“So, here’s the long and short of it. I did it. The bike trip that has been on my bucket list for a while now finally came to pass this past December.” My team and I spent over 5 months, 14000 kilometers, July 4 to Dec 9, through nine countries, 18 border check in and outs. My thoughts about my completion of my bike trip from the North Pole, Alaska to Panama City, Panama, as well as some other random places in between (I’ll talk about some of them below). The trip was a lot of fun and a great learning experience. But it also tested my patience, challenged me in new ways, and forced me to grow as a person. It almost didn’t happen because of one little unplanned hiccup at the beginning. I shorted out the electrical system on my bike.

What was your motivation for completing your bike trip?

This was the most important question to answer in my opinion. You have to have a clear idea of why you’re biking and what your motivations are for the trip. The reasons for my trip are pretty simple: to see the world and experience new things. I didn’t set out to do both North and South America. It just kind of happened. I had some basic goals that I set for myself while training, but the trip turned out to be much more than I expected. It was a wonderful experience and I’m so glad that I did it!

What was the most challenging part of your trip?

It’s hard to know what to call the various challenges you’ll face while on your trip. I call them learning experiences. You’ll face a lot of them on your trip—both positive and negative. The biggest challenge in my opinion is just getting out of the box. No two people are the same so I’m sure some people will struggle with this a bit. But for me, it was the most challenging part. Other than that, the experiences were all worth it.

How did you find a support network while biking around the world?

This is the part of the trip that I’m pretty happy to call the support team,

That’s easier said than done, right? You have to find the right people to be a part of your support system. You have to find the people who will be there for you and have your back no matter what. You have to find the people who will be happy for you when you’re not feeling too good and are running low on supplies. You have to find the people who will encourage you when you’re having a bad day and tell you to keep going when you’re tired. You have to find the people who will be there for you when you’re on the road and you don’t have internet or electricity. You have to find the people who will be there for you when you’re traveling and you want someone to talk to. You have to find the people who are going to be there for you when you’re traveling in Latin America and you don’t speak the language. You have to find the people who will be there for you when you’re in an unsafe place and you don’t know how to get help. Fortunately, this never happened. You have to find the people who will be there for you when you’re in your 80s and you’re still biking around the world. You have to find the people who will be there for you when you’re at your wit’s end and you want to give up. I never experienced those emotions. You have to find the people who will be there for you when you’re happy and you want to share that with others. You have to find the people who will be there for you when you’re winded from your biking and you want to sit down and rest.

I found an excellent team that I recruited from my friends and from individuals who enjoy adventure and want to get out of their comfort zone.

What advice would you give to someone looking to complete a similar style journey?

Don’t let the end get to your head because it’s a rollercoaster of emotions. At any time, you can feel like you’ve hit a rock and need to stop and rest. It will happen to you whether you realize it or not. Traveling by bicycle is dangerous and tiring and can be something of a rollercoaster emotionally. So, the advice I can give is to have a plan for when you get overwhelmed or when you need to take a break. You have to have boundaries and know what you need to say to yourself so that you can be there for yourself when you need it. If you have family or friends you need to talk to, then call them and let them know where you are, what you’re doing, and when you need to be back in contact with them. Be patient and kind with yourself and remember that you are the source of all of your happiness.