March 6, 2025
By Jamie Marshall
For Collin and Caitlin Daulang, travel is a way of life. One might even say, it’s a calling. The fact that the founders of the Washington-based KC&E Adventures launched their travel company soon after they met ten years ago—well, that was just written in the stars. “Our first date was at a restaurant called Casablanca,” Collin recalls. “Which is pretty funny when you realize that Morocco is one of our most popular destinations.”
When they met in 2015, Collin was working for a bike company, and Caitlin had just returned from Italy, where she organized VIP tours for a luxury travel company. They married soon after, quit their jobs and moved to Burke, Vt.—a hotbed of mountain biking—and KC&E Adventures was born. They initially focused on mountain bike tours in and around Burke, and soon expanded into northern New England.
In 2019 they began offering cycling trips to Iceland and, after a COVID-related interruption, they added Italy and Morocco to the mix. As their geographic reach grew (including the U.S. and Croatia), so did their dreams. “We are trying to get people out to experience the world that we enjoy,” says Caitlin. For the couple, that means highly curated itineraries—led by a network of local insiders—that bypass overcrowded tourist spots. “One of the great things about smaller groups is that we can get access to things that bigger groups can’t get access to,” adds Collin. That might mean a private dinner at a home in Umbria overlooking a beautiful vineyard, or a dinner for 12 in the Saguaro National Forest.
In addition to its scheduled departures—new this year is a wellness-themed ride in Umbria, where the emphasis is on lifestyle and longevity—the couple also designs bespoke adventures. This summer, for instance, Collin will lead a group of advanced riders on a cycling trip through the Scottish Highlands. For one longtime client and his family, they created a tour of the Dominican Republic—that involved everything but cycling.
The Daulangs are also expanding their footprint in Litchfield County. “We are really trying to develop some great local experiences, and tying that back to the whole sustainable travel movement,” says Collin.
They’ll be offering self-guided bike tours, with maps on their website, as well as a calendar of both local and regional cycling tours. Their KC&E Experience Centers (scheduled to open this summer in Connecticut and Vermont) will have rental bikes, demo bikes, and self-guided tours, as well as bike and equipment sales. The centers will serve as hubs for cycling-focused activities and community gatherings, and will feature coffee bars for socializing pre and post ride.
The recently revamped Ride Club (annual membership is $125), initially launched during COVID, will offer cyclists a way to get out into their community and interact with other people. Organized rides are scheduled the first Saturday of the month from March through September. The season kicks off with a March 1 ride from Krafted Brew Lab in Bantam. Afterward, participants get to learn about the coffee roasting process, different bean varieties, and how to craft coffee drinks. Another program highlight is the June 7 Signature Experience, which will feature a post-ride panel of experts including physical therapists and performance psychologists.
For the Daulangs, the Ride Club is just one more way to share their passion for travel and adventure with the community. “I believe in the importance of experience, whether that’s a day trip at home or in another country,” says Caitlin.
“Litchfield County is one of my favorite areas to ride, and one of the most beautiful around,” Collin adds. —kceadventures.com
