Backpacking in Oregon

Posted on March 1, 2018 by The Wandering Nomads

Quick and dirty (photo) guide to three of the most popular backpacking trips in Oregon including the 50-60 mile Sisters loop (depending on your route), forty mile Mount Hood loop, and a choose your own adventure through the Eagle Caps.

Eagle Caps

The Eagle Caps are the least visited (and most beautiful) mountains in Eastern Oregon, hours away from any big cities. My best friend and I did a wonderful forty mile loop there this summer, and I’m excited to explore more of the hundreds of trails in the year to come! Sleeping at glacier lake and hiking up Eagle Cap were the highlights of our trip.

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From La Grande to Astoria and What’s Up Next

Posted on February 12, 2018 by The Wandering Nomads

It’s been a while since I’ve checked in so I figured I would catch y’all up on our last year since New Zealand before we begin our next cycling adventure through Oman in just a few weeks!

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Gear, Routes, and Rings: Honeymooning in New Zealand

Posted on January 10, 2017 by The Wandering Nomads

“Let the dream devour your life so that the life does not devour your dream.”

Kevin and I are currently sitting at the airport in Sydney waiting for our final flight of the day which will bring us to Auckland, New Zealand, where we will begin our three month cycle touring honeymoon. We left straight from our two-day wedding campout – which took place around a huge campfire in a ranch at Silver Falls State Park – and can’t wait to begin life as a married couple on our bikes enjoying the absolute freedom that cycle touring brings.

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Finding, and Then Making Home: Bend, OR

Posted on April 1, 2016 by The Wandering Nomads

“We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there.”

It’s been a while since I’ve check in, partially because I’ve hardly been on my bike except for my daily commute, and being a bike touring blog, I haven’t had much to say, and partially because I have been waiting with anticipation these last few months to move back to Bend. Now that I am here, I am ready to share. Though it was great to be near family in Astoria, Kevin and I both realized that we had left a part of ourselves in Bend, a part of ourselves that we weren’t going to be able to proceed without, so a few months ago Kevin applied for repel jobs with the forest service, and I applied to OSU-Cascades in order to move in time for spring semester.

So now we are here. Like many people moving to this booming town, we moved here for the lifestyle; for the hundreds of miles of running and mountain bike trails in and around town, for the six months of skiing just twenty miles down the road, for the river (Deschutes) that runs right through town, and for the hiking, rock-climbing, mountaineering, backpacking and snowshoeing all within a half hour drive. We moved here for the thousands of outdoor possibilities and for a community of people who love all of these things at least as much as we do.

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2015 In Pictures: A Year of Highs and Lows From Patgonia to Oregon

Posted on December 30, 2015 by The Wandering Nomads

A bike packed full of food, some mountains, and a boy equals one happy girl! Torres del Paines, 2015.

This last year will be remembered by Kevin and I as a year of high highs – from cycling through Patagonia with friends to pushing our bikes up and down rough roads in the Andes – but also, one of incredibly low lows – like when ending our trip early became a reality and I cried for nights on end. 2015 was the year of South America, and all of the wonderful adventures it held, but also, 2015 was the year we began to adjust our thinking from what’s most fun in the moment, to how to accomplish long term goals. It’s been a divided year; a year in which we spent the first six months living in a tent, and the latter half living in an apartment. A year where we had complete freedom for part, and jobs, appointements, and commitments for the rest. A year where we lived in nature, and then a year where we were stuck indoors. This last year has also been the year we lived near family, the year Kevin and I solidified our relationship both on and off the bike, and the year we began to figure out where we want to be in the future. It’s been a year of transitions, and it hasn’t always been pretty, but looking back, it’s also been a hell of a lot of fun.

We began 2015 in Turkey, before quickly making our way down to Ushuaia where we began the South American part of our trip. We spent six months cycling from Ushuaia to Peru, before taking a last minute flight back home where we surprised our families, and started a (temporary) life for ourselves in Astoria, OR. So here it is, our year of adventures from cycling the Andes to canoeing in our own backyard.

Us, our bikes, and our home! Salt flats, May 2015.

We got dust thrown on us during the first 100km as cars (tourist jeeps) past. Thankfully after that we were all alone!

Kevin celebrated his 27th birds this week!

Hanging out along the highway, Chile 2015.

The uneven roads were mostly in good condition, though there were sections (one 70km+ one in particular) which was washboard like which was extremely frustrating and difficult.

Making dinner with friends is definitely more fun.

Though it was populated and people saw us camping, no one bothered us at all. Once again, I felt safer camping here in the open than I would in the USA.

Kevin’s boot wanted to stay in Argentina so it jumped ship! Patagonia, 2015

Contemplating the ride.

This is the typical photo that every touring cyclist seems to have from this region, and for good reason, as this tree really shows how windy this region is.

Two Oregonian cyclists!

On the summit! Thanks John for the photo!

The headwinds down here weren’t a joke even if this photo is, Patagonia 2015.

Me and the two french couples.

These little guys are super curious which makes them hilarious to interact with because whenever you talk to them they look at you as if they are listening.

Finally a cycling photo of both of us!

Kevin crossing a half frozen stream barefoot as its snowing. Miserable!

Best friends for life!

A cyclists nightmare; tunnels.

Cycling through the sheep… again.

Eating breakfast on the playground.

My four dollar Chilean cowboy hat has been a savior out here! The sun reflected off the salt and burned any exposed skin.

We got snowed on during one of our climbs which made the world even more beautiful!

Kevin’s last Patagonian catch, 2015.

Kevin carrying his bike up a bunch of roots. These roots, which were absolutely all over the trail, is what made the going so slow.

One of the bluest lakes I’ve ever seen, Patagonia 2015.

There was wonderful camping almost every night on the Carretera Austral, Patagonia 2015.

Fly fishing in Patagonia, Kevin has already dreamed of this, 2015.

Kevin being cute, Argentina 2015.

Reading in a tunnel when the wind got too strong. Patagonia, 2015.

One of the towns in Cappaocia. Now they are filled with resorts and resaurants, some of which are in caves.

Hiking into the park, Patnagonia 2015.

Setting off at sunrise to enjoy the whole day.

Sleeping in a field of quinoa.

Another lake along the route.

Of all the old car parts, broken bungees, and single shoes Kevin has found by the side of the road, this hat was definitely his greatest one! Patagonia, 2015.

Cycling through the sheep.

Cycling the Pan American, Chile 2015.

Cycling through a stream, great way to cool down!

You can see Kevin to the left, a tiny blob cycling in a vast landscape.

Headed into the peaks, 2015.

Kevin, Mike, and Emily, three friends since high school who all happen to be in Patagonia!

There was a whole lot of salt due to the mineral deposits throughout this region.

Swimming in a sea of sheep.

Coming into the summit! Once you are on this ridge, you know you will make it up.

The lakes in Patagonia were simply stunning, 2015.

Happy to have exchanged my bike for a backpack for the weekend!

Kevin in his “I’m going to rob a bank” outfit, which also doubles as great skin protection from the wind and sun. He caught this fish in a small stream at 4,300m making it by far his most unique catch!

We really enjoyed the few shepherds we met along the way.

Home sweet home for the night.

Cycling through the mud.

Beautiful camping!

Hiking in Torres Del Paines.

This use to be a front rack. Mike and Emily had a fair bit of bike troubles, though thankfully there was always a creative solution to be found.

Need a tent anyone?

Beautiful sunset in solitude.

We finished Patagonia with Tim and Jordi, two friends from Idaho who we keep leap frogging every few weeks.

Team work! Patagonia 2015.

Kevin’s first frat! A little piece of glass was the culprit.

These little bags (the piece of cloth is always this color) is what all of the women wear here.

Definitely one of our best camping spots! Especially since the fishing was great. Patagonia, 2015.

Eating lunch outside the store, a common picnic spot for us now.

No hands!

Beautiful mountains equals one happy girl!

Kevin far ahead.

One of Kevin’s many fish, Patagonia 2015.

Facemasks ready for the wind and dust!

Riding through a small altiplano village.

Tough riding! It took us nearly all day to cover 40km.

Rain, rain, and a bit more rain, Argentina 2015.

Typical Andean ladies: the hat, the cloth bag, the long braids, and the colorful pleated skirts. In everywhere except the largest cities, this is how the women always dress.

Yoga in the mountains with friends, Argentina Patagonia.

Mike and Emily showing off their hippie side!

And the camping is simply fantastic!! It’s the only time you are alone, truly alone, with only the bright shinning stars to keep you company. At night it cools down so it’s nice and cold, which makes for the perfect night.

Pushing through the rain and fog, hence the blurry photo.

Headed into Bolivia, it’s just around this corner!

Only one dollar for this delicious street meal of potatoes, rice, and meat!

A bike packed full of food, some mountains, and a boy equals one happy girl! Torres del Paines, 2015.

Caught my first trout on a fly!

The end of the paved road, it was a nice break from the washboard!

Talk about a beautiful valley, Ushuaia, Patagonia.

Crossing a rickety bridge to find a field to camp in, Chile, 2015

Kevin in his chefs hat.

Kevin and I outside of San Martin.

Catching a trout.

Enjoying the mountains with friends, Patagonia 2015.

Nothing like a nicely paved road through the mountains! Chile 2015.

I apparently stopped for one too many photos cause my bike hitched a ride with someone else…

The mountains certainly made us feel small.

Cycling into Torres del Paines, Patagonia.

2016 will also be a year of adjustment for us; we will be moving again (and are both very excited about this), and with that, we will both be changing jobs as well (plus, I will be going back to school). We are both excited by what this near year will bring, and anxious to start planning our next adventure (spoiler alert, we are in the beginning phases of planning our next three month bike trip). But until then, we are both commited to making more microadventures happen in our attempt to explore our beautiful state. Here is to what 2015 gave us, and to the new year to come.

Commuting By Choice

Posted on December 21, 2015 by The Wandering Nomads

Grocery shopping at its finest! The check out lady asked me if I was homeless after she found out I was cycling home with my groceries. It amused me in the moment, but in reality, its a pretty darn sad fact that so few people cycle here in the States, so incredibly few that everyone else assumes that you do it simply because you have no other options. I am proud to commute by bike; not because I’m desperate, but because I can.

I do not currently live in a bike friendly town like where I grew up in Eugene, or Oregon’s most famous cycling city, Portland. Here in Astoria, there are no bike racks outside of stores, and it rains pretty much everyday for eight months of the year. Never the less, I choose everyday to ride instead of drive for economic, health, and environmental reasons, never mind the fact that it simply makes me happier. There are many benefits to commuting by bike, and I hope that someday our country starts to catch on, but until then, I’ll proudly be the “homeless” person at the grocery store buying a weeks worth of groceries and a whole bag of toilet paper.

Pursuing What Feels Right: Checking-in and Changing Plans

Posted on December 11, 2015 by The Wandering Nomads

‘You know all those things you’ve always wanted to do? You should go do them.’

Near Bend Oregon.

Within two months of living here in Astoria, OR, Kevin and I decided that despite all of our best intentions of making this place home, it just wasn’t going to work out for us. Though part of our unease with the lifestyle we have been creating for ourselves here simply has to do with coming back from such a long trip – from transitioning from a life of freedom to one of western confinement – the other part has to do with things we have control over, like our location and our jobs. Though Astoria is a cute perfectly sized (10,000 population) town right on the water, it lacks mountains – and all of the wonderful activities that come from having mountains in your backyard – and the outdoorsy and active community we seek. And though I do enjoy my job working in the leaning center with children with behavioral needs at the K-2 elementary school, it is most certainly not what I plan to do for the rest of my life.

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When A Beautiful Night Just Isn’t Enough

Posted on November 18, 2015 by The Wandering Nomads

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.”

Just seventy-five kilometers from my front door, I found one of the best camping spots I have ever had. It was a much need reminder that I don’t have to go half-way around the world to pitch my tent, and that there is still plenty to explore in my own backyard.

Ironically enough though, after such an amazing night, I decided that I was done. For perhaps the first time ever, I decided that I would rather be home than cycle touring, and so I turned around and cut my five day weekend cycling trip short. It wasn’t because I don’t enjoy the camping or the cycling anymore, because I do, it was because I realized that escaping on weekend trips every now and again isn’t changing our daily reality. One of the best parts about our long tour was that it was our reality. We weren’t counting down the days until the next weekend, because we enjoyed (not always in the moment, but at least in retrospect) what we were doing every minute of the day, and there was never anywhere else I felt that I would have rather been. Now though, there always seems to be somewhere else I would rather be. While I am at work I would rather be cycling, yet while I am cycling I would rather be back home.

So I headed back home and spent the weekend cooking (one of my new hobbies now that we have a kitchen) and then joined Kevin on a small kayaking-crabbing adventure just outside our town on his day off.

Though there are moments of fun and happiness, both of us are frustrated with our lives here in Astoria for a few reasons. For starters, we are extremely busy (especially Kevin as he works a lot) so really all we do is work, eat, sleep. Every single day. That’s all we do. Everyday is so predictable, and the weeks fly by not because we are having so much fun, but because they are all the same. It’s not that every moment itself is miserable; I actually really enjoy my job in the special needs classroom (at the k-2 elementary school), but simply working, cooking, and sleeping isn’t enough to make me feel fulfilled anymore. I feel as if something is missing now that I have no outlet for my passions, now that I am no longer doing any of the things that I love on a daily basis, but rather on the occasional weekend. It is hard to go from so much freedom and free time to absolutely none of either of these things, and though we both realize that jumping back on the bikes for an endless tour isn’t the solution, we also know that we need to make some life changes in the near future in order to find a balance between all of the things we love and create the sort of life we actually want to live.

For a photo of the day and other updates follow me on facebook here, and for some awkwardly cropped photos from our journey, follow us on Instagram @awanderingphoto!

The Power of Commuting by Bike

Posted on November 2, 2015 by The Wandering Nomads

“Riding bicycles will not only benefit the individual doing it, but the world at large.” -Udo E. Simonis

Cycling to work everyday is the best part of my day. It’s thirty minutes where I can’t be doing anything else; where I’m in my own head with the wind in my hair. It’s more than just a cheap way to get to work, it’s a way of life which connects you with amazing people who are interested in the outdoors, responsible living, and an active lifestyle. I commute by bike because I enjoy it. It’s refreshing to begin and end your day on the bicycle, alone on a river path, or zig-zagging through stopped cars. I commute by bike because it does not pollute the air. Because it does not clog up the streets. Because it does not harm our planet. I commute by bike because those thirty minutes twice a day act as an antidepressant. Or cheap therapy. Or just simply time to reflect on your day, year, or whole life. I bike to work everyday because it’s an inexpensive and effective form of transportation and because it encourages a healthier lifestyle. I cycle to work every single day because no matter what the weather looks like, there is no other way I would rather arrive.

Favorite Cycling Routes: The Pacific West Coast USA

Posted on October 19, 2015 by The Wandering Nomads

Camping on the Oregon Coast.

I started my tour in July 2013 by cycling down the Pacific West Coast as a warm up; a warm up which turned into an amazing five weeks as the cycling was easy, the hiker/biker campsites were a great way to meet other cyclists, and the scenery was beautiful. Though I had never toured, knew absolutely nothing about bikes and hadn’t trained at all for this trip, this didn’t seem to matter as I was able to start out slowly (doing fifty or so kilometers a day) before increasing my mileage when it felt right. Within a few weeks I was cycling 80-120km/day, and loving every minute of it. Along this route I stayed with various hospitable families who renewed my faith in humanity, was encouraged along by passing cars, swam in rivers amongst the gigantic redwoods, and fell asleep beside the beach listening to the crashing waves. I also met dozens of other cyclists, from students to retirees, doing this same route which made nights around the campfire a whole lot of fun.