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DUBAI: In April 2023, Samer Abouhamad made it to Ushuaia, a small city in Argentina, nicknamed “the tip of the world” due to its place on the southernmost tip of South America.
His journey began within the US a 12 months earlier … on a motorbike.
Abouhamad’s non secular path, of kinds, nevertheless, began three years in the past. He was working remotely within the US, and when COVID-19 hit, moved to his homeland, Lebanon, to be with household.
His father, who likes biking, motivated him “to get out of the home,” which was “superior,” Abouhamad informed Arab Information from Buenos Aires, days after he accomplished his year-long journey.
After arriving again in Lebanon amid the pandemic, Abouhamad found his nation by bike.
“I’ve all the time been Lebanese, however I by no means actually bought to find the nation alone phrases,” he mentioned.
“That was an superior expertise — virtually non secular. And I used to be hooked.”
The next 12 months he took half in his first biking journey: A ten-day tour of France with no skilled coaching.
He constructed his bodily power and endurance whereas volunteering at a nonprofit in Beirut, the place he spent 4 days per week doing guide development labor and biking throughout his free time.
Abouhamad contemplated what to do subsequent. He learn a guide by English creator Alastair Humphreys, who chronicled his adventures biking the world for greater than 4 years.
“It simply made me notice if somebody might do this type of journey again then (2011); it’s a lot extra accessible now with all of the sources,” Abouhamad mentioned.
He began engaged on getting the suitable tools and returned his house in Boston in early 2022. In April final 12 months, he cycled coast to coast to Los Angeles, then on to San Diego, and throughout the border to Mexico, protecting a complete of 14 international locations and greater than 25,000 kilometers within the subsequent 12 months.
Abouhamad needed to determine which cities to cycle to each week and when to cease to refuel, however for probably the most half, he “simply went with the stream.”
He mentioned: “I believe it’s laborious to completely plan a visit like this too far upfront as a result of issues are simply going to vary alongside the way in which, and so the way in which I considered it was I’d simply take it day-to-day.”
On-line sources have been an enormous assist for Abouhamad, for every part from route planning to discovering locations to sleep for the night time.
“I don’t get how folks did it 20-30 years in the past. There are such a lot of sources right this moment, so I by no means needed to fear actually,” he added.
He would cease at eating places to eat however would additionally purchase meals that may very well be cooked simply. He additionally carried snacks to get him by the day. Easy gadgets like granola, oatmeal and even bread have been a staple — as a result of “once you’re biking, every part tastes good,” he mentioned with fun.
Abouhamad traveled solo for many of his journey, however alongside the way in which met fellow cyclists with whom he would spend just a few days.
Though he likes touring with others, he mentioned that there are professionals and cons to each solo and group journey. “It’s good to share moments collectively (with others) however there’s a sure freedom to touring solo, which is fairly liberating.”
That freedom additionally comes with many highs and lows. A visit like Abouhamad’s requires not solely bodily power, but additionally psychological power and resilience.
“Even every day, the highs are so excessive and the lows so low,” he mentioned.
There have been occasions when he would lack the vitality to cycle the following day, however every day moments reminded him of how a lot he liked what he was doing.
Abouhamad has led a comparatively simple life, freed from any main adversity or battle, he mentioned. And so, biking grew to become his personal private battle in a roundabout way. Going to mattress each night time — whether or not it was in a tent or a mattress and breakfast — exhausted from the battle of the day, introduced him a sure type of happiness.
“You set your head down and also you simply sleep immediately,” he mentioned. It’s the type of drained that comes from “utilizing your physique as a substitute of being drained from taking a look at your display or Excel.”
Furthermore, he mentioned, “bikepacking” is just half about biking; the opposite half is about adapting to issues you face on the street. Though his life was by no means in danger, he confronted all types of challenges, from unhealthy climate to damaged gear.
In Peru, for instance, there have been nationwide protests going down as Abouhamad handed by the nation.
Particularly from the town of Cusco to the Bolivian border, there have been checkpoints each 10 to fifteen kilometers and vehicles have been forbidden from passing. Nonetheless, cyclists must cease and clarify themselves to authorities. Typically, they have been even requested to steer a chant earlier than they might move by.
“It was tiring within the second, but it surely’s a superb reminiscence,” he mentioned.
As he displays on this final 12 months, it’s laborious for Abouhamad to crystallize the most effective components of his journey, but when he needed to, he would decide the mountains in Peru for his or her magnificence; Mexico for its meals; and Argentina and Colombia for its folks.
For the previous 12 months, Abouhamad’s identification has been his bike. “I bought so used to the liberty of simply waking up each day and hopping on my bike and being outdoors,” he mentioned. However now, whereas he’s excited to get again and see his family and friends, he’s additionally questioning his identification.
One factor he is aware of for certain is that this isn’t the tip. “The toughest a part of my journey was beginning it,” he mentioned. “Telling folks, quitting your job, after which really doing it … that’s the toughest half.”
Abouhamad is already planning his subsequent biking journey. In August, he’ll journey to South Africa and experience to Lebanon. From there, he’ll both experience to Norway or to some a part of Asia.
His thought of biking from South Africa to Norway — or “cape to cape” as he calls it — sounds poetic, if just a little daunting. In actuality, it is just 18,000 kilometers in comparison with the 25,000 kilometers he rode throughout his American journey, so “in idea, I might do it in a 12 months,” he mentioned.
Within the brief time period, Abouhamad is looking for methods to share extra about his journey. “I’d like to discover a strategy to encourage different folks to go on the market and go on a visit like this, too,” he mentioned.
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