Home Is Where The Heart Is

They say home is where the heart is. Some say it is wherever you are. But the physical, overarching definition of home is the place where you live. Sometimes with your family, other times with your partner, or simply living alone. It's accepted to be the place where you sleep most of your nights, where you eat most of your meals, where you store all your spare bikes and riding kit. It’s the place you go when you tell your friends, “I'm going to head home.” I personally do not refer to my house as home. That’s because I firmly believe that home is where you are most drawn to- it’s the place of your dreams where you can build your own life. It's where you feel the most relaxed, where you can let your guard down and drop your problems.

I stepped off the plane in Manchester, England, on August 3, 2024, for the second time. This time was different from the first, though. This time I had a plan; I had made the routes and laid out the climbs. I had packed my bike and messaged my people. I didn’t care that I was running a day behind schedule or that I had left my GPS at home and had to use my mother’s. I was back to the place I loved most for a solo climb tour - a ride that Jon at Restrap claimed was “certified mental". It
hit the highest, steepest, and longest climbs in England, as well as parts of the 2014 Tour de France.

Topping at 8 days, 425 miles, and 32,475 feet of climbing, it was one of my most-looked-forward-to tours. My parents and I flew into Manchester together, but the next day they would head south toward a ferry to take them to Ireland while I headed toward Leeds, then north from there. My route would take me to Carlisle, then south again towards Harrogate before looping back to Leeds. I would be riding to raise money for The Trevor Project, an organization advocating for suicide prevention and awareness based in Hollywood, California.

As I rode toward Leeds from the airport, I reflected on how far I'd come- from just a tiny toddler on a push bike all the way to a 15-year-old solo ultradistance cyclist. I had planned this route because I knew it was something that no one else would think of. I knew it would be challenging, as this was a different country from where I was born and I hadn’t made the route easy by a long shot. But the difficulty was the reason I wanted to ride. From the start of my riding, I've had people think I couldn’t do it, but I pushed to prove them wrong. And when I crested Holme Moss,
the first big pass of my trip, I knew that the challenges were why I rode forward.

support me and my cycling, no matter where I am.

I rode onward, seeing beautiful vistas and topping picturesque climbs. Honister Pass proved to be my favorite climb of the trip, being steep yet breathtaking. I flew through the valley and saw the towering mountains rise on either side of me. It was humbling to climb those roads, which wound up over magnificent peaks. Great Dun Fell, the highest paved road in England, ended in swirling fog in a sheep field. Buttertubs ended in a brown valley stretching in front of me for miles.

Fleet Moss flattened atop a high moor, then spat me onto my favorite steep descent. Every climb left me with something I didn’t know I needed - wonder, strength, humility. I gained a new appreciation for the land I ride on and for the natural beauty that lies all around me.

I got the opportunity to ride into the peak district with a few of the Restrap guys at the tail end of my journey, and it was so fun to ride with all of them. If I recounted every amazing conversation or funny comment, I would run out of words. But the people, the laughs, and the wonderful riding will always stay with me. Included in that day’s ride was Bamford Clough, the steepest road in the UK. The grade topped out at 40%, and Gideon rode up the whole thing. The rest of us pushed up it before flying down a different road towards dinner. That night was spent camping with a pile of great people, with a visit from a swarm of midges. The day after, I headed to Cragg Vale, the longest climb in England (5.4 miles long).

Nathan started Restrap about 14 years ago. Helen, his mom, sewed the first pedal straps for him on the sewing machine in her bedroom. Jon and Alex have been buddies of his since the beginning. Tom tested out the first bikepacking bag prototypes that were made. Restrap was built on the bonds between people- with love and care. That’s one of the reasons I love the company- past the amazing bags and eco-friendly materials. The company was started from the family home for friends on the road. Not for the money involved. Aren’t these the personal attributes we search for in a feeling of home?

Home, to me, has never been the house I live in. Home is the feeling I get when I turn my pedals down a road in England. Home is laughter with a group of wonderful people at a small town pub. Home, to me, is the place that I feel most connected to- in landscape, relationships, and pathways. That can change day to day, so I say that home is on my two wheels, riding me into the future. I don’t ride toward home, I am at home when I ride.

My gear check:

Race Stem Bag - Here’s where I kept snacks like skittles and granola bars.

Race Top Tube Bag - Here’s where I kept my electronics and more granola bars.

Race Bar Bag - Here’s where I kept my sleep system, and I kept things like my first aid kit in the side pouches. I also have the Bumper bar underneath to give me a bit more clearance.

Race Seat Pack - Here’s where I kept my clothing.

Custom Frame Bag - Here’s where I kept my sleeping pad, hairbrush, raincoat and hydration system. The hydration system was in the bottom part, with the hose running up around my handlebars.

Words by Scarlet Zeigler

Photos by Scarlet Zeigler & Tom Hill