March 2023

It’s been seven months since we returned from our Turkey/Eastern Europe bike tour. It has also been seven months since I’ve put pen to paper – so to speak. This is not for lack of material. The past seven months have been filled with wonderful adventures in interesting places with many of the awesome people we are privileged to call family and friends. It simply occurs to me that not everything needs to be shared. Sharon and I have been happily seizing the carp, and I expect/hope many of you have been doing the same. In the meantime, the blog has remained happily dormant. Now however, we are a few days away from getting back to “life behind bars!” On Tuesday (3/21) we are boarding another transatlantic flight with bikes and gear (hopefully) in tow. We are beyond excited, and it seems like the right time to awaken the blog. As we’ve done previously, I will generally try to post updates every Sunday. And, as in the past, you’ll be able to find a link on Facebook. Although if you scroll down, you will find an opportunity to subscribe. All you have to do is add your email. Then, every time there is an update, a link to the blog will magically appear in your inbox. As our grand daughter likes to say, “easy peasy lemon squeezy!” We would love to have you join us on our journey.

The Plan. Last August (2022) we left the Czech Republic on a (cheaper than one-way) round trip ticket. After probably hundreds of hours of talking, poring over maps, reading trip reports, researching different routes – our massively detailed plan is…arrive in Lisbon, Portugal and head south. Yep – That’s it! Well, we are going to spend a few days in Lisbon with some good friends. And technically, we’ve planned far enough ahead to know that we’re going to head south – until we either have to turn left or keep heading south into Morocco. Beyond that it gets a little fuzzy. We have friends we’ve met on previous trips who live in Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and England. If the stars align, it would be an amazing treat to visit with any of them. That could influence our route. Our only fixed date so far is July 4th. That’s the day we fly home from London – on yet another round trip ticket. (Do you see a pattern emerging?) As of right now though, we have no real idea how we’re going to get there. I guess you’ll just have to tune in and find out along with us.

Bike Prep. We’ve spent a third of the past 2 1/2 years on our bicycles, fully loaded for touring. By the time we arrived in Flagstaff last summer, they definitely needed some lovin’. That meant lots of quality garage time. Both bikes were fitted with all new cables, housings, brake disks, brake pads, chains, rear cogs, front chainrings, bottom bracket bearings, and handlebar tape. Index shifting was meticulously adjusted (thank you Calvin from Park Tools at Youtube University). A broken brake level needed to be replaced (mine). Sharon received upgraded (and much improved) Shimano shifters. Both our rear wheels had developed cracks on the rims. Sharon’s rim was replaced by the manufacturer and rebuilt by a local bike shop. My rear wheel received all new, properly tensioned spokes. That along with a new, wider tire will hopefully prevent the broken spoke saga of last summer. They still look old, but under the hood they are fresh and ready to roll…just like us I suppose! It was tough getting my head around the idea that all those parts are sort of considered “consumable” items.

Gear Prep. We have honed our gear list over the years, so not much changes from trip to trip. We are very much into “if it ain’t broke!” That’s not to say we didn’t have decisions to make and choices to ponder. Our much loved and well-used tent was one item that needed some consideration. It was not as consistently waterproof as one would like, so we went down the rabbit hole of looking at possible replacements. There are tons of cool designs out there. Turns out many were stupid expensive. For others, the uber lightweight butterfly wing and fairy dust fabric didn’t seem designed for a hundred plus nights/year of use. After much research and discussion, we decided to stick with our beloved REI Halfdome Plus. Hopefully, the miracle coatings and chemicals we added will ensure reliably dry nights. Other than that, a few worn-out items were replaced. Several pieces of gear that saw too little use were left behind. We wrestled again with the constant battle to find sleeping pads that don’t need constant patching. As of late Saturday night, bikes and gear are mostly packed.

General Prep. Given the crazy winter we’ve had in northern AZ, with almost twelve feet of snow here in flagstaff – there hasn’t been much opportunity for biking. We’ve both stayed active, but it looks like we will be riding ourselves into shape a bit on this trip. Speaking of twelve feet of snow, part of our general prep has involved shoveling lots of snow – often. It has also involved home repairs related to the aforementioned snow – and ice dams – and water infiltration. Beyond the snow (did I mention almost twelve feet of snow?) there are the more mundane issues. We needed to make sure all health related issues have been adressed. Doctor’s visits, medications, travel insurance, vaccinations, etc. have all been seen to. There have been countless financial details that need attention while we’re in town and state side. Now that our “to-do” list has gradually dwindled though, we’ve also tried to make the most of our remaining time in Flag. That means getting outside whenever possible. It also means getting together with friends for lunch, with Sharon’s Trail Diva crew for an evening of games and snacks, babysitting Evia so Mom and Dad could go skiing, and so on.

No doubt – we will miss Flagstaff. But as John Muir once said, “The world’s big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.” So off we go! Until next week from Lisbon (and beyond) – Seize the Carp!