This week, visionary entrepreneurs Lady JB Owen and Peter Giesin became world record holders as the first couple to cycle the entire Baja Peninsula both north-to-south and south-to-north on a tandem bicycle.

Crossing into San Diego, California, the couple reached this milestone as part of their current expedition: an 80-day, 9,000-kilometer tandem journey from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to Homer, Alaska. With a combined 93,000 meters (305,000 feet) of elevation gain, equal to climbing Mount Everest ten times, this ride is as symbolic as it is physical, representing the uphill work of leadership, partnership, and purpose.

More than a record-breaking athletic feat, the ride is part of Cycle to Ignite Humanity™, a mission-driven initiative to raise awareness, inspire personal transformation, and build sustainable Inspiration Classrooms™ around the world. Already, the couple has funded and built two classrooms in Lombok, Indonesia, using recycled plastic blocks and solar power to bring literacy and learning to underserved children.

Together, Lady JB and Peter are the founders of Ignite You Inc. and Ignite Publishing, global organizations dedicated to transforming lives through personal storytelling, leadership development, and conscious communication. Through their companies, they help individuals uncover their purpose, share their message, and build lasting legacies.

Their tandem journey is not new; it’s an embodiment of their long-standing commitment to impactful living. In 2021, they cycled from Calgary to the Top of the World Highway in Alaska, one of the most remote and challenging rides in North America. In 2022, they went coast to coast, cycling from Vancouver to Newfoundland across Canada, completing 79 days of nonstop tandem cycling from ocean to ocean. In 2023, they followed that with a 5,000-kilometer ride from Calgary to Cabo San Lucas. Each ride has deepened their message and expanded their mission to Ignite Humanity.

Lady JB’s 2021 journey from Calgary to Ottawa during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic inspired her book, “Wisdom from the Back of the Bike.” In it, she shares her insights on partnership, resilience, and navigating both personal and professional challenges with grace, grit, and intention.

At ages 55 and 57, Owen and Giesin are redefining leadership. They are proving that vision, vitality, and value creation don’t diminish with age; they expand. Their ride is a moving metaphor for what it takes to lead: endurance, communication, and the courage to face the unknown.

Follow their journey at www.EpicTandem.com, where readers can track their progress, support classroom builds, and even participate in virtual ride-alongs that turn awareness into action.

As leaders, they are not simply pedaling toward Alaska; they are riding headfirst into a better future. And in doing so, they remind us that true leadership is lived, not just led.

…They are riding headfirst into a better future. And in doing so, they remind us that true leadership is lived, not just led.

Leadership in Motion: Takeaways from the Tandem

Whether on a bike or in business, the same principles apply:

• Sync with your partner. Great leadership is about alignment of values, goals, and pace. Success happens when individuals work in flow, not in friction.

• Shift gears when needed. Knowing when to push, when to pause, and when to adapt is what sustains momentum—on the road and in the boardroom.

• Keep climbing. 305,000 feet of elevation gain didn’t happen in one day. Small, consistent action beats big bursts every time.

• Let purpose lead. Vision fuels endurance. When your mission matters deeply, no mountain is too high.

For those leading teams, companies, or communities, take this as your invitation to ride differently. Lead with heart. Partner with purpose. And remember: it’s never too late to do something extraordinary.