From Tierra del Fuego in Argentina to Alaska in the US, the Boundless Biking team is on a cycling expedition since autumn 2013. While they are currently in Colombia, they interacted exclusively with Spectralhues.com and shared the experience they have had by-far. Below are the transcripts of the interaction with the Boundless Bikers, Sven and Kira.
So, covering 30,000 kilometers on a bicycle: Why did you decide to bike all over America? What made you take on this incredible journey?
Sven started touring because he wanted to spend some time with himself. Kira start
ed touring because she was inspired by a family who cycled the Panamerican Highway with two 10-year-old sons. We met each other during the cycling trip in Norway and decided to cycle the longest highway in the world together. We’ve already cycled 10,000km and we will ride 16,000 km more.
How important is cycling to you?
Sven is a keen cyclist since childhood, so cycling is very important to him. Kira started cycling only two years before the trip.
Which one is your favourite moment from the trip?
The day when we have reached Ecuador: we were cycling for thousands of kilometers through the various deserts and hadn’t seen many green plants for nearly a year. And then we have entered Ecuador straight in to the banana plantations and jungle, full of rivers and huge tropical flowers.
How has the journey been so far?
Good and bad, horrible and fantastic – all together. When you push your bike up the steep mountain for 5 days and finally see the summit, you forget about the pain and fatigue, and just enjoy the view. When you cross the desert for hundreds of kilometers and finally reach a town and get under the shower, you go from misery to pure happiness in the blink of an eye.
You cycle under harsh conditions, varying climates, etc. Doesn’t it affect you?
Changing conditions affect us, but we have learned to adapt. In the hot deserts we would bike only in the early morning and then wait out the heat sitting in the shade under the tree. In the cold and windy Patagonia we would sleep for a bit longer and start cycling only in the afternoon when it’s warmer. In the rainy jungle, we would pack before the morning showers and then cycle during the day when it’s dry.
Which is one of the best places that you have visited during this journey?
We’ve visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site National Archeological Park of Tierradentro in Colombia. There are many underground tombs, that lay 5 to 11 meters below the surface and are built on the top of the mountain. They are around 1000 years old, from an unknown ancient pre-Hispanic civilization. There are different paintings inside of the tombs as well as some huge stone statues from the same period outside of them. There is a long hike to the top of the mountain through the jungle and coffee plantations. Once on the summit, you can visit around 70 tombs. There are the original steps leading to each of the tomb. The steps are very steep and high, so you also need to use your arms to climb inside and outside. Once inside of the tomb you use the flashlight to find the paintings.
How has the journey enlightened you?
We learned to trust people and our surroundings – even in the most complicated situations. In this journey we got the freedom and understanding about its price. We had many adventures and learned that it doesn’t matter who you are and what you do, the life continues with its ups and downs. We got the chance to see how other cultures are living and understand that despite different traditions, we all are humans. 
Tulku, your dog seems to be a very important part of your life. She seems to have undergone a lot of hardships too. How did you cope with it?
The hardest moment was when we woke up in the middle of the desert in Peru and found out that our dog is blind and unable to walk. It seemed it happened just overnight and we didn’t know what exactly went wrong. After visiting many vets and performing many tests we heard two diagnosis: cataract in both eyes and luxating patella in both rear legs. Tulku overcame 3 surgeries to fix her legs and now can walk again. The recovery period lasted for 3 months. She is still blind, but has learned how to live with this disability. The sight is not that important for dogs as it is for people, so she can lead a quality life and continue traveling with us to Alaska.
Interview coordination and Editing: Suyash Karangutkar. PhotoCourtesy: Sven and Kira, team Boundless Biking.
