For Evan Lewis and Dat Tien Lewis, a cycling odyssey was a test of their relationship. A quiet whisky session revealed how far they had come. The moment they knew: after a 2,500km bike ride, it clicked that marriage probably would not be the hardest thing they would do.
The Beginning
Evan met Dat in San Francisco in 2015. Evan had left a tourism consulting role in China and moved to the US to start his own Mongolian vodka product. Dat was a specialized nurse who loved his job. They say opposites attract, and that rings true for them. Dat had a way of calming a room; he would arrive at a party and the volume would drop. He did the same with Evan. It was a busy time building a business, but Dat was always supportive and curious. They moved quickly into the relationship and spent a lot of time together.
Leaving the US
In 2018, they decided to leave the US. After Trump was elected, America started changing quickly, making it harder to commit to Evan's business. They chose Australia. Evan is originally from Perth, but Dat was born in Vietnam and had never been to Australia. They got on a plane and left.
In Australia, they took over the Broadwater resort in Busselton. When Covid hit, they worked and lived together 24/7. Many relationships would not survive that, but for them, it just worked.
The Cycling Challenge
In 2023, after five intense years at the resort, they needed a break. Evan wanted to buy a catamaran and sail around the world, but Dat could not swim. They landed on another challenge: a cycling tour from Venice to Athens. They did not really know what they were getting into.
When they started training, Dat did not know how to ride. On their first proper outing, he rode through gravel on an angle and fell off within minutes. Evan thought, "Oh, that is it. It is never going to happen." Instead, Dat blamed Evan for not warning him, cheekily asked for $5 to get back on, then finished the ride – a good 40km or so.
The Journey
They did the Venice-to-Athens ride as part of a small tour. It was amazing but extremely challenging. One day in Albania it was 37C, they had about 130km to ride, and the wind was in their faces. They were hot, dirty, and running out of water, but Dat did not complain. They were some of the only riders who finished that day. That is one of Dat's strengths: once he makes up his mind, he will do something, no matter how hard it is.
If they wanted to swear, they swore at the hills, not each other.
The Moment of Clarity
After the ride, they stopped in Hokkaido, Japan, on the way home. It was intentionally the opposite of the bike ride: they moved very slowly, just wandering, checking out onsens and restaurants. One afternoon in Sapporo, they ended up at Whisky Bar Tasokare, a tiny, dimly lit six-seat bar. They were the only customers.
Over a Kanosuke single malt and a whisky cocktail, they started talking about the trip, replaying everything they had been through – they rode over 2,500km. It was a real test, but they got through it without arguments. Somewhere during those drinks, it clicked that after riding thousands of kilometers, navigating foreign countries, and spending basically every waking hour together, marriage probably would not be the hardest thing they would do.
There was not a big proposal, just a decision they made. They were both relieved it was so easy and delighted to have found the next thing to do together. They embraced and told Ms Maki, the bar owner, who was thrilled.
The Wedding
They got married in 2024 at the Broadwater down by the beach, with family and friends who flew in from all over the world. Evan's son, Travis, was their celebrant. During the ceremony, Dat surprised Evan: he said he was taking Evan's surname so he could share a name with Travis. Evan thought that was beautiful. There were many tears and a big party with a drag queen.
Life After
Being married feels more grounded and real, like they are even more of a team. They stepped away from the day-to-day at the Broadwater about a year ago and now live in Cottesloe with their rescue dog, Harvey. Cycling is still a big part of their lives. They have done rides in Norway, France, and Australia. Through it all, they have always had each other's backs.
