have travelled, worked and lived in a number of different countries including Southern Africa, Guatemala, Venezuela, Qatar, Mauritania and of course Australia.

Johanna Platt

What have I signed up for!!! I must admit my main sporting passion is ocean swimming, it doesn't sound like there'll be much of that on offer! We, that is myself, & Nick (husband, also on the tour) got a taste for cycle touring on a recent trip to Costa Rica - Challenging, yes, rewarding, absolutely. Not too sure how this long distance cycle touring will go, however, always looking for the next challenge, so will give it my best shot. At least it's heading south - that is downhill - isn't it? Chao Chicos, nos vamos en Julio.

Alex Glisson

I'm 27 and from the U.K. and will be undertaking two stages of the South American Epic 2015; from Lima to Bolivia. This will be my first Tour and am very excited! No idea what I am letting myself in for - but that's all part of the fun right?! Looking forward to meeting everyone :) Bring on South America! p.s. I'm on Facebook - so feel free to get in contact. I've got the same profile picture as i've uploaded to this profile page.

David Saevitzon

Live in Toronto - love being on the bike. Looking forward to the ride. 'Graduate' of TDA 2010 and Doomsday 2012.

Laura Martin

I'm a retired Forester and who enjoys getting outside and being active. I'm not a speedy cyclist but do try to finish the day. What better way to see a new country than from a cycle seat. This will be my second tour with TDA.

Greg Field

Retired Electrical Engineer, living in Nanoose Bay, BC Longer cycle trips include across Canada (2008) & New Zealand (2011) Toured & hiked Chile & Argentina in 2014 Quito to Cusco leg of SA Epic 2015

Marius Kiefer

After 10 years of working I am looking forward to a well deserved Sabbatical and this amazing trip through Southamerica. Cant wait! : ) Marius

jos malherbe

This will be my 5th tda trip. So i must be addicted to tuna sandwiches and camping, especially bush camps. See you all in Cartagena. Please support the charity i will be raising funds for. Visit http://www.childwelfarechallenge.co.za

Per Sörner

Freelance engineer, musician and reality hacker from the Swedish west coast. Currently on an indefinite sabbatical to explore life, the universe and everything. I find expedition cycling a good way to practise living in the present, enjoy a "simple" life, 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) and Freetown to Cape Coast (West Africa en Vélo premiere 2018).

Annegrete Warrer

Hi everybody, I am from Denmark and 59 years old. Until my India adventure in 2011 I did not know a lot about cycling - but after about 3.400 k I kind of catched a bit up on it.. I live in St. Anton, Austria where I live out my passion for skiing. I also began my "cycling career" here - on mountain bike. Last autumn after doing Rome with TDA I went to south of Italy and bought a racing bike. I am about to pick it up now and plan to do some training on it and my mountain bike here in St. Anton. Spent all summer in Denmark and did not bike (did some sailing). I used to own a travel company specialized in ski holidays but since the last 6-8 years I started to do some free lance writing as a journalist and also do some studying in that field. I look very much forward to meet old and new friends in Asia (Hongkong to Penang) - and hope that the chinese traffic is not going to be too tough.. Cheers, Annegrete

Irin Zschokke

Hi everyone, I'm gonna be your medic for the tour. I first heard about Tour d'Afrique 3 years ago, when one of my colleagues asked me, if I would join her for the TdA 2013. Yes I did, and I loved it. I then got to know this kind of traveling as a participant. I now can't wait to be on the "other" side and support you guys to make your South American Epic as fantastic the TdA was for me. Looking forward to meeting all of you. Cheers, Irin

Grant Prenevost

chris hectors

biking to see the world is my favourite way of traveling i live in ghent, an old medieval and beautiful city in the northern flemish part of belgium look forward to meet the team and to bike through latin america

Linda Wille

Tom Jurenka

Long time road-tourer, mostly in BC.

Jessica Wolf

Mark Heim

I was fortunate to retire early a few years ago and I now enjoy my free time staying fit and active. I've done a few other long distance bike tours including a ride across the US then up to Alaska, TDA's Transeuropa, South American Epic, the Silk Route, and part of Africa. I’ve previously ridden through some of the areas that The North American Epic will cover it is was some of the best riding of my life. I’m looking forward to sharing this adventure with old friends and meeting new people.

Britten Ferguson

Four years ago, I sold what I could and gave everything else away before hopping on a 1-way flight to Central America to work for Outward Bound. Captivated by a sense of adventure and the unique complexities of living abroad, I started mountain biking all over Costa Rica which serendipitously led to a job guiding cycling trips throughout the isthmus, logging thousands of miles fueled by rice, beans, and my beloved plantains. Since then, I've also spent significant time working and traveling through South America as an educational instructor, leading students on rugged trekking-intensive courses. I recently started Revolución, a small bike travel business, as a way of combining my passions for traveling by bike, Latin American history, and community building. An eternally optimistic Washington State native, I love a good story and scheming for the next adventure over a cold beer.

Catherine Hanauer

Bicycle and adventure enthusiast. This has been on the bucket list for far too long

Maxime Dionne

"Travelling, moving, waking up every day in a new place means I have a thousand memories of different homes all around the world."

I used to work in an office developing softwares in Quebec City and one day I decided to quit that lifestyle. Being able to take only a trip or two per year wasn’t enough anymore—I needed to travel full time. In 2013, I bought a bicycle (that's right, I only had one from Canadian Tire at the time, but I quickly concluded a Surly LHT would better fit my needs) and went on my first bike tour, solo, starting from home and riding through Canada, the US, and Haiti. A year later, I was in Vancouver looking for a job and someone told me about TDA and their recruitment ad for Australia. I applied, bought an airline ticket to meet TDA in Adelaide, and the following month I was enjoying my new outdoor office from the saddle of my bike!

An incredible country I've cycled through is Haiti. The scenery is stunning and every 100 kilometres is an adventure, but best of all is the local folklore. I have many stories about this mysterious country and one of my favourites is about the werewolf living on the island. The Haitian werewolf is a shape-shifter able to impersonate any animal. It transforms at night—any night, even if there's no moon—and is always looking to feast on human flesh. The only way to avoid an assured death at this creature’s hands is to sleep in a house with a roof. I like to bush camp while cycling and Haiti was no different. I would sleep out in my sleeping bag in the mountains or on the beach, sometimes in my tent, sometimes under the stars. Every night the locals would warn me about the werewolf, genuinely worried I’d be eaten as I slept. Some invited me into their homes, and once a group of five friends volunteer to check on me every hour of the night. People were surprised every morning I woke up alive and some started to believe the werewolf didn't have an appetite for strangers.

There are a few reasons I like to travel so much: for one thing, I always want to have new adventures and face new challenges. And I love discovering new things—food, stories, places, people, cultures … you name it! With TDA, any and everything can happen—we’re constantly exploring the globe and we introduce fresh tours every year. As you can imagine, scouting and leading tours fulfill my desire for the new to perfection.

Alejandro Rico

Hello I am Alejandro Rico and I will be your mechanic during the Tour. I'm Colombian I am excited to participate in the tour and help during this incredible journey. I am 29 years old and since I got my first bike at 8 years old I never stopped riding. We did the Scout of Colombia with Cristiano our tour leader and I can say that the route through my country Colombia is totally amazing; a journey that will like books of the Colombian Nobel of literature Gabriel Garcia Marquez a journey of magic realism. I live in Bogota capital of Colombia. I hope to help all you can so I can contact my personal email :alejandro@bikerscrew.com See you in July.

Adrian Wood

Hi, My name is Adrian and I will be working on the 2015 Tour D'Afrique. I couldn't be more excited. I will have just finished my final year at university and couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than meeting new people who share a common passion.

Michele Kline

My Husband Anthony (Tony) and I, are from Hobart in Tasmania...we went on our first TDA tour in 2014 from Lima to Cuzco our second one was NZ from Auckland to Queenstown 2015, last year we did our first full tour the Pub Ride. We are looking forward to our first Italian visit and our second full tour!

Anthony kline

54yrs old small business owner building concreting landscaping. Enjoy adventure activities, have walked everest base camp and kilimanjaro successfully. Been a keen cyclist for several years, in 2015 Michele and did our first TDA trip from Lima to Cusco. Last year we completed Auckland to Queenstown and now looking forward to the Pub ride.

Jodi Scott

Hi I'm Jodi and I'll be the medic on tour

Peter Sennhauser

Well, my son Britten will be working for TDA from tip to tip on this South American Epic, so it'll be his chance to take care of me rather than the other way around. He's been all over Central and S. America and this will be the first time I'm able to join him on one of his adventures. As a former Seattle bike messenger/bike dork I know bikes. The section I'm doing in the Andes from Lima to Cusco (and beyond) should go a long way toward telling me a little bit more about myself. Midlife crisis? Spiritual journey? Both? My wife signed off on this cage-rattling excursion and pushed me in this direction. Now it's time to push in a new direction - up, up, up to Cusco!

Will Hill

Back for round 3! Excited to be joining the flagship TDA tour. I will be your Assistant Tour Director. Looking forward to meeting you all. Cheers!

Sue Shuttleworth

Aged 60, retired veterinary surgeon. Married and live in Lancashire, UK. Cycled Africa 2015, South American Epic 2015 and Trans Oceania 2016 plus various long distance cycle camping epics in the past with my husband. In 2015 Nairobi to Arusha took us 2 days to cycle. Really happy that I'll get to cycle Nairobi to Arusha now via Uganda and Rwanda. Looking forward to seeing the gorillas, and revisiting Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Also catching up with friends from previous tours.

Mark Lutz

Hello, I'm Mark, and I'll be your chef for the tour, joining you in Darwin. I'm excited to be a part of this amazing adventure, and look forward to meeting everyone when you reach Australia.

Luiz Morais

Hello, my name is Luiz Morais, I'm from Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais - Brazil, land of mountains, water, historic towns and called as the California of mountain biking by the local cyclists. I'm a graphic designer and rider since childhood starting with BMX. Nowadays i'm a cross country mountain biker and practitioner of enduro and downhill beyond cycletours. I have a small support local business to cycling called Magrela's (Skinny's Bicycles) and I've been preparing over the years to work in this area with first aid courses, guide, bicycle mechanic and in this tour i will work as a professional driver and sweep rider among other common functions. We are ready!

Jean Bernier

Hi, my name is Jean. I grew up in the beautiful town of Québec city. I have been very active since my young age. Physical education teacher for 32 years; now retired. That's my second experience with the Tour d'Afrique: In 2011, I participated in the four months challenging T.D.A.: very proud of my E.F.I. (evrey f... inches) Countries visited on bike: Canada: coast to coast. Vancouver to Inuvik ( Arctic: on the Dempster highway.) Africa: Cairo to Cape Town. India. See you all.

Dirk Pater

My name is Dirk Pater, and I am 61 years old. I'm married to Nellie and we have four children, three daughters and one son. Their names are Dicky, Hans, Rosa & Anne. I grow vegetables by profession. Together with my family and work, excercising is also very important to me. I've been training all my life. When it comes to sport or something that is connected with competition, I'm very fanatical and enthousiastic. Though, in daily life, I'm a calm person. I see the Tour D'Afrique as the ultimate challenge and I hope that I will have lots of fun.

Nellie Pater

Hi, my name is Nellie, I am 57 years jong

Pa Dawson

Born in Laos, raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and currently living and working in Hong Kong. Can't wait to see more of the world on two wheels!

Guillaume Blanchet

Irena Kharazova

Coming to cycle just short part of the trip from Ethiopia to Kenia

Tom Callahan

Taking a break from a hectic consulting job in Hong Kong. What better way to spend a sabbatical than cycling a continent?! Love cycling but don't get much chance in Hong Kong. There's no better way to see a country though. Looking forward to hitting the road!

Brett Lanham

I’m an ex seafarer, retired now for 6 years, fortunate enough to be able to get away on a bike tour every year since 2011. I’ve still got heaps of the world yet to explore and experience and in 2019 down for TdA, Nairobi to Capetown. I look forward to catching up with friends from past rides and meeting new ones and sharing these great adventures with a beer, or two.

Brian Hoeniger

There are few experiences in life that compare to riding my bike through beautiful landscapes in faraway lands. Beyond working for TDA as Accountant and Tour Support, I've been a client 7 times now. All these journeys have had their magical moments. Spinning through Iran - pinch me, I'm dreaming!, across Turkey - where east meets west, down Chile's remote Carretera Austral, and into the canyonlands of the American southwest, to name a few. Completing the Tour d'Afrique is another. And of course, meeting our amazing clients from around the world and the "salt of the earth" local people along the way. I rode Hanoi to Bangkok 2 years ago and now its time to carry on down the Malay peninsula from Bangkok to Singapore. See you in November!

Daniel Frye

Hello, I'm a retired oceanographer and I've taken up cycle touring as a replacement for running and backpacking, which I'm no longer able to do. My wife and I have done several previous trips with TDA (Orient Express, TransOceania, and the South American Epic) and we're looking forward to another interesting and challenging experience this year in Africa. Looking forward to meeting all the riders and seeing old friends.

Fred Promoli

Occupation: retired Physical Education and Outdoor Education teacher; former naval officer; Hometown: Guelph, Ontario Current residence: Collingwood, Ontario Former provinces of residence: all but Nfld, NB, PEI TdA experience: Tour d'Afrique 2003; Orient Express 2008; Silk Route 2008; Bamboo Road 2013; Australia 2014; South America 2015; Lake Winnipeg 2016; America by Bicycle northern route 2016 Current activities: cycling, motorcycle touring, golf, canoe tripping, xc skiing; bagpipe band member

Jacqueline Goodall

Cant wait to hit the road for another TDA Tour! Looking forward to seeing some old touring buddies and meeting some new ones. Wish I was joining you for the full tour, but feel very lucky to be able to get away from work for three sections.

Jacqueline Nel

"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle." Ernest Hemingway

Marina Krilova

Having got to explore Alaska, Yukon down to Banff with the tour I knew I was hooked for life. People and places you get to meet, experiences you get to share change you. It was only a question of time before I cleared my schedule and packed the infamous duffles to hit the road! Can't wait to see some old friends and make new ones! Xoxo

Michael Kennedy

This is my 7th TDA tour starting with the first TDA I have also done the first Silk Route, Bamboo Road, South American Epic, Carnival Cycling Expedition as well as the second India Adventure/Hippy trail and have signed up for Korea/Japan in 2020 . I have also cycled across the US twice, Europe, eastern Australia and South America as well as numerous shorter tours around Europe and North Africa.

Nelson Lacharity

I am from Vancouver, BC, retired June of 2012. I discovered bicycling when I was 42 and long distance cycling when I was 59, so I had to retire to make time for the touring. I have been on six other TDA tours (Amber Route 2010, Bamboo 2013, and South American 2015, TransEuropa 1016, Tour d'Afrique 2017) and Silk Route 2018 as well as several other long distance rides. For me cycling is mostly about the bike, but the chance to see new places and new cultures is right up there, along with one of the biggest pleasures, which is the people - meeting new ones and meeting up with ones from previous rides.

Paul Davison

62 years old, retired engineer. Coming back for another instalment of South America. Not a fast rider, but a persistant one.

Phil Kissel

Have done Cairo to Capetown 2013, Registered nurse keen for cultural and cycling challenge

Shirley Frye

Have enjoyed many TDA trips and hope to do many many more.

Svend Paulsen

Hi Since I retired from Teaching 11 years ago I have had the opportunity to travel with TDA . This will be my 8th trip. I enjoy meeting new travelers as well as reuniting with old friends . Together we see and experience the incredible wonders of the world first hand and up close . I look forward to seeing all of you on the North American Epic

Mike Vermeulen

I am an experienced bicycle tourist who has cycled across five continents, with South America next on the list. I rode across Africa with TDA in 2013, the other trips were carrying my own gear. I've also cycled China with TDA on Silk Route in 2007. My plan is to ride some of South America on my own and join TDA for the southernmost part starting in Puerto Montt. I'm looking forward to meeting other riders to ride across Patagonia.

Tom Bell

Celebrated turning 65 by riding South American Epic. Loved the experience. I was warned these trips become addictive and was home for only 2 weeks before signing up for TDA.

EVAN KENLEY

I have the wanderlust. What better way to do it than by bike? I have traveled extensively and recently did the SAE and Silk Route. What fun and challenging trips. I am hitting that sweet spot in age when the time, energy and desire are there to challenge myself to new adventures. I look forward to sharing this challenging experience with my fellow adventurers.

Mike Jakeman

Bike and travel.....it's a retirement thing.

Kim Wright

On New Year’s day 2017 I decided to sign up for my very first cycle tour, which happened to be one of the longest commercial cycle tours available at five and a half months, TDA’s South American Epic. To be honest I had no idea what I had signed myself up for. My longest cycle prior to the tour was 80km, I had never ridden multiple days, barely managed any climbing and had mostly ridden in the safe confines of a park rather than venture out on the roads in Sydney.

It has been just over twelve months since completing the trip, and what can I say, wow what an experience! There were certainly a lot of first’s, longest ride, highest altitude, longest time on bike, all terrain conditions, off road, wind, ice, rain, heat, and every road condition you could imagine. It was an amazingly rich travel experience through spectacular landscapes, from the steep mountains of Colombia, cycling the Pan American Highway down the coast in Peru, high altitude in Peruvian Andes, crossing the Bolivian Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni), meandering through Argentinian wine country, and cycling the Carretera Austral through the amazing Patagonia landscapes of Chile.

The journey was spectacular but certainly not always easy, adjusting to long days on the bike, all weather conditions, cycling in some of the busiest cities in the world, challenging terrain, high altitude and simply backing up day after day. But what I did learn is the body has an amazing ability to respond to everything that you throw at it, it is only your mind and imagination that hold you back. Sometimes the toughest days on the bike were the most rewarding, although it did not stop me from howling a few profanities into the wind from time to time. Before you realise it, you have cycled the length of a continent.

So here I am again, ready for another adventure on the North American Epic! I look forward to meeting everyone on tour and maybe howling a few less profanities into the wind this time around :)

Andy Sorensen

Discovering recumbent bicycles 15 years ago has turned a hobby into a bit of an obsession. I like to ride on pavement, dirt, and even snow. Whether pulling a trailer to/from the grocery store or riding from Paris to Brest and back, I'm happiest when pedaling.

Angus Mitchell

It’s a turning 50 thing. The last kid heading off to university, an accommodating wife and a sabbatical from the law firm. I’m based in Bangkok, so heat and humidity shouldn't bother me but anything resembling a hill will be a problem.

Barb Sweeney

It's time to explore some more of the world on my bike.

Bronwyn Kelly

Each year I seem to find some new ride to do that is harder than the last. This section will be twice as long last year's cycling trip.

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!

Jacob Warner

Hi everyone, I will be helping out on the tour and occasionally riding a bike too. See you in Cartagena!

Thomas Burgess

I am a school principal in California and am riding the first leg from Cartegena to Bogota on my July holiday. I wish I could do the whole ride! I've been training in the Santa Cruz mountains so am hoping to get up and over the mountains in Columbia in a reasonable fashion.

James (Jim) Raddatz

Old and slow.

Bruce Nation

I have a hard time saying no to ridiculously long adventures.

Rebecca Nation

I am two time Ironman finisher, avid mountain biker and backpacker. I just finished the South American Epic this past year. I'm excited for this next adventure and have been training hard with a few IPA's post ride to recover properly

Dean Murray

Retired from engineering in 2015 and have been doing cycling and hiking trips since, including Newfoundland, Ruta Maya, Australia, Pub Ride, West Africa and Great Divide. Cycling trips with camping are my favorite times.

Michael Pope

I am a bicycle mechanic, lover of outdoor adventure, music, cycling, poker and anime. I currently live in Boulder, Colorado. I fell in love with road cycling in 2011 in the mountains of North Carolina and continue to love it to this day. My affection for cycling grew on me, gradually, over the course of several years. From commuting to riding 20 miles, 40 miles, 60 miles. Twice I rode from my house to college and back 115 miles both ways. Eventually, in 2014 I rode 4000 miles across the country with Bike&Build. Since then I have dreamed of long solo-tours through foreign countries. Until then, I will travel as a bicycle mechanic!

Yanez Novoa

Exited to be part of the team.

Mark Young

Hello, my names Mark and a Paramedic from England! I'll look forward to meeting you all and helping you in this amazing adventure! See you soon!!

Caragh Rellis

Hi, This is my first international cycle tour, although I'm a regular road cyclist and have done quite a few one day sportives and some multi-day tours around Ireland and New Zealand where I currently live.

Mario Posada

I am a salesperson for a big biotech company in San Diego, where I cover the Latin America market. I am Colombian by birth and American by choice, but Brazilian in my soul.

Karen Mitchell

I am a Canadian who has been living in Thailand with my family until recently when my kids flew the coop and my husband started the tour in Cartagena. I am up for any adventure so will be joining him for 3 sections.

Amy Jurries

I'm a freelance outdoor and adventure travel writer based in San Francisco. I absolutely love exploring new places on a bike -- there is no better way to travel!

Robert Hooper

Life long athlete who has really got involved with cycling recently. Taking this opportunity to meet up with some family on this trip.

Shanny Hill

“I’ve been fortunate to travel all over the world. I learn so much each time I travel and with each new project and new tour we launch.”

I first found a TDA brochure when I was a sales manager at Duke's Cycle in Toronto. I met Henry and convinced him to give me a job in the office. That was over a decade ago now.

My love of all things bicycle started when I was in high school: I lived in the country and my friends were six kilometres away, in town. A bike was the easiest way to meet up with them on weekends. This started my interest in cycle touring and I did my first big trip at age 17 with some friends—a month of biking around Lake Erie, covering 3,400 kilometres from our hometown Kirkland Lake, in Northern Ontario.

Some of my favourite TDA travel memories are from Kyrgyzstan. Also Ethiopia, as well as France. And of course can't forget Namibia, and Ireland, and, well...

I love to travel and I feel very fortunate to have had an eclectic mix of travel experiences. Whether it’s trying fermented mare's milk in a yurt in Kyrgyzstan, eating “spagbol” prepared by our talented tour chefs after a long day of riding, sipping strong espresso in Venice, or sitting street-side for lunch in Paris, my travels always have food at their centre. Food and cycling—the combination can't be beat!

Working with TDA is all about variety—food, cycling, challenge, problem-solving, meeting people from all over the world, getting a glimpse into the way others live elsewhere and gaining knowledge from them, and learning to be humble.

Don Colpitts

The vendors setting up their market stalls in the early morning light, the children joining friends for the walk to school, scooters carrying entire families through busy intersections: the start of another day, in this town, right now, right here, where I am in the midst of the intimate fleeting dance called life. Some make references to "real-life" back at home, call this journey "once-in-a-lifetime", speak of a destination as a finish line. I reject all such attempts to constrain these experiences of exploring the world's peoples, cultures, geographies, religions, customs, daily rhythms of life, as merely attempts to stay sheltered in what is familiar, to be put it in a box to be forgotten. Instead, these journeys are life-changing: challenging what we think we know, can do, can feel, and need.

Maxime Dionne

"Travelling, moving, waking up every day in a new place means I have a thousand memories of different homes all around the world."

I used to work in an office developing softwares in Quebec City and one day I decided to quit that lifestyle. Being able to take only a trip or two per year wasn’t enough anymore—I needed to travel full time. In 2013, I bought a bicycle (that's right, I only had one from Canadian Tire at the time, but I quickly concluded a Surly LHT would better fit my needs) and went on my first bike tour, solo, starting from home and riding through Canada, the US, and Haiti. A year later, I was in Vancouver looking for a job and someone told me about TDA and their recruitment ad for Australia. I applied, bought an airline ticket to meet TDA in Adelaide, and the following month I was enjoying my new outdoor office from the saddle of my bike!

An incredible country I've cycled through is Haiti. The scenery is stunning and every 100 kilometres is an adventure, but best of all is the local folklore. I have many stories about this mysterious country and one of my favourites is about the werewolf living on the island. The Haitian werewolf is a shape-shifter able to impersonate any animal. It transforms at night—any night, even if there's no moon—and is always looking to feast on human flesh. The only way to avoid an assured death at this creature’s hands is to sleep in a house with a roof. I like to bush camp while cycling and Haiti was no different. I would sleep out in my sleeping bag in the mountains or on the beach, sometimes in my tent, sometimes under the stars. Every night the locals would warn me about the werewolf, genuinely worried I’d be eaten as I slept. Some invited me into their homes, and once a group of five friends volunteer to check on me every hour of the night. People were surprised every morning I woke up alive and some started to believe the werewolf didn't have an appetite for strangers.

There are a few reasons I like to travel so much: for one thing, I always want to have new adventures and face new challenges. And I love discovering new things—food, stories, places, people, cultures … you name it! With TDA, any and everything can happen—we’re constantly exploring the globe and we introduce fresh tours every year. As you can imagine, scouting and leading tours fulfill my desire for the new to perfection.

Susan Ecenia

I am about to turn 60 so it's time to go on another bike ride. I rode across the U.S. about five years ago with a tour set up very similar to yours- they carried my gear and provided the meals; I was given a cue sheet in the morning and off I went. I visited Patagonia two years ago and still think of it's beauty often so this seems a perfect fit for me. I am a painter and I listen to the podcast Dirt Bag Diaries while I paint; their motto is Get out and Chase Your Passion- Be relentless and Never Give up. This podcast gave me the courage to sign up for this wonderful adventure.

Mark Heim

I was fortunate to retire early a few years ago and I now enjoy my free time staying fit and active. I've done a few other long distance bike tours including a ride across the US then up to Alaska, TDA's Transeuropa, South American Epic, the Silk Route, and part of Africa. I’ve previously ridden through some of the areas that The North American Epic will cover it is was some of the best riding of my life. I’m looking forward to sharing this adventure with old friends and meeting new people.

Dan Squires

Having sampled TDA and the first three sections of the North American Epic I could not resist book ending it with the last 2 sections of the South American Epic. Look forward to seeing the crew again and meeting everyone else.

Wayne Brown

I Love to cycle, and I love to travel. I had a great time as a sectional rider in South America last year. I’m looking forward to seeing some of New Zealand this year.

Charles Feaver

My first TDA ride was India in 2012. Loved it. Bamboo Road in 2013. Awesome. Ruta Maya 2015. Oceania 2016. South America 2017. Looking forward to going back to Central America.

Fred Promoli

Occupation: retired Physical Education and Outdoor Education teacher; former naval officer; Hometown: Guelph, Ontario Current residence: Collingwood, Ontario Former provinces of residence: all but Nfld, NB, PEI TdA experience: Tour d'Afrique 2003; Orient Express 2008; Silk Route 2008; Bamboo Road 2013; Australia 2014; South America 2015; Lake Winnipeg 2016; America by Bicycle northern route 2016 Current activities: cycling, motorcycle touring, golf, canoe tripping, xc skiing; bagpipe band member

Lloyd Strong

HI, I'm looking forward to this adventure and meeting everyone. And renewing some old friendships as well. Never been to the Northwest territories and can't wait to experience all it's charms.

Paul Davison

62 years old, retired engineer. Coming back for another instalment of South America. Not a fast rider, but a persistant one.