PORTLAND, Maine — Brian Charette, who grew up in Van Buren, still remembers his mother bringing him to the Northern Maine Fair when he was a teen. By then, he said he had already found a love for riding but seeing others competing in bike races at the fair enticed him.
Decades later, Charette is still clocking miles on two wheels. In the last five years, he has completed three of the longest bikepacking routes in the country. Those trips combined total more than 15,000 miles. Later this year, Charette plans to take on his greatest challenge yet: the "Great Northern Bikepacking Route."
The route takes riders across Canada and totals close to 9,000 miles.
"I'm 52 and I'm still pretty damn strong," Charette said. "I used to play a lot of basketball. I can't jump at the gym anymore but I can ride my bike. I can do these big, long, super challenging things, but that ain't gonna last forever."
"Knowing that I'm closer to the end has really been driving me to do all the things." Charette went on to say.
Charette is known out on the trails and online as 'F*** Yeah Guy Brad'. He collects videos of himself and others expressing a loud 'f*** yeah!' That has become part of his brand.
"When I get a 75-year-old person it's like they got permission to be a kid and they got permission to say that word. It's so hilarious." Charette said.
"It's the perfect opportunity to share with your kids the huge difference between f*** yeah and f*** you, right?" Charette continued. "It's huge. It's not even the same word.
He's created an entire line of merchandise with the saying. Charette will use the money from sales to help pay for his trip across Canada. That trip is expected to last throughout the Summer.
Charette said his lifestyle isn't for everyone but it allows him to live freely and still spend time with his children. Next month, he will trade the wide open spaces of Arizona for the western coast of Canada. You can follow his journey across the country on social media.