2018: Recap of a “Peak Year”
I have a theory that every few years you have what I call a “peak year”. Most recently I would say that 2013 was a peak year for us in which we crossed Central America on our bikes and then started our lives back in Vancouver. Next up, 2015 was definitely one with Neil being born, the start of Kids on Wheels, moving into the co-op and then our three month cycling trip in South Korea and Japan with baby Neil. Most recently I realized that 2018 is getting up there among the “peak years”. Although we didn’t do any “big trips” this year, the shorter ones we did were…
Every Day is ‘Just Another Day in Paradise’ While Cycling Around Maui (Video)
In February 2018 we set out on a three week cycling adventure around Maui with our three year old. After hearing how touristy Maui is we were surprised to find some of the quietest roads we’ve ever ridden, deserted beaches and endless views at every bend. Maui literally took our breath away. It was a magical experience and every day on Maui truly felt like ‘Just Another Day in Paradise’.
Lake Michigan Loop: A Trip Full of Surprises
This trip was full of surprises. The first surprise was the very reason for the trip. It was the news that my aunt was getting married, in one month’s time, in Chicago. Originally we had planned to go cycling in Oregon for two weeks at that time, so a new plan emerged – go to Chicago for the wedding, then do a cycle touring trip near Chicago. But, wait a moment, “cycle touring near Chicago”, never heard of that… Fast forward some time spent staring at online maps and searching, and we made two key discoveries: 1. There is a ferry across Lake Michigan (in fact, two ferries!), and 2.…
A Mini-Guidebook to Cycle Touring Maui: A Figure Eight From Heaven
When we started planning our trip around Maui, we found it difficult to find information online. This mini-guidebook should hopefully answer most practical questions about cycling around Maui. For the story of our trip, see our other blog post. Basically, if you are already inspired to cycle around Maui, this is the place to get the nitty gritty details. If you are looking to get inspired, read the other post. On Maui the weather changes far more when you go from one end to the other, than it does when the seasons change – it rains about 20 times as much on the wet side (the Eastern side) than it…
Hawaii: Maybe Not the Maui You Had in Mind?
A few times during this trip I had to stop, rub my eyes and ask myself where were we? Were we in Maui when I encountered a cow on the side of the road? Were we in Maui when the road became narrow, unpaved and deserted? Were we in Maui when already on the first day we found a hole-in the-wall place for our first poke bowl, or when we climbed out of the city into the countryside, with beautiful views and very few people? This is definitely not the image of Maui that I had in mind. We booked our tickets to Maui a couple of months before since…
Family Cycling Adventure in Northland, New Zealand (Video)
On Christmas Eve 2016 we left Vancouver and hopped on a 14 hour flight to Auckland, New Zealand. Skipping Christmas altogether, we landed in sunny NZ with our bikes, trailer, and Neil, our almost two year old toddler. We decided to head north from Auckland to an area called Northland where we spent the next month cycling. Despite the narrow and hilly roads we had a great time. Incredible views, long sandy beaches, too much fish n’ chips, and many friendly Kiwis all around.
A Mini-Guidebook to Cycle Touring with a Baby/Toddler
Recently a few people asked us about cycle touring in general and more specifically about cycle touring with a baby. Since the questions keep piling up we figured we’d put together a blog post about our recent experiences of cycle touring with our son Neil. Neil turned two in February and we have cycled with him in four overseas countries and have also done some short trips close to home, in British Columbia, and the nearby Washington state. Every time we go on a cycling trip with him we are amazed by how easy it is, and even though the worries keep on building up before the trip, once we start…
New Zealand: Cycling the Wild Far North
Some people know how to take a vacation. They book a week or ten days in a resort or a hotel, spend some time on the beach, eat well and have a good time. Or they travel in style to Europe, hopping between ten cities in ten days, seeing all the important sights. For some reason we are not those people. Some years ago we became addicted to cycle touring, and having a kid hasn’t seemed to change it so far. There is something about travelling slow and into the unknown that just appeals to us. So I guess when we chose New Zealand as our winter travel destination we…
Family Cycling Journey to Brittany, France (Video)
In September 2016 we set off on a three week cycling trip in France with our 18 months old toddler and his balance bike. We explored Brittany from the capital Rennes along canals and greenways to Roscoff and then along the north coast to Brest. We all had an amazing time and enjoyed the French cuisine and wonderful bakeries.
Travel Tips: How to Travel on the Cheap Side
The most common question we are asked about our travels is: “How do you afford to travel so much?”. Our usual response is that we don’t travel nearly as much as we’d like to… More seriously, here are some tips on how you too can travel cheaply for long periods of time. Most people think Hawaii is expensive, but our two week trip to the Big Island was one of our cheapest yet. We spent a total of $20 on our accommodations. How so? Well, we spent most of the nights camping for free at county campgrounds or on deserted beaches, and a few nights with hosts from Couchsurfing and…
