Installment 2 of 3

ALA has exciting news for 2009 – trips in Europe.  This began in the fall of 2008 when Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA) acquired 34 year veteran of European Bike Tours, Euro-Bike & Walking Tours.  How did this come about and why did it make sense at this time?

Great question! The number one reason we first started looking at Euro-Bike as a possible acquisition was simple.  Both Paul and I have known the principles in Euro-Bike, Ron Van Dijk and Rene Hoeve, for at least a dozen years.  We had referred many guests to them and heard nothing but rave reviews. When we heard Rene was looking to retire and follow a dream to teach school, but Ron wanted to continue on as he had for so very long as the European Operations Manager, it just felt right.  We entered into negotiations that went on for several years and it became clear that Ron shared the same passion and philosophies for doing things the ALA way as we do.  There is no way we could ever add a new continent with this many trips and a high level of confidence any other way.  Now as I get to work with Ron on a daily basis I could not be happier with our decision.

Not long ago, you returned from a bike trip in Germany (Meandering Mosel Valley Biking Adventure) with your family. How was it and how did it compare to the ALA way?

While this wasn’t my first trip to Europe or even my first Euro-Bike trip, this was set up to be a true test of compatibility.  I took along my toughest critics (Carol and my 2 teenage kids, Kasey and Andy) and we joined a scheduled Euro-Bike departure.  It was amazing!  First the location and route were so well thought out, it just flowed seamlessly like we would expect any ALA trip to run.  The experience of riding a bike along the Mosel River, through the rich Mosel Valley, and from historic town to town was perfect.  Our guides Luke and Kavia could not have been better.  While this was only Luke’s 3rd year with Euro-Bike, it was Kavia’s 16th!  We also had private tours along the way, including one through the historic city of Trier.

With Euro-Bike & Walking Tours joining the Austin-Lehman Family, you’ve been able to add over twenty European trips to your lineup.  If you could travel on only one of the new trips, which would you choose and why?

As I mentioned I spend most of my time in Quality Control and Trip Development.  My next trip to Europe is coming up spring of 2009, and I will be joining Ron as we look at how we might improve a few trips to La Loire in France and Tuscany in Italy. It is going to be tough as the trips are already superb, so we will just be looking for subtle ways to improve if at all.  I will also be attending guide training in Nijmegen, Holland with Ron, and last but not least building a new trip hand in hand with Ron in the Greek Islands for 2010.

Based on your experience planning ALA trips, will you be making any changes to European programs?

Not many if any!  These trips are all tried and true.  They are as close to perfect as you can get.  Ron is a true professional and has done an amazing job building and updating trips for nearly 35 years.  What we will be doing is looking for opportunities to add a few Multisport Adventures to the long list of Bike Tours, as well as examining which trips will make good Family Bike Trips or Family Adventures.  If it isn’t broke don’t fix it.

Read the third installment of my interview with Dan about adventure trips and tips.

Read the first installment where Dan talks about running an adventure tour company.

Installment 1 of 3

Who doesn’t want to travel the world, seeking out amazing hikes along pristine trails, discovering hidden gems like gourmet restaurants nestled in mountain towns, or top-notch art galleries in small Mexican villages?  Today I am interviewing Dan Austin, Co-Founder and Director of Austin-Lehman Adventures – the man behind many exciting vacations here at ALA.

Dan, your job sounds so exciting!  You own and run an adventure travel company. Has this always been your dream job?

I was destined to be involved in adventure travel as long as I can remember.  I grew up in California and organized trips to the mountains as soon as I could drive. Shortly after graduation I headed north and ended up not getting too far, stopping in Oregon, which led to my first official involvement in Adventure Travel where I ran a small rafting company to feed my thirst for adventure.  From there I moved to Alaska (with a few other stops along the way). Anyone who’s ever lived in Alaska knows that you instantly become that friend in Alaska that helps everyone with their incoming travel plans.” That was just the case for me. I spent years creating the perfect Alaska Adventure for all my relatives and visiting friends.  It only made sense that my first new trip some 15 years ago with Backcountry Tours was Alaska.  So I guess it is safe to say this is truly my dream job and what I was destined for.

What got you started in the business?

That one is pretty simple, as I said I loved setting up trips for others and after some 25 years in construction was looking for a change. An opportunity presented itself to become a partner in an established company, Backcountry Tours, and I jumped in with both feet.

Do you get the opportunity to go on many ALA vacations in a year?

I think that is a bit of an understatement.  My role has evolved over the years to focus more on trip development, quality control and strategic planning.  So yes, I do get to see a lot of country.  Just last year I was in Panama, Costa Rica, South Africa, Germany, Holland, Alaska and Washington to name a few.  But there are some trips I just cannot get enough of. I try to get on our Yellowstone Adventure at least a few times a year.

What’s your favorite thing about adventure travel?

Honestly, it has to be the people – those I have met and will get to meet. From our great guides and staff to seeing a youngster light up at the sight of their first bear or whale on one of our adventures,  I never tire of sharing the experiences of adventure travel with others.  I have been blessed with quality travel opportunities and try and share it with as many people as I can.

Let’s talk about trip planning.  I’ve always wondered what goes into developing a new adventure.  When you’re building a new vacation, what do you look for?

That is a tough one. It varies from destination to destination.  I mean, I wouldn’t look for the same thing in a South Africa Adventure as I would in a new bike trip in Germany.  Typically I start with some level of insight or a suggestion from someone that has been there or wants to go.  In other words, we might have a past guest that says something like, “Hey Dan, why don’t you build a new adventure in Peru? We have always wanted to see Lake Titicaca and I hear it’s fabulous.”  Another time you might have a guide just come back from a personal adventure from someplace like Havasupai in the Grand Canyon and say something like, “Geez, why don,t we have a Havasupai Adventure?  It’s incredible with all the pristine waterfalls and beautiful trails and camp spots.”  Both of these examples have led to new trips.

What kind of research do you do when you decide on new destinations?

Once I get a “tip” I just start looking further into it.  Researching on the web has made trip development a lot easier, but I also use great resources like the magazine National Geographic Adventure.  I can honestly say the one thing we do not do is just knock off other tour operators.  We want each trip to be an Austin-Lehman original.  Once I have a better understanding of an area, that’s when the fun starts and a trip to the area is scheduled.  If I can bring along a guide or someone that has been there, great.  If not, I just start knocking on doors and checking out trails and rides and such.  It often takes several visits, endless hours of research, and several dry runs to get a trip where we want it.

Do you personally scout out all the new trips and destinations?

Paul and I agreed many years ago that we do not want to put guests on a trip unless one of us has run the program start to finish.  That too has evolved over the years. Sometimes we invite our Alumni to join us the first time we run a trip with guests; we call these “First Ascents.”  Typically on a First Ascent either Paul or I (or both) will have developed the trip and run it through at least once without guests, tweaking along the way.  Once we run the trip with Alumni, we look to them for good constructive feedback.  We recently ran a new program, our Washington Cascades Adventure, and got some great feedback from 9 of our Alumni.  We have improved the trip to the point it’s now one of my all time favorites.

Read the second installment of my interview with Dan covering our exciting new European vacations!

Read the third installment of my interview with Dan about adventure trips and tips.