A long ride for 365

The more time I spend on my bicycle, the more addicted I am to this form of transportation. What started as a simple way to commute short distances is now my favourite way of moving through the world.

I remember seeing cycle tourists along the Trans Canada Highway in Canada and thinking to myself “that looks miserable,” but eventually to I learned more about it. Bicycles can go almost anywhere from trails to slow country roads, or you can forge your own path. I learned that I could travel cycle without having to stick to busy highways, and that changed everything.

My first tour spanned two weeks through southern British Colombia with my friend Ryan, and I have been hooked ever since. Now I intend to travel around Canada and the United States by bike, with all my gear for about a year. My friend Ryan is joining me for the first 2 or 3 weeks. After his departure, I'll be on my own: me, my bike, and an endless amount of opportunity.

My intention for this blog is to keep a record of my daily or weekly exploits and to have a place to share my thoughts and celebrate the great successes and failures that will no doubt ensue. I am hoping to find out for myself exactly how much travel a person can do without booking any hotels, paying for campsites, or generally spending a ton of money. In a capitalist world, can we have great adventures without breaking the bank? I'm about to find out.

I plan to utilize dispersed camping (USA), or crown land camping as it is known in Canada, as well as stealth camping, community websites like warmshowers.org, couchsurfing.com, workaway.info, and Facebook groups geared at cycle touring. I am hopeful that I will find willing and enthusiastic locals as unofficial tour guides, and hopefully a few likeminded cyclists for advice, bike maintenance tools, and anything else they might have on offer. I will try to barter for food and lodging, and generally open myself up to the generosity and kindness of strangers.

“I will try to barter for food and lodging, and generally open myself up to the generosity and kindness of strangers.”

More than just receive, I am hoping to have something to offer others. I think this can be tricky if you over-think it, but the longer I spend on this earth, the more I realize we all have so much to offer each other. We have our stories and experiences, two helping hands and listening ears, our undivided attention, time, labor, enthusiasm, kind words, and maybe a few different skills to teach or share.

In a world that seems more divided than ever, what I'm hoping to find is the antithesis to the story presented by the newsreel: kindness, generosity, good humour, and tolerance. I can't wait!