Hi Sun Country Cycle, 

Just wanted to share our story with you about how your “team jersey” was the glue that brought  the Loire valley closer to Vernon. 

On March 1, an adventurous couple that I am very good friends with invited me to join them on their long haul bike ride from Porto Portugal to Venice. I responded with “ that sounds exciting” and “if you could give me a couple months to plan that would be great”. They quickly messaged back and said that they were leaving in 8 days. I responded with “Holy shit are you crazy????”

Anyways, they left on March 8th without me and I was left stunned, overwhelmed but very excited. After a few emails and face book messages back and forth we decided to try to  meet in La Rochelle, France, knowing that the timing could be difficult as their progress through Portugal and Spain was slow. Meanwhile, I spiraled into first-time bike-trip panic. What do I pack? What bike do I take? Am I camping in the cold and fixing breakdowns on sketchy bike paths? These guys had already biked across Japan and New Zealand and hiked the PCT… so yeah, “Crazy” felt accurate.

One of the big decisions was, which bike to take? In the end I decided to go with my adapted mountain bike, the Trek Marlin. I added a more narrow profile tire for the paved roads but wide enough to handle cobble stones and gravel. I had to carry nearly 50 pounds plus my 209 pounds of weight so I knew the “beefiness” of the Marlin would serve me well. After 1200 kms I can say that the Marlin was awesome! 

In the end, we did in fact meet in La Rochelle and after 16 days made it to d’Orleans and then to Paris. 

Our friendship grew exponentially as the days went on, with the beautiful french countryside, wineries, churches, chateaux’s and push-up challenges bringing us closer together. We mostly camped with the occasional hostel or hotel for a glorious warm shower and comfortable bed. 

We encountered an amazing community of kind and inquisitive travellers along the way.

Our tie-dye “team jerseys” from Vernon’s Sun Country cycle  became instant conversation pieces. It usually went: “Love your shirts!” And “Why are you wearing them?” And “ Wait, did you bike from Canada?”,  we always had a good laugh. 

In the end the trip was a beautiful and life changing experience and it turns out, a little chaos mixed with a little faith makes for a pretty unforgettable ride.

Cheers, Fane Triggs

If you want your very own Team Jersey that will turn heads out on the trails and the roads of France check out our website for details!