Meet our Team
The Escape Team
John Etherington
With a 100 year family background in Kenya, a passion for Africa, a life in all things practical and mechanical and a love for travelling John came up with an idea...
...In 1999 John's dream became a reality and Escape Adventures was born. Since then John has been working to develop relationships with people in far off places and has grown our trips to what they are today. Johnboy is our trusty team and trip leader, bike and vehicle fix-it man, new trip dreamer upper-er and cuppa tea boy.
Mandy Richards
In 2003 I saw an add in a kebab cafe in Motueka that said "Mountain Bike Guide wanted for Africa". I sent John an email that said " You need me!", and he did!
Mandy joined Escape in 2004 as a co-leader on our African trips. Since then she has mastered the art of multi-tasking; not only is she is our 'Office Hussy' - answering your emails and taking your bookings but she also likes to get out on her bike and amongst it on trips whenever possible.
Brian Alder
This is Brian - Office Hussy number two, devil's advocate and Escape Adventures old fart. Brian does all the jobs that no-one else likes doing, throws in ideas that no-one wants to hear, keeps the rest of us feeling young, and every now and then he gets to travel and lead our trips in places that everyone wants to visit.
Tim & Theresa Bygate
Meet Tim and Teresa, who along with Joseph complete our dynamite Africa trip team. We picked them
up on a special two for one deal, we couldn't get one without the other - but with their complementry skills and experience - what a package they are!
'Timbo' is a self employed design and construction specialist and a 'Jack of all trades' with tendency for detail you might say. We have not seen him jump tall buildings in a single bound yet - but would not be at all surprised! Tim has put his competitive mountain biking on hold while he takes care of you on our trips through beautiful Kenya and Tanzania.
Teresa, also known as 'T' has a heap of exerience in catering, and event and party management. She's an awesome trip leader, social butterfly, and is known for delighting the bellies of weary bikers with her delictible creations at the end of a days' riding.
"Our two teenagers are now on their own as we're off to experience the world... Helping you make the most of your experience with Escape Adventures is now our destiny, We can't wait to explore Africa with you."
Joseph Njenga
Jambo, I'm Joseph from Nairobi in Kenya. I have been working as part of the Africa Team since 2008, spending 6 months of the year with Escape and I am a family man father of two for the other half of the year. Joseph is an essential part of our Africa crew - "the glue" holding everything together. You'll find him behind the wheel of our support vehicle, in the kitchen and anywhere that anything needs doing! He will give you a real insight into life in East Africa and the occasional Swahili or bongo drum lesson!
Shama Tziu
Nihao/Tashidelek/Rimagenie (Hello in Chinese/Tibetan/Yi). I'm Shama, born to a Yi tribe in a mountain village in South-west China. You can meet Shama on our China & Tibet trip where he works alongside our Escape leaders, sharing his wealth of local knowledge, interpretation and helps us order our meals!!! He's got a few hidden talents that you're sure to learn about and he needs very little encouragement to break out into full song!
Dafydd Evans
Dafydd is a bike geek... - he'll ride anything and when he's not riding, he's fiddling with bikes, fixing them or reading about them. He spent a year helping us out here at home in Golden Bay and is now back at home studying in Wales. But we do still call on him from time to time and he loves to come back guiding and mechanicing on trips here and there. You might get to meet him if you join us in China & Tibet.
Dave Wood
This is Dave - he's a fossi... I mean a rock. Dave joined our team in 2008 and after spending a couple of years as our wonderful team and trip leader in Kenya & Tanzania he has come home to New Zealand to work on his own business. We are delighted to be 'keeping' Dave - as of 2010 he will be leading some our trips in China & Tibet. "I look forward to sharing some fun, adventure and a unique experience with you".
Kier Etherington
I'm Kier, and that's my Mum and Dad up there at the top of the page. Kier joined us in January 2007 - and is now Escape's newest trainee bike guide. We expect he will make his debut as trip leader sometime around 2025.
Sabrina
Meet Sabrina. She is a 4x4 Mitsubishi Rosa who began life in Japan as a ski field transport bus. After working as a bungy jumping vehicle in NZ for several years she joined the Escape Team. With the aid of a few heavy power tools she had a bit of a face lift and has evolved to be able to carry 13 people, 13 bikes and luggage. She is very practical styling her full camp kitchen, hot and cold water tanks, fridge, and of course CD player. A six week sea-voyage and a four week land journey up the African Coast and she is now in East Africa in her element negotiating the dirt roads and tracks that we love to bike on.
Our Bikes
In NEW ZEALAND, AFRICA, and CHINA we have our own fleet of bikes which we replace regularly with a new fleet. In Africa we currently have a fleet of 'Avanti Aggressors' a high spec front suspension mountain bike from New Zealand's leading bike company: AVANTI which we import into Africa especially for our trips. (For more info check them out on the Avanti Website).
For the more technically minded these bikes are equipped with:
- Lightweight 7005 alloy frame.
- 27 speed, SRAM X7 and X9 drive train.
- Rock Shox "Reba" forks.
- Shimano disc brakes.
All of our bikes are equipped with flat pedals, but if you are used to riding with cleats and bike shoes or have a favourite saddle feel free to bring them with you.
Please contact us for more information on bike availability for our other destinations.