Gear: Reflecting about Cycling Mirrors

There was recently a flurry about mirrors on our Facebook Page after I posted an Amazon link to the Take-A-Look mirror. Opinions on mirrors are varied. Some swear by them, others think they are the epitome of Fred-om and a fashion abomination. Say what you will, we think they’re infinitely useful and are an underrated safety tool.

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What is Bicycle Travel?

YouTube version of the video.

Three years ago, almost to the day, we left our then-home of Long Beach, CA, on what would turn out to be a fateful bike trip to Joshua Tree. By the time we had returned home, we knew that we would soon be selling everything we owned and leaving on an incredible adventure. Never would we have dreamt that such a decision would lead us down this amazing path – or that it would open so many opportunities to show the inherent joys of bicycle travel.

A blast from the past. Having a picnic on one of our early tours.

Our time in New Zealand disappeared astoundingly fast, and now we are back in Southern California, figuring out our plans for the rest of this year. While we are still wrapping our heads around everything that happened and all that we learned (particularly in terms of bike economics), we are more convinced than ever of the benefits of bicycle travel.

In another couple weeks, we’ll be heading up to Portland, Oregon, which will be our home base this summer. It may sound counter-intuitive, but we’ve decided to step back from the continuous movement of the past year(s), so that we can promote bicycle travel in new ways and to more people. As we’ve been traveling, we’ve been making hundreds of mental notes about projects we want to work on that would help inspire other people to travel by bike and support bike travel. The time to act on these ideas, we’ve realized, is now.

While we won’t be actively traveling, we’ll still be here on this site, sharing many of the stories that haven’t yet made it online. We’ll also be taking our enthusiasm for bicycle travel off the website and to various events around the US. A lot of the details are still in the works, but you can expect a number of opportunities to meet up and hear us speak.

After 4,000 loaded touring miles on our Bromptons, we also want to share all that we’ve learned about adventure travel on these sturdy little bikes. We’ve been hinting about this book for some time, but we’re committed to finishing it over the next short while. (If there’s something you want to know, email us!)

And don’t forget the videos! The Kiwi Chronicles will certainly not be the last series of short videos we make about bicycle travel. We had an incredible experience filming and creating each of these videos, and we’re looking forward to taking the camera out on a variety of shorter-length trips to show the accessibility of bicycle travel.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we’ve taken some time to think about why bicycle travel is such an incredible way of exploring a place and why someone should consider it. What is bicycle travel? Watch and see.

(Keep our adventures going and the site growing! If you’ve enjoyed our stories, videos and photos over the years, consider buying our ebook Panniers and Peanut Butter, or our 2012 2012 calendar or some of the fun bike-themed t-shirts we’re designing.)

Live Webcam Chat about Touring in New Zealand! -This Wednesday 6pm PST

Have questions about our New Zealand trip that we haven’t answered in a video or a post? Now’s your chance to ask them! We’re going to do an hour long live webcast this Wednesday at 6pm PST. We’ll share with you our “Top 5 Favorite Things” about touring in NZ as well as our “Top 5 Not So Favorite Things” things about NZ. Also we’ll give you some tips about touring in NZ. In an attempt to keep it from being just a talking head show, I’ll be experimenting with a little live studio streaming program that lets us transition in photos and movies : )

We’re using USTREAM for the event. We’ve been digging around for a better option but haven’t found one yet. Here are the critical details:

When: Wednesday at 6pm PST
Where: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/pathlesspedaled
Ask Us Questions:
You’ve got a couple options to ask us questions. You can either:
-go to our USTREAM channel at the time of the event and log on (you’ll need to sign up really quickly with an email address)
-email us your questions in advance and you can just sit back and relax and watch the show.
-you can send in your question via Twitter using the hashtag #PLPNZ

Some quick notes about USTREAM. First, you will be subjected to 30 seconds of advertisement. For this we are truly sorry. Feel free to make a cup of tea or grab some cookies when the inane car commercial is playing. Secondly, it’s more fun when you join the conversation. We’ve been looking for video/group chat option that doesn’t require some sort of log in with no success. Of what we’ve tried, USTREAM asks the least amount of information so please don’t be too put off and join in! It will be fun.

Kiwi Chronicles: Episode 5 – Bicycling in Nelson, New Zealand

In this video we leave Wellington and finally make our way to the South Island. We explore the wonderful town of Nelson, NZ which is one of the most bike-friendly towns we’ve seen in NZ. It doesn’t hurt that it is also New Zealand’s beer capital. Check out more behind the scenes info about the video on our special post on Bicycle Times.

(Keep our adventures going and the site growing! If you’ve enjoyed our stories, videos and photos over the years, consider buying our ebook Panniers and Peanut Butter, or our 2012 2012 calendar or some of the fun bike-themed t-shirts we’re designing.)

Kiwi Short: Frocks on Bikes

We are currently in Christchurch with some down time as we wait for some repair parts. It’s giving me time to work on some videos. I’m starting to edit the next Kiwi Chronicle episode and lamented all this great Frocks on Bikes footage that probably will be cut from it. So instead of just letting it gather digital dust, I had to cut a Kiwi Short. I was feeling pretty down about cycling in New Zealand and Wellington in particular after the International Bike Incident. This gave me some hope again. Everyday cycling in NZ seems to be in its infancy and its groups like Frocks on Bikes that will hopefully help take bicycling from recreation and bring it back to the everyday. In the video is Leah Murphy, one of the founders of Frocks on Bikes which has become a national movement of sorts. Also present is Celia Wade-Brown, the mayor of Wellington.

As you can tell from the video is that it was pretty windy. What you probably can’t tell is how absolutely terrifying the ferry ride was. The seats in the ferry weren’t bolted down and actually started moving during the ride from all the tossing! Everyone was pretty ecstatic to be back on shore and we all decided that riding a few hours into the headwind was more enjoyable than another ferry crossing. What was suppose to be a short picnic ride, turned into some epic riding battling the winds back into Wellington. At one point, three people in front of me and myself included were actually blown into traffic. We got off and had to walk a 100 meters. Surprisingly, everyone kept their spirits high and made it back. Even Celia pedaled all the way back, proving to be a stout cyclist (now if she can only get some more bike lanes in Welly!). Riding with the Frocks, renewed some faith that I had lost in cycling in NZ. It still has a long way to go, but moments like this give me hope.

(Keep our adventures going and the site growing! If you’ve enjoyed our stories, videos and photos over the years, consider buying our ebook Panniers and Peanut Butter, or our 2012 2012 calendar or some of the fun bike-themed t-shirts we’re designing.)

Auckland and Beyond

We’ve had a busy week in Auckland. We were set to leave Auckland on Thursday, but after coffee with some Auckland bicycle advocates we were persuaded to stay until the weekend to witness the first LEGAL crossing of bicycles over the Harbor bridge and we are glad we stayed. The Harbor Bridge (called the “coathanger” by some locals) connects St. Mary’s Bay in Auckland with the North shore and has been completely off limits to cyclists. There has been a growing movement to allow cyclists and pedestrians on the bridge and the Telestra Challenge ride was the first time cyclists were allowed to legally cross it. We volunteered a few days before the ride to help with registration at the University of Auckland campus. It was great fun to volunteer and we got to chat with some local cyclists about biking in Auckland.

The day of the event was a cloudy and blustery one, but it didn’t discourage the 5000 cyclists that showed up to ride. Before the ride started we got to meet Len Brown, the mayor of Auckland and got a short interview on film. He was jovial and affable and seemed like a nice guy trying to make Auckland more livable. One of the highlights of the event was to witness the protective barrier on the bridge formed by buses. It was a stunning sight and highly symbolic of the buses attempts to bridge the gap with cyclists. While it was a one time event, we certainly hope that it opens new minds about adding pedestrian and bicycling facilities.

After the official ride there was a bicycle carnival where we got to meet the Velociteers, Aucklands only synchronized bicycling group. The thing to know about Auckland is that it has a lot of cyclists, but very few who commute or are more everyday riders. Cycling is very much a sport and the idea of bike fun that is easy to take for granted in Portland hasn’t quite taken hold yet in New Zealand. But it is hopeful with groups like the Velociteers and Frocks on Bikes that an every day cycling culture will soon develop. After the end of the official happenings, we had a wonderful time at a cafe with a few of the Velociteers and Frockers.

We soon left Auckland, but not before exploring the cute suburb of Davenport. We rode up to North Head which was once a military installation with a big gun to protect against the Russians. It was beautiful riding and the top of North Head had great views of the city.

Waiheke Island

We hopped a Fullers ferry to Waiheke Island. Fullers is a local ferry operation that also operates buses on the island. They are unusual in that they are making great steps to being bicycle friendly. There is no charge for bicycles and some of their ferries now have indoor bike racks, which we haven’t even seen in the states! When we got to Waiheke, we saw that their buses had a great PSA to look out for cyclists on back. We also heard that they received a shipment of bike racks and would be piloting those soon.

The island of Waiheke is home to beautiful beaches, vineyards and mountain biking trails. On Waiheke you are either going up or down, there is very little flat road on the island. Its a beautiful but can be a challenging place to cycle if you’re not use to hills, but the leg burning is well worth it. The islands roads are a veritable roller coaster and are fun on an loaded bike. The weather hasn’t been very cooperative (where did summer go?) so we didn’t get to do as much riding as we would have liked, but what we did see was spectacular.

Tomorrow we ride out to Orapiu and hop a 360 Discovery Cruises ferry to Coromandel. We’ve heard the ride is beautiful and a great way to enter the peninsula. From Coromandel, our next stops will be Rotorua, Taupo, Napier and then down to Wellington. The holidays are coming so we’re starting to worry a little about accommodations, but since we travel so open ended its hard to make reservations. If you’ve got any leads for homestays in those areas, let us know. Episode 2 of Kiwi Chronicles will be up next Wednesday and its a good one!

(Keep our adventures going and the site growing! If you’ve enjoyed our stories, videos and photos over the years, consider buying our ebook Panniers and Peanut Butter, or our new 2012 calendar or some of the fun zombie apocalypse shirts we’re designing.)

Fall in Oregon

One of the things I never really experienced growing up in Southern California was Fall. For a kid in Los Angeles, I pretty much only remember two seasons: hot summer and warm summer. Concepts like Fall and Spring completely eluded me, except for the fact that, around October, there would be an explosion of orange and yellow in the supermarket or mall. That’s what counts for seasons sometimes. It has been a nice treat to have a real fall in one place and witness the leaves change and the air get crisper every morning.

I dusted off my trusty Surly, the bike that took me through our first 15 months of touring. It needed some air and some minor adjustments but otherwise it was in perfect working condition. Hopping on the Surly after months of riding the Brompton was strange. The bike, at first, felt slow to steer and a little sluggish out of the gate, but after a few miles I remembered why we picked the LHTs in the first place. They are great bikes. Workhorses. The sort of bike I would recommend without reservation. Sure, there are fancier bikes out there with custom doodads, but for a solid and reliable touring bike that won’t break the bank, the LHT is tough to beat.

I’ve been riding up a hill that leads to some radio towers close to Laura’s mom’s house to get my climbing legs back. It’s a decent climb, not too steep, not too long, but enough to get the blood pumping. The roads here are great for cycling. They are small country roads with little traffic and beautiful scenery. The climb up to the radio tower has some twists and turns as it undulates to the top. The trees leaning over the road are changing color and provide pleasant distraction from the climb.

When you reach the crest of the hill there is a small parking lot and dirt roads going in either direction. These are completely closed to traffic and, when you ride, all you hear is the crackle of gravel beneath your tires and your own breathing. In a couple of minutes, you’re completely enveloped by trees and all those worrying voices in your head die down. This is beautiful. As long as there are places like this and as long as you can get to them, you will be alright.

When I feel like I’ve been refreshed, I turn and ride down the hill, letting the brakes go as long as I dare. The Surly is solid beneath me and my eyes start to tear up from the air rushing by. It is still mostly country out here, but the vestiges of human activity and busyness appear.

Before too long, I too am in the thick of it again, sitting behind a computer doing the things we do to keep our trip going. As the colors change from green to orange, we know that a wet grey winter will follow and our hopes are to be in New Zealand soon.

(Keep our adventures going and the site growing! If you’ve enjoyed our stories, videos and photos over the years, consider buying our ebook Panniers and Peanut Butter, or our new 2012 calendar or some of the fun zombie apocalypse shirts we’re designing.)

Of Snakes and Bears

Playing a little catch-up on all the footage. In this episode we finally leave Oregon, but not before having to climb out of the Grand Ronde river valley up Rattlesnake Grade. Rattlesnake Grade is a 13 mile climb with 110 turns and is popular with motorcyclists. Despite it’s rather intimidating name, the riding itself was pleasant. You could hear traffic from a distance and it had good sight lines. (YouTube version)

One Month of Loaded Touring on the Bromptons, or ‘No, it’s not a Bike Friday’

I walked out of the supermarket the other day, pushing my folded and grocery-laden Brompton in front of me. Wheeling it around on the casters, I maneuvered it around the soda machine and the shopping cart return. As I started to put on my helmet and unfold the bike, I heard a now-familiar sound behind me, “Whoa… Is that a bike? That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Riding a Brompton is an invitation to repetitively answer this one question, and to continually blow people’s minds. There’s a moment, when we’re rolling the folded Bromptons through a store or a restaurant, when it’ll click in the head of an onlooker that this funny contraption is actually a bicycle. The tilted head and squinty expression (that betray the confusion and desperate attempt to understand what they’re seeing) fade into a look of awe and amazement. I can honestly say that I love this moment.

Of course, that mind-blowing moment isn’t always followed by a meaningful connection. Sometimes, we get to endure the inane comments and heckling of folks who’ve decided that we must be some sort of fantastic freaks for riding these circus contraptions. Or we have to hand over the bike to some random stranger who absolutely has to pick it up to see how much it weighs (hint: Bromptons are made of metal, just like most other bikes). And then there’s the automatic assumption that they’re Bike Fridays (which is a little maddening – not because we have anything against Bike Fridays, we just wish they hadn’t cornered the US folding bike market).

These random frustrations aside, after a month of traveling on the Bromptons, we’re pretty much pleased as pie. And if you’ve been wondering if they’ve actually lived up to our hopes and expectations, read on.

The first thing we can say about loaded touring on the Bromptons is that we are continually impressed with how well they handle the stress and strain that we heap on them. We are constantly asked about touring on the small wheels and if it makes life more difficult or sluggish – and we can honestly respond in the negative, because they’ve proved themselves to be much more rugged than we imagined.

We’ve lost track of how many mountain passes we’ve climbed up and over. But we haven’t lost track of how many of those we were able to pedal every inch – all of them. We may only have six gears, but it turns out that they’re the right six. Sure, there are times when we wish that we had another gear in the in-between, but we knew about this limitation when we chose the Bromptons, so we’ve learned to work with what we have.

The load capacity is, obviously, much less than our Surlys. In theory, we were thrilled by the need to lighten our load. In practice, we’re still thrilled that we can’t load them up any heavier – and, in fact, we’re continually wishing that we could cull our gear even further.

Rigging the backpack to the back of the saddle has turned out to be a brilliant way to carry gear. Because of the small wheels, the weight of the backpack is low to the ground, keeping the center of gravity low. The backpacks hold a fair amount of stuff, in a streamlined fashion, without getting in the way of our pedal strokes or posture on the saddle. Which all adds up to us hardly noticing that there’s that much weight on the back (except when I load my backpack with food!). Plus, the ability to break everything down into just three pieces (bike, front bag, backpack) has been invaluable for the transit connections we’ve made.

In all, we estimate that we’re each carrying about 50 pounds of gear on the bikes. Like I said, we wish that we could lighten this load a bit – but mainly because we’re just tired of schlepping around a world of stuff, not because we don’t think the Bromptons can handle it. That said, though, 50 pounds of gear is probably at the upper limit of what a Brompton can appropriately handle.

One of the biggest downsides to riding the Bromptons is having to be more careful about road surfaces. They handle fine on smooth gravel or dirt (including most fire roads), but we have to be really cautious of bumps and a washboard surface. We have certainly pushed the Bromptons beyond what might seem prudent (including riding through a 4-mile stretch of highway yesterday that had been torn up to third world conditions), and they have performed admirably so far. But the small wheels don’t roll over obstacles as well as larger wheels do, so vigilance is key. The same goes for railroad crossings!

Oh, and did we mention that it’s really hard to change a tire on a small wheel?!

We both firmly believe that there is no such thing as a perfect bicycle, for touring or anything. What works for us may not work for someone else. After a month on the road, we feel like the Bromptons fit our style of touring really well – which is a slow, meandering style. We like the challenge of being minimalist, and we have no need to be super fast. We like to roll into a town and explore for a few days – and the folding nature of the Bromptons means that they translate beautifully into a city bike. As we look forward to, hopefully, heading overseas in the near future, we’re convinced that the Bromptons are about as perfect (for us) as we could hope to find.

If you’re interested in the particular specs of our Bromptons, read this previous post. If you have any questions we haven’t answered, feel free to comment here or shoot us an email.

POTW – Salvation Mountain

The work of putting together a big coffee table book is slow and arduous, sort of like a really long climb where the end seems nowhere in sight. I’ve decided to put up an image every week from our trip. Sometimes it will have Laura or I in it, sometimes it will be just a beautiful landscape shot. I’ll include a little description of the place and circumstances with each when I post the image. Each image will be available for sale in a variety of sizes and in magnets for the fridge and will go towards our next adventure (this spring!).

Buy a print here!

This is an image of Salvation Mountain, a piece of American folk art created by Leonard Knight that has been made popular by the film Into The Wild. The story goes that over 20 years ago Leonard Knight started building a mountain with cement and paint with the simple message – “God is Love.” He hasn’t stopped since. Salvation Mountain is recognized as sort of an unofficial entrance to Slab City and every year thousands of people make the pilgrimage to see Leonard and Slab City.

We had friends that had been telling us about Slab City for years. Finally, on our trip, we decided to go out there (see our post “The Slabs“). The riding is desolate and dusty. There are few “towns” in the area and we were eating mostly out of convenient stores. There is a “market” in Niland, which is about three miles from Slab City which offered a lot of cheap beer and cheap processed food (which is a godsend when you have no alternative). After loading up in Niland with food and water (there is no running water or electricity at the Slabs), we pedaled off in the direction of Salvation Mountain.

When we arrived it was a slightly overcast day in the desert with dramatic clouds clearing overhead. It made Salvation Mountain and the strange landscape around it seem so much more post-apocalyptic. Leonard, who is in his 80s now, was resting on the back of a painted station wagon. He was showing his age and wasn’t the energetic eccentric we had heard him described who would give long rambling tours of his creation. Despite this, he would still cordially greet people and answer the same questions he had been answering for the last few decades. Someone near us sighed in awe and said, “Leonard is a great man,” and drove away, completing his pilgrimage.

I visited the mountain three times waiting for the light to be just right. I think it was on the second attempt that I got this photo. The clouds were clearing and the sun was hitting Leonard’s creation at just the right angle that the colors popped and the whole thing seemed even more surreal than it was.

Hope you enjoy the photo and the story. Let us know what you think of this new POTW series!