Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Ready to get out of here.
I'm ready for a change, ready for some quality family time, ready to be away from traffic. I crave some quiet and nature. I want to be surrounded by people who are supportive, whether they be on bike, in a car or on foot.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Musings.
We're in the beginning stages of a trip that promises to be challenging in every way possible for me. My husband could not be more thrilled to be out on the open road for almost three thousand miles, but my apprehension level is at the top of the meter. Perhaps this is because we won't be turning around and heading back to what we call home right now but will instead be settling down into a new normal once we reach our destination.
I'm a creature of habit and comfort, so it is obvious why the idea of selling many of our possessions, boxing the rest up to ship and loading up our bicycles with luggage and a three (almost four) year old would be daunting. I'm working on upping the excitement factor of this journey. I am fond of the idea of such a ride but to actually be putting it into motion is frightening. I am experiencing wave after wave of self-doubt, which is something that I have struggled with my entire life.
I am preparing myself for the mess of questions and accusations that we will be sure to face in the coming months. We are well aware that this is a trip that is outside of comfort for many of our friends and family. I would just like to issue a reminder that we need love and support, not anger.
We are unhappy where we are living. Chicago is not a place that we feel comfortable or safe. It is disheartening, what we experience every day as cyclists here. We are not willing to stay here when the city and its occupants continues to push back against the cyclist community. We are not willing to stay here when motorists threaten our lives and that of our child, when every day we encounter people who are full of hate for our lifestyle and criticism of our parenting. However, that is not to say that we do not love and support our cyclist friends. We dearly love all of you and wish you the very best. We wish you safety, progress and happiness.
Our chosen destination is Corvallis, Oregon. It is described as a small college town that is friendly to families and cyclists. We feel in our hearts that this is the next stop in our journey.
Next step? Finding the funds for our trip. Water packs, more panniers, rain gear, camp stove, padded shorts, and more. We'll have to figure out which brands are the best and most affordable. Should we go with the cyclist favorites, like Camelback, Ortlieb, Coleman, Smartwool? Should we search for less known brands that will be less expensive? We'll have to do a lot more research.
Happy trails.
I'm a creature of habit and comfort, so it is obvious why the idea of selling many of our possessions, boxing the rest up to ship and loading up our bicycles with luggage and a three (almost four) year old would be daunting. I'm working on upping the excitement factor of this journey. I am fond of the idea of such a ride but to actually be putting it into motion is frightening. I am experiencing wave after wave of self-doubt, which is something that I have struggled with my entire life.
I am preparing myself for the mess of questions and accusations that we will be sure to face in the coming months. We are well aware that this is a trip that is outside of comfort for many of our friends and family. I would just like to issue a reminder that we need love and support, not anger.
We are unhappy where we are living. Chicago is not a place that we feel comfortable or safe. It is disheartening, what we experience every day as cyclists here. We are not willing to stay here when the city and its occupants continues to push back against the cyclist community. We are not willing to stay here when motorists threaten our lives and that of our child, when every day we encounter people who are full of hate for our lifestyle and criticism of our parenting. However, that is not to say that we do not love and support our cyclist friends. We dearly love all of you and wish you the very best. We wish you safety, progress and happiness.
Our chosen destination is Corvallis, Oregon. It is described as a small college town that is friendly to families and cyclists. We feel in our hearts that this is the next stop in our journey.
Next step? Finding the funds for our trip. Water packs, more panniers, rain gear, camp stove, padded shorts, and more. We'll have to figure out which brands are the best and most affordable. Should we go with the cyclist favorites, like Camelback, Ortlieb, Coleman, Smartwool? Should we search for less known brands that will be less expensive? We'll have to do a lot more research.
Happy trails.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)