Avid bicyclist Tobias Egan likes Karuba Coffee—especially after reaching a pit stop from a long and exhausting journey pedaling the countryside. Mind you, not all experiences on the road are as pleasant or refreshing as Karuba. And if there’s one remark long-distance biker Egan really doesn’t like hearing, it’s: “Oh, you’re homeless?”

In a word, no.

“I’m tired of people saying, ‘oh, you’re homeless?’” he shared recently on Facebook Messenger from Onalaska. “You don’t understand what I’m trying to do with this Trek.”

Egan is approaching the ten-year anniversary of his crosscountry bike treks, which he began in June 2011. He is currently on what he calls Trek 11, which started on May 4, 2021 in Morenci, Mich. His current trek can be followed at “Tobias Egan” on Facebook, with treks 1-5 on YouTube at the channel “uslixirish.”

Whereas a past bicycle crash and lost electronic data has limited the record somewhat, the Trek goes on. Earlier this June, Egan passed through northern Pierce County along Highway 29 with River Falls as a resting “pit stop,” even taking pictures outside the local Econo Lodge and First Covenant Church.

Although the detour south of River Falls on Highway 29/35 wasn’t his favorite, the one-time owner of three used cars said he started Trek 11 after finding himself in a situation that he didn’t like. After relinquishing an apartment in Pennsylvania due to Coronavirus shutdowns last year, he found himself living with someone on drugs and another just out of prison. Rather than stay in the bad living situation, Egan decided it was time to hit the road again, though not without a cost in terms of comfort.

“I was freezing cold on the streets of Ohio,” he shared.

Given a bike for Trek 11 that has now been through six states (we first caught up somewhat east of Pierce County), Egan shared a religious aspect to the Trek and his life.

“I believe God allows this Trek…and utilizes it to teach me things on the road,” he said.

The self-professed Christian said the long-running “Trek Series” is mostly by bicycle, though Trek 8 in 2017 started out on foot.

“Back in 2017 I thought, ‘why not start out on foot?” Egan shared of his part planned, part unplanned long-running series. “Let the road sort things out.”

Egan sometimes travels up to 60 miles a day. He is protective of his Bible and his maps, stopping here and there along the way. Egan said he finds himself speaking his mind on the current journey, rather than holding back on self-expression.

Egan considers the United States to be an overly car-dependent society, which contributes to things like obesity, depression, and self-esteem issues. Once 200 pounds himself, Egan said the Trek had “rescued me in a way” from having both poor health and weight issues. The road quickly teaches what is and isn’t good for one’s body. Instead of Coke and Pepsi, for instance, ordinary water gets the green light. Fast food is also out (for the most part), while Kwik Trip and grocery store visits are in, especially for finding deals.

Egan often negotiates for campsites and motels, but also camps on church lawns and local town halls when allowed. He has, on occasion, had encounters with law enforcement.

“There was an ID check,” Egan said of being woken up as he slept overnight at the Marshan Town Hall in Dakota County, Minn., just south of Hastings. Egan said the people who woke him up at Marshan asked if he was ok and gave him provisions but were out of uniform if police.

One church east of Eau Claire on Highway 10 had given him permission to camp, but police woke him up at 1 a.m. to see who he was and what he was doing.

Egan appreciated the provisions from those who stopped at the Marshan Town Hall. Gift cards are especially useful for someone like him traveling on little more than backpack and a budget. Egan said he particularly appreciates things like Kwik Trip or Kwik Star gift cards, as traveling on a budget isn’t easy.

“You find yourself looking for dimes, nickels, and pennies,” Egan said.

Currently unsponsored but hoping to gain sponsorships with both a Facebook and YouTube audience, Egan said the Trek taught him things that couldn’t necessarily be learned off the road.

What goes on in a Trek more generally? With each “Trek” preceded by a slightly more leisurely “pre-Trek,” Egan shared some background as to how he got started on such a monumental undertaking.

“I grew up in another part of the country,” Egan said of his Northeastern roots, “and biking wasn’t really accepted.”

As a younger person, he would take long walks and bike rides. However, bicycling wasn’t advertised as being fun or cool, something he looks to change. Someone gave him a bike prior to the start of Trek 11. He started out in Michigan, going through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and into Wisconsin with a pit stop at River Falls. Egan moved next into Minnesota, crossing the bridge at Prescott, before gliding through Hastings, Cannon Falls, Northfield, St. Charles, and Winona, then back into Wisconsin with rides through Trempealeau and Onalaska.

“Trempealeau was important because there were storms and lightning,” he said. Tentatively looking to do a loop through the middle of the state and then north along Lake Oshkosh before heading back west to Eau Claire, Egan said he plans to turn north “and take this thing where it’s never been.”

Potentially crossing back into Minnesota at Superior/Duluth, Egan looks to eventually head to the Pacific West Coast after visiting Iowa and the Dakotas—possibly Nebraska as well. He wants to visit California; as a fan of Nickelodeon as it was in the 1990s (even patterning certain Trek announcements on Nickelodeon ad breaks), he wants to go see the filming site of “The Secret World of Alex Mack,” a show about a girl with special powers.

But while Nickelodeon of old was punctuated with advertising breaks to help pay production costs, Egan is currently shouldering the total financial cost of his Facebook-chronicled journey—to which many viewers look forward to, he shared.

“I think this is their happy place,” Egan said of those who watch on Facebook and YouTube. “This is the show they’ve been waiting for and they’re getting it for free.”

In the meantime, and if you see him, Huggies and Pampers diaper wipes are much appreciated, along with Kwik Trip and Kwik Star gift cards. He is after all, on a budget, and having effective means to keep clean as well as get food and lodging helps the Trek series to continue on for viewer enjoyment, if nothing else.

Photo courtesy of Tobias Egan