Bikepacking Holland Stories: Anfred’s 31.000 km ride from Alaska to Patagonia

For this edition of our Bikepacking Holland Rider Stories, we travelled to Village Départ in Schijndel; one of our beloved members of the Bikepacking Holland network. There, Anfred van Roosmale shared the story of his truly unbelievable journey. And yes, unbelievable really is the right word.

In front of a packed room of at least 80 people, Anfred took us along on the adventure of a lifetime: a solo bike journey from Alaska to Patagonia. No shortcuts. No support vehicle. Just one person, one bike and 31.000 kilometres of road, dirt, wind, heat, cold, borders and uncertainty.

During the evening, it felt as if we were travelling with him. And honestly, trying to summarise 563 days on the road in just one blog feels almost impossible.

Quitting everything… and going all in

In 2023, Anfred quit his job and decided to do something most of us only dream about: cycling the full length of the Americas. From the far north of Alaska all the way down to Ushuaia, Argentina: also known as Fin del Mundo, the end of the world.

What followed was a journey of extremes. Encounters with incredibly kind people, breathtaking landscapes, and temperatures ranging from blistering heat to biting cold. Endless headwinds, roads that could hardly be called roads, landslides and volcanoes. All approached with a healthy dose of Brabant common sense and a down-to-earth attitude.

There were moments of illness and border trouble along the way, of course. But Anfred never framed them as obstacles, just part of the ride. What remained throughout was his steady perseverance, curiosity and humour, and above all, many moments of pure joy that made the journey exactly what it was.

Border crossings and impossible choices

Anfred spoke openly about the difficult moments along the way: getting seriously ill in Mexico, accidentally ending up at one of the most dangerous junctions in Mexico City and the infamous border crossing between Panama and Colombia.

That’s where things became truly complicated. Anfred discovered that he was missing an exit stamp in his passport. Earlier, when crossing the border from Costa Rica into Panama, the exit stamp had been forgotten.

Suddenly, he was faced with two options:

• Pay $1000,= in cash

• Or go all the way back

  
  

Neither option was realistic. Who carries that much cash while cycling solo? And turning back simply wasn’t in Anfred’s nature.

In the end, he managed to cross illegally by boat, arriving in Colombia anyway. Not exactly textbook travel advice, but a powerful example of his determination to keep moving forward, no matter the obstacles.

Family visits…and never standing still

Despite travelling solo, Anfred wasn’t alone the entire time. His wife, daughter and friends joined him occasionally, meeting him in places like Guatemala and Peru. Moments of connection, before he got back on the bike again.

And cycling wasn’t enough, apparently.

Along the way, Anfred:

• Climbed a volcano. And even witnessed an eruption

• Visited Machu Picchu

• Explored the impressive Nazca Lines in Peru

As if pedalling thousands of kilometres wasn’t demanding enough already.

Camping in the most unlikely places

One thing that truly stood out during the evening was Anfred’s creativity when it came to wild camping. He almost turned it into a sport to pitch his tent in the most unexpected locations, carefully documenting each one with his drone.

His tent appeared in places you wouldn’t normally associate with a night’s rest:

• Near the Christ statue in Nicaragua

• At the “Middle of the World” monument in Ecuador, where a large statue marks the equator: a symbolic point where the northern and southern hemispheres meet

• Inside a small memorial chapel

• On the endless, otherworldly salt flats of Bolivia

  
  

Each image felt more surreal than the last. Seeing his tiny tent placed in such iconic and remote settings highlighted both the scale of the landscapes he crossed and the quiet simplicity of life on the road.

The Bolivean salt flats… nothing but nothing

Perhaps the most impressive part of the evening was Anfred’s story about crossing the salt flats of Bolivia.

Miles and miles of white. No landmarks. No people. No villages. Nothing.

How do you even navigate there?

Anfred’s answer was, characteristically, very calm:

• Download maps in advance (usually in a hostel with good Wi-Fi)

• Use his Garmin

• Follow tyre tracks left by land cruisers

  
  

The real challenge wasn’t navigation. It was the wind. Sometimes so strong that pitching a tent was impossible. On those nights, he slept in his sleeping bag on the open salt flats, shielding himself from the wind.

Occasionally, luck was on his side and he found an abandoned hut where he could rest. Other times, he wouldn’t see another human being for days.

And still…he kept going.

Brabant practicality meets the end of the world

Here, Anfred’s Brabant down-to-earth attitude really shone through. He spoke about how happy he felt when reaching a tiny village, simply to refill water and food. And then: back on the bike.

Through Chile. Through Argentina. Contstantly crossing borders between those two countries. Conversations started with other “gringos”, even without speaking Spanish.

We asked him: “Do you actually speak Spanish, Anfred?”

His answer?No.

But somehow, Anfred always managed.

The final stretch: Patagonia to Ushuaia

In Patagonia, the final chapter began: the last 3000 kilometres to Ushuaia, the end of the world. Along this legendary cycling route (the one many of you will know), he met other long-distance cyclists again.

And then, after 563 days and 31000 kilometres, the moment arrived.

The finish.

Even the famously calm, practical Brabander became emotional…and so did the room. Silence. Goosebumps. A deep sense of respect.

Our takeaway

We bow deeply to Anfred.

Not just for the distance he covered, but for the mindset he showed: perseverance, humour, creativity and trust in the road ahead.

We hope his story inspires you to get on your bike and seek adventure too. Not necessarily on the scale Anfred did… because let’s be honest, that’s not for everyone. But adventure doesn’t have to be extreme.

Take your bike. Ride somewhere unfamiliar. Discover how beautiful the world  (and its people) really are. Much more beautiful than the news often suggests.

Start small. Stay curious. And let the road surprise you.