Taiwan: The Sun Can’t Shine Every Day (Video)
Taiwan was surprising. It was a mix of everything. Urban, rural, busy roads, quiet roads, tropical beaches & fruit, heat and rain. Even if it took us a bit of time to warm up to Taiwan we loved almost every minute of our time there, which now seems very far away. It’s home to some of the loveliest and friendliest…
Japan: It’s All a Dream to Me Now (Video)
In the Fall of 2019 we spent six weeks cycling in Japan with our two children, aged 4.5 and 1 (followed by six weeks in Taiwan). One of the lines in the song I chose for this video goes “it’s all a dream to me now.” Since this trip the world changed completely due to COVID-19. Everything that seemed doable…
Keeping Sane by Biking During COVID-19
We were sitting down for lunch the other day and Neil suddenly said “we still haven’t ridden our bikes today!” That needed to be fixed so we got ready and went on a bike ride. Yes, that’s what we’ve been doing lately, a lot of bike riding. People ask us how we manage during this time with two young children…
Hemlock: A Weekend Full of Skiing and Kids
We had never been to Hemlock (AKA Sasquatch Mountain) before so when a friend sent out an email that she had just booked a town house there for a weekend and was looking for other families to share it with, we immediately replied yes. The plan sounded simple enough – going up on Friday evening and enjoying some night skiing…
Greece: Bike Hopping on Seven Magical Islands (Video)
We spent five weeks in winter 2019 bike hopping on seven islands in Greece with our four year old and four month old. It was a spectacular experience for everyone and a great bonding opportunity for the two brothers. We fell in love with the slow pace of the Greek islands, the food, and the low key atmosphere. Since it…
Taiwan (Part 2): Love at Second Sight (Taitung to Taipei)
One of the things people always wish cyclists is that the wind will be at their backs. I didn’t really understand the importance of this until the almost impossible headwind we encountered on our way to Taitung. So after a few rainy days in Taitung and checking the forecast and winds over and over again we decided that if the…
Taiwan (Part 1): Not Love at First Sight (Taipei to Taitung)
Taiwan wasn’t love at first sight. It started with our arrival to Taoyuan Airport. A bus took us from the plane to the terminal. But it took a roundabout route that passed through a series of dilapidated buildings. A taxi then took us from the airport to our Warm Showers host in the outskirts of Taoyuan. It was in an…
Japan (Part 3): The Cycling Highways of Japan (Tobishima & Shimanami Kaido)
Saving the best for last is a good way to go. The previous four weeks in Japan were beautiful but they didn’t lack challenges like traffic, tunnels, climbing, and a bit of rain. After a few restful days in Matsuyama where we made sure to visit Dogo Onsen every day, we were recharged and full of energy for the last…
Japan (Part 2): Along the Coast and Over the Mountains (Shikoku)
We had been climbing for the past few days and were finally approaching the pass, at 720m. From there it would be all downhill to the other side of Shikoku. Our route took us up a small road, which turned into a dirt road and then a rough trail, hardly an option for us. Damn cycling app! When I started…
Japan (Part 1): Jumping Into the Bike TripĀ (Takamatsu and Shodoshima)
I always claim that one of the most challenging parts of each bike trip is getting to the airport. This trip was no different. With a 2am departure and two children things were a bit tricky. But the kids were troopers. They went to sleep for a few hours at home before being woken up suddenly to come down to…