Cycling 22,000 Miles from Alaska to Patagonia

Cycling 22,000 Miles from Alaska to Patagonia

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Jeff Roe always had a thirst for adventure and travel.

Inspired by a friend's cycling stories from different states and countries, Jeff started to formulate a dream of a long bike trip. 

What started as a dream grew into a reality when Jeff was laid off as a flight attendant during Covid.

"I had just been laid off. I didn't have a lease on my apartment anymore. I had nothing lined up and no time constraints or anything. So I decided to cycle the Pacific Coast."

Jeff and his friend set out on a 43 day bike trip from Canada to Mexico, averaging about 60/70 miles per day.

And Jeff wasn't a long time cyclist! 

"People will probably laugh at me for this, but I still don't consider myself a cyclist. I just like to travel and I use the bike as a tool. But I was not a cyclist whatsoever. My first cycling trip was from Canada to Mexico."
43 days later Jeff finished the trip.
"It was an awesome, eye-opening trip. An experience like that, you can't buy it. You have to put in the work yourself. And there's something to be said for earning things rather than buying things."

During this first bike trip, Jeff saw an Instagram post by LIVE A GREAT STORY, which inspired him to keep pursuing a life of adventure.

"I was just scrolling through Instagram and as soon as I saw LIVE A GREAT STORY I instantly bought a flag.

Then right after I finished that trip, I instantly booked a tattoo appointment, got it tattooed on my calf."

The bike trip opened Jeff's eyes to a whole new way of traveling, and he decided that he wanted to do another trip like this in the future.

Jeff set a big goal:

Cycle 22,000 miles from Alaska to Patagonia  in 13 months.

His journey started August 2022. At the time of this recording in December 2022 he was about to cross the US and Mexico border. With the release of this episode, he is now in Tapachula, Mexico on the border with Guatemala.

You can follow his live GPS here and if you want to support him, send it here.

Jeff posts about his travels frequently on Instagram so make sure to follow his adventure here.

Jeff encourages people who want to try cycling to start small by doing an overnight trip, cycling from their house to a campground or a park, sleeping there for the night, and cycling back.

But he also believes that jumping into the deep end is a good way to approach things, as long as you are confident in your ability to overcome challenges.

Listen to the podcast to hear Jeff's trip budget, his plan for camping the whole way and his experience at a hot spring: