Tourists make the best tour guides. Their sense of wonder pushes them forward, their thirst for discovery drives them deeper, and their joy in the journey is downright contagious. When a visitor falls in love with a place so deeply they never leave—and then decides to make sharing it with others their life’s mission—you know you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
Meet Even Trubee, Owner of Big Wheel Tours
Although Evan has called the Coachella Valley home for over 25 years, his enthusiasm for this desert paradise is as fresh as a spring bloom after a desert rain. “I used to visit out here when I was in high school,” he recalls. “And I just fell in love with the desert. I told myself, ‘As soon as I get out of college, I’m moving out there.’ And sure enough—I did!”
That was back in 1993. Fresh out of school and fueled by curiosity and a sense of adventure, Evan immersed himself in the Palm Springs lifestyle. To make ends meet, he split his time between working as a waiter at night and leading bicycle tours by day. “There was this little company called Adventure Bike Tours,” he says. “I started working with them and just loved it—the climate, the desert, the people. It was fun every single day!”
That love of the land, the activity, and the people never wore off. Instead, it evolved into something bigger: a vision to create a tour company built not just on wheels, but on wonder.
Turning Passion Into a Business
“So, I started with bicycles because that’s what I loved—it was my passion,” says Evan. “But eventually, I started hiring other guides.” Not just any guides, though—he looked for people with a scientific background, folks who could enrich the experience with insights into the region’s geology, wildlife, and desert flora.
“We wanted to go beyond just riding bikes—we wanted to tell the story of the land,” Evan explains. “So I thought, why stop there? People already loved our outdoor tours—why not expand into Jeep tours too?”
And that’s how Big Wheel Tours found its momentum.
Big Wheel Tours: Small Teams, Big Experiences
Today, Big Wheel Tours offers both bicycle and Jeep tours across some of the most iconic landscapes in Southern California—from Joshua Tree National Park to the San Andreas Fault zone.
“We’re a boutique operation,” Evan admits. “Just three Jeeps and a couple of SUVs. But we keep it personal, intimate. We’re small by design, and we aim to give people something real—something memorable.”
That boutique approach also means a level of service that’s hard to match. Evan and his team of expert guides create immersive experiences that peel back the layers of this complex desert ecosystem while keeping the tone fun, relaxed, and adventurous.
“We take you to places where your cell phone stops working,” Evan laughs. “And it’s kind of a gift. Because that’s when people finally look up, breathe it all in, and reconnect with the natural world around them.”
Desert Love Song: A Connection to the Land
When Evan talks about the desert, it’s not just admiration—it’s reverence. “It’s wild, rugged, and stunning. You’re literally crossing over from the Colorado to the Sonoran Desert. The plant life changes. The geology changes. The colors, the silence, the scale of everything—it just grabs you.”
And then, of course, there’s the weather. “It’s sunny almost every day,” Evan says with a grin. “When you’re living out here all winter, you forget how rough the rest of the country can be. This place—it spoils you.”
As someone who grew up in New Jersey, Evan still marvels at the desert’s surreal, almost dreamlike quality. “It feels exotic. I mean, you grow up back east and then you see this landscape and think—this is still America?”
Sharing the Desert's Magic with a New Generation
Evan’s not just sharing the desert with tourists—he’s passing it down to his kids, too. “When I was growing up, we played outside all the time,” he reflects. “These days, it’s different. But through Big Wheel Tours, we’re giving people—kids and adults alike—a chance to unplug, get outside, and rediscover what it’s like to explore and play.”
Whether it’s pedaling along scenic trails or rumbling through the rugged backcountry in a Jeep, every tour is an invitation to reconnect with nature, with history, and with the pure joy of discovery.
“There’s just something about the desert,” Evan says. “It forces you to slow down. It quiets the noise. You have to pay attention to your surroundings—and once you do, you see how beautiful and peaceful it really is.”
Plan Your Adventure
If you're ready to escape the noise, get off the beaten path, and experience the Coachella Valley like a local (with a wild sense of wonder), then Big Wheel Tours is your go-to guide. From cycling adventures through canyons to Jeep tours across seismic landscapes, every tour is led by someone who truly loves this land—and wants you to fall in love with it too.
Let Big Wheel Tours be your guide to the unforgettable. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you might discover a part of yourself out there in the desert winds.
To book your tour, visit Big Wheel Tours.
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