Taiwanese man aims to bike around the world

PALMER — A Taiwanese man stayed on the couch of a Valley family as part of a bike trip that will take him over five years and across five continents.

Jacky Chen, 37, of Taipei, used a website called couchsurfing.com, which connects travelers with empty couches, to book a stay with Dan and Amy Jenkins. Chen said he hopes to continue this travel model as he rides his Giant bike, loaded with bags of gear, around the world. If he can, he said will stay with someone through couchsurfing.com, but he has also packed a tent and a sleeping bag.

“My first choice will be to search couchsurfing. But if I can’t find a host, I will camp,” Chen said.

The Jenkins family said they were slightly worried for Chen. He has packed a saxophone, with which he plans to earn money and attention. But he did not pack some of the typical essentials.

“He doesn’t have a water filtration system or a camp-stove. He’s traveling on good faith,” Amy Jenkins said.

Chen started in Anchorage and heads to Tok next, before trekking west into Canada and south through the contiguous United States. Once he reaches the tip of South America, he will fly to Norway and snake his way through Europe. Africa and Asia also are on Chen’s itinerary, while Australia is the only continent he does not plan to visit, he said.

“The first step is to get to Rio, Brazil, for the Olympics,” Chen said. “I would also like to go to Cuba for the baseball.”

Chen has already completed four bike trips, circling Taiwan for each of his previous treks. A book about a similar journey inspired Chen to leave behind a degree in physics and a steady job as an engineer to attempt a world tour.

“I hope I can encourage some people in my country, in my hometown,” Chen said. “Many people just live to earn money … Maybe they will read my story and make their own dreams come true.”

Though he almost literally has the world ahead of him, Chen decided to stay for a couple days in Palmer. While in the Valley, he hiked Bodenburg Butte with the Jenkins family and attended the Mat-Su Miners’ home opener at Hermon Brothers Field on Wednesday.

“My trip is for human beings, for people. I want to meet more and more people,” Chen said. “If I don’t couchsurf, then I think I will maybe miss nice places like Palmer or this lovely family.”

As he now continues his trek, Chen will document his adventure by posting pictures on Facebook. In doing this, he hopes to update the people he has met on his whereabouts and status.

“I hope I can go around the world and bring all my friends and bring all the people I meet, so they can go with me to see the world,” Chen said.

His host family agreed.

“By meeting us and getting to know us, he feels like he’s taking us with him on his trip,” Amy Jenkins said. “So we can now travel with him as he goes.”

To follow Chen’s journey, visit facebook.com/groups/Goordie.

Contact Kaden Weaver at 352-2270 or kaden.weaver@frontiersman.com.