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The Tocantins native Willian Gomes, 26 years old, left Colinas do Tocantins with R$ 50 in his pocket and has already cycled more than 4,000 kilometers to Argentina. Without accepting rides, his final destination is Ushuaia, at the southernmost tip of the continent, after eight months of travel.
With only R$ 50 in his pocket and a dream in his mind, the Tocantins native Willian Gomes, 26 years old, turned his life into a long bike ride towards Ushuaia, at the southernmost tip of the American continent. He left Colinas do Tocantins eight months ago and has already traveled more than 4,000 kilometers by bicycle, without accepting a single ride.
The adventure has already taken him through eight Brazilian states and Uruguay until reaching Argentina, where he has been for about two weeks. To continue to Ushuaia, at the tip of South America, he will still have to pedal at least another 3,600 kilometers, literally carrying his home on his back, on the bicycle.
From Colinas do Tocantins to Argentina: Willian Gomes’ route
According to information released by the G1 portal, the journey began in the central region of the state and gradually expanded on the map. According to Willian Gomes, he left home with only a dream and R$ 50 in his pocket, and cycled through Tocantins, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul before crossing the border. In Uruguay, he traveled almost all the beaches and met several people who helped along the way.
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After Uruguay, came Argentina, where he had been for about 15 days when he shared his story. Up to that point, he had traveled more than 4,000 kilometers from Colinas do Tocantins, with the city of Curuzú Cuatiá marking this point of the journey. All of this, it is worth repeating, was done only on the bicycle, never accepting a ride, even when it was offered.
A bicycle as a home: how he manages on the road
The routine demands creativity and detachment. To sleep, Willian Gomes uses a tent or hammock, and on rainy days he was sheltered by friends he made along the way. Still in Brazil, he received food donations at restaurants; in Uruguay and Argentina, he was “adopted” by families who offered shelter and food. He sums up the spirit of the journey in a simple way: his home is on the bicycle.
Food also becomes part of the adventure. The Tocantins native carries a portable stove and prepares pasta, rice, and coffee on the road, but he doesn’t miss the chance to try new things, like the cannelloni he ate in Argentine lands. Before hitting the road, he worked with carpentry and custom furniture in Colinas, and says the biggest challenge was preparing psychologically, in addition to buying the bicycle, the stove, the sleeping bag, the flashlight, and a tire repair kit.
Why Ushuaia and why without rides
The choice of destination has a symbolic reason. For Willian Gomes, Ushuaia is one of the most well-known places among travelers, precisely because it is one of the southernmost cities in Latin America. It was this “end of the world” status that attracted him, combined with the desire to escape a monotonous life and to discover new places, people, and cultures.
The rule of not accepting rides is a personal imposition. He says he received several offers but refuses them all because he wants to make the entire journey pedaling, as a personal challenge. Each kilometer traveled alone to Ushuaia has, for him, the weight of an achievement, not just a movement between two points on the map.
The next steps of the journey to Ushuaia
The strategy now is to wait for the weather to help. Willian Gomes plans to stay in the north of Argentina, in warmer provinces like Salta and Jujuy, until October, while the cold of the far south decreases. Only then will he head to Ushuaia and, once the goal is completed, he plans to make the return journey to Tocantins, again by bicycle.
While pedaling, the Tocantins native shares on social media the road, the tourist spots, the lunch breaks, and the friendships he makes. He describes the experience as a lot of learning, from the language to the customs of each place, mixed with a feeling of admiration for nature. It’s the portrait of someone who left Colinas do Tocantins with almost nothing and turned the journey into a life project.
Leaving home with R$ 50 and crossing countries by bicycle towards Ushuaia is the kind of story that mixes courage and a bit of madness.
Tell us in the comments if you would have the courage to take on a trip like Willian Gomes and how far you would go cycling.
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