Every once in a while, we meet someone who makes us look at what we’re doing and think: Maybe we don’t have it quite so tough after all.

Meet Jim, an avid solo cyclist from Alabama, whom we encountered while he was biking his way through Alaska.

And when we say biking through Alaska, we mean experiencing just about everything Alaska could throw at him: rain, sunshine, wind, hail, even snow, mosquitos, bears, moose and caribou.

Meanwhile, there we were inside YOLA with a roof over our heads, four wheels underneath us and a heater when we needed one. Perspective is a wonderful thing.

What impressed us most about Jim was his courage, independence and adventurous spirit. Traveling solo through Alaska by bicycle requires a special kind of determination.

Jim, wherever those wheels take you next, we hope the scenery is spectacular, the wind is at your back and the hail decides to take the day off.