Where will we go?
That is the question! Well, a 1-2 year trip can get you from Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina (the southernmost town in South America). This is our goal, and it will be 18,000+ miles (30,000 km) of cycling.
We came to focus on this route for a variety of reasons. Here are a few:
1. We wanted to bike in some remote, mountainous regions. Alaska and Canada are a good start, and the Andes in South America will also fit the bill!
2. We both know Spanish. Daisy is fluent, but I will have refresh my memory…
3. It is a popular route that others have blogged about. It is often called “riding the spine” and route information is available.
4. Most of the countries are very safe. But of course there are places to be more careful in than we would be in the US or Canada. And,
5. Cycling from so far north (65°) to so far south (55°) is just an amazing achievement!
Below is a sketch of the route we expect to follow for the North and Central American part of our trip. We’ve started putting a good deal of thought into this part of the route already. I’ll write later about all of the sights there are to see along the way.
- Expected route through North and Central America
Below is a rough sketch of the route through South America. This route is pretty unknown right now because we don’t know yet exactly where we will want to go. Take a look:
Rough idea of route through South America
Columbia has certainly gotten a bad reputation in the US, but people who have cycled through recently often highlight it as one of their favorite sections through the Americas. Among the beautiful scenery and friendly residents, which are common to many countries, Columbia also has these awesome “Casas de Ciclistas” – a group of hostels that support bike tourists.
Also, I should mention that the preferred way to get to Columbia from Panama is via a cruise. (There is no road through the Darién Gap.) But, by cruise I actually mean a small boat, perhaps a catamaran like the Gypsy Moth. A few days on the ocean, broken up by a visit to some islands – its sounds good.
The full trip from north to south pushes 1.5-2 years because you have to wait for winter to thaw before heading the last leg south to Ushuaia. Also, it is just nice to take shorter days cycling and relish the time, or take the more mountainous route to fill those extra months!
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