Worldwide Solo Bike Journey: Judi Desire Cycles From New York to New Zealand
Judi Desire: A Trailblazing Female Bike Tourist of Color
Judi Desire, a Brooklyn native, first embarked on her bike touring journey in 2012, booking a one-way ticket to Sao Paolo, Brazil, to start her first proper adventure. Inspired by a conversation with a coworker, Desire left her job as a computer programmer to explore Europe on two wheels, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey that has since taken her to six continents.
Throughout her travels, Desire has encountered a myriad of experiences and challenges, many of which can be attributed to her race and gender. Navigating cultural perceptions and biases has been a common theme in her journeys, with curiosity, stereotyping, or even discrimination based on race and gender depending on the country and local culture.
In Turkey, for instance, Black people are often perceived as prostitutes, and Desire was automatically assumed to be a sex worker due to her clothing. In Southeast Asia, she experienced exotification, with locals pulling on her braids and poking at her muscles. In Istanbul, she was even physically harassed, with a man slapping her on the shoulder in a non-touristy neighborhood.
Despite these challenges, Desire has also found empowerment and unique cross-cultural connections through bike touring. She has camped in various locations, from the back yard of a police officer in Bolivia to the dormitories of female firefighters in Argentina. Her adventures have taken her to remote locations around the world, including the beaches of Hawaii.
Logistical and social barriers have also been a part of Desire's journey. Access to resources, local support, and community acceptance can vary significantly in different countries. Being a minority on the road might sometimes mean less peer support or facing language and cultural barriers in setting up accommodations and routes.
To overcome these obstacles, Desire has relied on homestay services like Couchsurfing to connect with locals and other travelers. She has also taken steps to avoid countries with strong oppression against their Black residents and immigrants.
In addition to her bike touring exploits, Desire is a certified bicycle mechanic and bike tour leader. However, she has faced undermining and patronizing behaviour from male bicycle mechanics. Despite these setbacks, she continues to work as a computer programmer to fund her bike tours and only purchases one-way tickets.
In 2017, Desire founded Uptown & Boogie Bicycle Advocacy to promote cycling in Harlem and surrounding communities. The pandemic temporarily halted much of her programming for the organisation, but she remains optimistic about the surge in cycling in New York City leading to long-term behavioural change, particularly in communities of colour.
Desire's goal is to use the bicycle to bring positive change to her own community in Harlem. Her inspiring story serves as a testament to the power of adventure, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams, regardless of the challenges that may arise along the way.
- Judi Desire, while taking a break from her world travels, finds solace at home by focusing on her lifestyle, including home-and-garden projects, as well as her love for sports.
- After returning from her bike tour in various continents, Judi Desire plans her next adventure, envisioning a chance to blend travel, lifestyle, home-and-garden, and sports in one exciting journey.
