Adventurous Journey: Sarah Cook Embraces Life on Two Wheels

At 60, Sarah Cook made a bold decision that would change her life: she rented out her flat in Cumbria, England, and embarked on an adventure cycling along the Pacific west coast of the United States. With a touring bike and a four-season tent, she packed her belongings into 68-litre bike bags. As she cycled away from Vancouver airport, Cook felt an exhilarating sense of freedom. “I was like ‘See you in six months!’,” she recalls, emphasizing the liberating feeling of leaving behind the weight of possessions.

By the time Cook reached La Paz, Bolivia, 111 days later, she realized, “this is how I want to live my life.” Now at 67, she has fully embraced this itinerant lifestyle, cycling a remarkable 24,000 miles across various continents. Cook’s journey is driven by a desire to discover what it means to live life on the road. “I thought something must switch in your head or your emotions. It is the ultimate living in the moment,” she states.

From Dreams to Reality

Cook’s highlights include a nearly 3,000-mile trek across Europe, camping beneath California’s giant sequoia trees, and wild camping in Colombia’s páramo. One of her most significant accomplishments was cycling 2,000 miles along the Patagonian coastline to fulfill a childhood dream of reaching Ushuaia in Argentina. Growing up in a Surrey village, she often traced explorers’ routes from her parents’ world atlas, nurturing a sense of adventure from a young age.

After studying medical sciences at university, Cook initially worked in a hospital hematology laboratory. However, once she shifted focus to home-schooling her three children, she began to question her path. “The negative committee in my head asked, ‘What have you done with your life apart from raise children?’” When her children left for university, she felt lost and sought ways to define her identity beyond motherhood.

Determined to regain her independence, Cook trained for a mountain leader qualification and obtained a certificate to teach English as a foreign language. She began working part-time, leading walking holidays, guiding expeditions for teenagers, and teaching English—all while navigating her new life after separating from her husband.

A New Definition of Home

Although she regularly returns to England to visit family, Cook no longer has a fixed base. She alternates between rentals and campsites, often camping in her flat between tenants. “It’s not my home now,” she reflects, adding, “Although home is where I am.” Even during brief stays, she finds comfort in her routine of unpacking her tent, organizing her belongings, and creating a sense of home wherever she is.

Living itinerantly has instilled in Cook a sense of resilience. She holds onto two mantras: “One: ‘It’ll work out.’ The other: ‘Just do the next thing.’” These principles guide her through challenging moments, such as when she had to push her bike uphill for five hours in Colombia due to her osteoarthritis. “My body is ageing and needs more rest and recuperation,” she acknowledges, yet she has no plans to stop her travels.

Currently visiting family in the UK, Cook has cycled through southern England and traversed from the Shetlands to the southern tip of Cornwall. Despite the grey and damp weather in Scotland, she reflects on a moment of joy. “I have this vivid memory of thinking, ‘Why do I feel so ecstatically happy, setting off on my bike on this grey, drizzly morning?’” For Cook, the simple act of cycling brings her spirit alive.

As she turns the pedals each day, she feels “weightless – as if I’m flying.” Her story serves as an inspiration for those contemplating life changes after 60, demonstrating that it is never too late to pursue one’s dreams and embrace the unknown.