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Experiences You Should Have Show Notes: Biking from Alaska to Argentina with Guests Kristen and Ville Jokinen
Ville and Kristen Jokinen did the impossible. They went from Alaska to the tip of Argentina via bike while only spending (on average) $800 a month! This couple lives in Bend, Oregon and they decided they wanted to have an adventure of a lifetime, and boy did they find adventure. Click on the play button to listen to this episode, or listen to this episode wherever you listen to podcasts.
A Little About Ville and Kristen
Ville was born in Tampere, Finland. He grew up playing all kinds of sports and in his teenage years, he made the decision to focus on football (soccer). After graduating from high school he tried his wings in professional soccer in Finland and Algeria. After a few years of serious playing and several knee replacement surgeries later, he decided to hang the cleats and go to college. After college, Ville worked for 7 years as a financial analyst for Toyota.
In 2008, he decided to take off work and travel to South East Asia for 3 months. In Vietnam, Ville met a crazy, loud and beautiful American girl named Kristen. Listen to the episode above to get the behind the scenes on their first meeting. After that, they’ve been traveling the world together and he’s very thankful for finding someone who loves the same adventures.
Get to Know Kristen
Kristen was originally from Bend, Oregon, born and raised. Because she grew up in such a beautiful place so connected to the outdoors, it drew her to explore the great big world we live in. She graduated from High School early to go backpacking around Central Europe alone and you could say that is where the travel lust began. Kristen moved to San Francisco to work as an AuPair for some big-named families, saved money, bought a house in Bend, worked as a wildland firefighter, nanny, waitress, teacher, tutor all while going to school. She signed on for an internship in Chiang Mai, Thailand and when she finished teaching, she met a handsome Scandinavian Stallion on a Scuba Diving boat in Vietnam. Again, listen to the episode above to hear about this meeting.
They traveled the world and when they ran out of visas to stay together, they hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) while dating, which was her first time sleeping in a tent. After that adventure, they got married.
Why Did Ville and Kristen Decide to Bike From Alaska to Argentina?
The adventure was an idea formed on the PCT and became a reality once they finished. They both know the importance of not wanting to live your life, and the planning began. The plan is to thoroughly wear out these crazy bodies and when they have no more get-up and go, they will have some incredible memories to share while they swing life away on their front porch somewhere.
This is a couple who knows how to live life.
Map of the Ride
How Did They Bike From Alaska to Argentina?
Kristen and Ville had their bikes shipped to Alaska. That’s where their adventure began. Starting in Alaska, they saw over 60 polar bears and they had a fright of a lifetime when they scared away a mama bear who was charging at them by acting loud and big.
They then went to the Yukon, British Columbia then hit up the San Juan Islands. Just an FYI, Lopez Island is a fantastic island for bike riding and it’s a very friendly island. They biked the 101 from the Pacific Northwest, down the coast of California, then into Baja. From there, they took a ferry over to the mainland then biked through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica. They had to take a plane across some sketchy borders from Panama to Columbia, then went to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.
They chose to go over the Andes mountains in South America rather than the coast, which let them experience small towns (and very friendly people) off the grid.
How Long Did It Take For the Alaska to Argentina Bike Ride
20 Months and they took their time in many places. The ended at Ushuaia, which is actually where you would start your journey to travel to Antarctica if you wanted.
What Did They Learn on this Biking Adventure from Alaska to Argentina
They learned that most people are inherently good. What little people had, they wanted to share with Kristen and Ville. They spent an extra month in Mexico because of the hospitality of the people they met. They were welcomed into people’s homes and were shown a real belief in humanity. During this time they pushed themselves to learn Spanish and they got better as they completely immersed themselves.
Types of Bikes Used
Ville and Kristen both used Surly Disc Truckers, 52 cm and 56 cm. They loved that the frame was steel and therefore easy to weld together if needed in some of the most remote villages of Bolivia. The bikes were great, did the job, but to be honest, you can get away with any (steel) bike frame that fits you best, but absolutely have your wheels hand built! That is the one thing you shouldn’t skimp on. Schwalbe Marathon tires a must, beefy rims, double-butted spokes. No one wants to be on the side of the road changing tires constantly or stuck with a bent rim in a town with no parts. Build your wheels.
Tips for Others Going on an Epic Bike Journey
- Be quiet, open-minded and observant before snapping to the judgment of how things are.
- Try Everything
- Taste and try all of the local food
- Build your wheels
How Much Did it Cost and How Did They Keep Costs Down?
Ville and Kristen rented out their house and netted $800 a month (after taxes/insurance), and used that $800 a month to live on for both of them. Pretty impressive if you ask me. A few things they did to keep the costs down were:
- Not being picky about showers. Kristen and Ville would shower in a river, at someone’s house, at a fire station, hospital, Red Cross, hotel.
- They would camp on the side of the road (out of sight)
- Ate cheaply at food stands or at people’s houses they met along the way. Pretty nice to grab some cheap tacos in Mexico.
How Did They Do This Bike Ride Safely?
- They would camp each night off the side of the road in the forest, and they would make sure that no one saw them when they got off the road to find their camping spot.
- They never built any fires and rarely used lights at the campsite
- When they needed to grocery shop, one person would stay outside with the gear and bikes.
Bike Touring Packing List
- 56 cm Surly Disc Trucker
- Brooks B17 Pretreated Saddle
- DTSwiss Rims
- Fizik Bartape
- Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tires 700cc
- Schimano XT Hubs
- Schimano XT Derailer 10 speed cassette
- Schimano Sora Front Derailer
- Shimano 116 link chain
- Shimano 50/50 Pedals
Essential Bike Touring Gear (Bike Accessories)
- Electra Aluminium Hammered Fenders
- Tubus Front and Rear Racks
- Ortlieb Front and Rear Panniers
- Ortlieb Handlebar Bag
- Custom Rogue Panda Designs Frame Bag
- Platapus 3 liter Hydration Bag and Hose
- Leatherman Wave
- Topeak Alien 2 Multi-tool
- 3 Pedros Tire Levers
- 2 Tire Patch Kits
- 3 Tubes: 700 x 40
- 2 Rolls Mini-Duct Tape
- Specialized Armadillo Folding Tire
- 6 Spare Double-Butted SpokesBB7 Juicy Brake Pad
Kitchen Accessories for Bike Touring Packing List
- MSR Whisperlite International Stove & Parts
- Titanium 1 Liter Pot
- MSR Fuel Bottle
- Vargo Titanium 450 Travel Mug
- Vargo Titanium Spork
Clothing to Pack for Bike Touring: Packing List
- Patagonia Nano Puff Men’s Jacket
- Smartwool Longsleeve Shirt
- Smartwool Long Johns
- 2 Icebreaker T-Shirts
- 2 Mens Underarmour Boxer Briefs
- 4 Pairs Darn Tough Mens Socks
- Buff Beanie
- 2 Wool Buffs
- Salomon Mens Rain Jacket
- Pearl Izumi Rain Pants
- Pearl Izumi Cold Weather Gloves
Extras To bring on Bike Touring Trip
- 3 Liter Platypus Water Bladder with Hose
- Cheap Knife
- Band-Aids
- Bear Spray
- Toothbrush/paste/floss
- Men’s Electric Razor
- Deodorant
- Small Bottle Shampoo
- Comb
- 7 Bottles of Thyroid Medicine
- 1 Cylinder of Mescal
- 1 Petzl headlamp\
- Bike lock
- 100 ft of cord
- Small bottle of sunscreen
- Zeiss 70-200 Lens
- Old Ipod/Headphones
- Frida Kahlo Wallet
- Smith Sunglasses/Case
- iPhone
- 2 Goal Zero Battery Packs
See full gear list at: http://www.welostthemap.com/gear.html
What Others Should Know
It doesn’t take experience or super expensive gear to make this happen. You don’t need to plan everything out, it’s always going to change anyway. Learn to adapt. Curious about Kristen and Ville’s adventures? Check out their site for more information!
More Links
- Kristen and Ville’s Videos (Vimeo)
- Instagram: We Lost the Map
- Facebook for We Lost the Map
- Bend Bulletin Article
- Pique News Magazine