Cancer Survivor Finds Home and Healing on Her Solo Bike Ride
When you think of a “door-to-door” mountain bike ride, it usually involves a big single-day ride or maybe a three-day bikepacking adventure. But for Alenka Vrecek, door-to-door meant leaving her home in Tahoe City, California, and riding 2,524 miles to her other door in La Ventana near the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. Scaling 158,263 vertical feet — equivalent to climbing Mount Everest nearly five-and-a-half times — Vrecek spent 57 days alone, with nothing but time to think.
Even more impressive is that Vrecek, a recent cancer survivor, accomplished this huge bike adventure at age 54, despite personal physical and emotional setbacks and the declining health of her second husband, Jim. Recognizing that her window for a feat like this might be closing, she packed her bags on “The Beast” — her Ibis Mojo mountain bike — and pointed two wheels south.
Anyone who has spent any time on a bike or out in the wild alone will identify with Vrecek’s grit. Growing up reading iconic adventure writers like Reinhold Messner fueled her passion for the outdoors. Her story grabs hold of you from the opening miles riding through the heart of the Sierra Nevada and doesn’t let go until she reaches her palapa in La Ventana. 
The ride from her first home in Tahoe City to her second home in Baja was symbolic, connecting two points in her life. Along the way, she searched for what “home” truly means to her.
“I don’t feel at home anywhere,” said Vrecek on Episode 23 of the Mind the Track podcast. “But at the same time it’s also very freeing because it’s not the physical home, it’s what the home means to you.”
One example is the story of Alejandro, an acquaintance she met along the way. After seeing her on the road alone, Alejandro welcomed Vrecek to stay at his Baja ranch, and that stay left a lasting impression about what home really means.
“Alejandro was aware that he was content living and working on his ranch,” said Vrecek. “When you go to less developed places, there are a lot of people who want to leave and experience the world. I’m drawn to people who are aware they’re happy where they are.”
Originally from Slovenia, Vrecek grew up ski mountaineering, traversing the Slovenian Alps solo at age 17. She arrived in the United States in 1984, spending a short time in New York City before moving west. An advertisement for Lake Tahoe in a European ski magazine sold her on the area.
“There was a lake with a windsurfer, a cowboy on a horse, and girls skiing in bikinis,” said Vrecek. “I was sold.”
Vrecek landed in Lake Tahoe with $800 in her pocket, living on $2 per day while working at River Ranch and chasing her love for skiing, climbing, and windsurfing. Local ski legends like Scot Schmidt, Tommy Day, and Mike Slattery introduced her to the art of hitting jumps on skis — something she’d never done before.
With the full support of her husband and kids, Vrecek set off for two months of self-discovery. She chatted with “The Beast” — her bike — and her water bottles, but mostly she talked to herself. Although some may think riding solo sounds lonely, there are several advantages.
“One of the biggest advantages is not having to make decisions with anybody else,” said Vrecek. “You don’t have to compromise. There’s nothing wrong with compromise as long as you don’t compromise who you are.”
As much as she enjoyed riding through the Sierra Nevada, Vrecek felt like the ride didn’t really begin until she crossed into Tecate, Mexico and hit the Baja Divide cycling route, a rugged 1,700-mile off-road trail running the length of the Baja California peninsula. In Mexico, people were often stunned to see Vrecek riding by herself.
“When you ride alone, people look at you differently and are more protective of you and are more helpful,” she said.
Would she ride solo again? Absolutely. She relishes the simplicity of eating, sleeping, and riding, plus the luxury of a hot shower when she occasionally stayed at motels. She camped about 70 percent of the time.
Of course, there were a few “oh shit” moments: crashing over the bars, rolling over a rattlesnake, and running low on water in 103-degree heat with 50 miles to go. One night Vrecek slept with a knife in her hand because she was in proximity to a city and didn’t feel safe where she was camped. Even though she had pepper spray packed with her, sometimes she was just so tired she forgot to bring the spray into her tent, leaving it on “The Beast.” Despite these moments, Vrecek wasn’t afraid to camp alone.
“I trust animals sometimes more than people,” said Vrecek. “Unless you corner a bear or step on a snake, it’s only going to defend itself. With people, 99 percent of the fear is in our own minds.”
Ultimately, the bike became a healing force, reigniting the confidence and fire she thought she’d lost while helping her break through the mental barriers that often hold us back. It also gave her the strength to cope with her husband’s illness.
Her advice for anyone considering an adventure like this?
“You shouldn’t wait for something traumatic to happen for that wake-up call. Time does not go backward and you can’t unwind the clock.”
— KG
She Rides – Chasing Dreams Across California and Mexico.
She Rides – Chasing Dreams Across California and Mexico.After completing her 2,524-mile journey, Vrecek realized her story was only half told. She decided to write her first book, She Rides – Chasing Dreams Across California and Mexico. Despite English not being her first language, she captured her voice by journaling and blogging throughout the trip. When COVID hit, she took advantage of virtual writing workshops and eventually found a publisher.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive — readers call it a rollercoaster of elevation gains and raw emotion, drawn in
by Vrecek’s vulnerability and determination.
“The book isn’t about my ride,” says Vrecek, “it’s about what we all go through in life and how we deal with things, how we pick up the pieces and move on when we are faced with challenges.”
She Rides is available wherever books are sold online. If you’re in the Lake Tahoe region, you can pick up a copy at The Backcountry or Word After Word in Truckee, Alpenglow in Tahoe City, or Cuppa Tahoe in South Lake.
