Sierra Blogging Post Archives

When David Coonce decided to take an epic bike ride from Fairbanks, Alaska to Tierra del Fuego (southernmost tip of South America), he knew there was no way he could leave his dog, Bella, behind. So he didn't. He's pulling her in a basket trailer. For 14,000 miles.

A 49 year-old teacher from San Diego, Coonce had an "is this it?" epiphany last year and decided to make his transcontinental dream a reality. With nothing to hold him back, he figured now was as good a time as ever. In this article, he speaks of seeking a closer connection with the natural world, something he feels we've lost in our increasingly digital age.


Coonce believes human evolution is more in tune with rhythms of the natural world than broadband wireless multi-tasking.

"The pace of cycling is slower, more akin to the pace of a horse, 35-40 miles a day," Coonce said.

"The pace changes your whole way of living. You think about the history of the place (you're in), the geology. You're going at a pace where you can pick out your campsites. You're more in tune with the climatic changes, paying more attention to sounds."

His advice for the rest of us?

"We all have a limited amount of time on this Earth. You can dream all you want but sometimes you have to just get out there and do it."

And what good is a dream if your best friend's not there to share it? Even if you have to pull her in a trailer for 14,000 miles.