Entries Rated: G Homebuilding Inspiration G Sunday, November 20th, 2011 I'm getting used to it. Chronically being on the receiving end of dubious looks, that is. Almost everyone we talk with these days seems to find our aspirations rather odd (building a house of mud, ... Sleeping Under the Stars G Tuesday, November 8th, 2011 We've been sleeping outside every night for over a week now, and we have no intention of stopping anytime soon. Usually, around 10PM, we bundle up, grab our books and headlamps, and say goodnight to... Modeling our Home G Monday, November 7th, 2011 With our land purchase in Vermont complete, we've been busy researching as much as we can about building cob and strawbale houses. We're starting to realize that a big part of this process is going ... Sleeping Outside G Sunday, October 30th, 2011 It started about a week ago—an unsettling restlessness around bedtime, a silent tossing and turning, a nagging sensation that something wasn't right. It was taking forever to fall asleep in ou... Hiking With Friends, A Photo Series G Sunday, October 9th, 2011 This weekend, we drove down to Tennessee for what we've decided will be our first annual-autumn-weekend-hangout with our friends Pete, Natasha, Jess and Nick. Shortly after our arrival, we hit the r... Withering Autumn Beauty G Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 Wet Asters Purple Coneflower in Autumn Spikey Purple Coneflower Black Eyed Susans Wet Leaves Wet Leaf Wet Leaf on Windshield Be empty. Be still. Just watch everything come and go. This is the way ... Cycling Seasons G Friday, September 23rd, 2011 All summer and autumn, we’ve been riding our home-built road bikes several times a week. These excursions have usually taken the form of early morning rides—a refreshingly familiar way to st... Land Hunting, Part Fourteen: We Did It! G Saturday, September 17th, 2011 I'm fast asleep in the passenger's seat. We're somewhere in Ohio, and Tara is nudging me. Without a word, she hands me the phone with a smile, and continues driving. I'm groggy and confused, blink... Making Friends in Vermont G Friday, September 16th, 2011 With light hearts, we're heading north towards the Middlebury area to meet our kayaking friend, Sue. The drive is a pleasure; the sun is out, the landscape is verdant and hilly pastureland, and the ... Land Hunting, Part Thirteen: Our Final Offer G Friday, September 16th, 2011 We've decided to go for it! We just made another offer on the Maple Hill Road property, and this one is five thousand dollars less than the last. We're hoping the difference will be enough to cover... Land Hunting, Part Twelve: A Solar Survey G Friday, September 16th, 2011 For the last few weeks, Tyler has been in contact with Solar Pro, a solar hot water heating company in town. Last night, he called to see if they had time for a last minute appointment, and our cont... Land Hunting, Part Eleven: A Rainy Day in Vermont G Thursday, September 15th, 2011 Tyler: The sun is hiding behind a sheath of steel blue skies this morning. A damp chill hangs in the air, leaving the world without any measure of doubt: fall is here. As we lay in our tent, listen... Land Hunting, Part Ten: Re-Engaging G Wednesday, September 14th, 2011 As the sun sinks toward the horizon, we pull off the road, wheels crunching over the rutted dirt drive of a lakeside "Fish and Wildlife Area," hoping to find a secluded place to sleep. There's a tru... Land Hunting, Part Nine: Empty-Landed G Wednesday, September 14th, 2011 I'm having second thoughts about our spur-of-the-moment road trip this morning; it's clear that dropping everything to drive out here again was not a sensible decision. The thirty acre property whic... Land Hunting, Part Eight: Back to Vermont G Tuesday, September 13th, 2011 Before the proverbial ink has dried on our contract cancellation, we've scoured the internet once more, and found a promising 30 acre property—it's just a few miles from the one on Maple Hill r... Land Hunting, Part Seven: Backing Out G Saturday, September 10th, 2011 In 1998, twelve test pits were dug on the Maple Hill Road property. Results indicated that the soil was definitely unsuitable for a relatively inexpensive leach field system. If we were able to get... Septic Systems: Part Two G Friday, September 9th, 2011 So far, the quotes we're getting from engineers to take an undeveloped piece of land through the process of soil investigation, percolation testing, land surveying, septic system design and finally, ... Septic Systems: Part One G Friday, September 9th, 2011 For the past few weeks, we've been waiting to hear if the land we're hoping to buy will support a legally permitted septic system. Mostly, this has entailed waiting around for an engineer in Vermont... Land Hunting, Part Six: Making an Offer G Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 After much deliberation, we decided to jump in head-first and make an offer on the land we found Vermont. The sellers were asking $69,000, so we offered $50,000. A day later, they countered with $6... New Morning Routines G Tuesday, August 16th, 2011 Tyler: I started researching road bikes long before we came home, inspired by the idea of taking daily rides on bicycles that weighed about a fifth what our loaded touring rigs do. I ordered the fi... Building Road Bikes G Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 When Tyler started talking about getting road bikes, I was dubious. We already have nice bicycles, I pointed out, unsure why exactly we needed two more. Undeterred by my doubt, he promised that we ... Morning Mist on the Hills of Ohio G Monday, August 1st, 2011 When my eyes flutter open, it's 5am, and a foggy, billowing mist has enveloped our tent. We haven't begun the day like this since Romania! With some pestering, Tyler eventually joins me in wakefuln... Ingrid & Yves in Amish Country G Sunday, July 31st, 2011 We've driven all night and all morning. Gone are the cool days of green New England, exchanged for the heat and rolling hills of rural Ohio. Windows open, driving westwards, it feels like like we'r... Land Hunting, Part Five: The One? G Saturday, July 30th, 2011 Today is our last round of land-hunting; it is another hours-long marathon of calling realtors for information, punching distant addresses into our GPS, driving up and down winding dirt roads, and ul... Sheila, Kai, & Their Tiny House G Friday, July 29th, 2011 After land-hunting our way through most of western Vermont, we ended in the state's largest city, Burlington, at the home of Sheila and Kai, the thoughtful, socially-aware, and environmentally-consci... Land Hunting, Part Four: Scouring Vermont G Thursday, July 28th, 2011 Waving goodbye to Mike and Eliza, we take to the road with gleeful anticipation. As we drive over the Green Mountains, bound for the western valley of Vermont, I'm busy plotting a circuitous route t... Land Hunting, Part Three: Another Map, and a Plan G Thursday, July 28th, 2011 When we weren't working, leaping into rivers, sailing, or berry-picking while cat-sitting at Mike and Eliza's house, we were poring over another map, this one of a single state: Vermont. With some l... Land Hunting, Part Two: Much to Learn G Thursday, July 28th, 2011 It was in Ray's office that our romanticized, starry-eyed plan began it's transformation to concrete, complicated reality. In spite of all our reading and research, the list of things we didn't know... Land Hunting, Part One: Finding Vermont G Thursday, July 28th, 2011 Earlier this month, we packed the car and hit the highway heading east on a road trip across the country. Bound for a two week stint of cat-sitting in Maine, we left nearly a week before we were sch... Getting Out the Map Again G Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 If a self-sufficient lifestyle was the only goal for our next project, we could probably make do on a quarter acre of land just about anywhere. What we're really yearning for, however, is a quiet sp... Dreaming of Our New Life G Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to lead a self-sufficient life. As a child, I was inspired by children's book author and illustrator Tasha Tudor. I wanted to follow in her footsteps, liv... Summer Day with Eliza & Mike: Part Two G Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 Hours after walking in the woods, when our berry-picking snack had worn off, we were all hungry for dinner. Tyler and I wanted to visit one of Maine's quintessential eating establishments for our fi... Summer Day with Eliza & Mike: Part One G Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 Yesterday, we picked up Mike and Eliza from the Portland bus station and met our internet-friends for the first time in real life! This morning, Eliza prepared a massive breakfast of waffles and gar... The Good Life G Monday, July 18th, 2011 Today, we were on a mission to do two things. First, check out the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, and second, visit Helen and Scott Nearing's homestead in Harborside, Maine. But before we did a... Sailing in Maine G Saturday, July 16th, 2011 Back in February of 2009, while Tara and I were preparing to leave the country, our friend Kit was seriously considering quitting her job to enroll in a boat-building apprenticeship. While we were o... Farm Hopping G Friday, July 15th, 2011 So far, the highlight of house-sitting in Maine has undoubtedly been our daily excursions into the surrounding countryside to buy food. There are literally a dozen (maybe more) small farms and homes... House-Sitting in Maine G Monday, July 11th, 2011 A month or so before we returned to the US, we learned that our friends Mike and Eliza were looking for someone to take care of their cat while they went on vacation. We immediately jumped at the ch... Thoughts on Returning: Part Two G Friday, July 8th, 2011 Tara: A nighttime storm is approaching and the air hangs heavy against my chest like a lead-filled x-ray apron. We're heading to town for some late-night grocery shopping. In the garage, I open th... Our First Garden: Part Two G Sunday, July 3rd, 2011 After countless hours of pulling tendril after tendril of thick, white, quack grass roots from the ground, it was finally time to plant. Beginning a garden a full week after the very latest recommen... Our First Garden: Part One G Sunday, July 3rd, 2011 When we arrived in Minnesota last month, we spent most of our free time in my mother's giant garden. She wasn't going to plant much of anything this year, until Tara and I offered to help. Ever sin... In Minnesota G Saturday, July 2nd, 2011 I wish I could say that our homecoming in Minnesota was as wonderful as our joyful return to Illinois, but in reality, it has been extremely difficult. In fact, there is an enormous, gaping hole in ... Speaking at the Champaign Public Library G Sunday, June 19th, 2011 A few days ago, we cycled over to the Champaign Public Library to give a talk about our bicycle tour. Us, Ready to Cycle to the Library Most of our preparation for the event was sorting through th... Smoke & Fire G Friday, June 17th, 2011 This summer, the smell of cut grass and fresh peas plucked straight from the vine has been infused with the scent of smoke. There have been quick dinners of vegetable kebabs, hot off the grill, made... Prairie Fruits Farm G Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 It is unseasonably cool today, breaking a string of typically-sweltering Midwest summer afternoons. We've decided to take advantage of the inviting weather with a short bike ride. Cycling out of to... Foraging for Mulberries G Friday, June 10th, 2011 My dad, thoughtful guy that he is, came home from a bike ride yesterday with a sketch of our neighborhood, outlining a route to the exact locations of four nearby mulberry trees, which he knew to be ... Coming Home: Tara G Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 A misty Missouri sunrise begins the last day of our journey home. We cross the Mississippi river, into my home state of Illinois, and I smile in the knowledge that we're so close. We're almost ther... There's a Whole Lotta Kansas G Monday, May 16th, 2011 The only thing remotely exciting in eastern Colorado comes in the form of scraggly, twiggy tumbleweeds that roll in the wind, blowing across the plains. Once the initial thrill of them fades, we're ... Meeting Sarah and Jamie G Sunday, May 15th, 2011 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 j... Morning Adventure in Colorado G Saturday, May 14th, 2011 We've been driving in darkness for a few hours now, on the freeway towards Fort Collins. We both have the sense that we're missing out on some truly extraordinary landscapes, but if we continue at o... Into the Wild West: Part Two G Friday, May 13th, 2011 Back on the road, further into Utah, the Loneliest Highway is showing signs of population. Already, I'm missing the wide open spaces of Nevada. Still, the drive is scenic in its own right; the gree... Into the Wild West: Part One G Friday, May 13th, 2011 The skies are purple this morning; the world is softly lit in a dull, silvery light. I was too exhausted last night to notice, but I parked right in front of an old red barn. It is home to a lone, ... Nevada's Loneliest Road G Thursday, May 12th, 2011 The Nevada portion of [US-50], dubbed "The Loneliest Road in America" by travel writers and tourist boards, is one of the most compelling long-distance drives in the country—provided you find mile... Homecoming Roadtrip Begins G Thursday, May 12th, 2011 Tyler: I'm cruising down the freeway in our new car, a 2000 Honda Civic Hatchback; the windows are down, and Tara is sitting in the passenger's seat by my side, practically vibrating with excitement.... Thoughts on Returning: Part One G Wednesday, May 11th, 2011 Today marks one week since our return to America. Unsurprisingly, we're still wading through a gamut of conflicting emotions about our re-entry. At the moment, we're regularly vacillating between a... Tara at Chez Panisse G Wednesday, May 11th, 2011 When I was little, I had a colorful children's cookbook called Fanny at Chez Panisse. It tells the story of Fanny, a seven year old girl growing up in the restaurant of her mother (renown chef and s... Doin' the Wiggle G Tuesday, May 10th, 2011 Apparently there's a way to get from Manjula's apartment in the Mission, all the way up to Golden Gate Park without having to climb a single one of San Francisco's iconically steep hills. And that w... You Say Take Away G Monday, May 9th, 2011 Tara's brother, Lian, is a union organizer. Today, Tara and I joined him during one of his outings: a quick visit to a neighboring union's strike. On a corner across the street from their hospital,... Highway One G Monday, May 9th, 2011 My brother has taken the day off so we can spend the afternoon driving up the California coast on scenic Highway One. We definitely aren't used to traveling at more than a snail's pace yet— Ty... Sunday Streets in San Francisco: Part Two G Sunday, May 8th, 2011 Now sporting quite the entourage, we meandered around a corner and stumbled upon a collection of tricked-out low-riders, decked out with all kinds of hydraulics and air bags! On a nearby stoop, a st... Sunday Streets in San Francisco: Part One G Sunday, May 8th, 2011 On a bright Sunday morning, we headed across the Bay to San Francisco's Mission District for brunch with Lian's friends, Max and Manjula. Though we'd never officially met them, we'd been in contact ... A Day in The Bay G Thursday, May 5th, 2011 The blindingly bright sun shines as we zoom down the freeway, out of the airport and into the world. It feels like we're traveling at light speed, but a quick glance at the speedometer indicates tha... California I'm Comin' Home G Thursday, May 5th, 2011 Tara: Tyler is asleep next to me, and next to him, a man snoozes, his head against a plane window sparkling with lacy ice crystals. In the aisle to my right, perfectly coiffed flight attendants in t... The End G Thursday, May 5th, 2011 As we snuggle in darkness, on a plane, somewhere high above the ocean, the enormity of what lies ahead is just beginning to sink in. When we awaken tomorrow morning and descend into San Francisco, o... This is Jesse G Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 Jesse: It was a funny moment when I realized that Tara and Tyler would start their journey back to the States on the same flight as me. Their two-plus years traveling together has taken them throug... Music for Airports G Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 As I sit here in the florescent, mechanized, automized hub of all things coming and going, Tyler sleeps on a cold metal bench, the tips of his toes brushing against my legs. Waiting for the check-in... Packed Up, Ready to Go G Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 Yesterday, Tyler disassembled the bikes in the lobby of our guest-house (with a cute little audience) and then joined me to clean the parts in the alleyway between Shanti Lodge and the next building ... Passport Found G Sunday, May 1st, 2011 Tyler is Skyping with his mom when we receive a knock on the door. Strange, who in the world could that be? I open it up, and our guest turns out to be one of the meek and smiley women who works he... Passport Lost G Sunday, May 1st, 2011 11:30 AM / Tyler We're checking in at the reception desk of a dermatologist's office (an appointment to have some questionable moles evaluated—healthcare is cheap in Bangkok), and I am happy in... The Neither Authoritative Nor Concise Guide to Riding Bikes in Southeast Asia G Saturday, April 30th, 2011 A few weeks ago, Tara and I had the pleasure of meeting Melanie Swanson, a cycle tourist from Washington on a one-year, 'round-the-world bicycle tour. When we met in the lobby of our guesthouse, sh... Being Social in Bangkok G Friday, April 29th, 2011 When we decided to spend two months in Bangkok finishing our journals, we imagined we'd be holed up like a pair of recluses for the duration. That has been the case for the majority of our stay, but... Cooped Up G Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 We're entering our sixth week of 80+ hour-a-week writing. These days our bed (where we do most of our work) feels more like a life-raft trapped in the middle of the ocean than a place to sleep. Our... Eccentric Writers G Tuesday, April 5th, 2011 We're starting to learn where the stereotype for the eccentric writer comes from. After typing non-stop every day for nearly a month, we have begun to develop a very idiosyncratic schedule in order ... Jim Thompson's House with Katy Love G Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 After Guy and Freddie hit the road, a dear friend, one of my brother's best pals from high school, found herself in Bangkok on an intensive training session for her job as a natural disaster first re... Writing in Bangkok G Monday, March 21st, 2011 As light filters through our windows, and roosters crow over the sound of scooters buzzing past our little dead-end road—another day of our new life has begun. We are no longer concerned about... May Kaidee's Cooking School G Thursday, March 17th, 2011 When Freddie mentioned she was hoping to register for a vegetarian/vegan Thai cooking class at the well-known (in the tourist world) May Kaidee Cooking School, it took approximately two milliseconds ... Surprise: It's Freddie and Guy! G Tuesday, March 15th, 2011 The morning we arrived in Bangkok, we spent most of the day "tending to the chaos", busily writing and editing photos in Shanti Lodge's restaurant while we waited to check into our hotel room (it wa... Bussing to Bangkok G Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 Before heading out of town this morning, we stop at Natalie's Kitchen to have one last meal with Unit and Lemon. After breakfast and snuggling session with a warm, sleepy, sweet-smelling, brown-eyed... Updates from California G Tuesday, March 8th, 2011 We landed in San Francisco a few days ago, and have been hanging out with Tara's brother Lian ever since. Everything is a little overwhelming at the moment, and we're definitely experiencing culture... Lemon and Unit G Monday, March 7th, 2011 For the last few months, we've been eschewing some of our culinary exploration in favor of the comfort and normalcy of a routine. When we take more than one or two rest days in a row, we tend to fin... Photos from Savannakhet G Sunday, March 6th, 2011 Savannakhet is a sleepy city, with a historic center of crumbling old French Colonial buildings. There isn't much to it really; the place feels a bit vacant, but we're enjoying walking around, admir... The Last Ride G Saturday, March 5th, 2011 We leave our bungalow this morning, at peace with the fact that we're embarking on the last real riding day of this adventure. Though I've already learned my lesson, I still find myself thinking tha... Happily Nearing the End G Friday, March 4th, 2011 I'm feeling quiet and introspective as we prepare to leave, on this, our second-to-last day of cycling. It is a morning like any other, filled with tasks we've performed hundreds of times. As I men... Lao Fruit Smoothies G Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 Tara is obsessed with juice. Here in Laos, her addiction has taken the form of blended ice-and-fruit(flavored)-smoothies. In every village we pass through, no matter what the size, she usually mana... Thakek G Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 We're taking a rest day in Thakek. While the pictures don't really convey it, this town has a weird, almost haunted air about it. We thought it was all in our heads, until we read our guidebook's e... Race Against the Sun G Tuesday, March 1st, 2011 The world is cloaked in quiet darkness as we roll out of bed at 4AM. I haven't been up this early since my bakery days! While the rest of humanity sleeps, we wheel our bikes into the entryway of ou... It Burns Us! G Monday, February 28th, 2011 Tyler: In order to avoid the overpowering, all-consuming Southeast Asian heat, we've taken to rising much earlier. It's 7AM when we pedal out of our hotel this morning—the sun is beginning to ... Fishy Snacks & Bumper Cars G Sunday, February 27th, 2011 Tara: The sun is back this morning as we take to the road, following the Mekong along the sleepy roads of Laos. Though the fiery orb overhead is out in full force today, our ride is breezy, flat, an... Flat & Quiet G Saturday, February 26th, 2011 Cool grey skies greet us this early morning in Vientiane. It is five thirty AM and all is quiet save for the occasional person on the street sweeping, or preparing their food stall for business. Fo... Taking it for Granted G Friday, February 25th, 2011 A couple of days ago, our friends left Laos, heading back to Thailand to prepare for their journey home. Today, an email arrived in our inboxes from Natasha, telling us how much they miss it here. ... Homeward Bound: Part Four G Thursday, February 24th, 2011 I used to imagine the end of this trip would have some kind of finish line, some banner that read "The End!" When we crossed under it, I would feel elated, ecstatic and prouder than I've ever felt. ... Homeward Bound: Part Three G Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011 As we reflect on recent weeks, we've come to realize that (except during our time with Pete and Natasha), our overwhelming sensation has been one of fatigue. We've found it telling to recall that, q... Homeward Bound: Part Two G Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 For the last several years, both as we prepared and traveled, when we felt down or wanted to quit, we've been encouraged by one of Tyler's favorite mottos: Life is not about what you want now, it is ... Happy Twenty Seventh Birthday, Tyler! G Monday, February 21st, 2011 Tyler on His 27th Birthday I know you don't give a rat's arse about your own birthday, so I'll make this short and sweet. I love you! ... Homeward Bound: Part One G Sunday, February 20th, 2011 It seems that the nearer we draw to the close of this trip, the harder we're finding it to stay positive about the normal ebb and flow of traveling. We are aware of our shortening patience, so we've... Life in Vientiane G Saturday, February 19th, 2011 Vientiane feels more like a slightly large and modern village than a nation's capital. In spite of it's sizable (relatively speaking, here) population of two hundred some thousand inhabitants, the c... To Vientiane G Friday, February 18th, 2011 It's a flat day of riding, a quick and easy 70 kilometer jaunt to the capital of Laos. Gone are the mountains that once stood in our way, but unfortunately so too are the little villages that beguil... It Takes a Village G Wednesday, February 16th, 2011 Below are excerpts of our friend Natasha's heartwarming journal entry about meeting Lao children. I feel as though I am missing that maternalistic gene that most women my age seem to possess. ... Working in Vang Vieng G Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 Today, we watched a guy fall out of a tuk-tuk because he was so high and/or wasted he couldn't control his body. Then, some of his friends (in a similar stupor) staggeringly dragged him and themselv... Downhill All the Way G Monday, February 14th, 2011 Tyler: As we exuberantly freewheel down the mountain we've spent the last two days climbing, we spot a cyclist on the other side of the road, huffing and puffing his way up in the opposite direction... Misty Morning G Monday, February 14th, 2011 A chill wind whips through the streets this morning, carrying with it a white mist that swirls and eddies about our feet like the slinking of a cat. Overnight, the dusty market town of Phou Koun has... Up, Up and Out G Sunday, February 13th, 2011 After a fried rice and fried noodle breakfast this morning, during which a very pregnant mama kitty yowls non-stop at us for food (we obliged), we hop on our bikes to ride out of town. Just like it ... Samson Zoom H4n: Review & Repair G Saturday, February 12th, 2011 In January of 2010, I bought my first sound recorder: a Samson Zoom H4n. At the time, I knew essentially nothing about field recording—I selected the device based on the recommendation of seve... The Big Climb: Part Three G Friday, February 11th, 2011 7:30 PM / Tara » 73km ridden » 1955m climbed » 1325m elevation The velvet black sky above us is strewn liberally with stars, all twinkling and dancing like diamonds around a brillia... The Big Climb: Part Two G Friday, February 11th, 2011 3:00 PM / Tara » 60km ridden » 1230m climbed » 600m elevation Every second of this climb is full and rich with experience. My emotions swing wildly from pure joy at the slightest b... The Big Climb: Part One G Friday, February 11th, 2011 4:30 AM / Tyler » 0km ridden » 0m climbed » 300m elevation The alarm sounds, it's shrill, infernal beeps rending my cocoon of sleep asunder. As the pitch black of early morning see... Climbing Prep G Thursday, February 10th, 2011 A few days ago, we rode motorcycles north from Phou Khoun to Luang Prabang. The mountainous north/south highway we took is also on our cycling route. Tomorrow, we'll be retracing some of our steps,... Morning Kitty G Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 Yesterday, we said goodbye to Pete and Natasha; but not forever. As it should happen, they'll arrive in Vientiane around the same time we do. We have one more rendezvous left! In their absence, th... Satellite Internet: BGAN Explorer 110 Review G Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 Background Before we left on this adventure, I made a commitment to my clients that their level of support wouldn't change while I was abroad. I bought our BGAN Explorer 110 from Globalcom in Octobe... Luang Prabang, A Few Photos G Monday, February 7th, 2011 Back in Luang Prabang after a whirlwind week of motorcycling, we're spending some time resting, journaling, and hanging out with Pete & Natasha before we part ways. Here are some from photos from ou... The End of the Road G Sunday, February 6th, 2011 Today, as we pack our motorcycle one last time, ready to embark on a final day of adventuring with Pete and Natasha, I'm feeling quiet and introspective. As we ride, I'm appreciating the beautiful m... Dinner on the Wild Side G Saturday, February 5th, 2011 It is much later in the evening when we venture into town for dinner. It seems we've waited a bit too long, as everything is closed—except one dimly lit wooden shack. While inspecting the buf... Riding With Flags & Walking With Machetes G Saturday, February 5th, 2011 When I was a kid, we would go on camping trips every summer with my Dad. We'd leave for a week or two at a time, and we'd pull our kit on an over-loaded snowmobile trailer behind a maroon Nissan Max... Big Old Jars G Saturday, February 5th, 2011 After my riding lesson yesterday, Tyler took the helm, and we kicked it down all the way to the large-ish town of Phonsavan, which is famous for its Plain of Jars. If the description in our guideboo... Learning to Ride a Motorcycle in Laos G Friday, February 4th, 2011 With a twist of the wrist, I jolt suddenly backwards, certain that the motorcycle beneath me is about to go screaming forward, throwing me off like a bucking bronco. Terrified, I release the throttl... A Thousand Villages G Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 The longer we spend in the cool, verdant mountains of northern Laos, the more deeply in love with them I fall. I relish the twists of the curvy mountain roads, and I savor the feel of my body hugged... Riding on the Rooftops of Indochina G Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 If I only had one week to spend in Southeast Asia, it would be here, in the mountains of northern Laos on a motorcycle. If someone asked me a month ago what I thought about riding here, I wouldn't h... Down the River G Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 A cacophony of cock-a-doodle-doos rouse me from my slumber at 7AM this morning. While everyone else is sleeping through the racket, I throw on some clothes to go for a walk, heading towards the pier... Cave Hunting Again: Success! G Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 While Natasha and Tara are hanging out in town, Pete and I have walked to the end of the village's only dirt road, and turned off into the the fields in search of a nearby cave. After numerous faile... Afternoon in Muang Ngoi G Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 After lazing in our hammocks and editing photos for a few hours, we're all hungry, ready to set off down Muang Ngoi's lone dirt road in search of food. There are plenty of options, as it turns out t... Boat To Muang Ngoi G Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 Bisected by a clear blue river and a smattering of colorful boats, flanked on either size by resplendent emerald mountains, Nong Khiaw boasts some of the most striking landscapes we've seen anywhere.... Cold Start G Monday, January 31st, 2011 Tyler gently shakes me awake when the skies are light enough to ride by. He and Pete have been up tending to our fire—without which sleeping would have been impossible. It's bright and early,... Freezing in a Bamboo Shack G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 Tara: "Tyler," I whisper, trying not to wake our friends. "I can't feel my toes. Let me in!" I'm trying to squirm my way under his legs for warmth, but he's enviably asleep and his leaden body ref... Wild Camping With Friends G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 A golden sun is sinking fast behind the mountains, urging us onwards in our futile attempt to reach the highway before dark. At the crossroads we're looking for, where dirt meets pavement, there is ... Dirt Tracks to Nowhere G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 Tara: Brilliant blue skies stretch out above us, more heavenly than any magnificent cathedral's dome. The scent of woodsmoke (one of my favorite smells) drifts through the air, and I am filled with... Motorized, Again G Sunday, January 30th, 2011 I had trouble falling asleep last night. I must have lain in bed for three hours staring at the ceiling, thinking about riding motorcycles, feeling for all the world like a kid on Christmas Eve. I ... Resting in Luang Prabang, Sort Of G Saturday, January 29th, 2011 The last three days have been intense. They kicked off with a truly awful ride through Hanoi, which lead directly into a nauseating and exhausting twenty-eight hour bus trek through the mountains ... Welcome to Laos, Part Three: Music & Petang G Friday, January 28th, 2011 Tyler: After the goat feast, the festivities continue with music and games. Behind our table is a long strip of dirt where men gather for a petang match, one of Lao's favorite past-times. It's a ho... Welcome to Laos, Part Two: The Goat Feast G Friday, January 28th, 2011 When the soccer game is over, it's time for the feast! This party is special because our hosts are serving numerous traditional but rarely eaten dishes, all made from a single, freshly-slaughtered g... Welcome to Laos, Part One: A Soccer Game G Friday, January 28th, 2011 Tyler: Bleary eyed and delirious with fatigue, after a full day (and then some) of bus riding, with barely a night's sleep between us, we carve ourselves out of bed this morning to join our friends. ... A Very Long Bus Ride: Part Four G Thursday, January 27th, 2011 4:45 PM / Tara I feel like Frankenstein's monster, stumbling around groaning as I leave the bus during one of our many rest stops. My brain hurts and my stomach feels like death, but I find hope in... A Very Long Bus Ride: Part Three G Thursday, January 27th, 2011 10:00 AM Our trek through Laos begins with a stop at a roadside restaurant for a noodle soup breakfast. Back in the open kitchen where we place our order, a woman and a girl dish bowls of the de-fa... A Very Long Bus Ride: Part Two G Thursday, January 27th, 2011 7:00 AM A dull light hits my eyelids, rousing me from my restless sleep. One night down, one day to go. Outside, the world is all steely grey skies and foggy mountain villages. For a brief moment... A Very Long Bus Ride: Part One G Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 We've hardly been on the road an hour when our bus executes a wide left turn into a roadside restaurant parking lot. Lit up like a beacon in the night, the place has drawn a herd of giant coaches ju... Surprise! G Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 I have a present for you! Aunt Rhonda & Tara I think you're going to like it. Tara Swinging Do you how I know? Tara is Lisa Because it's awesome and dorky, just like you! Tara, Wild Garlic Fairy C... Done Waffling G Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 With one week left on our visa, the question of what to do with the last of our time in Vietnam is looming. Normally, we stay in a country as long as we can, soaking up as much as possible. The tho... Bus-Lagged and Weary G Monday, January 24th, 2011 I feel like a zombie this morning, bus-lagged and altogether weary. I've been drained by Vietnam's non-stop barrage of stimuli, and now find myself overwhelmed by the prospect of exploring her spraw... On the Bus Again G Sunday, January 23rd, 2011 Tyler: After some long discussions and lots of hypothetical mapping, we've decided to catch another bus. This time, we're headed all the way to Hanoi. While we could likely ride there before our vi... A Walk in Huế G Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 It's another somber day in Huế, a perpetual dusk of sinister silver skies and drenching rain that comes in fits and starts. During a brief lull in the foggy drizzle, we leave our cozy hotel room a... Where to? G Friday, January 21st, 2011 It's another grey day; rain pelts at the windows, and outside on our little balcony, all of the gritty, dirty clothes we hung out to dry are no doubt soaked through. Neither of us can be bothered to... Mizzle-y Day G Thursday, January 20th, 2011 Mizzle is a term used in Devon and Cornwall for a combination of fine drenching drizzle… …it is known for being capable of soaking you in a matter of minutes, and the feeling is best... Hai Van Pass G Wednesday, January 19th, 2011 Tara: On this trip, we've observed more times than we can count that hungry cyclists are two year olds, who cannot be trusted to make good choices. In a prime example of this truth, Tyler rejects th... A Puppy On A Bed of Silk G Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 I met a puppy today, curled up in the arms of a little Vietnamese girl. They were stationed at the entrance of a grand Chinese meeting house, ready to welcome guests inside. Vietnamese Girl & Puppy... Art Tea G Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 With Tyler hard at work in our hotel room, I've bundled up for an afternoon of solo sightseeing. It's my favorite kind of weather for photographing old, aging places: grey and cloudy, not quite rain... Hội An Lantern Festival: Part Two G Monday, January 17th, 2011 In a small cobbled park, situated between a pair of buildings in Hoi An's old town, a crowd has gathered. People shout and laugh raucously, while a man announces something in Vietnamese through a ca... Hội An Lantern Festival: Part One G Monday, January 17th, 2011 Every fourteenth day of the lunar calendar, Hoi An puts the complications of modern life to rest in favor of a romantic, nostalgic celebration of a quieter era. Once a month, instead of playing host... Tailored G Sunday, January 16th, 2011 There is only one thing more ubiquitous than the colorful lanterns hanging everywhere in Hội An: tailors. Every second building in the old town is a shop overflowing with fabric, just waiting to b... Nightfall in Lantern City G Saturday, January 15th, 2011 From its famous Japanese covered bridge: Japanese Covered Bridge By Night, Hội An …to the smattering of lanterns everywhere: Hội An Lanterns by Night Floating Animal Lantern, Hội An Riv... Street Food in the Rain G Saturday, January 15th, 2011 Under heavy gray skies, a steady drizzle bounces off the conical rice hat of a roadside chef—she is sitting in front of a cauldronful of embers and ash, tending to an array of pork skewers. As... Sightseeing in Historic Hội An G Saturday, January 15th, 2011 It is grey, drizzly and downright cold outside this morning, but the weather suits me just fine; the somber mood it brings about lends even more character to the ambiance of this already atmospheric ... All Alone in Hội An G Friday, January 14th, 2011 For the last two years, every time we've made friends with anyone, we've had to part ways almost immediately afterwards. In fact, before Pete and Natasha, we'd only twice had the good fortune of bein... My Kind of Town G Thursday, January 13th, 2011 As we stroll around town, talking, laughing with our friends, and getting caught up on the last few days since we hung out in Da Lat, it is quickly becoming apparent to me that I am going to feel rig... Arriving in Hội An G Thursday, January 13th, 2011 Gritty and dim, under an overcast early morning sky, we've arrived at just the right time to witness this historical town coming to life. On narrow streets filled with dark wooden homes, we cycle in... A Night on the Space Bus G Wednesday, January 12th, 2011 A few days ago, we came to the realization that cycling the entire length of Vietnam was not only unappealing to us, thanks to the non-stop traffic, but also infeasible due to the duration of our vis... I Want to Go Italy G Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 When we were in Tunisia, barreling down the road towards Douz in a louage, we shared our van with a cute pair of Italian guys who had flown over for a week's vacation on a whim. Lorenzo and Giovanni... Down the Misty Mountain G Monday, January 10th, 2011 Tyler: As we round the bend of our last (uphill) switchback this morning, we're greeted by an ethereal vision in the distance: a swirl of fast-moving white fog drifting across the road. As we approa... Morning in a Mountain Village G Monday, January 10th, 2011 I'm not sure how early it is, but I'm ready to go. As I clumsily dislodge myself from the hammock, all knees and elbows, I leave Tara curled up like a burrito in the netting, dead to the world. Aft... A Long Cold Night G Sunday, January 9th, 2011 As the sun sinks into the horizon, coloring the sky a rusty shady of red, the temperature plummets with alarming speed. Crap. Why oh why did we send home our tent, and why oh why did I just send ho... Free Camping Again G Sunday, January 9th, 2011 Pedaling away from the tiny mountain shop, we round yet another bend, revealing a foreboding indication of more climbing: there is another wide, sweeping curve of a switchback before us. Well, I gue... It's All Downhill From Here G Sunday, January 9th, 2011 We're mentally prepared for an easy day of coasting, excited to reap the rewards of our labor. But as we cycle out of town, a freakishly steep hill looms before us, and I am caught off guard. I tho... Motorbike to the Falls G Saturday, January 8th, 2011 At the behest of Pete and Natasha, we've rented a motorbike this afternoon. They did a loop in the mountains around Da Lat a few days ago, and hearing their story convinced us we should head out for... Trying Betel G Friday, January 7th, 2011 In Vietnamese there is a saying that "the betel begins the conversation", referring to the practice of people chewing betel in formal occasions or "to break the ice" in awkward situations. Wikiped... Hằng Nga Hotel: Da Lat's Crazy House G Friday, January 7th, 2011 Hằng Nga guest-house, more affectionately known as Da Lat's "Crazy House" is a totally bizarro hotel designed by the Vietnamese architect Dang Viet Nga. She built it after receiving her PhD from t... Da Lat Market Fun G Thursday, January 6th, 2011 This morning, in a slumberous daze, my flickering eyelids open, and I find myself face to face with a stunning view. A raging sky of fiery orange and bruised purple obliterates the last remnants of ... Our Process: Automation: Journal Photos G Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 This entry is part of an ongoing series about how we've documented our adventure. As of this writing, our journal contains approximately eight thousand photos, distributed over eight hundred and... Working in Da Lat G Tuesday, January 4th, 2011 Yesterday, after a windy ride up our eight hundred meter climb into Da Lat, we were spared a long, drawn out hunt for accommodation. Just a few minutes after arriving in the city, we hit the lodging... Climbing to Da Lat G Monday, January 3rd, 2011 Stepping out of our guest-house, the chill bite of an early morning wind blows in our faces, sending up an army of goosebumps. Our exhaled breath is white like cigarette smoke, and this means one th... Coffee Country G Sunday, January 2nd, 2011 The ride out of Bao Loc this morning is a lovely one. Instead of starting the day with switchbacky mountain climbs, the early part of our route is full of easy rolling hills. As we pedal through th... Happy New Year G Saturday, January 1st, 2011 I love ringing in the New Year. Not so much for the booze and parties, but more as a set time to reflect on my life, and make sure I'm heading in a direction that is meaningful to me. Tyler, on the... Climbing to New Year's Eve G Friday, December 31st, 2010 Figuring out what the problem is, and making a plan to do something about it helps a lot, but at the moment, there's not much we can do to execute our solution. For the time being, we'll just muscle... What's Wrong G Friday, December 31st, 2010 If we were toddlers, we would be dragging our feet, whining "I don't WANNA!" this morning. Since we're all grown up, we seethe quietly instead, and force ourselves out for another ride. As the day ... On Noise & Nature G Thursday, December 30th, 2010 Being on the road today felt more like a chore than a grand adventure. Keeping my sour mood in check was a grim mental battle, and it was a fight which I found myself losing for the majority of our ... Armpits & Brothels G Wednesday, December 29th, 2010 Visa extensions in hand, we're finally ready to leave Ho Chi Minh City. After nine days of waiting, we're feeling fresh and ready to explore once more. Unfortunately, very little about this day tur... Day One Without Coffee G Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 Before this trip, neither of us liked coffee all that much. Actually, we had a mild disdain for the stuff, mostly centered around the fear of becoming dependent on a substance for something as basic... Vietnamese Funeral G Sunday, December 26th, 2010 It sounds like a brass band is playing inside our room. The horn section is so eye-poppingly loud that the musicians could very well be hiding in our mini fridge, or playing from the shower stall. ... Ho Chi Minh City's Taste of the World Festival G Sunday, December 26th, 2010 Exhausted from our Củ Chi tunnel adventure (mostly tired out from the ride there and back), we're enjoying some peace and quiet in our hotel room. By the time night falls, the noise of a party out... Riding a Motorbike in Ho Chi Minh City G Sunday, December 26th, 2010 Our destination for today is the Củ Chi tunnels, an elaborate network of underground Vietcong hideouts, used heavily in the War of American Aggression. There are two sites open to visitors: the fi... A Skype Christmas G Saturday, December 25th, 2010 Pleasantly full from dinner, and feeling joyful about our unexpected visitors, we come home to our hotel room with a renewed sense of peace. At last, it's late enough for our families to be awake (w... A Christmas Dinner Surprise G Saturday, December 25th, 2010 Back in our quiet, sterile hotel room, we're feeling positively alone and bleak about the state of the world. As we're busy entertaining comforting fantasies of flying home to be with family, imagin... On Family: The Cost of Adventure G Saturday, December 25th, 2010 There is a price to be paid for following our dreams. This morning, while our loved ones halfway around the world are tucked into their beds, sleeping on the night before Christmas, a quiet melancho... Our Process: Google Maps & GPS Tracks G Friday, December 24th, 2010 This entry is part of an ongoing series about how we've documented our adventure. Throughout our trip, I have saved our GPS tracks nightly. My plan to maintain one unbroken line, showing every ... Our Process: Automation & the GSDB G Thursday, December 23rd, 2010 This entry is part of an ongoing series about how we've documented our adventure. When we left on this trip, neither of us had an inkling that we'd be documenting our adventure in such exhaustiv... Hein and Luang G Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 We've been loving the variety of Western food available in the city. Our favorite for the last few days has been a red-and-white decorated pizza and salad bar buffet, called Pepperonis. There is ba... Slowing Down G Tuesday, December 21st, 2010 Early in our adventure, a break for more than a day or two gave us cabin fever. We traveled slowly but consistently, with a momentum to "get there" to keep us going. But these days, we're feeling l... Saigon's Alleys G Monday, December 20th, 2010 There is a second city hidden inside District 1 of Saigon; it is an extensive network of back alleys, twisting narrowly behind and between the borough's buildings. This sprawling microcosm is home t... Into Ho Chi Minh City G Sunday, December 19th, 2010 Today, we'll be cycling into the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, and this morning, we'll have to face the grating music: it's highway time. The traffic-free rice paddy paths we've enjoyed for the last tw... Riding in Rice Paddies G Saturday, December 18th, 2010 Tyler: Along the highways in the Mekong Delta, often less than a hundred meters from the road, there are peaceful dirt and gravel paths carving through the quiet villages of Southern Vietnam. Windin... Language Lessons & Boiled Chicken G Friday, December 17th, 2010 Finding food at the late hour of 9PM is proving to be difficult in this small, Mekong Delta town (of which we don't even know the name). After a thrilling day of engaging cycling, we are overtired a... Mekong Delta Bike Paths G Friday, December 17th, 2010 Bolstered by a colorful market experience, and a steady succession of friendly smiles from local cyclists, we're having a spectacular morning. But, after less than twenty kilometers on the road, the... Vietnamese Market Morning G Friday, December 17th, 2010 Tyler: This morning, determined to keep a positive attitude, we take to the teeming roads of Vietnam once more. Now mentally prepared to let the chaos wash over us, the constant dance of dodging peo... Working in Sa Dec G Wednesday, December 15th, 2010 We wake up this morning with zero desire to travel. A peek outside reveals a grey sky with 100% chance of heavy showers. On a more positive note, we really like our hotel room, and the great restra... Culture Shock G Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 Tyler: It is 8AM. We are in the middle of packing our panniers and ferrying them to the lobby, when two women march through the door of our room. One of them, carrying a cleaning bucket and looking... Far From Home: Part One G Monday, December 13th, 2010 Tyler: The day begins with an early morning departure from our beachside bungalow, and a speedy ride across the island to the port. The ferry back is mercifully smoother and faster than the one in, ... The Food Game: Fruits of Southeast Asia G Sunday, December 12th, 2010 Yesterday evening, after our squid fishing excursion, we walked home by way of the night market. On display were the heaps and heaps of colorful fresh fruit that we've come to know and expect in Sou... Squid Fishing G Saturday, December 11th, 2010 Fishing boats are a ubiquitous sight on the beaches of Phú Quốc. During the day, they're either anchored just off shore, or packed in the harbor. The rag-tag fleet of colorful, hand-built vessel... Dinner at Le Deauville G Friday, December 10th, 2010 Hours after our island ride comes to an end, after several journals are written, we're beginning to feel the pangs of hunger. So, in a totally cliché romantic move, we go for a long walk on the bea... Peaceful Ride on Phú Quốc G Friday, December 10th, 2010 Tyler: The sound of waves lapping against the shore rings in another sleepy morning at our beach side bungalow. As the sun rises, we slowly rouse ourselves from a deep slumber, gently awakened by th... Phú Quốc Fish Sauce G Thursday, December 9th, 2010 We've heard that Phú Quốc island produces the highest quality fish sauce in the world, so we've decided to pay a visit to the nearby Hung Thinh fermentation plant. Our maps of the surrounding are... Postcards from Paradise G Thursday, December 9th, 2010 This is the first entry in a series of e-postcards for our friends and family. Hovering on the cards makes them flip over, showing the picture on the other side. It'll work, but it won't look cool ... Morning Light G Wednesday, December 8th, 2010 As if the quiet, empty beaches, and crystal blue water of Phú Quốc aren't captivating enough, we awaken to find that our simple bungalow and the mosquito net around our bed have been transformed i... Ferry to Phú Quốc G Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 "Your passports, your passports!" the man shouts, speeding over to us on his scooter. We're loading our bikes on the ferry to Phú Quốc, heaving them over a railing at the front of the boat, but I... Vietnamese Food G Sunday, December 5th, 2010 I had inkings that Vietnam might deliver some stellar eating, especially after we spent a few days with my friend Tony's Vietnamese grandmother in Berlin. Last night, Tara's barbecued pork was easil... Hello Vietnam G Saturday, December 4th, 2010 According to my GPS, we've arrived at the road leading to Vietnam: it is a dusty red track with no signage whatsoever. Feeling dubious about this intersection leading to an international border, we ... Farewell Cambodia G Saturday, December 4th, 2010 This morning, as we leave to embark on our final ride in Cambodia, a fierce wind is gusting in from the east. Exchanging grimaces, we fight to build momentum on the colonial-house-lined coastal road... Pepper & Crab G Friday, December 3rd, 2010 Kep, a quiet fishing town on the southern coast of Cambodia, sprawls out lazily along the shore over a few kilometers, nestled in the low places between steep green hills. The town's seawater is a l... Pete & Natasha's First Ride G Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 Natasha: Every time we take a long bus ride to get to a new tourist destination, we gaze longingly out of our tinted windows as we pass the things we really want to see – stuff like small villages ... Kampot Cruising G Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 Yesterday, we cycled over one hundred kilometers on less than four hours of sleep. As a result, we were so exhausted by the time we made it to Kampot that we fell fast asleep at the early hour of 7P... The Long Ride to Kampot G Tuesday, November 30th, 2010 Tara: Having been on the road for so long, it's easy to lose perspective about why we travel the way we do. Or maybe it's just a string of really long cycling days that has me a little less than ent... Molly G Monday, November 29th, 2010 The salespeople in Cambodia are generally cute and sweet, and they use it to their advantage. They are often so friendly and warm that it's a pleasure to buy from them, even when you're not looking ... Day at the Beach G Sunday, November 28th, 2010 Though we've spent several relaxing days in Sihanoukville, we haven't really done it's famous sandy shores justice. We usually get bored at the beach, losing interest soon after our swim in the ocea... Meeting Friends G Saturday, November 27th, 2010 Tara: Back in college, I had the best roommate in the whole world: Jess. It was nearing the end of my freshman year when we decided on a whim to room together during the upcoming fall term. At the ... Threaded G Thursday, November 25th, 2010 Tyler is busy working at the hotel, when I don my bathing suit cycling gear and head out for a short, two-minute walk to the beach. I've barely set foot on the sand when I feel a skinny arm wrapping... Hilly Day to Sihanoukville G Wednesday, November 24th, 2010 6:00 AM Mist is hanging, draped over our bungalow-studded hill like a spider web. The early-morning cool beckons us out of bed, and gets us moving. We have yet another near-100 kilometer day ahead ... Picnic Resort G Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 After ninety five kilometers, we stop at what looks to be the only place halfway between Kampong Spoe and Sihanoukville: a tattered array of rustic bungalows on a hillside, entitled Picnic Resort. W... Riding in the Cambodian Countryside G Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 The skies are overcast this morning; the refreshingly brisk weather is a welcome respite from the likes of yesterday's steamy ride. As we cycle into the countryside, further from the dust clouds of ... Heat & Tragedy G Monday, November 22nd, 2010 A fur-lined hoodie. Seriously? A freaking fur-lined HOODIE?! As I shout to Tyler, my voice barely audible over the noise of the traffic, I can barely reconcile what I'm seeing with reality. Here ... Street Food in Phnom Penh G Sunday, November 21st, 2010 The evening after our visit at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, we hit the streets, on the hunt for some good food. We settle on this place: Cambodian Fried Noodle Stall I love how sanitary and hy... Cambodia's Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum G Sunday, November 21st, 2010 This afternoon, we are going to learn about Cambodian history – specifically the horrific genocide led by Pol Pot in the late seventies. As we roll up to the entrance of Tuol Sleng (Strychnine Hil... Cambodia's Bon Om Thook... (Or Not) G Saturday, November 20th, 2010 We're feeling quiet, ready for an evening inside, when we see fireworks light up the night sky from our hotel window. It's the opening night of Phnom Penh's Bon Om Thook, Cambodia's annual Water Fes... 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... Buying Food in Cambodia G Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 I have one mission for the afternoon: find food. Preferably, a meal which isn't comprised of rice, noodles, or mystery meat. While Tyler is hard at work in our hotel, I ride off in search of a mark... Cambodia's Bamboo Railway: Part Three G Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 We slow to a stop in a small village; everyone but us has departed already. As the conductor helps us safely lower our bikes from the platform, we're a bit confused. We're certainly not in Kompong ... Cambodia's Bamboo Railway: Part Two G Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 Tyler is standing behind me, next to the conductor, holding our bikes upright – I'm scrunched on the platform in front of them, trying to maneuver myself off the broken slats and onto some of the s... Cambodia's Bamboo Railway: Part One G Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 Our captain is a bronzed, lithe, shirtless Khmer man in a loosely fitting baseball cap. We are crammed together on his dilapidated locomotive, with dozens of other passengers, our huge bikes, and a ... Electricity in Rural Cambodia G Monday, November 15th, 2010 Less than 20% of rural households have access to grid-quality electricity services. Almost all people in rural areas use firewood for cooking, kerosene for lighting, and lead-acid rechargable batte... The Water Buffalo Song G Sunday, November 14th, 2010 Dear children of Cambodia, You are all so frigging cute! Thank you for your smiles and ceaseless hellos, they make our long riding days so much better. Cambodian Kids on Bicycle As we bike by you, a... Riding in Cambodia: A Day in Pictures G Saturday, November 13th, 2010 While we are really enjoying our time in Cambodia, there is one thing we would change: the long distances between accomodation. With no tent, we're regularly cycling much further than we'd like (100... Slow Boat to Battambang: Part Three G Thursday, November 11th, 2010 Tyler: I am digging through our backpack for some food, when our friend Genevieve stops by. She's excited to inform me that there is an enormous praying mantis on the railing at the back of the boat... Slow Boat to Battambang: Part Two G Thursday, November 11th, 2010 Tara: After a nail-biting ride through the streets of Siem Reap, we make it twelve kilometers to the ferry port, bikes fully intact. As soon as I emerge from the truck, it's show time – women carr... Slow Boat to Battambang: Part One G Thursday, November 11th, 2010 Tyler: It's another 5AM morning, but we're not cycling to the temples for a change. Instead, we're sitting on the front step of our hotel, waiting. We could have easily ridden to our destination, t... Aki Ra's Cambodia Landmine Museum G Wednesday, November 10th, 2010 On our ride home from Banteay Srei a few days ago, we took a break from our idyllic pastoral surroundings, and paid a visit to the Cambodian Landmine Museum, founded by a former Khmer Rouge child sol... Temples of Angkor: Stall Number Seven G Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 Off we go, past Bayon, and then Chao Say Devoda and then Ta Keo, until we reach our favorite temple, Ta Prohm. It's fairly busy at the moment, but we're happy to cycle by all the people, and breeze ... Temples of Angkor: Angkor Wat G Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 Today is the last of our three-day entry ticket to the Temples of Angkor. We're biking in later than normal, hoping to see Angkor Wat without the crowds. Since most tourists come here for sunrise o... Temples of Angkor: Sleepy Afternoon G Monday, November 8th, 2010 Back on the trails, we find this tiny little out of the way temple that isn't even on our map! There, we succumb to the inevitable and take a nap. It becomes apparent a bit later that we weren't th... Temples of Angkor: Ta Prohm G Monday, November 8th, 2010 Khmer architecture is, in a word, epic! Ta Prohm Temple This morning we drag ourselves out of bed at 5AM and race to Ta Prohm, passing up food stalls and another sunrise at Angkor Wat. Hoping to ge... Apsara & Shadow Puppets G Sunday, November 7th, 2010 For as long as I can remember, I've been fascinated by puppetry. I even worked for a short time making massive props and puppets in London at Emergency Exit Arts when I was in college. So, when we ... Temples of Angkor: The Road to Banteay Srei G Saturday, November 6th, 2010 Tyler: After exploring Bayon temple, we cycle northwards in the Angkor Thom city complex, passing the enigmatic Prasat Suor Prat towers. There are twelve of them, mostly identical, and nobody knows ... Temples of Angkor: Sunrise at Bayon G Saturday, November 6th, 2010 It's 4:45 AM as we cycle away from our hotel into the darkness and the invigoratingly cool pre-dawn air. Though we're still groggy, fighting to keep our eyes open and our legs spinning, the rest of ... Crossing Paths G Friday, November 5th, 2010 For as much time as we choose to spend out in the world interacting with people, and as public as we make our lives, we've both found ourselves steadily growing more and more introverted as the weeks... Artisans d'Angkor Silk Farm G Friday, November 5th, 2010 Saving the temples of Angkor for tomorrow, we backtrack sixteen kilometers out of town in order to see the free Artisans d'Angkor silk farm and workshop. I love most anything that involves crafts an... Hello, Sir G Thursday, November 4th, 2010 We're taking a day off, letting our aching muscles recover from a long day yesterday. Tomorrow, we start our three day tour at the temples of Angkor. In the meantime, we're checking out the city on... Collecting Cambodia G Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010 The first few days in a new country, we grab every English speaking native we meet and beg them to teach us some basic phrases in their language. Though we have a phrasebook, there is no substitute ... Crossing to Cambodia: Part Three G Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 When we're not completely blown away, our hearts bursting from our overwhelming welcome into Cambodia, we're doing more mundane things, like getting our internet situation sorted. When we pass a mob... Crossing to Cambodia: Part Two G Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 A sculpted stone archway overhead bids us welcome to the Kingdom of Cambodia. As we pass under its imposing grey carvings, we are keenly aware that we've entered a very different place. Poipet feel... Crossing to Cambodia: Part One G Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 We enjoy border crossings – the crowds of people, the incomprehensible mix of languages we barely understand, the resulting confusion, and even, the waiting in line. All tied up in the excited cha... Our Process: Why We Write G Monday, November 1st, 2010 This entry is part of an ongoing series about how we've documented our adventure. Why do we write? We write to capture our lives, to record our adventures, to share with our family and friends,... Making for Cambodia G Sunday, October 31st, 2010 We're heading east, making our way towards Cambodia this afternoon. Before we take to the highway, we stop at the local market so I can satisfy my budding smoothie obsession. Today, it is a neon-gr... Four Part Harmony G Saturday, October 30th, 2010 Any time we go out to eat in Thailand, whether at a street vendor or somewhere a bit fancier, we can count on there being four containers at our table, each with their own little spoons. When we pai... Slowly Going G Friday, October 29th, 2010 Thailand is lulling us into a comfortable laziness. Our desire to see the world has somewhat been put on hold, not because we don't want to explore, but simply because life is so great right here. ... Our Process: Photography Workflow G Thursday, October 28th, 2010 This entry is part of an ongoing series about how we've documented our adventure. One of our favorite places to be while traveling is behind the lens of our camera, capturing the people we meet ... Working in Dong Khi Lek G Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 Stopped for a few days, we're enjoying the peace and quiet around the palm-lined property of our hotel. There's a temple nearby whose meditative music drifts in on the breeze, giving us a pleasant s... Our Process: The Evolution of Our Journal G Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 This essay is the first in a series of "behind the scenes" entries in which we will detail the daily processes involved in producing our journal. In addition to being a record of our gradual progres... Rainy Ride & Comfort Again G Monday, October 25th, 2010 This morning, I inspect the door of our rented camo tent for the final time, scanning for any awful bloodthirsty creatures that might be lying in wait. Deeming the exit safe, I jump out of our musty... Chasing Waterfalls G Sunday, October 24th, 2010 Tara: It is with immense relief that we cycle away from our second dingy bungalow, heading towards the Park's exit. First, we're going to see some waterfalls, and then, we're outta here. However, w... A Little Worse for Wear G Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 Tyler: Tara's first order of business this morning is running down to the visitor's center to buy breakfast, iced coffee, and most importantly, muslin leech booties. With new protective armor, we're... Into the Jungle: Part Two G Friday, October 22nd, 2010 Tyler: At the entrance of Khao Yai Park, we fork over a whopping 400 baht ($13 US) each. Normally, there is fee for bicycles too, but the guards waive it for us with a wink, a friendly smile, and a ... Into the Jungle: Part One G Friday, October 22nd, 2010 Tara: Under the ugly flickering fluorescent lights of our dingy National Park barracks, I gingerly take a seat on the questionably clean bedsheets, and survey our home for the night. These overprice... Relaxing at our Bungalow G Thursday, October 21st, 2010 We spent a quiet day in Nakhon Nayok checking out the markets, drinking iced coffees, and eating tasty street food. We're really enjoying the relaxed pace of life here in Thailand. It is almost too... To the Bungalow G Wednesday, October 20th, 2010 Without the constant mental mantra of find water, find food, find a free-camp running through my mind, I find I am more relaxed. Here in Thailand, there is abundance. Food is plentiful, in the form... Leaving Bualuang G Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 After a dry night, the main thoroughfares in and around Lopburi are fairly passable – much of the flood water is now well on its way to Bangkok. Many of the secondary roads in the area are still p... Lopburi's Monkeys G Monday, October 18th, 2010 During a lull in the rain this morning (it has been pouring non-stop since we got here), we rode to the center of Lopburi to see what the town is most famous for: wild monkeys living a life of luxur... Apple Pie for Ad G Sunday, October 17th, 2010 Dad, it's like those things in the freezer!" Boss exclaims, after watching us prepare a homemade apple pie. "Nah man," Ad replies, "this is the real deal!" It has been years since Ad was able t... Flooding in Lopburi G Sunday, October 17th, 2010 Thailand is currently in the midst of the worst flooding the country has seen in decades. Ever since we arrived, the rain in Lopburi has been unrelenting. Thankfully, both our hotel and Bualuang ar... Bualuang Restaurant Kitchen G Saturday, October 16th, 2010 In a bright, airy room, with windows overlooking the garden, the family gathers for lunch. Normally, everyone eats separately, but today is special; it's Sansanee's father's birthday. While her Dad... Thai Food Feast G Friday, October 15th, 2010 Being waited on hand-and-foot gracefully is not our strongest suit. Invariably, it involves numerous rounds of awkward back and forth – us reflexively insisting on doing everything for ourselves, ... My Thai Uncle G Thursday, October 14th, 2010 So, I have this Thai uncle. His name is Ad. Uncle Brian, Uncle Ad, Uncle Steve & Dad Over the years, I've asked numerous times how some guy from Thailand became a part of my grandparents' funny J... Photo Calendars for 2011 G Thursday, October 14th, 2010 It's that time again – we just spent a pleasant couple of days sorting through old and new photos to compile these five calendars with some of our favorites. Here we go! A Bicycle Calendar buy... A Day in Ayutthaya G Wednesday, October 13th, 2010 What a luxury it is, to sleep in a wide, clean bed, and to wake up tangled in a pair of warm, floppy arms. This is what I think as I extricate myself from Tyler's embrace, now padding to the window,... Sprinting to Ayutthaya G Tuesday, October 12th, 2010 Our first real cycling day in Southeast Asia begins with a farewell breakfast from our favorite local vendor. Every time we returned from sightseeing this past week, he waved us in like we were a fi... Lunch Break G Monday, October 11th, 2010 Sometimes, when we're working, we forget about eating. After several hours of writing and editing, I'm usually the first to notice my stomach making strange sensations. Tyler, though, hardly notice... Bangkok Canals: Long-Tail Boat Tour G Saturday, October 9th, 2010 Tyler: At our friend Neisha's suggestion, we've booked a trip on the rivers and canals around Bangkok. Normally, our guide leads twenty or more people on this tour, but for reasons unknown, we are ... Night Riding G Friday, October 8th, 2010 Leaving the tranquil Wat Pho, we return to cycling in Bangkok's bustling city traffic. As we make our way towards the hippy/backpacker ghetto of Khaosan Road, I get a little disoriented. We've been... Wat Pho G Friday, October 8th, 2010 Swinging a leg over my bike, I am instantly awash in a joyous feeling that permeates our rides in Bangkok. Biking in this city is fun! This morning, under the benevolent gaze of Thailand's dweeby-l... Errands in Bangkok G Thursday, October 7th, 2010 Tyler: One, two, three upshift, four, five, six, upshift, seven, eight, nine pedal strokes and I am passing cars already. My unladen touring bicycle is a featherlight rocket, powered by calves deliv... Riding to Bangkok G Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 We're cycling again, feeling carefree and happy as we pedal out of our airport hotel, heading to a more centrally located hostel in downtown Bangkok. We're in a new place that smells of flowers and ... A Welcome Change G Tuesday, October 5th, 2010 Together, we rip into our bicycle boxes like they're giant Christmas presents, throwing scraps of cardboard and tape and plastic wrap in a big pile in the corner of the room. Tyler spends the mornin... Flying to Bangkok G Monday, October 4th, 2010 We're groggy and tired, bouncing around in a taxi that feels like it could be a louage. Our driver hums along to the radio, while every joint in the body of his rickety van creaks and squeaks and co... Neisha & Rob G Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 Every so often, we have the good fortune of meeting people with whom we connect immediately. Try as we might, we've thus far been unable to ascertain exactly what is required to bring about this exp... Tumen Ekh: Mongolian National Song and Dance Ensemble G Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 This evening marks the third time we've set off with Neisha and Rob to find the theater where Tumen Ekh performs. Jake, one of the Mongol Ralliers that gave our cycling friends a lift in the steppe,... Rest at Last G Friday, October 1st, 2010 It took five days of non-stop activity, but we've managed to sort through everything! Our car has been donated to the Mongolian government, our tickets to Bangkok are booked, and our bicycles are pa... Making Boxes G Thursday, September 30th, 2010 Looking at Air China's website this morning, we learn that the total linear measurement of our bike boxes (length + width + height) must be equal to or less than 180cm. Not quite sure what to make o... Ulaan Baatar's Gandan Monastery G Thursday, September 30th, 2010 I was pretty disappointed by Ulaan Baatar's Gandan monastery. Between the hawkers trying to sell us cheap crap, the strong warning in our guidebook about pickpockets, and the monks texting and talki... Finding Boxes G Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 My goal for the day is a deceptively simple one: find cardboard boxes. We've already failed at this once. Yesterday, we asked at the local outdoor supply shop, a camping outlet, and the huge State ... Lightening Our Load G Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 We've just noticed that our tickets to Bangkok with Air China allow a maximum of 20 kilograms in checked luggage per person. After calling around, we've definitively confirmed that the overage fee p... Decisions Made & Friends Missed G Monday, September 27th, 2010 Stumbling out of the restaurant and into the darkness, bellies stuffed with delicious stir-fry, we are more than a little relieved we decided not to backtrack our entire journey to the UK. If we had... Back to Basics G Monday, September 27th, 2010 Back to at the car park, Tara is busy journaling. Striding in to meet her, I can hardly believe we've done it! Cheering, high-fives and a recounting of the last few hours ensues. Then, as much as ... Turning in the Keys, The Fate of LRC: Part Six G Monday, September 27th, 2010 Pulling into a parking space at the customs building, I feel like I am fourteen years old again, taking our beloved but very sick family cat to the Humane Society to be put down. Walking into the br... Farewell, The Fate of LRC: Part Five G Monday, September 27th, 2010 We have less than two hours to get back to our hotel, fully unload our car, and drive the LRC back through the busy traffic to the custom's office. We race outside to hail a cab. Just seconds later... Mongolian Customs, The Fate of LRC: Part Four G Monday, September 27th, 2010 It is Monday morning, and we're about to see if we can give our car to Mongolia. Tom from the Adventurists has told us to go to the customs office, so that's where we're headed. "Okay, get psyched ... The Black Market G Sunday, September 26th, 2010 Tara: After our morning meeting with Tom, it's pretty clear there is nothing we can do with our car at the moment. It's Sunday, and all the offices we need to visit are closed. What we can do is ta... Options, The Fate of LRC: Part Three G Sunday, September 26th, 2010 Tyler: This morning, we head to Ulaan Baatar's backpacker hangout, Café Amsterdam, to meet with Tom, the founder of the Adventurists. He lives in Mongolia organizing the Mongol Rally six months out... Rocking Out G Saturday, September 25th, 2010 Now that we have some semblance of a plan involving our car, we're able to enjoy ourselves a little. The team is holding a beard competition! After the elimination stages, only two members remain. ... False Start, The Fate of LRC: Part Two G Saturday, September 25th, 2010 Now that we've reached Ulaan Bataar, we have a daunting list of logistical issues to solve. Though it would be nice to celebrate the end of our Mongolian road trip, get back to journaling, and regai... The Loving Hut, The Jimny Saga: Part Ten G Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 Eeveryone sleeps in today after the triumphant party celebrating the success of the Jimny. Nearing noon, we all pack up and head into town to pay the local mechanic a visit. Unfortunately, when we ... A Guitar String, The Jimny Saga: Part Nine G Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 Over dinner we discussed options. We're not going to leave Richie and Freddie out there in the desert, but the question of what to do for them still remains. For now, we're thinking that one of the... Back to Tarmac G Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 We've heard reports that a paved highway begins four hundred kilometers from the capital. Some say its smooth all the way to Ulaan Bataar, while others say the surface is patchy, potholed, and inter... Absurd, The Jimny Saga: Part Eight G Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 Knowing they'll have to travel extremely slowly, Richie and Freddie set off a good three hours before the rest of us today, hoping they can make some headway before we catch up to them. In the meant... Wheels Falling Off, The Jimny Saga: Part Seven G Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 We've been killing time waiting for the Jimny to arrive, but eventually we have to face facts. They are not coming. What in the world has happened to them? Someone suggests we take the motorcycle ... Bad Moon Rising G Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 With the Saxo's exhaust repaired, we're back on the road. Before us, a spaghetti-like sprawl of dirt tracks stretch out as far as the eye can see. Behind us, a billowing cloud of dust obscures the ... Obstacles G Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 When we started thinking about buying a car and driving it across Siberia, we had a rough time getting reliable reports as to the conditions of the roads. It seems silly, but back then we weren't ev... Uncertain, The Fate of LRC: Part One G Monday, September 20th, 2010 Each day closer to Ulaan Baatar brings us nearer to a potentially difficult decision we'd really like to continue ignoring: what to do about our car. We're currently weighing the pros and cons for a... Farewell to the Swift G Monday, September 20th, 2010 Matt and Tom gave it their best shot this morning, but the Swift's bent connecting rods couldn't be repaired. When they went to make arrangements to leave their car with the Mongol Rally, they disco... Exploratory Surgery G Sunday, September 19th, 2010 None of us are deterred by the fact that we have no idea what we're doing. Today, we're going to tear apart the Suzuki Swift's tiny three cylinder engine. Maybe, just maybe we can repair it, or fin... Together Again G Saturday, September 18th, 2010 We need cash to pay for another night at our cozy hotel. So, I leave Tyler hard at work in our room, and head outside to search for an ATM. I seem to recall seeing a bank nearby, but I can't figure... Recreating History G Friday, September 17th, 2010 The majority of our day was spent in bed, uploading and sorting a month's worth of photos. When we weren't busy with that, we were slowly recreating history, digging ourselves out of a twenty-four j... Into the Great Wide Open: Part Three G Thursday, September 16th, 2010 We spent a lot of time mucking about in sand this afternoon. Even if the rest of the drive goes smoothly, making it to Bayankhongor today is going to be difficult. Tara calculates that I have to ke... Into the Great Wide Open: Part Two G Thursday, September 16th, 2010 Being free of this sand pit lasted roughly five minutes. While we were able to maintain humor and perspective the first time, this is too much for both of us. Composure is lost. Curses fly. We ar... Into the Great Wide Open: Part One G Thursday, September 16th, 2010 Our life has become a Choose Your Own Adventure book. This morning, as we flip to a new chapter, the one where we drive across part of Mongolia alone, a twinge of sadness overcomes me. Waving goodb... Something to Learn G Wednesday, September 15th, 2010 We start the day making apple-almond rice pudding, and cinnamon French toast for our friends. The morning feast is a huge success! As Tom (a saint) washes a mountain of dirty dishes, we receive our... Leaving Altai G Tuesday, September 14th, 2010 Tara: I've read that there is a market in Altai, right next to our hotel. As a visitor, I can't see how you'd ever discover this without being told. The only telltale sign is an incomprehensible vo... Repairs in Altai G Monday, September 13th, 2010 With the Jimny dealt with, Tara and I go driving in search of a hotel. She is feeling the aches and fatigue of impending illness, while I need a quiet place in which to work. We eventually stumble ... Showdown, The Jimny Saga: Part Six G Monday, September 13th, 2010 It has already been a trying day for Richie, Freddie, Charlie, and Tim. But, the drama isn't over yet. Thankfully, getting the Jimny off the truck proves much easier than loading it had been. As t... Leaving Early G Monday, September 13th, 2010 Tyler: A glimpse of our "old life" appears this morning when we leave camp alone, headed to Altai before most of the team wakes up. I've been leaving my work unattended for the last week – I need ... Loading in the Night: The Jimny Saga, Part Five G Sunday, September 12th, 2010 Tara: Matt has agreed to stay behind with Freddie. We are driving back to camp, feeling like a pair of medieval horse messengers, carrying news from one village to the next. As we rush to reach hom... On Cars G Sunday, September 12th, 2010 Tara: I've never been the least bit interested in learning about the inner workings of a car. In fact, they always seemed mysterious and scary to me. Until recently, fixing them was certainly outsi... The Rock Tumbler G Saturday, September 11th, 2010 Tyler and I have talked many times about how this trip has been one gigantic exercise in personal growth. All of our silly idiosyncrasies, the many niggling things we do to get in our own way, and a... Dry and Dusty G Friday, September 10th, 2010 I'm not entirely sure where the boundary begins, but I'm pretty sure we're in the Gobi desert. What started as intense mountain scenery has transformed into flat, rocky desert, complete with sharp, ... To Hovd G Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 Tyler: We awaken with joy this frosty morning, overcome by an intense sensation of relief. We're still incredulous about the bizarre circumstances which reunited us – it will be well into the even... Back to Ölgii G Monday, September 6th, 2010 Glorious morning views are waiting to greet us as we reluctantly crawl out of our warm sleeping bag today. Yellowing fields stretch far and wide around us, hugged by a series of awe-inspiring mounta... Mongolian Hospitality G Sunday, September 5th, 2010 Light is fading fast as we drive off-road, over green fields towards our host's ger. Pulling up next to the round white homes, we are welcomed enthusiastically by a man we've never seen before. Per... Dead Doblò G Sunday, September 5th, 2010 The roads of Mongolia have claimed another victim. Just a few minutes ago, Mette's red Doblò had a collision similar to our own—some unseen obstacle smashed into the underside of her van. Th... Slow Start G Sunday, September 5th, 2010 Nobody is in a hurry to get moving this morning. In fact, when I rouse myself from a comfortable night's sleep around 9AM, everyone is still cocooned under their down comforters, or wrapped up like ... Morning at the Border G Saturday, September 4th, 2010 My nose feels like an ice-cube this morning. The rest of my cramped body is, thankfully, much more inhabitable – safely wrapped in numerous layers of clothing and sleeping bags. It was a group ef... Rallying Together G Friday, September 3rd, 2010 Well, it looks like we'll be spending the night at the border. Locked in on both sides, with no real identification, now in the dark of night and a swirling blizzard, what else is there to do? Luck... Border Crossing & Blizzard in No-Man's Land G Friday, September 3rd, 2010 The wind is blustery and wintery, whipping through the mountains and flying across the plains as we head closer to Mongolia. It smells like snow. As Tyler drives, I realize I've missed this particu... Towards the Edge G Friday, September 3rd, 2010 Our breath hangs in the air like clouds this morning as we emerge from our tent and notice the white horse still quietly sharing our camp, munching away on grass now laced with frost. There is somet... Number One G Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 We've seen some truly incredible landscapes on this adventure. Over the last year and some months, Mother Nature has served up wonders like the Amalfi Coast, the fjords of Norway, the Swiss Alps, th... Back on Track G Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 With a reluctant squeeze, we left our little puppy friend to frolic in the flowers and sleep in the shade. We packed our LRC, and headed back the way we'd come, driving past the same scenery for the... Working at Lake Teletskoye G Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 We started our day looking for information about Uchar Waterfall. Our investigation turned up some interesting news: the falls are very young, just a few hundred years old, and they were only discov... To the Cabin G Monday, August 30th, 2010 Back when we were planning our trip, Russia was this mammoth lumbering place I wasn't excited about visiting. Tyler always wanted to go, but I saw the vast landmass as something to "get through" in ... Backtracking G Sunday, August 29th, 2010 This morning, we continued our drive through the Altay Mountains, enjoying the scenery of Chuisky Trakt for a second time. After passing the spot where we turned around yesterday, we felt a bit bett... Camping on the Katun G Saturday, August 28th, 2010 This morning, our car caught the fallen evidence of changing seasons – it is getting more autumny here in Russia by the day! Amidst orange leaves drifting softly to the ground, we left our farm fi... The Way to Mongolia G Friday, August 27th, 2010 As Tyler journaled this morning, I began doing some research about the next phase of our road trip: the Altay region of Siberia. As I did so, I noticed that Chuisky Trakt, billed as one of the most ... Stuck in the Woods G Thursday, August 26th, 2010 Tyler: We'll, it was bound to happen eventually. Off-roading through the forests and fields of Russia in a tiny hatchback isn't exactly the most prudent plan (but it sure is fun). While piloting ou... Morning Chai G Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 It is a chilly grey morning. Heavy clouds hang overhead, threatening rain. Even so, we pack our camp at a leisurely pace, paying no mind to the potential deluge. Once everything is in order, I dir... Things We Don't Know G Monday, August 23rd, 2010 Two years ago, the sheer number of unknowns regarding this adventure were mind blowing. We had no first-hand knowledge, no experience, and honestly, for all of our preparation, no idea what we were ... MobilityPass: Global Internet & Cellular Service G Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 MobilityPass claims to offer cellular phone and internet access with a single SIM card in more than 100 countries– they also advertise free incoming calls for many of them. Wanting to provide the ... In Search of Rest G Saturday, August 21st, 2010 Tyler: Our goal this morning is simple: get to Omsk and check into a hotel. We've had enough excitement in the last 24 hours to last a month (okay, not a month, but at least a few days!). It has be... Fire on the Border G Friday, August 20th, 2010 I messed up when publishing our previous entry, Racing Through Russia's Heartland. It is fixed now! Tyler: While making our way back to the highway leading into Omsk, we spot a grey plume of smok... Racing Through Russia's Heartland G Friday, August 20th, 2010 It is a sleepy day in Siberia. A recent series of several time-zone crossings have disoriented me a bit, and I find myself battling odd patterns of sleep and wakefulness. This, combined with a quie... Are We There Yet? G Thursday, August 19th, 2010 Last night, another pesky cop pulled us over. During the time we'd normally spend searching for a safe place to sleep, we were patiently doling out our paperwork, tapping our feet surreptitiously, a... Yekaterinburg G Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 We're on a major road in the outskirts of Yekaterinburg. The main highway has morphed into speeding city traffic – Tara is navigating as we make our way to the city center. "Okay," she instructs,... We're In ASIA! G Wednesday, August 18th, 2010 I'm driving to Yekaterinburg while Tara sits in the passenger's seat, reading to me about the busy city from our Trans-Siberian Railway guide. Even though we aren't on the train, we're inordinately ... Home in the Woods G Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 Yesterday, we left the Kungur Ice Cave and headed eastwards, driving until dusk. When we spied what looked like a tractor's path snaking into the hills nearby, we pulled off the main road with high ... Kungur Ice Cave G Monday, August 16th, 2010 Destination: Kungur Ice Cave. With an epic-sounding name, and the mystique of being located in what one would think is the middle of nowhere, we spent the morning entertaining fantasies of arriving ... Distractions G Sunday, August 15th, 2010 Tyler: I possess a strange affinity for taking unassuming vehicles to places where they might not belong. For reasons I can't really articulate, I was ecstatic about driving off-road in our trusty l... Friendly Russia G Saturday, August 14th, 2010 It seems that anyone who has traveled far and wide eventually comes to the conclusion that no matter where you roam, people are very much the same. Having heard variations of this idea my entire lif... VIGILANCE! G Friday, August 13th, 2010 We milked our expensive hotel stay for all it was worth, working in the lobby on their wireless internet connection for most of the morning. After we published a few entries, we struck up conversati... A Brief Walk in Kazan G Friday, August 13th, 2010 We woke early today, and headed into the city for some sight-seeing. Off to the Kremlin we walked, along a canal and past several churches. Tyler was excited when we saw an onion dome which was onl... Parental Controls G Thursday, August 12th, 2010 If you are a parent or teacher who is sharing Going Slowly with your children or students, please be aware that there is some adult content contained within. We want to help, but rather than censor ... Into Kazan G Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 More and more, Russia is reminding me of Romania. In both countries, back-aching manual labor in the fields is the norm, and yet old and young alike seem to spend much of their days quietly resting ... Down for the Count G Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 When I am writing, I sometimes imagine that we are talking to our families, to our friends, or maybe even to ourselves in twenty years. Occasionally, I like to pretend that our future offspring will... Russia's Golden Ring: Suzdal G Monday, August 9th, 2010 The tiny town of Suzdal is purportedly the home of more than one hundred architectural monuments (and fifteen monasteries too). We're still a little unclear on what actually constitutes a monument, ... To the Swimming Hole G Sunday, August 8th, 2010 We start our morning by returning to Hundertwasser: Coffee & Blah Blah Blah to enjoy a few more cappuccinos. Not exactly eager leave our climate controlled surroundings, we procrastinate, putting of... Camped on the Volga G Saturday, August 7th, 2010 We slept in this morning, awakening when Russia's heat wave gathered enough steam to smother us inside our tent. After yesterday's accidental twelve hour marathon of sight-seeing, we wanted to take ... Russia's Beautiful Homes G Saturday, August 7th, 2010 Before coming to Russia, I really had no idea what to expect outside of some vague notions of Soviet apartment buildings, lots of blocky concrete structures and the endless steppe of Siberia. I was ... Russia's Golden Ring: Yaroslavl G Friday, August 6th, 2010 We leave the Kremlin of Rostov, and hop in our LRC for some more driving. The next stop in our Golden Ring tour, turns out to be too big a city for our tastes. To do it justice, we'll have to spend... Russia's Golden Ring: Pereslavl-Zalessky G Friday, August 6th, 2010 In spite of the difficulty, getting out of Moscow last night was an excellent plan. We're told the smoke, smog and heat (caused by the forest fires covering Western Russia) escalated to new levels o... Absurd G Thursday, August 5th, 2010 We dismiss Evgeniy's wise warning about traffic, and our own rule about not rushing, and leave Moscow at precisely the wrong time. We've stayed in the city until five o'clock, and are now running ar... This is Elizabeth G Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 When Tyler and Tara pulled up in their red Corolla, I was glad to see them, and impressed that they'd navigated their way through crazy Moscow traffic to my husband and my apartment. I didn't know T... A Day in Moscow G Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 This morning, Elizabeth taught me how to make syrniki, or sweet cheese fritters, for breakfast. She learned the recipe from her Russian in-laws, and as a fellow cooking lover, she was excited to sha... Americans in Russia G Monday, August 2nd, 2010 Tyler's cousin, an ex-pat working as a journalist and English teacher in Moscow, lives less than a kilometer from Evgeniy. They haven't seen each other since they were twelve, and we're all going to... Objectification 101 G Monday, August 2nd, 2010 This morning, while Tyler showers, our host Evgeniy begins earnestly instructing me on the merits of various breast shapes and sizes. As he scrolls through an online forum where Russian women regula... TGI Friday's on Sunday G Sunday, August 1st, 2010 This morning, Evgeniy came up with a brilliant idea. He suggested we buy a fishing pole to take advantage of all the lakes and rivers in Siberia! He and his wife Svetlana were planning on going sho... Special Day G Saturday, July 31st, 2010 Here we are, in Red Square, in Moscow. We can hardly believe it! The first thing we notice is not the giant statue of Lenin or the colorful oniony domes of St. Basil's Cathedral, however, but some ... Wild West: Moscow Bound, Part Three G Thursday, July 29th, 2010 We're on the M10, the only major thoroughfare between St. Petersburg and Moscow. Night is slowly descending. We've decided to cover another hundred kilometers or so before stopping to find our firs... Breaking the Law: Moscow Bound, Part Two G Thursday, July 29th, 2010 Back at the car, a crushing front of heat pours from either side when we open its doors. Cringing a bit, we roll down the driver and passenger windows, crank open the moon roof, and crack the rear w... Palaces and Kremlins: Moscow Bound, Part One G Thursday, July 29th, 2010 It is another sunny, smoggy day in Russia. We pack up and leave Aleksandr's apartment in the morning as he's heading out for work. We shake hands and thank him for having us, and he wishes us all t... Photos from St. Petersburg G Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 Tara and I are both grappling with a bit of Russian culture shock at the moment. Figuring out the most healthy manner in which to approach the shockingly overt misogyny and racism we've encountered ... Heat Wave G Monday, July 26th, 2010 St. Petersburg is currently setting all-time records for heat. We're not enthusiastic about going out this morning, but we need to get our visas registered. Though we have three business days to co... Russian Border Crossing G Sunday, July 25th, 2010 I had butterflies in my stomach as we left our free-camp this morning. As Tyler drove, I made doubly sure that we had every thing in order. Passports, drivers licenses (international and US), car r... Long Time Coming G Saturday, July 24th, 2010 This afternoon, we cleaned and packed the car while Matias and Mia and prepared the family for a wedding. Once everyone was in their Sunday best, we bid them farewell. Yet again, we've made some grea... Hanging Out With the Hannus Family G Friday, July 23rd, 2010 Our host Matias has a habit of signing up completely unprepared for long distance races. He isn't in them to win, just to prove to himself that he can do it! A year or two ago, it was a lengthy cro... To Matias and Mia's G Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 Two weeks ago, our our wallet was stolen in Estonia. In thinking about the experience now, I can't help but shake my head about the events which preceded it. Just a day prior, I had griped about ho... Wallet Update G Tuesday, July 20th, 2010 Not much happened today, since we spent most of it sitting at Hesburger planning for Russia and working. We did get some exciting news though. Our driver's licenses, debit cards, and credit card ar... Christmas in July G Monday, July 19th, 2010 Santa's Village in Roveniemi, Finland was our big attraction for the day. Apparently, it rests right on the line where the Arctic circle begins. Napapiiri Arctic Circle At first we were pretty di... Time Lapse G Sunday, July 18th, 2010 Last night, we taped our camera to the top of the car and set it up to take a time lapse series of the midnight sun. Around 4AM, I drifted just far enough into consciousness to remember our project.... Coastal Drive to Norway G Friday, July 16th, 2010 In an effort to duplicate Swedish Pancakes from one of my favorite breakfast places in Champaign, I made crepes this morning, served with Lingonberries. My results were much smaller than the restaur... Saami Museum G Thursday, July 15th, 2010 We stayed at our hotel late into the morning, sleeping restfully in the novel darkness afforded by closed curtains. When we finally roused ourselves around 10AM, our overpriced, stingy hotel redeeme... Amethyst Mining G Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 We're falling into a nice routine with Finland. It goes something like this: swim in the morning, tear down camp, drive through beautiful pine forests, swim before lakeside lunch, enjoy said lunch, ... Roadside Oddities G Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 Here we are, just drivin' through Finland, when we come to an abrupt halt because we've officially reached reindeer territory. There are loads of them, just milling about on the highway. Here they ... Up at the Cabin G Monday, July 12th, 2010 The sun is intense in Finland this time of year. The flaming orb never leaves the sky, even at night. At our current latitude, sunset sort of occurs around 12AM, but it never actually gets dark. T... Lake Hopping G Sunday, July 11th, 2010 Today, we are making ourselves at home in Finland. We've ditched the itineraries we found online, and are simply winging it as we head north towards the Arctic Circle. Feeling as free as we did on ... Sandcastles and Lakes G Saturday, July 10th, 2010 Today, we left Helsinki and headed into the Finnish countryside. It was a relief to leave the expensive city behind, watching metallic cityscapes transition into woods and forest. For our route, Ty... Picnic by the Lake G Friday, July 9th, 2010 We'd planned on spending some time exploring downtown Helsinki today. Mostly, we wanted to sift through the flea markets Tara had discovered during her research last night. We had no intention of b... Back in Business G Thursday, July 8th, 2010 …continued from Where is the Wallet!? By now, the worst is over. Thanks to all of our parents, what could have been a massive ordeal has become just a small bump in the road. We pack up our ... Where is the Wallet!? G Thursday, July 8th, 2010 Why, do you think someone is going to leap in through our window while we sleep? That was Tyler's response to my concern about opening our street-level hostel window last night. I eyed the two-foot-... Exaggerated for Effect G Tuesday, July 6th, 2010 This morning, we left our quiet beach-side haven and hit the road north towards Cape Kolka. We'd read that violent storms of "biblical proportions" in 2007 had uprooted numerous giant trees and sent... Pāvilosta G Monday, July 5th, 2010 I can think of few better places to spend a holiday than Pāvilosta, Latvia. It is quiet. There are only about eight blocks of houses in town, and most of them dead-end right into the sea. While T... Working in Latvia G Sunday, July 4th, 2010 Most of today we spent working and writing. Once we got caught up (woo hoo!), we went for a walk on the beach. Right as we were leaving, my parents called. It was so nice talking to you guys! A... Baltic Amber Road G Saturday, July 3rd, 2010 I wake up at 7:00 AM to stifling sun, blaring techno, and a very grumpy Tyler. Hoo boy, is he cranky after a night of no sleep. We get to work packing immediately. Thankfully there is little but t... Hill of Crosses G Friday, July 2nd, 2010 When we arrived at Tomas and Jurgita's two days ago, one of the first things we inquired about was if there were any distinctly Lithuanian sites we shouldn't miss during our stay. After much hmmmm-i... Another Adventure G Friday, July 2nd, 2010 This morning, Jurgita didn't go to work. Tomorrow, her husband Tomas will finish the last day at his forestry job. Why? Next week, they will pedal out of their driveway, heading south from their h... Heaven on Earth G Thursday, July 1st, 2010 After a day of working, our hosts Jurgita and Tomas pack their car with food, bottled water and picnic supplies. Then, we all ride together, fourteen kilometers down the road to Tomas' parents' week... Over the River and Through the Woods G Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 Tyler: Stopping to take photos is definitely easier when you're on a bicycle. But, we don't let that deter us. When there is no shoulder, we just hang our camera (or, if you are me, yourself) out o... In the Map G Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 Tyler: We leave Janka's apartment this morning, supplied with two big boxes of Polish chocolates, ham and cheese sandwiches, heartfelt hugs, and enthusiastic well wishes. As we pull away, waving wil... Warsaw with Janka G Monday, June 28th, 2010 Yesterday, we received a nice comment from a Polish woman named Janka who lives in Warsaw. Though she wasn't sure if we would be passing through her hometown, she generously took the time to offer u... A Walk in Warsaw G Sunday, June 27th, 2010 By the time I woke up this morning, Tara had already gone running, tidied the hotel room, and planned our day of sightseeing in Warsaw. Wow! She picked a museum about Marie Curie, the old town, and... On Running, Rest & Routines G Sunday, June 27th, 2010 What started as a simple desire to move my body, is slowly transforming into something much larger. I've decided that I want to love running. More to the point: I want it to be one enjoyable part o... Running Start G Saturday, June 26th, 2010 Last night, I told Tyler that I was feeling like a schlub. Our adventure has really changed how I feel about exercise; over the course of a year, I've grown used to lots and lots of physical activit... On Driving G Friday, June 25th, 2010 After more than a year spent living out of a bicycle (and writing about the experience nearly every day) many aspects of my worldview have changed so dramatically that I often find it difficult to re... A Walk in Kolobrzeg G Thursday, June 24th, 2010 One of the most enjoyable parts of this trip (for me) is traveling to places I have absolutely no preconceived notions about. Poland is definitely one of those locales. Just as it was with Macedoni... Working in Poland G Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 We spent the majority of our day cozied up in the tent, pleasantly overwhelmed by what has become our typical rest/work day routine: responding to a zillion emails, writing, and programming. While T... Why Are You in a Car? G Monday, June 21st, 2010 The shortest answer to this question is: to drive across Russia! Here is the long answer: In the broadest terms, our plan for this adventure was to travel from Scotland to Malaysia by land and sea. ... Road Trip Begins! G Monday, June 21st, 2010 We spent our last day with Nadine and Felix checking off the final items from our to-do list. These were mostly our shopping-related chores. Namely, finding them fun T-shirts, and finding us the th... Berlin with Friends: Day Three G Sunday, June 20th, 2010 It has been my desire for quite some time now, to have a relaxing, fun-filled Sunday like we would at home. Today, with the best company a woman could ask for, I got my wish. First things first, we... Berlin with Friends: Day Two G Saturday, June 19th, 2010 We started the morning off with yet another excellent cappuccino from Felix and Nadine. Then, we all drove into Berlin for a day of sightseeing. Today, Nadine had a Plan. This was really nice; it ... Berlin with Friends: Day One G Friday, June 18th, 2010 Guess who came to Berlin to visit us? Felix & Nadine Our dear friends, Nadine and Felix! They drove six hours north from Munich in their big green VW Transporter to hang out with us for a few day... Driving Around Town G Thursday, June 17th, 2010 We said a heartfelt goodbye to ba noi today (little did she know she would be whisked off to the airport soon after we left, as a surprise birthday trip to Paris!) and hopped in our little red car. ... Berlin with Ann G Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 We were hot and tired when we finished packing our bicycles into the trunk of our new car. Back inside, we enjoyed glasses of cold water, and chatted with our friend Tony's aunt, uncle, and cousin w... Roadtrip Ready G Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 This morning, we left ba noi's house bright and early, heading in the direction of the car dealership. This was it! We were about to get a car! It is hard to believe that this entire chain of even... Goodbye, Blogger G Tuesday, June 15th, 2010 Goodbye, blogger! I have officially migrated all five hundred and twenty of our journal entries, and nearly two thousand comments to our own server. This journal is now stored in our database, and ... Puppet Museum G Monday, June 14th, 2010 We're saving most of our Berlin sightseeing for when Nadine and Felix come to visit in a few days. In the meantime, we're working (a lot), sorting out car logistics, and very occasionally venturing ... Working in Berlin G Sunday, June 13th, 2010 Today, we spent some time designing a new website for our road trip. It is going really well! As was the case when we made Going Slowly, there were some frustrating bits where we stared at the scre... Buying a Car in Germany G Saturday, June 12th, 2010 Last night, after some hunting on mobile.de, we found a candidate car for our Siberian roadtrip: a 1991 Toyota Corolla from a single (retired) owner with 60,000km (37,000 miles). The asking price? ... Cooking with Ba Noi G Friday, June 11th, 2010 Life with ba noi is good. Orchids She is a kind-hearted grandmother who enjoys growing orchids and pedaling away on her miniature stationary bicycle, among many other things. She also loves to wat... Crank World Cycling Blog Honors: 2010 G Friday, June 11th, 2010 Us We won Cranklisted's Favorite Commuter/Travel Biking Blog for 2010! Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us! To see the winners in all of the categories, check out this post by Darryl, th... To Berlin G Thursday, June 10th, 2010 Normally, when we take any transport faster than a bicycle, we feel like we're missing out. Today, we were happy to watch the world go by without having to pedal through it. As we hurtled across th... Just a Bike Ride G Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 For the last few days, we've been taking some much needed rest. For us, this means cooking less, eating out more, "staying in", and leaving the camera behind when we go out. This welcome change of ... Dresden Thunderstorm G Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 It rained on and off all day. Nice, warm, summer rain. This evening, we enjoyed our most dramatic thunderstorm yet! ... Train to Dresden G Monday, June 7th, 2010 After a thoroughly enjoyable break in Bamberg, it was time to move on to our next destination: Dresden. So, this morning we packed up one last time from our three-night river-side free-camp, and rod... Home from Work G Sunday, June 6th, 2010 After a relaxing day of working, eating ice cream sundaes, and enjoying delicious, cheap Chinese food, we cycle back to our riverside free-camp along a string of nice bike paths on the outskirts of B... Spargel! G Saturday, June 5th, 2010 This morning we packed up from our free-camp, commuted into town along smooth, shaded bike paths, and headed straight to McDonald's for work and lots of ice cream sundaes. When we're done, we'll sco... Sunny Sneezefest G Friday, June 4th, 2010 At long last, the day dawned bright and sunny. The inside of our tent was hot this morning! Off came our knitted hats, along with our tent's bone-dry rain-fly, but not before we donned our sorely n... This is Nadine & Felix G Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 We have decided to meet up with Tara and Tyler in Nürnberg. We have been missing them since they left Munich, and with a holiday coming up we will make good use of this possibility. They will be c... Into the Woods G Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 Before leaving our pension this morning, I decide to visit one last thing before we leave Rothenburg—The Craftsman' House. This is the oldest building in town, dating back to 1270(!) and is no... Rainy Day in Rothenburg G Monday, May 31st, 2010 Surprise, surprise… more rain! Most of the day was spent warm and dry, under the covers in our big bed at Gastehaus Raidel. We did get up to go to breakfast though! When we descended the fi... Manic G Sunday, May 30th, 2010 Today was one of those days when the weather was so manic it was almost baffling. One moment it was sunny, and we were happily riding through quaint small towns… Zum Alten Rathaus Apotheke ... Altmühltal Cycle Route G Saturday, May 29th, 2010 Like every other night in recent memory, it rained heavily. This morning, our well-shaded forest free-camp was very chilly and very wet. Thanks to a perfectly timed downpour last night (which caugh... Fields of Green G Friday, May 28th, 2010 We packed up after eating a breakfast of hearty meusli, and hit the road at the late hour of 12:30. Our string of late departure times for the last few days continues. On the road, everything felt ... Leaving Dachau G Thursday, May 27th, 2010 We biked away from Dachau, once again at the late hour of 2PM. Feeling saddened from all we'd seen, we took to the German bicycle path leaving the site for a quiet, grey afternoon of meditative cycl... Leaving G Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 It was difficult, and a little sad leaving Felix and Nadine's cozy apartment. I wonder if it will ever be easy to pick up and go again once we've settled in somewhere for a few days? Along with bei... Working in Munich G Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 This morning, we groggily shared a round of excellent coffee with our new friends Felix and Nadine. With a bit of caffeine to carve through the haze, Nadine departed to Däerr (an outdoors store in ... Hiking in the Bavarian Alps G Monday, May 24th, 2010 After drinking some of the best coffee I've had in recent memory (hand ground by Felix, brewed in a shiny silver cafetiere, and finally dolloped with foam frothed in a French press) we made our way t... A Ride in Munich G Sunday, May 23rd, 2010 This morning we met Felix and Nadine at the "Rathaus Glockenspiel", a famous attraction in downtown Munich. Every day at 11AM and 5PM, the clock tower in the town hall comes to life with bells, chim... New Friends G Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 When we got back from our resupply mission yesterday, we had an email waiting for us from Nadine, a really nice cashier at one of the outdoors stores we visited. Before we made it back to our hotel,... Resupply Mission G Friday, May 21st, 2010 This morning we picked up some new supplies for our upcoming trek through Siberia. It was a freeing feeling, strolling around sports and expedition shops, having easy access to all manner of supplie... Vienna Vagabonds: A Train Story, Part Three G Thursday, May 20th, 2010 12:00 AM After trying to change our tickets to a middle-of-the-night train so we can sleep on the way, hopefully avoiding homelessness for the night, we find that the ticket office is closed. Looks ... Come and Gone: A Train Story, Part One G Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 4:30 PM / Tara After a long, cold, wet, hilly day of cycling, we arrive in Sighişoara and head directly to the train station. Tyler goes in to ask about tickets to Munich, while I stay outside to g... Farewell, Rainy Romania G Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 With cartoon clouds, pixels as raindrops, and yellow, zig-zag bolts of lightning featuring heavily on the internet's forecast all week, we were less than enthusiastic about visiting the UNESCO World ... Sounds of Sibiu G Sunday, May 16th, 2010 I was roused this morning around 7AM by a raucous, twittering racket just outside our tent. The early birds in the trees surrounding us were tweeting and chirping so loudly they may as well have bee... 120 Kilometer Day G Saturday, May 15th, 2010 As we were eating breakfast this morning (a heartier, double portion of yesterday's delicious sausage and egg feast), Lily informed us that today's weather was supposed to be "crazy". According to t... A Walk in Braşov G Friday, May 14th, 2010 We started the morning off with a delicious breakfast cooked by Lily, the woman who owns Casa Timar. Along with her husband and grown son, she runs their family's cozy pensiune. This morning we exc... Braşov in the Rain G Thursday, May 13th, 2010 It was an easy ride into Braşov this morning, only 25km! Once again, we made sure to appreciate having a very short day. Rolling into town just an hour after we'd left camp, it felt like we'd been... Bowling in Bran G Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 We decided to take advantage of our cheap, electricity- and internet-providing accommodations this morning, opting to spend the day working rather than packing up for our next destination, the nearby... Sheep G Tuesday, May 11th, 2010 What a beautiful day in the Carpathian mountains! As if the sunny skies, verdant vistas, and homey horse-drawn carts galloping alongside us weren't enough, our route was almost entirely downhill. T... Working in Buşteni G Monday, May 10th, 2010 The plan for today was to take a cable car from Buşteni up to a series of mountain-top rock sculptures "Sfinxul and Babele", formed slowly over years and years of heavy blowing winds. Upon learning... Pedaling Upstream G Sunday, May 9th, 2010 With everything we needed to thrive at our hard-to-reach Romanian forest free-camp, we almost decided to stay another day. Instead, we packed up, said hello to some horses grazing in a nearby pastur... Draculas & Gypsies G Saturday, May 8th, 2010 We awaken to the sound of horse's hooves clip-clopping outside our tent. Smashed together in a furrow of a field, our sleeping mats in a comical V shape, we're genuinely surprised by the restful nig... Ridges & Troughs G Friday, May 7th, 2010 As he has every morning during our stay in Bucharest, Rob made us a delicious breakfast and gently rebuffed all offers of help. He even made us two extra breakfast sandwiches and packed them careful... Read Our Journal in 50+ Languages! G Thursday, May 6th, 2010 This feature is currently missing on our new design, but will return eventually! Spurred by several conversations we've had over the last year with non-english speakers who have expressed a desire... Russian Logistics G Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 A few months ago, Tara's brother Lian jokingly mentioned we should drive across Russia. His idea was in response to a logistical problem we've known about for some time: we don't have the six months... Instant Gratification G Tuesday, May 4th, 2010 Day two of Rob's guided tour Bucharest didn't go exactly as planned. We didn't go to the museum or the park we had intended to visit, but we did do something else: we got exactly what we wanted. ... Exploring Bucharest G Monday, May 3rd, 2010 After sleeping in, and enjoying the morning with music playing the background (something of a revelation to us after so long on the road), Robert cooked us breakfast. He refused any help and told us... Bucharest Bound G Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 Like yesterday, today was restfully easy: a flat, uneventful ride towards Bucharest. The highlight of our morning was finally using one of the many wells we've seen dotting the roadsides over the la... Lazy Saturday G Saturday, May 1st, 2010 Let's just face facts. We never get on the road before 10:00 AM. Okay, not never, but rarely. Even in the sweltering hot summertime, when it is prudent to get moving early to save ourselves from t... Navigation: Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx G Friday, April 30th, 2010 The Garmin 60 series has been on the market since 2004. My very first GPS was the now discontinued 60CS model. I used it with great success for many years on road trips in the USA, both in a car an... Extra! Extra! Read All About It! G Thursday, April 29th, 2010 Last Sunday, Tyler and I were featured in my hometown newspaper, Champaign/Urbana's News Gazette. A big thank you to Meg Thilmony for interviewing us about our first year of living on the road! Us ... Precious Cargo G Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 For the really important decisions in life I've found that no list of "pros and cons" will help. Logic doesn't really apply, nor does rationality. There's simply a knowing, a gut feeling that what ... A Chance Encounter G Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 This morning, while I was securing our camera to the back of my bike, Tara announced, "here comes a flock of sheep!" A shepherd and his menagerie were approaching, complete with several barking dogs... A Life Less Ordinary G Monday, April 26th, 2010 The first day back on the road after a brief interlude of buffet breakfasts and silky sheets can be a little difficult, especially when it looks like rain. As we wheeled out of the Hotel Anna parkin... A Walk in Târgu Jiu G Sunday, April 25th, 2010 Considering that I have a degree in Sculpture, I should probably have heard of "the father of modern sculpture," Constantin Brancusi, but I had not. It took a trip around the world and a stop in Tâ... Hotel Anna G Saturday, April 24th, 2010 The first hotel we tried when we arrived in Târgu Jiu was pretty blah: on the outside it looked tacky, on the inside it was overly fancy, and the prices were exorbitant. The reception area was also... Tismana Monastery G Friday, April 23rd, 2010 Before leaving our riverside free-camp, we breakfasted on Valentina-Carmen's bread and very salty homemade cheese. While we dusted off our mud-splattered clothing, she was probably attending to the ... The Universe Provides G Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 There are times on this trip when I question my abilities. Am I really capable of doing this? What are we even doing here? Why am I doing this? What is the value of this? These thoughts generall... Cave Hunting G Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 A few weeks ago, we received a contact through our website from a Romanian who lives in Tara's hometown. He was excited to tell us all about the country he grew up in, and the things we shouldn't mi... Ivana the Terrible G Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 For the most part, the steely glares we've been warned to expect here in Romania have proven to be nonexistent. In fact, everywhere we've been, people have almost universally been friendly and welco... Site Updates G Monday, April 19th, 2010 We've received several reports over the last few months that the search feature on our journal was pretty awful. In response, I've just implemented a new google-based search. The results aren't pr... Typical G Sunday, April 18th, 2010 Today was a typical day. We woke up, and hoped that when we unzipped our tent, it would reveal a nice day. Morning View It did, though by the time we were done with breakfast, dark clouds had rol... To the Danube G Saturday, April 17th, 2010 As I unzip the vestibule of our tent this morning, I let out a small gasp of delight and rouse Tyler to take a peek with me. Our free-camp is enveloped in a thick, billowing white mist! A nearby ch... Into Romania G Friday, April 16th, 2010 With a good attitude, relatively clean bikes, and the excitement that comes from approaching a new country, we breakfasted on our new staple of bread, butter, and honey, and set off towards a better ... Mud G Thursday, April 15th, 2010 I spent the bulk of the morning giving our bikes a rare and thorough cleaning. The muddy excuse for a bicycle path we'd pushed and ridden along yesterday had left them several pounds heavier, compre... Rainy Riverside Ride G Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 Getting out of large cities can sometimes be a pain. Thankfully, that was not the case today. After a quick, easy exit from Belgrade, we were back on the road once more. It felt so good to leave, ... Sleeping Mat Success G Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 We picked up our replacement Therm-a-Rest ToughSkin sleeping mat today. As per usual, no shipments actually get delivered here in Europe. We had to fax a written letter (in Serbian), copies of our ... The Finisher Finishes G Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 While we've been waiting in Belgrade for our replacement sleeping mat, I've been working on a baby hoodie for our new little nephew, Elijah. Tyler, as usual, has been programming for his clients. W... The Food Game: Serbia Edition G Monday, April 12th, 2010 Unfortunately, the really good stuff we've had here, we have no photos of. There was Pljeskavica (grilled meat sandwich with many salads, slaws, and toppings), Ćevapčići (ground meat sticks, gril... Therm-a-Rest ToughSkin Failure G Sunday, April 11th, 2010 About a week ago, one of our Therm-a-Rest Toughskin sleeping mats started failing. The outer fabric began to delaminate, pulling away from the foam inside creating a bulbous air pocket. When you la... Nikola Tesla Museum G Saturday, April 10th, 2010 I've long been a fan of Nikola Tesla. When we were planning our route and I realized that it passed through his home country of Serbia, I was excited to learn there was a museum dedicated to his wor... Bad Day to Belgrade G Friday, April 9th, 2010 While Tyler was completely zonkered out this morning, I cooked breakfast. It was a last-resort sort of meal, using the remains of an age-old bag of rice. While I cooked the white grains, he slept p... Strawberries G Thursday, April 8th, 2010 Today was one of those days that went on a little too long. Though we enjoyed our flat ride, we were ready to be done after 60 kilometers (we are slow). Unfortunately, no good free-camps were pre... Homesick G Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 It being a sleepy, rainy morning, we almost succumbed to the desire to stay put for one more day. Thinking better of it, we slowly pushed ourselves to motion, dutifully packing our things in a half-... Welcome to the World! G Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 Our thoughts are with Amanda and Paul (Tyler's older sister and her husband) today as we celebrate the birth of Elijah Paul Noskowiak. We wish we could be there with you! Elijah Paul Noskowiak Al... Sticky and Rainy G Monday, April 5th, 2010 Rain this morning. We muttered something along the lines of "pshhh… forget this", rolled over, and slept through it. Around 11:30 the downpour let up and we roused ourselves from sleep feeli... Serbian Hospitality G Saturday, April 3rd, 2010 Before we left, we received numerous warnings that Eastern Europe would be a dangerous, depressing, soul-suck full of steely thousand yard glares and ferocious dogs. So far, these stereotypes couldn... One G Friday, April 2nd, 2010 Wow. I cannot believe we have been gone a year! This time last year we were just arriving in Scotland, and I remember thinking to myself as we put our bicycles together in the airport, "what the he... Hello Serbia G Thursday, April 1st, 2010 Three hundred and sixty five days of travel. Nine countries and fifteen thousand kilometers covered by bicycle, foot, ferry, train, mobylette and camel. More than four hundred journal entries. Fas... 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... 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 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 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... Arriving in Athens G Sunday, February 28th, 2010 We arrived bright and early in Piraeus, exited the ship with ease and head out for a morning ride to Athens. Thankfully it was Sunday, and early enough so that traffic hadn't picked up. Piraeus Por... Hania Waterfront G Saturday, February 27th, 2010 Note: Hania can also be spelled "Chania," (like Hanukkah and Chanukah) because we don't have adequate letters in our Roman alphabet to accurately evoke some Greek sounds. Many towns are spelled nume... Short Ride to Chania G Friday, February 26th, 2010 It was another bright, clear day on Crete. We awoke sore and tired from yesterday's climbing, glad we had a short day ahead of us. After a grocery/pastry run in a sleepy nearby village, we hit the ... Climbing in Crete G Thursday, February 25th, 2010 I drift in and out of sleep, in a very cozy morning haze. I think I hear a truck crunching over gravel… probably Pietro off to milk his sheep. Before I drift back into unconsciousness, the t... Pushing Through Paradise G Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 We were thankful for the shelter of our tiki hut this morning when we discovered it had rained in the night. We really and truly no longer take having a roof over our heads for granted! Since the a... Donkey Day G Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 Leaving cities is always hard. There is inevitably some navigation difficulty, as well as a handful of surprises like one-way streets, delivery trucks taking entire lanes, people double-parked hapha... Cretan Lyra Love G Monday, February 22nd, 2010 Here on Crete, lyra music is everywhere and I love it! I haven't been this enamored with a type of music since I was a in middle school and discovered the sounds of Ireland. We danced to Cretan mus... 25 Years on Earth G Sunday, February 21st, 2010 As of this morning, I am 26 years old. I am now officially exiting my 20s. Wow. How did that happen? We spent a relaxing afternoon at the hostel working, reading, talking to family and cooking. ... Family Remedy G Saturday, February 20th, 2010 Last night I went to bed with a hurty, swollen feeling on the left side of my neck, but I didn't think much of it. When I awoke this morning, I felt wretched. When I tried to talk, it sounded as if... Settled in Rethymnon G Friday, February 19th, 2010 Our ride yesterday was a quick 20km jaunt into a ferocious headwind. Knowing we only had a short way to go made the wall we were riding into mostly a non-issue. The brief struggle ended, quite plea... Meta Morning G Thursday, February 18th, 2010 It was very windy as we broke camp this morning in preparation to head to the nearby city of Rethymnon for a few days of rest. While stuffing our tent into its drybag, I spied a ladybug scurrying ac... Coasting in Crete G Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 We found a thin layer of ice crystals covering everything outside this morning. Thankfully the sun soon melted away the frost, showering the Lasithi Plateau with glorious, warm light. As we packed,... Lasithi Plateau and Dikteon Andron Cave G Monday, February 15th, 2010 Last night when I downloaded our GPS tracks I was surprised to find that yesterday was our third biggest climbing day of the trip! The only two rides that topped it were Julierpass in Switzerland an... Celebrating Sunday G Sunday, February 14th, 2010 I would never have imagined this to be true, but many of our favorite days involve slowly climbing mountains. As long as we bring copious amounts of food, start the day with a positive attitude, and... Knossos and the Coast G Saturday, February 13th, 2010 Our first stop of the day was the ancient Minoan palace of Knossos, located about 7 kilometers from Iraklion. We got a late start, arriving around 10AM, just in time to meet a group of cycle tourist... Heraklion Archeological Museum G Friday, February 12th, 2010 Tthough most of the day was spent working on our respective projects, Tyler and I did take a break to visit the Heraklion Archeological Museum. While I was in college I took a class called "Greek My... Working in Iraklion G Thursday, February 11th, 2010 We spent more or less the entire day behind our computer screens. Though I managed to get quite a bit of work done, even more flooded my inbox during the course of the evening (read: business hours ... Clean and Dry G Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 We disembarked groggily from our early ferry arrival in Heraklion around 6AM this morning. Thankfully there were no intensive searches as we left—we just wheeled away into town. It was very r... What Traffic? G Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 After one last dirty parade through the lobby of our Corinth hotel, we rode off under grey but mercifully dry skies heading east along the coast. Our destination for the day was Piraeus, the port to... Exploring Acrocorinth G Monday, February 8th, 2010 Unlike yesterday, when grey clouds and drizzle made us focus solely on giant potholes in the road and the muddy water that filled them, today the sun shone brightly and we were able to appreciate the... Wet and Dirty G Sunday, February 7th, 2010 Wet and dirty is my favorite thing, my favorite thing, my favorite thing! Oooooh wet and dirty is my favorite thiiinng… at least I am not cold! sung jovially by Tara as we packed up camp th... What Matters G Saturday, February 6th, 2010 We awoke excited about our plans for the day. Last night I'd discovered that just ten kilometers away was a town with a rack and pinion railway leading into the mountains. Our guidebook said it was... Exploring Again G Friday, February 5th, 2010 Panniers full of food from a shopping spree yesterday, we cycled away from Patras under bright blue skies, lazily spinning our legs as we watched the coming and goings of everyday life in Greece. Ab... It's All Greek to Me G Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 Tara is unofficially our designated communicator when it comes to foreign languages. That isn't to say that I don't speak; in fact, I try really hard! I'm not shy about using the phrases I know, bu... Καλημέρα! G Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 After a relatively decent sleep on the thinly carpeted floor of our ferry's reception lounge, I woke up in the early morning hours to the blaring of Greek TV. I needed to stretch my legs so I took a... 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... Journal Interface Update G Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 We've received several emails from people saying that they often accidentally click on images and feel it is confusing when they are directed to a Flickr photo page. I've updated our site so that wh... 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... Armed and Dangerous G Saturday, January 16th, 2010 It was a drizzly, dreary day in the port suburb of La Goulette, and we were glad we weren't trying to finish a marathon to Tunis this morning. Instead, we were ready for our evening ferry and our ki... Hitching a Ride G Friday, January 15th, 2010 This morning was day two of our mad dash for Tunis. We were in good spirits, but our muscles were sore as we groggily shuffled down the stairs of our hotel for breakfast. With each step it was beco... Olive Grove Angels G Thursday, January 14th, 2010 Somehow, after nine and a half months on the road, we still wake up excited about a new day of adventuring—even when just the night before, we cursed the skies and wondered why the hell we were... Sandstorm G Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 In central Tunisia this morning, it felt like spring was in the air. Tara was excited, snapping photos of the delicate little buds in celebration of the coming season. Here is her first "flower hou... Back to Work G Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 Very excited about our first day cycling in almost a month, we were packed and ready to go in record time this morning. Before we left, Tyler ran over to Cafe la Corniche to say goodbye to Yousri wh... Velocity Rims: Part 3 G Monday, January 11th, 2010 Our rims are finally here! Tara and I tore into the boxes at the post office this morning as soon as they opened at 8:30 AM. We could hardly believe what we saw when we removed the cardboard packag... In Summary G Sunday, January 10th, 2010 One month after Velocity sent our replacement rims, their convoluted journey has ended here on our desert island of Kerkennah. The first two weeks featured an information blackout during which they ... Too Windy G Saturday, January 9th, 2010 We left our hotel bright and early hoping to pick up our wheels from the nearby post office during their brief Saturday morning opening. When we arrived they informed us that our wheels had been sen... Youth Hostiles: Part 2 G Friday, January 8th, 2010 …I didn't want to sully our last post about Habib with the following frustrating incident. And so, in its own post, is the conclusion of our day: We arrived at the hostile in Sfax around 6... Fare Thee Well, Habib G Friday, January 8th, 2010 After much discussion, we've decided to part ways with our Motobecane Mobylette 88, Habib. The appearance of our long awaited bicycle wheels in Sfax played a big role in this decision. Sadly, our s... Motorized: Part 3 G Thursday, January 7th, 2010 Purchasing a scooter in Tunisia is easily the best decision we've made here. Having a rusting, rattling Mobylette of our own has created a genuine trust not normally found between tourists and local... Hammama Mia! G Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 We took the opportunity to treat ourselves to a hammam (Turkish bath, widely used in Tunisia) today thanks to a generous donation by regular reader, Jeanne Juneau. Thank you so much Jeanne! For our... Hotel Pansea in Ksar Ghilane G Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 First, the thank yous. Our luxury tent, complete with bathroom, table and chairs, shelves, blankets, and of course, beds, is a lot nicer than we are used to. From the bottom of our hearts, thank yo... Into the Desert G Monday, January 4th, 2010 Yesterday's triumphant team repair and our 70 kilometer ride without a flat finally gave us the confidence we needed to take the plunge. Today, we would ride our 25+ year old Motobecane Mobylette in... Do It Yourself G Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 For the last two days we've been unable to travel more than 40km at a stretch on our Mobylette without the rear tire going flat. In every instance there has been a repair shop within walking distanc... Getting Nowhere G Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 We stayed at our hotel until nearly 2PM trying to resolve the concerns Tyler raised in his last journal entry. Hotel Pansea in Ksar Ghilane still could not be reached. In an effort to feel like we'... Star Wars @ Ong Ejamel (Mos Espa Set) G Thursday, December 31st, 2009 Today we set out with our Motobecane Mobylette 88, Habib, back to Nefta after my mom discovered Ross Pringle's account about a major Star Wars set just hanging out in the desert only a few kilometers... The Road to Tozeur G Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 Backpacks, food, water, camera, and an extra liter and a half of fuel strapped to the newest member of our team, a Motobecane Mobylette, model AV88, we wave farewell to Giovanni and Lorenzo and "spee... Motorized: Part 2 G Monday, December 28th, 2009 When I casually suggested we buy one of Tunisia's ubiquitous scooters, Tara couldn't stop laughing. The thought of us zipping down the road in the middle of the desert on a crappy little moped was, ... Motorized: Part 1 G Sunday, December 27th, 2009 Yesterday, as we boarded our louage to Douz, it occurred to me that the used, run-down scooters we've seen everywhere in Tunisia couldn't be very expensive. As we sat down for the two hour journey, ... Festival of the Sahara G Sunday, December 27th, 2009 Arriving in Douz under the blistering sun, we leave the louage station and join a whirlwind of activity. As we walk through town it is easy to imagine how colorful and lively this place must have on... Star Wars @ Sidi Driss Hotel G Saturday, December 26th, 2009 My younger brother Gabe is obsessed with Star Wars. George Lucas visited Tunisia before filming the original series and much of the culture and architecture found in the movies was inspired by what ... Christmas in the Desert G Friday, December 25th, 2009 This morning as Christmas snowstorms gathered their strength back home in the Midwest, Tara and I were venturing further into the deserts of Tunisia. While our families slept, we made our way to Che... To Tataouine G Thursday, December 24th, 2009 Louage- nf. def: A Tunisian shared taxi van that drives REALLY fast. It is white with a colored stripe indicating where/how far it goes (yellow=local, blue=county, red=intercity). There is no set ... On Home G Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 …while going to sleep in our haunted hotel room: Me "Do you miss Kerkennah a little?" Tara "Yeah." Me "Me too." Despite a rough week of feeling cooped up and generally stuck in "waiting mo... Kerkennah to Gabes G Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 This morning a rickety bus carted us the short distance from Remla to the southern tip of the islands, somehow costing more than the hour-long ferry ride it was delivering us to. After boarding the ... Door Number Three G Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 After much deliberation we've chosen option number three. Though we'd like to ride our bicycles, our original route to the western town of Tozeur could easily turn into a month long affair if it inv... Stranded on a Desert Island G Monday, December 21st, 2009 We just found out our wheels have been sitting in New Jersey for the last twelve days. Nice work US Postal Service. We've now been on Kerkannah for more than two weeks. The first week was very enj... Patience & Aioli G Sunday, December 20th, 2009 I decided the other day that I would whip up a batch of homemade aioli (garlic mayonnaise) so we could garlic-ify a roasted chicken. This sauce, southern French in origin, is traditionally made in a... The Gatekeeper G Saturday, December 19th, 2009 When we arrived at the hostel in Remla, we were amazed by and appreciative of everyone's kindness. It was such a relief compared to the other hostels we'd been to! We were given a key to our room,... Lablabi G Friday, December 18th, 2009 After posting our journal entry about Tunisian food, we've been going out of our way to try new things in the hopes of varying our cuisine. In the process, we've discovered lablabi, which turned out... Why We Are Here G Thursday, December 17th, 2009 Tara and I recently re-watched Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boormans', Long Way Down. It was both exciting and rewarding to see again. Having now traveled through many of the places they did, we were ... Scooters of Kerkennah G Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 The preferred mode of transportation on Kerkennah appears to be a rusty scooter. They are parked in disorganized clusters at every home and place of business on the island, most especially the many ... Latkes on the Road G Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 I was not inspired to do anything today. This morning all I wanted was to be on the move, adventuring on our bicycles, or be at home. Our waiting-for-gear limbo was driving me crazy. All I could t... Notes from the Cafe G Monday, December 14th, 2009 During our stay here on Kerkannah, we've spent the majority of our time working at the Salon de Thé (tearoom) called "la Corniche". They have free wi-fi (thankfully or we'd have to return to Sfax t... DSLR Camera Case: ThinkTank Digital Holster 10 G Sunday, December 13th, 2009 Bringing a digital SLR on our world tour was a last-minute decision. About a month before we left, my friend Ian Meyer convinced me that we'd be fools to leave without one. At the time, my main con... Waiting for Wheels G Saturday, December 12th, 2009 While we wait for our new rear wheels to arrive, we've spent a little more time exploring the Kerkennah Islands. They aren't big. To provide some variety from working every day at the local cafe, w... Going Slowly Photo Calendars! G Friday, December 11th, 2009 We know it's getting down to the wire for Christmas shopping and Hanukkah has already begun, but we've still got a few days left 'till New Years. We're currently stranded on the Kerkennah Islands wa... Velocity Rims: Part 2 G Thursday, December 10th, 2009 UPDATE: It turns out our problems had nothing to do with the braking surface at all. The rim was splitting in two right down the middle. I didn't see this until I removed the rim tape. Click here ... On the Sea with Abdallah G Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 The day dawned clear and beautiful as usual, and we called Abdallah as promised to make sure we were still on for the day. The islands can get notoriously windy, making excursions out to sea very un... Borj el-Hissar G Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 Since Tyler has been busy working for basically every free moment of every day while we wait for my replacement wheel (more on that soon), I've decided to plan little excursions for us so we don't ti... Tunisian Food G Monday, December 7th, 2009 Eating well in Tunisia is proving to be a bit of a challenge. Our normal process of buying groceries and cooking our own meals just doesn't seem to be applicable here. Also, the sun starts setting ... Soccer & Seafood G Sunday, December 6th, 2009 After spending the entire day working at our favorite coffee-shop (Salon de Thé la Corniche), we were surprised when suddenly the place cleared out and we were the only people left. Normally the pa... Remla Hostel G Saturday, December 5th, 2009 After a couple days of desert free-camping, we both feel the need for a shower so we're packing up and heading to Remla to check into the youth hostel. Wind-Blown Building & Piles of Salt The shor... Sta Ali G Friday, December 4th, 2009 Yesterday at the Abassiya museum we asked Madame Fehri if she knew of any fishermen who would be willing to take us out on their boat. Our guide book said this was a common practice, and we were eag... Exploring Kerkennah Island G Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 I'm cozied up in our sleeping bag; Tara has run off to take pictures of the coming sunrise on our little desert island. Before yesterday, my only experience with the desert was sweltering on the sea... Under the Spell G Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 We're not sure what to expect as we purchase tickets for the ferry to the Kerkennah Islands off the coast of Sfax. It doesn't really matter what it's like, though, the total cost is 1 dinar 800! We... Sfax Medina & Dar Jellouli Museum G Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 We had a lovely day today wandering around the Sfax medina. It was refreshingly utilitarian—not a tourist shop in sight. Craftspeople calmly turned wood or etched metal while people bustled b... Open School English Language Class G Monday, November 30th, 2009 After an uneventful day of working (Tyler) and grocery shopping, knitting, and reading (me) we decided to walk to Cafe Jazz for dinner. I had a cheeseburger and Tyler had a chicken pizza. We had fi... Youth Hostiles G Sunday, November 29th, 2009 Since our disturbing encounter with Mohammed, we've been slow to re-enter the free-camping world. Instead, we've been exploring other lodging options. Namely, the Youth Hostel. Neither of us has b... Mixed Feelings G Saturday, November 28th, 2009 I've been thinking a lot lately about accepting the culture of the areas we travel through, both to better understand them, and at times, simply to stay sane. I was in high spirits as we rode this m... Mahdia G Thursday, November 26th, 2009 We left our empty hostel around 10AM for a day of walking around Mahdia, hopeful that we'd witness some of the festivities of Eid al-Adh firsthand. Tyler Leaving Hostel Neptune Restaurant It was... Happy Thanksgiving G Thursday, November 26th, 2009 Tara Sometimes it seems odd that we should be out in the world going ever onwards, when my instincts tell me it is time to hole up for the season and hibernate. The coming winter and approaching hol... Sousse G Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 Last night we checked into a hostel, a first in many years for both of us. The simple room was relatively cheap and we both wanted some time to relax so we decided to spend another night. With a cy... Kairouan G Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 We left our hotel this morning after a very long, deep sleep, with a fresh positive attitude about being in Tunisia. Excited to see Kairouan, we spent this morning wandering around the medina. The ... Out of the Orange Grove G Monday, November 23rd, 2009 I lay awake on "high alert" for most of the night, listening to the surprisingly busy traffic, and keeping my ears perked for any sounds of the gate creaking open. When the alarm went off at 5:00 AM... Back in the Saddle G Saturday, November 21st, 2009 The man at the reception desk of our hotel wrote a note for us this morning before we ventured off for one last futile attempt at acquiring Libyan visas. The swirly, scribbly Arabic writing said (we... Touched G Saturday, November 21st, 2009 Most days the first thing Tyler does is check our email. This normally mundane task of ensuring that nothing has blown up at work has now become the highlight of our morning! As kind words pour in ... Libyan Visa for Americans G Friday, November 20th, 2009 The Libyan Embassy has been stringing us along for two weeks. Each time we visit, they tell us to return in increasingly shorter time frames, saying everything is fine and that our visas will be rea... Computer Geeks G Thursday, November 19th, 2009 Last night I got to spend some time with Carla's 15 year old son Youssef working on the family computers. One of them no longer boots and they had several documents they needed to recover from it. ... Reaching Out G Thursday, November 19th, 2009 We had a look at our website traffic yesterday and were completely blown away by what we saw. In the last 30 days we've had over 15,000 hits from more than 50 countries, all coming to a website writ... Laundry on the Road G Thursday, November 19th, 2009 At first it was pretty easy. In England and France we'd just use the washers and dryers present at most campsites. After a while though, especially upon entering Switzerland, we weren't willing to ... Libya Update G Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 Thankfully, Tyler felt better this morning, and we headed off to the Libyan Embassy in Tunis for another round of trying to get our visas. The first time we visited, they said to come back in 1, 2, ... Sick in Tunisia G Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 Two nights ago, Tyler came down with the flu (swine maybe, who knows). After one of at least twenty trips to the bathroom he weakly told me he felt like he'd been hit by a truck. Poor guy! We thou... Cookware: GSI Outdoors Pinnacle vs Glacier G Monday, November 16th, 2009 There are a lot of options to choose from when considering what cook-set to bring on a world tour. Stainless steel for "expeditions", aluminum for pretty much everything, titanium for the weight wee... Sidi Bou Said G Sunday, November 15th, 2009 We walked to nearby Sidi Bou Said today and were surprised by how touristy it is compared with the shady little residential neighborhood where we are staying in La Marsa. Here are some photos from o... Website Additions G Saturday, November 14th, 2009 I finally spent some time this weekend working on integrating our Bicycle Touring Database with our website. Most of the changes were to the google map on our home page. Each marker now shows photo... Tunis Medina G Friday, November 13th, 2009 Shortly after exiting the TGM station called "Tunis Marine", we walk by these flower markets on our way to the center of town. Tunis Flower Market Our first major landmark is the Place du 7 Novembr... Shipments Received G Thursday, November 12th, 2009 We've developed a pretty good system for getting things we need while on the road. First, we place orders online and have the items shipped to my parents house. Then, when we are planning to stay s... Easy Translation G Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 Last year for our anniversary we spent the day getting vaccinated for our trip. This year we spent it in Tunis! Rather than getting jabbed by needles, we used our time preparing as best as we could... Researching G Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 We spent the entire day researching route options for leaving Tunisia. Here are a few more photos of Tunis from yesterday: Sparks We Are Crazy Becool Tunis Street Kebab ... Dear Libya G Monday, November 9th, 2009 When I was a kid, I loved adventure games. Growing up, I spent untold hours in front of my Dad's computer playing (and replaying and replaying again) LucasArts classics like Indiana Jones and the La... Getting Acclimated G Sunday, November 8th, 2009 We spent most of the today researching visas, looking up embassies, and getting to know our hosts. They are fairly private people so we won't post much about them, but here are some photos we took t... Welcome to Africa G Saturday, November 7th, 2009 We walk around Palermo this morning, absorbing our last bit of Italian culture before we leave. Our final stop is a pastry shop where we buy four cannoli for our future Tunisian hosts. The man behi... 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... Merino Wool G Thursday, October 29th, 2009 It keeps you warm when it is cold. It keeps you cool when it is hot. It dries almost instantly. You can sweat in it all day for weeks at a time without washing and still it won't smell. I remembe... 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... Database Live G Saturday, October 24th, 2009 We started this trip by simply recording our GPS coordinates every night and maintaining a budget in excel. Over the last six months we've added all sorts of features to our website that we didn't o... 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... Changes G Sunday, October 11th, 2009 Since our last really crappy cycling day (on Elba), we have thought and talked a LOT about what we need to ensure our trip stays enjoyable rather than devolving into ceaseless hard work. What it rea... 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... Journal Update G Thursday, October 8th, 2009 We've received several emails over the past few months with people requesting an easy way to read our journal from start to finish rather than hunting through dates on the navigation pane. I've put ... 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... Camp Chair: Walkstool Comfort G Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 My dad took our family camping every summer when I was growing up. While researching what gear to bring on our trip I thought about those outings a lot. Planning a nomadic life turned out to be a s... 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... Exped DownMat vs Therm-a-Rest ToughSkin G Friday, October 2nd, 2009 UPDATE: One of our ToughSkin sleeping mats de-laminated. Click here for more information. It was clear when we started preparing to cycle around the world that doing so would require giving up c... 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 ... 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... Velocity Chukkers Arrive G Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 We spent most of the morning tearing camp apart and re-assembling it into 'travel' mode. I was expecting our wheels to arrive the following day and I wanted to be packed and ready to go when they di... The Wait Continues G Monday, August 31st, 2009 The wait continues. We did the usual again today, reading, working and writing. We're both eager to go but we're falling into a nice, relaxing routine here. Moonrise... Snowpeak Titanium Single Cup I G Sunday, August 30th, 2009 The Titanium Single Cup I is just that—a cup and most certainly not a mug. For some reason this very important detail escaped us as we were doing research, and we decided to purchase two of th... Power Grips G Saturday, August 29th, 2009 Power Grips are a very simple foot retention system originally designed for mountain biking in the 80s. They are nothing more than a pair of one inch wide straps that mount diagonally across your pe... Going Slowly Features G Friday, August 28th, 2009 I spent some time programming a few new features for our website today: You can view our photos (updated in realtime) from our website! You can now view our GPS tracks by country in addition to... Camp Cookies G Friday, August 28th, 2009 Looking for something to do while we wait for our rims, I decided to do some baking today. I thought traditional Jewish jam-filled hamentaschen would be a good idea since we had all the ingredients o... Howard G Thursday, August 27th, 2009 I was on the phone with my parents when I heard a faint little squeaking noise and thought I saw the shadow of some small animal burrowing under the corner of our tent. Then I spotted the culprit&md... Holding Pattern G Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 We're still in Silvaplana waiting for our new rims to arrive. It has only been three days and we're already getting a case of cabin fever! Hopefully we'll settle back into staying put, as it looks ... Terry Liberator X Gel vs. Brooks Champion Flyer S G Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 Before riding a touring bicycle, the longest I'd ever spent in the saddle was riding back and forth to work on my beach cruiser. I didn't know what a saddle should feel like. I chose the Terry Libe... Velocity Rims G Monday, August 24th, 2009 UPDATE: One of our replacement rims failed too. Click here for a continuation of the story. I will be updating this post over the next few days as we sort out our wheel dilemma. My rear rim has ... Conquering Julierpass G Sunday, August 23rd, 2009 Today is the big day; our highest mountain climb ever will take us over Julierpass! For breakfast, I make us a large pot of muesli with cooked apples to keep us well fueled. Feeling full, we hit th... Ascending & Descending G Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 We said farewell to Chur under overcast skies, thankful for the gray cloud cover that would hopefully stick around and protect us from the sun. A long sweaty day of climbing is a lot more enjoyable ... To Chur G Friday, August 21st, 2009 We started the day bright and early at 6:30AM so we could dash away safely from our relatively unhidden wild-camp last night. Breaking down was a quick affair, as we'd been careful to unpack as litt... Railway Wild Camp G Thursday, August 20th, 2009 We left Luzern today to begin our final leg in Switzerland. As we rolled out of camp it was already very hot; 30 kilometers into our ride we were feeling (and smelling) pretty sour. Dripping with s... Luzern Transit Museum G Wednesday, August 19th, 2009 I spent at least six hours at the Transit Museum in Luzern today. The sheer amount of stuff they have on display is incredible, here are some photos from a few of the exhibits: Close up of a percu... Working in Luzern G Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 Tyler programmed all day while I did our "household" (tent-hold?) chores, like handwashing all of our clothes and assessing our food situation. Here are a some little dudes who came to visit Tyler ... The Higher Road G Monday, August 17th, 2009 This morning we had a satisfying breakfast (the first one, it seems, in days) of cooked muesli, jazzed up with cinnamon and sugar. Afterwards, as we were packing we got to talking with our campsite ... Hungry G Sunday, August 16th, 2009 We started our day with a sad little breakfast of dry muesli. We had no yogurt, milk, jam, juice, or anything to spice it up. Our food supply lately has been very feast or famine. On the docket fo... Swiss Tour Guides G Saturday, August 15th, 2009 We had a short ride ahead of us today, only 25 kilometers to the town of Burgdorf where we would meet up with our friends, Ingrid and Yves! When we arrived we were greeted with warm hugs all around ... Fun in Bern G Friday, August 14th, 2009 We weren't sure what to expect from Tara's dad's longtime friend, Bettina, but we were pleasantly surprised with the friendly, spunky, and incredibly generous woman who came to meet us at Bern's rive... Souped Up G Thursday, August 13th, 2009 I am now the proud owner of a brand new Brooks Champion Flyer S saddle! It's a leather seat specifically designed for women, complete with sturdy springs that provide extra cushion on bumpy roads. ... 12 Hour Work Day G Wednesday, August 12th, 2009 The never ending stream of work continues to pour in. Thanks to a finely honed ability to compartmentalize the stress of each task before me it isn't too overwhelming. In any case, I am very thankf... Too Expensive G Tuesday, August 11th, 2009 This morning we were relieved to find that the rain had stopped, held at bay by the rising sun cutting through the clouds. We took advantage of the sunshine, setting out our rain-fly and ground shee... Unexpected Climb G Monday, August 10th, 2009 We left the campsite today cheerfully, feeling as though we'd done Zermatt justice. In just a few days we'd managed to do quite a bit: taking in a festival, riding cable cars, hiking in the mountain... Being Tourists G Sunday, August 9th, 2009 Despite the forecast for snow today, the morning dawned brilliant and sunny. Thankful for the good weather, we decided to take advantage our last day in Zermatt rather than hiding out in the tent. ... Hiking in the Swiss Alps G Saturday, August 8th, 2009 We'd planned on going for a proper hike through the mountains today but when we awoke to the sound of rain on our tent, we had second thoughts. For most of the morning we hemmed and hawed through th... Resting in Zermatt G Friday, August 7th, 2009 This super friendly French-Canadian couple, Lise and Clarence, took up tandem cycle touring after they retired two years ago. We had lots of fun exchanging stories about our travels! Clarence was e... Climbing to Zermatt G Thursday, August 6th, 2009 After a long crepe-making/eating session this morning (in preparation for our mountain climb), we hit the road and headed into the town of Visp. As we left our campground the bicycle lane we enjoyed... Cycling Family G Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 Last night while we were settled in at camp, a big group of cycle tourists rolled in. A whole family of them! The father pulling a giant trailer behind him, the mother fully loaded with an adorable... Bad Mood G Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 When we first left on our bicycle trip I remember feeling like I had to be a single-minded, fearless adventurer who never showed any lack of resolve. It used to be a rare occurrence that I would adm... Feasting with Natalie G Monday, August 3rd, 2009 Last night when we returned from our trip to Geneva I checked my email and was excited to see that I had a message from my brother. He'd sent us a note to say that his friend from high school, Natali... Geneva G Sunday, August 2nd, 2009 We decided early in the afternoon that we would go to Geneva, thinking it would be nice to do something productive during our rest day. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I suggested this; we def... Suddenly Switzerland G Saturday, August 1st, 2009 We awoke in a field of dew, the sun hurling down heat much sooner than usual as it rose on the east side of the mountains. Our free-camp field was plagued by flies; more than we'd ever seen in our l... Wild Boar G Friday, July 31st, 2009 "Tyler… TYLER!" Tara hissed at me. "Do you hear that!!?" It was still very dark outside our tent, and some large animal was making really loud noises not too far from away from us. In an ef... Slowly, Slowly G Friday, July 31st, 2009 We stopped at a huge bicycle shop, "Mondovelo" on our way out of town today, continuing our hunt for replacement skewers. No luck. I did find the cone wrenches I need to rebuild our hubs when the t... On The Road Again G Thursday, July 30th, 2009 We enjoyed our time with the l'Hostis' immensely but we were both eager to start our final leg through France this morning. The amount of time we can stay in one place without feeling restless seems... French Lessons G Wednesday, July 29th, 2009 As we make our final preparations to leave for Switzerland I wanted to recount some of the things I've learned during my time in France. I've learned… …lots of french, the vast maj... Resting in Fontaines G Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 We spent most of today writing journals (tara), programming (tyler), and lounging around at our incredibly generous friends, the l'Hostis's, house. Here are some photos: l'Hostis' Back Yard Pool V... Chalon dans la Rue G Sunday, July 26th, 2009 Every year, Chalon sur Saone becomes a mecca for artists, hippies, and actors during their five-day festival called Chalon dans la Rue (Chalon in the Street). I have somehow missed the biggest event... Breakfast in Bed G Saturday, July 25th, 2009 Waking up in a huge comfortable bed was a wonderful change of pace. We started the day in true French fashion, very slowly. We took our time enjoying the light streaming through the window, the she... Well Received G Friday, July 24th, 2009 We arrived at the l'Hostis's house in Fontaines early this afternoon, fully ready to spend a few days doing nothing, or at the very least, nothing cycle related. We get to spend our first night and ... Almost There G Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 Some days I feel like we're "sloppy" touring cyclists. An hour after we arrive at camp we've unloaded half of our panniers, making ourselves at home in what must look like disarray but is actually a... Navigation G Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 We awoke safe and sound this morning, myself fitfully rested and Tara, bleary eyed and exhausted. Despite my best efforts to console her overactive imagination, she spent last night half-awake, drif... Free Camp Fears G Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 The sun is just dropping behind the hills of our free-camp. The wind has picked up a lot, it is easily more powerful than any I have ever experienced. It roars around the tent violently; I can even... Bicycle Shop G Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 I enter the bicycle shop alone; Tyler is propping our bikes up outside, wishing we had kick stands. As I close the door, still wearing my helmet, two days without a shower, unknown days since our la... Boys and Bugs G Monday, July 20th, 2009 This morning's camp break featured heavily in the large bug department. It is remarkable how my attitude towards insects has changed since we left home. I used to recoil at the sight of a large "sc... Long Lunch G Sunday, July 19th, 2009 Getting up early has not been our strong suit lately, and we slept through our alarm again this morning. We're pretty fast to pack up now, though, so it wasn't really a big deal. Slightly more both... Changing Scenery G Saturday, July 18th, 2009 Today was our last day in the mountains for the next few weeks. I expected we'd have an easy ride with a short pass to climb somewhere in the middle of the day and then we'd be home-free. Boy was I... Cloud Cover G Friday, July 17th, 2009 After our late start and awful heat yesterday we made sure to get moving early today. The alarm went off at 5:30 and by 6:30 we were up and packing. At 7:30 we rolled out of camp and managed to cyc... Perserverance G Thursday, July 16th, 2009 This morning did not begin well. We slept in, ensuring a full day of riding in the sweltering Provence heat with nobody to blame but ourselves. Making matters worse, just as we were leaving I reali... Rest Day in Aiguines G Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 Today we took a rest day in Aiguines and spent the afternoon wandering around the picturesque Provencal town taking in the sights. Here are some photos in no particular order! Camping l'Aigle Roof... Gorgeous Climbs G Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 After sleeping in rather late this morning we packed up our river-side free-camp and carried our belongings over to a steep embankment leading to the road. Once we were mostly prepared, we took the ... River Free Camp G Monday, July 13th, 2009 It is 2am as I write this. I have been responding to emails and working in our tent for the last several hours. Two feet to my right there is a shallow stream rythmically babbling away. Directly t... Farewell Côte d'Azur G Sunday, July 12th, 2009 Holding our brakes firmly with one hand, we waved goodbye to our friendly neighbors and carefully wheeled our bikes down the extremely steep hill leaving our campsite. Less than a kilometer away we ... Errands on the French Riviera G Saturday, July 11th, 2009 I was absolutely exhausted this morning when Tara shuffled me, squinty-eyed and stumbling, out of the tent and in the direction of the shower block. While I doused myself clean and scrubbed off the ... Route Barrée G Friday, July 10th, 2009 As we approached "Route Des Crêtes", the coastal road we had intended on riding this morning, we saw a sign that read "Route Barrée a 1000 m"—the road was closed in one kilometer due to road ... Cassis Calanques G Thursday, July 9th, 2009 Since I was feeling fine, we decided to take advantage of our perfect weather and beautiful location on the Riviera to do some site-seeing. Setting the alarm for 8AM, the plan was to wander around t... Kidney Stone Update G Thursday, July 9th, 2009 I am feeling 100% fine now, and honestly, it feels a little anticlimactic! I must've passed the stone while I was on painkillers at the hospital because haven't felt any more pain since then. Outsi... This Too Shall Pass G Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 I am awakened at three o'clock this morning to Tyler's persistent nudging. It takes a minute to cut through the haze of sleep and gain consciousness enough to realize what is happening. My beloved ... Mediterranean Sea G Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 Riding in the heat yesterday, we both latched on to the idea of having popcicles. Sadly, the opportunity never presented itself. Today while we were picking up groceries in the quaint coastal town ... Parade G Monday, July 6th, 2009 I was all packed and ready to go while Tyler was on the computer ordering Thermarest mattresses (after two days of use our replacement Exped mats are already failing). When he was done he began pack... Riding to Arles G Sunday, July 5th, 2009 Happy to leave our militant campsite this morning we set out in the direction of Arles, a city near the Mediterranean coast. A few kilometers down the road we passed the biggest caterpillar I have e... Bad Reception G Saturday, July 4th, 2009 We had trouble getting out of bed this morning when the alarm went off at 8:00. We stayed up late last night with Ingrid and Yves, talking and laughing for hours. Nevertheless, we rolled out of bed... Resting in the Mountains G Friday, July 3rd, 2009 We took the day off. For posterity is here is what happened: Laid around most of the day reading. Yves showed us how he makes bread. Finished our backlog of journal entries. Started route pla... Working in the Mountains G Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 Today Ingrid and Yves' cozy mountain home is filled with busy workers and buzzing activity. Though the heat makes it harder for us all to focus (except for Tyler of course) and though we frequently ... Pizza & Roquefort G Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 After our countless glasses of wine and shots of an unknown alcohol called "Williams" we weren't feeling our best when we got up this morning to join Ingrid and Yves for breakfast. They fed us homem... Finding Estelle G Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 After breakfast I walk over to our friendly Dutch neighbors and offer them our three leftover eggs. The sun is beating down and by the end of the day they will likely be rotten or at least inedible.... Too Hot G Monday, June 29th, 2009 Last night as we arrived in camp we were unable to check in. Like at so many French campsites we've encountered, the reception office was closed when their signs clearly indicated it should be open.... Mountain Climbing G Sunday, June 28th, 2009 I am getting pretty good at hill-climbing these days. The sight of a looming hill is demoralizing at times, but at least it's familiar. After all, it isn't like we're in the mountains… right... Resupply G Saturday, June 27th, 2009 After our non-stop adventuring yesterday, I was ready for something simple and familiar. On our way out of camp we both commented that we were looking forward to an uneventful day of pedaling. Our ... Too Much Of A Good Thing G Friday, June 26th, 2009 Normally I am the designated alarm-clock enforcer, making sure we don't hit snooze too many times before actually getting moving at a nice early hour. This morning, though, I was exhausted and could... Unexpected Guests G Thursday, June 25th, 2009 With three blissful days of rest behind us we bid farewell to Bluesoleil Campground and started our trek southeast to Estelle (just outside Millau). We are hoping to reach Ingrid and Yvves of BikeAw... Our Panniers G Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 With a wonderfully empty day ahead of me, I decided to do something productive before settling in for a relaxing afternoon of reading. Our panniers have started to get slightly funky and today was t... Not Riding G Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009 Today was the second in our three day rest at Bluesoleil campground in Rouffignac. While I feel incredibly fortunate to have gainful employment on our trip I am really, really looking forward to hav... Thank you, Dad! G Monday, June 22nd, 2009 We have been biking 80-90 kilometers a day lately; quite a bit more than our usual 50-70. When the phone rang last night, we picked it up and were greeted with the cheerful voices of my parents want... Camping Fermé G Sunday, June 21st, 2009 Spirits were high this morning. With another budget-boosting free evening under our belts we cheerfully broke camp excited about the prospect of finding a nice place to rest for few nights. It is i... Role Reversal G Saturday, June 20th, 2009 Sticking to our early rising plan we set the alarm for six o'clock. By seven we were up and moving, albeit very slowly. We sometimes joke that we feel like Wall-E in the morning, stumbling out of b... Early Camping G Friday, June 19th, 2009 Sometimes the hardest part of cycling around the world can be simply getting up in the morning. Actually, I think this is true for accomplishing just about anything in the simple sense that you must... Rest In Peace G Thursday, June 18th, 2009 As I was making crepes this morning, Tyler was bustling around, busily stowing things away in our panniers. Normally I stuff my bolster-sized clothing bag and one of the Downmats into my own clothin... Sunburn G Wednesday, June 17th, 2009 We somehow neglected to wear sunscreen yesterday. When we awoke this morning we were both very… crispy. Subconsciously hoping to somehow make up for our folly we both applied twice as much a... Cheeseburger in Paradise G Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 We shook out our sand-infested belongings and left camp this morning to explore the island we had just spent two nights on. In search of almond croissants for breakfast, we headed to the bakery with... Sandy Camping G Monday, June 15th, 2009 I think it was around 4am when I clumsily stumbled out of the tent. Half dressed, barely conscious and feeling like an overtired toddler home from a long road trip, I grabbed our rain fly and strugg... Ile de Noirmoutier G Sunday, June 14th, 2009 We didn't roll out of our loud (but fun) vacation park until noon. The plan for the day was to bike for a little bit and then set up camp right away, having all afternoon and evening free. As usual... French Coast G Saturday, June 13th, 2009 The alarm sounded at 6:30 AM and Tara bounded out into our 'stealth camp' to start the day. Ever concerned about someone showing up and saying "You can't be here", she wanted to make it look like we... Exped Downmat 9 G Friday, June 12th, 2009 Update Here The Exped Downmat 9 (our sleeping mat) has a foam(?) insert that provides a barrier between the down inside and the air nozzles used to to inflate it. Over the course of the last week t... Wine & Pizza G Friday, June 12th, 2009 We left to cycle the last bit of the canal into Nantes today. As we rounded our first corner the path abruptly stopped. A man operating a nearby lock laughed at us and said there were two ways to N... Return of the Sun G Thursday, June 11th, 2009 This morning brought a welcome change to our lives—the sun! We quickly uprooted our tent and belongings from the spot we'd chosen last night under the trees (hiding from the rain) and moved in... Early Rising G Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 The alarm went off at 6:30 AM. Its incessant beeping mingled nicely with the sound of rain falling heavily against our tent. Oh rain. We've been meaning to start earlier for at least a week and to... Even More Rain G Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 Once again, the day began with rain. For a change, we were dry and so was our gear. Thank you Pierre! We spent the morning taking advantage of the many amenties we have taken for granted all of ou... Chez Pierre & Julien G Monday, June 8th, 2009 We awoke to the standard drumming of rain against our tent this morning. Yesterday Tyler steeled himself against the downpour, getting soaked to pack the bikes, while I stayed dry getting things org... The Canal G Sunday, June 7th, 2009 We awoke at 6:30 AM to the sound of a downpour pelting our rain-fly through the cover of our forested free-camp and the beeping of my optimism from the night before. I reached out from the warmth of... Free Camp & Fire G Saturday, June 6th, 2009 We went to bed feeling sick. Huddled together, we tried to fall asleep but were unable to drift off over the cacophony of our own hacking, coughing, sneezing, and trumpet-like nose blowing. Our nos... Sick Day G Friday, June 5th, 2009 This morning Tara and I woke up feeling like death warmed over. My throat was so sore I could hardly swallow and Tara's nose continued its crusade of running like a leaky facuet. We laid around for... To Market G Thursday, June 4th, 2009 There is nothing like fresh french bread with butter and honey or a big glob of nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread) to start the day off right. This campsite is so great, we decided to stay another ... Bee Museum G Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 While breaking camp we decided today was a good day for music. At home hardly an hour went by that music wasn't playing unless we were asleep. Out here we rarely listen to anything but the endless ... On Planning G Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 Last night we stayed in one of France's wonderful municipal camp sites. It is such a relief knowing that we can find a campsite in almost any town! This particular site had just opened for the seas... La Sieste G Monday, June 1st, 2009 This morning we had fresh bread delivered to our tent! We hungrily tore pieces from our "miche" and dunked them in butter and honey while Tara explained to me about the regulations in France for bre... Smooth Sailing G Sunday, May 31st, 2009 For breakfast I made eggs and we enjoyed them over tasty mugs of warm milk and honey. Our fellow campers told us "bon appetit!" as we were eating :) Afterwards as Tyler packed up I taught him how t... Bonjour France! G Saturday, May 30th, 2009 We boarded the ferry at midnight and immediately felt like we were on some sort of cruise ship. There were boutiques featuring fancy perfumes and chocolates, and a voice came over the loud speaker e... Plymouth at Last G Friday, May 29th, 2009 The past few days have felt a little uninspiring—after two months of cycling in England and then triumphantly making it to Land's End, we've felt "complete" with England, ready to move on to ne... Lesson Learned? G Thursday, May 28th, 2009 We had a very nice morning making (and eating) a boatload of pancakes before we set off. Our plan was to cycle 40 miles to Plymouth from our campsite in Pentewan, just outside Mevagissey. Our desti... Home in our Tent G Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 It was raining when we woke up this morning. We are only about a day's ride from Plymouth and ahead of "schedule" so we decided to take the day off. Yesterday was particularly difficult for me for ... A Day in the Life G Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 Rather than write another journal entry about what we ate or how the roads were I've decided to document what our daily life is like. Below is an outline of a typical day bicycling around the world ... Land's End G Monday, May 25th, 2009 On our way out of camp this morning, we met Nick and Bronwin, a really nice couple who were on their very first cycling & camping adventure. They had taken the train from London to Penzance, and the... Parlez-vous anglais? G Sunday, May 24th, 2009 Today we enjoyed a quiet, relaxing day off in the beautiful coastal town of St. Ives. We had a nice morning walk through all the little shops before we made our way to "Pengenna's Pasties" to have a... St. Ives G Saturday, May 23rd, 2009 Thanks to Tyler's prodding to bike extra miles the last few days, we had a short day ahead of us into St. Ives. We took our time in the morning; I leisurely broke camp while Tyler made honey butter ... Wild & Local Foods G Friday, May 22nd, 2009 As I was filling our water bottles this morning a friendly caravanner at our campsite asked me where we were headed. I replied, "in the direction of St. Ives, but we're not sure yet!" He asked wher... Tintagel Cliffwalk G Thursday, May 21st, 2009 I woke up early this morning to the sound of songbirds and the hum of a distant lawnmower. The sun was shining through the tent, and it felt blissfully like summer had finally arrived. I let Tyler ... 1000 Miles! G Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 We woke up early this morning to the peaceful sound of the ocean and the heat of the shining sun filtering in through our tent. Feeling incredibly content we made a point to take it slow breaking ca... Thank You G Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 We often forget that people actually read our journal (outside of family anyway). We're really just trying to document the physical and emotional journey we are taking together. After a rough coupl... Hearth & Home G Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 Once again, we waited out the rain this morning. When the alarm went off we promptly turned it off and rolled over, the sound of the raindrops in our ears. Tyler was fed up and decided that if it k... Logistics G Monday, May 18th, 2009 This morning was really, really trying. The sky looked promsing as we hauled everything out of our wooded free-camp into the field we had sneaked into last night. Things quickly took a turn for the... Pain in the Neck G Sunday, May 17th, 2009 I woke up to the sound of the rain with a really stiff, painful neck this morning. I'm not sure what I did to it, but I could hardly move my head! I did neck stretches (while yelping) as we waited ... Steak Dinner G Saturday, May 16th, 2009 Another morning in England, another morning of rain! With spirits slightly sour about the prospect of another rainy ride we headed to the Glastonbury Abbey for a bit of sightseeing before we left to... Glastonbury G Friday, May 15th, 2009 I was relieved this morning to wake up to dry skies. It was a little annoying packing as our things were still damp and icky from yesterday, but at least they weren't sopping wet. While I worked, T... Peaceful in the Rain G Thursday, May 14th, 2009 We had a really nice ride today, the first half of which was beautiful and the second half of which was equally beautiful with the addition of misty landscapes and pouring rain. Neither of us paid a... Avebury G Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 It was chilly and grey when we awoke to the repetetive warbles of our arch-nemeses—a certain type of bird here that squaaaaks the same song (if you can call it that) ceaselessly: "Wuhn-waaaaah-... Garmin Tracks & Google Maps G Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 Our GPS unit records our position every few seconds while we ride to a 'track log'. We have been downloading these tracks nightly to keep a record of our journey. I have been meaning to hook this i... Down the Road G Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 We bid farewell to the Gaskells (just Liz, everyone else was at work) this morning around 10am after yet another generous breakfast of croissants, apple crisp, cereal and orange juice. I am happy to ... Markets & Museums G Monday, May 11th, 2009 This morning we joined the Gaskells for a delicious breakfast of almond croissants (something we must have more often) and cornflakes. Sufficiently fueled for a day of sightseeing, we set off with R... Sightseeing in Oxford G Sunday, May 10th, 2009 We were treated to a breakfast of almond croissants with butter and honey this morning. I have always loved croissants but I've never had one with almond goo inside. It was so good I can't find words... New Friends G Saturday, May 9th, 2009 When we emerged from our tent this morning, we found that our caravaning neighbors had brought a tray with a pot full of hot tea and four mugs—two for us, and two for Nic and Oanh. How lovely! ... Eat Breakfast G Friday, May 8th, 2009 As we were packing up camp this morning, Mark, the owner of the Green Man pub (behind which we camped) came out to talk to us and we had a nice conversation about beekeeping. He even promised he wou... Spring Memories G Thursday, May 7th, 2009 We joined Ted this morning for cereal and toast while watching some early morning TV—the raw inside scoop on fire-fighters and EMTs. We cracked jokes about British television while they helped... Changing Scenery G Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 When we woke up this morning everything was blissfully dry, a first in at least a week! As we packed up camp I continued my crusade of teasing Tara for being a slowpoke. Tara in Tent I realized tod... Our New Life G Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 What a great day! We slept in later than we have in weeks (10am), packed up our things, and then had a leisurely morning enjoying breakfast and chatting with Pete and Reinette. As we were packing t... Chatsworth House G Monday, May 4th, 2009 Pete and Reinette's garden made a cozy campground for us last night. When we awoke early in the morning to the sound of rain on our tent and the din of what seemed like hundreds of birds we were thr... Pete & Reinette G Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 We awoke this morning to the sound of ducks swimming in a stream about a foot away from our tent! It took some coaxing to stir Tara from her slumber, especially after I told her that today's ride wo... Home Safe Again G Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 After a restless night's sleep (some poor kid cried all night long and one of our neighbors snored very loudly) we got up with the intention of leaving as soon as possible. I packed up camp while Ty... Lost and Found G Friday, May 1st, 2009 We ran out of fuel for our Whisper Lite last night while Tara was cooking a delicious macaroni and cheese dinner (with real cheese, none of that boxed crap!). In good spirits and undeterred by our mi... Rainy Day Off G Thursday, April 30th, 2009 We decided last night that if it was raining in the morning, we would take a rest day and Tyler would get some work done. So when we awoke to the pounding of water against our tent we sloshed into t... Pushing Through G Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 This morning we awoke to a nearly cloudless sky and beautiful, dry, warm, sun! It was actually hot in the tent! We both forgot to set the alarm last night but no matter; we have been waking up ever... Sopping Wet G Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 The weather was supposed to be sunny all day today. Tyler and I packed up camp with high hopes in spite of the overcast skies. In the midst of packing, Pete and Reinette stopped by to say goodbye b... Helvellyn Ascent G Monday, April 27th, 2009 As the morning wore on, the clouds cleared a bit and it was starting to look like we might have a nice day ahead of us. Tara's cramps were subsiding so we decided the day would be much better spent ... Waiting out the Rain G Monday, April 27th, 2009 While we were in town yesterday it dawned on me that we are surrounded on all sides by mountain climbing shops, mountain climbing gear and mountain climbers yet we know nothing about the mountains in... Hiking & New Friends in Keswick G Sunday, April 26th, 2009 We awoke to a beautiful sunny day in the Lake District—a rare treat indeed! I walked 10 yards to the campsite shop and bought some butter and milk and set about making pancakes while Tyler was... Right at Home G Saturday, April 25th, 2009 We left Cockermouth today for the town of Keswick in the heart of the Lake District. Fresh from two days of rest we were both energized and ready to hit the road. As we pedalled out of town I had a v... On Being American G Friday, April 24th, 2009 When we went downstairs for breakfast there was an American couple sitting down already having some eggs and toast. Their names were Nikolai and Ashley, and they were from San Diego, on their honeym... Resting at The Rook G Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 While our free-camp spot was technically great, neither of us slept very well. It was extremely windy and the confined space in which we placed our tent didn't allow room to stake the rain fly down.... Lush Life G Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 We woke up this morning and started packing up camp immediately. We were almost done when a very friendly park ranger came walking up with her dog with this to say: "You know what I'm going to sa... Fare Thee Well Northumberland G Tuesday, April 21st, 2009 We are definitely getting better at this new way of life with each passing day. This morning we both had showers, made french toast, and packed up camp in the space of 1.5 hours and didn't feel rush... Finding the Right Road G Monday, April 20th, 2009 We actually got up reasonably early today—the alarm went off at 7:00 and we were up by 7:30. We're getting better at packing up camp, but all the time we save is now used to make delicious bre... Perfect Roads G Sunday, April 19th, 2009 We started the morning by trying out our popovers recipe as pancakes. We wound up with hot, doughy crepes that were really, really good. Tara tossed some Hob Nobs (our new favorite snack) into the ... Quick Update G Sunday, April 19th, 2009 We're just north of Hexham camping. Everything is wonderful! We are still journalling every night. We have loads of pictures and stories to post but no viable internet connection with which to do s... Hilly Day G Saturday, April 18th, 2009 After a very relaxing evening in our 2-pound-a-night field, we munched on buttered hot cross buns and some leftover sandwiches as we packed up camp. We started our day cycling back to Rothbury by cl... Hedgeley Hall G Friday, April 17th, 2009 We coasted into the Hedgeley Estate around 5:30pm. Affixed to the door of Hedgeley Hall was a note from our host, Katie, letting us know that she had run to the next village to visit her mother. T... Alnwick Castle to Hedgeley Hall G Thursday, April 16th, 2009 After being rushed out of our B&B by our not-so-friendly host, we spent most of the morning exploring Alnwick Castle (Harry Potter was filmed there!). The inside of the castle itself was as fancy as ... Working in Alnwick G Wednesday, April 15th, 2009 We've just spent two relatively uneventful nights in Alnwick at a spotless, soul-less B&B run by a very weird and off-putting bachelor with a habit of coming into our room and totally rearranging our... Alnwick G Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 - Well, I guess I copped out of writing this entry! Tara and I both had a good laugh when we came across this today (May 13th, 2010). That little dash up there is all I wrote. Neither of us remembe... Warkworth Wandering G Monday, April 13th, 2009 Daffodils Breakfast is served in the Warkworth House Hotel from 8:00 to 9:15 in the morning. We are still in scavenger mode so we made a point of waking up in time for optimal eating. We had freshl... Stopping to Work G Sunday, April 12th, 2009 We've stopped very early today as I have a few unfinished work projects that need to be completed. My biggest clients have all placed an incredible amount of trust in me that I will keep their softw... Hills & Re-Organization G Friday, April 10th, 2009 We decided to sleep through a rainy early-morning, which proved to be a wise choice since the rain soon stopped and the wind dried our tent. We packed up in record time (we're getting better at it) ... Goodbye Scotland G Thursday, April 9th, 2009 Today was our last day in Scotland. I've joked with Tara a few times that of all the countries we've visited, Scotland is my favorite. Absolutely everyone we have spoken with has been friendly, the... The Cove G Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 StumbleUpon Readers: Please click here for a message! Thanks for stopping by! This journal entry is the first of ours that has ever been "stumbled upon" and we wanted to say hello. As best we ... Hitting our Stride G Tuesday, April 7th, 2009 On our way out of Edinburgh, we stopped to do some much needed bicycle maintenance. I had neglected to clean or lube the chains since we started so I spent a good 15 minutes with each bike cleaning ... Resting in Edinburgh G Monday, April 6th, 2009 We slept in fairly late (maybe 11:00), and then set about finding another place in Edinburgh to sleep for the night. We decided we needed a rest day, and we were going to spend it hanging out in the... Union Canal Bike Path G Sunday, April 5th, 2009 Tara and I have been talking a lot about what we want from our trip. We discuss things like how much we want to bike, what kind of biking we want to do and why we are both here. We did this more ti... Rainy Day Ride G Saturday, April 4th, 2009 This was a very, very hard day and it seemed like nothing could go right. We awoke to cold, pouring rain, and had to pack up camp with everything sopping wet. In retrospect, it would have been nice... Stealth Camping G Friday, April 3rd, 2009 David and I left this morning to pick up a 'dongle' that will allow us to have internet access basically anywhere in the UK that has cell service. It took a bit longer than expected so Tara and I di... Glasgow, Scotland G Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 It was a relief to step off of the plane in Glasgow knowing that we would not have to fly again for a very long time. It was so nice to have that part of the journey over with, and now concern ourse... In the Lap of Icelandic Luxury G Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 We sprinted down to the plane, and were greeted by Icelandic flight attendant goddesses bearing gifts of water, wine and plenty of sympathy for our troubles. These perfectly-manicured women with sup... Expedia's Awful Customer Service G Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 We booked our tickets on October, 31st 2008. In December of 2008, Iceland Air discontinued their direct flight from Reykjavik to Glasgow. Expedia contacted us and offered to refund our money or re-... Expedia: Never Again G Wednesday, April 1st, 2009 So we're hanging out in Boston's airport getting screwed by Expedia, and have been for the last three hours. More later. ... How We Did It G Wednesday, April 1st, 2009 I wanted to sit down with Tara and document how we got where we are today before it became a distant memory. As it turns out this was a great idea; it was incredibly difficult to remember accurately... Room to Breathe G Saturday, March 28th, 2009 For the past month or so, Tyler and I have taken turns having breakdowns and then supporting and encouraging each other through them. Tyler mainly worries about the massive workload he has to compl... Arnis de Mano White Sash Test G Saturday, March 14th, 2009 Tyler and I just tested for the first level of Arnis de Mano, white sash. This was unlike any white-belt test Ive seen or participated in. For starters, it was hard. It really was a test of my s... Final Preparation G Friday, March 13th, 2009 Tara and I spent the evening attending to some of the final details for the trip. We tore down the bikes, test fitted them in their boxes for the flight and divvied up the panniers into second hand ... Reflection G Thursday, March 12th, 2009 Before planning this journey a year seemed like a long time. It isn't. As the days and months fly by I have really come to realize what a short time we have here (on earth). There is so much that ... Food for Thought (and Tummies) G Sunday, February 22nd, 2009 Each time I cook something now, I think "I could make this on our trip!" During the day while I'm scanning files, I dream about what I'm going to cook for dinner so that I can make the most efficien... Another List: Things to Purchase/Do Upon Arrival G Saturday, February 14th, 2009 I've had all of these ideas of things we should buy and things we should do once we arrive in Scotland. They've been floating around in my head and I didn't want to forget any, so I decided to write... Overwhelmed? Make. A. List. G Thursday, February 5th, 2009 As Tara and I were driving home from visiting her parents last weekend I had a lot of time to think about all of the loose ends we need to tie up before we go. I started to get a little overwhelmed ... Training G Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 Tyler and I started taking Arnis de Mano lessons at Dual Dragons after it got too cold for biking so we could stay in shape until we leave. Last night we had the hardest workout I've ever experience... Portable Oven Update G Wednesday, January 21st, 2009 We found a fabrication company to run our portable oven prototype a few weeks ago and it was remarkably affordable! Many thanks to Orion @ KMT Waterjet for all the help. Their pricing and customer ... Arnis de Mano G Thursday, January 15th, 2009 When we started the process of moving and packing our exercising routine totally fell by the wayside. With only 75 days left before our trip, it is time to get back in shape! As my sore bum can att... Google Maps & Spot GPS G Sunday, January 11th, 2009 We received our Spot Satellite Messenger this week. I spent some time this weekend working with their sharing interface to set up a Google Map that will show our current/past locations on the home p... Around the World in 80 Days G Saturday, January 10th, 2009 Icannot believe our trip is only 80 days away. Sometimes I think about this whole process as being similar to pushing a boulder (not sure why you'd need to push a rock, but whatever…) It fel... Ultralight Camping Oven G Saturday, December 27th, 2008 Here is a screenshot from SolidWorks (a 3D CAD design program) of the assembly for our camping oven: Learning how to do 3D CAD design the last week or so has been an absolute blast, I feel like a... Average Cost of Living G Saturday, December 27th, 2008 Want to know the price of a bus ticket in Hanoi, Vietnam, or a bottle of beer in Beirut, Lebanon? Estimating how much money to set aside for each country in the world can be a bit tricky, but I foun... Backpacking Oven Prototype G Saturday, December 20th, 2008 Tara and I spent the morning baking bread and building a full sized prototype of our backpacking oven. We're missing vent holes on the bottom where the stove will be located and a porthole for a the... Backpacker Oven G Saturday, December 20th, 2008 Our backpacker oven arrived today and frankly it is pretty unimpressive. It is far from sturdy, the straps that hold it together when it is packed are useless (not as advertised either) and it doesn... Gardening on the Road? G Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 Right before I moved to Minnesota, I started growing potted plants and was pretty fiercely bitten by the gardening bug. (just a little advice for anyone thinking of moving in the near future: I sugg... Alcohol Stove Making: Part 2 G Monday, December 15th, 2008 I've really enjoyed tinkering with our penny alcohol stove over the past few weeks so I've decided to try some other designs. Up for today was the "Cat" a super low tech unpressurized stove. It has... Making a Fire in a -3°F Snowstorm G Monday, December 15th, 2008 …is ridiculously difficult, apparently. Tyler and I bundled up for another fire-making adventure- this time, on a snowy, -3 degree ("feels like -27") evening. Despite our best efforts, we we... Another 16 Hour Workday G Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 …eye on the prize. I can't wait to get out of here! ... Going Slowly: Biking & Baking G Sunday, November 23rd, 2008 When Tyler suggested we change the name of our website from "advriding" to "goingslowly," I heartily agreed. Going Slowly fits our trip much better than Adventure Riding does. For me, this trip is ... Ooh Look! I made a fire! G Sunday, November 23rd, 2008 I've never made a fire before. With frigid fingers I gathered little grassy things and made a tinder. It's kind of like a nest. And then I gathered little pieces of birch bark, small twigs, bigger... Vaccinations Lookup Chart G Thursday, November 20th, 2008 We just finished putting together a handy Vaccination Lookup Chart that will let you look up any country in a few seconds. Hopefully this will help somebody besides us :) ... Rain Gear (Showers Pass) G Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 The rain gear we want for the trip is terribly expensive so we've been hunting for deals the last few weeks. Last night Tara discovered Team Estrogen (already the most affordable vendor for Showers... Happy Anniversary to Us! G Saturday, November 15th, 2008 We celebrated our one-year anniversary of being together with a trip to the cities to get vaccinated. This was not my ideal way of celebrating, but it does have its perks, like being able to rest ea... On Getting Vaccinations G Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 We just paid nearly $400 each for someone to make our arms very very sore. …well, mine are anyway, Tara seems to be fine! Ow. ... Ultralight Alcohol Stove G Monday, November 10th, 2008 Tara and I spent all day Saturday working on what was supposed to be a fun learning experience making emergency backup stoves. To our surprise what we wound up with works better than our WhisperLite... Winter Camping G Sunday, November 9th, 2008 If someone were to ask me, say six months ago, if I would go camping in 20 degree weather, four days in a row, the answer would be a resounding "absolutely not." That is, though, exactly what we hav... Vaccinations G Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 I just spent the last 3 hours on the phone with various travel clinics in Minnesota trying to put together pricing for our immunizations, what a nightmare. It boggles the mind how much bureaucratic n... Updated Route Plan G Thursday, October 30th, 2008 Not much has changed on our proposed route but costs continue to fall as the US dollar gains on foreign currencies and we re-evalulate what we think we can live on. Here is our plan as of today. ... REI Extravaganza! G Sunday, October 26th, 2008 What a wonderful, wonderful day! After sleeping in, waking up to beautiful sunny weather (the first sunny day in awhile…), and puttering around in the kitchen making hash browns and biscuits f... Bicycle Boxes G Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 I picked up our bicycle boxes from the airport today; they are huge! Five months should be plenty of time to test tearing the bikes down/putting them back together :) Nothing much else to report, ... Selling Everything G Sunday, October 12th, 2008 Moving We are spending the weekend boxing up what few belongings we want to keep and giving, selling or throwing away everything else. Unsurprisingly it is very cathartic. We are almost done sorting... Simplifying G Sunday, October 12th, 2008 Our trip around the world is fast approaching. While I feel very excited about everything now, I was pretty stressed out about it a couple of days ago. One moment I was baking in the kitchen, takin... Buying Tickets G Thursday, October 9th, 2008 This week we found a renter for the house. With the final big step for leaving out of the way it was time to order the plane tickets. We pulled up a few websites to look at prices and managed to find... Commuting G Monday, September 29th, 2008 I've been biking to and from work lately, and I love it. It's very peaceful to have some time to myself before I have to begin the work day, and it is equally rejuvenating to have some time to relax... Summer Biking G Sunday, August 31st, 2008 We had a goal of riding at least 10 miles a day every day this summer. Although we didn't get out every single day we did have a lot of great weekend / weeknight rides. Late night grocery shoppin... Actually Riding G Friday, June 6th, 2008 More information on that later today! ... Updated Route Plan G Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 It has become apparent that there is no way we can save for this trip in time for a November departure. Rather than wait another year (we were hoping to ride west through the seasons in a way that w... Updated Route Plan G Monday, April 7th, 2008 More changes here… the route is starting to shape up a bit. ... Tara's Green Frame G Monday, April 7th, 2008 ... Updated Route Plan G Friday, March 28th, 2008 More route planning updates… I wonder if we'll even follow this thing once we get out there? Even if we don't, this is fun anyway! Here is our plan as of today. ... What's the Skinny? G Friday, March 28th, 2008 A couple weeks ago, after a little bit of bike drama, my hand-crafted wheel set arrived from Peter White Cycles. I'll let Tyler write about the Peter White drama if he wants to. I'm just excited to ... Route Planning G Monday, February 25th, 2008 Here is a very rough outline of the trip. ... My Purple Bike Frame G Monday, February 11th, 2008 I just received a phone call from the powder-coaters (it is powder -coaters, right? not power-coaters? Well whatever. It should be power-coaters… I want my bike just covered in POWER) and ... "I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm..." G Friday, February 8th, 2008 …which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillize the mind as a steady purpose a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye." Mary Wollstonecraft She... The Road Awaits G Thursday, February 7th, 2008 Every morning I look at my bike and my longing for this trip gets stronger. I can't wait to give up life as I know it in favor of the road in a strange country with no worries except where I am goin... Southeast Asia - 2009 G Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008 …on a bicycle. I'll building up two touring bikes for us over the first half of 2008. My frame arrived last week and I sent it off to the powdercoaters to get rid of that ugly green. I'm... This Time Next Year... G Tuesday, January 1st, 2008 We will be exploring the ruins of Buddhist temples at Angkor Wat, in Cambodia. Hopefully elephant-riding and talking to ancient incense-sellers will happen as well.Smiling at Buddha's feet.Tyler, let...