Read more on Mara’s blog: Spoke Lore
Read her first post: In 2025 I Gave Up Everything to Travel, and it Wasn’t What I Expected
Read her second post: The Long Ride East: I ran out of time in Schengen, so I rerouted to the Balkans
*Trigger warning: this post mentions self-harm, mental health, and suicide.
Hello, fellow trailblazers and adventurers.
I’m only weeks away from reaching Turkey, a goal I came to The Cairn Project with last year.
I had decided I was going to travel the world on my bicycle long before I reached out to The Cairn Project, but as I made my way toward Southampton (UK) to catch a ferry to France, I realized I wanted to make my trip mean something. I wanted to reach beyond myself, and contribute to a cause.
A little background
A little disclosure here; Since I was a child I’ve struggled with severe depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation. Like many young girls, I carried a lot of self-doubt and have struggled with the way I perceive myself, both inside and out. I grew up with extreme social anxiety and spent most of my adolescence hiding from the world in a dark bedroom. Shortly after dropping out of high school, I became a young mother.
When I thought about how I wanted to raise my daughters, I tried to recall what parts of my childhood brought me joy. I had to dig for it, but I remembered having fun with my siblings playing in the woods. Building forts from fallen trees, sledding down dirt hillsides because we never got any snow, and letting our imaginations run wild as we crossed log bridges and explored the woods behind our house. I wanted to raise my daughters to explore the world, appreciate nature, and get dirty in the outdoors and love it.
I played outside with my daughters, and I soon developed a deep interest in outdoor sports, including trail running (my greatest love), backpacking, diving, and of course, cycling.
Finding a sense of belonging in the outdoors changed me. It gave me the ability to cope with unprocessed grief and trauma. It sparked curiosity, which paved the way for growth and learning. Being outdoors gave me peace, joy, and a place to cry. As my courage surfaced more and more, I discovered the true adventurer within me – and it helped me to build self-confidence and learn skills that have benefited me in all areas of my life.
I have seen the way adventure in the outdoors brings out the best and strongest parts of myself and of other women around me. I have personally experienced the profound way it brings women together, forming some of the most supportive friendships you could ever ask for. And that’s why I reached out to The Cairn Project.
Women are adventurous, and we belong outdoors
In spring of last year, I partnered up with The Cairn Project to raise money via my cycling journey from France to Istanbul. I wanted to, in some small way, inspire and help other women get started on their own adventures. I also wanted to acknowledge the role that mental health can play in both our obstacles to pursuing outdoor adventure, and in the way engaging with the outdoors, and with other women in the outdoors, helps us heal, cope, and grow.
If there’s any message I could share it would be this; We are adventurous. We are capable. We, women, belong outdoors.
Even as a seasoned adventurer, I need those reminders. Traveling the world on my little pink bicycle for the past year has been incredibly challenging – pushing me to limits I didn’t even know I had, forcing me to adapt and grow, and ultimately showing me how capable I really am.
Feeling strong and ready to ride!
In mid-December I decided to take a job in Himarë, Albania so I could wait out the winter, and the clock before I can reenter Schengen. I’m grateful that I have had this opportunity to rest and reflect, but I am very ready to get back on the bike.
On February 25th I will leave Himarë and cycle to Corfu Island, Greece. My cycling journey will continue up to North Macedonia, through Bulgaria, and to Turkey.
In addition to raising the money I set out to for The Cairn Project, I have another important goal: I want to reach Istanbul by April 1 to see my daughter, Lily, during her layover on her way to Indonesia. We haven’t seen each other in months, and it would mean the world to me to spend a day in Istanbul with her.
That gives us just a few weeks to raise the rest of the money to meet my goal of $2,000. We’re currently at 25%, which means I still need to raise 75%. Every donation, no matter the size, brings me closer.
It’s not going to be an easy ride. The Rhodopi Mountains in Bulgaria are rugged, steep, and wild. Predictions on weather for March are unknown. There’s a chance there could be some snow on the mountains, though I’m hoping it’ll be clear. I’ll be camping every night, cold or not, rain or shine, snow or no snow. But I am determined to get to Lily by April 1, and just as determined to raise the full amount I set out to raise for The Cairn Project. Your support:
💛keeps me motivated,
⛰️lifts my spirits after the hard days of navigating rugged mountain terrain with a loaded bike; and
✨gives me the boost I need to believe in myself and keep moving
I’m calling on you, my friends and adventurers, to help me reach my goal.
Here’s how you can help:
- Donate – even $5 makes a difference → here
- Share this post – the wider the audience, the more likely I can reach my goal (https://cairnproject.org/our-community/women-belong-outside)
- Follow along – I’ll post updates, shoutouts, and photos (you can follow me on my instagram or at my blog)
With your help, I can reach Istanbul, wrap my arms around my daughter, and hit our fundraising goal! And hopefully, inspire women to pursue the adventures of their dreams and believe they CAN!
Mara White
Mara Noel White is a world traveler, trail runner, and joyriding cyclist— affectionately known on the trail as The Tiny Adventurer. She’s completed multi-day treks and long-distance bike tours across the globe, always in search of natural beauty, new experiences, and meaningful connections.