Will I ever meet THE ONE?
Nearly every social interaction I have had for the last 3 weeks begins with one simple question. “Solita?(alone?)” followed by porque (why?). I can be entirely oblivious to my single, one woman status and all of a sudden I am all boo hoo hoo very [...]
How To Practice Gratitude, Cycling and Meditation
Just a few months back, I was tossed like a ragdoll after getting hit by a bus miraculously suffering nothing more than a mildly bruised arm, a couple of shredded fingernails and destroying a bunch of expensive replaceable gear. The vivid memory drifts into my [...]
Peru…Photos and Gringos
Absolutely beautiful kind old woman who I befriended today. She grabbed my hands gesturing hello and tapped me on the shoulder with a huge grin when I met her on the street twice today! “Gringo (foreigner in a disparaging sense)” I hear growled [...]
I’ve Got Boobs, I’ve Got A Bike
Happy International Women's Day (IWD)! Check out the many updates on the WOW (Women On Wheels) Wall! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I've Got Boobs, I've Got A Bike (an article written for the IWD 2014 website) "Solita? A woman alone?" The middle aged Chilean man asks. His faded [...]
Why I Love Bicycle Touring
On the muddy road to Uyuni, Bolivia (4100m/13400ft) on the third day of 24hr/day of non-stop freezing rain/hail I decide while significantly stuck in the mud that about all I can do is practice positivity. I start laughing when my altitude frazzled brain decides [...]
Are You A Traveler or A Cyclist?
“You have got to love a family guy who goes on holiday to the campground in Salta Argentina with every tool possible.” I say as I clap my hands together in gratitude as I wonder how I can thank him for his generosity. Sparks begin [...]
Mashismo and Cyclismo…Don’t let It Be Dismal!
“Are you alone (solita)?” The aging man´s face wrinkles into the mid morning glare. The scent of fresh daily bread fills the shop. The man raises his hand and begins to wag his index finger in disapproval. Like an itch I can not scratch people [...]
How Long Is Too Long For A Bicycle Tour?
The grass is always greener, I reason to myself as I find myself missing family and friends back home. The nephews and nieces, who have learned how to walk, run and dance in my absence. My friend´s new homes I have never visited. Recently, I [...]
Have You Thrown Your Egg Today?
As I stand on the street corner in Puerto Natales, Chile, my pockets bulging with a roll of duct tape and zip ties, my eyes catch a glipse of a shiny royal blue bus, the big hard metal beast that drove into me at 94 [...]
Hit By A Bus In Patagonia
A friend of mine once told me ´the reason you get to cycle around the world is because you have a team of angels with you but to never forget that even angels wings get tired of flapping sometimes´´ I laughed back then but today [...]