The bug hit when I was a little kid and my family traveled across Canada by car. We passed people on bicycles and wanted to cross the country on a bike. I also wanted to travel by motorcycle or Econoline-type van. I grew up, went through high school and college. Started doing more and more backpacking, hitch-hiked across Canada several times and finally got a real job and the first thing I bought was a touring bike. I don't plan on going across Canada though. I've done it enough by pther means.