Interview with Kristen Jokinen, Author of Joy Ride: A Bike Odyssey From Alaska to Argentina

adventureinterview

29 Nov

Explorers Kristen and Ville Jokinen met and fell in love while scuba diving in Vietnam. Ville then left his native Finland to join Kristen in Oregon and together they embarked on a life-changing two-year cycling adventure covering 18,000 miles from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Ushuaia, Argentina. Despite never having cycled further than around the block, they persevered unrelenting, punishing rain and wind, altitude sickness, dog attacks, bike accidents, and countless flat tires to cycle between the ends of the earth. Kristen and Ville believe that kindness connects us to our shared humanity. They held babies, attended quinceañeras, drank pulque, played soccer, and visited schools. People in Mexico, Central America, and South America invited them into their hearts and homes, allowed them to camp in their fields and farms, and acted as personal tour guides. Kristen and Ville are love on wheels, and who doesn’t need a little more love in their lives?

What inspired you to do this ride? The voice of reason doesn’t exist in either Ville or me. We are committed to living the fullest life possible and are willing to do anything to achieve that. And so, when this idea was presented somewhere in the wilds of Washington, there was no guardrail and we sailed right off that cliff and into the great unknown called The Next Adventure – Riding bikes from the top of the world to the bottom.

How do you spend all day together? I think that is the easiest part. I enjoy being with Ville. We don’t take ourselves too seriously and we enjoy our sense of humor. It makes life fun. Also, when riding we had to ride in single file most of the time, so we were alone. We spent breaks, lunch, and the end of the day together

What is something you learned from this adventure? This world is full of kind people. Generally, we are all seeking the same things, health, happiness, and the best for our families. When given the opportunity we want to help each other. Also, you get what you give. Remember, a smile goes a long way.

Did you ever want to quit? No, but we hoped nothing happened that would force us to quit. When I had a virus, we think possibly Dengue Fever, that was the closest we came to a forced end to the ride. I was still sick and out-of-shape climbing into the Andes so it took a lot of determination and drive to keep going, but it was better than quitting.

What advice would you have for someone who dreams about embarking on an adventure? No better time than now. Don’t over-plan. In fact, it’s best to not make a plan. The best-laid plans will always change. Plus, new opportunities you hadn’t known existed will present themselves along the way, and if you're scheduled it’s hard to deviate. Without a plan, the world is your oyster. The big picture can be overwhelming, so tackle things day by day.

Why is it important to share your story? We believe that for all the kindness that has been shown to us and positive things that have happened to continue, they must be shared. We owe it to the people that have done so much for us. Also, we need to see the potential to know anything is possible. I hope we inspire others to walk the path that is true to themselves.

Do you know what your next adventure will be? Yes, we are flying to Cuba (Havannah) and bringing inexpensive, but nice bikes that we plan to ride and then leave to some deserving Cubans (they cannot easily get bikes there). We will also gather patch kits, food, medicines, etc. to take over with us to leave there as well. With the embargo and COVID they are really struggling.

Last question! If you could choose to go on any Women Who Explore adventure, which one would it be and why? What a HARD question!! All of them! hahaha. So, I might just be in Thailand during that Getaway. If I get to pick any of them, I would LOVE to hike in the Dolomites. Or Tour Du Mont Blanc. So many great ones!