(Supplied)

By Ian Gustafson

91 Days

Red Deer couple completes over 7,600 km journey on tandem bike

Oct 3, 2025 | 3:15 PM

Local Red Deer couple Lady JB Owen and her husband, Peter Giesin, have returned home after completing a 91-day trek on a tandem bike.

The duo travelled over 7,600 kilometres from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to Alaska, and in that time, they climbed the elevation equivalent of eight Mount Everests. They also broke multiple world records, including being the first couple to cross the Mexico-U.S. border on a tandem bicycle

Owen said the adventure was life-changing.

“Pushing ourselves to the limit on our bicycle, being a team, and doing something to share with people what’s possible,” she said. “The big takeaway for me is how incredible humanity is. We met so many beautiful people through Mexico, the U.S., Canada, and Alaska.”

They took it one day, one hill, and one mountain at a time. When they weren’t biking, they would rest in their RV, which was driven by a friend alongside them.

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Early on, they had to decide if they wanted to continue after their driver had to pull out. After making some calls, they set up seven different drivers consisting of friends and family to continue the three-month journey. These amazing people helped them get to the finish line.

Over that time, they endured heat stroke, sore muscles, challenging terrain, a mixed bag of weather, and were even chased by a grizzly bear.

“We got to see it all,” she said. “Seeing life on a bicycle is really powerful… Life is so much more amazing when you’re not looking at a computer screen, a phone, or through a windshield. A big message we have for people is you’ve got to get outside. You’ve got to see it, smell it, feel it, taste it, and experience it.”

Together, the couple owns Ignite Publishing, and on their journey, they raised awareness and funds for Ignite Classrooms, an initiative that builds solar-powered schools in underserved communities worldwide.

Giesin said they’re believers that stories make a difference, and how humanity can connect.

“By teaching the children to create their own stories and to be brave and know they can do whatever they want, that’s how we’re going to change the world,” he said.

They’ve been tandem cycling together since 2020, and this was their farthest trip yet. They did cycle from Vancouver to Newfoundland, which took 79 days back in 2022.

The couple has been married for eight years, and before they met, Owen bought a tandem bike in hopes of meeting a man who would want to ride it with her.

Once she met Giesin, it didn’t take long for him to develop an interest in it.

“When he came to visit and saw my bike, he said, ‘Can we ride that?’ And that’s what started it all,” she said. “During COVID, we as parents wanted to show our kids what was possible and that they could dream big even during the pandemic.”

They’re already exploring ideas for their next expedition, including going across Canada from east to west and north to south. They are also interested in traveling to Norway.