The Sporty Me
I've been passionate about the outdoors and sports ever since I can remember, but cycling is a relatively new sport for me. Four years ago, good friends of mine convinced me to buy my first road bike, and life ever after changed drastically for me! With the same amount of energy I used running, I found I could go so much further on a bike and be surrounded by spectacular landscapes. So I joined Club Cicliste Gracia (CC Gracia) and their Saturday rides became a religion for me.
My training philosophy is quite simple: I don’t have one! I try to exhaust my energy and clear my mind, whether it be cycling, running, or swimming. I just enjoy being outside regardless if I go for a ride, run, hike, or walk!
About Me
The Epiphany
I love to travel and adore biking, so why not do a bike tour? That is what I soon realized after I bought my first road bike which made it easy to justify another set of wheels (a touring frame of course) to use in Oregon on my summer visits.
After two days of bike touring, I was hooked. Finally, I had met my match, tour cycling was the perfect way to challenge my energy, travel, and explore. If I could cycle from Eugene to Portland, and from Portland to Canada, couldn’t I cycle to any destination, even across the United States? But why would I cycle across The United States if I was living in Europe and when? Little by little the idea for a bigger trip started to evolve. I began researching and exploring online, and realized there were plenty of people out there who had the same idea as me, but they were doing it, or had already done it!
From that point on, I knew it was only a matter of time that my dream would become a reality. My heart was determined, and eventually I listened. No sooner than I set a departure date it was as if all the stars aligned, the logistics and planning started to settle into place and I was greeted by an incredible amount of support.
My Trip
I had a list of destinations in mind already: places I hadn’t been, cultures that intrigued me, and breathtaking landscapes that I wanted to explore. I started mapping out my route and realized that it could take me home to Eugene, Oregon, from Barcelona, the long way! I put together an initial itinerary traversing 4 continents, 17 countries, and roughly 24,000 km. I want to explore regions of the world that spark my curiosity, see the rugged outdoors, immerse myself in countries that don’t speak my language and others that do, and try food whose ingredients remain a mystery, all while I make my way home to Oregon.
Do I mind hopping on a plane? No. Do I have to step foot in every country along the way? No. I know that my trip will be an experience of a lifetime! What I see and learn along the way will influence me, the way I see the world, and impact my teaching for years to come. I can’t think of a better way to spend next year!
In Spanish they say “¡Estas loca!”, in Catalan, “Estás com una cabra!”, and in English simply, “You’re crazy!” Regardless of the language, it’s hard to deny, I’ve got an incredible amount of energy! What do you expect when you combine growing up in the Pacific Northwest, an outdoor paradise, with coming from a large family, one of five siblings? You can use the adjective intense, hyperactive, persistent, or simply crazy, but there’s no doubt about it, I’m passionately curious and alive.
