Teen Treks

Howdy, Teen Trekkers! My name is Simon, and I’m from Brooklyn, New York. I am thrilled to meet all the trekkers and have a fantastic time on the trip. I love to travel, and I have been fortunate enough to travel all around Europe and the Caribbean. My favorite places I’ve been to are France, Greece, Jamacia, and Guadeloupe. I love biking, playing soccer, making art, telling jokes, and spending time outdoors. I have spent the last two summers working at day camps where I would lead various fun activities, from theater games to robotics. I can’t wait to get on the road with you guys because I know it will be the time of our lives and an excellent opportunity to grow, learn and challenge ourselves.

Wazzup Trekkers! Eric here, an avid road cyclist from Rochester, NY. I’m thrilled to spend this summer exploring scenic routes with y’all on two wheels! Growing up on the hundreds-mile-long Erie Canalway Trail fostered my lifelong love for the sport from a young age- biking all over Western and Central NY (and Israel)- and here I am, currently training for an upcoming Half-Ironman Triathlon! Alongside athletics, I might be hiking, skiing, songwriting on my guitar/piano, coding various online projects, or fixing bikes at the Binghamton University Bicycle Co-op (alongside some of our fellow trek leaders!) I’ve also worked with teenagers and youth at outdoor summer camps in music, cultural, and adventure-themed programs, even co-leading a 100-mile bike trip this past summer! Currently I study computer science and physics at Binghamton University, where I additionally serve as a Running Club captain. But I can’t wait to put my laptop down and experience so much these roads have to offer—and I so look forward to journeying with y’all in just a few months!! (Oh yes, I love early-morning sunrises.)

Waddup guys! My name is Ben and I’m from Brooklyn. I’m ridiculously excited to be a trip leader, going on a bike trip with a group of adventurous trekkers seems like an ideal way to spend a summer. I currently attend school in Binghamton, and when I’m not reading and writing about Asian history, I’m riding and cross-country skiing all over Central New York. Through riding a bike, I quickly developed an obsession with fixing and building them. Last year, along with another trip leader, I started a bike co-op, where we opened up a full-service bike shop on our campus, and fix the bikes of students and community members free of charge. Through the Binghamton Bicycle Co-Op, I’ve got no shortage of experience leading rides and fostering a community, and to be able to do this on a more intimate level with a group of teenagers is something I’m really looking forward to. 

Hello y’all! My name is Hannah and I’m from Poolesville, Maryland. Right now, I am studying conservation biology at SUNY ESF in Syracuse, New York where I found out about TeenTreks. I love biking (of course!), backpacking, making art, gardening, swimming with my friends, and crushing it on Duolingo! In the past few years, I have thru hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, the Colorado Trail, worked and traveled around New Zealand and road tripped around the United States. For many years, I worked at an outdoor adventure camp for teens, mainly leading whitewater rafting and backpacking trips. I also worked with school programs to help kids build leadership skills and confidence in themselves and the outdoors. I am really looking forward to this summer and I can’t wait to hit the roads with you!

Boom Shakalaka!! 

Hello everyone, my name is Adam, and I’m a hometown boy from Buffalo, NY. This is my first time being a Teen Treks leader for a second time, so, I’m super-duper excited for that.

Another amazing fact is that I have not been on American soil for over five years! So, when we all meet, I’ll still be ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ from a long period living in Japan as an English teacher.

However, what most of my middle school students never knew about me, was that I was exploring their country’s interior with vigor. In total, I plundered over 900 hidden treasures up and down the archipelago, from fuming hot springs buried deep in the wilderness, to narrow alleyways tucked within the bowels of an electrified megalopolis. Over those five years, I never came close to losing my appetite for wanting to know what lay around the next bend. Not one shred of it.

This summer, I intend to bring that same fierce tenacity to my groups of Trekkers on our two-wheeled rambles up and down the land. We are destined to discover the wonders of the world while simultaneously exploring, perhaps, the greatest frontier of them all, the depths of our own souls. *GONG!!!*

So, without further ado, let the journeys begin!

Hello hello hello!! I’m Olivia and I’m from Whitestone, NY. I’m looking forward to biking in the nice weather and enjoying the most out of this summer while we travel to new towns. I’ve been all around upstate NY and have biked around Ithica, NYC, Stony Brook, and even California and Savannah, GA. I’m a mechanical engineering major at Binghamton University and I enjoy tinkering around with machines and making the best espresso in town. I am also in the triathlon club and ice skate on campus whenever I can. Being from NYC, I’m huge into art and worked previous summers at Socrates Sculpture Park. I’ve worked the summer camps there and got to aid young artists make masterpieces and cultivate their work. I can’t wait to get out on the road and get miles in and meet some awesome trekkers this summer!

Hello everyone! My name is Sam, and I’ll be returning this year for another exciting summer of adventures. I’m from Spokane, Washington, and currently live in New York City, where I teach high school math and have fun with Lego robotics. I led the Pacific Northwest and Cape Cod trips last year, and one of the things I loved about riding was the breeze in my hair as we rode next to the ocean. I’m big on affirmations and learning through play, and my hobbies include photography, reading, and playing Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing. What I’m most looking forward to on the trip is seeing kids grow and watching them persevere through any challenges we might face. I can’t wait to explore this beautiful world and connect to people we meet on the way! See y’all this summer!

My name is Oscar Wilmerding and I was born and raised in beautiful San Francisco. I am also a college student at Northeastern University in Boston (I’m studying mechanical engineering). I am most looking forward to the people we will meet while biking. Everyone on the road is so kind and it’s fun to talk with people you might not ever meet otherwise. For example, I will never forget a moment on a bike trip last year where I was talking to a potato farmer in the middle of Ohio who gave me water and dug up free potatoes for me from his front yard. In my free time, I like to make jewelry, run, and bike whenever I can. I picked up my passion for cycling at the beginning of the pandemic and always wanted to push myself to see how far I could go until I finally maxed out at 200 miles in one day. I am beyond excited to get on the road and bike with you guys and am looking forward to the treasured memories to come.

Hiya everyone! My name is Lauren and I’m from Albany, New York. I currently live in Pittsburgh, where I study engineering and computer science. I’m super psyched to get away from the screens and go on some fun adventures this summer! I got really into bike touring as a teenager, and since then I’ve traveled all over the US and Europe. When I’m not studying or traveling, you can find me backpacking and skiing in Vermont, training for triathlons, or playing with my pet tortoise. I also like to make my own maple syrup each winter. In the past, I’ve taught skiing and guided at a high ropes course. I can’t wait to make a bunch of new friends and share an amazing summer together!!

Imagine spending 16-days biking across Europe this summer in three beautiful, historical and bike-friendly countries including the Netherlands, Belgium and France!

Join us Tuesday, March 22 at 7PM EST for a live virtual event featuring Teen Treks Amsterdam to Paris Trek! This is a great opportunity to learn more about one of Teen Treks most sought after trips directly from leaders and staff who know it most!

Bring your questions and join for a fun and informative event featuring the Amsterdam-Paris Trek!

Join Zoom Meeting Here

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84591893502?pwd=QnBOSEwvVTdXTzZCOXlJUjVVQTNFQT09

Find out about all Teen Treks events here!