Ethel MacDonald on one of her many trips
France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, UK... the list of countries MacDonald has transited includes much of Europe and the United States where she comes from. "Usually, my trips are about 1,600 kilometers , which I do between three and four weeks. I have been doing them for 13 years , at a rate of one to two trips a year, so the total must be on the 21 or 22,000 kilometers "explained the old woman to CNN recently, as she walked the irish coast.
Her only company then, and every time she leaves her house in Missoula, Montana, is usually a pink folding bike However, in her adventures she always widens that circle, because sleep at other travelers' houses who open her rooms for her using networks like **Coachsurfing or Warmshowers** (only for cyclists). According to what she told the media, she loves this way of traveling the world, for "inspiration, connections and memories" that are generated, as well as by the "great cultural exchange" . In fact, she photograph each of your hosts (there are already more than 165) and she writes her impressions of them in a book that she treasures with care.
Not even the rain can stop her
Of course, this great-grandmother (she has two children, a grandson and a great-granddaughter) also welcome travelers into your home her (she believes that she will already be over 200), established in a place that is especially interesting for cyclists due to its possibilities for the modalities of rides and adventure. Curiously, however, she she started riding a bike at 40 , when she got divorced and had to move to another city, and now she couldn't live without it: "I feel like my own boss" , she explained to CNN.
"Just do it" , she tells her when she is asked for advice she would give to others in her situation. And when they question her about her next destination her, she has it clear: after having been this year in Philippines and Ireland , she intends to go for Cuba : "Maybe she can't do as much past 80. Maybe I have a couple of years left at this pace. I am considering the possibility of doing less kilometers and more tourism MacDonald commented to the outlet.