If you had told me in 2017 that a borrowed bicycle would change my life, I would have laughed.
I didn’t own a road bike.
I didn’t own a cycling helmet.
I wasn’t a cyclist.
Yet one decision — saying yes to a 100 kilometre ride on a borrowed hybrid bike — changed everything.
Looking back now, that borrowed bicycle became the first chapter of what would eventually become Pedal & Port.
§ i
Saying yes
The Cambridge Tour de Grand offered several ride distances, but for some reason, I signed up for the 100 kilometre ride — known in cycling as a century ride.
At the time, I had no idea that completing a century was considered a major milestone among cyclists.
The funny part? I didn’t know any better.
Before that day, I had probably never ridden more than 15 kilometres in my life.
I had no idea what to expect. Would I finish? Would I have to quit? Could I actually ride 100 kilometres?
I simply believed that if others could do it, maybe I could too.
Sometimes the biggest adventures begin with one simple decision. Just say yes.
§ ii
The toughest part
The ride started with excitement. Being surrounded by hundreds of cyclists was inspiring, and the energy at the start line was contagious.
But somewhere around 80 kilometres, everything changed.
It was a hot summer day. I had run out of water. My legs were sore. Every muscle in my body was reminding me how unprepared I was.
The last 20 kilometres felt longer than the first 80.
I honestly didn’t know how I was going to finish.
But quitting never felt like the right option.
So I kept pedalling. One kilometre at a time. One pedal stroke at a time.
§ iii
Crossing the finish line
Eventually, I crossed the finish line.
The feeling is difficult to put into words.
I had done something I never imagined possible.
But I didn’t do it alone. I rode that day with a wonderful group of friends from the Cambridge YMCA cycling community, and they carried me through every kilometre.
We encouraged one another at every rest stop. We celebrated the small milestones together — the first 25, the halfway mark, the long climb behind us. When the difficult kilometres came, someone would ride up beside me to check in, share a laugh, or offer a reassuring smile that was enough to keep me moving.
No one would be left behind. We waited for each other when we needed to. We kept one another motivated as the distance added up. By the final stretch, it no longer felt like my ride. It felt like ours.
When I told some of the experienced cyclists it was my very first century ride, they laughed in disbelief. One of them smiled and said,
“Most people don’t do a century on their very first ride… but somehow, we knew you could do it.”
I’ve never forgotten those words.
I’m especially grateful that a friend captured a photograph of that finish. Every time I look at it, I don’t see the distance. I see the people who rode beside me — the encouragement, the friendships, the camaraderie that made the achievement possible.
That day wasn’t just the end of my first century. It was the beginning of a completely new chapter in my life.
§ iv
One ride became a lifestyle
After that day, cycling became part of who I was.
I bought my own bike. Then another. Weekend rides became longer. The kilometres added up, and so did the friendships.
Eventually, cycling carried me far beyond the roads around Cambridge. It took me to incredible places like Tuscany, where I experienced the joy of exploring another country on two wheels.
What began with one borrowed bicycle became a lifelong passion for adventure.
§ v
Why Pedal & Port exists
People sometimes ask where the idea for Pedal & Port came from.
It didn’t start with a business plan.
It didn’t start with a logo.
It didn’t start with a website.
It started with one borrowed bicycle, a decision to try something completely outside my comfort zone, and a group of friends who showed me how much farther we can go together.
Pedal & Port was created so others can experience that same encouragement, belonging, friendship, and shared adventure — through cycling, travel, wellness, and the simple joy of exploring the world with good people beside you.
§ vi
One decision can change everything
Looking back, I never could have imagined where that borrowed bicycle would lead.
It led to better health.
It led to lifelong friendships.
It led to cycling through places I had only dreamed about.
It led to Pedal & Port.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:
You don’t need the perfect equipment. You don’t need years of experience. You don’t even need to know exactly where the journey will take you.
Sometimes all it takes is the courage to say yes.
Because one decision… one borrowed bicycle… one ride… can change your life.
