AUGUST 2017 : “LET’s make it !”

WHERE? South America

HOW? On bike

FOR HOW LONG ? We still don’t know exactly…about a year!

WHEN ?Take off on 5th, September 2018

WHO ? Nicolas, Damien and Vincent

About us

Friends or former colleagues, Vincent, Damien and Nicolas all have this passion for travels they already had the chance to experiment.

These previous experiences and some thousands miles wandering around the globe will probably help for organization and self-sufficiency.

“What about the destination? Well, the Frenchie’s had one common dream:
discovering South America. Be it!

Vincent was 25 years old when landing in Buenos Aires.  After studying engineering science in the energy field he worked for three years in green buildings .He joined SRCP project because he loves travelling, outdoors activities such as hiking. He wishes that everyone could enjoy the freedom of moving and going anywhere they want autonomously.

Damien, a 26 year old dude who graduated as energy engineer in 2015 and decided to move to Paris to start his professional life. Fond of travelling and after 2 years spent in the French capital, Damien decided to take a gap year and built the Seis Ruedas Cinco Pies project. Amputee when he was 1 year old (leg deformation), this project means a lot to Damien who wants to spread a positive message about people with disabilities by giving others amputees the opportunity to benefit from this experience

Nicolas, 26 years old as well, got a bachelor in green buildings. Then he took a gap year to road trip all around Australia before settling down in Paris. There he met Damien, his coworker. After a few (some?) parties, barbecues and discussions he decided to join SRCP project.

OBJECTIVES


When building up the SRCP projects, we kept in mind the following mainlines which picture our way of travelling:

  • Slow down time
  • Get back to simple life
  • Participate in locals’ dailylives and activities
  • Improve Spanish skills…Claro que si!
  • Enjoying more and more the beauty of our home…Earth on a eco friendly approach
  • Spread a worldwide positive message about handicap and its unlimited possibilities

Why BIKING?

“What a challenge no?!”

Well as we all have a good biking endurance, the choice was easy! Actually as you might guess, it has nothing to deal with it! It all began a few years ago when reading an article about a couple who travelled from Alaska to Patagonia….biking. From that moment the idea never left. Why couldn’t we?

  • Biking is at anyone’s hand and doesn’t require any specific physicial conditions (training will come along the way)
  • Bikes enable to appreciate distances (so easy today to reach the furthest point on Earth in 2 days…)
  • Pace: neither too slow nor too fast, landscapes passing before your eyes at a perfect speed to enjoy them but also to let us bike as we want to. To sum it up: get the control of time…back. What a luxury nowadays!
  • It’s eco friendly! Excepted the plane connection to Argentina, crossing a continent biking doesn’t pollute.
  • People are curious about bike travelers
  • “What a challenge no?!”

What a journey!

America, even limited to its southern part, it is…huuggee!

At the begin we thought of starting from Columbia to go down to Patagonia and crossing the Andes.

As a matter of fact, multiples landscapes implies various forecasts. Matching the 2 points in a year with nice weather wasn’t feasible. Therefore we decided to make it longer and start from Buenos Aires. Then we pass by Ushuaïa and go up along the Andes till Columbia!

MAKE IT HAPPEN

“Live by the day…”

Basically, the preparation implies:

  • Read reviews then select the appropriate equipment
  • Make our own bikes so we can be autonomous once there
  • Gather feedback from people who already achieved this kind of trip
  • Be up to date with vaccination
  • Create a bank account and deal with French administration before departure
  • Book the one-way plane ticket
  • Reassure family, friends but also your future ex employer
  • Define the necessary equipment so the bikes don’t weigh too much
  • Create a website as well as pages on the main social networks
  • …

What about physical training? We actually spent a week in Drôme (south of France) in may so to test if the bikes are well set and to see if we are in a good shape for that kind of experience.

As for the rest…well…we’ll see there.

PROJECT

Why calling a project “Seis Ruedas Cinco Pies” (Six Wheels Five Feet)? Well we are 3 very practical guys who just figured out we were about to leave with 3 bikes and…5 legs… Damien decided indeed to challenge a bit more the trip as he was born with a leg disformation.

 Why biking all around South America?

We were all thinking about giving more sense to our work and live more rewarding moments. An opportunity occurred…we simply took the chance!

The more we were preparing it the more we met people who already did a “trip like” and it became clear in our minds.

We decided to support FAIRFOOT association whose main goals are to change people’s mind about disability but also to develop low costs below knee prosthesis (via 3D printers). For more information check out the website.

Then things went fast pretty quickly:

  • Finding sponsors;
  • Design Damien’s cover which would be as esthetical as practical
  • …