Ask Me Anything (2)

I hope that everyone had a wonderful day yesterday and are not working today, but if you are, I hope it goes by quickly! Here are a few more answers to some of the questions people have asked me lately. 

Michelle asked: How do you stay safe? From idiot drivers, creepy people, wildlife? I try to ride on either dirt roads or bike paths that are away from most cars, but when I do have to ride on the highway, I have a red jacket and a blinking red light. I try to stay over as much as possible to the right and after that, I just have to pray that the drivers give me room. As far as creepy people, I just try to walk on the other side of the street, or if I am riding, I can usually ride away. I have not had any issues with creepy people in places I have camped. I obviously try to pick a spot that is either established, or if wild, is slightly hidden and not on a busy road or area. Wildlife and I are copesetic and we coexist happily. 

What will you eat? I answered that here and here. 

What do you do in bad weather? Cry. Just kidding! I just keep peddling. When I was riding the Tour Divide, we would say that in the voice of Dorrie from Finding Nemo. In case you have not seen the movie, “just keep swimming" was the necessary action to accomplish the large feat of crossing the ocean, but more abstractly, it was how they coped with the improbability of the task. This quote also helped them move forward without thinking too much about it.

Do you speak any foreign languages? I can get by with Spanish and French and can say hello, thank you, bathroom, beer, "do you speak English" and "I don't speak ____" in all of the languages of the places I have been to. I try to always learn at least that. 

How will you communicate with people in Europe if you don't speak their language? An app? If I don't speak the language and nobody speaks English (which is fairly rare in most big cities in Europe), I can use Google Translate. If you have not used it, it is great. You can download the language for use offline and then the person can either type into or speak into your phone and the app will translate it, and then you can type or talk and it will translate back. I have also found that hand guestures, body language and facial expressions will work wonders. 

Will your phone work in every country? Yes, I have Google Fi (I talked about that here), which works internationally. In some countries you have to pay per minute for phone calls, but texts are all included in the plan, and if and when I need extra data, I have an e-SIM (through Airalo) where I can load up data onto my phone for whatever country or region I am in. 

Are you worried about people being anti-American? No. There are always people who are anti something, but I am not going to let that ruin my day. Also, for the most part, I have found people to mostly be curious, not negative. I had a great conversation with two Swedish people in Thailand about why we had voted for Bush. Actually, in all of the places I have been, I have never had anyone be rude or mean to me due to my nationality. 

Also, you've said that you have stomach issues when you're not exercising hard - is that correct? I'm wondering if you'd talk more about that? Woof. This could be a whole post. The short answer is that I did have a lot of bloating, like 5 months pregnant, tight, aching belly and since I have been on the bike every day, it has been a lot better, as in only a couple of times have I noticed it. I did a ton of testing before leaving the Bay Area and bottom line is that it is probably SIBO, which can be treated with antibiotics, but also can return over and over. So, I currently try to stay away from beans, cruciferous vegetables, onions, garlic and wheat, but it is definitely not a cure all. 

M asked about my major being Kinesiology and how did I get into finance from there? I got my BS in Kinesiology and then went to travel the world and reflect, and when I came back home, I had spent all of my savings and took the first job I could get, which was as a financial analyst on a contract with the DHS. In the meantime, I also volunteered at a PT clinic, which was what I had thought I wanted to do, and I didn't like it. I ended up doing the analyst job for about eight years before deciding to travel again and when I came back home, I got a job in insurance, which I hated, and then a job in financial services, which I loved, and have been doing ever since! 

I think that is long enough! Now it's your turn! 

Is the job that you are currently working (or worked in the past) related to your major in college? Do you speak any foreign languages? Have you ever encountered rudeness or meanness in a foreign country due to your nationality? 

There is still time! If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my next ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here. 

An Important Question

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my U.S. friends and happy Thursday to everyone else. Hopefully no matter where you are, you will have a chance to spend some time with loved ones either today or in the following days. 

Isn't he a beauty?

One of the items on the list of 36 questions that Elisabeth and I went over was "for what in your life do you feel most grateful?" and the subsequent question was "if you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?" I thought today would be a good day to share my answer with you. 

I told Elisabeth (and Belle) that I was very happy that my family has let me be me. They have always been there for me, and even though we did not get all of the newest coolest most expensive things growing up, I never wanted for anything, and I learned the value of money from them. But best of all, when I say that I am going to go to Nepal and climb a mountain, or quit my job and ride my bike around, they barely even blink an eye. Sure, they wanted me to go to college and to make something of myself, but they have never put limits on what that "something" was and have always been supportive of whatever it is that I choose. This is priceless and has given me the confidence to try new things and go to new places, as I always know that they will have my back. 

Snowshoeing with Mom and Dad

As far as changing anything about how I was raised, I am happy with it. When I was younger, I probably thought I worked too much, did not get to see my friends enough, and did not play enough sports, but looking back now, I know that I had a lot of good things in my life. Great job, Mom and Dad; thanks for being there for me! ♥ 

I will keep this short today so that everyone can have enough time to get the food on the table, and even if you are not cooking today, you are probably tired of reading long posts from me anyway! 

What are you grateful for? If you could change anything about how you were raised, what would it be? 

If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my next ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here. 

Ask Me Anything

Finally, a long awaited ask me anything post. I still have a few questions that were asked at the start of my bike trip, so I will start with those and then move on to more recent ones in a later post! 

NGS asked: How did you plan all this? Fiscally? The route? I have a post here about the route planning. As far as fiscally, if someone wants me to write a long post about this, I can, but the TLDR is that I have been saving and investing for years in order to be able to be financially independent. I have a monthly budget and this year is a bit of a test to see how much I will actually spend (you can see posts here about how much I have spent so far). 

What is your goal with this trip? What do you want to learn about yourself? Or see? Or do? Like most travel, my goal is to see and learn about any and all new things. For the biking specifically, aside from seeing new places, I did want to challenge myself physically and mentally to see if I could do it. I thought that I could, but it is always interesting to see what hidden strengths you have. 

Give me all the bike specs. What bike? What wheels/tires? My bike is a Marin Bobcat Trail 3 (hence the name Bob) aluminum hardtail mountain bike and I am riding with 29" 2.4" wide tires. 

What sort of emergency repair kit do you have with you? How are you packing it? What are your supplies? I covered this here. 

Bob goes to Niagara Falls

Nicole asked:  How old are you? Have you always been a swinging single girl? I answered that here. 

Do you have a favourite European spot? How about Asian? I hate this question, but only because it's like picking a favorite kid. Each place I go has something that I like and some things that I don't. I love France, Greece and Italy for the food, Austria and Switzerland (and Italy and France) for the mountains, and Albania for the hidden gem aspect (beaches, mountains, food, people!). However, I think if you are looking for an all-in-one, Slovenia is a great place to go. As for Asia, I have a soft spot for Thailand, as it was my first foray into that part of the world and the food, beaches, culture and people are lovely! But seriously, I can find something I love about every place I have been to (even India, which had a few struggles for sure). 

Venice

Hong Kong

Stephany asked: Do you know what your enneagram number is? I think it is one, but I have only ever taken one free test and they wanted me to pay for more info, and I didn't want to. However, I do think one describes me pretty well. The Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic. Um, yup. If you know me and you read this, you will be nodding your head a lot! 

If you were to describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be? I think that the enneagram one described me pretty well. But seriously I would say I am adventurous, organized and impatient. :)  

What's one of your unpopular opinions? I like to type words out in texts and don't really love it when people type "c u" for "see you" or "l8" for "late" or don't capitalize or use punctuation. I also don't use acronyms or emojis very much. I like words, whole words, spelled properly. I won't hate you if you do it, but personally, I just don't do it very much. (As a side note, I was told by a millenial once that if you put a period at the end of your sentence in a text, it is seen as aggressive. Ha! I guess I am really aggressive then!) 

I also don't like being expected to respond right away. I had a boss who would call me two minutes after an email came through asking me to opine, and it would be something that would require thought or complex calcuations and/or a thoughtful answer! He also would text or send a chat to me in the evening (after work hours) and expect an instant response. I actually started purposefully waiting until the next day, or a few hours later to answer (PS I am not totally passive aggressive; I had already talked to him several times about managing his expectations). 

Do you have any fears about your trip? Even though it is now nearly over, I would say that I did not have any fears going in. I was a bit wary of having to figure out routes all the time, but was not afraid that I would not be able to do it. I know that I can do anything I put my mind to, even if it may not be fun sometimes. 

I think that is enough for now! Stay tuned for the next one! 

Your turn! What is your enneagram number and do you think it describes you well? What is your favorite European/Asian destination and why?  What is is one of your unpopular opinions? 

If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my next ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here. 

Gift Ideas For Nomads

Last year, I did a post on gift ideas for active people, and now I am back with another edition of gift ideas, but this time it will be for people who travel a lot! Some of these are things I already own, while others are ones that I have researched a lot and will probably buy soon eventually! I will mark the ones I own with a asterisk below. P.S. there are a few things on the active list that are also good for travelers, like a fanny pack, my favorite Patagonia windbreaker, or Goodr sunglasses, but here are a few more ideas! 

Even travelers love chocolate dipped strawberries!

Merino wool ($20-$150+).* Whether it's these socks ($20), or something more expensive like a shirt ($75), your nomad friend will appreciate the lightweight, quick drying and less smelly item. I have tried Smartwool and Icebreakers and they are a little on the thin side, but definitely dry fast and don't stink, and there are other brands like Ibex or Unbound that may be a little thicker and make things that are not as geared toward active people. Also, I have heard great things about merino underwear and bras, but have never tried them myself. 

Osprey Collapsible backpack ($41). I usually just carry a Chico bag with me, but having a backpack for day hikes and such would probably be a better idea. I have done a lot of research and this Osprey version has gotten good reviews! I have also had Osprey packs in the past and they hold up well. 

Universal travel adapter. ($20) I have one of these that is just the plugs only (no USB ports) and I love it but I am constantly having to swap things when charging, or get one of these multi charging blocks (which I do have and use) which starts to get redundant and bulky!! If your nomad does not travel internationally though, the charging block is golden. With this one you can also charge one computer with a plug (or other three pronged items) and all of your USB items at the same time!  

Lightning charging cable with adapter. ($23) Again, cutting down on cords and accessories is very helpful! I currently still have a few things with a USB-mini, so this cord would not help with that, but it is good for any USB-A or USB-C (or old iPhone) charging! You can also get ones that are just USB-C and USB-A if that is more your jam. 

Ankor power bank.* ($59) This one has 20,000 mAh of charging capabilities, which will charge your phone approximately 5-6 times. I find that even if I am traveling in a place where there is electricity (aka not camping) this comes in very handy. The one I have linked is their newest one, which is an improvement on mine, as it has a built in USB-C, three ports, including one USB-C, and a monitor on the front so you know how much power you have left. Even if you are traveling in the car with your family, this can be a great way to have extra power if you are all trying to charge at the same time. 

Laundry detergent sheets.* ($12) If you are on the road for a while, these are great. They don't take up space in your bag, or use up your liquids quota and they are better for the environment. I actually use these in real life too. Pro tip: you can rip them in half and just use half and it is enough for most loads. 

One bag travel backpack by TomToc (40L). ($80) I have read a lot of reviews for which bag is best and is also carry-on eligible for most flights. Some European carriers have very strict rules, and a lot of the bags that will comply are super expensive! The TomToc seems the best bang for the buck, but if you want to spend more the Osprey Farpoint ($135) and the Tortuga Backpack Pro ($350) get really good reviews. 

Do you have any good gift ideas for travelers? Do you own or use any of the above items? What kind of carry on do you use when traveling? 

If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my upcoming ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here. 

Never Have I Ever

Never have I ever: 

* Milked a cow

But I have milked a goat!

* Eaten or been to Chick-Fil-A (PS one of my pet peeves is when people spell things wrong to be cute. This is not why I have never eaten there though!)

* Read Fifty Shades of Grey

* Seen Top Gun (either version)

* Been to the states of Arkansas, Delaware, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota or West Virginia (layovers on the plane don't count)

* Been to the continent of Antarctica

* Ridden a mechanical bull

* Brushed a dog's teeth

I've helped clip this one's toenails!

* Ridden on a scooter (motorized or non)

* Had kids

Volunteering at Bolivian orphanage

* Used one of the shared rental scooters, bikes, etc. in any city

* Had a gerbil, Guinea pig or hamster as a pet

I have had a lot of cats

* Put the toilet paper roll on upside down (flap goes over every time)

Which of these have you done (drink!)? And what things have you never done? 

If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my upcoming ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here. 

Rabbit Hole

The other day I was working on a post about things I never do and I was wondering, what DO people do that I have never done? So I googled, "what is a common thing for US people to do?" and this is what the AI blurb at the top of my search spit out, along with my comments. The answers did not really help me with my post, but it was amusing all the same. 

Here are some common things that people in the United States do:

Work: Americans tend to work long hours, often starting before 9 AM and ending before 6 PM. Many Americans start working at a young age and take relatively few vacations. [Me: Is this really what we are known for? Relatively few vacations? FYI, at my last job, I got five weeks off every year, and I always took all of them!]

 

Eat out: Americans often eat out or order takeout for convenience and time. They also enjoy eating out for fun. [I suppose this is true to a certain extent, especially the fun part, although I just checked my spending report and even when I am on the road, like now, I don't eat out a ton. In October, I went for lunch 4 times, dinner 3 times and ice cream 1 time.]

Lunch out with Elisabeth

Value time: Americans value time and convenience, and often celebrate busyness and lack of leisure. [I do think this is true, and am actually struggling with this a bit right now, as I feel like people may think that because I am not working, I am lazy and/or not busy, aka not productive, aka lazy.]

 

Follow sports: Many Americans enjoy watching and following sports, especially football, baseball, and basketball. [I do not fit in this group very much, but do feel like a lot of people do love watching sports, especially football. Those fans are INTENSE.]

 

Practice small talk: Americans often engage in small talk, which is making conversation with strangers or acquaintances about non-controversial topics. [This one seems odd; are other cultures not known for small talk? Are Americans engaging in more small talk than other cultures? As you know, I am not a huge fan of small talk.]

 

Be independent: Americans value the idea of being self-sufficient. Many American kids and teenagers leave home for extended periods of time. [I do know that in many cultures it is normal to live at  home for a long time, or have multiple generations under one roof, so in contrast to them, I do think Americans are seen to be kicking the kids out early. Also my parents definitely taught me to be self sufficient.]

 

Respect differences: Americans generally practice political correctness and respect other cultures and people's differences. [Hmmm.. not so sure about this one, AI!]

 

Use red cups: Americans often use red cups to drink alcohol out of. [THIS ONE CRACKED ME UP! I mean, what algorithm caused it to put this on top of other things? I have drunk out of a red cup, but I do not think this is a top ten defining characteristic of Americans!]

 

Celebrate holidays: Americans celebrate holidays like Halloween and Black Friday. [What about Christmas!? And Thanksgiving? Plus, is Black Friday now a holiday? My critique to AI: needs work!]

Which of these do you think AI got right, and which are just weird? And which do you think should be added? For my non-US readers, what do you think of when you think of Americans (don't be shy, I know we are known for being loud in a crowd!)? 

If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my upcoming ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here. 

The Perks of Being a Swinging Single Gal

When I did a call out for questions back in April (and yes, I will get to them all soon!) Nicole asked me how old I was, and if I was always a "swinging single gal." Recently Coco asked me if I had any kids. I thought I would answer all of these questions at the same time and also give you one of my favorite things...a list! Stay tuned! 

I was born in 1978; in this year Jimmy Carter was the president of the US, homebrewing became legal in the US, sparking the craft beer movement, the movie Grease was released, the first baby was born using in vitro fertilization and the Jonestown Massacre happened. 

I have not always been a swinging single gal! I have had a series of wonderful men in my life, including everyone's favorite, Mr. Lovely, who was with me during my last Round The World trip! However, nobody has stuck, much to Moogie's disappointment (that is my Mom), as she would have loved to have grandkids. So Coco, I guess that answers your question too. No kids, that I know of. Also my brother has no kids, and there are only the two of us. Sorry Mom. 

However, just like I mentioned in my post about traveling solo, there are some perks to living solo too! Here are a few of my favorites. 

* I can eat yogurt, cottage cheese and ice cream straight from the container. Who needs to wash another a bowl? Not me. This is something that I would not do if there were other people around. First of all, I would be dipping my spoon into a shared item, which I don't think is kosher. Secondly, I would kind of feel like a piggy, eating ice cream right out of the container. Third, and Elisabeth would hate this because she hates crumbs, I often eat yogurt with granola and I just dump it in and go for it and I MAY leave a crumb or two in there, which is also not nice when you are sharing. Side note, I did eat ice cream out of the container in front of Phil and Lisa, which is probably because Phil was doing it too and we each had our own container. I can get on board with that! Sorry Lisa! 

Mine, all mine!! (insert evil laugh here)

* Easy dinner planning. If I want to have a bowl of corn and a bowl of ice cream for dinner, I do. There is absolutely zero stress in my life about what to make for dinner, or any meals for that matter. I am happy to have chicken and rice all week and don't have to worry about someone being unhappy. 

Dinner: ham and cheese roll ups

* Things are exactly where I left them. You may think this means that I want to leave stuff everywhere without being judged, but it is actually the opposite. I want to tidy up and come back to the same tidiness. I want to have a place for the scissors and find them there when I open the drawer. I do not want to waste time searching for things that were misplaced. 

* I am nobody's mother. I once had a partner who would leave empty beer bottles in the living room, even though he had to go into the kitchen right past the recycling bin in order to get another beer. I know I should have just let him do his thing but I couldn't wrap my mind around it, and it often annoyed the crap out of me. I mean, they would pile up, and then he would go to bed. Any time I asked him, he would say that he was going to get to it "later", but later never came. 

Our OG local brewery.
They've been around since before craft beer was cool!

* I don't have to deal with family drama. I have enough of my own thanks. Having to figure out where to go for Thanksgiving every year gets to be old. I mean, it's the same day every year; can't we just made a plan now for the next 40 years and save having to discuss it over and over and over again, and people still getting their feelings hurt when its not at their family's house? 

Hello dinner!

Also, one guy I dated was such a Mama's boy. He used to get drunk and then he would either talk endlessly about his mother and how great she was or he would call her so that she could stroke his ego and he could complain about all the ways the world was doing him wrong. I love my mother, but a certain amount of independence is warranted. 

* Planning. If I see a cheap flight to Timbuktu and I want to go there, I do it. This is not about being selfish, but if I ask a person in a couple to come with me, they inevitably have to ask the partner, then they may have to negotiate with the partner, or maybe the partner doesn't want to come, or maybe they do, and either one can be a pain, and by the time they decide the cheap flight is gone. I remember one time K and I were going to go to Honduras, but all of a sudden her boyfriend decided that it was "too dangerous" (based on whatever he had seen in the news) and he did not want her to go there. We had to rejigger our plans, and (funny enough) ended up going to Panama, which apparently in his mind was okay. 

Panama Canal

* Mornings. I love my quiet mornings, and when they are over, I like hanging out with the world. I once dated a guy who would get up with me, before work, at 3 am, so he could talk to me while I got ready. This did not work for me, as he would literally follow me around, and I was missing out on my morning routine. I need it. I finally talked to him, but it was stressing me out to choose between no morning time and having to have a conversation about it and/or hurting his feelings. 

My favorite time of day.

As a bonus, here are three things that are not always great about being solo. 

* Paying twice as much for everything. It is definitely more economical to share costs for certain things. Did you know that if you want to take a cruise for example, you still have to pay for the whole room, basically two times as much per person! 

* Lacking a second opinion. This can go both ways, but sometimes it is nice to have someone to suggest things to do so you don't have to plan everything. 

* Games. I love playing games and it is nice to have a buddy to play with. Thank goodness for the Rummikub app! Want to play? If so, drop me a line!

Okay people, your turn! Whether you are single or partnered, tell me what your favorite and least favorite parts about your current status are. Have you ever dated a Mama's boy (or Daddy's girl) and if so, how did you (or how do you still) handle it? 

If you haven't already, you can fill out this form with any questions you want answered for my upcoming ask me anything post!!

This post is part of NaBloPoMo. You can find the rest of my posts for this challenge here. You can find the list of participants and their information here.

Where Do You Keep That?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian friends!

P.S. I made this using AI. I know! I am addicted.

After seeing a lot of people (see some examples here for Stephany, Engie and Elisabeth) post about where they keep things in their house, I thought it would be fun to do this too! However, as you know, I sold my house and got rid of all of my things, and so most of the things on the list I no longer own or keep anywhere! However, here is the original* list, which before I sold my house, I could sum up into four main places: Did not own, kitchen junk drawer, bathroom drawer and garage. (*from Engie)

Kleenex | Medicine | Band-Aids | Heating pad | Nail polish | Winter hats/gloves/accessories | Scissors | Tweezers | Slow cooker/air fryer | Dirty towels | Tape measure | Gifts bags/tissue paper/wrapping paper | Library books | Bookmarks | Pens | Suitcases | Water bottles | Dog leash | Jewelry

Did not own: Kleenex | Heating pad | Nail polish | Library books | Bookmarks | Dog leash 

In kitchen junk drawer: Scissors | Tape measure | Pens

In bathroom drawer: Medicine | Band-Aids | Tweezers | Jewelry

In tote in garage/in garage: Winter hats/gloves/accessories | Gifts bags/tissue paper/wrapping paper | Suitcases 

The only things that could not be summed up was the slow cooker/air fryer, which was an InstantPot and was in the cupboard above the fridge, dirty towels which kind of seems like a strange category because....the laundry basket...and water bottles, which were in the cupboard with the cups/glasses. 

However, since Engie asked me about to provide a bikepacking packing list and I haven't done it yet, I thought it would be fun to go over where my CURRENT stuff lives and what it is! Here is Bob with all of his bags. 

                                             

The bags are as follows: (1) Handlebar bag, (2) Fork bag x 2, (3) Top tube bag one, (4) Top tube bag two, (5) Feed bags x 2, (6) Frame bag, (7) Rear bag, (8) Hydration vest not shown, (9) Fanny pack not shown, and (10) my body not shown. 

(1) The handlebar bag contains my tent and a pair of flip flops. I also strap my rain jacket to the daisy chain on the front of this bag for easy access. You may have seen in some photos that I also strap extra food on here from time to time. 

Fritos for later

(2) The fork bags are for food; the left one has my cook kit, coffee fixings and any dinner/breakfast foods and the right one has snack foods. 

Cook kit: stove, gas, pot, lighter.
Not shown: spork and Swiss army knife

(3) Top tube bag one has things I need right away and may use several times per day, like bug spray and sunscreen. 

(4) Top tube bag two has the snacks for the day, portioned out so that ideally I do not need to get into either fork bag during the day. 

(5) Feed bag number one has a one liter water bottle; feed bag number two usually has my phone in it so I can access it easily. Or if I put my phone in my fanny pack, I often will put fast action snacks like gummy bears, Twizzler nibs or grapes in feed bag number two. 

Cherries? Yes please!

(6) The frame bag has bike repair items (multi-tool, brake pads, lube, spare nuts/screws for my rack, zip ties, rag, tube repair kit), my tent poles, my bike lock and my water filter. I also sometimes keep extra water in here in a one liter foldable bottle. 

(7) The rear bag has all sleeping items including air mat, sleep sack and sleeping bag. It also has most of my electronics, an emergency/first aid kit, toiletries and any clothes I am not currently wearing (usually a puffy, spare bottom/top, underwear, but during summer, also includes a beanie, and waterproof gloves and booties, which live in my handlebar bag when it's cold out). I also have a spare/emergency credit card and an extra bike tube in this bag. 

Toiletries: no tweezers or scissors here!

All packed up!

(8) The hydration vest I wear, and it has things I may need frequent access to like Advil, toilet paper, a charger for my phone, my passport, a pen, post cards/stamps, emergency cash, gloves, buff, arm sleeves, and wind breaker. I also have a 2L water bladder for when I am in very dry places, but I have not had to use it very often. 

(9) The fanny pack stays on me at all times and has my wallet, headphones, floss stick (yes, I reuse it), Chapstick and two emergency tampons (since the rest are deep inside my big bag). I used to also keep earplugs in here, but to be honest, I have not needed them (knock on wood!) lately, so I took them out.

My wallet here only has two credit cards, an ATM card and my ID. I have an extra credit card, my Costco card (priorities people!) and my Global Entry card stored in a separate place, and I keep my passport on me inside my hydration vest.  

(10) On the top I usually wear a sports bra, a short sleeved merino wool shirt with a sunscreen hoodie if it is cooler, with options for the windbreaker from my vest if needed, or my rain jacket if it is especially cold or wet. On the bottom, I alternate between cycling shorts (chamois) and Adidas capris. If it is very cold or wet, I wear rain pants over those, and I wear socks and regular trail running shoes (not cycling shoes). A pair of cycling gloves and a helmet tops off my ensemble. 

Same shi(r)t, different day!! 

So, there is where everything in my current life lives! I guess from the original list, the only things I still have are: Medicine | Band-Aids | Winter hats/gloves/accessories | Pens | Suitcases (do my bike bags count?) | Water bottles. 

Do you keep your dirty towels somewhere besides the laundry basket? Feel free to pick a few other things off the list and tell me where you keep them! Does anything I carry (or don't carry) surprise you? 

Pack Your Fears

In the hiking world there is a saying, that we always pack our fears. This means that if you are afraid of being cold, you will overpack clothes; if you are afraid of running out of food, you will overpack food. My brother carries a lot of (too much?) water; my Dad carries a large first aid kit; my hiking buddy Bugsy carries a lot of bug repellent (hence the trail name). Here are a few things that I carry too much of and how these translate to my fears. 

Headphones. I am afraid of running out of entertainment, so I have four pairs of headphones. Yes, four. One pair is wireless, but these require being charged, and they need Bluetooth, which runs my phone battery down faster, so I rarely use them unless I am near a town and know I will be near another town soon. They are not critical when it comes to things I need to charge, so they often stay packed. I also have three pairs of wired headphones. Overkill as they may be, I do not really want to ride for several days without an audiobook, plus they are small, and I just cleaned out my entire house and I had three pairs that still work, so I brought all three of them. Side note and tip: when traveling internationally, it is still a good idea to have a wired pair for the flight so that you don't have to use the crappy ones that the airline gives you. Obviously I have thought about this a lot, eh? 

Food. I am afraid of being hungry. Actually, I am not afraid of being hungry, but am afraid of not having food when I am hungry. I am also a bit of a food hoarder, and will stock up if I am in a town or if something is on sale. Obviously this works a lot better when you are living in a house with a fridge and cupboards, but I still justify it and will carry a lot of bars "just in case." I am a lot better at this when backpacking, as I will pack exactly for the number of days that I will be hiking +1 for emergencies. When cycling you are going through towns every few days and it is a nice treat to go to the grocery store, and so I treat myself by overbuying food. 

Food haul!
The cookies on the bottom right are so, SO good.

Water. I am afraid that the next stream will be dry. I usually carry two liters at all times. However, I dislike filtering and I guess I would rather carry more weight than waste more time filtering over and over and over, so if I am in a town with potable water, I might "camel up" as they say (drink as much as possible then fill all of your bottles for the journey). However, I am sure someone has done a study about the efficiency of time comparing the extra time it takes when you are carrying more weight vs. the extra time it takes to filter. 

Filtering water (PC: Broksi)

Chapstick. I am addicted to Chapstick. I brought two on this trip: one main one and one spare, and then my friend K handed me one in Oregon and I decided to keep it, because you know, they might not have Chapstick in Canada, or Montana... not! I have heard stories about how the menthol is actually addicting; I don't know if that is true. I do know that I do not love most brands. I don't want spicy or fruity Chapstick. I want the Chapstick brand, the black one, or the blue in a pinch. You may think I am cheap and gift me with a nice tube of Burt's Bees. I don't want it. I am not cheap. I am particular about my Chapstick, so I carry extra. 

Sunglasses. I am blonde and blue eyed, and even on a cloudy day, I need to wear sunglasses. Luckily, my eye scan has been good over the years, probably because when I am outside, I am wearing sunglasses 98% of the time. For this reason I did bring an extra pair with me. However, the first pair was getting all scratched up and I finally ditched it, so now I only have one. Eeeek. What if I lose the second pair, now my only pair? It will be a rough day, but I will probably live. The next town is only a few days away, hopefully. Luckily I do not mind looking like a dork, and will wear whatever glasses are available (gas station, here I come!) 

Same shirt; different glasses. (+Emi the dog)

Navigation. I guess I am afraid of getting lost (although I don't THINK I am!) as I have maps on my phone, a Garmin navigator and a Garmin satellite messenger/tracker. It kind of makes me laugh how many electronics I have; however, Navigation is number one on the Ten Essentials list Ten Essentials list of things that you should always bring hiking with you (even on day hikes!), so I just consider this good practices. Actually food and water are also on that list, so maybe I am just following the rules! 

As a P.S. here are a few things I do NOT bring a lot of. Underwear (I am happy to bring two and wash the one I am not wearing each day, or go commando), socks (same story), bras (same story), multiples of clothes (currently one have one of each layer, and one dry emergency outfit), first aid (if it's not something that duct tape/Lukotape and a bit of gauze can fix, I am probably screwed anyway). 

What do you overpack when you travel? And does this translate to a fear that you have? 

TGIM

I thought I would jump on the TGIF wagon, except that now that I don't have a normal work week, I actually dislike the weekends. Funny, eh? However, they are busier and it takes longer to go grocery shopping and there are more people on the roads and the trails! So now, Monday is my new Friday. However, today is Victoria Day in Canada, so it may still be a bit busier than normal. However, I thought I would do a quick TGIM post anyway. Happy Victoria Day everyone! 

The high of the last week was: My birthday was a great day. I am not really one to celebrate, and I hate being the center of attention (please do not sing to me). However, this day was perfect. I got up naturally, had a nice coffee and breakfast, tackled a nice easy 2% grade uphill, had good weather, then a very smooth downhill with excellent views. It was not too hot, I got into town early and treated myself to lunch, I got like 6 errands done in only a few hours and I had a chance to relax! It was excellent. The only thing I did not get was my free Starbucks drink, as the town I was in was tiny and did not have one. However, my anonymous friend, who reads this blog, and is a very nice dude, gifted me a SBUX gift card so that I could get my "free" coffee whenever I wanted it!! Isn't that just the cherry on top!? Thanks B-man! 

Coming down the hill into Grand Forks, BC

The low of the last week was: I had one day where I had a section of single-track which was sandy and rocky, and was skinny and was right next to the Columbia River, with a wall on one side and a drop off on the other. It.Was.Hairy! Plus there were a lot of steep ups and downs and I ended up pushing Bob a lot. Plus I fell a couple of times, luckily not serious, but it was a frustrating day for sure. To top it off, I was going to camp, but it was an extra six miles past town so I decided to just get a room, but I was hot and frustrated and I accidentally booked one at the top of a hill, so when I got into town I had to go a mile uphill to get to my hotel and it was not even close to a grocery store! I caved and walked to a pub across the street and drowned my sorrows in baby back ribs. 

Bob fell and got a booboo

Something I marked off my to-do list was: Gah! The health insurance has become a fiasco. I got global health insurance right after I quit my job with the understanding that I was going to be traveling to several different countries, but my first two would be the US and Canada. First they tried to get me to give them a domicile in Canada, but I reiterated that I would be constantly traveling. They said that was fine, insurance was approved and I thought I was good. Then a month later, they asked me to give them a domicile in the US. I reiterated that I am traveling and they did not reply. Then a week later I got a notice "confirming my cancelation" of my insurance and thanking me for being a loyal customer. After a big back and forth with the company, who is based in the UK, I finally got it reinstated. Phew! 

The book I am reading is: I am still reading the Outlander on eBook, which is taking me a while because I mostly listen to audio and really only read for about an hour at night in my tent, and this book is also long. However, I do not mind, and I am enjoying it. On audio, it changes every day, but I am reading one called Open Season by CJ Box, which reads like a book written by a man who maybe used to be in law enforcement or the military. It is so-so. 

The best thing I spent money on was: FOOD! I love food! I actually went whole hog for my birthday week last week and I ate out three times! Normally on any given week, I may eat out once, but more likely I would just get groceries (ahem, ice cream) from the store and eat them instead. My favorite thing was a double bacon cheeseburger with a wiener on it! I had to take the wiener off and eat is separately and then split the sandwich in two and eat two open face sandwiches in order to get it into my mouth, as it was so big (insert wiener joke here?)! 

Weiner burger + poutine fries!
(GF bun in case you are wondering why it looks so funny)

Good stuff!

My plans this week include: Pedaling, looking at stuff, taking photos of stuff, eating. 

My favorite photo from the last week is: This one! I have been riding a lot of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail (KVR) and I completed the entire thing (some parts are washed out but I did all that was possible) and got to mile zero! After that, I went on the Columbia and Western Rail Trail (C&W) and I also completed the entire length of that one too! It feels so satisfying, even though I have many miles left. 

Butt and Gut Update: I have been lucky that since I started, I have not had any saddle sore issues. I was quite worried about that, as there have been long days in the saddle. However, KNOCK ON WOOD, I have only had a little bit of chafe from time to time, but nothing serious at all. For the gut, I have basically had no bloating, except for one time that I had a banana and beans in the same day. However, I have even tried eating a couple of slices of sourdough with no issues and I did have a few beers too. I am still staying basically gluten free and am not really eating beans, garlic, onions or high sugar/fiber fruit. It seems to be working! 

What are you reading? What was the high/low of your week last week? What have you crossed off of your to-do list lately? 

Looking Back: Books

As I mentioned last week, I have been struggling a little bit to concentrate on books lately. However, I am happy to report two things. First of all, per Engie's recommendation, I started reading A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. I am about two thirds of the way through it and so far, it is just what I needed! It is light and fun and easy and there are gingerbread men who come to life. I will report back when I am done, but I think the reading funk has been banished! 

Secondly, just because I have not had a lot of luck in March does not mean that the last quarter was all bad. Here are several books that I read during the first quarter of this year that I did enjoy! 

The Secret Book of Flora Lee by Patti Callahan Henry: In 1939 Hazel and her younger sister Flora are sent out of London to the country to live to escape the bombs. One day, while playing near the river, Flora vanishes and Hazel blames herself for her sister's death. Years later, Hazel is working at a publisher when she reads a manuscript of a story that only her and her sister would know. This makes her believe that maybe her sister is still alive after all. I enjoyed the story itself and the author's writing style, and was even surprised from time to time as the story progressed. 

None of This is True by Lisa Jewell: Unassuming Josie bumps into famous podcaster Alix in the bathroom of a local restaurant at their separate birthday celebrations. After that Alix runs into Josie several more times and eventually even agrees to interview Josie for her podcast. Of course Josie ends up being different than expected, and there are many twists and turns along the way before we find out what is really going on. This is another typical Jewell novel, but I mean that in a good way. Some of hers have been a little less exciting than others, but this one did not disappoint. 

The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel: This is the story of two friends during WWII. When Elise becomes a target of the Nazis, she entrusts her daughter with her friend Juliette to care for until it is safe to send for her. When the war is finally over, she returns home to find Juliette's house reduced to rubble, Juliette nowhere to be found and no knowledge of what transpired during her daughter's final moments. She searches for years to find Juliette in order to get answers about her daughter so that she can have some closure in her life at last. 

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King: This is not your typical King horror novel; it is a thriller about murder and an ex-detective named Hodges who tries to solve the mystery of the killer and of course there are some twists and turns along the way. I was pleasantly surprised, as I was not sure what to expect after years of not reading a King novel (but I did read most or all of them back in the 90s!). 

Evil Eye by Etaf Rum: The tale of the expectations placed on Palestinian-American women, this is the story of Yara. She married the right guy, moved to the suburbs, had children and is doing everything right, as her culture expects. However, after her husband forbids her to go as a chaperone to a school trip, she begins to wonder if she really is happy, and if she is not, how she can be happier but not rock the boat with  her family. This seems impossible and is an interesting look into the struggles that some woman face even still.

The People We Keep by Allison Larkin: April leaves home early after a fight with her Dad and goes off to make her own way in the world. She moves from city to city trying to find her place in the world, and meets a lot of interesting people along the way. This is more of a character driven novel, which I am not always a big fan of, but I did find some of her trials and tribulations interesting and felt engaged with her throughout the story. 

Kill Show by Daniel Sweren-Becker: This one got accolades from many of you, and I jumped on the bandwagon a little late, but I am glad that I jumped, as it did not disappoint! It is a story of a girl who goes missing and her family's struggles to find her. To do this, they agree to make a reality show about her disappearance in real time. The best part was that it was done in an interview style format, which really kept me engaged the entire time. It has an essence of Gone Girl, in that it keeps you guessing and tickles you a bit at the end. 

What was your favorite book over the last three months? Have you read any of the above and/or did you enjoy them? What is your favorite genre? 

Things I Do Not Buy

I noticed the other day that although I have not bought toilet paper since March of 2022 (a 24 pack), I still have seven rolls left in my overflow stash. This could be partially because I bought a bidet in September 2022, which has drastically cut down on my TP use! The other thing is that I am at work four or five days a week for eight or ten hours, so many of my potty trips are at work. However, I was quite surprised to find that it had been that long when I looked back at my Amazon history. I do suspect that I probably had several left over before I bought the last pack, but I am surprised to still have some left! Question: How many rolls of TP do you go through each month? 

Sign in hospital bathroom. Hands? Really?

The other thing I rarely use is paper towels. I bought a Costco pack of 12 rolls when I moved into my house in May 2015 and I (a) still have two rolls left and (b) have given away at least six of them if not more. I just do not use paper towels! If someone comes over for dinner I will use them but otherwise, I use a rag to wipe the floor or the counter (a clean one!) and if I am eating dinner alone, I just use a dishrag as a napkin too. I have a set of older dishcloths that I use for those kinds of things, and a set of new ones that hang on the sink for wiping dishes or whatnot. Question: Do you use a lot of paper towels, napkins, cloth napkins, or dish towels? 

I have actually never used Doordash or Uber Eats. Once at work, I had to order for a group, so I have a Doordash account, but I have never had food delivered to my house. I tend to cook at home and am happy to eat oatmeal for dinner if I have not had a chance to go shopping, or I have a commercial district with restaurants and a grocery store about a half a mile from my house so I can just walk to get food. A coworker of mine ordered Chipotle through Doordash and he said that it cost like $40 with the delivery, food and tip, and I cannot imagine spending that much on Chipotle. You do you and all, but that is not where I want to focus my spending personally. Question: What is the weirdest thing you have ordered for delivery? 

After having several purges and getting rid of many books, I set the goal to not buy anymore until I had read (and given away) the ones on my shelf that I had not yet read. Confession: I still have a couple on my shelf that I have not yet read, but except for those two, I am reading 100% library books now. In the past 10 years, I have bought very few books. I did go to Powell's in Portland about five years ago and I used a gift card that was given to me to buy a few travel books. However, I am now down to only about 20 books on my shelf, which are mostly books from my childhood, and I do not have any plans to buy more books any time soon! Question: Do you still buy books? 

Powell's is awesome. 

I love going out to eat as much as anyone else, but there are a couple of things that I never order at a restaurant. The first is spaghetti. Don't get me wrong; if I am at an Italian restaurant and they make their own pasta, I will go to town on some ravioli or tortellini, but I will likely not order spaghetti. The other thing is roast chicken. If I am going to pay for meat at a restaurant, I feel like it should be one that I don't or can't cook. Fois gras? Yes please. Duck? Sign me up! Rabbit stew? You betcha! Roast chicken? Nah, I can make that at home. Question: Is there something that you rarely or never order at a restaurant? 

Exception to the rule: chicken and waffles!

Years ago, I realized that it is so much easier when hiking or traveling to just bring smaller tampons with me. I should have swapped long before that, but at that point, I finally made the switch to applicator-less tampons. I hated using the plastic tampons due to environmental issues and the ones without an applicator are not really any different. I do wish that I would have heard about or tried the Diva cup earlier, as I think that would have also been a good way to not have to use/carry so many feminine products on long hikes! Question: Have you tried the Diva Cup (or equivalent)? If so, what are your thoughts? 

List of questions: 

How many rolls of TP do you go through each month? 

Do you use a lot of paper towels, napkins, cloth napkins, or dish towels? 

What is the weirdest thing you have ordered for delivery? 

Do you still buy books?

Is there something that you rarely or never order at a restaurant? 

Have you tried the Diva Cup (or equivalent)? If so, what are your thoughts? 

Feel free to answer one or all of the questions above, or tell me what things do you NOT buy?