This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
As he just published Other stories to sleep outside, an exciting account of his new 20,000 kilometer journey on two wheels, Jonathan B. Roy has selected for us three destinations where to meet “beautiful people” on the cycle paths of Southeast Asia and South America. Selected pieces.
Taiwan, a cycling paradise
At the start of his journey in Southeast Asia, Jonathan B. Roy experienced the first significant encounter of his new two-wheeled adventures in Taiwan. Launched to attack Mount Wuling, one of the highest peaks of the tropical island, with his 55 kilos of luggage, the Quebecer meets Liu Wenxiong, says Luke, a 50-year-old Taiwanese entrepreneur also bitten biking and travel. They ride a few kilometers together, before meeting again a little later in Taipei.
“He took me under his wing the week I was there. It’s also the only time someone has offered to ride with me to take me back on my bike and be sure that everything is going well when I leave, “says the cyclotraveler in an interview, then convinced to see his companion again one day. of road. Cruel fate decided otherwise, and the unfortunate Luke died of cardiac arrest just one day after Jonathan left for China.
Despite this tragic disappearance, the adventurer has fond memories of his time in Taiwan, which he describes in his book as a cycling paradise. “Taiwanese people are super hospitable. The cycle paths are incredible, and there is a track that goes all the way around the island,” he explains. “It really is a great destination for cycling. When people ask me for advice, I always recommend going to Taiwan. »
Chile, land of adventures
It is a route that makes all cyclists in search of thrills dream. So, inevitably, when he took the road to the famous Carretera Austral in Chile, Jonathan B. Roy quickly realized that he was not the only one with crazy projects in mind. He comes across a Slovenian who has planned to walk from Ushuaïa to Alaska, pushing a cart loaded with luggage for three years. Above all, he greets a lot of colleagues ready to swallow the kilometers by hundreds to add a mythical circuit to their hunting board.
“Normally, I can meet a cyclist once a month, or once every two weeks”, explains the host-producer of the web series. The good world of the Route verte. “But in the Carretera, I could see up to eight to ten cyclists a day. While riding with his German accomplice Freddie Fritz, with whom he has already shared the road in Tajikistan and Myanmar, Jonathan comes across Davide Pasqualetto, known as Pasco, a 26-year-old Italian who has also given himself the mission to pedal to the end of this mythical road.
“The first time I saw him he was asleep, in all his glory, by the side of the road. After that, we cycled together for three weeks,” says Jonathan. “He became my super big friend. I saw him again several times, and I visited him at his home in Turin. The bike does that. Sharing meals and campfires on the road accelerates the creation of friendships. As with Luke, I already knew after two days that I was going to see Pasco again. »
Uruguay, the nice surprise
The country where people sip mate while walking (unlike the Argentinians who sip it sitting down, Jonathan tells us) was not necessarily at the top of the destinations he wanted to cycle through. “There are no mountains in Uruguay. It’s an agricultural country with small hills, and I love climbing peaks,” he explains. As he had to go to Brazil, after passing through Argentina and Chile, Jonathan had no choice but to cross Uruguay.
In the absence of mountains to climb, the ex-lawyer converted to the joys of cycle tourism found incredibly welcoming people there. In the small village of Montes, Jonathan befriends the members of a mountain bike club who quickly adopt him around a barbecue. The Quebecer also finds himself recounting, in Spanish, his exploits around the world to some 250 students from the local elementary school.
“Everyone was so excited to receive me,” he comments. “Countries that don’t have tourism don’t take it for granted. They are so unaccustomed to seeing travelers that they are super happy to welcome you. Their happiness is also increased tenfold by being able to share their culture”, adds Jonathan, who left Montes with a heavy heart, but with lots of gifts in his bags, including a calabash of mate.
The road diaries of an indestructible cyclotraveler
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.