This is why we travel by bike.

After a perfect day of riding, we arrive at our campsite for the night. A beautiful spot along the Mississippi River, not far from Grand Rapids, Minnesota. We pitch our tent just a few meters from the iconic waterway. It’s become a bit of a ritual, the sun is setting as we finish setting up camp. We take advantage of the last rays of sunlight to walk along the riverbank. We stop, motionless, bathed in a stunning orange glow, taking in the beauty and stillness of nature. In those moments, we say to ourselves: this is why we travel by bike.

The 9-to-5 life was never really our thing. Nancy, an engineer 15 years ago, felt suffocated in her beige-walled office, trapped behind her computer screen. She quickly traded her engineering ring for a real estate business card. Steven, a chemist until 2014, joined his wife in the real estate business. From that point on, we were together almost all the time. We didn’t realize then that this was preparing us for traveling by bike as a couple.

Anything is possible

A few years ago, we realized that our life without kids was approaching. But what would we do without them? Our son is now financially independent, and our daughter is starting college this year. They are both mature and responsible. We’re ready to leave. But how? By van? Backpacking? By bike?

It’s on our bikes that we feel the freest and the happiest. Yes, there are also environmental reasons; the closeness to people that makes interactions easier; the slowness of this way of traveling that allows us to fully take everything in, even rainy days; the pride and sense of accomplishment that comes from traveling under our own power; the beauty and nobility of the machine; the unmatched versatility of a mode of transport that can take us to the top of a mountain on a winding dirt road one day, and into the heart of a big city on paved streets the next. But nothing compares to the feeling of wind on your skin, the sound of tires on the ground, and the deep sense of autonomy that cycling brings.

We decided to ride bikes made in Quebec

Finding the right adventure bikes wasn’t difficult. Nancy chose a Panorama Taïga, a mountain bike built for adventure. Its Reynolds 725 steel frame makes it agile and comfortable. She opted for a suspension fork, heavier than the carbon option, but offering more control and comfort on rough terrain. Steven chose the Panorama Boréal, the ultimate touring bike. Its Reynolds 525 steel frame and fork make it strong, durable, and comfortable. Both bikes offer generous tire clearance, 29 x 2.8 and 27.5 x 3.0, perfect for off-road sections like the Baja Divide that we hope to ride.

Traveling by bike means traveling light. We spent nearly a year preparing our gear. We settled on a hybrid setup with panniers and bikepacking bags. Panniers offer more storage space and easier access, while bikepacking bags are lighter. We wanted to make sure we had the perfect setup. We didn’t yet realize how naive it was to think we could figure that out before even starting the journey. Still, one thing was certain: the bikes wouldn’t let us down.

It’s about the journey, not the destination

Our goal, or rather our dream, is to travel the world by bike. We don’t have a strict route or destination, but we want to start by riding the length of the Americas. That’s why we learned Spanish. The destination doesn’t matter, but the starting point does: home, in Saguenay. We leave on June 1st, 2025, to begin crossing Canada toward the West Coast.

Home is beautiful. The trip quickly exceeds our expectations as we rediscover places we’ve visited many times before. The Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, a vast forested territory, reveals all its beauty: pristine lakes, lively rivers, endless mountains, a vibrant sky. We think of the First Nations who lived on this land in its original state.

We then follow the shores of the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City to Kingston, Ontario. We are in awe of the beauty of our river. Each day alongside it brings new landscapes, new discoveries, and new encounters with kind and welcoming people. We fall in love with the cycling network around Montreal and the Thousand Islands in Ontario.

Let’s escape the mosquitoes and deer flies! From Kingston, we head north toward Georgian Bay, taking as many rail trails and country roads as possible. We enjoy the calm and safety of these former railway paths. The scenery can be monotonous, but the biting insects keep things interesting. We stay positive and learn to appreciate simple moments even more, as well as the incredible encounters with generous people. Our efforts are rewarded when we reach the stunning Georgian Bay, with its crystal-clear waters.

Canada is vast… Traveling through Northern Ontario and the Prairies shows us a side of the country we hadn’t experienced much before: immense wilderness dotted with small communities. Logistics become more challenging, but we appreciate seeing so much land untouched by human presence.

Our first chapter is now written

We look forward to the next one. When we arrive in Regina, Saskatchewan, our parental instinct brings us back to our children, and we decide to take a break. Reuniting with family and friends helps us forget, for a moment, that the rest of the journey will have to wait.

Cycling has become our way of life

We sold our car before leaving and decided not to buy another one. The bike is now our main mode of transportation. Every morning, when we get on our bikes, we rediscover that same feeling of freedom we felt while traveling. It’s where we feel most alive.