Totherocktour2013: How I started Zen Cycling
Totherocktour 2013 was a bicycle journey across North America. It's a route I have traveled three times in total on motorcycle, jeep, and now a bicycle. I reconnected with my friends, family and communities in North America on this brief adventure. I shared great conversations with many great people I will remember, some of whom I keep in touch with on social media, others I have in photos.
It's difficult to go back and travel with work, family commitments, financial limitations, but I do it. I had 30 days to ride 3400 kilometers or 2000 miles, and I succeeded in completing a bike trip. I shared this latest journey on social media using Instagram and Facebook. It was fun to share while on the road. I had access to the internet through Wifi connections across the United States and in parts of Canada. It was a great way to reconnect with my community after living in Asia for almost a decade. I visited Grand Rapids, Michigan first where I met my good friend Dave Babcock and we put the final pieces of the Koga-Miyata together that I purchased from Eric @ Commuter Bicycles in Santa Barbara, California in 2009. I started cycling from Grand Rapids, Michigan and continued through northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Route 2 took me all the way to North Dakota and I crossed into the Canadian province of Saskatchewan at North Portal. I camped in the desert outside of Estevan, SK where I was interviewed by the local newspaper. I continued from Estevan along the Red Coat Highway through Weyburn, Windsor, and other small communities until I reached Medicine Hat, in the province of Alberta and spent two more days cycling to Calgary, Alberta and then into Banff and Lake Louise National parks in the Canadian Rockies. I stayed with old friends from high school (Nick Davy and family in Medicine Hat, AB and Cathy and Dave Beffort in Calgary) and through the connections with Cathy Gignac-Beffort, I was able to fly back to London, Ontario and Icycled back from London, Ontario through Thamesville, Chatham, Lakeshore, Belle River, Tecumseh into Windsor and finally reached my end destination (family). I celebrated with my parents and my sisters and their familes and with friends in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
It was an awesome tour, an amazing summer, an experience I will never forget. That's a lot of adventure packed into two short months. Cycling for 30 days, you can really cover a lot of distance while seeing amazing sights and camping for free, and sharing great conversations with so many people.
Some parts of the tour were flat, but it's a myth that the Prairies of Canada are all flat. Also, I was cycling west everyday and the wind does change directions - sometimes the prevailing northwest winds will change to blow from the southeast and many East-bound cycle tourists were surprised and exhausted. But in reality, all cycle touring requires patience, endurance and the will to continue on.
The Swiss Cyclist - Victor Gervais: A signage to get donations from sympathetic Canadians. Victor was an interesting guy. I met him when he appeared down on his luck. He needed money, so I invited him to travel together and shared the sandwiches I prepared or whatever I had with me. I lent him $200 and it was difficult, if not almost impossible to have that money returned. Although I sympathized with his situation, I think in the 53 previous countries he has already visited, somewhere down the road he developed some stories (true or untrue, I do not know) that make people feel sorry for him and donate to his bike trip cause. I have received donations from friends, but I don't use sympathy as my personal cause. I think it's important to be honest while on bike tours and never use hosts because it's convenient, you should share something in return for the help you receive.
Should be a great summer, I spent the past 10 months in recovery from Mongolia X 2012, I will happy to ride free again. Finally free as a bird in first flight.
Updates will follow. I look forward to seeing friends and family.
Have a great summer.
^_^ Brian.
I traveled this same highway in 1994 (motorcycle), 1998 (jeep CJ5), and in 2013 (bicycle). The northern tier is an excellent route for cycle touring (bicycle or motorcycle).
I used Instagram and Facebook to update the tour
A Koga-Miyata World Traveller - my dream bike
Mile markers through the northern United States
100 mile days on the tour
Cycling in the Aksai Chin Mountains on my HimalayasX expedition in 2011
I completed the ride to the Rockies! And got some inspiration from Kiefer Sutherland in 2013
Mongolia X another mountain bike production in 2012. I crossed 2500 kilometers 1553 miles in 45 days. I climbed 20,189 meters 66,235 feet and descended 19,713 meters 64,676 feet altitude.
Friendly people from many walks of life
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