Tag: Bicycle Travel

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Share the Road – Three ways to make traveling safer for everyone.

As a cyclist, I’m constantly amazed at the poor behavior and bad judgment displayed by many drivers. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re not one of these drivers, and for that I thank you. Despite my time spent walking on glaciers and hanging on the sides of rock walls, nothing in my life is scarier or makes me feel more vulnerable than riding my bike on a busy road.   The number one reason most commuters don’t cycle is because of safety. Sharing doesn’t even begin to express the experience of what it’s like to occupy the same space as an object twenty times my size, moving over four times as fast. If you’re a recreational cyclist, a commuter, or a sometime tourist, most likely you know what I mean. Whether you’re pedaling a bicycle or piloting an automobile, it’s clear that the playing field is not even. The next time you who find yourself behind the wheel or in the passenger seat, remember these three simple ways to help open the roads and make traveling a safer experience for everyone. Continue reading “Share the Road – Three ways to make traveling safer for everyone.”

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Moving Pictures

If you read our last post, or are friends with us on the Facebook – Instagram, you already know I managed to put together a short video for submission into the Adventure CyclingAssociation’s Bicycle Touring Video contest.  If not, then, well, I did.  While I have a pretty extensive history with some aspects of photography and relatively none with videography, this was my first real attempt at putting together a project that, while I might not consider it professional, it was intended for public consumption, and while the equipment I used was largely amateur, it is hands down the most advanced and highest quality I’ve used to date, and I’d like to think the film’s content and quality reflects that, at least a little.  If you haven’t yet seen the video, or would like to hear a little more about my experience in putting it all together, then read on.

Continue reading “Moving Pictures”

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10 Reasons to Adopt the Bike and Go Car-Free.

People love lists and why shouldn’t they.  If we want to make a decision about something we need some concrete facts, plus, when you write stuff down with numbers next to it, it looks orderly and scientific, so it must be reputable!  If you’re already on the fence, here ya go, this should pull you over one way or the other.

Continue reading “10 Reasons to Adopt the Bike and Go Car-Free.”

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Lessons Learned

We each want to progress, to learn and improve.  Each generation is not only lucky enough to build upon the efforts of those before us, but we too act, practice and refine our thoughts, our crafts, and our lives to be more in line with an evolving world view.  As climbers and adventurers we strike off, in an effort to learn more about life by experiencing it in extremes.  As we scratch the surface, the experiences call us back again and again, and soon we become more proficient and comfortable with the logistics, trouble, and physical hardship that often go along with these trips.  We learn from friends and relatives, books and movies, and of course our own personal adventures.  Certain disciplines call us, whether it be bouldering or alpine climbing, creek-boating or surfing, as the specialists we are we devour this lifestyle completely, striving to understand every angle and aspect of it’s execution.  Along the way we come to understand more about ourselves and the world, and subsequently the relationship between each.

This concept of bicycle-powered adventure is not new, and there are seemingly more and more resources appearing every day on it’s subject.  While I do not claim much experience from my limited adventures, from the meager amount I’ve learned along the way, I do wish to add my voice to the chorus of encouragement.  Truth is this is all still so new to me, and although we’ve been living the bicycle-life for about two and a half years, I constantly find myself exploring new aspects that keep it fresh, challenging, and exciting.  This was the first trip I’ve ever done that involved skis, only the second that involved snow, and the first that involved multiple stages of shipping gear.  In an effort to clear away some of the confusion, and help with the logistics of your own ride, I wanted to share as much of this knowledge as I can, in hopes that you’ll be able to take it one step farther, while doing it easier.  While in no way comprehensive, chronological, or even ordered, what’s below is one part trip report, one part advice, and three parts rambling rhetoric, enjoy.

Continue reading “Lessons Learned”

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The Sawtooth Scenic Byway

I’ve been sitting here for too long already.  I want to tell you the story, but this one’s not easy, and more to the point, it’s not yet over.  The adventure continues to expand, and exceed all expectations. No words are doing justice to the feelings we’ve had, it seems I’ll have to let the photo’s do the talking this time.  What is the message?  It is not about the no-car, it is not about the bike.  It isn’t even about the mountains or the adventure, although that’s getting closer to the source.  You can live any way you choose: dream big, do good, be kind.  Do Epic Shit.  Live with passion and be the force for positive change.  Create the world, the reality you want to inhabit. Live your Dreams.

Continue reading “The Sawtooth Scenic Byway”

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Unfolding on its own.

The first leg of this trip was really only an introduction , a prelude, things seem to be much more under way at this stage.  Traveling from SLC to Ogden, and riding across the desolate landscape north of the Great Salt Lake was surreal, grueling, and amazing.  Making it to City of Rocks and climbing for a handful of days was rewarding, rejuvenating, and inspiring.  After leaving The City we got dumped on by cold rain, snow, and a biting headwind, the scene was rugged and as we contemplated transitioning to the higher-trafficked narrow-shouldered road with numb fingers and toes, Calvin the mechanical bull ride maker pulled up with his trailer and offered a ride into Twin Falls, we were happy to oblige.  A well earned and much needed night in a motel room gave us the chance to chill out, wash up, and hold palaver over the road ahead.  We cut out all that we reasonably could, leaving only ski gear with the hope we could borrow or find anything else we might need.  Unbound from our Beasts of Burden, we rolled easily on out of town, spending a night in the Shoshone town park.  Another day and we’ve made it to Ketchum, completely stoked to be at the doorstep to these beautiful mountains.  It looks like a town day is in order as some weather rolls through over the next couple days.  The climb to Galena Summit, Stanley, and the Sawtooths lay ahead, and we’re psyched for it all.

Continue reading “Unfolding on its own.”

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Front Door Expeditions

It’s amazing how much planning and preparation can go into an idea you’re not even sure will succeed.  Starting an expedition from your front door, you never really know how far you’ll make it.  To sputter to a stop, achieving failure before you even make it out of the neighborhood is always a possibility, and a constant fear. This trip has been in the works for some time: evolving, growing, changing.  First we were riding west, then south, now north, every idea and adventure has been thought through, and what we’re left with is what we’ve got.  Hatched in the mind of Alta, the possibilities and prospects of this trip seemed endless, climbing, skiing, desert, mountains, anything is possible.  Now we’ve made it out into the world, out of one reality and into another.  Ever so slowly we will separate ourselves from this reality, from friends, family and the rest of society.  It’s taken a week but we’ve made it this far, to a friends house in Ogden ready to start our ride.  Last minute errands for gear, a food drop, and other non essentials and we managed to schlep our junk show onto the train and catch a ride out of SLC.  I’m not above this level of help.  This is not a trip, an adventure, a vacation or a sufferfest, it is my life and it will be all of those things.  Getting JB on this trip will be rewarding but separating him and myself from our previous reality at Alta will be challenging.  We’ve got over 25 days to get to Boise and enough gear to have some fun along the way.  City of Rocks is our first destination that I’m hoping will take two to three days.  The impressive Sawtooth mountains await along with another 200+ mile ride to Stanley.  Wilderness and solitude call as we stand on the edge of the Utah valley. We’re finally hitting the road today and I just wanted to pass it along here, keep in touch if you can, your words of stoke and encouragement mean a lot to us.  FACETAGRAM will be in full effect @natureofmotion.  It’s amazing how much planning and preparation can go into an idea you’re not even sure will succeed.  Starting an expedition from your front door, you never really know how far you’ll make it.  To sputter to a stop, achieving failure before you even make it out of the neighborhood is always a possibility, and a constant fear. This trip has been in the works for some time: evolving, growing, changing.  First we were riding west, then south, now north, every idea and adventure has been thought through, and what we’re left with is what we’ve got.  Hatched in the mind of Alta, the possibilities and prospects of this trip seemed endless, climbing, skiing, desert, mountains, anything is possible.  Now we’ve made it out into the world, out of one reality and into another.  Ever so slowly we will separate ourselves from this reality, from friends, family and the rest of society.  It’s taken a week but we’ve made it this far, to a friends house in Ogden ready to start our ride.  Last minute errands for gear, a food drop, and other non essentials and we managed to schlep our junk show onto the train and catch a ride out of SLC.  I’m not above this level of help.  This is not a trip, an adventure, a vacation or a sufferfest, it is my life and it will be all of those things.  Getting JB on this trip will be rewarding but separating him and myself from our previous reality at Alta will be challenging.  We’ve got over 25 days to get to Boise and enough gear to have some fun along the way.  City of Rocks is our first destination that I’m hoping will take two to three days.  The impressive Sawtooth mountains await along with another 200+ mile ride to Stanley.  Wilderness and solitude call as we stand on the edge of the Utah valley. We’re finally hitting the road today and I just wanted to pass it along here, keep in touch if you can, your words of stoke and encouragement mean a lot to us.  FACETAGRAM is in full effect @natureofmotion, I’ll be throwing pictures up there when we can.  See y’all on the other side. I’ll be throwing pictures up there when we can.  See y’all on the other side.