A night in a Texas jail . . . a stay with a Canadian Mountie and an opera singer . . . an unforgettable party with a local mayor in a tackle shop. What do these things have in common? They are just some of the incredible times that Chris and Ties experienced on their 14,000-mile bike tour across the US and Canada.

Meet Chris Fieldsend, who, after careful planning, set off on a yearlong tour with his partner Ties Benguedda. They stayed with over 70 Warmshowers’ hosts during their tour, who provided a place to stay and took them on fantastic adventures like kayaking with manatees.

Chris wrote a book called Wheels of Fortune recounting the many lessons learned along the way and encouraging all cycle tourers to host and be hosted. Proceeds from the book are being donated to World Bike Relief, changing the lives of people in need by providing bicycles. You can follow Chris and Ties on Instagram at @CyclinkTheWorld and find his book, Wheels of Fortune, on Amazon.

Join our community at Warmshowers.org, follow us on Instagram @Warmshowers_org and visit us on Facebook. Contact Tahverlee directly at [email protected].

Happy riding and hosting!