Seven years since initially embarking on her trip, Hollie Ernest (’08) is almost done biking around the world.
By Vivian DiSalvo (Class of 2026)
It was a warm night in Botswana when Hollie Ernest (’08) set up camp for the night. She chose a spot next to a cell tower enclosed by a fence to avoid the leopards locals had warned her about.
For Ernest, it wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary. She’s spent the past several years biking around the world and has grown accustomed to spending the night in odd places, like next to a cell tower in Botswana.
In 2019, Ernest set off from California to South America to chase her dream of biking all around the world. The pandemic halted her trip for a few years, but in 2023, she resumed and wrapped up the tip of South America in just two months. She later biked across all of Europe and Africa, where her husband flew out to join her on the trek, but biked most of Asia on her own.
Now, seven years since the College of Arts and Sciences graduate began her journey, she’s almost completed her trip.
Ernest’s love for biking blossomed when she was a student at UT.
Ernest grew up with a love of biking which fully blossomed once she started at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She got involved with the UT Outdoors Program, which gave her the opportunity to go on biking trails with friends and nurture her passion for the sport.
She also worked for the program under Brett Davis, Assistant Professor of Practice in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. The idea of biking around the world was planted when Davis mentioned to Ernest that he was going on a biking trip across the US Though she loved biking, she tabled the thought of working upon graduating, saving money for the possibility of a trip in the future.
She did a short trek to Canada and later a biking trip along the Pacific coast, but nothing could scratch the itch she had to make it all the way around. So, finally, when she had enough money saved, she set out to bike around the world.
“It wasn’t overnight. It’s not like you can say, ‘I want to cycle around the world; I’ll just head out tomorrow,’” says Ernest. “I had seven years of preparation before I left, doing research and saving money.”
To plan the trip, Ernest started with evaluating the seasons and weather. Though biking in hundred-degree heat is unbearable, camping in freezing temperatures isn’t ideal either. She had to plan her routes around the time of year and the weather in each country. After that, she tracked the miles and crunched the numbers to see how long it would take.
However, no matter how much you plan, there is always the possibility that life has other ideas. Because of this, Ernest never fully plans where she’ll stop and stay each night. About an hour or so before sunset, she’ll start looking for a spot to camp. Oftentimes, she runs into locals who are happy to take her in.
“People are very willing to invite you into their house,” says Ernest. “They would give me food, even though my bags would be overflowing. They’d just open my bag and stuff it in there, wanting to take care of me.”
Sometimes her meals weren’t planned either. In Europe, she and her husband would stop to buy some cheese and bread, but, in Asia, they’d have a warm bowl of noodles. Every night is different for Ernest—she never knows where she will end up.
Traversing the world by bike has been an eye-opening experience, and it has its hardships. Being away from home, sometimes without the internet to even contact loved ones, can take its toll.
Ernest recalls when she first left in 2019, getting to call her family for the first time after months on the road. Seeing the warmth and comfort of a familiar place with familiar faces was jarring after spending so much time off the grid.
“I remember getting off the phone and sobbing,” says Ernest. “I was thinking to myself, ‘Why is this my life’s dream? Why am I doing this?’”
But she persevered, and now, almost seven years later, she’s nearing the end of her journey. Her husband has pedaled with her through some of it, reducing the emotional load and supporting her, and still with her as she continues to make her way through Asia.
This summer, Ernest will finish her bike tour in Alaska before heading home to California. Once she finishes her bike tour, she plans to stay home and continue her work as a botanist. She also hopes to visit all 50 states!
Ernest hopes to publish two books about her time biking across the world. No dream is too big, especially for those with the Volunteer spirit.
“I want to inspire others, whatever their dream is, to take those next steps in pursuing it,” says Ernest. “There will never be a right time, so you just have to go for it.”
