Globetrotting on a solitary motorbike journey, Judi Desire travels from New York to New Zealand, circumnavigating the globe.
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In a world where bike tours often cater to the masses, Judi Desire, a Brooklyn native, stands out as a trailblazer for women of colour in the cycling community. Her travels have taken her to remote locations across six continents, from the beaches of Hawaii to the bustling streets of Istanbul.
Despite the lack of documentation detailing her specific experiences and challenges, it is clear that Judi Desire has faced numerous obstacles as a female bike tourist of colour. Encountering racial and gender biases, safety concerns, and limited representation are just a few of the challenges she's had to navigate in various cultural contexts.
One instance that highlights these challenges occurred in Southeast Asia, where a Vietnamese woman grabbed at Judi Desire's breasts, trying to confirm her gender. Elsewhere, in Istanbul, a man slapped her on the shoulder, and she was later informed that Black people in Turkey are often perceived as prostitutes.
These experiences, while difficult, have not deterred Judi Desire. In fact, they have fueled her passion for cycling and her mission to bring positive change to her own community in Harlem.
Judi Desire's cycling journey began in 2010, when a conversation with a supervisor at her computer programming job inspired her to bike tour Europe. She booked a one-way ticket to Sao Paolo, Brazil, in 2012 for her first proper bike tour, spending three months exploring and bike touring with locals and travelers.
The pandemic temporarily halted much of Judi Desire's programming, but she remains optimistic about the future. She sees the surge in cycling in New York City in recent months as a sign of long-term behavioral change, particularly in her own community.
Judi Desire's experiences on the road have not been without incident. During her first attempt at bike touring from New York City to Cape Cod, Mass., she got lost in the Bronx and had to adjust her plan. Her 7-day bike tour to Cape Cod turned into a 3-day bike tour to Connecticut due to over-packing and exhaustion.
Despite these setbacks, Judi Desire has persevered. She has learned to ride a bike in her 20s, earned multiple bicycle mechanic and bike tour leader certifications, and founded Uptown & Boogie Bicycle Advocacy in 2017 to offer learn-to-ride classes, bicycle repair education, and group rides in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
Judi Desire's passion for cycling has taken her to some unique and unexpected places. While bike touring in Mauritius, she was featured in a local newspaper. Tent camping on bicycle tours across Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Uruguay, she often stayed in the homes of firefighters or camped in unusual locations like police officers' yards.
However, Judi Desire's journey has not been without patronization and undermining from male bicycle mechanics. Despite her certifications, she often finds herself facing condescension in this male-dominated field.
Judi Desire's hesitance to bike across the United States is rooted in the "extreme racism" she fears she would encounter, particularly in the southern states. Despite these challenges, she remains undeterred, continuing to push boundaries and inspire others to take to the roads on two wheels.
In the midst of her numerous trips, Judi Desire also delves into home-and-garden ventures, turning her Harlem apartment into a sanctuary that reflects her adventurous lifestyle.
After cycling across various continents, Judi Desire dreams of exploring more travel destinations, including sports events around the world, blending her passion for cycling with her love for exceptional experiences.
