After ending my most up-to-date 14-month-long bicycle tour throughout 24 completely different nations in Europe and Africa… I used to be drained. I had had a beautiful time slowly making my means by bike by means of among the most attention-grabbing locations on the planet, however I used to be prepared to remain in a single place for some time and stroll round my house barefoot. These have been the 2 factor I used to be trying ahead to most after greater than 400 days of consecutive journey – having the ability to go barefoot… and easily not transferring for at the least just a few months.
My bicycle tour in Europe and Africa ended after I flew from lovely Poznan, Poland to sunny Southern California and my mother picked me and my bicycle up on the airport. We loaded up the automotive with my few belongings after which drove north for an hour or extra alongside Freeway 1 to my dad and mom’ house in Ventura County.
On the drive again house I noticed a younger bicycle vacationer making his means South on a route that I actually have cycled dozens of instances earlier than. I caught my digicam out the rear window of my mom’s automotive and the younger bike owner struck a pose when he noticed my digicam lens emerge. I keep in mind feeling this fashion myself after I cycled down the California shoreline in 2001 on my very first bicycle tour. It felt like everybody was taking a look at me.
Once we reached Ventura county, it was good to see the inexperienced farm fields I keep in mind so effectively from my youth. A lot of the farmland in my childhood house has been transformed through the years into buying malls and restaurant blocks. However after I consider the place I grew up, it’s these fields (and the mountains within the distance) that I keep in mind most.
The very first thing I did when making it again to my dad and mom’ house was that I went about restarting my motorbike. A year-and-a-half prior I had pushed the motorbike from Utah to California and had been storing the motorbike in my dad and mom’ storage whereas I used to be away and touring in Europe and Africa. However the motorbike was going to be my means house, so I wanted to get it up and working once more… and that’s precisely what I did throughout my first day again in america.
One other factor I used to be trying ahead to about returning house was all of the meals that I used to be unable to search out throughout my travels. I went out to eat with my dad and mom at a restaurant that was a childhood favourite of mine – Eggs N Issues. And I ate at the least 5 bean, cheese and rice burritos throughout my first three days again in California.
I additionally purchased myself a brand new digicam lens simply as quickly as I returned house. I had been carrying two completely different lenses throughout my European and African bicycle excursions, however I had wished a large angle lens so many alternative instances throughout my travels. Within the slender streets of Istanbul and the crowded shack-lined alleys of Africa, I needed to myself hundred of instances that I had had a wide-angle lens so I may higher seize the world that I used to be experiencing.
I spent the primary 20 years of my life in Southern California, so the place is unquestionably my house. However coming again to California after having spent 14 months abroad took some getting used to. Every part in California is so unfold aside and the alternatives which can be accessible are so extremely huge in comparison with what most individuals on the planet have entry to. My journeys to Complete Meals and REI have been a bit mind-boggling at first. There was a lot stuff! And it was so clear and arranged.
Whereas at house with my dad and mom, I spent a while chasing down just a few of my closest buddies that also stay within the space.
Lots of my buddies at the moment are married and have a number of youngsters. Whereas I used to be away, my buddy Travis and his spouse Kelli had a brand new child lady, and so I went to go to them for a day whereas we caught up on all the things we had been doing during the last two years or so.
Earlier than driving my motorbike again to Utah, I wished to ensure the bike was working correctly, so I spent a good period of time using round on my bike. The battery was low after sitting in my dad and mom’ storage for therefore lengthy, so using the bike lengthy and laborious actually helped to convey the bike again to life. It felt unusual using a 450+ pound bicycle after having ridden a 90 lbs bicycle for therefore lengthy earlier than that. My buddy Kim took these footage of me on my motorbike.
I additionally spent a day in Southern California with my outdated highschool and school buddies, Wes and Sharon, and their two youngsters – certainly one of whom I had by no means met earlier than (she had been born whereas I used to be away on my bicycle tour in Europe). We went to the native firework present at the highschool on the Fourth of July and watched an unbelievable firework present with a small group of buddies. I’ve seen tons of of firework exhibits in my life and through my travels, however watching fireworks is actually extra memorable when you may have a gaggle of buddies to share the expertise with.
Throughout one other day in So Cal, my dad and mom and I took a ship out to close by Catalina island and took part in a kayak tour the place they guided us by means of a number of small sea caves and we have been in a position to see sea lions and quite a lot of completely different fish from atop our small boats. My mom, particularly, loved the ocean kayak tour. I had quite a lot of enjoyable too!
One other day I went with my dad and mom to an area road truthful. This truthful has been happening for years within the metropolis the place I’m from, so it was unusual to return to the truthful now and see simply how small and outdated it has turn into. I keep in mind coming to the truthful as a toddler and considering it was the most important, most magical place on earth. Now, as I walked by means of the stalls of video games, rides and meals distributors, I discovered all of it a bit miserable.
After I was house with my dad and mom I obtained a duplicate of a e-book titled, Bizarre Zone: Sports activities. Two pictures that I had taken at a pogo stick competitors have been used within the e-book. It was fairly cool to see my work featured in such a goofy product!
On the finish of my California keep, my dad and mom and sister and I drove as much as the town of Huge Bear, the place we rented a small apartment and spent just a few days exploring the realm. The perfect factor about our keep in Huge Bear was that from the balcony on the again of our apartment we may see a small birds nest with three child birds inside it. The mom chicken would fly away from the nest from time to time and return a couple of minutes later… and this may go on all day lengthy. Sadly, on our final day in Huge Bear, all of the birds disappeared. All three infants have been instantly gone and the mom was nowhere to be discovered. We think about that another chicken or predator within the space got here alongside and ate the infants.
We went bowling in Huge Bear too, which was quite a lot of enjoyable. I used to play on a bowling league after I was in highschool, so I like to bowl, however I don’t do it fairly often now that I’m grown. I’d wish to say I gained the bowling match towards my dad and mom, however I actually don’t keep in mind, nor do I actually care. I do keep in mind, nevertheless, how a lot I loved bowling with my household.
We spent one other day in Huge Bear simply driving across the metropolis and going inside the various vintage shops and eating places. I like to take a look at all of the stuff in these types of shops, however hardly ever ever consider shopping for something.
My favourite day in Huge Bear was when my dad and I went on a protracted stroll up within the mountains. It was such a gorgeous day and I really feel at house within the wilderness more often than not. Cities are nice for some issues, however the open air is the place I actually wish to be.
Lastly, throughout our final day at Huge Bear Lake, my mother and I went stand-up paddling whereas my sister rode in a kayak and my dad stayed on shore. This was my second time stand-up padding… and I had quite a lot of enjoyable circling across the bay whereas the solar set over the mountains behind me. I attempted to race my sister in her kayak, however she kicked my butt.
When it got here time to go away Huge Bear, my dad and mom drove again house and I rode my motorbike in the wrong way. It was now time for me to drive again to my house in Park Metropolis, Utah.
However I didn’t make it very far! After solely about an hour of driving, I got here round a pointy flip within the street whereas I used to be going about 60 miles per hour when rapidly I noticed a bunch of dust and dirt that had been washed throughout the roadway. I slowed down as shortly as I may earlier than hitting the mud patch, but it surely wasn’t sluggish sufficient. After only a second within the mud, my entrance tire slid out from beneath me and the bike fell onto it’s left facet. I crashed down into the pavement straight away after which slid throughout the roadway and into the opposite lane. Fortunately, there weren’t any vehicles coming from the opposite course.
After I fell down, I used to be positive I used to be going to get damage. In spite of everything, I used to be going about 45+ miles per hour and was about to have a 450+ lbs motorbike crash on high of me. That’s why I used to be shocked when after the bike got here to a cease, I used to be in a position to simply rise up and push the motorbike off of me. Apart from a small scratch of my left leg and the truth that my whole left facet was now coated in mud, I used to be completely nice. My motorbike, nevertheless, was not.
The left-rear case of my motorbike was all scratched up and coated in mud; I had damaged the entrance left sheet of plastic/steel that covers my motorbike engine; and I had crashed my left mirror into 100 items. Worst of all, the motorbike wouldn’t begin.
I’m not a bike mechanic. I do not know how these items work. So when the motorbike wouldn’t begin and I spotted I used to be out in the midst of the desert all on my own, I started to fret. Plus, I used to be nonetheless in shock after having crashed my bike in such an excessive means.
Then, one other motorcyclist got here across the nook whereas I used to be making an attempt to repair my bike and he too crashed within the mud. I ran over to assist him. Like me, he was completely nice, however simply as shocked as I used to be. We lifted up his heavy motorbike after which he was on his means.
I ultimately acquired my motorbike working once more after merely taking out the battery after which placing it again in a couple of minutes later. My bike was working, I used to be okay, and I nonetheless had a two-day drive forward of me earlier than I arrived again house in Park Metropolis, Utah. So, I simply stored driving.
I drove previous Las Vegas, Nevada after which spent the evening at this campground close to a lake alongside the roadway. I didn’t pay a single cent to spent the evening there and I woke the next day to finish my drive house.
It felt so unusual to return again house after greater than a year-and-a-half away. Some issues had modified (new roads had been construct, companies had modified, and so on), however the place was all too acquainted. I settled in and started to do all of the issues I had been dreaming of doing for the previous a number of months after I was out on the street and lacking house.
I attended a number of of the summer time concert events within the park – often using over on my bicycle and sitting on my own whereas watching the households and buddies work together with each other.
I rode my bike on all my favourite bicycle trails… and some new ones that had been constructed whereas I used to be away. A brand new path had been made close to my house, so I used to be in a position to experience straight from my home as much as the close by Utah Olympic Park and into the mountains behind it.
One weekend I went with my buddy Jason out to the Uinta Nationwide Forest. We hiked again a brief methods into the woods, arrange camp after which spent the night speaking with each other round an enormous campfire.
My first main venture after returning house was to revamp my not too long ago launched web site at www.gobicycletouring.com. I had began the web site after I was in Turkey and had launched it a number of months later after having cycled to Krakow, Poland. Now, about 6 months later, I had a plan for making the web site even higher, so it took me a great month or extra to make alterations to the web site. In case you are serious about guided or self-guided bicycle excursions, please try the web site. I’ve put quite a lot of work into this venture and I believe you’ll prefer it.
I spent quite a lot of time mountain biking this summer time. The place I stay in Park Metropolis, Utah, there are tons of of miles of mountain bike trails, so it’s a unbelievable place to mountain bike… and I took full benefit of that. Typically I’d experience my mountain bike on the paths instantly behind my house and different instances I’d catch the bus to the far facet of city and go on a mountain bike experience in that space.
I additionally attended a variety of the outside motion pictures that happen in Park Metropolis through the summer time months. Within the photograph under I’m watching a screening of the movie Senna on the Canyons ski resort.
In an try to satisfy extra locals (it may be troublesome to satisfy folks in a vacationer city like Park Metropolis), I went on a guided hike with the folks from Snyderville Fundamental Recreation. It was a brief, simple hike, and it was good to satisfy just a few individuals who stay in and across the Park Metropolis space.
A number of days this summer time I went mountain biking with my buddy Jason. We’d drive over to a close-by downhill mountain bike observe after which spend a pair hours biking as much as the highest of the observe after which racing all the way down to the underside as quick as we probably may. That’s Jason going off a bounce within the photograph under. He’s such a greater mountain biker than I’m. I want I may try this!
One other certainly one of my main tasks this summer time was getting my Dr. Homebrew e-book printed up in paperback format. I had launched the Dr. Homebrew book someday throughout my bicycle tour in Africa (I believe), but it surely wasn’t till I acquired house that I used to be in a position to end the Dr. Homebrew web site and get each the ebooks and the paperback books on the market on Amazon.com.
In case you don’t know, Dr. Homebrew is a venture/story a few beer brewing psychiatrist that I initially thought up whereas I used to be strolling across the metropolis of Lviv, Ukraine in November of 2012. The folks, structure and total vibe of the story is predicated largely on that place.
One other enjoyable factor to do in Park Metropolis, Utah through the summer time months is to attend the Foolish Sunday market on Primary Avenue. I solely went to the market a few times this yr, but it surely’s at all times enjoyable to only stroll round, have a look at the cubicles of meals and objects on the market, and watch the folks out with their family and friends.
I additionally performed some disc golf this summer time with Jason on the Canyons. I’d stroll or experience my bicycle up the mountain to the disc golf course, play a spherical of golf, after which experience the gondola again down the mountain after I was good and drained.
The day after certainly one of my disc golf matches with Jason, I started to have some abdomen ache… and that ache has caught with me for greater than three months now. The ache I used to be experiencing felt much like the ache I had after I acquired sick in Malalane, South Africa earlier this yr, and I feared that I could have picked up a micro organism or some type of parasite after I was in Africa. I acquired examined for tapeworms, Giardia and all types of stuff, however all my checks got here again damaging. Now that the abdomen ache remains to be with me three months later (however has lessened significantly), I believe that after I acquired sick in Africa it could have completed some injury to my gallbladder and that that is the reason for the ache I’ve been experiencing. However I’m probably not positive and I’m nonetheless making an attempt to determine the issue. I’m hoping I’ll simply get up at some point and the ache and signs can be gone. Eek!
Regardless of the abdomen ache I’ve been struggling with, I’ve continued to get open air and be lively. Under, for instance, I spent two days mountaineering within the Uinta Nationwide Forest on my own. I rode my motorbike for about two hours out into some of the distant areas of the park, hiked for a complete day right into a quiet valley full of small ponds and lakes, after which spent the night there, made a fireplace, and camped out beneath the celebs.
Sooner or later within the fall I turned obsessive about desk tennis. I had taken desk tennis classes throughout my time in Poznan, Poland and had had a blast enjoying there, so I wished to proceed my ping-pong goals now that I used to be in Park Metropolis. However discovering a desk to play on and somebody to play towards proved difficult.
I did ultimately discover a desk on the MARC in Park Metropolis and I used to be in a position to drag my buddy Mark to go and play with me from time to time.
Someday whereas driving my motorbike to the MARC to play some desk tennis I noticed this group of younger bicycle vacationers on the nook of a giant intersection in the midst of downtown Park Metropolis. I finished to speak to the group for a second after which took this image.
Listed here are some pictures of me and Mark enjoying desk tennis and climbing on the small climbing wall contained in the MARC constructing.
One other factor I did this summer time was that I acquired a brand new 52-page passport. My outdated passport was almost stuffed to the brim after virtually 10 years of bicycle touring all world wide, so I needed to get a brand new one – particularly since I’ve plans to go bicycle touring in 14 or extra new nations in 2014. So I acquired a very new passport and am enthusiastic about filling it up through the years to return.
Someday I went on a hike with my buddy Caroline Gleich within the Uinta Mountains. My abdomen was killing me on this explicit hike, however I had fun catching up with Caroline, as I hadn’t seen her in additional than two years.
I additionally spent a good period of time this summer time/fall using my motorbike. I want I had completed extra motorbike using, however I did get just a few good rides in whereas the climate was nonetheless heat.
Considered one of my greatest accomplishments this fall was lastly getting my hottest e-book, “The Important Information To Touring Bicycles” printed up in paperback format. For the final three years or so, “The Important Information To Touring Bicycles” has solely been accessible in eBook format, so it felt nice to lastly maintain an actual e-book in my hand.
“The Important Information To Touring Bicycles” is a brief e-book written for people who find themselves new to bicycle touring and are on the lookout for the proper sort of touring bicycle for the kind of bicycle tour(s) during which they hope to take part. As you could or might not know, there are several types of touring bicycles made for several types of bicycle touring, so this e-book helps you determine what sort of touring bicycle to search for, what traits to search for in a great touring bicycle, and an entire lot extra.
I went on a pair hikes with Caroline Gleich this summer time. Someday she and I hiked as much as the highest of a giant outdated mountain within the Huge Cottonwood Canyon space and took pictures and shot video the whole time. It was a unbelievable 10-hour hike with lovely views on the high and unbelievable surroundings the entire day. On the best way down the mountain it began to rain and we almost acquired killed by a charging moose once we stumbled throughout it whereas strolling down the path in the dead of night.
Just a few days after my hike with Caroline, my mom flew out to Utah from California and we drove collectively by means of a snow storm out to Denver, Colorado to go to with my sister. The snow storm that we drove by means of was extremely scary. Due to the snow, it took us two days to get to Denver (as a substitute of 1 – like we had deliberate)… and there have been vehicles and vans crashed everywhere in the roadside as a result of they have been sliding out within the snow. I’ve by no means seen so many crashed vehicles and semi-trucks in my whole life.
As soon as we acquired to Denver, Colorado, my sister took my mother and I to point out us the place she works. My sister works for an inside design firm known as Watson and Co. Listed here are some pictures from contained in the constructing. Fairly cool, proper!?
On our second day in Colorado, my sister and I went on a hike within the close by metropolis of Boulder.
Then we spent the night strolling round downtown Boulder and ate dinner on the Cheesecake Manufacturing facility. I additionally purchased myself a brand new two-string sport kite at a retailer in Boulder, which you will notice in just a few of my upcoming pictures.
After just a few days in Boulder, Colorado with my sister, my mother and I flew again to California on an airplane collectively. Driving up the Pacific Coast Freeway again to my dad and mom’ home in Ventura county, I snapped the photograph under.
Again at house with my dad and mom once more, I visited as soon as extra with my buddies Travis and Kelli and their two children. Travis and his son Mac and I went on a motorbike experience and at ice cream collectively.
Then I took my dad and mom to the park and allow them to fly my new two-string sport kite, which I had bought just some days prior in Boulder, Colorado. Flying a two-string kite is a lot extra enjoyable {that a} one-string kite as a result of you may management it, make it do flips and make it hover simply above the bottom. It’s quite a lot of enjoyable and I believe my dad and mom have been shocked at simply how a lot enjoyable it was to fly that small kite. I’m considering of taking the kite on my subsequent bicycle tour – if I could make room for it.
My dad and mom and I additionally went out to this nice little restaurant in Southern California the place they serve solely recent, natural meals. I can’t keep in mind the title of the place, however after I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich after which acquired this colourful deal with, I used to be over the moon. It tasted so good!
A part of the explanation I used to be at house in Southern California once more as a result of I used to be about to rejoice my thirtieth birthday and my dad and mom didn’t need me to be in Park Metropolis and on their lonesome on my birthday. So I used to be in California with my dad and mom to rejoice! I informed my dad and mom I didn’t need something particular for my birthday, however that I’d like to go to a firing vary and shoot a pair weapons. I had shot pistols for the very first time just a few months prior after I was in Krakow, Poland with my buddy Kasia. However since that point I’ve wished to shoot one thing greater, so I used my thirtieth birthday as a possibility to go and shoot a rifle. It was enjoyable, however there’s no means I’d get into capturing weapons as a daily exercise. Nevertheless, I do suppose it’s a good talent to own – figuring out learn how to load and shoot a gun if want be.
After my quick keep in California, I drove my sisters outdated automotive again to Park Metropolis. Now I’d have a automotive (as a substitute of simply my motorbike), which might turn out to be useful when my buddies Price and Johanna came visiting me through the month of November.
Again in Park Metropolis I went on a variety of quick hikes, flew my new sport kite from time to time, and began enjoying desk tennis at a ping-pong membership down in Salt Lake Metropolis.
My first day on the ping-pong membership was a nightmare, as a result of I acquired completely slaughtered. However after shopping for a brand new, extra skilled paddle, and working towards after I may in Park Metropolis, I shortly acquired higher and was quickly in a position to maintain me personal towards among the membership’s lower-level gamers.
On the finish of October I performed in a desk tennis match and though I got here in second to final, I nonetheless had quite a lot of enjoyable. I’ve been enjoying desk tennis at the least as soon as every week for the final three months. It’s an entire lot of enjoyable!
I’ve additionally been enjoying on a curling workforce each Monday evening for the final three months or so. I’ve by no means completed curling earlier than this yr, however I believed it will be a great way to spend the autumn/winter, so I signed up for a workforce and have been making an attempt my finest ever since.
Curling is an odd sport, however when you begin to get into it and be taught the technique, and so on, it turns into an entire lot of enjoyable. I preferred the folks on my workforce they usually have been affected person and type as I went about studying learn how to curl.
My workforce solely gained a single match the whole season, however I don’t actually care. I discovered lots, met some good folks and had quite a lot of enjoyable.
On the times after I wasn’t enjoying ping-pong or curling on the native ice rink, I’d go skateboarding, mountaineering, mountain bike using. Even because the climate started to vary and the snow started to fall, I’d proceed to get open air in between all the pc work I used to be doing.
On the finish of October I attended the Park Metropolis Howl-o-week occasion on Primary Avenue during which all of the locals costume up in costumes and produce their canine dressed up in costumes as effectively. That is certainly one of my favourite Park Metropolis occasions, so I attempt to attend yearly when I’m at house. My favourite costume from this yr was of the canine with the “Poop Manufacturing facility” constructed round his midsection (See fourth photograph under).
In early November I continued working and acquired out often for some hikes and bikes rides within the Park Metropolis, Utah space. I went on a protracted hike by means of the snow with my buddy Mark at Park Metropolis Mountain Resort…
… and just some days later did one other hike with Mark alongside a 5-mile path that runs from the Park Metropolis space all the way down to the Salt Lake Metropolis valley. I introduced my kite alongside on this hike and confirmed Mark learn how to fly it. I believe he preferred it!
In mid November my buddies Price and Johanna flew from Germany to Salt Lake Metropolis and stayed with me in my apartment for 2 full weeks. It was a blast! Throughout our first few days collectively we drove all the way down to Southern Utah and spent a day mountaineering round Zion Nationwide Park.
The subsequent day we drove to the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon, but it surely was snowing and there have been so many clouds within the air that you may hardly see the Canyon under us. Then, once we have been driving out of the Canyon, there was a lot snow on the street that the automotive was sliding in all places and it was troublesome to remain in charge of the car. It was a bit scary, however it will definitely it stopped snowing and we made it out alive!
On the identical day of our Grand Canyon go to, we handed a younger bicycle traveler named Andre from www.planetapedal.com.br. He’s mentioned that he was in the midst of using his bicycle from Alaska to his house nation of Brazil. He was biking north from the Grand Canyon towards Bryce Canyon and mentioned he would flip round after that and head south towards hotter climate in California and Mexico. Very nice man! It appeared like he was having a good time on the market on his bike and I needed I may have joined him for a day or two of biking.
Later that day we went on a brief hike within the hills above Kanab, Utah. As soon as it acquired darkish, the women and I went to Pizza Hut and Johanna had a root beer for the very first time in her life. She didn’t prefer it and mentioned it tasted like bubble gum. Price doesn’t like root beer both, which I discovered humorous as a result of as an American, I grew up consuming root beer on a regular basis.
The subsequent day our plan was to drive to Bryce Canyon and discover the park for a short time, but it surely began to snow fairly closely throughout our drive to the park, so we deserted that plan and went mountaineering in a rocky space simply off the roadside, about 15 miles earlier than the official entrance to Bryce Canyon.
Then we drove again to Park Metropolis. It was a protracted drive, however we ultimately made it. It was snowing on us virtually the whole time.
Again in Park Metropolis, I took the women on a few of my favourite hikes within the space. This one (under) is within the Summit Park space of Park Metropolis and it was the women’ favourite.
One other day we drove within the automotive out to the Uinta Nationwide Forest and hiked for fairly some time out right into a secluded snowmobile wilderness space. We threw snowballs at each other, performed with my Frisbee, and customarily simply loved the pure Utah wilderness. I want I had had a snowmobile on the time. It might have been a lot enjoyable!
On the women’ final day in Park Metropolis, we went on one other quick hike as much as one of many entrances of the outdated Park Metropolis Silver Mine. We crawled by means of among the outdated mining buildings which can be nonetheless left up there within the mountains after which we ate dinner at a Mexican restaurant on Primary Avenue.
Every evening, Price and Johanna and I’d return to my apartment and play this card sport known as IOTA and eat ice cream round my eating room desk. We even took the cardboard sport with us one time and performed it whereas sipping sizzling chocolate at Park Metropolis Mountain Resort.
After the women left and flew again to Germany, I went again to work. I made a brief video about my Co-Movement Pangea touring bicycle and one other video that demonstrates how my particular touring bicycle could be folded up and positioned inside an airline pleasant journey case, permitting you to fly with the bicycle and never need to pay further charges for transport and/or baggage prices.
Shortly thereafter I completed the paperback model of my new Winter Biking e-book. I began penning this e-book after I was at house in Park Metropolis within the winter of 2011… and I completed writing the e-book greater than a yr later after I was within the snow-covered mountains of Slovakia. For the final yr (most of 2013), the Winter Biking e-book was solely accessible as a PDF eBook, however now the e-book is out there as an eBook, Kindle eBook, iBooks eBook, and as a bodily paperback e-book! The e-book can be accessible in tons of of various nations all world wide because of Amazon.com. Study extra at www.wintercyclingbook.com.
In December the snow started to fall fairly closely. I continued to go on lengthy hikes and bike rides across the metropolis. The photograph under was taken on a freezing chilly hike by means of the snow close to the Canyons Ski Resort.
I additionally continued enjoying with my curling workforce every Monday evening. After I first began curling, I believed it was fairly lame, however after a number of weeks handed, I started to get increasingly into it. Curling this winter was truly quite a lot of enjoyable and I loved attending to know the opposite folks on my workforce.
Within the photograph above is my curling workforce. That’s me on the left, Matt, Barb and Kim.
Under are just a few pictures from a motorbike experience I took on certainly one of my favourite roads in Park Metropolis.
Not too long ago I went on a brief hike out within the Uintas – as soon as once more with my buddy Mark. Mark acquired a brand new job within the state of Texas and goes to be transferring away, so we wished to do one thing enjoyable and outdoorsy earlier than he moved.
Then I printed the paperback model of my fashionable eBook, Stretching For Cyclists. I wrote and put collectively this quick stretching information greater than two years in the past and it has been promoting steadily ever since. That’s my buddy Caroline Gleich on the duvet! As a result of I’ve put a lot focus during the last 6 months into getting my different books into paperback format, I made a decision to print up the stretching e-book as effectively. So it’s completed… and you may seize a duplicate now through Amazon.com. Simply click on right here!
Then, through the center of December, one thing kinda unusual occurred.
My plan was to remain in Park Metropolis till the primary of Could, then lease out my apartment and hit the street on a 6-month bicycle tour in Europe and Asia. However I instantly realized that I didn’t need to spend one other 4 months in Park Metropolis. As a lot as I get pleasure from it right here, I’m able to hit the street once more.
I’ve loved mountaineering and curling and enjoying ping-pong with my new buddies. However I’m the Bicycle Touring Professional and for the final 6 months I haven’t completed any bicycle touring. I need to get again out on the street once more and experience my bike.
So simply final week I discovered a renter for my apartment in Park Metropolis. The girl I discovered is renting my place for a complete yr, which frees me as much as go the place I need and journey how I please.
I’ve determined that for the primary 4 months of the yr I’ll go and go to with my dad and mom, family and friends in Southern California. Then I’ll experience my bike all the way down to Mexico for wherever from 2-6 weeks. Then I’ll come again to California, put together for my 6-month bicycle tour in Europe and Asia, after which go away for that journey in mid Could, 2014.
So plans have shortly modified and I’ll be hitting the street quickly. However there’s nonetheless lots to do whereas I’m in Park Metropolis. I’ve acquired some snowboarding to do (I went snowboarding as soon as already at Deer Valley Resort on their opening day), work to finish, and a few main packing to undertake.
The final 6 months have been nice, however the Bicycle Touring Professional is able to go bicycle touring as soon as once more!
Keep tuned for my subsequent weblog put up as a result of I’ll be saying my lengthy and detailed plans for bike journey in 2014 and I’ll even be letting you already know how one can be a part of me on a few of my bicycle excursions subsequent yr.
So thanks for studying… and keep tuned to BicycleTouringPro.com over the subsequent 12 months (and you’ll want to comply with me on Fb, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest). 2014 goes to be an unbelievable yr for the Bicycle Touring Professional!