Crew
Alister Hazeldine
29 year old Adelaidean part-time adventurer, part-time environmental consultant, part time mountain bike nerd, and most time couch-dreamer.
I have this dream when I think about this trip and we are riding down a loose gravel road, the wind is blowing from all directions, rugged snow-capped peaks climb around us into the gloomy grey sky. A beat like a pulse overcomes the scene as 'Del Fuego' from Fat Freddys Drop builds in my headphones… 'it was always within your control' …the gravel road leads down to the ocean and a small town of low buildings on a harbour. The village is non-descript, but the green fields, wind, gravel road and giant peaks are distinctly Patagonian in nature. An emotional feeling builds within me when I think this is us at the end of the journey. I have never been to South America, let alone Patagonia or Ushuaia but the image is clear. The emotion is released wondering what have we seen, what amazing places we have shared, people we have met, miles we have ridden, nights we have spent in a tent, wildnerness explored, cups of tea drunk and stories shared.
Maybe I am getting a little too far ahead of myself. This place may not exist as I imagined it, we may not make it that far, we are dreamers but also realists… but to me this dream is the essence of the trip and the inspiration behind 'the Fuego Project'. Fuego as in Tierra Del Fuego ('the land from the fire'), the end point of our trip, and inspired by that tune by New Zealand Dub group Fat Freddys Drop 'Del Fuego' which is the soundtrack to the dream.
This trip has always been a huge dream of Anna's since I first met her. Initially I was hesitant, even wishing her well on her 'little' bike trip she had planned. Now here I am with the trip firmly as part of my own dream shared with hers. The trails will be rockier and dirtier with the shared vision but the goal is the same, to travel as lightly as possible on the earth on two wheels, to experience some of natures wonders from the arctic wilderness to the mountains, then the deserts to the tropics, and to raise awareness and funds for nature conservation and sustainability projects.
It will be hard to be away from friends and family especially our little nephew Zac for long periods of time, but time doesn't stand still and opportunities like these need to be fulfilled. Two years away… two years of real life adventure, opening our minds and our eyes to the world. Then maybe some couch time…
I thank Anna for sharing the dream with me, and love to all our support from family, friends and little Zac.
Anna Wittert
Hi there, my name is Anna.
Since childhood I've had a big love for nature. I used to dream I was going to be a tramper for my living, walking to far away places with a caravan of animals, dog, cow, horse and many more.
The past few years have brought me from Utrecht, Netherlands where I studied medicine, to New Zealand, where I finished my course and got a good taste of cycle touring and fresh air, to Adelaide, South Australia, where I worked as a junior doc and live with Alister, my boyfriend and cycling companion.
The dream has taken a different format, animals have made way for steel and wheels... same same, yet different.
Past Travels
Mongolia 2002 ‘Ecovolunteer with Przewalski horses’
Nepal 2002 ‘Annapurna Circuit’
New Zealand 2005 ‘Milford Track, Welcome Flat, Abel Tasman NP, West Coast’
Mawson Trail 2005 ‘Northern Flinders Ranges’
Tasmania 2005 ‘Cradle Mountain, Walls of Jerusalem, North-West Coast’
Mawson Trail 2006 ‘Adelaide to Blinman’ (click for article by Alister)
Tasmania 2007 ‘Port Davey and South Coast Track’
Netherlands 2007
Scotland 2007(click for article by Alister)
Adelaide 2005-2008 ‘Local rides and races’