At 50, They Left Everything Behind to Ride From Alaska to Panama | Pat & Ralph Wanner

The Thought Atlas Podcast · Sep 2, 2026 · 44m

What would you do if you finally had the freedom to pursue the adventure you had been dreaming about for years?

In this episode of Thought Atlas, I sit down with Pat and Ralph Wanner, a couple who, at the age of 50, decided to leave their comfortable life in Colorado and embark on an extraordinary bicycle journey.

Ralph had carried the idea of making this journey for about 20 years. Once they had enough rental income to retire, the opportunity finally arrived. On June 8, 2007, they began their journey from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.

What followed was a journey filled with uncertainty, wild animals…