How I Built This with Guy Raz Backroads: Tom Hale. How a desk worker became a trailblazer in active travel
39 snips
Nov 10, 2025 
Tom Hale, the visionary Founder and CEO of Backroads, started his active-travel company in 1979 with a simple idea born from frustration at his desk job. He shares the story of his first trip in Death Valley with just four guests and how he grew the company without outside capital. Tom reveals how he navigated crises like 9/11 and COVID-19 while ensuring quality experiences. Discover the ingenious 'collect early, pay late' strategy that fueled growth, and how Backroads evolved to offer diverse travel options, steering clear of crowded Instagram spots.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Midnight Epiphany Launched Backroads
- Tom woke at 2 AM, wrote eight pages outlining Backroads, and immediately quit his job to start leading bike trips.
- He rode a 5,000-mile solo loop that became the formative blueprint for the company.
First Trip: Death Valley Camping Disaster
- Backroads' first guided trip was four guests camping in Death Valley, riding 50+ miles per day in high winds.
- Guests initially pitched tents and cooked, a setup Tom quickly learned customers didn't prefer.
Recovering Stolen Bikes Personally
- A burglary emptied their San Leandro warehouse of about half the bikes, and Tom confronted a local to recover them.
- He retrieved bikes personally after locating them in a nearby house with police involvement.
