Not all who wander are lost. — J.R.R. Tolkien
Wandering is where the magic happens. Deliberate or purposeful wandering creates most of the excitement, adventure, makes for the best experiences.
On Deliberate Wandering
cycle touring
Travelogue: Recollections from the Precipice
Standing on the precipice of time at the end of one year and the beginning of another, I can see the final glimmerings 2017’s twilight falling into the darkness behind me while 2018 lays just ahead in the pre-dawn light. In a moment’s pause, I look over my shoulder to cast a few final furtive backward glances into the looking glass before moving on. Who are you? What have you done with the time given you? Where will you go and what will you do with the time remaining?
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My Hybrid Long-Distance Setup
One of the most often asked questions I receive from the people I meet along the way and on my blog is, “What and how do you carry all of your stuff?”
To share with other riders who are interested in how other bicycle travelers, or at least how one other traveler sets up their/his rig, I’ve put together a few points on the kit I travel with, how I carry it, the basic method I used to determine the two in the hopes other riders will benefit.
Travelogue: Katsura River Sunset
With the autumn closing in, the evening temperatures dropped quickly. The first pockets of crisp night air bit at our noses as we made our way along the banks of the Katsura River.
The landscape grew a deep gold. Looking back over my left shoulder, I caught a glimpse of the sun’s light fading. There’s a certain feeling I get when I look to the west while the sun is setting.
Adventure Setup for Kyoto Japan
As Shanghai sets into late autumn and golden leaves begin to fall, adventure calls. Destination: Historic Kyoto, Japan.
Kyoto is an excellent cycling destination. Bicycles are an integral part of the residents’ personal transportation. Travel websites tout the city is one of the most bicycle-friendly in Japan. So, the cycling should be fairly relaxed and easy.
Below is a quick rundown of our base plan and the setup.
Cycling Leaping Tiger Gorge
The angry, pulsating brown water thundering past mere feet away resonated at my very core. At narrowest point of Leaping Tiger Gorge, the full force of the Jinsha Jiang or “Golden Sanded River” coursed past me in a naked display of raw aggression. I had never seen such power or stood in such close proximity to so much unbridled energy. The raging power and fury of the Jinsha resonated on a primal level.
Travelogue: Fire in the Sky
Up before the dawn, getting ready to go. The house is quiet, my family sleeps. Rising in the darkness to hit the road early. Down a cup of hot coffee and dress in warm clothes. Out the door and up the street to meet the day.
Laboring over the pedals, generating speed. Off the road and onto a dirt path. Frost coated gravel crunching under my wheels. Crisp autumn air biting my cheeks and stinging in my throat.
I looked up and turned my head toward the east. Fire in the sky, glowing orange, and yellow, a burning ember. Camera in hand, I straddle the bike and make a picture, capture the moment. Nevada sunrises are among the best I’ve seen.
