| The Road South
is my solo bicycle journey along the
Pan-American highway from the tip of
North America to the tip of South
America. The objective of this trip
is identical to those of all my past
trips--to enjoy the physical
benefits of daily bicycle travel and
to experience local
cultures/communites/geography in a way
that only cycling affords. I started
bicycle touring over fifteen years ago
and it was around that time I began
fantasizing about bicycling through
the mountains and jungles of Latin
America. Over time, spurred on by my
own travels by bike here and abroad as
well as by the exploits of other
cyclists along the Pan-Am, these
thoughts made the gradual but
inevitable transition from fantasy to
trip-planning reality. In 2000 plans
began to firm up and I considered a
fall departure for a San
Francisco-Argentina trip.
Unfortunately, fate had other designs
and a freak accident involving a
pick-up truck and a bicyclist(me) in
the summer left my left leg looking
like this. Focus then shifted to 2001 and the possibility of starting in Alaska. However, by summertime the pieces of my lower leg had yet to unite so another delay was in order. Four surgeries and nearly two years after the accident my titanium-reinforced leg continues to heal but now appears up to the task. So now, at the age of 34, I embark on my most ambitious bicycle trip ever.
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| Along the Trans-Sumatran Highway in '92 |
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