I’ve mentioned the Riding the Spine expedition several times in the past, but it has been quite a long time since I posted an update. It is the epic journey by mountain bike from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina, that was undertaken by Jacob Thompson, Sean Monterastelli and a man named Goat (I kid you not!). After three and a half years on the trail, covering more than 21,000 miles, passing through 14 countries in the process, the boys have finally arrived at their destination, reaching Ushuaia this past Sunday. Their online journal declares: “We Did It!”
Riding the Spine derives its name from the fact that they made most of the journey by peddling through mountain trails and over passes, rather than on established roads and highways. Jacob, Sean, and Goat spent more time in the Rockies and Andes, the mountain spines of their respective continents, then they did on paved roads and in civilization. They also managed to work in a couple of paddling trips, kayaking some whitewater along the way, and even used kayaks to transport their bikes through a remote section along the Panama and Colombian border.
Needless to say, the past three years have been quite an adventure for this trio, who were occasionally joined out on the road by some guest riders too. I want to extend a hearty congratulations to the entire crew on reaching their goal. What an amazing journey this has been, and I’m sure they’re having a lot of bittersweet emotions at the moment. Three and a half years is a long time to devote to a project, and to see it end has to be both very rewarding and kind of sad at the same time.
Thanks to Adventure World Magazine for the tip on this story.
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