(HA) Evening Travel Program: 5 Months, 5 Continents, 2,500 Miles: On a Bike

From his earliest working days, Francis Halpin envisioned taking an extended around the world trip when he retired. As he approached retirement, he melded this dream with another: to bicycle the great rivers of Europe from source to confluence. Francis retired from the Bonneville Power Administration in January of 2018 (hence the river theme) and lived out his dream July through December of that year. Most of his bicycle miles were put on in Europe. In late September the weather turned for the worse and Francis headed south to the friendlier climes of Morocco, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Hawaii; he bicycled in most of these locales but also got in a little hiking. He returned home to Portland in time for Christmas, dream trip accomplished.