Italy Entries Making Calendars G Friday, November 19th, 2010 I've been busy making our 2011 Photo Calendars this afternoon. In the process of looking at the thousands of photographs we've taken, I find myself pleasantly side-tracked, suddenly steeped in our s... Ciao Bella! G Monday, February 1st, 2010 Though the day dawned brilliantly, the sun wasn't providing much in the way of warmth. Amidst millions of shimmering dewdrops in our churchyard free-camp, we groggily blew into our chilly hands and ... Coasting G Sunday, January 31st, 2010 According to our database, after ten months on the road we've ascended 108,469 meters and descended 108,215 more. Imperially speaking, that is nearly 70 miles in each direction. We have officially ... Matera Sightseeing G Saturday, January 30th, 2010 We started our day by making french toast with Matera looming in the distance. It was very windy and we were downright cold as I packed up camp while Tara prepared breakfast. Once again, thank you ... Matera Sassi G Friday, January 29th, 2010 "Please don't be raining please don't be raining please don't be raining"… I repeated over and over while waiting for Tyler to come back from a quick trip outside to check the weather this mor... Sick Day Observations G Thursday, January 28th, 2010 Though I woke up feeling a lot better than I had last night, Tyler insisted we take a day of rest so I could fully recover. We passed the morning and afternoon laying together in our tiny, smaller-t... Wet and Cold G Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 A sickly drizzle of freezing rain patiently waited to receive us this morning. As we stuffed ourselves during our last continental breakfast at the Grand Hotel in Potenza, we were blissfully unaware... Just Right G Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 We've only been here two nights and two days but Tara and I enthusiastically agree; we think we'd like to live here. The city of Potenza has a particular vibe, a quiet welcoming sort of quality abou... Birthday Success G Monday, January 25th, 2010 Yesterday, I made a list of all the things I wanted to do on my birthday. While the best parts of the day weren't even on it (an early morning phone call from my brother, Lian, the sweetest voice-ma... Rags to Riches G Sunday, January 24th, 2010 Walking into the four-star Grande Albergo hotel in Potenza's charming shop-lined cobblestone downtown was quite the experience—a real example of how polar our trip can be at times. There we we... Brrrrrrr G Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 In an odd change of perspective, every climb was cause for celebration today (and there were plenty of them: 800 meters, or over 2,500 feet in all). In lieu of hopping around madly trying to keep wa... Climbing in the Cold G Friday, January 22nd, 2010 The day didn't start out very cold. In fact, the first twenty five kilometers of our trek east were just beautiful; much flatter than I expected they would be too! We cruised through non-stop civil... Field Recording G Thursday, January 21st, 2010 During yesterday's ride, we enjoyed the Amalfi scenery on our second trip through it's unforgettable coastline. Though it provided spectacular views once more, we'd forgotten how mountainous the are... Amalfi Again G Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 When Tyler expressed his desire to return what I call "the tunnel from hell" to do some recording, I was torn. On one hand, I was excited that he'd finally be able to capture the bizarrely intense d... What's Next G Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 For some reason we can't quite put our fingers on, we've found stealth camping in Italy to be incredibly easy and rewarding. Last night's location and the views it provided this morning were no exce... Salerno G Monday, January 18th, 2010 After a refreshingly hassle-free boarding process last night, we made ourselves at home on the ferry to Salerno. By making a mat on the floor out of the removable seat cushions, we were able to easi... Pigging Out in Palermo G Sunday, January 17th, 2010 We woke up to the morning sun streaming through our smudged ferry windows and were greeted with views of the ruggedly beautiful mountains of the Sicilian coastline. We were almost there! Ferry View... Time and Pressure G Friday, November 6th, 2009 Tyler It is hard to fathom that we're taking a ferry to Africa in less than 24 hours. Every now and then, one of us will turn to the other and say, "Hey guess what? We're going to Tunisia!" Outsid... Safely Indoors G Thursday, November 5th, 2009 Thanks to a very generous donation from fellow touring cyclist we've been corresponding with, Fred Bouwman, we booked a hotel room in Palermo during our trip's worst free-camp last night. We were bo... The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day G Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 Most of the day wasn't bad. We narrowly escaped some rain while packing our olive grove free-camp and then had a lovely uneventful ride along the coast. Cycling just feet from the crashing waves, w... Autumn in the Mountains G Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 Our frosty free-camp at 1,400m (4,500ft) was so cold we blew off our 5:30am alarm this morning. Cuddled in our toasty warm tent we hoped the sun would come out sooner rather than later. It didn't. ... Serendipitous G Monday, November 2nd, 2009 It took a lot of willpower to leave our cozy sleeping bag this morning. Fall doesn't mess around in the mountains. It was cold! We both layered ourselves like onions in the tent before braving the... The Kindness of Strangers G Sunday, November 1st, 2009 Last night's campsite was just what we needed. Free camping is fun, but it comes with a slightly tiring set of challenges: lack of bathrooms, showers, sinks, garbage cans, and most importantly: the ... Give and Take G Saturday, October 31st, 2009 Before embarking on our journey, we blithely lived in the land of "everything you could ever need or want, 24 hours a day" and completely took it for granted. While preparing to leave, if I couldn't... Stealthy G Friday, October 30th, 2009 This evening was the most blatantly public free-camp we've ever attempted, easily trumping our most daring nighttime caper so far: sleeping in the middle of a highway. After a breezy fifty kilometer... Sicily at Last G Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 We took it slowly this morning, making crepes for the first time in what felt like ages. When we set out, we were hoping against hope for a flat day but of course, it was anything but! Like yesterd... Southbound Again G Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 We took two trips this morning, both of us pushing one bike at a time up the steep and very slick winding road we'd descended last night to arrive at our seaside free-camp. The climbing didn't end t... Free Camp Fun G Monday, October 26th, 2009 Our first free-camp was on the second night of our trip. We hauled our panniers by hand through the woods to a well hidden clearing and then returned for our bicycles, trudging through the brush in ... Blown Away G Sunday, October 25th, 2009 Tara: Lately, when we have a few days off it takes a bit of mental cajoling to get back into the groove of cycling. Already feeling a little reluctant to leave the comforts of civilization behind, w... Hotel Comforts G Saturday, October 24th, 2009 After our highway stealth camp, Tara's grandparents sent us another donation(!) insisting that we spend a night in a nice hotel! Following an awe-inspiring storm two days ago we decided to take them... Epic Storm G Friday, October 23rd, 2009 When the alarm went off this morning I could scarcely hear its persistent beeping over the noise outside. A train screamed by, shaking the ground beneath us, and the natural world seemed to be engag... What Rain? G Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 Bring it on nature! When it was time to pack our things in the rain this morning neither of us even flinched. Not soon after we left, the drizzle turned into a fierce downpour that didn't fully let... Run-Ins G Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 Our first run-in of the day was with a man in an ANAS van (the Italian highway maintenance service) shortly after leaving our seaside free-camp. He stopped us about 10km into a long ascent and did h... Feeling Capable G Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 When we groggily awoke to rain pattering on our tent roof, we promptly rolled over, slept in, and let nature run its course. Thankfully by 9AM the gray sheet of clouds had drifted out to sea, taking... Peaceful Day G Monday, October 19th, 2009 From an outsider's perspective, cycle touring may seem like a romantic, leisurely and relaxing way to take a vacation. There's the beautiful scenery, the wind in your hair, the open road, and the fr... South for Winter G Sunday, October 18th, 2009 We've been contemplating several different routing possibilities to wrap up our tour of Italy for several days now. Today, as we approached the point where the roads diverged and decision-making bec... Short Day G Saturday, October 17th, 2009 Saying goodbye to Melodie and Alex this morning felt very premature. We would have loved to spend more time with them but unfortunately, we're all headed in opposite directions. Before parting ways... Fast Friends G Friday, October 16th, 2009 Surprisingly when our alarm went off at 6:30 this morning, neither of us wanted to budge from our highway free-camp! Our tent had become a cozy, warm little den; a thick carpet of pine needles benea... Noisy Naples G Thursday, October 15th, 2009 Tara: Before leaving our volcanic campground we stopped for breakfast at the bar/shop on site. As we ate we noticed there were several cats wandering around (at least seven by our count!). One of t... Full of Surprises G Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 We've had our share of interesting rodent encounters on the road but this morning easily topped them all. While groping around for my shoes at 4am to go to the bathroom I felt something… furr... October's Bright Blue Weather G Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 The warmth and manic weather (repeated bouts of sun alternating with downpours) of the past few days have passed, leaving a distinct drop in temperature and crisp, clear skies. It is the quintessent... Making Jam G Monday, October 12th, 2009 Since today was our day off, I decided to make some jam with an unfortunate batch of fruit: two mealy oranges and three mushy, tasteless prune plums. First I peeled the oranges (roughly, with a kni... Just us Chickens G Saturday, October 10th, 2009 This morning began with a quiet thunder rumbling in the distance. Instead of ignoring the faint percussion, leaving our comfort to chance, I sprang to attention, shook Tyler awake and together we to... Riding Sicker G Friday, October 9th, 2009 Last night, as we were too tired to put our food away properly, Tyler said, "in the REAL wild, we'd have to be a lot more careful about what we do with our food, or animals would come and eat it." W... Riding Sick G Thursday, October 8th, 2009 One of the few downsides to free-camping near the ocean is a tent completely covered with dew in the early morning hours before the sun comes up. Our spot was so good last night we opted to sleep wi... Taking Care of Business G Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 I was surprised to find myself enjoying our ride this morning as we made our way out of the tangled mess that is Roman traffic. The shoulder, if you could call it that, was a huge line of haphazardl... Ancient History G Monday, October 5th, 2009 For our second trip into Rome we decided to make it a "short" day, focusing just on the Colosseum, the Roman Forums, and the Palatine. It is a good thing we didn't plan anything else! When we arriv... Resting in Rome G Sunday, October 4th, 2009 We spent most of the day in our tent at Seven Hills Campsite in Rome today. Tara is working on a new writing project and I, as usual, had tons of programming to catch up on. Camping Seven Hills... Roman Holiday G Saturday, October 3rd, 2009 We left from our tent quickly this morning in hopes that we wouldn't miss the 8:30 shuttle to the nearest train station. When we arrived at the "bus stop" area, it was obvious we hadn't needed to ru... Six Months on the Road G Thursday, October 1st, 2009 A lot has changed since our plane landed in Scotland six months ago (in April- what were we thinking?!) We've packed more exciting events into these 184 days than either of us can believe. With eac... Ghost Towns G Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 Apparently tourist season is over! Just yesterday, each town we passed was bustling with people. Crowds of tourists spent their sunny afternoons eating gelato and milling about little surf shops, p... Oceanside Free Camp G Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 Tyler: This morning while we ate breakfast a pack of stray kittens wandered tentatively into our picnic area. They all seemed to be in pretty rough shape so I tossed a piece of bread their way to se... Back to the Mainland G Monday, September 28th, 2009 Since yesterday was our day off, Tyler put off fixing his flat tire (which he acquired riding into Aquaviva Campground) until this morning. In no time at all, he had the tube patched and we were rea... Doing Nothing G Sunday, September 27th, 2009 After yesterday's intense ups and downs (literally—we climbed over 1,000 meters!), we decided it was time for a break. Now we're settled in to a nice campground on the north shore of Elba Isla... Climbing Elba G Saturday, September 26th, 2009 Elba Island is one part collapsed mountain, one part volcanic remains. The resulting landscape, while stunning, is quite a workout on a fully loaded touring bicycle. Elba Island Coast Road Elba Is... Exploring Elba G Friday, September 25th, 2009 Packing up our free-camp early this morning, a man ambled into the woods just as we were heading out. He didn't smile or wave, he just adjusted his floppy hat and tightened his grips on the stick he... Easy Road to Elba G Thursday, September 24th, 2009 Often when we don't have a specific idea of where we are headed next, we choose a city located somewhere in the general direction we're traveling and use it as a waypoint in our GPS. Once the route ... Volterra and the Sea G Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 A brilliant golden light filtered through the trees this morning but I was far too comfy in our tent to get up and take a picture. I will just have to commit the morning splendor to memory. Quickly... A Hero's Welcome G Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 Tara and I were a little overwhelmed last night as we looked at our maps, trying to decide where to go next. Until today we've had a fairly clear plan that defined where we were going, when we would... Changing Seasons G Monday, September 21st, 2009 My family packed up and left today, leaving a quiet hole in their wake. It was wonderful to have them here, and now that they are gone, Tyler and I are suddenly alone for our last night in a now sil... This is Mark G Sunday, September 20th, 2009 I woke up early expecting to tour the farm, meet Lidia's parents, and participate in making sheep's milk ricotta, the creamy cheese Tara had used to make our tasty ravioli filling. As it turned out,... This is Lian G Saturday, September 19th, 2009 Hi all, This is Lian, Tara's brother. I have been enjoying my week with the "Going Slowly Crew" here in Italy. We are having a wonderful time here in the countryside with short trips to the towns. ... This is Lisa G Friday, September 18th, 2009 This is Lisa. Im Tara's mom, and I'm filling in today to allow Tara and Tyler a bit of a break from their usual discipline of daily journaling. Their dedication to daily journaling is impressive.... Ravioli Making G Friday, September 18th, 2009 Tara Kneading Pasta Dough The Men Making Ravioli Spinach & Ricotta Filling Ravioli Tara & Dad Cooking Tara & Dad Boiling Pasta ... Florence with Family G Thursday, September 17th, 2009 The morning began with some harried navigation on busy Italian roads leading into Florence. Traveling by bicycle is definitely easier than by car! After several wrong turns and subsequent complicat... Food All Day G Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 Being the only one in our apartment that a) isn't jet-lagged, and b) hasn't been awake all night long fixing and setting up our new HP Mini 5101 laptop, I bound out of bed this morning refreshed, ful... Homecoming G Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 As usual when free-camping, we awoke early and began packing while it was still dark out. Though everything was wet, we didn't mind too much since we had only 20 kilometers to cover before we would ... Tuscan Thunder PG Monday, September 14th, 2009 The morning began with a series of short but brutal hills; a not-so-gentle reminder that the Po River Valley is well behind us. The moment we reached the top of our first 200 meter climb the Tuscan ... Florence G Sunday, September 13th, 2009 We spent our rest day wandering around the beautiful, bustling city of Florence. Here are some photos and quick thoughts from the excursion: Thanks for the tip about Gelateria Neri, Oanh! We foun... Trains: A Learning Experience G Saturday, September 12th, 2009 The morning started with a paradise-like sunrise which we excitedly photographed before promptly going directly back to sleep. A few hours later we awoke to lazily pack our camp and prepare for anot... Re del Po G Friday, September 11th, 2009 Tyler often reminds me that we always find a place to sleep. No matter what circumstances present themselves during our day, we have and always will find a place to camp. I held that comforting tho... Working in Cremona G Thursday, September 10th, 2009 After sneaking out of our trusty canopy-tree-free-camp this morning we headed to Chocolat Café so I could get some work done. Stealth Camp Tent View Stealth Camp Tent View With nearly a week off ... Cremona Museums G Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 Packing up this morning, we both decided it would be nice to take a rest day and see the sights of Cremona. Crawling out of our fantastically shady and well hidden free-camp, Tyler announced that he... More Free Camping G Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 With each passing day we fall in love with Italy a little more. Maybe it is the cheap, delicious food clouding our judgment but we're almost certain that we'll pass through again on our way to Mosco... Po River Valley G Monday, September 7th, 2009 With our late finish yesterday evening, a sleepless worrisome night of listening furtively for possible angry farmers, and a 6:00 AM departure from our not-so-hidden free-camp this morning, I was mor... Amaretto Gelato G Sunday, September 6th, 2009 True to his promise, our security guard friend was on patrol this morning. When we rolled out of the tent around 7AM he strolled over to talk with us. We did our best to communicate and this time w... Lago di Como G Saturday, September 5th, 2009 Our taste buds are not ready for Italy. Yesterday we had grapes that were so flavorful (and cheap!) they were hardly recognizable as the fruit I've known my entire life. They had so much flavor it... Life is Good G Friday, September 4th, 2009 Huge misty clouds obscure entire mountains from view; the world is swathed in shades of grey. It is pouring down rain, and water falls from the bridge's underside drain pipes like someone left two s... Directions G Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 It was a bleak and drizzly morning and I hadn't affixed the rain fly properly last night. Consequently, one end of the tent was completely soaked. Where normally I would have been fuming and frustr... Italy at Last G Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 Before leaving town officially, we had one very important task to attend to. Velocity sent us complete wheelsets for both bikes and we were left with two perfectly good front wheels in need of a hom...