The above video shows some of the fun that we've been having each afternoon, that is, fun if you consider trail riding in the hot sun to be enjoyable. We've been fortunate in that there are a lot of great trails in this area. We have a lot of choices about where to ride, as long as we don't mind climbing hills. Yesterday was the first time that we had the opportunity to ride some of the ones featured in clip,…
In an environment where people sometimes cut the labels off their clothing, saw their toothbrushes in half, and just so that they won't have to carry it, choose to use leaves instead of toilet paper, all in the name of saving weight, the most dangerous question to ask is, "What if?" What if my brakes fail? What if we have a freak blizzard in July? What if bike thieves with portable grinders are lurking in the shadows? Without a doubt, some…
As we travel by bikes, Rebecca and I will attempt to carry everything that we need to be virtually self sufficient. We have clothing to keep us warm, or cool as the climate changes, we have tools and spares to deal with common mechanical issues, we have a tiny stove, pots and utensils to feed ourselves, and we have a tent and sleeping pads for camping. When it comes to the last issue, where we will sleep each night, that,…
I guess we should take it as a good thing that certain friends have voiced concerns for our wellbeing. After all, it's comforting to know that there are people out there who actually care about us. On the other hand, it's funny to hear how some folks still seem doubtful about our efforts (we hear these things through the grapevine, never directly). We experienced this first 8 years ago when we made public our plans to go cruising, but seems…
It seems obligatory that touring cyclists post photos and lists of their kit. So as to not stray too far from the norm, and also to demonstrate just how minimalist we'll be traveling, the photo below and the lists that follow it detail just about all of the clothes that we'll be starting our trip with. That's almost all of our clothes! Mike's clothes: Down-filled puffy jacket Merino wool base layer (pants) Merino wool long-sleeve 1/4 zip top Dryfit T-shirt Sleeveless T-shirt…
Today is the day. In just a few moments time, we'll be riding our fully-loaded bikes down the driveway, and up the mile-long hill just south of here. We spent yesterday shopping for a bit of food, and solving the puzzle of how to pack all our stuff into the myriad of bags on our bikes. Think Rubik's Cube. I have to say, even though we have tried to be incredibly minimalistic in our gear selection, some might even say…