Redefining Boundaries Through Cycling

Tahverlee [00:00:03]:
Welcome to the Bike Life podcast by Warmshowers Foundation, where we will be sharing knowledge, experience, tools, and stories of touring cyclists and hosts from around the world. I'm Tahverlee, the woman behind the scenes at Warmshowers Foundation, the leading platform for cyclists looking for hosts and to connect with a passionate international community. Find out more by visiting us at warmshowers.org. Now, onto the show.

Jerry Kopack [00:00:40]:
Hey, everyone. This is Jerry Kopack, the host of Bike Life coming to you from the Rocky Mountains at Breckenridge, Colorado. Today's guest recently completed the Pacific Coast Bike Tour riding solo from Vancouver to San Diego, a distance of over 1,800 miles. Kat Lau is a second generation Chinese Canadian who has navigated the challenges of cultural expectations, but through cycling, she has found empowerment, independence, and resilience. Kat, welcome to Bike Life.

Cat Lau [00:01:09]:
Thank you so much for having me.

Jerry Kopack [00:01:11]:
I'm just gonna jump right in. What inspires you to take on the Pacific Coast bike tour, and how did you prepare?

Cat Lau [00:01:18]:
Oh, gosh. Yeah. I've been trying to think about how to answer this question. There's there have been so many factors, I think, that have really inspired me to do the Pacific Coast route. I think first and foremost, I was I've been looking for a route to do to challenge me, but I wanted a route that was well mapped and, you know, with resources nearby. And I thought, you know, I was doing some research, and the Pacific Coast route seemed to be a perfect fit. I also wanted to work at the same time. So I needed, like, you know, cafes.

Cat Lau [00:01:49]:
I needed Internet connection in certain places. So I felt like, okay. This is, a sizable distance and just, a good good route to to try it out. And, I did my first solo tour. It was a very small, kind of 300 kilometer ride out east, the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. And that was my first that was, like, my first experiment to see if I could do this on my own. And I did it, and I was like, okay. What's the next challenge? So, the Pacific Coast is just yeah.

Cat Lau [00:02:21]:
I was like, let's do that one and see how it goes.

Jerry Kopack [00:02:24]:
So do you live in Western Canada then?

Cat Lau [00:02:27]:
Is that why it

Jerry Kopack [00:02:28]:
made sense? You don't?

Cat Lau [00:02:29]:
I I I don't, but I love the coast. So, I live in Montreal, Quebec.

Jerry Kopack [00:02:35]:
So nowhere near Vancouver then?

Cat Lau [00:02:37]:
Nowhere near Vancouver.

Jerry Kopack [00:02:39]:
Okay.

Cat Lau [00:02:40]:
But I did, my grad school in Newfoundland, so the furthest east province in Canada. And, that's where kinda, like, cycle touring kinda started for me. So, I've been used to, like, the the hills, the rugged terrain, and so, so, there's something about the coast that just dropped me.

Jerry Kopack [00:02:59]:
I get it. So that's interesting to me. How long were you on the road for?

Cat Lau [00:03:05]:
Two and a half months. So from mid August to the October.

Jerry Kopack [00:03:10]:
Okay. And that's pretty good weather for that for that part of the world. Right?

Cat Lau [00:03:15]:
Yeah. Yeah. It was it was warm leaving Vancouver, and it was, like, pretty probably mild temperatures. And once I got down south, it was lovely.

Jerry Kopack [00:03:25]:
Now you mentioned that you wanted to work. What, what do you do for a living?

Cat Lau [00:03:29]:
I'm a visual science communicator. So I help researchers make their data more accessible through design and illustration. And so a lot of that I can do remotely, which is really spectacular.

Jerry Kopack [00:03:42]:
A science communicator. I actually had to look that up before we started talking today. So Okay. Cool. I wanted to I wanted to hear it from from you directly. So thank you for that.

Cat Lau [00:03:50]:
Yeah. Absolutely.

Jerry Kopack [00:03:51]:
And so you would cycle for, I don't know, half a day and then log back in, get on a computer?

Cat Lau [00:03:59]:
Well, I freelance. And so a lot of what I do is project based. And so I just had to make sure I hit deadlines. So some days, it would just be I would be on the road and just focus on riding, and then I would just plan ahead. If I knew I had a meeting, I need to make I need to to make sure I had Internet connection. And sometimes I was working for my tent. Like, sometimes I didn't need Internet connection. I just had the programs that I needed on my computer.

Cat Lau [00:04:24]:
So I was working the tent, working at the campsite.

Jerry Kopack [00:04:27]:
Nice. So you were camping then?

Cat Lau [00:04:29]:
I was. Yeah.

Jerry Kopack [00:04:30]:
For the most part, if

Cat Lau [00:04:31]:
I could.

Jerry Kopack [00:04:32]:
Yeah. Okay. Any any warm shower stays along the way?

Cat Lau [00:04:36]:
I did. Yeah. I was definitely a handful of them, which which was always lovely. It's always lovely to have food and showers.

Jerry Kopack [00:04:43]:
Food and shower is always a nice thing at the end of a long ride for

Cat Lau [00:04:46]:
sure. Yeah.

Jerry Kopack [00:04:48]:
If you don't mind, I wanna I wanna pivot for a second and talk about your heritage and upbringing. So Yeah. You're a second generation Chinese Canadian. How did this cultural expectations with your upbringing shape your approach to risk taking in a venture? And how has cycling helped you redefine those boundaries?

Cat Lau [00:05:08]:
Yeah. So being a second generation immigrant, I think, like you're straddling like these these two identities of trying to fit in into the cultural norms in North America, and then also trying to figure out, you know, how you fit in with your own roots and ancestry. And growing up, the household I was living in was very restrictive, especially around gender norms of what girls could and couldn't do. And so, you know, I have this not so great relationship with my mother, unfortunately, about, you know, how I should dress, what kind of job I should have, you know, whether I should do sports or not. And so, that was always a clash at home. And so that really kinda spread this self doubt of whether, like, oh, should I be doing these sports? Should I be even planning these wild adventures? Because for them, it was, like, too risk taking. And they were overprotecting, I think, from, you know, their own experiences as immigrants. They were in total survival mode.

Cat Lau [00:06:19]:
I was trying to, you know, overcome the language barrier here and try to make ends meet. And so I can understand that. And so they really protected their kids. But in doing that, I think they unfortunately hindered some of our growth as well. And so I was actively trying to push against that for more opportunities of growth for me. And so cycling was just a great channel for that. And I, just found so much liberty and, self reliance through that, and it's very empowering indeed.

Jerry Kopack [00:06:56]:
What, what path did your mom want you to have?

Cat Lau [00:07:02]:
I think she wanted me to have a stable job. She wanted me to get married, have kids, and buy a house. You know, it's like Yeah. Again, a standard, conventional pathway. And I think that made a lot of sense for her to it, but I think she just didn't really see eye to eye with me in terms of what I wanted. And I think that's the biggest conflict we have is, like, there isn't a respect in, what I wanna do. Like, the my job is quite unconventional, and the adventures I do are quite, you know, wild and crazy in her eyes. So she's just always constantly worried about, you know, my safety or, just my financial stability in life.

Cat Lau [00:07:45]:
And so I think that's all warranted, but but it is quite yeah. It's always a a conflict at home.

Jerry Kopack [00:07:53]:
Yeah. It it sounds like she genuinely wants the best view, just maybe sees your path in a in a different light than maybe what you've which would what you've chosen. Mhmm.

Cat Lau [00:08:01]:
Yeah.

Jerry Kopack [00:08:02]:
Were you always kind of a rebellious kid then, or was this something like once you got older, like, okay. Now I'm gonna really push the limits here.

Cat Lau [00:08:09]:
I think it was always a bit of a rebellious kid. I like asking questions. I was always curious about the world. I loved, the natural environment. So I I was the kid who was always asking questions, and my mom was just, like, you know, trying to, like, get away, and they she didn't have the answers. And so, unfortunately, a lot of times, it was like, you know, she was guilting me or shaming me to try to, like, you know, adjust my behavior so it would fall in line more with, you know, what she had wanted. And instead, it did the opposite. So I just rebelled more, and I wanted, you know, more opportunities for myself.

Cat Lau [00:08:47]:
And I'm I'm pretty happy I did that, so no regrets there.

Jerry Kopack [00:08:51]:
What does she think about the, the Pacific Coast ride that you did?

Cat Lau [00:08:56]:
So this is funny. I actually lied to my parents, but now they know. I I didn't tell them I was biking the Pacific Coast.

Jerry Kopack [00:09:05]:
Oh.

Cat Lau [00:09:05]:
I told them that I was just out in The US on the West Coast traveling, and I only told them after I had done it. Oh. And and that was I I had done that because of a bad experience prior. When I when I went out east and I told my mom, she had really said some hurtful things to me and was really trying to discourage me. And so I took that as kind of like, hey. I've I'm going to trust myself in the sense that I I've done the research, that I understand what I'm doing. And and that's this is where, like, you know, overcoming that self doubt. Because when you get enough, I think, noes and just discouragement from, especially, I think, your family, you really question whether it's the right thing to do.

Cat Lau [00:09:55]:
Right? Am I am I the one who's who's wrong here? So it really takes some reflection to really think about, yeah, if you wanna go up and do something like that.

Jerry Kopack [00:10:05]:
Well, now that you've completed it and now that she knows what you did, what's her what's her response been?

Cat Lau [00:10:12]:
I you know, when I told her afterwards, I think she was shocked. My dad had a really he had a much better, response. He was really happy for me and was like, he couldn't believe I had done it. So that was really lovely to hear from my dad. I think my mom was still kind of, like, unsure of how to feel. She was like, well, that was still, like, really dangerous. But, you know, I think she's she's getting over, you know, the all the the ventures that I'm doing, and I think she's, you know, I think she's a bit more, respectful now, but maybe not quite as much as I want her to be.

Jerry Kopack [00:10:54]:
Well, it sounds like she's she's getting there. Right? She knows that it's it's making you happy, and you're you're smart. You're being safe about things. So she's starting to trust you a bit more, it sounds like.

Cat Lau [00:11:04]:
Yeah.

Jerry Kopack [00:11:06]:
You had mentioned before that you've felt like an outsider at times in a cycling community. Were there moments when you found unexpected allies or a sense of belonging on the road?

Cat Lau [00:11:17]:
Yeah. Definitely. I think, one of the moments I remember was finding a group of cyclists in Monterey. And so Highway 1 after Big Sur was closed for us, unfortunately. And so we had to reroute and go through the valley. And it had just also happened to be, like, one of the hottest days in October Oh. Which was really unexpected. And it was, like, I don't know in Fahrenheit, but it was, like, 40 degrees, like, Celsius.

Cat Lau [00:11:50]:
It was, like, really hot. Like a

Jerry Kopack [00:11:52]:
hundred and it's like a 20.

Cat Lau [00:11:54]:
Okay. Yeah. Like, it was I had never experienced like, you should not be biking or even being outside in the temperature. But I had, so I I had to actually meet a friend in LA, and so I was on a bit of a deadline. So I was like, I have to make this distance work. And, so I had met these cyclists in Monterey that were all going kind of the same direction. And so, we were like, well, let's let's meet in King City. We knew there was, like, a campsite there, but it was very, like, costly.

Cat Lau [00:12:28]:
It was, like, $50 for, like, one person or something like that. But, like, we could pool if we all met, we could kinda divvy it up. And, there is something about, I think, when you're all going through the same struggle of, like, the heat. Yeah. And and and just just rooting each other on and just cheer and being each other's cheerleaders. Like, we didn't ride together. We all, like, met at the same place, though. And so we just celebrated after that.

Cat Lau [00:13:00]:
And that was just such a great moment of, like, you understand what I had to go through today, and I understand what you had to go through today. And that was just a moment of lovely, I think, connection. And we continue to ride kinda on and off, afterwards that. So, yeah, it was really lovely.

Jerry Kopack [00:13:18]:
Did so you said you started to ride kind of on and off with them. Does that mean you would kind of ride some place, maybe meet up along the way, and then kind of go at your own pace?

Cat Lau [00:13:27]:
Yeah. So we had, like, we played this kinda, like, tag of, like, you know, I'd pass you. You'd pass me. Oh, this person again. It it was it was fun seeing some familiar faces on the road.

Jerry Kopack [00:13:38]:
Yeah. Yeah. That let the level of camaraderie that that cycling brings together is is such a powerful aspect. And Absolutely. You're Canadian, so I'm guessing you don't get 40 degree temperatures that often where you live. Correct?

Cat Lau [00:13:53]:
No. I mean, Montreal can get pretty warm, but I I had not experienced that level of heat before where I was going downhill, and the heat was hurting my face. Like, I was just I didn't get

Jerry Kopack [00:14:07]:
a cold dryer. Right?

Cat Lau [00:14:08]:
Yeah. It was just oh, it was so painful. I never experienced anything like that before.

Jerry Kopack [00:14:16]:
That I it reminds me of a story, that experience I had when I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand Number Of Years ago. Mhmm. And also really, really hot, probably 35, 40 degrees. And I live in the mountains in Colorado, so it never gets anywhere near that temperature. So I'm I'm not accustomed to that. And I would ride from, like, six in the morning until, like, ten in the morning, and then I would just be shut down because it just would get too hot. And I remember stopping at a cafe to fill up my water bottle, and I leaned my bike against the wall on the outside of the cafe. And I was in there for maybe a half hour just enjoying the air conditioning.

Jerry Kopack [00:14:51]:
And I came back, and I'm not kidding, the grips on my handlebars had melted. Like, the rubber had just liquefied. I was like, wow. What okay. I guess I'm just gonna sit this one out for a couple of hours until the sun goes down. So I I Wow. My point is I feel you when it comes to heat like that. But you're tougher than I am because you pushed through.

Jerry Kopack [00:15:12]:
I didn't. So I think I I think I put out a thumb, and I hitched a ride in the back of someone's pickup truck and found a hotel because I I cracked.

Cat Lau [00:15:21]:
I I had to rest it in, like, under a tree for, like, at least twenty to thirty minutes because it was so hot. And I definitely thought about, like, okay. What are my options here if I don't, you know, get to my destination? But thankfully, it once it got later in the day, it started to cool off a little bit, and I was able to make more progress.

Jerry Kopack [00:15:42]:
Yikes.

Tahverlee [00:15:46]:
Today's episode is brought to you by bikeflights.com, the leading bicycle shipping service and bike box supplier for cyclists. You'll enjoy low costs, excellent service, and on time delivery with every shipment, and you get preferred handling for your high value bikes, wheels, and gear. As a brand built around a love for the outdoors, they are committed to reducing environmental impact in every bike flight's shipment is carbon neutral. Join the nearly 1,000,000 cyclists who have used bike flights to ship their bikes, wheels, and gear with confidence since 02/2009, and see how easy it is to book, manage, and track all of your shipments. Visit bikeflights.com/warmshowers today for more information and to book your shipment. Now, back to the show.

Cat Lau [00:16:35]:
I

Jerry Kopack [00:16:35]:
wanna go back to your application. And in your application, you wrote that this was a healing journey for you. Talk to me a little bit about that.

Cat Lau [00:16:43]:
Yeah. I think I talked a little bit about that through, you know, growing up and having a family that wasn't supportive of what I was doing. And so I think a lot of these cycling tours for a lot of cyclists are healing journeys without, like, maybe it's not intentional, but it like indirectly becomes such a good opportunity to learn more about yourself. And for me, it was, you know, finding that confidence in, I think, riding and just being able to push those distances. Because before I was like, you know, 50 to 60 kilometers a day is usually good for me, and I'm like, oh, I don't wanna push that much. I'm not, like, pushing for more than a hundred. And I ended up doing more than a hundred kilometers a couple times on the road, and I was just like, oh, I didn't I didn't know I had that in me. You know? And so it was really nice to surprise myself, and just feeling just so empowered by just pedaling on my bike and carrying all the stuff with me and being self reliant and, camping or just, you know, feeding myself or, you know, finding help when I needed to.

Cat Lau [00:17:57]:
And I think that's something that you don't really get from, I don't know, sitting at home day to day. You're not necessarily being in those uncomfortable, but, like, really lovely opportunities of learning. Right? And I think that's what's needed, and that's, you know, what my parents didn't really see as maybe growth or learning. They just thought as you're taking a risk, you could die. That's bad. And I wanted to prove them wrong, and I wanted to prove to myself that this is something I could set my mind to and do it.

Jerry Kopack [00:18:31]:
Yeah. And so with that sort of healing approach, did you really enjoy those long stretches of solo riding? We can just kinda sit in and just sort of be with your thoughts.

Cat Lau [00:18:44]:
I love that. I think some people hate it, but and some people are like, oh, yeah. I have headphones on. I'm listening to music. I have no headphones on. I am just so focused in on riding, listening to the waves or the trees rustling. I I love it. I love being with my family.

Jerry Kopack [00:19:02]:
Yeah. And, you know, when you're riding solo, like, there is no better time to sort of work something out because you're on the bike for six, seven, eight hours a day. Like, you got no place to go. Like, just sit there and be with it. Right?

Cat Lau [00:19:16]:
Absolutely. And I don't know about you, but, like, I'm, you know, there with my thoughts, and sometimes I'm just emotional. I start, like, I remember once I'm just, like, crying out of nowhere. I'm like, what's happening? You know? And you're just emotional. You're going up a hill, and, you know, you just have all these thoughts. And when you get up that hill, it's and then you're going downhill, it's just I don't know. It's just a lovely feeling of being able to, like, accomplish that, obstacle.

Jerry Kopack [00:19:46]:
%. And when you got down to San Diego to your endpoint, were you ready to be done? Were you emotional? Were you wanting more? Take me through that experience.

Cat Lau [00:19:58]:
I was, I think, wanting more and getting and it's surprising, you know, because it's such a long period of time. And so between so I'm gonna back up a little bit. Before I hit San Diego, I was in LA for a little bit longer because a friend of mine had come down and visit me. So I took about a week off just to explore, go to the national parks and stuff. And I really missed my bike. There was something about just taking that short little break, and I was like, okay. I think I'm done now. I think I'm ready to go back on my bike, and I didn't really have that much more to go.

Cat Lau [00:20:32]:
And I knew, like, the end was coming near, and I already had a flight booked. So I I knew that was coming. And, you know, I wanted it to continue going, but at the same time, I think endings are a good reminder. It's like a good time to also reflect because I think there needs to be an end to certain things. And, I think it was a it was just a good time to reflect on how grateful I was for the opportunity, for the people that I've met, and just all this learning that I was doing all along the way. So it's funny because, like, before I even got to San Diego, there were people cheering or, like, there's, like, somebody who was like, oh my god. You're basically there. You're there already.

Cat Lau [00:21:19]:
I'm like, but I'm not really there yet, but thank you. So there was all this, like, precelebration before I even got to San Diego. And once I got to San Diego, there wasn't anybody really there. It was what I had done. So it was like, I had all this precelebration from a like, a Warmshowers host and people that I met along the way. But once I got to San Diego, it's like, oh, this is a little anticlimactic, but I I loved it anyway.

Jerry Kopack [00:21:41]:
You're like, oh, I guess I'm here now. Okay. Great.

Cat Lau [00:21:44]:
Yeah. Yeah.

Jerry Kopack [00:21:45]:
So I've I've done some long tours as well. And, you know, when you first started now, there's the anticipation, the excitement, then it sort of just becomes, like, your life. Right? It's not like it's not a weekend trip. It's not a two week trip. Like, you're out for, would you say, two and a half months?

Cat Lau [00:21:59]:
Yeah.

Jerry Kopack [00:21:59]:
And so it just becomes your life. Like, I'm today, I'm just gonna ride my bike, and then tomorrow, I'm gonna ride my bike. But even though you have this sort of endpoint out there in the future, like, it never really seems tangible. But then as you start getting closer and closer to your destination, it's like, ah, slow down. I'm not I'm not ready for this to be over with yet. Mhmm.

Cat Lau [00:22:20]:
Yeah. I really relate to that. Like, in the beginning, I didn't even know how I was gonna you know, I didn't I couldn't even imagine how I was gonna do this for the the next two and a half months. The first couple days are really, I think, tough, and you're really working and just trying to navigate how this feels and figure out your routine. But then after that, it just feels so natural. So

Jerry Kopack [00:22:43]:
So I've asked this question to other guests from time to time, and I wanna ask it to you too. So with any trip of this duration of this distance, things inevitably do go wrong. Did you ever have a moment where you're like, how am I gonna get out of this one? You might not have. Things may have been smooth. Who knows?

Cat Lau [00:23:05]:
I mean, I think so you won't believe this, but I only had one flat the entire time. Nope.

Jerry Kopack [00:23:12]:
Don't believe it.

Cat Lau [00:23:13]:
And when I and it's it's I don't know how I did that. And the one time I did get my flat, I was biking with a friend that I had met. You know? And so I was really lucky. And so I think that was a moment where they were like, well, I could leave you, and you could do your own thing, or I could be here for moral support. And so I usually am a person who's like, no. I can do everything myself. I don't need any help. But I think at that moment, something shifted.

Cat Lau [00:23:49]:
And I was like, you know, going back to, like, this kind of the whole self doubt and just changing who I am. I was like, okay. No. I think I need help and moral support right now, and I think I can get through this. It's my first flat, and I think I'm quite capable of changing this flat. And I made it through. And I you know, people stopped on the side of the road and just checked in on me to see if I was okay too. And so I think, you know, that moment was, like, not the most terrible moment, but it was a moment where I wasn't sure what I was going to do.

Cat Lau [00:24:24]:
But it I felt, like, so seen and just so you know, people were there to support me, and it just felt very comforting. So I know I didn't exactly answer. It wasn't, like, the worst thing. But

Jerry Kopack [00:24:35]:
No. No. No.

Cat Lau [00:24:36]:
It was definitely a moment where, yeah, I was kind of, like, not unsure and then just tried something different, and it ended up, going, yes, pretty smooth.

Jerry Kopack [00:24:47]:
No. That's terrific. And I love the fact that you said that you felt seen, that people stopped and checked on you, and you felt supported. And I and I think that's great. There's this obviously, we talked about this culture of cycling where people wanna be supportive, and you had someone with you to help you as well. And you worked your way through it, and that's awesome. Had you done any kind of practice bicycle maintenance before you took off on this trip?

Cat Lau [00:25:12]:
A little bit. Like, I've I've changed by you know, I've changed slots before, and, I've used to volunteer at a bike co op a little bit. So, like, I knew my way around a bike. So I had to, like, remind myself that. Because sometimes when you're in the moment and you're just like, I I don't know. I'm in shock. I'm in butt like, at the side of a highway, like, there's cars going super fast. I I need to get going.

Cat Lau [00:25:38]:
And so sometimes you're just in that shock that you don't realize you have the skills to actually, you know, solve the situation. And it takes it took me a bit of a pause to kind of just stop and reflect, like, you know how to do this, and you can do this. And I did. So, yeah, it it was a lovely moment.

Jerry Kopack [00:25:58]:
Run, tire, or back? Back. Did you have to so offloading. Take take part your bike and take the the rack or the panniers off or something?

Cat Lau [00:26:09]:
I think I just took my panniers off.

Jerry Kopack [00:26:12]:
Okay.

Cat Lau [00:26:12]:
So that was fun. And it was nice having an extra person there to, like, hold stuff or to just, like, you know yeah. It it was it was not as difficult as it would have been maybe had it been just, like, all on my own. But, yeah, that was it was a nice moment to have help.

Jerry Kopack [00:26:30]:
If if that was the most challenging thing that happened to you, then that is a pretty good trip. One flat tire is amazing.

Cat Lau [00:26:38]:
I know. I met a lot of people who had, like, 13, and I was just in disbelief. Like, I I could not I was like, what are you are we riding on the same road? Yeah.

Jerry Kopack [00:26:49]:
Maybe they picked up all the broken glass and tacks on their wheels, and there was nothing left on the road for you.

Cat Lau [00:26:55]:
There you know, I saw a lot of broken glass on the road all the time. And in my head, I was like, I'm gonna get a flat suit. I'm gonna get a flat. And I just never got it until, you know, that one day. And so I don't know what happened.

Jerry Kopack [00:27:07]:
At least it wasn't raining. Right?

Cat Lau [00:27:09]:
Yes. It wasn't raining. Thankfully, not raining.

Jerry Kopack [00:27:12]:
So I wanna go back to your application because I love the statement that you wrote, and I'm gonna I'm gonna quote you here. Sure. So you wrote that cycling is a symbolic reminder of independence, resilience, balance, and empowerment. Go more in detail with that.

Cat Lau [00:27:30]:
What does

Jerry Kopack [00:27:30]:
this mean to you?

Cat Lau [00:27:31]:
I think, you know, that actually stems from a quote I had heard from, like, an American civil rights activist, actually. I think her name is Susan Susan b Anthony. Mhmm. And she she talked about, just the symbolism of the bicycle for womanhood and independence and self reliance. And, I can't remember the quote, like, specifically, but it just it I just resonated with it so much because the bicycle was exactly that for me. You know? And I think as a woman and a woman of color when you're cycling on a road on your own, you can feel like you don't deserve to be there. You know? And I think a part of the healing journey is also feeling like I deserve to be here in this space. Like, I wanna do this, and I wanna go out here and do this.

Cat Lau [00:28:29]:
And I wanna feel safe and, feel like I belong here. And so yeah. That that's what the bicycle means to me. It's just like a way of life almost. You know? It's a great metaphor for, like, the balance and the rhythm that I will want in my life. And I think being able to physically and mentally, I guess, go through that whole tour is is something that just aligns with how I wanna live.

Jerry Kopack [00:28:58]:
I'm wearing a long sleeve sweatshirt right now, but if I wasn't, you would see the goosebumps on my arm. I love what you just said there. So Yeah. That is fantastic. And I couldn't agree more. So looking back on on this trip, how has this ride changed you? And I don't know. What are some of the lessons that you're gonna carry forward into your next adventure?

Cat Lau [00:29:19]:
I think for me, it's really inspired me to think about, like, how to create spaces for, people of color, for just marginalized communities who might not feel seen. And, you know, for me, I was talking about a, you know, a family who's not really supportive of this kind of, lifestyle or adventure. And I kind of wonder, like, how many other kids are kind of feeling that or not having access to, you know, bicycling or so you don't know how to get started. And so I've been just really thinking about how to do that in, you know, the city that I live in. I know that there are some pretty cool initiatives, that I've been seeing, like, just taking people on, like, introduction kinda like touring rides around. And so it'd be really lovely to to be able to do that. And so, yeah, there's some ideas that I have going in my head right now of how I'm gonna make that happen.

Jerry Kopack [00:30:20]:
So with that, I'm gonna keep going along that same mindset as what would some advice you give to other women or especially women of color who might be hesitant about getting out on a solo cycling adventure?

Cat Lau [00:30:33]:
I mean, I think the first thing is just doing your research and being confident with, like, the the knowledge that you're gaining and then going out there and just, you know, volunteering at a bike shop or trying to get to know your bike into more intimately, if that makes sense. Right? Because I think for for me personally, the big thing was, like, do I have enough knowledge and skill sets to, you know, navigate through some of the challenges I'll have, you know, bicycling. And I think when you know your bike and when you understand the route that you're going on, I think it just gives you that much more confidence and understanding that you're able to do those kinds of things. And so I think that's the advice I would get is just do your research and really just try to get some experience. And don't just I think you just have to go do it. It's easier said than done, but, you just have to take that leap forward. And and and it's it's a bit messy, but you're going to do a lot of learning.

Jerry Kopack [00:31:42]:
It's a bit messy. I like that. Kat, I wanna thank you so much for coming on today, talking to me, sharing your stories of inspiration. How can our listeners connect with you or learn more about what you're up to?

Cat Lau [00:31:57]:
Yeah. You can follow me on Instagram. It's at cat hippocampus, on Instagram. So you can follow me there and my other travel adventures.

Jerry Kopack [00:32:07]:
Awesome. And we'll have, a link to that in our show notes. So for everyone to click on and follow along.

Cat Lau [00:32:14]:
Sounds good.

Jerry Kopack [00:32:14]:
I wanna thank everyone for listening to my conversation today with Kat Lau. If you enjoy our show, give us a like, a share on your social channels, or just tell your friends. These stories hopefully will inspire you to set up on your own bicycle adventure and maybe make the world feel a little bit smaller one pedal stroke at a time. My name is Jerry Kopack, and until next time, keep riding.

Tahverlee [00:32:37]:
Thank you for joining us, and we hope you enjoyed the show as much as we enjoyed making it. Wherever you are listening, please leave us a rating and a review as it helps us reach more cyclists and hosts around the world. Visit us at warmshowers.org to become a part of our community or on Instagram at warmshowers_org. If you would like to be a guest on the show or submit a question, please make sure to email us at podcast@warmshowers.org.