In this book I share with you my deepest passion in life: traveling the world-especially by bicycle. For me, a bicycle represents more than just transportation. It's a symbol of my independence and my freedom. My bicycle is the steel stallion that has taken me on adventures through many far-flung nations. Since my teenage years, I've really enjoyed being outdoors, on my own, and discovering new places and meeting new people on my trusty two-wheeler. The desire to explore the world has remained my passion for a very long time. Since those teenage years I have visited over 130 countries on 7 continents, using over 25 different modes of transportation-including the efficient bicycle. I have pedaled well over 100,000 miles and experienced more than 100 cultures in the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In this book I share with you stories about numerous long-distance journeys that I have made in different areas of our wonderful world. You will learn about how I prepared for these trips; some of the mechanical problems that I experienced; how I coped with inclement weather; who I met along the way and how they affected, changed and inspired me; a description of some fascinating places that I visited; some personal dangers I encountered and how I dealt with them; what I thought and felt during moments of joy and sorrow; and what I learned about life and myself.
