The contraption is of Neukomm’s own design — a typical Amazonian wooden boat fitted with a modern road bike. The back wheel is attached to two paddle wheels which churn the water, his left hand guides a rudder as his right rests on the handle bars.
The boat has a hammock, a bed, storage for luggage, food and water, and a solar panel to charge his iPod and camera. He fishes out of the river, buys fruit from local vendors, who likewise often travel by boat, and collects rain water that runs off his roof.
After biking through the Middle East, Africa and South America in a more traditional fashion (though still adventurous and impressive considering the endurance, language prowess, and Buddhistic calm required)
The Swiss adventurer is an ardent supporter of energy efficiency, sustainable travel, and low impact living, but he’s no Luddite when it comes to technology. He has written extensively about his travels and video documented his bicycle-boat adventures at HervePuraVida.
The goal of his trip is not to reach the Atlantic as quickly as possible. Instead, Neukomm intends to explore, to paddle upstream on as many of the Amazon’s tributaries as he can, and to visit the truly remote places.
Pura Vida – crossing the Amazon by a “bikeboat” from NEW WORLD SPIRITS on Vimeo.