The Simplest Vehicle Makes the Deepest Connection
How Samer Abouhamad left banking for a three-year ride that changed his life
Interviewed on the 22.05.2025
Is biking the new way to travel the world? At least, that’s the path Samer Abouhamad chose. In 2021, at 26 years old, Samer was searching for the adventure of a lifetime. After the COVID crisis had turned the world upside down and forced everyone to pause, he felt an even stronger urge to break free. To find something that would shake him to his core, pull him out of his six‑figure banking job, and push him to challenge himself both mentally and physically. What initially started as a one-year bike trip from the United States to the southern tip of South America slowly evolved into something much bigger, eventually turning into a three-year journey across six continents and a complete change of lifestyle.
Choosing to travel by bike was anything but random. For Samer, it represents the perfect balance between speed, connection, and challenge. It’s fast enough to cover serious ground while remaining slow enough to feel every hill, pass through every small village, and stay fully present in the journey. Each day comes with a sense of accomplishment, earned through effort. Traveling this way naturally creates meaningful connections, leading him into places and conversations he would have missed with a faster mode of transport. Every climb demands patience and resilience, and covering such distances using only one’s own strength is both exhausting and deeply rewarding.
Like any long adventure, the journey wasn’t without its darker moments. Loneliness, physical pain, and doubt were part of the experience. Although Samer never truly considered quitting, he acknowledged the difficult times. Yet, what kept him moving forward was something greater than discomfort: a desire to inspire others to challenge themselves and chase what feels out of reach. Along the road, he encountered countless strangers who offered support in small yet powerful ways, leaving him with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and a renewed belief in humanity.
“My travels have helped me restore my faith in humanity, as it wouldn’t be possible without the help of strangers. 99.9999% of people in the world are good, and I’ve seen it firsthand. I traveled without a bike lock and was never robbed or made to feel unsafe.”
Samer believes this generosity comes from how universally people relate to a bicycle. Almost everyone has learned how to ride one at some point, and most people understand the physical effort and mental endurance required to cross entire regions on a two-wheels. The bike creates an immediate connection, a shared understanding, that he is a traveler doing something genuinely challenging. That recognition often opens doors, breaks barriers, and invites kindness.
Beyond human connection, the journey reshaped the way Samer approaches goals and uncertainty. At times, simply looking at a map felt overwhelming, especially when he found himself in the middle of the United States, realizing how far he still had to go. Over time, he learned to stop focusing on the final destination and instead break the journey into smaller, more manageable objectives. Thinking about where he wanted to be in a week, which city he hoped to reach, and when to allow himself rest made the challenge more approachable. And even though it may sound cliché, it truly became a lived reality for him: the journey mattered more than the destination itself. Still, having a clear destination gave his trip purpose and prevented it from feeling aimless, giving meaning to every mile in between.
To finish, Samer, now 31, shared a message he hopes will encourage others to challenge themselves and try new things. He only discovered his passion for biking at 26, proving that you never get too old to start something new.
"The hardest part isn’t the journey itself, it’s starting. If you’re thinking about trying something new or taking that trip you’ve been talking about for so long, sometimes starting is the only way to find out what you’re truly capable of."
To pass on his bikepacking knowledge and encourage those who feel motivated but don’t know where to begin, Samer has planned a new expedition in the French Alps, based out of Briançon. Designed to be challenging yet approachable, the route is accessible to everyone, with flexibility built in to adapt distances and elevation if needed. The heart of this trip lies in sharing experience, practical bikepacking tips, and building a strong sense of community to help each participant feel confident starting their own journey.
Connect with Samer here: Website. Instagram.
© 2025 Grit & Dust (The simplest vehicle makes the deepest connection). Photos © 2025 Samer Abouhamad. All rights reserved. No part of this article or images may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission.