Have you ever wondered how the end of the world looks and feels like?
Just imagine cycling for over three years from the southernmost city in the world while fantasising about the north. Imagine the struggle of pedalling over a million times, covering a distance of over 32,000 km, climbing hundreds of thousands of meters, crossing numerous countries, deserts, jungles, mountain ranges and rivers, and ending up at a featureless pebbled shore and being greeted by no one. Imagine all the sacrifices that went in life before the start of such a long journey and the hardships of the road—countless dangers, physical and emotional pain, the lack of finances, and inner demons.
All this to merely reach a dull-looking sea and to get your feet and wheels washed by cold water?
Why some people choose to do insane things would always remain a mystery to others. Those who don’t know how to let go of everything for nothing would never get to experience freedom.
However, there are times when insane people also question themselves. There are conflicting thoughts amidst moments of triumph. The question of “why” always lurks around no matter what you do, and it comes in face-to-face when you are most vulnerable. And there are no times when you are weaker than you are at the beginning and end of a trip.
In the beginning, the fear of a long journey questions your commitment. In the end, you ask yourself if years of struggle was worth it only to reach yet another point on the globe? We are all looking for a spiritual revelation. It’s about finding truth and light. That’s what makes us set out and take adventures in life. Every journey is different. Mine somehow brought me to the arctic ocean at the end of the Dempster Highway in NWT of Canada.
However, my journey through the Americas didn’t end here. From here, I caught a ride back to Dawson City in Yukon and then cycled to Alaska. Another 1,500 km through the wilderness of Alaska on the Alaska Highway and the Dalton Highway brought me even further up north at 70° N in Prudhoe Bay.
Once again, I was face-to-face with the arctic ocean. Once again, I had to answer the most fundamental question of “why am I here?”