Crankin’: Long Distance Bicyclists Talk About Their Bike Journeys

Though I take most of my trips on the back of a mule, I always enjoy meeting long-distance bikers in my rambles. Here are the stories of three people taking long bicycle trips I thought you’d enjoy. They are Johannes “Hans” Myors, Sven Eckhard, and Ji Liong.

Johannes “Hans” Myors

Reverend Hans’ story is one of stick-to-it-ness. As of the day I met him on the side of the road, he’d pedaled 168,000 miles around America, replaced 315 inner tubes, and crossed the United States 14 times – once with a hamster named Schroeder. He figures he’s made over a billion strokes with his bicycle pedals, and every time he makes one, a prayer goes up to heaven. That’s a whole lotta praying and pedaling. Read Reverend Hans’ story right here.

Sven Eckhard

What’s it like to pedal an old bike from Alaska to Patagonia? While I was riding my mules from North Carolina to Idaho, I caught up with Sven Eckhard. He was on the side of the road, figuring out what to eat for lunch. We started talking and as we were chatting, a rancher and his wife invited us to lunch. I’ve never seen a skinny man eat so much food. Here are some photos of the day we met and the feast we enjoyed.

Ji Liong

I met Ji Liong in Wyoming as he was pedaling across the United States. Here are some photos of that wide-open country you might enjoy.

Pedaling a Bicycle Around Tasmania

A while back, I spent half a year pedaling a ten-dollar bike around Tasmania. It was a hell of an adventure involving getting sucked on by leaches, working on a lobster boat named “Miss Carmen”, and spending time with Ludo Mineur, the Alpaca Man.

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