Page 25 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2022

The Adventure of a Lifetime
even sleeping in bear boxes and camping in the backyards of welcoming families. “There’s an online resource for people hosting bicycle travelers,” Nguyen says. “As I followed the trail, I’d cross-reference hosts in that
area and see if anyone would be willing to host me for a night. That was amazing, because I met people from all walks of life, in every stage of
life. I always got a shower, sometimes I’d camp out in their backyard. One time I camped on a trampoline. Many would provide breakfast or dinner.” Through this experience, Nguyen recognized a reality sometimes forgotten. “There are a lot of really kind people out there. Watching
the news might make you think that doesn’t exist anymore, but getting kindness from so many different strangers, friends, and family restored my faith in humanity.”
Wherever he went, he met the same response when telling others about his travels. “So many people said they’d wish
they’d done something similar. That was
a positive affirmation that I was doing the right thing,” he says. “The most important thing that I have is time. I can always make more money, I can always buy more things, but I’ll never be able to get more time. I want to make sure I spend that time wisely. Going on that trip was one of the best things I’ve done for myself.”
Nguyen now uses his cycling expertise as a manager at Biloxi Bicycle Works. On his next adventure, he wants to bike from California to Argentina.
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The most important thing that I have is time. I can always make more money, I can always buy more things, but I’ll never be able to get more time.
– Adam Nguyen