Dirk Badenhorst

Dirk Badenhorst

After earning his bachelors in marketing, Dirk moved out west on a whim and has since enjoyed living a “simple life”—which he defines as a life free from clutter but rich with exciting new experiences. Everything he owns fits in his car, but everything he needs fits in his memory, he says. In 2010, after spending three months hitching and cycling across America on a shoestring budget, he discovered his love for the “charming nature” of adventure travel. He hasn’t stopped traveling since, and has even spent a summer as a writer/photographer in Africa. Dirk spent his first season with Backroads working on the Camp Crew in Alaska, the Tetons and the Canyons. He now works as Trip Leader and blogs for the Back Beat.

Articles Written

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Yellowstone National Park Entry Sign

The National Park Service was established to preserve these incredible scenes—and many others—in nature and history that otherwise would likely have had a finit...

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Delecate Arch Sunset in Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

If you’ve ever imagined a small desert down, Moab might be the place that you’ve pictured. This tiny Utah town is nestled between glowing red rocks and natural ...

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Backroads trip leader Dirk Badenhorst wearing a Patagonia windshirt at the Grand Canyon

It's 50-something degrees out and you're soaked to the bone. You're on an epic ride and your heart is beating like the bass drum of a metal band--fast. While st...

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The San Juan Islands victory jump after an epic ride to this beautiful view

The wind is blowing in your face, which is usually a pleasant feeling but today it's making the riding one hell of a lot tougher. Your head feels heavy and your...

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Ultralight bike touring gear in stuff bags

Riding 4,000 miles across the country gave me plenty of time to think about all of life's intricacies and plenty of time to scold myself for over-packing my bic...

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