Ryan’s bike has had its last revolution of the pedals.
His dear sweet Trek 8000 is kaput.
Ryan knew everything about his bike, every squeak and every twist.
He bought the bike when he was a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras in 2003.
The bike got him to far-off villages out of his sight.
Ryan’s first bike adventure was on this bike.
He packed his food and hit the road, but it was a total failure.
He was in the middle of nowhere, on a treacherously steep and slippery path.
Ryan didn’t want to fly home but ride his bike, so he headed north and kept pedaling.
He would camp off the side of the road, get up, pack his stuff up and go back on the bike.
He had only one flat tire the entire ride.
When Ryan got home, he got excited about bike touring, and he didn’t want to stop.
He decided to ride from Maine to Key West, along the Eastern seaboard.
Ryan fired up his bike again, but this time he rode across the American South.
It was a mind-blowing experience.
Finally, the bike snapped in half.
Ryan sat on the side of the road, but he was neither bummed nor pissed off.
His bike died the warrior’s death, and Ryan was proud of it.