Erickson Cycle Tours Staff & Tour Guides
Glenn Erickson - Route designer and Tour Leader,
acclaimed custom frame builder with a special flair for exquisite lug design, plus tandems for serious captains and stokers. Glenn returns to Europe for his 12th year of
leading groups of cycling enthusiasts. His extensive knowledge of the spectacular routes in France attest to his affinity and love for the country, her people and great natural beauty. Glenn’s tours have also taken
him along the West Coast, to Colorado, Mexico, and Canada. He is
a former Masters National Champion, with 11 medals in Senior and
Masters Nationals, as well as first, second and fourth place
finishes at recent Burley Tandem Cycling Classics. Until age 55,
he still raced competitively with the local Seattle Cat 2
racers. A renowned frame builder and owner of Erickson Cycles, he was also a co-founder of Seattle’s R&E Cycles.
Nancy Erickson -Travel coordinator and Assistant Tour Leader.
Nancy has toured Europe extensively by bike, her first journey
in 1973-74 comprised a year-long self-contained tour of most
countries in the European community, including the British Isles
and Scandinavia. Her tour leadership experience has found her
more recently in the Dolomites and Tuscany, Switzerland,
and Austria. She is a former Masters National Champion on the road and track, single bike and tandem
(with Glenn Erickson) and is comfortable speaking both French and Italian.
Nancy voice is the one you'll likely hear on the phone when you
call, and she welcomes your questions and concerns about any
aspect of the tours, and is happy to help out with any pre- or
post- tour logistics.
Tim Coffey - Driver and
Assistant Tour leader
Past organizer of the Cascade Classic Pro race, Tim
works quietly during the school year writing educational grants.
But when July comes, he is in France either driving our support
vehicle or graciously entertaining the few clients who want to
hammer up the cols. It's only then that he reveals his Cat
2 racing status...! Humble and warm by nature, with an
easy smile, he also possesses a wicked wit which adds a hot
spice to dinner conversations.
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Galen Erickson - Tour Leader
and Driver
A recent graduate (2006) of the University of Washington
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of International
Studies, Galen also has over 10 years of experience working in
the family business. He brings an infectious enthusiasm, sense of
humor, and joie de vivre to each
trip he works, and uses his fluency in French to enhance
just about any roadside, dining, or sightseeing experience we
may have.
As a cat 2 racer Galen has 5
years experience in the peloton with a number of successes
including 3rd in the 2007 Washington State Road
Championships.
Financing his college education by working as a manager and
mechanic in local Seattle bike shops, Galen is well prepared to
handle any repairs that may come up on the road.
Kyle Lobisser - Driver
and Assistant Tour leader
Kyle is a recent graduate in mechanical engineering at Bucknell University,
currently pursuing his Master of Engineering Management degree
at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire. Kyle also has years of experience joining his family on our
tours, and has recently joined our staff as an capable,
outgoing, and friendly driver and assistant leader. A
veteran of the Bucknell U cycling team, Kyle still managed to
achieve excellent grades in his engineering and French language
studies, and brings those skills on tour in Europe. He has
completed successful component design internships with Serotta
and is now employed with the Boeing Co on the 787 Dreamliner as
a carbon fibre composites material engineer.
 Ted Graumann -
Leader and
Certified Mechanic
Ted takes time from his busy opthamalic/retinal
photographer practice to join us each summer as leader and mechanic. A dedicated family man, he
often brings his wife Miranda Briggs, Licenced Masseuse par
excellence, and their two little daughters,
who join us many afternoons and dinners, thus adding a charming
playfulness to the group's ambience. Friendly and warm,
with an unstoppable sense of humor, Ted is a serious bike
mechanic, both as a certified Pro team mechanic and certified
Shimano mechanic. His dedication to providing our clients
the highest level of service does not go unnoticed as shown by
the many letters of appreciation we receive each year from
clients on his trips.
Patrik and Angela Etschmayer
- Switzerland and Austria tour coordinators and assistant
leaders
Residents of St. Gallen, Switzerland, Paddy and Angie are our
invaluable hotel liasons and assistants with our tours in
German-speaking regions. Without Patrik's help, how would
we ever have known to order 'eierschwammerl' (chanterelle
mushrooms in a creamy sauce)? Patrik and Angie ride custom
Erickson bikes, and spend plenty of weekend time exploring the myriad of
perfect cycling routes in Switzerland and Austria. Or,
rather they used to spend weekends on their bikes - they are now
the proud parents of Taro Darwin Etschmayer, born August 28,
2007.
Jim and Marcia Rupert -
Tour Leaders and Spain tour liason
If he can fix a jet plane, he can change a tire and fix
a broken bike. Jim takes time from his career as top jet
mech at SeaTac Airport to both participate in and lead our
tours. In 2007 Jim will assist in leadership of the spring
Picos de Europa tour, and both Jim and Marcia will be our genial
hosts and leaders for the Fall Picos tour. Together they
will bring years of tour leadership, warm and caring
personalities, plus a fluency in Spanish (and French) to our
Picos tours. When not on her bike or climbing
mountains in Washington state, Marcia keeps busy with her career
as a programmer in the aerospace industry. Together, they
enjoy hiking and trail running in the foothills with their
beloved Australian shepherd.
'Vanna', and 'Vincent'
Our big white vans, well maintained and experienced in hauling all our baggage and bikes from village to village.
They provide a base for complete mechanical support of all tour riders, carries
extra water for mountain-top stops, and all the fixings for gourmet roadside picnics. |
