My name is Robert (Bob) Fletcher, and I am 79 years old; and I want to tell you a bit about myself and the adventure that I have planned to celebrate my next birthday.

I spent thirty years as a teacher with the Edmonton Public School Board. I enjoyed every minute of my time working with the students, teachers, and parents. If I had to do it again, I would not change a thing; however, I did retire early, at 55, mainly so my wife and I could travel and explore the world.

My interests for all my life have been in sports and travel. I played football, baseball, and hockey when I was younger. I then took up skiing, sailing, golf, running, and triathlons. However, my true passion that lasted my lifetime was riding my bike.

I have visited more than 100 countries and ridden my bike in 22 of them. While traveling, I developed a reputation for finding small, quaint restaurants where locals dine. It makes my mouth water just thinking about eating; casados, pupusas, empanadas, tacos, arepas, tamales, patacones, and more during my upcoming trek down the North American Continent.

Another fantastic activity that I enjoy when I travel is watching classical opera in famous opera houses.

I am more of a laid-back kind of guy, strong-willed, and I don’t ever quit. Let me give you a couple of examples of both of these attributes.

My wife Elizabeth, my high school sweetheart, passed away from complications from Alzheimer’s after 48 years of marriage. At first, I was a little lost and thought my life as I knew it was over. After a while, I got over that feeling and started planning three adventure-type trips that she enjoyed. First, I cycled the Dalmatian Island in Croatia. Second, she wanted to walk the Camino de Santiago, so I walked the 800 km and dedicated my certificate to her. She always liked the novel Kilimanjaro, so I climbed that mountain, and once again, I decicated another certificate to her.

Another example of my strong will occurred after I had biked 4200 km in India and finished my 800 km walk across Spain. I developed a cough, so the doctor took a chest X-ray to have pneumonia. She called the next day and said she had good and bad news. The good news was I did not have pneumonia, and the bad news was I had a 9mm black spot on my lungs, and it might be lung cancer. I was shocked; I thought I would live forever. She ordered a CAT scan, but I would have to wait six weeks. During that six weeks, I considered all my options, radiation, chemo, and even assisted suicide. I rejected all of them and decided to live my life until I couldn’t. I said the hell with it and paid my final payment on my future Kilimanjaro trip. Six weeks later, after the CAT scan, the doctor called and said I had a lung infection and not cancer. I was never so happy to have a lung infection as I was then.

To demonstrate that I don’t give up easily, I will relate two episodes from my longest bicycle ride. The company I was riding with is called TDA Global Cycling. They are located in Toronto and are an excellent company. They had an award for riders called the EFI award. That stands for Every Fricking Inch. To earn that award, I had to ride the 10,400 km; I could not get a ride or a get a tow anytime during the four months of riding. At the awards ceremony, the assistant guide said he knew I would be EFI when I road 10 hours in a steady rain all day in the Yukon. Many riders that day choose to occupy a seat in the van. Then our guide said she knew I would make EFI when I road for 12 hours in Wyoming after missing a turn and riding an extra 30 km and climbing an additional 500 m. I also had to face a powerful headwind, and to top off the day; my tire started to lose large chunks of rubber, which I had to duct tape up. I arrived at camp after everyone had eaten, and it was just about dark.

I can tell you many stories to illustrate the fact that I don’t quit, such as the day I heard of buffaloes forced me off the road in India and into a mud-filled sewer type of ditch, and I could not get my feet out of the cleats as a lay on my side in the slime.

I tell you all this to demonstrate that I have the will, the strength and that a 13,500 km journey will not present a considerable obstacle. However, to paraphrase Forest Gump, “ A long bike ride is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get.”

A year ago, I decided I wanted to celebrate my 80th by doing something different than having a birthday party. I thought about what I could do. I tour West African countries and increase my country count. I could ride a horse on my third Camino de Santiago and complete the three approved methods for the Camino. I could travel down the Amazon for a couple of months. I had three ideas, but I was not happy with any of them. Then one day, I watched the tv series entitled The Long Way Up. In this program, two men ride electric motorcycles from the bottom of Argentina to Los Angeles.

It was then that I decided to ride an electric bike from Alaska to Panama City, Panama.

With my adventure chosen and an activity that satisfied my passion for riding a bike, I researched the longest bike ride that Guinness recorded. I applied and was accepted, and the planning started up full throttle.

So come and join me as I cycle through the incredible scenic wilderness of Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia. Follow me along the spectacular Pacific Coast of the USA and through the colorful counties of Central America.

You will see beautiful landscapes, experience different cultures, and meet and experience the life of the people as I ride my bike through their towns and villages. Watch me overcome difficult times, problems at the borders, enjoy the food, the language, the people, and the music.

This odyssey will take 157 days, more or less, and take me through nine counties and cover about 13,500 km. Many of my friends have warned me about the dangers that might be lying ahead. Bears in the far north, forest fires, extreme heat of the Mexican desert, drug cartels, vehicles, and the high humidity of the southern jungles. I always thank them for their concern and remind them that I have completed many month-long rides, climbed mountains, and walked across Spain.

I am looking forward to this challenge. I want to start right away.

Without exaggeration, when I posted my plans on my Facebook groups, I received encouragement from hundreds of bikers, mainly seniors. Their responses are very encouraging, and I expect many of them will come out to ride with me as I pass through their towns and cities.

As someone once said, I will not be buying things; I will be making memories.