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The bike.  An oft overlooked and under appreciated mode of transportation.  Yet even as the world becomes more and more reliant on cars, these simple machines persevere and even proliferate on almost every street and trail.  In America, we're taught to cast it aside like a children's toy once we learn to drive.  They sit in the corner of almost every garage and shed.  Flat tires and rusted chain.  Saddle torn and shifters out of tune.

 

The day we moved to Detroit, April 1st, 2011, is the day we fell back in love with biking.  The city's wide, flat, and relatively unoccupied streets made it ripe for casual exploration without the stress of suburban traffic.  A strong commuter culture and events like Critical Mass and Slow Roll opened our eyes to new possibilities with the bike and even had us dreaming of a utopia where cyclists ruled the roads and motorists played second fiddle.  Longer commutes eventually led to the idea to circumnavigate Lake Michigan and this sparked the realization that long term travel by bike was not only possible, but an adventure too great to pass on.  Work and life continued for a few years, but the idea of taking a year or two to see the world on two wheels never faded.

The Name

In 2015 we relocated to St. George, Utah.  After a few years in the city, we wanted to try living in a place with limitless outdoor adventures.  Here we could do on a whim what we once had to plan six months ahead for.  Most of our free time was spent climbing, biking, hiking, canyoneering, and camping in the best that red rock country has to offer.  Perhaps this is too much information, but when you gotta go you gotta go; and we often found ourselves micturating over some spectacular views.  So when we began to discuss this trip, we realized that we would continue to pee in some amazing places and the name seemed fitting.

The Plan

Alaska to Argentina.  Nearly 20,000 miles.  Two years.

The Method

Improvisation

The Machines

Steel stallions.  Primitive pushbikes with a few modern upgrades.

The Objective

Explore the Americas that we have only known in literature and film and help spread the good word of cycling as the ultimate mode of sustainable travel.