Pedaling South

Jimmy, Ronald & Frank, Sullana – Pérou

Carlos & cie, Tumbes – Pérou

Santiago, Tumbaco-Quito – Colombia

Pompiers, Pasto – Colombia

Gustavio & cie, Macoa – Colombia

Igel & Paola, San Agustin – Colombia

Josephine – Colombia

Elisa – Colombia

Angelica & Claudia, Bogota – Colombia

Calixto & cie, Plato – Colombia

Pedro, Ramona, Maribel & Oscar, Plato – Colombia

Dina Luz & Arnando, Carmen de Bolivar – Colombia

Victor, Turbaco – Colombia

Jonas, Cartegena – Colombia

Luis, Rumaldo, Gloria & Luis, San Onofre – Colombia

Benjamin & Alba, Lorica – Colombia

Jose Luis & Jedys, Cereté, Colombia

Diane & Sylvain, Altos del Maria – Panama

Marianne & Jim, Altos del Maria – Panama

Pastor, Mesa – Panama

Carlos & famila – Panama

Marie-Danielle, Robert & Arnnaud, Ojochal – Costa Rica

Manuel, Delia & Oscar, Dominical – Costa Rica

(Juan), Adrian & Rita, San Isidro de Guarco – Costa Rica

Walter, Miriam & cie, San Raphael Norte – Costa Rica

Naty & Eduardo, San Jose – Costa Rica

Maria – Costa Rica

Sonja – Costa Rica

Grace – Costa Rica

La famille Reyes – Honduras

Dr. Emilio – El Salvador

Plutarco Antonio, Taxisco – Guatemala

Juan Carlos & David, Escuintla – Guatemala

Sophie, Antigua Guatemala – Guatemala

Carlos, San Andres Iztapa – Guatemala

Geneviève, San Pedro la Laguna – Guatemala

Miguel, Gehovany, Emilie, Fernando, Marjorie, Gehovany, Blanca & Gloria – Buena Vista San Juan, Guatemala

José, Carlos & Mama- Guatemala

Steve & Tony – Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Suzanne & Wayne – Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Jesus, Jesus jr, Lilia & Valeria – El Embarcaderro (Acapulco), Mexico

Eleanor & Bob – Barra de Navidad, Mexico

Chuyita, Victor & Victoria – Chamela, Mexico

Alex, Alfredo & Maria – Puerto Vallerta, Mexico

Elizabeth & David – Mar de Cortez, Mexico

Brian Conway – La Paz, Mexico

Kurt Lorenz – La Paz, Mexico

Dirk, Jim, Garreth & Venus – El Juncalito, Mexico

Roberta – El Juncalito, Mexico

Bill Enos – Mulege, Mexico

Rogelio, Delia, Jose & Canica – Ensenada, Mexico

La famille Valles – Ensenada, Mexico

Larry “El Lobo del Mar” – Puerto Nuevo, Mexico

Alberto – Tijuana, Mexico

Julie & Jim – San Diego, California

Steve & Erin – Carlsbad, California

Capitaine Jack – Long Beach, California

Joel Diringer – San Luis Obispo, California

Dean Hilger – Cambria, California

Brian Recht – Monterey, California

Michael & Anne – Santa Cruz, California

Simon (& Yasmine) – Oakland (San Francisco), California

Cat & rev Jim – Oakland (San Francisco), California

Gary Jones – Anacortes, Washington

Gary, who we met fresh off the ferry from BC, gave us his extra travel points toward a motel room in Fort Bragg, California. A night in a motel would have been an obscene luxury for us given our budget and the length of our trip. We swam in the pool, enjoyed late night TV and had microwaved popcorn with a $4 bottle of wine. Sublime.

Kathy – Eureka, California

Rusty & Georgia – Waldport, Oregon

Jason, Vicky & Bill – Pacific City, Oregon

Alex – Portland, Oregon

Marlin & Christine – Seattles, Washington

Jay (& Kathleen) – Clinton, Washington
The Bike Cabin. This artistic couple, whose greatest adventures may yet lie ahead, set us up in their little cabin in the rainy forest near their home. We sat by their fire and chatted. Jay made us delicious hot egg and garlic sandwiches in the morning and gave us great directions for getting into Seattle.

Lexi & Art – Anacortes, Washington
Pizza! Showers! Introduction to Trader Joe wine – the infamous 2 buck Chuck! Our first “lower 48” American hosts treated us just right.

Lorne, Sherri, Katie & Tessa – Victoria, BC, Canada
The cousin I never get to see enough of (had never met Lucie) and his wonderful family welcomed us in after a rain-soaked run across the Island. We smashed the household pancake and burger records, went crabbing, went to school theatre rehearsals with the kids, filled up our mp3 players and just enjoyed seeing family for the last time of the year.

Doug & Cathy – Comox, BC, Canada
We were fated to stay with this great bike touring couple. No kidding. Doug spotted us at a gas station, and later guided us in with the car as we got close to their digs. Fat steaks. Asparagus. Glasses of fine red wine appeared in our hands before we could even take our showers. Nice talks of travels, theirs and ours.

Lee, Cathy & Gareth – Nanaimo, BC, Canada
We arrived in the dark in the pouring rain after days of hauling ass. Lasagna and brownies! Fun talk with Gareth, their teenage son. Left with clean socks!

Caitlin & Fred – Fort Rupert, BC, Canada
My grad school compatriot Caitlin and her husband Fred welcomed us into their empty apartment in Fort Rupert, where Caitlin recently landed a real live job teaching English literature! Had a great hike through the reservation and to the sea, shared meals, laughter and conversation.

Amy, Matt & Finlay – Terrace, BC, Canada
A transplanted American Warm Showers couple with an infant son who welcomed us in after our totally wild experience on the Cassiar Highway. Walls had become totally alien for us at that point. We stayed two nights, re-humanizing with this great little family.

Rick Taylor – Prince Rupert, BC, Canada
“Yeah, this is the bar. Come on it, I’ll buy you a beer!”
Alright then. Local grocer Rick Taylor shared his passion for travel and the outdoors and kept us in pints of great brew while we waited for our waylaid ferry to Port Hardy.

Judson from Cowpuccino – Prince Rupert, BC, Canada
Owner of Cowpuccino’s, the place to grab a joe in Rupert. We hid from the rain in Canada’s rainiest “city” in his cow-themed den of beans right in Cow Bay. First donation on the road!

Levis & Maurice “pointu” – 40 Mile Flats – BC, Canada
An unlikely meeting with an exiled Quebecer (Maurice), and his pal Levis, met in Dease Lake, BC. Hunters looking for moose and grizzly bears. We were offered a night in a heated trailer and rode through the moonlight through prime grizzly country to get there. It was worth it. More salmon to go!

Philippe – WhiteHorse, Yukon, Canada
Owner of the best darn bike shop of the North, Philippe’s Bike Repair. After Lucie got run over by a big pedicab in a group ride, we stopped in for a tune up and accepted his offer of moose steaks in his mad loft above the shop. We stayed up past our bedtimes. Our first real spontaneous offer for supper with a local that determined our “We never say no” policy on such matters.

Jeannette – WhiteHorse, Yukon, Canada
Friend to all friends. Our first collapse after riding all of Alaska and a good chunk of the Yukon. Roasted vegetables (!!!) saved us from scurvy, and a huge carrot cake (!!!!) with cream cheese icing (!!!!!) soothed our souls in our battered, frozen state.

Sarah – Haines Junction, Yukon, Canada
Friend of a friend’s friend (Stephanie) who heroically welcomed us into her big log cabin housesit. We watched “Being Caribou” and drank hot chocolate and did laundry! While waiting for her to get home from work we bbq’d 5 pounds of chicken and ate it all.

Peter – Marsh Lake, Yukon
Cold beers thrust into our hands upon arrival, a houseboat ride to the mouth of the Yukon river, great discussions about travel and life. Lucie wanted to stay up all night just to appreciate our tiny personal log cabin with woodstove on the lake. Holy bacon that “stuck to our ribs.”

Tom & Mandy – Palmer, Alaska
Our first Warm Shower! Schooled us on what to do during our inevitable bear encounter. Unforgettable salmon omelet!

Kirk & Cheryl – Anchorage, Alaska

Taking us in fresh off the plane, Anchorage’s top bike messenger, Kirk, and his delightful wife, Cheryl, set the bar high for the rest of our journey. They spoiled us with salmon and fine wine and gave us the tour of the town. Delicious tinned salmon and chocolate-covered espresso beans for the road!