28 | DestinMagazine.com
T
hey say that life is a journey
and for Destin resident Tom
Catanese, that journey is best
taken on two wheels. Literally.
Over the past eight years, Tom has made
biking his way of life; exploring countries
and experiencing cultures that stray far
from the narrow scope of the world that
so many of us see. His focus is anywhere
and everywhere, eyes trained on the roads
and paths that stretch endlessly ahead
of him even as his spirit ventures with
wanderlust, his appetite for learning
and seeing and doing as insatiable as the
physical hunger aroused by so many miles
logged on a bike.
As the 58 year-old father of four grown
children would likely tell you, spending
most of his day sitting in the saddle of a
bicycle wasn’t always in his game plan.
But when all signs pointed toward Go
Tom took life by the handlebars and did
something that very few of us would have
the courage to do: packing up his once
predictable life to ride free of convention,
never fully expecting the many blessings
and lessons he would find all along the
way. “After sending my children off on
their life’s paths, my own quest emerged
and it became one for seeing this God-
given world,” Tom sagely explains.
“Traveling and cycling has given me
a renewed energy for life and seeking
knowledge about different cultures
brought out a hidden potential inside
of me. It’s been a time of amazing self-
discovery.”
And while that time of self-discovery
has certainly required him to face his
fair share of fears and take on many
challenges, Tom has taken them all head
on, pedaling through them and past them
to find an inner strength he never knew
he had. “This has brought such a process
of growth and learning to me and I truly
believe that I’ve become a better person,”
Tom reflects. “There’s something about
removing all of my boundaries and
expectations that has taught me to remove
stereotypes from people, as well. I have
such a true sense of unity, I’ve found
that I can make a friend anywhere in this
world.”
The word anywhere could be considered
somewhat vague, but for Catanese it
allows him the freedom not to limit
himself. He has an entire globe at his
feet—or rather, under his tires—and
he has no plans of hitting the brakes.
Already, he’s explored thirty countries,
logging nearly 12,000 miles as he traverses
the world that seems so ready for his
exploration.
Admittedly, Catanese is hardly what one
would consider the typical candidate for
starting this type of journey. He started
somewhat late in the game, strapping on
his helmet and setting off at a point when
story by
Liesel Schmidt
photos by
Tom Catanese
Soul
Cycling
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11/29/16 9:25 AM