The TransMexico Norte bikepacking route hugs the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountains on its way from Durango to Zacatecas. As we followed the route, we found ourselves alternately climbing up into the cool, pine-cloaked mountains, then plunging back down onto Mexico’s hot, arid, central plateau. There, at the edge of the desert, we cycled between bustling cities and magical towns that trace their histories to the Spanish empire’s hunger for silver and gold.

Saying farewell to Baja, we voyaged across the Sea of Cortez to mainland Mexico. From there, an arduous but spectacular 9,000 ft ascent (2,750 m) would take us from the coast to the heights of Mexico’s Sierra Madre mountains. Along the way we officially crossed into the tropics and rode through grand, colonial-era towns built on the mining of silver and gold.

Golden leaves and chilly temperatures signaled the arrival of fall as we departed from Libby, Montana. We cycled westward in hopes of reaching the milder Pacific Coast for the winter. But the Northern Cascades stood in our way, and we had to make it over the mountains before snow closed the high passes for the season. As we approached the Cascades, we cycled through the dry forests and open grasslands of the Okanogan region, following the path of several big rivers. And when we arrived in the mountains, good luck provided us with unseasonably warm and dry weather. We had a fabulous ride through some of the Northwest’s most scenic landscapes, without the hassle of summer crowds. In the end, we couldn’t have asked for a better ride.

As we cycled out of Fairbanks towards Canada, kitschy tourist stops soon gave way to the wide open spaces of Alaskan wilderness. Smoky air from forest fires and the onset of almost daily rain presented some challenges. But the Alaska Highway still delivered majestic landscapes inhabited by fascinating wildlife, as well as a few welcome surprises.

We wanted to savor the experience of bicycle travel in the Far North, so we took seven days to cycle from Coldfoot to Fairbanks, Alaska. Multiple mountain ridges, clouds of mosquitos, forest fires, and a few missteps in procuring water all presented challenges. But the wildlife, landscapes, and sheer scope of the wilderness along the Dalton Highway were spectacular - a true cycling adventure.