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Coming Home Entries

Cleaning, Clearing, Merging, Purging our Stuff

Sunday, October 4th, 2015

Tyler and I spent most of the weekend on an autumn cleaning mission. We started by organizing the ever-growing collection of remnants from completed projects that were scattered about our land. Pieces of plywood, rigid foam insulation and all manne...

New Morning Routines

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 first parts for our build almost three months ago...

Thoughts on Returning: Part Three

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Tyler: We're back in Minnesota, now, and our time in New England is rapidly becoming a distant, fuzzy memory; some days, it feels as though we only imagined it. Our return has brought the pain of an ongoing family disagreement to the forefront o...

Dreaming of Our New Life

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, living off the land, growing lush gardens and caring...

Thoughts on Returning: Part Two

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 the car door and squeeze behind the wheel as Tyle...

In Minnesota

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 my homecoming experience. For the past few month...

Speaking at the Champaign Public Library

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

A few days ago, we cycled over to the Champaign Public Library to give a talk about our bicycle tour. Most of our preparation for the event was sorting through the photos we took during our trip. We managed to weed through something like 9,0...

Prairie Fruits Farm

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 town, we are overcome by a familiar, contented peac...

Coming Home: Tara

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 there! Everything is familiar now, as normal as it a...

There's a Whole Lotta Kansas

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 left with wide skies, dusty little towns, and our...

Meeting Sarah and Jamie

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 journals aloud to each other over the phone. At t...

Morning Adventure in Colorado

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 our former pace, we'll never make it home. Alongs...

Into the Wild West: Part Two

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 green fields have morphed into wind-sculpted cliffs a...

Into the Wild West: Part One

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, stubbly donkey, who is munching away in his pastu...

Nevada's Loneliest Road

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 miles and miles of little more than mountains, sagebru...

Homecoming Roadtrip Begins

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. She has yet to see the places through which w...

Thoughts on Returning: Part One

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 feeling of being perfectly at home, and a sense ...

Tara at Chez Panisse

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 slow food activist, Alice Waters), playing in the ...

Doin' the Wiggle

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 way, as Manjula showed us, is a signed bicycle rou...

You Say Take Away

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, a group of nursing professionals calmly held sig...

Highway One

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— Tyler and I are both reeling, feeling heavy, head-achy an...

Sunday Streets in San Francisco: Part Two

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 stereo connected to a long extension cord was belti...

Sunday Streets in San Francisco: Part One

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 for quite awhile (and felt like long-lost pals af...

A Day in The Bay

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 that my brother is actually traveling about 50mph as...

California I'm Comin' Home

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 their smart uniforms are beginning to rustle aro...

The End

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, our two-person "Going Slowly" bubble will burst. ...

Music for Airports

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 desk to open, I plug in my headphones, put my mp...

Packed Up, Ready to Go

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 over. It took several hours and most of the gaso...

Homeward Bound: Part Four

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. Our families would be there cheering, we'd get s...

Homeward Bound: Part Three

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, quite often, we've been more invigorated by the di...

Homeward Bound: Part Two

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 about what you said you would do. Really, if we ...

Homeward Bound: Part One

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 been making a concerted effort (even more than u...