It was time to get back in the saddle. A winter had passed, and a spring. It had been a winter of dark days in a cozy new home, a place where they would watch the storms from their couch as it crossed the mountain. Spring brought new beginnings, cherished visitors, new life, and loss. …
Smoky summers are back here in Ashland and it’s about time we prepare to get out of town, fleeing to the clear skies in faraway hills and valleys and the coast. I always meant to write up a short post on our gear list in hopes of helping future travelers prepare for their journeys. Jeff … Continue reading
“You could be sad at how many stories go untold, but you could also be delighted at how many stories we catch and share in delight and wonder and astonishment.” The esteemed Brian Doyle (1957-2017) Cold, salty water seeps into the mesh tops of my cycling shoes, as the crunch of sand bites metal cleats. … Continue reading
Traveling the Katy Trail and Ohio to Erie Trail by Bike A common question we are asked when recalling stories about our bike trip is: What type of roads did we encounter over our four-month voyage? “Don’t tell me you biked on major highways!” people exclaim with alarm, thinking of foolish cyclists they’ve narrowly passed … Continue reading
Finding our own bicycle route from St. Louis to Louisville to Cincinnati I sat on on the couch at Annie and Sean’s St. Louis apartment, holding a creased paper map up to my nose. A glass of water in one hand, my iPhone in the other, I was intently focused on the research in front … Continue reading
The other day, while riding down an especially busy stretch of Missouri state highway (with no rideable shoulder, to boot), we asked ourselves whether more people think us brave or foolish for riding our bikes across the country. We didn’t know. Needless to say, we sometimes think of ourselves as both brave and foolish, often … Continue reading
Our ride begins in the dark, a quiet shadowy morning on the road. The chill of the morning clings to all layers and makes our noses run. We begin to climb, a consistent cadence that drives us ever forward. When we look behind us, the top of a peak glows pink, but the rest of … Continue reading
Earlier this year, the Montana State Senate made national news when legislators proposed creating a $25 “touring cyclist tax,” which would require visiting cyclists to buy a permit in order to ride on 2-lane roads state-wide. Senate President Scott Sales was the most outspoken about the proposal, saying that cyclists were self centered and rude … Continue reading
It has been important to have a mantra on this trip- a reminder of why we’re here riding all these miles, climbing up mountains, seeing new sights every day and feeling the social exertion of meeting new people at every turn. Climbing up Rainy and Washington Passes was the first big challenge we’d faced on … Continue reading
“Breathe on the world. Hold out your hands to it. When mornings and evenings roll along, watch how they open and close, how they invite you to the long party that your life is.” -William Stafford: “A Valley Like This”- We’re still getting into a routine: arise from tent at 7am, deflate and pack our … Continue reading
“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” –Ernest Hemingway Over a year ago, when our love was only a small, tight bud, Jeff and I hatched a plan. It was a stormy night, maybe, and … Continue reading
in the midst 