Welcome Back Trip Leader Mike!

Hello everybody! My name is Mike and I was born and raised in Albany, NY! I think the reason that I wanted to be a leader for Teen Treks is because I know how much I got out of them when I was on the trips as a teen. I have been fortunate to explore cities like Seattle, Vancouver, Paris, and Amsterdam all on two-wheels. In my opinion this is really the best way to see new places; each day has a new destination and a new journey. I had a great time leading a trek from NYC-Montreal last year and could not wait to get back for another one. For me, biking was a necessity that I grew to greatly enjoy. When I have both feet on the ground I enjoyed reading, golf, Frisbee and the natural next step ... Disc Golf! I am looking forward to working with all of you! Stay Classy…

Welcome Trip Leader Sara

Hey there Teen Trekkers! My name is Sara, originally from NYC but I've always loved to be outside in nature. I think traveling by bike is a fantastic way to slowly explore places, meet new people, and learn new things. I have traveled to 10 countries, and I hope that is just the beginning of this one wild and precious life. I enjoy commuting by bike since it's energizing and eco-friendly. I'm interested in gardening and permaculture and I also love to cook! I have experience assistant teaching middle schoolers and also orienting new students to college. Can’t wait to meet you all!! 🤩

Welcome Trip Leader Ben!

Hello Current and Future Cyclists and Adventurers,

My name is Ben and I am a born and raised Western New Yorker. The buds and leaves are starting to show up here in Buffalo, and as they do I am only growing more and more excited to leave Buffalo and make some new buds during my first season as a Teen Treks Trip Leader.......Yeah! Just for fun, as a stand-in for a description of my hobbies and interests, I’ve decided that I am going to describe the right speaker from the stereo system in my bedroom. The speaker itself stands nearly 4 feet tall and can often be found playing anything between James Taylor and Juice WRLD at moderate to nearly extreme volumes. It is also adorned with various stickers that I identify with in one way or another, two of which are from Geneseo, NY. The first shows a map of the village and is labeled “SUNY ‘Geneseo Geography’ Department” and the second has the logo from the local farmers’ market. Other significant place based pieces of sticky plastic include one that I bought at a bookstore in Boulder, Colorado and another that says “ I love Our Public Lands” which is acting as a proxy for all of my favorite City, State, and National Parks that even I don’t have enough speaker space to represent individually. To quickly mention the others, I also have a “Modern Lovers” sticker from a Jonathan Richman show, a “NY Renews” sticker from my favorite NYS-based coalition of environmental justice focused non-profits, the “Burton” logo that fell off of my ski gloves, and finally a somewhat preemptive “Teen Treks – Be Adventurous” sticker that I picked up recently at a bike touring workshop. Additionally, and in conclusion, atop the speaker sits a book of essays and maps of New Orleans that I purchased in preparation for what turned out to be my favorite road trip to date. In the past, I have worked with teen interns on a mobile farmers market and really enjoyed it because we were entering new communities and learning about the world that we live in first hand. I am really looking forward to continuing that trend by getting dirty and sweaty on the road this summer with some new friends.

Welcome Trip Leader Cara!

Hey everyone, Cara here! I am so pumped to be leading trips with Teen Treks, as bike touring has become one of my favorite and most fulfilling hobbies! I am originally from Long Island, but work/graduate school brought me to Binghamton, NY. I currently work with teens as a community health educator, which involves mentoring youth and teaching about healthy lifestyles. I began touring in college when I biked the entirety of Long Island in one weekend and decided I never wanted to stop. I biked from NYC to Baltimore, MD, did a few short tours around the east coast, and then biked from NYC to Los Angeles, California--my longest tour that took 3 months and spanned 15 states! I am always eager to spend my time off outside exploring. My other hobbies include: hiking, kayaking, playing guitar, knitting, sewing, and reading. I also LOVE to travel! I studied in Edinburgh, Scotland, and spent some time backpacking through various European countries. This summer, I am looking forward to learning about new places, having meaningful group experiences, exploration, adventure, and that unbeatable feeling of a huge meal after a full day of touring!

Welcome Back Trip Leader Anna!

Hey y’all! I’m Anna, I hail from New Haven, Connecticut, and I’m thrilled to return to Teen Treks as a trip leader for a second summer! Last June, I led a trip from Buffalo to Toronto, and I had such a wonderful time exploring a little bit of New York and a little bit of Canada with a really cool group of people. I was no stranger to bike touring, though, because I happen to be a Teen Trek camper alumna! I have loved bicycling ever since I was young, but Teen Treks really fostered that love when, at 14, I biked from New York to Montreal. The following summer, I went on the Across America Trek and had one of the most challenging, formative, and overall awesome experiences of my life. I met one of my very best friends on my cross country trip, and she and I actually went on our own bike tour last August through northern Montana and Canada! When I’m not passing through the world on two wheels or studying as a college student, I’m most likely reading nonfiction, talking about pop culture with my friends, baking yummy things, or simply walking around my city, listening to music. I couldn’t be happier to spend another summer with Teen Treks, and I can’t wait to see what new things I’ll learn and what adventures will unfold this year!

Welcome Trip Leader David!

Hey Trekkers! I’m David from Brooklyn, NY. I’ve been running an urban farm with youth for the past few years in New York. I started bike touring as a teenager, riding across Iowa at age 13 and coast-to-coast at age 14, and I’ve kept up the habit ever since! Some friends and I started a bike club called Friends With Bikes, introducing many new people to the wonders of traveling on two wheels.  I spend a lot of my time growing, cooking, and preserving food, and I definitely will be packing my homegrown hot sauce in my panniers. My love of eating and cycling are complementary, and I look forward to all of the roadside eating as we travel through new places.

Welcome Back Trip Leader Isabel!

Howdy, Isabel here from Buffalo, NY! I am a senior at University of Buffalo studying Environmental Studies and Graphic Design. I led two treks last summer for Teen Treks - the NYC to Montreal Trek and the Maine Coast Trek. Since then, I've spent the last six months doing a semester in New Zealand and spending lots of time biking and hiking. Bike touring is one of the best ways to travel in my opinion. My hobbies other than biking include, backpacking, travel, reading, and drawing. I look forward to meeting all of you and can't wait to get on the road this upcoming summer!