The Random Tandem
Who Am I?
My name is Cameron Williams.
I'm a 29 year old guy from Perth in Western Australia.
In 2017, I came up with an idea which has stuck with me like glue ever since.
I want to ride a bicycle from the Northern tip of North America (Prudhoe Bay, Alaska) to the Southern tip of South America (Ushuia, Argentina).
This is a journey that spans 30,000km and approximately 18 months in total.
To do this I've embraced a mode of transport that's goofy in appearance, practical in nature, and overall just great fun.
The Tandem Bicycle.
The idea is that anyone I meet along the way will have the ability to hop on and come along for the journey for as long as they wish.
Maybe for a few hours, or maybe for a few weeks.
They will need no gear, no preparation, and no special knowledge.
Only a desire to join in on an adventure.
In June 2022 flew to Northern Alaska to begin this journey, and to find the first of many people who will be joining me along the way.
Why ride with strangers?
1:
For me the biggest challenge of solo bike touring is not a physical one, but a mental one.
It's the isolation, and long periods with minimal human connection.
There is a comfort and excitement that comes in knowing I will continually be joined by new and interesting people throughout this year and a half on the road.
2:
When I've done smaller bike trips in the past, I consistently met many people who told me they wish they were able to see the world this way, if only they had the knowhow, equipment, courage ect.
I think that this is where the real achievement of this trip may be; to share an experience with others who may typically not do something like this, and to hopefully inspire them to take a similar step outside of their comfort zone in the future.
Want To Come Along?
Anyone is welcome; regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, religion or anything else.
I only ask that you bring with you a fun and easy-going attitude.
I don't want this to feel like you are joining me on my trip, but rather that we are doing our own trip together.
I have no predetermined route, so we'll decide together where we want to go, and what we want to do.
Equal in all decisions.
This is also not about the bike; I wouldn't call myself a cyclist.
It's about finding a way to experience a location in the most genuine and enjoyable way possible.
The Basics
I have no expectation of fitness, experience, payment, equipment or anything else.
A base level of fitness is also not as required as you might think.
We exert ourselves at a level similar to that of walking.
Stop when we want to stop.
Take days off when we want a rest, or to just enjoy a location.
I am carrying a large bag which is available for you to store your gear.
Volume available to you is around 20 litres (5 US Gallons), but we can absolutely find some work-arounds if you need more space.
The Bike
Before setting off to go anywhere, we'll take some time to get the feel for how to ride a Tandem Bike, and figure out anything we're looking to see or do along the way.
If you can ride a normal bicycle, you will be fine on a tandem.
There's just a couple of small quirks to get used to, and I'm more than happy to show you the ropes.
Even if you're not able to commit to going anywhere but just want to try, I'd still be happy to show you.
What I Can Provide For You
I'm carrying the following things with me which are available for you to use throughout our time together:
Tent
Sleeping Bag
Silk Liner
Sleeping Pad
Pillow
Cooking gear
Head Torch
Unisex Padded Cycling Shorts
The tent is large, and features two rooms (one room each), separated by a wall in between for privacy.
The Sleeping Bags, Silk Liner, Sleeping Pad, and Pillow are all of high quality and are cleaned regularly.
Interested?
If so, I'd love to hear from you.
No pressure to commit, and feel free to throw as many questions at me as you would like.
I hope to be meeting you soon.