Thoughts Entries Things Things Things G Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 Before we left on our cycling adventure, we pared down our possessions significantly. It was difficult at first, to let go of so many things, but we eventually came to relish the freedom that treadi... 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... 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... 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... 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 & Death PG Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011 Yesterday, just as we arrived off the boat from Nong Kiaw, we watched wide-eyed as three little piglets were being slaughtered. They lay on the ground, their throats slit, warm blood pooling rapidly... 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... 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... 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... 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 ... 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... 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... 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. ... 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 ... Something's Got to Give PG Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010 Tyler: We couldn't bear to leave our tent this morning. Safe and warm in our secluded forest free-camp, listening to the constant patter of water pelting our rain fly, all motivation to start the da... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... 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... Control PG Friday, January 1st, 2010 I am by nature, a planner. This at times clashes with the fact that there are ceaselessly a multitude of "loose ends" and unknowns before us as we travel. Improving my ability to relinquish control... 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... 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... 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 ... 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... 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 ... 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... 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... 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... 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 ... 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... 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... 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 ...