Raúl García Rides Unicycle From Alaska to Argentina
A former robotics engineer is pedaling nearly 20,000 miles to raise funds for a Guatemalan bicycle-recycling nonprofit.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Central America
Raúl García began a unicycle journey from Alaska to Argentina on June 1, 2026, covering a planned distance of almost 20,000 miles. He quit his robotics engineering job in Portland, Oregon to make the trip, which he estimates has covered about 4,000 miles so far.
Why it matters
García's trip is partly intended to raise money for Maya Pedal, a Guatemalan nonprofit that converts old bicycles into eco-friendly machines powering appliances for local residents. The journey highlights how one individual's long-distance effort can be directed toward community-level development work in Central America.
García has covered an estimated 4,000 miles of a planned journey of almost 20,000 miles, riding about 35 to 40 miles on a good day. The total funds raised for Maya Pedal so far have not been reported.
The players
Raúl García
A former robotics engineer from Portland, Oregon who quit his job to unicycle from Alaska to Argentina.
Maya Pedal
A Guatemalan nonprofit that converts old bicycles into eco-friendly machines powering appliances for local residents.
The details
García, who learned to ride a unicycle as an adult, was inspired after seeing a YouTube video of someone crossing the world on one. He carries a small rosary called a Denarius, gifted by his mother, and his setup weighs almost 72 pounds.
Timeline
Four years before the trip, García first saw the unicycle-across-the-world video that inspired him.
June 1, 2026: García officially began the journey from Alaska.
October 2026: García passed through the Provo area.
The full trip could take up to two years.
Travel Outlook
Long-distance overland travel through Central America is shaped by seasonal weather and terrain, and García's route from Alaska to Argentina crosses the region as riders often do. His effort ties that corridor to Maya Pedal's work in Guatemala, which turns discarded bicycles into tools for rural households.
Travelers planning overland routes through Central America can expect long stretches of terrain that demand careful scheduling. García's pace of 35 to 40 miles on a good day gives a practical sense of what sustained cycling distances look like on this route.
The takeaway
A single traveler's fundraising journey can channel attention toward grassroots community projects, and García's ride shows how sustained effort over a long route can carry a nonprofit's mission across borders.
Further reading
For more on the region the journey crosses, explore our Central America travel coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BYU Daily Universe.
