1987 and 2020

Sharon and I have talked about this often. Whenever we look back on all adventures, our fondest memories are of our first really big trip…a two month long bicycle tour back in the summer of 1987. For years I had known that if I pursued a career as a pastor, I would spend one year as an “intern” or “vicar” serving in a large congregation. As there was a stipend involved with that position, for one glorious summer I could entertain the possibility of traveling instead of taking a job to pay for school. Oh – the possibilities! For years I traveled the world in my mind. I pondered paddling the 2,600 mile length of the Mackenzie River all the way to the Arctic Ocean. I dreamed of getting a small sailboat and sailing around Lake Superior. I considered through hiking the Appalachian Trail…well, at least part of the AT! Prior to the internet (yes children – there was a time when information was only available in books!) I read countless books and dreamed endless dreams.

Then Sharon and I met, married and started dreaming together. Since we both loved biking, eventually we settled on a plan to travel by bicycle for an entire summer. After lots of discussion a trip along the east coast of the US and Canada seemed to be a practical and affordable destination. That decision, the planning that followed, and the trip itself set a pattern that would form the foundation of a life time of travel and adventure.

Once we’d settled on the destination, maps quickly covered the walls of our tiny apartment. Newly discovered information led to endless discussions on the pros and cons of various routes, places we’d like to visit, and time tables. We considered gear choices and decided what we wanted, what we really needed, and what we could safely leave at home. We looked at what gear we could afford, what gear we could make ourselves, and what we would have to buy. Over the course of many months, we prepared our bikes, gear, and bodies. During the preparation and the trip itself, we learned some valuable lessons.

• It’s not necessary to have every last detail nailed down ahead of time! We had a general route with a few specific destinations in mind. Once on the road however, we needed to be flexible with our route and time table to account for our health, the weather, the people we met, new information, etc. It worked beautifully. To this day we still prefer to follow what we call the “no plan” plan! This pretty much guarantees that whatever happens, we know everything will go according to “plan”. Much less stress!
• Preparation is part of the fun…not just a necessary evil. For close to two years prior to departure, we had fun planning and daydreaming about our trip. It gave purpose to our daily riding routine and gave us a goal to work towards. Imagining the trip ahead of time allowed us to enjoy the trip twice…the one we dreamed about and then the journey itself.
• It really is about the journey, not just the destination. This particular journey started the moment we decided to take a bike trip. The joy this trip brought us came not just from having “done it” but all the memories we have of “doing” it. Every day was an adventure in itself.

I’ve been thinking about this a great deal recently because we are currently in the planning phase of a new trip. Some time back Sharon casually dropped one of her bombshells. “We should take a bike trip in Europe!” Never mind that we hadn’t bike toured in forever. (For all that we love about northern AZ – road biking is nowhere on the list). Never mind all the reasons why it would be difficult or impractical. It took me about five seconds to consider and agree “Let’s do it!” At first, the plan was vague. “Let’s go to Europe, ride our bikes and camp along the way.” After nine months of dreaming, talking, and researching, our no plan “plan” has assumed only a slightly more defined amoebic form. One way tickets. Probably 3-4 months. Probably leaving in May…or June…or July. Probably starting someplace in the UK. Definitely revisiting Norway. Definitely (well, probably) crossing into the EU proper at some point. So, really, just a few tiny details left to sort and we’re ready to go!

It’s been an exciting process. Over the years we’ve met and made friends from all over the world. They’ve offered some great insights and perspectives. After doing tons of research (thank you internet) turns out 3-4 months isn’t going to be nearly long enough to come close to seeing all that there is to see. Decisions, decisions!

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I finally upgraded my 32 year old road bike. It is still in perfect working order – but spare parts are no longer available. That can be a problem one the road. We now have a matching set of Kona Sutra touring bikes – AMAZING! I’m still planning on using some of our original panniers, complemented by some new Ortliebs. I’m excited to ditch the 8 lb mountaineering tent that served as our home first time around. Instead, we’re using the same ultralightweight tent that served us so well on our JMT hike. Air mattresses instead of “barely there” foam pads will be luxury. This time we’ll have all the information in the universe at our fingertips as we travel.We have the time (and wisdom) to embrace a more relaxed mileage schedule to take into account our status as “mature” adults. I like how our “no plan” is shaping up.

Now that the family fun and busy-ness surrounding the holidays is behind us, I think I’ll probably dredge up some old photos and share details of our first bike tour. It will be fun to take a tour down that particular memory lane. And as the no plan for this summer comes together, I’ll share that as well.

Hope you’ve had a great 2019 and have big plans to seize the carp this coming year.