Robert D Fletcher
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Robert D Fletcher
Trading the Sofa for a Bicycle Seat
by Robert D Fletcher
The true story of an octogenarian who trades comfort for curiosity, embarking on a long-distance cycling journey that redefines adventure, aging, and what it means to begin again.
Octogenarian Odyssey: Trading a Sofa for a Bicycle Seat is where the journey begins. At an age when most people are expected to slow down, Robert Fletcher chooses a different path — leaving behind routine and comfort to set out on a long-distance cycling adventure.
This book captures the early days of the odyssey: the doubts, the physical adjustments, the logistical learning curve, and the mental shift required to exchange a predictable life for the uncertainty of the open road. Through daily rides, unexpected challenges, and encounters with strangers, Robert discovers that adventure is less about age and more about attitude.
Along the way, the story explores themes of resilience, adaptability, and curiosity, as well as the practical realities of life on a bicycle. It is an honest account of what it feels like to start something entirely new later in life — without guarantees, but with purpose.
More than a cycling memoir, Trading a Sofa for a Bicycle Seat is an invitation to reconsider assumptions about aging and possibility. It speaks to anyone who has ever wondered whether it is too late to begin again.
Canadian adventure cyclist, author, and Guinness World Record holder whose Octogenarian Odyssey series is a long-distance cycling travel memoir spanning more than 50,000 kilometres across four continents since turning 80.
Robert Fletcher is a Canadian adventurer, author, and Guinness World Record holder for the longest electric bike journey. Since turning 80, he has cycled more than 50,000 kilometres across North America, South America, Europe, and Australia, documenting life on the road through long-distance cycling, cultural encounters, and personal reflection. A lifelong explorer, he has visited over 100 countries and ridden his bicycle in 37 of them. His journeys extend beyond cycling and include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, walking 800 kilometres of the Camino de Santiago in France, and hiking 125 kilometres across the Maasai lands of Kenya’s Rift Valley. Before devoting himself fully to adventure and writing, Robert spent 30 years as an educator with the Edmonton Public School Board, encouraging curiosity, resilience, and a global outlook — values that continue to shape his books. His writing is drawn directly from lived experience and speaks to readers interested in: • long-distance cycling and adventure travel • real journeys beyond tourist routes • staying active and curious later in life • endurance, adaptability, and human connection
Can’t Stop Pedaling
A travel memoir following an octogenarian cyclist as he continues his long-distance ride across South America, confronting extreme terrain, altitude, borders, and the physical limits of endurance.
The Third Continent
A first-hand travel memoir documenting long-distance cycling across North America, South America, Europe, and Australia by an octogenarian author who has ridden more than 50,000 kilometres since turning 80.
No puedo dejar de pedalear
A los ochenta años, muchos eligen la comodidad del sillón. El autor de Octogenarian Odyssey eligió la bicicleta.
Este libro narra una extraordinaria travesía en dos ruedas a través de América, desde paisajes remotos hasta ciudades vibrantes, enfrentando climas extremos, desafíos físicos y dudas internas. Más que un relato de viaje, es una reflexión honesta sobre la edad, la perseverancia y el espíritu humano.
Con humor, humildad y una profunda admiración por quienes viven la aventura sin redes de seguridad, el autor demuestra que nunca es demasiado tarde para desafiar los límites, explorar el mundo y descubrir de qué somos realmente capaces.
Una historia inspiradora para ciclistas, viajeros y para cualquiera que alguna vez haya pensado que ya era demasiado tarde para empezar de nuevo.
Mucho más que un viaje
Una odisea extraordinaria que demuestra que la edad no define los límites.
A los ochenta años, Robert Fletcher emprendió un viaje en bicicleta desde Alaska hasta Panamá, atravesando desiertos, montañas y culturas diversas, impulsado por la curiosidad, la resiliencia y el amor por el camino.