Winging it on Wheels

In September 2024, I quit my job, boxed up a bike I barely knew how to maintain, and flew to Seattle. No route plan, no touring experience, no clue. I pointed south and started pedalling.

9 months and 10,000+ km later, I'd cycled through the USA, across the Baja desert, down mainland Mexico, through Central America, and into Colombia. I wild camped, got robbed at butter-knife point on a volcano, rode out a thunderstorm on a hilltop, and was fed by more strangers than I can count.

I kept a daily journal from the road, all 120+ entries written on my phone. Here are a few of the stories I find myself retelling.

Prefer photos? Browse the Google Photos album .

Selected entries

Intro: How did I end up writing on a crazy guy website?

I can't change a tire, I'm very out of shape, and my cycling experience is commuting 2 km to work. But none of that matters. I have a 3 step plan: buy a bike, quit my job, start cycling.

Day 146 + 147: Robbed at Knifepoint, Scaling the Pass of Cortés, Record Altitudes and Freezing Temps

A guy pulls a butter knife on me on the side of a volcano. Honestly, the friendliest robbery you will ever hear of. Then I push my bike above 12,000 ft between two smoking volcanoes and nearly freeze to death.

Day 157 - 159: Thunder, Lightning, Music, and Gunshots

I camp under a cactus on a hilltop because it looks cool for a photo. Then a thunderstorm rolls in and I have to starfish myself to stop the tent blowing away. Then unexplained music starts playing from nowhere. Then I wake up to gunshots.