Brian Elander

I did the @letourdefrankie bike race from Mexico City to Puerto Escondido across Mexico. That is roughly 800 kms of incredibly punishing terrain composed of extreme heat, rough and raw dirt roads, and the hospitality of a gracious people. Lots of memories were made, many of them just to be immediately forgotten, lost to the heat, dehydration, or the Mexican countryside.

Some people have the gift of documenting these types of events in a way that truly does them justice. I do not have that gift. I have found that these rides end up becoming deeply personal for me and when I am deep in it I don’t give a thought to the social media post when I am finished. With that being said I will share my Tour De Frankie thoughts nonetheless.

I finshed the race in 68 hours 54 minutes, riding the 800+ kms and climbing the 14,300+ meters in a way that I felt was composed and purposeful. I earned myself 9th place and all things considered I’m very pleased with that. I do these things because they are bigger than I am. Going somewhere where I am an outsider to do something that is maybe just barely possible is scary. Mexico has a reputation that cannot be ignored, but it can and should be questioned. I have traveled here many times now and my observations are always the same; humanity thrives here. The little moments are often times all that I had, passing through a villages, buying a soda, laughing with people who have a life so incredibly different to mine, then carrying on my journey never to see them again. Yes the ride is the real deal. Good. When it is all said and done the route will push you down and the people will lift you back up and to that I say Viva México, I can’t wait for next time.