Back when we were in a long distance relationship, when our expedition was just taking shape, and when we didn't know bicycle touring was a thing that real people did for fun, we would read touring journals aloud to each other over the phone. At the time, the one we identified with most was the story of Sarah and Jamie, a couple who quit their jobs at Microsoft, sold all their stuff, got married, and left on a bicycle touring honeymoon for a year.
Over the course of our trip, we've gotten to be quite the internet friends! They've followed our adventure, and we've been following theirs as they returned home, started an urban "farmette" with backyard chickens, and delved headlong into the challenges of parenthood. Recently, Tara's been enviously enjoying Sarah's food blog, wishing she had more access to kitchens so she could experiment with food photography.
We were pretty excited when we found out we'd be able to meet up with them on our way across Colorado!
We arrived early in the morning, promptly heading out for walk around town, feeling like old friends as we talked about some of the experiences we've shared returning from a period of extended travel. We also chatted about the idea of home, and what it means to settle down. Sarah and Jamie could relate; they're still looking for the right place, some three years later. To that end, we joined them for a nearby open house in the afternoon. Along the way, we met their friends Dulcie and Tyler, and their little daughter, Sylvie.
Isaac (Sarah and Jamie's son) and Sylvie are adorable best-buds:
A few hours later, we played with Isaac and capped the evening off with a tasty dinner of homemade pizza. Eventually, conversation drifted once more to culture shock and the process of coming home. Re-entering life in America is surely going to take some getting used to, but it is a comfort to know that we have friends who've already been there.
Sarah and Jamie, thank you for having us, and for the inspiration your journal provided us as we prepared to embark on our tour! It was so nice to finally meet you—in some ways it felt like closing the circle on this crazy adventure of ours.