The story of how we saved money, quit our jobs, sold our possessions, and set off to bicycle tour and travel around the world

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Alaska / Canada / USA
5-3-08 to present
Index to all pages

New Zealand
9-16-07 to 5-2-08
Index to all pages

Australia
9-15-06 to 9 -16 - 07
Index to all pages

SE Asia / China
11-22-04 to 9-15-06
Index to all pages

South America
6-3-03 to 6-17-04
Index to all pages

North & Central America
3-30-02 to 4-17-03
Index to all Pages

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Equipment Pages Index

Introduction
How Much to Bring and Weight
Some Advise About Advise
A Note to Perspective Sponsors and Gear Suppliers

START HERE for Touring Bikes and Commuting Bicycles
Bicycle Touring Frames 
The Steel Repair Myth.
Steel and Aluminum Derailleur Hanger Repair.
Bicycle Touring Wheels
Phil Wood: The Best Bicycle Hubs

Panniers / Bike Bags
Cargo Trailers Vs Panniers
Tires for Bike Tours..
Bicycle Touring Saddles.
Cindie's Women's Specific Bike Touring Saddles
Brooks Leather Touring Bicycle Saddle Care and Conditioning
Bike Computer
Touring Handlebars, Bar Ends, Adjustable Stems, and Padded Grips.
Sealed Cartridge Headsets

Camping
Buying Camping Equipment
Tent and Ground Cloth
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Camp Stove
Pots and Pans
Water Filter

Clothing
Bike Touring Shorts

Health and First Aide

Electrical
Short-wave Radio
Computer
Internet
mp3

Books
Packing list
Pictures of Equipment Failures
Shopping

Movie

The first day down the road was exciting and crazy.  It was March, 30, 2002.  Despite all of our planning and preparations we still ended up staying up all night the evening before we were to depart.    This was compounded by the fact that Cindie had just flew back from Alaska the very day we had to stay up and Tim had very little sleep the previous night because he had to get up at 4 am in order to sell the RV.  Needless to say when our big day finally arrived all we wanted to do was sleep.  This lack of sleep would play a mean trick on us later in the day.

The problem was that we had a lot of trouble getting all of our stuff to fit on two touring bicycles.  The biggest culprit was the fact that we simply bought to much food and rather than throw it away we carried it.  After all, the way for us to go the furthest is not to ride faster but to spend less money.  Our daily mileage dropped but so has our spending. 

The send off that our local friends gave us was terrific.  We were running late and we had finally resorted to just cramming in our gear into our bags and wobbling up the hill to the restaurant where we were supposed to meet everyone.  When we walk up the doors flew open and we pushed our bikes inside.  (this restaurant is owned by a couple who have a son that rode with us.)  Once inside everyone broke out in a big round of applause.  I was not sure why.  We had not really done anything yet except pile more on a bicycle than anyone had ever seen before.  We set the bikes against the wall.  Everyone congregated around them and had a contest to see if anyone could pick up Tim's bike.  Few, if any, could.  We nervously ate and wondered what the day would bring.  Sadly we felt like we were unable to visit with everyone.   Some of our friends we had not seen in a while and it would have been nice to have a long conversation with them.  We talked to as many friends as we could and saw that it was time to head to the courthouse. 

At the courthouse even more people were showing up.  We were a bit speechless but we soon climbed on our bikes for what seemed the first time and started down the longest road we will ever ride.  A road that will take years to reach the end and bring countless good and bad times to us.  No one ever said that thinking "outside the box" would ever be easy. 

Once we got rolling the first true test of the feasibility of our grand plan was about to be played out.  This test was whether or not we could make it over the mountain passes that separated us from the much flatter Phoenix to Tucson valley areas.  We knew that if we could reach the flat land that we would not be seeing another big climb for over a week.  By the next mountain climb we would have much less food and our bodies would be in better condition.  The big concern was that we both had not ridden much in the past several months and we were facing this physical challenge in an untrained state.  Looking back on the pictures from that day it was clear that we both had also gained a fair amount of weight.  One more thing to haul over the mountain. 

The bikes were packed poorly and therefore handled very badly.  Everyone politely kept their distance because we both had only limited control over the heavy bikes and would veer or even swerve from side to side.  I could tell that our friends, now riding up the first climb with us, were getting concerned for our safety.   It was even suggested that we camp just out of town and have a feast to lighten our load. 

We started out riding with about 25 of our cyclist friends but as we got further out of town they turned off to go on other rides.  Some had mountain bike plans others went on a long road ride.  We knew that all the paths that they were taking led back to the same place and comfortable lives.  Our road led somewhere else.  Someplace that we had only seen on maps and guide books.  We parted with the last of our escort in Wilhoit. And then there were two.  We were now going to always be strangers in town and just passing through.   

At Peeples Valley Tim finally pushed his bike into the grass and laid down to rest.  He quickly fell into a deep sleep.  When we were getting ready to go the last few (up hill) miles to Yarnell Tim noticed that he was badly sunburned and there were GOAT HEADS on his jersey.  If you are unfamiliar with goat heads they are natures imitation of those metal spike things that the police through under the bad guys car tire to puncture a hole.  They tend to grow in the high desert and are feared by all cyclists.  We fear them to.  Sure enough when we inspected our tires Tim found one pushed in pretty hard.  When he pulled it out, we heard the familiar hiss sound indicating our first flat tire just hours after we started. 

We were tired from our first real athletic effort in months, the searing sun, the predictable headwinds, but now we have to pull everything off Tim's bike and try to find the necessary items in order to fix his flat. 

In the end we made it to camp on BLM land just outside Yarnell for a twelve hour sleep.

Cindie packing during our "all nighter" just a few hours before we left Cindie and friends riding up the Spars The final goodbye at the Prescott Courthouse Tim We are really wondering if we can pedal these things up the first 4 mile hill We made - our first camp just outside Yarnell on free BLM land

1North and
Central America
3-30-02 to 4-17-03

2 South America
6-3-03 to 6-17-04

3 SE Asia / China
11-22-04 to
9-15-06

4 Australia
9-15-06 to 9-15-07

(Before March 30, 2002)
Life in Prescott Arizona, USA

Cindie's Daily Journals
Life in Prescott Arizona

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Good bye Letter

Other essays by Tim
About Us
Our Bicycle Wedding
Riding In Prescott
Hiking in Arizona
Favorite Bike Movies
The Great Zorr Dog
Life in a $500 RV
The Plan
Good bye Letter

(March 30 - May 12, 2002)
The States of Arizona, USA
Prescott to Douglas, Arizona

Cindie's Daily Journals
Cindie's Journal in Arizona, USA

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Our first week Down the Road!
Enjoying Arizona
Heading into Mexico

Other essays by Tim
The Day We Left
Lost Dutchman Mine
Ghost Towns
Tombstone
Chiricahua National Monument
Portal Arizona
Backpacking in the Chiricahua Mountains
Apache Wars

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page for Arizona Pictures

(May 13 - 31, 2002)
The States of Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico
Agua Prieta to Cuauhtemoc, Mexico

Cindie's Daily Journals
The States of Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Greetings from Mexico!

Other essays by Tim
The Problems with the Border Area Between Mexico and the USA
Paquime Ruins Casas Grandes, Mexico
Barranca del Cobre or Copper Canyon

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico Pictures

(June 1 - July 17, 2002)
The States of Zacatecas and Guanajuato, Mexico
Zacatecas to Guanajuato, Mexico

Cindie's Daily Journals
The States of Zacatecas and Guanajuato, Mexico

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Hello Guanajuato
Adios Guanajuato

Other essays by Tim
One Fine Day Down The Road
Learning Spanish at Casa Mexicana in Guanajuato, Mexico
Cindie's Car Crash: a Mexican Experience Guanajuato, Mexico

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Zacatecas and Guanajuato Pictures

(July 18 - Aug 22, 2002)
The State of Michoacan, Mexico
Guanajuato to Toluca, Mexico

Cindie's Daily Journals
The State of Michoacan, Mexico

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
The Great Secret of Michoacan!
Toluca

Other essays by Tim
Into the Mist State of Michoacan, Mexico

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Michoacan, Mexico Pictures

(Aug. 23 - Sept. 17, 2002)
The States of Mexico and Morelos, Mexico
Toluca to Amecameca, Mexico

Cindie's Daily Journals
The States of Mexico and Morelos

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
So Close to Mexico City Yet So Far From Anything

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of The States of Mexico and Morelos, Mexico Pictures

(September 18 - 27, 2002)
Mexico City Area
Including the ruins of Teotihuacan
Mexico City, Mexico

Cindie's Daily Journals
Mexico City Area

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Six Months Down the Road

Other essays by Tim
Looking Deep Into the Eyes of a Thief Mexico City Metro (subway)
The Velodrome in Mexico City

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Mexico City Area Pictures

(Oct.  12 - Nov. 8, 2002)
The States of Tabasco and Chiapas, Mexico
Villahermosa, Tabasco to Cuauhtemoc Chiapas, Mexico

Cindie's Daily Journals
The States of Tabasco and Chiapas, Mexico

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Our Final Weeks in Mexico

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Tabasco and Chiapas, Mexico Pictures

(Dec 2 - 15, 2002)
Guatemala #1: The Highlands
Quetzaltenango to Antigua

Cindie's Daily Journals
Guatemala #1 The Highlands

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Guatemala: Riding Through the Highlands
Guatemala: From Paradise to Despair

Other Pages Tim Made
Escuela de Idioma Español Utatlan, Spanish Immersion School in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Guatemala #1 Pictures

(Dec. 16, 2002 - Jan. 6, 2003)
Guatemala #2: Northeast Towards the Caribbean
Antigua to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala

Cindie's Daily Journals
Guatemala #2: Heading Northeast Towards the Caribbean

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Antigua, Guatemala to the Sea

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Guatemala #2 Pictures

(January 7 - 31, 2003)
Honduras
From the Guatemalan Border to the Nicaraguan Border

Cindie's Daily Journals
Honduras

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Honduras: From the Guatemalan Border to the Nicaraguan Border

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Honduras Pictures

(Feb. 1 - 19, 2003)
Nicaragua
From the Honduras Border to the Costa Rican Border

Cindie's Daily Journals
Nicaragua

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Nicaragua: Travels Through a Troubled Land

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Nicaragua Pictures

(Feb. 21 - March 14, 2003)
Costa Rica #1
La Cruz to Rancho Mastatal, Costa Rica

Cindie's Daily Journals
Costa Rica #1

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Costa Rica #1 (incomplete)

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Costa Rica #1 Pictures

(March 15 - April 10, 2003)
Costa Rica #2
Manual Antonio to Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica

Cindie's Daily Journals
Costa Rica #2

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Costa Rica #2 (incomplete)

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Costa Rica #2 Pictures

(April 12 - 17, 2003)
Panama
Panama City, Panama

Cindie's Daily Journals
Panama

Tim's Emailed Newsletters (Join  List)
Panama (Incomplete)

Best Place to see Pictures
Thumbnail Page of Panama Pictures

1North and
Central America
3-30-02 to 4-17-03

2 South America
6-3-03 to 6-17-04

3 SE Asia / China
11-22-04 to
9-15-06

4 Australia
9-15-06 to 9-15-07

How to Buy a Used or New Custom Touring Bicycle and existing Bike Upgrade Guide.

What years on the road have taught us.