Wheels of Change: Dan Austin of Austin-Lehman Adventures on Giving Back

How did you begin getting involved with shipping bikes to Africa?

Great question. Our involvement with collecting and shipping bikes to Africa started last year. Here at Austin-Lehman we just purchased a new fleet of tour bikes and had 120 high quality used mountain bikes we needed to do something about. Paul and I decided we should look for something rewarding to do to utilize our old fleet, which had served us well.

Global Vision Award

Travel + Leisure magazine announced on Oct. 19, 2011, that tour operator, Austin-Lehman Adventures (http://www.austinlehman.com/), is a recipient of its 2011 Global Vision Award. ALA is the active travel company setting adventure vacations standards in The Americas, Europe, Africa and most recently, Cuba.

The award in the category of corporate innovation and community development recognizes the Austin-Lehman-driven program called Wheels of Change that from a collection center in Billings, MT, receives used bicycles for eventual delivery to African villages.

Austin-Lehman Adventures to Donate $200 to Wheels of Change In Name of Each Client Who Books a Biking Tour in the month May

Award-winning tour operator Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA -http://www.austinlehman.com/), the active travel company setting adventure tours standards in The Americas, Europe, Africa and beyond, is honoring National Bike Month with a $200 donation to Wheels of Change, a non-profit charity, in the name of each person booking one of their dedicated biking tours during the month of May.

Two Wheels for a Third World

This spring, old bicycles taking up space in garages across Billings can help improve the lives of impoverished Africans. In Africa, a bicycle can enhance access to health care, education and jobs, said Dan Austin, a Billings bike enthusiast. “The difference between walking 14 miles a day to biking it is huge,” said Austin, who started a Billings chapter of Bicycles for Humanity, or B4H, in February.

A nonprofit organization founded in British Columbia, B4H raises funds and collects unwanted bicycles to send to developing African countries.

The organization, which has 22 local chapters spread across three continents, has sent 10,000 bicycles overseas since it was founded in 2005. The Billings B4H chapter is the first in Montana.