Beat this travel story

It just shows when your desire is great enough you can achieve a seemingly impossible goal. Good for him.

There are many stories of how people did what they had to to reach family during this time, like the one man who sailed a small boat solo from Europe to South America because there was no other way to get there to be with his 90 year old father. They are all encouraging.

There was a story a month or so back about a fifteen-year-old girl in India who cycled 745 miles home with her disabled father on bike

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/24/fifteen-year-old-in-india-cycles-745-miles-home-with-disabled-father-on-bike

With Flights Banned, Son Sails Solo Across Atlantic to Reach Father, 90
BUENOS AIRES — Days after Argentina canceled all international passenger flights to shield the country from the new coronavirus, Juan Manuel Ballestero began his journey home the only way possible: He stepped aboard his small sailboat for what turned out to be an 85-day odyssey across the Atlantic.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/28/world/americas/coronavirus-argentina-sailor.html
or
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/man-sails-three-months-portugal-195457983.html

A grand idea and an exciting adventure for this young Greek. But to counter the long-held misconception, long distance bicycle travel, or just everyday biking around town for that matter, have little to do with just age and are far from impossible. One's overall health and physical shape play a much larger role. That is, anyone in decent health and physical condition and with the will to do so can ride a bike for as long and as far as desired.

For those in their teens, twenties and thirties, of course, such physical activity comes easier. Older folks may just have to work at it harder, but with time, the benefits of regular, gentle exercise such as cycling (or swimming or walking or canoeing even) pay off. The cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, emotional and cognitive benefits are huge and last a lifetime. But just like saving for retirement, the sooner one begins, the greater the accrued benefits.

For us, year-round biking and bicycle touring have been a way of life for decades, and every vacation is a multi-week or longer trip somewhere at home, but mostly abroad. The road may now be a little more challenging than thirty or forty years ago, but still exciting and adventurous and certainly not a deterrent. There's simply too much to see, enjoy and discover from two-wheel travel. A women here in her mid-eighties still takes annual bike trips in Europe. She's slim, fit and looks twenty years younger.

Biking for weeks on end or even only weekly may not be for everyone, but it's certainly not the exclusive domain of the young. Just the young at heart.

I suppose the ultimate cycle story might be that of Göran Kropp who cycled from Stokholm to Nepal in 1995/1996 carrying 100kg of food and equipment.
When he got to Nepal, he climbed Everest

What an amazing accomplishment. Nice story. That said, I concur with David's take, "the long-held misconception, long distance bicycle travel, or just everyday biking, have little to do with just age"... My husband was a marathon cyclist for many years. He participated in the "Ramrod" (154 miles around Mt. Rainier), & did 100 mile rides with a local bike club. Before he retired he commuted by bike (50 miles round trip) from our home to his office in Seattle. Following retirement, he had back surgery, and after he recuperated he had to give up his road bike. He now rides a hybrid. He rides 50+ miles a week. He will be 75 in October.

I am not a cyclist but I faithfully walk several miles daily. In my retirement I do contract work in wellness and preventative care. I counsel clients on diet & exercise to their specific needs. As David alluded to, exercise is the key to maintaining good health. It's a lifelong journey. It's never too late.

I completely agree Janis, exercise is a vital part of longevity and overall happiness and satisfaction in life, great to hear you and your husband are still so active!

Am I the only one who thinks this young man's journey is incredibly reckless? "It started as a joke". It wasn't to be with a dying relative. He just wanted an adventure. He travels all the way through Europe during a pandemic, potentially becoming a Petri dish on wheels. We don't know if he picked up Covid in one of the hot spots he went through, and brought it to his family in Greece.
Instead of celebrating the spontaneity of youth, we should be reinforcing the idea of staying in your own community to protect those you love, and keeping the cases at a controllable level.
In Canada we've been pretty good about flattening the curve. On the news I'm hearing about some states in the US being completely out of control. Don't know the solution for that.
This may not be the most popular reply, but I'm sure you'll forgive me.