Welcome Back Trip Leader Katie!

There’s a journey between point A and point B often missed in a car. We throw our stuff in the passenger seat, hit the gas and quickly get to our planned destination without ever noticing the scenery, take in the smells or interact with the world around us. That’s what I absolutely love about bicycling. The journey. On a bike, you can have random conversations with pedestrians at stoplights, notice the frenzy of birds flying overhead and feel the morning chill quickly awaken tired eyes.

My name is Katie and this will be my third year leading for Teen Treks. Every year I meet some of the most hilarious, wonderful kids you’d ever find. I love watching their love for biking evolve, sharing warm meals together after a wild day, and finding cool swimming holes on the ride and jumping in no matter how cold. These trips fuel my adventurous spirit, and knowing I’ve gotten to have those experiences with some great kids gives me a lifetime of memories.

Though I wish my every-day life could be spent bike-touring, I try to keep life as adventurous as I can. I’m a program director for a community tennis association in San Antonio, Texas, where the weather stays warm enough to bike to work almost year around! I’m also a writer, covering topics on social equity, health issues and my favorite form of writing- telling stories about fascinating people I meet! I try to be outside pretty much any time I am not sleeping, so you might find me running local trails with my four-legged partner, swimming in the river, or creating my own weekend bike tours!

I’ve travelled to many countries, mostly to meet people and write stories, and lately, I’m finding there is so much more of America I’d like to see. The itch to explore strikes me almost daily, so I can’t wait to get on the road again, to meet another wonderful crew of teens and see where the journey leads us!