Pedaling

I love traveling by bicycle. Whether it is pedaling across the bridge into Portland or touring the greenways of the Twin Cities, I love being able to use my own strength and energy to propel my bike forward. You arrive perhaps more tired than when you left but you travel at a human pace, knowing exactly how you got there. When pedaling along, you can observe your surroundings in detail and stop whenever you want, wherever you want at a moment's notice. You feel the air, the sun, the rain, you smell the sweetness of late spring. Sometimes, of course, you are fighting against the wind, and you can't avoid the occasional smell of festering roadkill. But whether gliding easily down a hill or working your tired legs to get back up, you feel alive and connected to the world as you pass through it. The bumps in the road, the sounds of birds and trucks, the deer crashing through the wooded roadside, you get to hear and feel and see so much more than if you are just passing through in a car.

Last weekend we embarked on our first bike tour with Amos. It may have been our first bike tour since we rode across the United States seven years ago! I have been wanting to explore the Eastern Trail and this section crosses the street less than a quarter mile from our house. In Southern Maine, the route goes from South Portland to the border of New Hampshire. It is part of the East Coast Greenway that goes all the way from Key West, Florida to Calais, Maine along roads and trails.

We had near perfect weather on our two day trip. The sun was warm but the route was shaded with sweet smelling piney woods. From South Portland to Kennebunk, most of the route is on trails which used to be part of a railroad and is now occupied by a natural gas pipeline and shared with bicyclists, walkers, and runners. Most of the trails are packed dirt, which, except for a few soft spots, was fine for the tires of my touring bike. Bridges take you over many of the major roads, though there is some navigating through the streets of Saco and Biddeford and few other areas. Signs for the east coast greenway marked almost every turn which made it easy to follow the route. We brought a trail map but barely used it, so, of course we missed the one turn that wasn't marked. After going a little off the route we were able to find the trail again without too much trouble.

Amos seems to enjoy traveling in our bike trailer, pulled behind Ray's bicycle, much more than sitting in a car seat on a long drive. We stopped a few times each day for snacks, lunch, and to stretch, rest and play. It was easy to stop along the trails but on the roads it was trickier to find places to stop since most people probably don't want strangers picnicking on their lawn. For several miles, while we searched for a place we could take a break, I imagined that more people should build benches on the edge of their lawns or put up signs, "Feel free to take a break here." But most people don't travel for miles without a car looking for a source of water and a flat shady spot to rest.

Our bike touring doesn't take us to very remote areas, but when you are a few hours or more from home with most everything you need in your panniers and trailer, you feel lighter, your only responsibility is to pedal, take care of your body, and enjoy your surroundings. When traveling by bicycle I feel a greater sense of trust that everything will work out because sometimes you have no other choice. Our relatively smooth travel was derailed, literally, when Ray's chain got stuck in his crank. We weren't sure if we would be able to go on so Amos and I had ate peanut butter and jam sandwiches next to someone's mail box while Ray tried to pull the chain unstuck. On this short tour close to home Ray didn't pack tools or a repair kit. We could have called someone to come pick us up but luckily our trip didn't have to end there. Our unexpected rescuer pulled into his driveway, next to our picnic spot. He had a set of allen wrenches in his trunk, as if he helped stranded cyclists all the time, and Ray was able to fix his chain.

Other than the trouble Amos had falling asleep in the tent (10 pm, toddler running around, pulling hair, climbing over sleeping bags) the rest of the trip went very smoothly. We biked from South Portland to Berwick and back, about 50 miles each way. I hope that we have many more family bike tours ahead of us. There are so many places to pedal and roads to see.

Recent Travels

I love the way travel gives us a break from the sinks full of dishes, from the same paths we walk every week and from the internet. It is an opportunity to keep my eyes open and to absorb the the colors and shapes I've not yet seen, the new fields and skies, the hills, curves and dips of new roads. We exchange the comfort of the same bed every night and a bathroom just down the hall for the excitement of foreign landscapes, unpredictable weather, and journeying together.

On our ten (or eleven?) day trip we drove about 2700 miles. First, away from Minnesota through South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and then back eastward through North Dakota. We spent a lot of time taking in the almost endless expanses of green fields and blue skies through the car windows. For three of the days, we hardly drove at all while we enjoyed the comfort of a visit with family. We walked as much as we could around the awesome and strange geology of the Badlands and Yellowstone National Park. We spent far too much time trying to coax Amos to sleep in the tent but each day brought new gifts that more than made up for these rough nights.

It was impossible to resist trying to capture some of these places in photographs. I had our DSLR, my phone and my old Pentax 2000 loaded with 400 speed film but even with all this, I find myself most connected to the images I captured in my mind. I wanted to remember the visions of rushing waterfalls, shuffling, grazing bison, snowy mountain peaks and a mama bear with her cubs. But it wasn't just the sunlight, the colors, the unmatchable beauty of nature that made these sights so worthwhile. There were just as many memories that the camera would never quite contain. The three of us enjoying our time together so thoroughly while Ray and I did our best to make the challenges easier for each other. Feeling the relief that the storm was gone and the sun was finally shining in the Badlands and remembering how hard we laughed as we sat in the car and watched the wind and rain flatten the tent we had just set up. Walking among the plumes of geyser steam lit by the setting sun, long after Amos should have been asleep.

By themselves, the pictures I took may be worth 1000 words. Being in them was worth so much more.

 

Back from our long weekend in Colorado. I loved seeing the mountains, long scenic drives, a slow hike through fields, forests and hills, enjoying a very un-fancy picnic, watching an elk from a few feet away, and spending the weekend with Ray. It is always amazing to see and experience new places and perspectives.

My Essentials for Travel

Tomorrow morning I am hopping on a plan to join Ray in Denver, Colorado where he has been working all week. We're spending a long weekend near the mountains. I frequently dream of traveling and really enjoy it when I actually go places. I've been lucky enough to travel somewhat regularly and I've learned a lot from visiting new places. As I pack up to go I am trying to keep in mind some of the things I've learned from previous travel experiences. Here are a few of my travel essentials.

1. I always bring a book to read but I also love just staring out the window, day dreaming, and taking in the scenery. I might bring my knitting so I can do something useful while I stare.

2. I always bring a book to write in. On long trips I try to write about my experiences every day, on short trips I bring it just in case I feel like writing.

3. I finally made a portable placemat for us to use. I'm sad to say that I haven't traveled with this before, but it is light, organized and I'm really excited that we'll have reusable utensils and napkins whenever we need them. I hate using disposable utensils and a cloth napkin can always come in handy. I know this will be perfect for us to use on bike or car trips but I'm bringing it for a test run this time. This placemat holds two sets of utensils and two napkins (I'll be adding some placemats for two to my shop next week)!

4. Camera. I'm not always good about taking pictures while traveling, it is challenging to find a balance between experiencing and capturing an experience. I love taking photos, though, so I want to get better at photographing while traveling.

5. Reusable mug. I love my Kleen Canteen mug because it works perfectly as a water bottle, too. I try to bring it wherever and whenever I am on the go so I don't have to waste paper or plastic when I'm thirsty (or need something warm to drink).

6. I love this little suitcase. It was my grandmother's overnight bag complete with locking closures and her initials near the handle. It fits everything I need for a weekend, it's easy to carry though the airport and fits in the overhead compartments of an airplane so much better than the rolling suitcases everyone tries to cram in.

One more thing I've learned to bring with me: snacks. I tend to overlook the need to eat and pretend that I'll be okay but then I get so hungry that I don't enjoy myself. I learned this lesson the hard way when I was in France and after visited Monet's gardens at Giverny I soon realized I was starving and couldn't stay as long as I would have liked. That was a long time ago, but I try to keep this in mind when I am away from home.

Where do you want to go on your next trip and what essentials will you bring?

A Little Adventure

It was a somewhat rainy weekend for camping, but perfect for taking a leisurely hike, having a picnic lunch and reading a new book in our cozy tent. Fortunately the rain let up so we could be mesmerized by a campfire, eat smores, and enjoy the company of good friends. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. I'll be back soon with a new recipe!

Summer Festivities

My brother, Stuart, and sister, Natalie were visiting for a few days last week. I took them to see some of the local sights.

We went swimming, grilled vegetables and polenta (so good when it gets nice and crispy), ate dinner outside, ate ice cream, played games, and I got to be a bit of tourist in the place where I live.

On Saturday we rented a couple of bikes for them from Nice Ride and pedaled to the Tour de Fat. They tried out all of the crazy bicycles in what amounted to a bicycle side show. It was really nice to have them here, even during the hot hot weather. I loved having a few days off to enjoy summer and spend time with my sibling visitors.

Last night Ray and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary. We tried grilling pizza for the first time. It did not come out perfectly, but it tasted really good. We ate on the steps outside our back door, enjoying the evening light and neighborhood sounds. While we ate the pizza, a cherry and blueberry crisp baked on the grill's residual heat. Ah, summer evenings! I'm soaking them in as much as I can before they disappear.

How have you been enjoying summer?

A Day Off

Today was an unexpected day off for me. It started with pancakes.

I did a bit of work, but decided that in honor of an unplanned day, Ray and I decided we should stop working and go on an adventure.

We walked by a river in a lush green park (with tons of other people out enjoying the day, too).

We hopped in this little buggy and took a ride around. It was a silly, but perfect for our spontaneous outing.

The weather was very summery and I couldn't resist making a batch of strawberry creme fraiche sherbet.

Now I am going to spend the rest of the evening not working. I hope you had a nice start to your week, too!

Exploring on Two Wheels

Spring has been slow to arrive, but we had a gorgeous day on Sunday which was perfect for a bike ride. The air was slightly cool but the sun was bright and I warmed up as I was pedaling. In the winter I am much less eager to travel by bicycle but once I go for my first ride of the spring I remember how much I love it. 

We rode west through St Paul across the river into Minneapolis where we had a chance to explore the mid town greenway. I had heard of the greenway but didn't really even know what it was until we got on the trail. I love following a trail when I'm not exactly sure where it will go or what I will encounter. We zipped past some art installations, over a bridge just for people on foot or on a bicycle, and rode to the edge of the lakes which are also ringed with paths for walking and pedaling. I love bicycling because it is fast enough that you can explore easily but slow enough to take in the scenery.

Although I don't think that is necessary to have separate bike path to get where you want to go, it can be pretty fun especially when you can pedal along without worrying about traffic. There were plenty of other cyclists out, though, which made for great people on bicycles watching. We passed by community gardens, a bike shop on the greenway, and lots of different styles and types of bikes.

I guess it was the gift of gorgeous weather but the ride felt a bit magical -- discovering new places not far from where we live, seeing other people out, enjoying the feeling of traveling that way. Did you know that pedaling a bicycle is the most efficient way for a human to travel?

I came across these gorgeous bicycles that are grown and built in San Francisco. Such a cool idea! Sometimes I think about designing some bicycle bags. I would eventually like to try, but there are already some pretty nice ones out there.

What is your favorite way to travel and explore?

Returning to a New Year.

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you have to be somewhere important and you are continually side tracked, distracted, and delayed from reaching the place you need to get to?  During our two weeks of traveling and visiting as many friends and family members as we could fit in each day, I occasionally thought of these dreams. While sleeping, these visions are confusing, disorienting and frustrating but when I am awake, I realize that not taking the exact route or schedule that you thought you would is just part of life.

On the day we had originally planned to reach Ray's parent's house in New Jersey, we found ourselves in Portland enjoying a delicious dinner with dear friends. When we thought we were flying back to Minnesota, we instead boarded a train to Chicago, then another train, and got home more than a day later (although train travel is slow, it is roomier and more relaxed than any other long distance motorized transport I have experienced). I'm not always the greatest at going with it when plans change, but sometimes better things come than what I had expected.

The travel and vacation gave me lots of time to read and also to think about goals and plans for 2011. Clearly making plans and setting goals doesn't mean I will end up exactly where I think I will, but I do like the end of one year and the beginning of another as a chance to reflect and find a fresh start going forward. Of course I have at least 20 things I want to do better or do more of, but I've written down a few goals that I hope to really focus on. In the next few days I'll be getting organized, started on new things, and back to my sewing machine. I'll see you next week!

*This photo was taken by Ray at a stopover in Albany, NY. Thanks for letting me post it here, dear!

In the past couple of weeks I've been spending time in the quite woods by a lake. 

 

Jumping in and swimming.

Attending nightly showings of the sunset.



Splashing in cold, cold, clear water.



Watching the clouds go by.

I hope you've been enjoying summer, wherever you find it.

Hello? Sorry I've been out of touch, I hope you are still out there, lovely readers!  Its been a couple of months since I was last here.  My time away was filled with new places, new faces and a lot of learning experiences.  Costa Rica was amazingly beautiful, hot and humid, and filled with new sounds and sights.  You can read more about the adventures Ray and I had here.

We spent our the first month of our trip at Rancho Mastatal where we were temporarily part of a hard working community that was lots of fun.  We helped work on projects, such as: building with wattle and daub, framing simple walls, building compost piles, making a wooden counter for a sink, baking bread, fermenting foods, cooking meals, transplanting into swales, digging ditches, making glasses out of soda bottles, and picking mangoes from tall trees.  I learned new skills which I can't wait to use and improve and was really inspired by all of the projects that they incorporate into their efforts to live sustainably.

 We are back in Maine for a couple of months until our move to the mid-west.  I am excited to share some of the things that I have learned with you, but I admit that I might not be reporting here as much as I would like to until later in the summer.  There are a few things I would like to do soon, though, like making ginger beer, and I will keep you posted!

San Francisco and Beyond

Thanks for your comments and observations on our little city and home.  The traveling portion of this year has begun, for Ray and I.  We just spent a week exploring San Francisco.  Eating lots of great food, walking all over the city, crossing bridges, sitting in cafes, visiting my sister Caroline and also seeing friends.  It was a very full week and I'm grateful to have the chance to explore a city that I don't know very well.  In a couple of days we will get on another plane to Costa Rica where we will be for six weeks volunteering and exploring a new part of the world.

After eating many wonderful restaurant meals last week, I found myself in a bookstore admiring books on food and cooking which reminded of how very much I love to cook and grow and create.  Traveling opens my senses to new tastes, ideas, languages and creative possibilities.  I will be back here to share these sometime in May.  Until then, we hope to occasionally share some stories of our time in Costa Rica over at our travel blog.  Feel free to check it out and until I see you again here, safe journeys.