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Are You Living the Dream?
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Your Story: Clycling from Alaska to Argentina
Gregg Bleakney, 32, cycling from Alaska to Argentina with friend Brooks Allen on their Ribbon of Road journey.
Text by Gregg Bleakney Photograph by Brooks Allen
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Reader Gregg Bleakney (right) and buddy Brooks Allen explore Guatemala's Tikal on their ride of a lifetime. |
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BE NICE.
In 100-mile (160-kilometer) House B.C., I camped with a war-hardened, 78 year-old Russian military captain. Over a few beers he shared his number 1, most important, safety rule for traveling in foreign lands: "always remember that nobody wants to fight, cheat, or rob a nice guy." Sometimes it's tough to be nice when you've ridden 80 miles (129 kilometers) in 100 degree (38 degrees Celsius) heat through the Peruvian coastal desert and your attempting to explain you Lomo Saltado dinner order for the 10th time to a women who claims that your Soles (money) are fake. But I've fully embraced this "be nice" rule and it hasn't let me down so far.
GET PRIMAL.
Smell things, stare at things, touch things, taste odd looking food, and talk to strangers (e.g. sniff butts). At some point during my middle-class American upbringing, I lost touch with my animal instincts. When traveling on bicycle you are much more exposed to the elements than when traveling in a car or bus. Engage all of your 5 senses to better protect yourself and interpret the world around you.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH SUPPORT.
While cycling on a jungle road in Chiapas, Mexico I was assaulted and robbed by machete toting banditos. As a result, I lost a substantial amount of gear, my cycling partner, and my self-confidence. My sponsors immediately sent replacement gear and my friends and family gave me the emotional support I needed to continue with my journey. Without their support, I would likely be 9 to 5-ing it right now, daydreaming about what could have been.
SIMPLIFY.
The less stuff you have, the lighter your bike is and the less you have to worry about. My bike and gear tipped the scales at 135lbs (61 kilograms) when I started this trip in Alaska. Through a large "mail home" package, misplacement, and mysterious disappearance, my kit now weighs in at under 100lbs (45 kilograms). I don´t miss anything, especially when climbing 16,000 foot (4,877 meter) passes in the Andes or being surrounded by a pack of 20 pannier-pawing Peruvian kids.
GIVE IN TO THE DREAM.
After about 9 months of being on the road I finally realized that this experience was not just a temporary departure from my real life but that my dream had actually become my life. At that point, I became more flexible with my planning and let my dream pull forward me rather than me attempt to push it forward. Since this "surrendering", I've been much more relaxed, happy, and able to cope when things go awry.
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