Thirty-eight years ago as we began our married life, we cycled out of Strafford, Vermont and began a year-long bicycling adventure traveling around the world. (The photo is from Nepal.) Then came another wonderful adventure -- children and careers. With children on their own and our careers behind us, we entered the next chapter, again with a bicycle adventure. That one was more modest, train trips across the country and five weeks on bikes from Los Angeles, CA to Portland, OR; but it greeted us with we good riding, great sights, and interesting people.

After two bicycle trips on the west coast, we tried something different. With an old dog along for the ride and a camper in the bed of the pickup, we set off for the desert southwest exploring national parks, enjoying daily cycling, and even playing a little golf.

In Spring, 2017, we decided on an international adventure. We landed in Lisbon, Portugal and rode a loop through Portugal and Spain and back to Lisbon. Once again, seeing the sights, meeting people, and pedaling 1600 miles were wonderful!

In March 2018 we left Maine after a big snow storm and headed to North Carolina for some warmth - we didn't find it. We went further south to SC - still didn't find it! But we did discover new places to cycle and explore!

It is now August 2023, kids are married with families of their own (five wonderful grandchildren) and we are off on another adventure! Our first stop will be Lily Bay State Park on August 13, then head north and west, across Canada and into Alaska driving and camping with bikes and a canoe. Here is the family, though missing Miles' wife, Baily.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

First Days

Arrived in Lisbon late morning, assembled the bikes at the airport, cycled through the city to a hostel along the waterfront, toasted our arrival, and turned in early. Both the old and new "cities" of Lisbon seemed vibrant, youthful, and fun.  Got an early start the next day and immediately started meeting other cyclists : a couple of middle aged men from San Diego on the first day of a two year trip around the world, a retired couple from Ottawa starting around Portugal for five weeks, and a young German couple (med. school students) with a six month old! also cycling indefinitely in Portugal. All nice people with good stories.  Second day of cycling took us along the beautiful Atlantic coast heading south. Cycled 50 miles and 40 miles the first two days and felt that our training rides served us well. Spending our second night in Porto Covo.
Waterfront Lisboa
Hostel rooftop pool
Toasting the first day
Second ferry ride of the day
Oops, wrong road! Steep grade, loose rocks, pushed bikes up and down a mountain. Some days are like that!
Nice reward after a tough day. Sunset at the campsite.
Traveling with the baby!
Ripening
 
 
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2 comments:

  1. MaryAnn ShupeMarch 12, 2017 at 7:21 PM

    Stunning! A few of the photos wouldn't load....but the ones that did were awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMarch 19, 2017 at 8:37 PM

    What wonderful, colorful photos that make us all the more excited to be following some of the same routes in another month, albeit in a boat!!!

    ReplyDelete

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