So You're Telling Me There's A Chance...

photo - Chris commuting to the store in a previous snow storm

It's official - we do still live in Colorado. Yesterday the entire state finally got a good dose of that spring snow. I almost forgot what it's like.
Colorado is no stranger to white stuff in spring. Yesterday's storm was considered a blizzard. This winter storm condition can actually be defined and is not just something that the media invented to spice-up newscasts. The last March blizzard that struck was in 2003 and dumped over 30 inches.
A blizzard is defined as: a sever winter storm with low temperatures, strong winds, and heavy lowing snow. It is formed when a high pressure system clashes with low pressure. This causes advection: The transfer of a property of the atmosphere, such as heat, cold, or humidity, by the horizontal movement of an air mass (taken from the freedictionary.com). Blizzards occur in many different regions across the US and Canada. This type of weather also affects Russia and areas of northern Europe.
OK, so what does this have to do with bicycling and the picture above? Simple, we can put our studded tires back on - yeah!

Here's to moon-boots and snowcaves,
LK

Sharing is Caring

Just a short one:

Chris passed his teacher certification exam. We can't call him Mr. K until he actually gets a job.

Leslie got her first article published in print. Check out There and Back magazine at your local REI.

Peace!
LK

Otago Anniversary

I looked on the calendar this morning and noticed that today is Otago Anniversary. Otago is a region on the South Island of New Zealand where we spent a lot of time during our bicycle tour. One of our favorite adventures was the Otago Rail Trail. We figured that it was an area that not many travelers found their way through. For us, it was a very 'authentic' experience.

The map below is our route on the Otago Rail Trail. Each point on the map links to a blog for that day.

By the way - Otago Anniversary celebrates the day that Scottish explorers landed at Port Chalmers, the major port for the city of Dunedin.


View Larger Map

Have fun,
LK

Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow

I haven't actually read the book (authored by Marsha Sinetar)- the title just rings in my head from time to time. Since we've returned home from our adventure, it rings a little louder.

Our new path is starting to come together. I've got a few projects going (maps and writing) and Chris is awaiting is test results for teacher certification. We're still learning how to be patient, but know that life takes time and we just need to see how it undfolds.

Last week Chris joined me on my singletrack business trip. I had to pinch myself a few times when I realized that I was actually working. The riding in Arizona was spectacular and I had my fair share of "geeked-out" moments. I'm really excited about this particular project because I get to combine two of my favorite things; bicycles and maps.

Here's to coloring our parachutes,

LK

Monday, Monday

We're back from the desert after making a one day push from Flagstaff, AZ. Stay tuned for the details about the singletrack business trip.

Laundry Day

No road trip is complete without one.

Saguaro Wonderland

March 11, 2009
22.3 miles
3:57:00
6.0 mph

Saguaro Wonderland – that’s what the bumper sticker for our local KOA campground reads. I think I would have to agree. For the last two days we have been riding amongst these large tree-like cacti. Luckily, both of us have managed to keep the rubber side down. There is not much room for mistake is this prickly landscape.
The saguaro (pronounced, “saw-wah-roh”) is native to the Sonoran Desert. This ecosystem is found in Arizona, small parts of California, and two states in Mexico. The tall, green, and spiny cactus have a lifespan of up to 150 years and can take half that time to develop their side arms. Saguaros bloom in April and May and, with the pollination from bats, bear fruit in June. Different varieties of birds make their homes in saguaros. Some do the actual excavating, others just move in later. Harming this cactus species is against the law, so think twice before you build a house in a saguaro forest.
We’ll be moving on tomorrow to the southern sections of the Black Canyon Trail. I can’t begin to describe how much I’ve enjoyed the trail thus far. You can’t imagine the commitment and dedication that it takes to design, build, and sustain a trail like this. My hat is off to everyone involved. If your interest is piqued, visit the Black Canyon Trail Coalition’s website. And if you’re ever down this way, stop and check it out.

Steering clear of the cactus so far,
LK

Black Canyon Trail

03/10/09
26.4 miles
4:30 minutes

We arrived in AZ yesterday under cloudy skies, and winds trying to blow us off the road. The tent site we scored at the KOA in Rock Springs was out of the wind and close to the bathrooms. SCORE! Our camping location was perfect since it is located only 5 minutes from the trailhead for the Black Canyon Trail. The trail is relatively new and currently has only 20 miles of the projected 60 miles built. I think that they could stop at 20, give themselves a pat on the back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. The trail is a tight, twisty singletrack that only interrupts itself for the occasional crossing of the Agua Fria River. The river wasn’t too cold, but it did provide us with some wrinkled feet once our shoes finally came off. We rode a southern section of the trail as an out and back. And enjoyed every minute of it. We managed to burn through a gallon of water each with each of us taking our last sips as we arrived back at home base. I even had a rear flat that was a slow enough leaker I was able to make it back to the KOA and change it in the shade. The only mishap we had today was our lack of sunscreen and the resulting farmer burns on our arms. Tomorrow we go and ride a ten mile section of the northern route and will probably reach the end of the road for current trail construction. They tacked on a 1000 feet last Saturday, so we may have first tread on the new part. Doubtful, but we shall see.
Evidently there is a Café in town here famous for its pies. I will do my duty and give a full report on those at a later date.
CK

Road Trip!

A Road Trip? It's all part of the job. Man, it's great to be back on the road. Stay tuned...

Back To Work

Yes, it's true, I have gone back to work. My goal after returning home from our trip was to start my own GIS business. See this link for more info on Bluebird GIS.

As part of my research for one of my current projects, I've been tinkering with web maps. As many of you know, Google is one of the heavy hitters when it comes to simple maps on-line. To illustrate, I've created a very basic map with our stops in Croatia. Click on any of the little green bicycles (in addition to a couple of boats and a train) to link to our photos and/or blog that specific day. *Please note that the pop-ups of information are slightly larger than the map view.

Have Fun!


View Larger Map

A Tale of Two Bands

We had a wonderful visit to Eagle County over the weekend. We stayed in Vail and found our schedule revolving around hiking and music.
Saturday was all about the North Trail and a Bluegrass band named Hardscrabble. The hiking was great - bluebird skies and 50 degrees. The band was even better. And I’m definitely more inspired to work on my goal to learn the banjo. I wonder if Banjovi gives lessons?

Sunday was a little more edgy. Picture sideways beanies and baggy pants mixed with fur trimmed hats and one piece suits. Once you’ve got that vision, add some loud and fast head-banging music in the background. This was our treat after snowshoeing up Beaver Creek Mountain to catch The Nothings. Fronted by one of the Hardscrabble friends, this punk band definitely had the afternoon snow crowd captivated. My favorite tune was Chunks of You in My Stool...

Here’s to strings in the Rockies,
LK

My Wonderful World - Want to Join the Cause?

Way back when we started this bicycle adventure around the globe, we had a few goals in mind. They were simple; travel the world, promote geography, and inspire people to ride bicycles. As I now sit here, three months after the conclusion, trying to compile a book about our journey, I find myself focusing in the second goal - promote geography. Sounds kind of boring, huh? My answer is no, but I'm a geography geek.

Acutally, I wish there were more "geo geeks" out there. According to a 2006 survey, young americans are lacking basic geographic knowledge, but consider it "very important" for their careers. Considering that the subject of geography is the only core subject that does not receive funding under the No Child Left Behind Act, one might start to understand where the deficiency begins.

The 2006 Roper Survey was part of the inspiration for our trip. We now understand that promoting geography is a life long pursuit. We plan to continue our part through the publishing of a book, future bicycle touring expeditions, and continued blog ramblings. We encourage you to get involved as well. Here are a few ways to "go geo":

My Wonderful World website: http://mywonderfulworld.org/

Get A Map: http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/maps.html

Notify Lawmakers: http://capwiz.com/mywonderfulworld/issues/alert/?alertid=12670406&type=ML

Go on a trip: local, regional, or international. Explore your world!

Thank you. This has been a public service announcement from the Bicycle Geography Crew.

LK

Is it Really Winter?

Sun and singletrack...in February.

Vote for Chris!

A few weeks ago we found this great bicycle tour and expedition company called Tour d'Afrique. They were advertising employment opportunities and we decided to put our hats in the ring. It's one of a few "irons" in the fire currently. If things progress, we'd be joining the crew for the inaugural Vuelta Sudamericana (Tour of South America) this summer. The company shares our passion for bicycles and travel; two things necessary for our inspired living.

In the meantime, we've submitted an entry for Tour d'Afrique's 'Tales From the Saddle' contest. As you know, we had a few 'tales' from our trip. It was a hard decision (not really) and, in the end, we chose the Laos brothel experience.

If you are so inclined, please read and vote for the entry here: http://tourdafrique.com/scripts/contest/articles/48/1/Beer-Buddhas-andBrothels/Page1.html.

Most votes = bicycle trip for Chris!

Thanks for supporting your Bicycle Geography crew,

LK and CK

Explore Your National Parks...by Bicycle

Check out this video from IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association). It speaks to the great opportunity we have to support mountain biking in the National Park System. Enjoy! LK

Landscapes.Culture.Travel.Bicycles

Happy Monday.

The Wide Eyed World Photo Galleries have been updated. Take a look when you get a chance.

http://www.lesliekehmeier.com/ - click the Portfolio link to access the galleries.

Enjoy!

LK

Tunes: The Greatest Hits of Bicycle Geography

I love music. I’ve loved it since I was a kid and I’ll even admit to liking Air Supply back in the day. Both Chris and I took iPods on our Bicycle Geography adventure and listened to them frequently. In the beginning, the music was a connection to home but as the trip progressed the soundtrack expanded. It’s fun to cue it up now because I can transport myself instantly to that certain time and place.


Flower Duet – Opera Greatest Hits
I first heard this song at a bed and breakfast in Ecuador. It’s my ultimate travel theme song.
1234 – Fiest
This song was popular on KBCO before we left for New Zealand
Outside – Staind
Playing on the platform when we bungy jumped over the Waikato River in New Zealand
Fight Outta You - Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
This kept me motivated when I was really homesick at the beginning of the trip
Bubbly – Colbie Caillat
I swear we heard this song multiple times a everyday in New Zealand
Breakdown - Jack Johnson
An original song of inspiration while planning our trip
What You Thought You Need - Jack Johnson
A song we could identify with as we traveled
Losing Keys – Jack Johnson
I hit the repeat button on this song constantly in Southeast Asia. And yes, I love Jack Johnson
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
We were trying to figure the words to this song one day after climbing at Greyrock in Colorado
Papa Dukie and the Mud People – The Subdudes
Opening band at the Joe Cocker 'At Home in Colorado' Concert
Crumble – G.Love and Special Sauce
I listened to this on a rest day near Crested Butte, Colorado. I dragged my sleeping mat out of the tent and watched the clouds drift by for most of the afternoon
Handlebars – The Flobots
The song our friend Scott had stuck in his head when we rode up Cottonwood Pass in Colorado
Lovely Day – Bill Withers
After drinking a few shots of schnapps with our host at the B&B in Croatia, this song started to play. Everything was allllright…
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon
See day 383
Don’t Believe in Love – Dido
On the radio in the car while we toured Barcelona
Give A Little Bit – Supertramp
Cruising in a convertible with our friend from Barcelona after having a wonderful tapas night. It is his mother’s favorite band and a fitting song for our time with him.
Bicycle Race – Queen
Just a cool song

Live, Learn, and Listen to Music,
LK

ps - link to the playlist here (opens iTunes)

Mixed Master (More Like Mixed Rookie)

As I try to lead an inspired life, I try to do new things or change my perception of old things. Yesterday I did both – I tried mixed climbing.

Cue up the Beastie Boys…

Mixed climbing is essentially the act (or art) of ascending a route where the climber encounters both rock and ice. Using the technique of drytooling, the climber works his/her way up a rock face with crampons and ice tools. In climbing seasons past I had never wanted to give it a try; it looked scary and I thought it was beyond my capabilities. I was always focused on the ice, my technique, and getting to the top of the climb. Yesterday I got about half-way up the route before I merged onto the pillar with a climber from another group. He was leading his route and I decided to give him the right-of-way on the narrow pillar. As I was lowered back down, I noticed marks on the rock face to the left of the ice. “Maybe I’ll try this mixed thing” I said to Chris. His eyes lit up and he started rapping, to no particular song, “Mixed master, mixed master….” After a few desperate attempts and some pumped forearms, I was back on the ground. I had managed to make some upward progress, but nothing to write home about. What I did gain was some unexpected confidence.
I have just finished a book entitled Forces of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul, and, of course, Surfing. It is a how-to book by Laird Hamilton on his approach to life and living. Towards the beginning of the text Laird talks about the “the joy of being a beginner”. “Trying something for the first time, you may think that you’ve just been fumbling around for a few hours. But in truth, you’ve worked your brain, your nervous system-your entire body-more than you know.”
I never did make it to the top of the route on any of my laps. And for once, it didn’t matter. I tried something new and opened my mind to the possibility that my climbing, as well as other things in my life, have a lot of potential.

Trying new things,
LK

thanks to my good friend Chris for the picture of me mixing it up

The Sun, Sea, and a Few Bicycle Taxis

Cabo Style

We’ve just spent a week tanning our cans at the tip of Baja California. It’s been five years since my last visit. While a lot about Los Cabos has changed, many things remianed the same. The salsa is fresh, the smiles are big, and you’re always up for the sunrise.
Cabo is located on the tip of Baja California Sur. It falls below 28 degrees latitude and comprises over 28,000 square miles (accounting for 3.57% of Mexico’s land mass). The entire peninsula is over 800 miles long and is only 26 miles wide at its narrowest width. With a 2005 population of over 500,000, the state is known mainly for its fishing, agriculture, and tourism.
I made my first trip to Baja in 1993 when the area was on the fresh end of the tourist boom. I was a sophomore in college and nothing pleased me more than to bake in the sun and eat guacamole. Fifteen years and a lifetime of travel later I’ve returned to discover Cabo in a whole new light. I’m not sure if it’s the time that has passed or just a change in the way I travel. With a camera in hand, I traversed the city streets to try and capture the essence of everyday life. In the end, I found much of what I found on our global bicycle tour – people doing their thing, in their own unique environment.

Enjoy the photos,
LK

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bicyclegeography/sets/72157612971057489/

The Adventure Blog

I found this post last week while checking some of our blog statistics. The Adventure Blog keeps a pulse on all sorts of adventures going on around the globe. We are flattered that they took the time to write about us.

http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/bicycle-geography-cycling-around-world.html

Looks like we need more adventures on the horizon...

LK