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Biking the Canary Islands
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Welcome to The BackBeat!

Welcome to The BackBeat. Looking for pro tips and a peek behind the scenes on trips around the world? Tips and tales from the road and trail? Inspiration for your next epic adventure? Find it all on The BackBeat.

Backroads Founder Tom Hale and family
May 30, 2014

Kids on Bikes

I do know a thing or two about getting kids on bikes, and doing so at the earliest possible juncture. Also into baby joggers, backpacks and the like, but that's a whole other story. It started 19 years ago with my oldest child, now a college sophomore who has recently emerged from what I would call…

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Tekarras poached pear salad with beet foam
May 22, 2014

My Favorite Jasper Restaurants

Oh, Canada...such a beautiful landscape, which we get to ride our bikes through! While the land of the maple leaf is known for its incredible scenery, what you don't often hear about is the fantastic cuisine that can be found here.

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St. George Utah
May 19, 2014

St. George, Utah

I woke up toward the end of the drive from Salt Lake City to Southern Utah and realized the world had completely changed. The land was brilliantly red, and I could see across the sloping rocks for miles. It was unlike any landscape I had ever seen. The rocks there twist themselves into pillars, arch…

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May 15, 2014

Is it a Grizzly Bear?

I'm flying down the hill at 50 miles an hour. Trees blow past me as I rapidly descend in elevation. Suddenly, smack in the middle of the road, I see two grizzly bears. I slam on the brakes, skidding sideways on my road bike. Somehow, I maintain control and stop, a mere 20 paces away from the two gri…

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Lauren Cook with a water testing kit
May 11, 2014

In Search of Clean Water

Cycling in the ridiculously hot region of South East Asia for months on end with no support, camp assistant Brant Haflich and I figured we'd be spending a good amount of time in search of clean drinking water. We had just finished cycling across our own country and we wanted to continue our bicycle…

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spork
May 2, 2014

Trusty Travel Spork

As a professional active traveler, my suitcase is filled with items that can get me from epic bicycle journey to Michelin-starred restaurant, to the opera and back to the trailhead. This said, when asked "what's in my suitcase," the contents certainly depend on the trip I'm about to embark on with o…

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Stasa-kitesurfing-Daniel-Herbert
April 25, 2014

Leader Stasa Kraljic

"Tourism: Your everyday life is somebody else's adventure." Staša Kraljiĉ uses this quote from international free speech organization Loesje to rationalize her love for working in tourism, which she has done--to some extent--since she was in college. You could easily replace 'tourism' with 'Staša' i…

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April 22, 2014

Pedal Power!

We at Backroads know bikes. Those of you who travel with us know bikes. We are bike people. We love our world on two wheels. They give us great joy and take us behind the scenes. We speed through the countryside along quiet trails. We feel empowered with the wind in our hair and the strength of our…

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woman stretching yoga in Costa Rica, Hotel Punta Islita infinity pool
April 17, 2014

Travel Stretches

Long flights, trains rides and layovers. These extended stints of sitting and inactivity as you're preparing for--or recovering from--your Backroads trip are the perfect opportunity for tight muscles (and possible injury) in the hips, legs and back. But your travels needn't stifle your muscular heal…

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April 14, 2014

Rhode Rash Team

During my time in Tuscany, I led the Backroads biking trip several times but I have never had the feeling I was repeating something. I just love being with people and getting to know their stories: that's the main reason why I applied for this job in the first place and that's also why every trip is…

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