About
Hello! My name is Darren Alff and welcome to Bicycle Touring Pro.
Here you will find information and ideas on the future of bicycle touring; stories and photos from my own world travels, products and services I recommend for life on the road; and a ton of information on how you can plan, prepare for, and execute your very own global cycling adventures.
I post new articles, videos and photos to the site about three times each week, in addition to all of the other great content I share on Facebook and Twitter.
What Is Bicycle Touring Pro?
BicycleTouringPro.com is a website aimed at those interested leading the life of a long-term bicycle travelers.
Here you will find a repository of useful articles, interviews, and videos about traveling the world by bike. The articles are intended to help you with all aspects of planning, preparing for and executing your own bicycle touring adventures.
How I Became A Full-Time Bicycle Traveler
In the year 2001, shortly after graduating from high school, I mounted my father’s dusty old mountain bike and slowly pedaled my way down the Coast of California – from Oregon to Mexico. I was seventeen years old at the time and didn’t know a thing about traditional “bicycle touring,” but I made it to my destination… and that first trip by bike changed my life forever.
That first trip taught me a lot – both about myself and the world in which we live. Since that time, I have gained extensive experience as a long-distance bicycle traveler and I have spent the last ten years learning about the world from the seat of my bike.
I started BicycleTouringPro.com in late 2007 after one of my old college roommates called me up and told me that he was planning his first long-distance bicycle tour. For years I had been trying to get him to join me on my cycling adventures, but I could never make it happen. But then, several years later, the thought of going on a bike tour suddenly struck him as an appealing venture… and he called the only person he knew who had actually done it!
I started BicycleTouringPro.com with the intention of helping this particular friend plan his first bike trip. I didn’t really think anyone else would care to read what I had to say. But just a month or two after the site was started, the readership took off and I’ve been hustling like crazy ever since to make BicycleTouringPro.com into THE BEST web-based resource available for modern bicycle travelers.
Why The Site Is Called “Bicycle Touring Pro”
A lot of people think the name, Bicycle Touring Pro, is a name I gave myself as some sort of bicycle touring expert, but that’s not really the case. The name came about because I told myself all through college that my ideal job would be being able to ride my bike, travel the world, and help others make their dreams come true. So, when I went about naming the site, it was an aspirational sort of name – a kind of constant reminder of who I one-day wanted to become – a Professional Bicycle Traveler.
Since that time, I have, in many ways, turned into a “Bicycle Touring Pro.” I now work from home or on the road (I run an Internet Marketing business called “Silver Mountain Marketing”) and I spend most of my days skiing, biking, hiking, or doing just about anything I please. My life at home in the United States is almost exactly the same as it is when I am out traveling with my bike. I run the website here at BicycleTouringPro.com, consult with my marketing clients, and explore the world around me under my own human power.
What Makes This Website Different?
The number one thing that separates BicycleTouringPro.com from the other bicycle touring websites and organizations is that I see what I do as MORE than just a summertime activity. What I do and the way I live/travel is very much a part of who I am. For me, travel is a lifestyle choice that gives me the time and freedom to do the things I love most. It is this lifestyle that I am sharing here on Bicycle Touring Pro. If you’re interested in working less, playing more, and turning travel (and the education that comes along with it) into a lifestyle, then this website and the content on it has been built just for you!
Connect With Me And Other World Travelers
I am active participant on each of the social networks listed below. Feel free to contact me through any of these sites. I look forward to speaking with you!
You can also subscribe to this website using your favorite RSS feed reader.
Or you can subscribe via email and receive my free bicycle touring newsletter that walks you through the basics of planning, preparing for, and executing your first trip by bike.
About My Book
In 2008 I published an eBook titled “The Bicycle Traveler’s Blueprint.” In short – it’s a condensed, updated and logically ordered version of this website – specifically written for individuals who are new to long-distance bicycle travel. It contains all of the information about bike touring I wish I had known when I first started traveling with my bike.
In 2009 I released my second product, “The Ultimate Guide To Free Lodging,” which is a resource for travelers who want to save huge amounts of money by receiving free hotel rooms, hostels, and camp sites for their travels. I encourage you to check it out!
Thank you for visiting BicycleTouringPro.com!
