9 weeks to go - He Says...

by Shane Hutton - La Sportiva Athlete and Adventurous Type (but without an Adventurer Facebook page - so I probably don't qualify for that title!)

So we have decided to head off. The idea is simple Ride as far as we can for as a long as we can starting in Whistler & hopefully ending in Patagonia. 

A brief history of my WHY......

I traveled the world some 12/13 years ago mostly on foot with a few bus rides in between but always by local bus or transportation never a tour group. 

I walked sometimes for a few days between towns through the desert in Wadi Rum ( Jordan) and along the coastline in Turkey. I landed in Egypt with $300 & left 4 months later but thats another story. 

During this time a friend & myself had an idea.... Lets travel the world without flying????? We mapped our plan out & decided it was time but as what happens in travel, plans change, money runs out & before you know it you are being detained by customs in a questioning room at Heathrow airport but again that`s another story.

Fast forward 13 years a lot has happened but the nagging feeling has always remained. I think its either island fever or once you travel around the world you realize how small it is & how much more there is to see. 

How am I feeling with less than 70 days to go?

In a word Nervous. The ride begins with 900km of Mountainous terrain just to get to the start in Banff. I have had less than an ideal lead up to this trip with ongoing Patella issues. I will be riding an awesome bike but I will also be carrying an extra 25+kg

Once we hit Banff its a lazy 4,400km to New Mexico. More nerves due to the potential of winter setting in before we get through Colorado. If it dumps snow in Colorado it`s not measured in Millimeters it`s in the meters although this will just mean adjusting our route to suit. 

Bears..... I am genuinely concerned about bears. They don`t muck about. We have a lot to learn with dealing with our food & campsites so we don`t become too appealing for them. 

Richelle.... We are not sure how she will cope with the day after day hurt that it is going to involve. Also her on the bus & boxing her bike up every time she wants to catch the bus. These are other things that we will manage as we go but I do put a lot of thought into them.

This is me taking the photo of Richelle's interval training....hehehehe!

Things I am finding people cannot get their heads around........

We have no end date. This trip is about opening a new chapter in our lives. Seeing where the road takes us. I often find myself feeling like an author looking for the next chapter but suffering from writers block. This is probably how the great explorers felt struggling to find funding & support to head for the Poles or their next big voyage. 


I don`t think I am an adventurer but I do think I am Adventurous. 

What am I hoping to get from this?

MILLIONS of DOLLARS hahahaha No not really..

I am hoping to inspire people to take a leap of faith. Get out there & just do it. It doesn`t need to be a huge trip just go out & live. As my dad says " Your a long time dead "
I am hoping this might give me some clarity in what it is I want to achieve next in my life. Perhaps even a new career path. 

When are we coming home?

Next question!!

What am I MOST excited about?

• That`s a tough one. The whole trip really. Patagonia need I say any more, Google it if you don`t know about it. 
• Also pushing ourselves for such a sustained time frame. 
• Possibility of seeing a wild bear ( I know I know )  
• Riding my new bike. Custom built Salsa Fargo 2. Thanks to Ben The Bike Tech helping me with this project it`s def one of a kind bike. 
• Changing the direction of our lives. Having an almost open time frame 
  

Stay tuned for more updates....