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The Project

“I want to bicycle around the world, doing small, good deeds and writing a commentary on how people define and identify with happiness. To start, I want to ride my bicycle from Alaska to Argentina.”

It’s been two years (give or take) since I decided to do this, and I’m still not used to the responses I get from people when I say that. It ranges from blank stares while calculating the sheer distance in their minds, to concern for my safety, to lots and lots of questions. But almost always, the person’s eyes get big and they let out an audible ‘wow.’

Honestly, that’s exactly how I felt three years ago when I first learned that a human could physically travel the world on a bike. And not a superhuman, but a normal, average girl like me.

It might not require super powers, but it sure would require some planning. And, being a huge fan of list making, I did exactly that.

Things I don’t (or didn’t) know about bicycle touring:

  • How to ride a bike long distances
  • Let’s be honest – bicycles – but specifically, touring bikes
  • The ins and outs of camping
  • Gear needed to live out of four panniers for an unknown amount of time, allowing me to cook, sleep, work and navigate
  • Outdoor survival skills, ranging from sourcing water, campsites and a warm place to sleep to how to fix a bike and what first aid to know
  • What routes I would – or even could – take

Other important things I’d need to learn for a life on the road:

  • How to design and build a website
  • Blogging and writing from a tent/bike
  • How to budget and make money while traveling as a digital nomad
  • Photography
  • Language and culture (presumably Spanish)

Oh, it that is? I pretty much knew nothing about bicycle touring. I didn’t even own a bike.

Needless to say, I was probably in over my head. But for some reason, this idea of living and traveling on a bike touched my heart right to my very core. As soon as I learned about it, it felt like what I needed to do. So, going from not even owning a bike to cycling around the world is a huge step. I have a long way to go. This is where I’m writing about each of these things and sharing my journey as I check items off my list.

Hopefully, we laugh along the way, as I learn some lessons the hard way. And maybe you can learn a little about bicycle touring and outdoor exploration yourself! Who knows, maybe I’ll see you out on the trails one day.


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About Me

Photo I'm Averi!
I'm Averi!

Bicycle Explorer. Curious Mind.

I've known for awhile now I want to embark on a bike ride of epic proportions. I've known for even longer that I want to do something meaningful with life, something that really impacts people.

So, where do I begin?

1. Figure out what it takes to bicycle around the world - gear, routes, bicycles, etc.

2. Spread happiness wherever I go.

I'm not sure where exactly this will take me, but I do know this: I want to focus on the human experience - giving words to other people's stories & helping them in a way that benefits them, with no expectation of anything in return.

I want to bicycle and ask one simple question of people: What's your bliss?

This is my little project in this big world. Thank you for being a part of it.

Never miss an adventure

@thepedalproject

  • Bariloche has some of the most accessible trails I’ve ever seen. And not just casual-stroll-through-the-neighborhood trails. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Nope 👎🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Real mountain hikes with epic views and bright blue lakes. They are extremely well marked (very easy to do this on your own - perfect for solo travelers) and can all be found on barilochetrekking.com.You can sort by:* Distance* Difficulty* Duration (multi day or day hike)Then - and this is truly the best part - you can take PUBLIC BUSES right to the trail head, or very close by. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Write down that website and extend your stay in Bariloche, people! It’s more than a 1-day stop to get food and gear before heading further south in Patagonia.
  • I decided to take a rest from IG on a Friday, and then it turned into a long weekend and then a weeklong vacation. And then, when I looked up I noticed it had been a month. 😝😝 I’ve been traveling for me.  Discovering places without worrying about how they’ll look on a feed and getting my creativity back. I don’t like to talk about #bucketlist places because that word kind of makes me cringe a bit (idk why??), but I have to say Patagonia is damn close to one if there ever was. I’ve been reading travel memories and drooling over this place for almost a decade. And now here I am and it just didn’t feel right sulley my first view by having it be through an iPhone screen. Ya know? Plus, it was E-A-S-Y to not log into Instagram. Like, scary easy. I didn’t plan it. I got busy packing and prepping (and, you know, running a business) and then I just.....forgot. Sure, for a few days I missed it and I had fleeting thoughts here and there on a mountain top of which preset would look 💯. But then, like that on again off again relationship you finally left and never looked back on, I just forgot about it and realized my life is really damn great on it’s own. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀So, here’s the update: I’m over here in Patagonia 🙋🏼‍♀️. Where the lakes are the bluest I’ve ever seen and the mountains 🏔 are just begging to be climbed. It took 2 weeks of prep, plus re-buying most my gear here (more on that coming soon), 1 month of travel, and a few side trips, and I still feel like I’m just dipping my toes in. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀📸: @dani_gonzalez1217_
  • Lara Croft or Indiana Jones? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I love it when a place makes me feel like I’m somewhere right out of the movies. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀One last photo of the Malacara Volcano 🌋 before I show you some other stuff I’ve been doing in Mendoza and Buenos Aires this summer. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.....#argentina_ig #discoverargentina #hiking_my_life #girlswhohike #southamericatravel #solotravelers #malargüe #volcanmalacara #volcanoes #getoutstayout #earthpix
  • Summer livin’ ☀️ 🌊 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I never considered myself a ‘surfer’ until I started traveling in South America and the grand majority of bodies of water here are pools. Which are wonderful, but calm. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀I do know there are some great places to go here, though! I’m just hanging out in the other parts 😝. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Until I catch my first South American wave (which is las olas, pronounced the same as “hola”, which I love), I miss those California beaches and the post surf tacos. But not just any taco. The ones @citytacossd makes. The way they’re supposed to be. The stuff dreams are made of. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀If you dream of tacos, that is. 🌮🤩

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