Is a 3,000-mile cross-country bicycle tour a good way to start a marriage?
You can follow Joel and Michelle's blogs to find out.
The two make their home in Kansas City, where, among other things, they both race mountain bikes. They got hitched in September and headed out to Santa Cruz, California, to start their adventure about a week ago. Now, they're setting out to cross Nevada (above).
Early reports from the West to East bicycle travelers is that “self-supported touring is HARD work.” First they suffered through the heat of the San Joaquin Valley, then suffered the climb up and over the Sierra Nevada. They enjoyed their time in Yosemite Valley, however.
Quotes
Here's what Michelle is learning about long-distance bicycle touring:
“Riding like this – all day pedalling from early morning to late afternoon gives you a lot of time to think. One of the thoughts I have had is that I normally don’t realize how very comfortable I am. At home, if I’m cold, I can just go to my dresser and get an extra sweater. I can make whatever I want for dinner without hardly thinking about it. I can use the bathroom whenever I need to (and don’t have to worry about passing traffic!) I realized how much I take for granted the comforts and conveniences of home – and how on the road, you adapt to a different standard of comfort.”
Joel writes about how a bike tour magnifies what's important:
“in my everyday life there are so many distractions. on this ride there is only what is at hand. keep going forward. keep fed. keep warm but not too warm. find a place for sleeping. find water.”
You can keep track of their tour at their blogs Meetzorp and Team Sexy Pants's Hissy Fits. Here's hoping they have a safe, fun bike tour.
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