Bikepacking from Vietnam to Spain | Garbage Bag Boys

Guests Luke Fowler and Sam Edder share what it's been like on their bikepacking adventure from Vietnam to Spain.  The two friends, better known as The Garbage Bag Boys  have certainly chosen to take on some of the most challenging routes. Their journey so far has taken them through the punchy Ha Giang Loop and almost broke them as they pushed headfirst into the punishing winds of the Gobi Desert.

 They've also taken on the Tian Shan Traverse and the Celestial Divide routes, as well as the Caucasas Crossing. I spoke to them while they were in Greece about to head into the final part of the journey.

This trip has been full of adventures, from surviving a roof-ripping storm in a derelict shack to pushing their bikes through deep sand for hours on end, Luke and Sam share brutally honest stories of hardship, freedom, privilege, wild landscapes, and the lessons they’re gathering along the way.

Together we talk about:

• Hitchhiking across India
• How two student paramedics decided to ride across the world
• The storm that tore the roof off their shelter
• The emotional weight of travel, privilege & storytelling
• The Gobi Desert and why it's a place they never want to ride again
• What brings meaning to long-term human-powered travel
• How their perspectives have shifted along the journey
• Why discomfort is equal parts addictive and transformative

Follow their adventures via their instagram - @GarbageBagsBoys

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Chapters

• 4:30 First Bikes and Early Surf Adventures
• 11:25 The War Photojournalist: Sam's Unique Early Career Path
• 24:46 Reflections on Privilege and Purpose
• 33:00 The Birth of the Garbage Bag Boys
• 42:25 Planning the Epic Journey
• 48:01 The Gobi Desert Challenge
• 54:30 Unexpected Encounters in Mongolia
• 1:04:07 The Tian Shan Mountains Experience
• 1:05:26 The Philosophy of No Expectations
• 1:09:08 Freedom in the Tian Shan Mountains
• 1:12:28 Burrito: The Heartwarming Story
• 1:18:13 Challenges with Guard Dogs
• 1:25:16 Reflecting on the Journey
• 1:30:10 The Reality of Long Distance Bikepacking
• 1:35:29 Final Thoughts and Future Plans