Anna old Cyclist is Redefining Adventure
Anna's Inspiring Mid-Life Quest to See the World by Bike
TRAVEL INFO
8 Years
36000 Km
46 Countries
Anna Ruegg is a 57-year-old cyclist from Switzerland who started cycling late in life. Her goal is to cycle in 100 countries before she gets too old.
Anna believes that bicycle travel is a great way to see the world and meet people. It is also a good way to stay healthy and fit. Also uses her bicycle travel to promote peace and environmental protection. She has carried messages on her bike to raise awareness of the plight of the Noyon Mountain in Mongolia and the problem of littering.
INTERVIEW
We asked Anna : Introduce yourself and when did you start your passion….?
She said : My name is Anna Ruegg.I am 57 years old and i am cyclist from Switzerland.I started cycling late in life ,when i was 49.My first bike ride ever was in 2016, from Switzerland to Santiago de compostella in Spain…2300 km in 41 days.This is where i got the ” bike bug”, realized that I can do it, i can go and see the World,riding on a bicycle…
Question: What is your goal of traveling by bike?
She said :My goal is to cycle in 100 countries before i become too Old 54 left to go.
Question: Do you think that traveling can develop the individual ?
She said: The long distance cycle is more mental than physical…You like it, or you hate it,but if you like it, you become ” addict” ,you want more and more….This is what happened to me, i got addicted. Cycling gives you the possibility to travel on lawer buget, it is eco friendly, you do not pollute,you can do more with less, but most of all it gives you FREEDOM.
Question: Is traveling for women difficult ?
She said: Being solo was never an obstacle.If man can travel solo, why not woman as well….When you are solo , you are your own ” boss”, you take your own decisions , and you have no one to blame for your mistakes.No one to wait, no one to chase.
Many people ask me ” Ain’t you afraid?…I can answer ” yes” and ” not” …What am i afraid of? …Snakes and dogs, truks , but never really afraid of people. 90% of people, where ever you go are nice. It is politics and media who make people afraid of each other…Fear and prejudist are worst enemies.The world today calls for division rather union, violence rather kindness, fear rather confidence.Bicycle travel helps break the stereotypes.
Question: How many distances and places have you visited ?
She said: Since 2016 I have cycled in 46 countries , 36.000 km
Question : What is your advice for those who want to try traveling by bike?
She said : Get i bike and GO.( any bike can take you far, you do not need anything fancy or special, i cycled 6000 km from Swiss to Armenia on a very basic mountain bike and donate it in Erevan) , so and bike is fine…Do not think too much, Is it possible? , Is it doable? Is it difficult? …JUST GO and you will see…..Do not plan too much, let space for things to happen, some of my most memorable meetings are the once that i did not expect, Let God make you some gifts, Do not try to control it All, God knows best.
Question: What is your motivational message to our followers?
She said : When you travel by bicycle you meet people on “eye level” this makes contact more easy….When on bicycle you have time to STOP, to speak, you have time to see and listen, time to feel…No other mines of transport offers you that, when you travel by bus – you fall asleep,when you travel by motobike your vision is restricted by the helmet, everything goes too fast, your brain has no time to register what you see, when you travel by train you see just 1 side…When you travel by bicycle you SEE IT ALL…and remembre most.
Question: Why did i put a Palestinian flag on my bicycle?
She said: …Because as a Human being i can not accept what is unacceptable…In 21 century you can not do that, you can not butcher children, and destroy peoples houses and lives that way, There are problems ,we all know that? But violence and evil is not the way to solve them .History has proven it…IN ANY WAR, THERE ARE NEVER WINNERS, ONLY LOOSERS…War is not the answer…
I also wore a yellow jacked with the message STOP, Stop throwing rubbish from the cars…when you are on a bicycle you see it all, tones and tones of trash ALL OVER THE GLOBE .. during my travers i regulary pick rubbish, in the desert, on the beach, on the mountains,EVERY where…millions of plastic bottles are throwns from the cars a long the roads.
Sometimes i carry Messages on my bike…Here it says SAVE THE NOYON MOUNTAIN OF MONGOLIA…Noyon mountain is a Sacred mountain and burial site of the Hun nobles, there are 214 graves of Hunu kings and queens, it was under tread of Gold mining, after endless battle from Mongolia ( 50 times in court) the descision was taken in favour of protection of the Mountain , and the mining lisences were canceled, my ancesters can ” sleep” in peace.
