The Trip of A Lifetime

A. Many people dream of going on a great travel adventure. Most of us keep dreaming; others make it happen.

B. Gregg Bleakney’s dream was to travel the Americas from top to bottom. He got the idea after he finished a 1,600-kilometer bike ride. Gregg’s friend Brooks Allen was also a cyclist. The two friends talked and decided on their goal: They would travel from Alaska to Argentina—by bike.

C. To pay for the trip, Gregg and Brooks worked and saved money for years. In 2005, after four years of planning, they set off. Once they were on the road, they often camped outdoors or sojourned in hostels.1 In many places along their itinerary, local people opened their homes to the two friends and gave them food.

1 A hostel is a cheap place to stay when traveling.

Lessons from the Road

D. During their trip, Gregg and Brooks cycled through deserts, rain forests, and mountains. They traversed modern cities, and explored archaic ruins,2 such as Tikal in Guatemala. In many places, they met other cyclists from all over the world.

E. In May 2007—two years, 12 countries, and over 30,500 km later—Gregg eventually reached Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southern tip of South America. (Halfway through the trip, Brooks had to stop. He returned to the United States and Gregg continued without him.)

F. Gregg and Brooks kept a meticulous record of their adventures in an online blog. The trip taught both men a lot about traveling. Here is some of Gregg’s exhortation.

•Travel light. The less baggage you have, the less you’ll worry about.

•Be flexible. Don’t plan everything. You’ll be more serene and happy, even when there are adversities along the way.

•Be polite. As one traveler told Gregg, “Always remember that nobody wants to fight, cheat, or pilfer things from a nice guy.”

2 The ruins of something are the parts that remain after it is damaged or weakened.