Pablo Garcia found more than he bargained for on his worldwide bicycle tour.
The bicycle tour started as a solo venture by the Argentinian cyclist, who embarked from South Africa in 2001. He bicycled up the African continent and reached Egypt in 2004. He then rode around Northern Europe before taking on the Mediterranean countries.
That's when he met, and married, Clara Vicari, an Italian grad student studying archaeology. On his website, Around the World on a Bicycle, Garcia writes about the differences of travelling with his companion:
“The travel in Turkey with Clara was not as simple as when I travelled alone; now I am not so nice for men and their looks are not for me anymore.”
The two are carrying 242 pounds of gear between them, including a tent, sleeping bags, a small kitchen and a laptop, according to the Lebanon Daily Star. They're funding the trip by donations and sponsorships they pick up along the way. Donations are accepted at the website.
“The crux of the trip is to transmit a message of tolerance and respect. We need to respect each other, different cultures, and to live together in peace. …
“Pedaling I enter the heart of each town, of each country, of their people. So, I discover the simplest things in life, but in a more intensive way.”
So far, Garcia has covered 159,000 miles on his journey, which includes years cycling in South and North America. He's riding a 24-speed, reinforced aluminum Halley bicycle, pictured at his website. All his gear is in the front and rear panniers and handlebar bags. This is not ultralight touring.
The two told the newspaper that they anticipate spending another five years on the road.
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