The project

Cycling Family Crossing the Americas

"Live ones dreams instead of dreaming ones life"

The journey ... we dream, we take out of our daily; Thence to venture several months outside our comfort reassuring, there is only one step ... or almost. For us, this trip is the result of thinking about our lives a quiet, tidy, house, kids, metro tram, job, dodo, consumer ... is the desire to experience something different now, to pause in our hectic lives, ultra stressed, to better enjoy life with family and allow even small children, discovering that much of the world what the American continent with its diverse cultures, varied scenery and fabulous history; in short, be totally in the west ;-)

Adventure is still very, very prepared because we do not want to take any risk with the kids!

After evaluating different solutions (motorhome, truck eqquiped, backpacking, bikes, scooters, strollers, asses ... we chose to travel bike; lazy as we are, it will go faster than walking!

This also allows us to take the full measure of time,moving from village to village and to get as close as possible to the different populations and wildlife during the slow passage of the countries. Having children of different ages, we're not seeking the athletic feat, but rather a lifestyle and exchanges for this extraordinary adventure.

This mode of transport is also the cleanest means of locomotion that exists on earth. This aspect is very dear to us, compared to the lifestyle we try to practice daily. During this "green" trip, we will avoid a maximum of flying, including crossing the Atlantic. In order to greatly reduce our environmental footprint, the solution is to board a cargo of goods and use public transport during the journey if necessary. For the same purpose, the construction of our bike trip will be entrusted to a local craftsman who makes himself its steel frames with European quality.

To better understand the whole journey, read the next page for a quick overview of the route and schedule

June 2010 from Halifax to Ushuaia in January 2012

Very briefly, here is the planned route. Obviously, this is only a forecast, punctuated by the imperatives of seasons and climates, visa, our adaptability and encounters along the way ...

The departure is during June 2010.
The idea is to embark on a freighter crossing the Atlantic to go on Canadian soil.
The first 3 weeks will be dedicated to the discovery of New Scotland, their seascapes often akin to our own Bretagne and their inhabitants.
Then we'll head out west, the province of Quebec, upper Great Lakes, then along the Trans Canada Trail in the direction of the Rockies. We'll allow ourselves the opportunity to skip a few steps from time to time getting into a bus or a train, according to the state of the company.
The idea is to return to the USA at the Indian Reservation Blackfoot early October to explore the great parks before the first snowfall.
The duration of stay on American soil is limited to 3 months. We'll descend southward through the Rocky Mountains to Salt Lake City, then along the Colorado during the months of October and November 2010 we will continue in the month of December to cross over to the parks west, toward San Diego.
To be precisely, we travel independently, with 2 very small tents. Invitations to pitch my tent in the garden of a local family will be for us moments of exchange and a source of comfort in case of harsh climate!
Then, in January, we'll move towards Mexico by Baja California, right to the Mayan sites to the east.
The following part, the crossing of Central America, is less certain and will depend on geopolitical events of the times.
It is therefore possible that we'll pass through Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama to the Canal, during the months of February and March.
That said we plan to attack the Andes at Quito in Ecuador, in April 2011.
10 months down to the end of the world, crossing the following countries: Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. With much of the climatic conditions of high mountains, through passes over 4500m, very windy on Patagonia, humidity and heat as well.
Again, railroad or buses are within reach, and we can allow ourselves to make some jumps. We look forward to this part of the trip to meet the peoples of the Andes, listen to music and marvel at their country.
End of the trip by bike in Ushuaia, in January 2012, we plan boarding a bus to reach Buenos Aires before embarking again on a freighter to Europe. That will be 28 days at sea, we hope to use to take stock of experiences, rest, accelerate school if necessary, arrange the pictures ...
March 2012, resumed our humdrum daily overbooked? Not so sure! Chances are that with the experience we've changed a little ...