As a Peace Corps Volunteer, my primary method of transportation was a bicycle. I cycled among villages for work; to the district capital to collect my mail; and to nearby villages to drink beer made from millet. One time, to prove to myself that I was tough, I cycled 110 miles in a single day to the provincial capital. Truthfully, I was exhausted upon arriving — and I don’t know if I’m tough enough to cycle 100 miles in a day again. I think that’s why the story of Brooks Allen and Gregg Bleakney is so inspiring.
On July 26, 2005, Brooks and Gregg began their 19,500 mile adventure. Rolling out of Prudhoe Bay (the most northern accessible point in Alaska), they’re headed to Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost tip of Argentina. Following a continuous road network that traverses Arctic tundra, urban megalopolises, tropical rain forests, mountain passes, and seemingly endless stretches of arid desert, the pair is cycling to raise $50,001 to help fight Diabetes.
Riding on 27-pound bikes that weigh 100 pounds when fully loaded, the pair is currently between La Paz, Bolivia and Salta, Argentina. Take a minute to check out their irregularly updated trip journal, and be sure to visit their absolutely stunning gallery of images. Maybe it’ll inspire you to donate a little something to their cause — or to undertake an adventure like this.