Baja or Bust: End of an Era and Why I'm Riding a Bicycle into Mexico

 

    For those in my inner circle and for many outside of it, y'all may be aware that I have been planning a bicycle trip for nearly two years.  In a flash, two years have passed, and the time to make good on my wild proclamations of Choose Your Own Adventure: The Bicycle Addition, has come at last.  While many of my original plans (more on this in the future) were ultimately amended and compressed, I am pleased to announce that I will be embarking on a 1,700 mile trip through the Baja California, Mexico by bicycle in just a few short weeks.  The trip will begin November 22, last between 30-40 days, and will traverse the length of the Baja Peninsula and the deserts, mountains, and beaches that it comprises.  




    I've never written a blog before.  Never thought I'd start one.  Don't really care who does or doesn't read this.  I wanted a method of chronicling this trip, from the planning to the execution, and maybe one day I can read it back and feel some bit of pride at meeting this challenge.  And it will be challenging.  Now don't look at this plan and say, "wow! How unique and crazy this will be for you!".  Truth is, "bikepacking" and bicycle touring has been a thing for a long time and has become even more popular in recent years.  I will not be the first person to embark on bicycle over a long distance in foreign locales.  Nor the first to blog about it.  That's ok.  I'm not trying to measure up to anyone or any ideal, other than to challenge myself in a unique way to achieve self-fulfillment (maybe Maslow really did have it right…).  For anyone who takes some time to follow along this blog and this journey….thank you for helping with the, you know, manifestation of dreams, yadda yadda yadda. But seriously, enjoy!  

    It's so tempting to detail my motivation and the specifics of my planning throughout the last few years, but I will save that for future posts (I have to have SOMETHING to write about between now and the start of the trip!).  I want to emphatically and preemptively thank everyone who has supported me in this endeavor or has shown interest in this grand adventure of mine.  Whether this trip is your personal Roman Empire (Madi Ippolito...looking at you!) or you are passively interested in following this adventure, I cannot express my thanks enough.  The support and interest I've received has been overwhelming and I feel lucky to have you all in my camp!  

  P.S. As far as funding is concerned, I'm funding this trip myself.  Aside from the bike and the gear, bicycle touring is surprisingly cheap (as low as $5-$10 USD a day in places like Latin America).  However, my dear reader, should you want to throw a few bucks towards one man's crazy method of achieving self-fulfillment, I won't stop you.  I have organized a Go-fund Me where donations will go toward fighting hunger in Latin America and funding the day-to-day niceties during the trip.  Donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/cycling-against-hunger-in-latin-america

I will keep a running, permanently published list of gracious donators on my bike frame so those of you who stick with me can travel along in spirit.  Thanks!

Comments

  1. DadNovember 6, 2024 at 11:36 AM

    We are so proud of you! Can’t wait to follow along! Mom

    ReplyDelete

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