Why NOT Ride?: Learning to Travel by Bicycle

As an inexperienced cyclist in her thirties, Candace never imagined she would explore the world by bicycle. She didn't even own a bike! However, when a charming British man challenged her by asking, "Why NOT ride?" her excuses fell short, and curiosity took over. Seeking an adventure, the couple bought a pair of second-hand bikes, loaded them with camping gear, and began pedalling: attempting to ride from England to Morocco. Despite being forced to quit three hundred kilometres into the journey, Candace had fallen in love with this unique method of travel.

Heartbroken yet wanting nothing more than to be in the saddle, Candace embarked on another bicycle tour, this time of the Pacific Northwest. But one glaring obstacle stood in her way. While sitting astride her bicycle in the pouring late-autumn rain, she fought back the tears as her long-dormant knee injury surfaced once again. The unbearable pain sought to ruin everything she had worked so hard for. Behind her lay the mountain ranges, desert, and vast tracts of lake-spotted land of Western Canada she had ridden across. Ahead lay worry and uncertainty. It was then that the trip took an unexpected turn.

Offering a spirited insight into the life of a novice bicycle tourist, Why NOT Ride? is a worthy read for off-the-beaten-path travellers and those who simply enjoy a good adventure story. Complete with getting drugged and robbed, having a run-in with the law, and soiling her underpants in the streets, Candace reveals the behind-the-scenes of bike travel and shares the lessons she learned on the road. Told without ego and full of humour, this candid narrative serves as inspiration for anyone wishing to see the world from the seat of a bicycle for the first time. Seasoned bike travellers will find themselves fondly remembering their own first tentative pedal strokes as they once set out to travel like never before.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Growing up in Calgary with the Canadian Rocky Mountains as a playground, it was only natural that Candace studied Geology at university. Yet, while her peers found comfortable jobs in the oil and gas industry, Candace discovered her passion for adventure while working as a field geologist in remote corners of the globe.

She spent her free time rock climbing, hiking, chasing fresh powder, studying yoga, and playing with stray animals. Leaving work as a geologist behind, Candace moved on to teaching SCUBA diving in various locals worldwide. After nearly a decade of slow travel, her discovery of bicycle touring was a fortuitous yet eye-opening experience, combining her love of the outdoors with simple, gradual, and mindful exploration. Challenges aside, all she wants to do now is hop on her bike.