If you ever doubt such a thing as kindness in strangers, hop on a bike. (Jim Quinlan)
A note from Annalisa:
On my bike trip across the United States in 2008, I discovered bicycle touring is the best way to see the world. I have a long list of reasons but towards the top are the people: the campground owners in Montana who upon finding out that it was our leader’s birthday brought us a makeshift watermelon “cake” with a flower in it, the mother and daughter in Michigan who let us sleep in their treehouse, the couple who found us in 105° heat and decided to haul back a Costco pack of frozen ice pops. These are the people you are much less likely to meet in practically any other form of transportation because bicycling takes you through the backroads.
In the summer of 2017, I took on the feat again, following the iconic TransAmerica Trail from Virginia to Seattle. Inspired by the fond memories from my 2008 trip, I set out to photograph the people I met along the way. Their portraits and stories illustrate the kindness that exists across America. In the aftermath of the U.S. 2016 presidential election, it was reassuring to experience firsthand the generosity and warmth that fills this country. The series has become the perfect vehicle to get to know a place and celebrate the ways the bicycle brings people together which is why those 4,000 miles were just the beginning.
In the summer of 2018, I teamed up with my friend Erik Douds to take the series around the world. We’ve Kickstarted Miles of Portraits on a 1,000-mile ride around Alaska, taken it on a 13+ stop REI bike tour from Los Angeles to Denver, and most recently through southern India on a bike trip prompted by a wedding invitation.
Note that the website is under construction as Miles of Portraits is going through a major transition. For the most up-to-date stories, follow us on Instagram.