Our philosophy
Imagine your perfect weekend away… nice people, fabulous natural environment, delicious food, relaxed pace, wineries, fresh water rivers, interesting places to visit… you starting to get the picture? Then add in a bicycle, a rail trail, some wellness workshops on massage/stretching/meditation, friendly hosts… and you are picturing an Escape the city tour.
There are lots of great cycle trips out there, in Victoria, throughout the country and throughout the world. We know, because we’ve done many. But our weekends are a bit different. They are for those who want a very relaxed pace, to be a little indulgent and to remember to stop and smell the roses along the way.
Our people
David Hall is the founder of Escape the city Melbourne. David has extensive experience in facilitating groups in a variety of settings including recreational activities, fundraising events, corporate training and wellness. He has been running cycle trips and weekend retreats out of Melbourne to various destinations over many years.
David also contributes the wellness aspects to the weekends through his interactive and informative workshops. For more about David visit www.davidhall.net.au
John Giles has worked for many years as a Physical Educator and also has a wealth of experience in the Sport and Recreation and Tourism industries both in Australia and Europe.
John has warm interpersonal skills and a relaxed, welcoming nature. He enjoys facilitating groups, particularly as they get outdoors, keep fit, experience new places and make new friends. He is very happy to be a part of an
organisation that ticks all of these boxes.
Tracey Lang is the latest addition to the Escape the City team and has experience leading groups in Europe, Nepal and more locally doing anything from hiking up mountains to sipping latte’s. She’s travelled extensively including riding her bike around the south island of New Zealand, however lately enjoys a more leisurely pace.
Tracey enjoys ‘escaping the daily grind’ on our trips with each group of new people and the mandatories of good coffee, wine and food.
Our Environment policy
Escape the city Melbourne is committed to sound environmental practice. One of our key reasons for running these tours is to encourage people to experience the beauty on our doorsteps and recognise the importance of its conservation.
The destinations and itineraries for our trips have been chosen to encourage minimal use of transport. Where possible, we have ensured our partners are supplying service to us through the use of green energy and consumption of local produce.
Our Safety policy
On our trips we welcome people of all cycling experience, from beginners through to experienced riders. For this reason we place a high emphasis on safety. The cycle trips have been designed to be ridden on rail trails so that traffic does not pose as much of a safety issue. The wearing of helmets on our trips is compulsory, and tips regarding safe riding are an integral part of our weekends away.