Episode 118: Terri Jockerst

Age is No Barrier to Cycling Adventures – From Europe to Asia in Retirement!

In a world where age can often be perceived as a barrier to adventure, Terri Jockerst defies expectations and champions the belief that age is just a number. In this episode Terri shares her inspiring journey of discovering the joys of bike touring later in life, with stories from her travels from Norway to Malta and then across Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.

Discovering the World on a Bicycle

Terri’s journey into cycling adventures began when she realised that retirement was approaching, and her children were becoming more independent. This newfound freedom allowed her to focus on her passion for travel. Despite not having a lifelong love of cycling, Terri embarked on an awesome journey from Norway to Malta. She undertook this adventure over three separate trips, cycling a total of 7,000 kilometres.

Planning for Success

For me one of the highlights of our conversation is Terri’s approach to planning her trips in a way that minimises stress and potential pitfalls. With the wisdom of experience, she ensures that each day’s journey is manageable, typically avoiding anything more than six hours of riding to prevent burnout. By preparing thoroughly, she avoids potential disasters and maintains a sense of enjoyment throughout her travels.

A Cultural Immersion

Strangers that Terri meets along the way are a huge part of her adventures. She finds joy in connecting with locals and learning about their cultures, which adds depth and meaning to her journeys. This was particularly evident in her experiences in Taiwan, Japan and S. Korea, where she sought conversations that delved into the locals’ concerns and cultural nuances.

Facing Challenges with Grace

While riding through various terrains and dealing with weather extremes, Terri’s resilience shines through. Her method of coping is simple yet effective: she prevents overwhelming situations by planning carefully and allows herself breaks when necessary. She knows that by planning her tours in this way, it will mean that even if she encounters some mechanical on the road, she won’t be time pressured to reach her destination. For me this is such a great learning and shows that with the right mindset and preparation, obstacles can be managed and even anticipated. Bike tours often throw up unknown problems, but factoring that into the way you undertake your route means if they do arise, it doesn’t have the same ability to overwhelm you.

Looking Forward

Terri is a great example of the power of taking adventures at any age. Right now she is in the US on her next bike adventure. A message she especially wanted to share to others is that it’s never too late to embark on your own journey and that passion, curiosity, and a spirit of adventure know no age limits.

For those interested in following Terri’s ongoing journey, you can find her on Instagram under the handle @footloosefreckle and also on YouTube – @footloosefreckle.

I’ve personally read her latest book – Biking to Busan and highly recommend it. You can find her books for purchase here.

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