I can still recall the day I applied to work for Fat Tire. It was February of 2007. I was working for a consulting group translating documents from German to English. It was tantalizing work and most definitely what I wanted to be doing every day for the rest of my life. I remember the day that changed my life and the vision of what was possible. The sun was shining and the street filled with the laughter of three kids riding their bikes in circles around the tree beneath my window. I looked around the office and the glowing screens around me. I wanted nothing more than to be outside on a bike exploring beautiful Berlin. I closed the document I was working on and looked up bike tours in Berlin. A week later I met Wolf, the owner of Fat Tire Berlin, and my life changed forever.
I remember my nervousness when first starting at Fat Tire. Before breaking up groups in to smaller subsets with their own guide, we would often be assigned to do the welcome speech where we would give tourists information about Berlin’s history and about the logistics for the day. I remember my heart racing the first few times I stood in front of 50+ people. By the end of my 3 years at Fat Tire the crowd would often be much larger and I could speak in front of them with confidence and ease. Public speaking was not the only thing I learned from my time as a bike tour guide. I learned important life skills and worked with some amazing people. Most importantly I learned a way of life that led me to where I am today.
I have been working with Backroads bike tours since 2010. Backroads is a active travel company that provides global week long bike and hiking trips. A big part of what I do on a daily basis involves running smooth trip logistics and being able to relate information to the guests on my trips. It goes without saying that I learned those skills in Berlin. Furthermore Fat Tire inspired a curiosity of culture and history that has led me around the world. I have worked in Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Thailand, and the United States seeking to show people the rich culture and history that makes our world the fascinating place that it is.
Thank you Fat Tire and congratulations on 10+ years of amazing tours!
