Lindenwood Magazine - Spring 2018: Connecting to Alumni and Friends

“We initially thought the whole trip would take about six months, but about two months in we realized that was drastically off-base,” he recalled. “But, I wasn’t in a rush. I had plenty of food, water, good company, and enough funds to ride for a few years if necessary.” Through blazing sunshine, torrential downpours, and intense altitudinal changes, the duo rode as far as their legs would take them each day. They camped on roadsides, in fields, and at schoolhouses and police stations—wherever they could find shelter from the elements and a safe place to rest. “The South American beauty of Patagonia and the Andes Mountains was great, but I found that the most beautiful part of the trip was the people. For the full 10 months of the trip, I was never told I couldn’t stay somewhere. People would stop on the roads and give us food and water. Everyone was absolutely lovely and welcoming.” About eight months into the excursion, Griffin began to suffer ill health effects from a bacterial infection he’d acquired along the way. He continued to bike for several more weeks after the onset of symptoms, but eventually he became too ill to carry on and was forced to end the trip in Lima, Peru. Now recovered and living back home in Sydney, he’s had some time to reflect on the trip and what he gained from it. The answer, he said, is a more memorable life. “For me, four years at a desk job melted into just a couple of highlights. I’d gone on autopilot and found it difficult to distinguish one day from another,” Griffin recalled. “But, every night on the bike trip I would record my GPS location and write a small note about that day to specifically remember and smile about. “The days weren’t always positive. Many of them were actually miserable, but they all have a story behind them and I can vividly remember each one like it was yesterday. I set out to create something from every single day, something I would remember forever. I accomplished that.” Griffin is currently working as a scuba diving instructor, running an independent advertising consultancy, and planning his next trip—most likely riding a motorbike around the world. Whatever his future plans are, he’s sure to carry them out with a keen appetite for adventure and a determination to live life to the fullest. “To me, the destination has always been and will always be second to the journey.” 13 CAMPUS NEWS ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT UPCOMING EVENTS LINDENWOOD SPORTS ALUMNI EVENTS AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES LINDENWOOD Spring 2018 My life has never felt average. I’ve learned to fight against the formula of what’s expected.” Ryan Griffin “ On his bicycle trek from Argentina to Peru in South America, Ryan Griffin and his fellow riders encountered every kind of terrain and weather imaginable, including mountains, flatlands, heat, and wintry cold.