March, 2010 Springtime in Macedonia G Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 Riding out of hilly Stip was a wonderful thing. Once we left the city limits, we were treated to a ever-so-slight downhill that lasted almost all day. A sky full of puffy clouds vacillated between ... Strolling Around Stip G Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 On our "rest" days, we often make grand plans for sightseeing, and then end up spending most of the day inside. It is astonishingly easy to lose an entire morning, afternoon and evening making route... The Food Game: Macedonia Edition G Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 Back in Minnesota, we used to hang out with our friends Eli and Ashley every week for "food night", which often involved making some kind of Thai curry from scratch, grinding up the spices in a morta... Macedonian Mountains G Monday, March 29th, 2010 The day dawned bright and clear, though the headwinds from yesterday were still blowing fiercely. In spite of the extra work we knew they'd bring, we were in good spirits. With a spring and summer ... Filling in the Blanks G Sunday, March 28th, 2010 We awaken to the faint sound of drizzle and the whipping of our rainfly in a hefty wind. Yesterday's brilliant sun and balmy weather have gone, leaving us with rain and a distinct chill in the air. ... Hello Macedonia G Saturday, March 27th, 2010 Our ride out of Thessaloniki was a non-stop parade of factories and industrial sites for hours. According to Tara, the road was full of "mammoth ferocious dogs bred with grizzly bears". Thankfully ... Thessaloniki by Night G Friday, March 26th, 2010 Tyler spent the entire day staring into his computer screen programming while I ran around town running errands: mailing a package home, picking up yarn for another knitting project, stocking up on f... Loose Ends in Thessaloniki G Thursday, March 25th, 2010 We're staying in Thessaloniki for a few days to make our final preparations for Eastern Europe. Tara is tying up loose ends, sending out postcards and packages, while I'm trying my best to catch up ... Dude, Where's My Car? G Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 Today we had to decide between taking a busy highway to Thessaloniki, or winding around convoluted back roads which would triple our time in the saddle. We chose the highway, and when we were about ... Boxcar Willie G Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 Today's "ride" featured a lot of pushing and plenty of bleak-looking skies. Thankfully, the dark clouds that loomed overhead for the entire day only threatened to rain, and the terrain we practicall... On a Roll G Monday, March 22nd, 2010 Today was our longest on record, 110 kilometers or about 70 miles. This is double the distance we usually plan to cycle in a day. Thanks to gorgeous sunny skies and a gentle downgrade leading to th... On Finishing Things G Sunday, March 21st, 2010 For the past few months I've been working on a baby cardigan for Tyler's sister, Amanda. I rarely follow patterns but I decided it would be best to have one for this project if I wanted it to be rea... Nature Hike to Metéora G Saturday, March 20th, 2010 With the intention of visiting a Metéora monastery or two today, we woke up early and packed a backpack with food, water and our guidebook. We set off on foot saying, "I am thankful for good health... Flat Roads to Kalampaka G Friday, March 19th, 2010 Since we've arrived in Greece, we haven't seen many cyclists. In Athens especially, bikers seem to steer clear of the city, except for a few brave souls who speed around helmet-less amidst the smog ... Macro Love G Thursday, March 18th, 2010 Flowers make me happy. I don't care if it is cliché, they just do! When we got our first camera I was thrilled when I realized I could finally capture the beauty I see in them. When we get home I... That Damned Squeak PG Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 I love waking up to the sound of the ocean. Even more than that, I love waking up to sunny weather. This morning, I got both. When things go well out here, it really is almost more fun than I can ... Snoozin' & Cruisin' G Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 We are getting very lax about leaving free-camps bright and early. I used to set the alarm for the crack of dawn, wake up the instant the phone started buzzing, and hurredly wake Tyler so we could b... Out n' About G Monday, March 15th, 2010 Somehow, some way, no matter how ho-hum the scenery or the day, there is always something interesting to see, no matter what. Maybe we are easily fascinated, or maybe we just know how to look, but i... 24 Hour Rule G Sunday, March 14th, 2010 My parents have a rule that says: If you do something routine-altering for a few days, you get a day afterwards to recover and re-adjust to life at home. It's called "The 24-Hour Rule", but the long... Maintenance G Saturday, March 13th, 2010 Today, I replaced the chains on our bikes. According to bicycling community legend Sheldon Brown, you can gauge their level of wear by using a ruler. You're supposed to measure from the center of o... Miwa & Sergei G Friday, March 12th, 2010 For the past two weeks we've been waiting for our Russian visas in Athens. Saving us from the great expense of a hotel have been the kind, generous, and funny, Sergei and Miwa. We connected with th... Athens General Strike PG Thursday, March 11th, 2010 I had trouble getting to sleep last night. As rest eluded me, I lay awake for what seemed like hours, staring at the ceiling with anticipation. It was late when I finally drifted off, and quite ear... Athens Graffiti & New Camera G Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 I was a little overwhelmed by our new camera when we picked it up from Greek customs two days ago. At first glance, it looked like the flight deck of a 767 to me. Even more ridiculous (in the confi... Greek Economic Crisis PG Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 Signs of the economic crisis occurring Greece are easy to find in Athens. We frequently pass police in full riot gear, we've seen several protests during our short time here, and taxes have risen (o... Greek Customs G Monday, March 8th, 2010 Wow. I really thought Tunisia would win the award for most inefficient postal service on our trip but today, Greece easily stole the crown. Here is what it took to receive our new camera: Ou... Museums & Madeleine G Sunday, March 7th, 2010 There are numerous free museums in Athens and we've been making a point to visit as many of them as we can. Earlier this week, we visited the Museum of Popular Greek Musical Instruments. The colle... Athens Animals G Sunday, March 7th, 2010 There are lots of stray cats and dogs running around Athens. Actually, to be more accurate, they are usually loafing around. Here are two such loafers: Athens Scruffy Cat Athens Sleepy Dog And... Athens Markets G Saturday, March 6th, 2010 Apart from buying groceries and cooking, we've spent the majority of the last week cooped up in the apartment staring into our respective computer screens, working away. In a welcome change of pace,... Buskers of Athens: Part #2 G Friday, March 5th, 2010 One of the few things Tara and I really like about big cities are the buskers. We love going out for a walk here, if only in the hopes of stumbling upon a good musician. Athens doesn't disappoint! ... Lemon Cake G Thursday, March 4th, 2010 Having a real oven has been fantastic and I've been taking advantage of it as much as possible. So far I've made an almond cake, a chicken pot pie, and this lemon loaf. Lemon Lemon Lemon Loaf Ther... Buskers of Athens: Part #1 G Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 During our walk around Athens yesterday, we ran into lots of buskers. We only got recordings of two of them, but I think we'll capture a few more over the next week. There were numerous accordion... Our Photos: Year One G Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 When Tara and I left to embark on this adventure, neither of us knew a thing about photography. In fact, we'd planned on bringing a run of the mill point-and-shoot with us until my friend Ian Meyer ... Annual Bicycle Travel Photo Contest G Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 We recently took second place in Adventure Cycling Association's first annual bicycle touring photo contest! The submission we placed with is below, and here is the story that goes with it. Italian... Mailing Our Passports G Monday, March 1st, 2010 Traveling abroad in the fluid, flexible way that we do often makes for an exhilirating and rewarding lifestyle. We rarely have to be anywhere at a certain time, and we are free to choose our own iti...