We've Moved [On]!

Since we've been doing much less coasting cross country, we thought it was time to retire the old blog. With newfound inspiration, we've started a new forum for sharing our adventures and discoveries (traveling and beyond). You'll now be able to find us at: http://lovelymeander.blogspot.com/

Please come visit, and join us in our new meanderings!

Welcome to the New Year!

Since our official New Year was full of traveling and moving, we decided to ring in the Chinese New Year by dusting off the blog. We've crossed the country again, and we've got plenty of stories, tips and photos to share. For now, we'll start the new year by recapping where we've been... through "Welcome" signs!

After traveling west to east by bicycle, we headed northeast by car...

And then we turned south... and west...

So here ends our "tumbleweed" year. We're back on the bikes and exploring the southwest. We'll post here from time to time on our lessons learned and great discoveries. Hope you'll share some of your own and enjoy reading!

Wagons Westward

After trying out our new wheels and methods on our 3,000-mile New England road trip, we decided to explore a new section of this great country - the Southwest!  Our latest North American transect took us through Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. We watched the landscape morph from the Atlantic coast to the Appalachians, to the expansive Midwest and high plains, to the buttes, mesas and mountains of the desert.

Here's a glimpse at the evolution of the great American landscape from east to west:

 Climbing Monk's Mound at the Cahokia Mounds in Illinois, the ruins of the largest and most complex pre-Columbian city north of Mexico.

Crossing under the Jefferson Expansion Memorial Arch in St. Louis, Missouri - our official entrance into the West!

Crossing the flat (and windy!) plains of Oklahoma

 As we entered New Mexico, the landscape changed rapidly to reveal rough rock bulging through the dry ground...

...evolving into beautiful mountain chains like the Sandias.

Stay tuned for more dispatches from the American Southwest!

Gravity Works

3,600 miles to cross the country by bicycle, and we avoided injury and illness. We didn't realize how great a feat this was until our third mile on the back roads of Loretto, Kentucky. The perfect combination of a downhill grade, sharp turn, gravel and dogs on the chase led to a scary spill and emergency room visit. We were reminded of a few tips for coping with dogs while riding, but, more importantly, we were reminded of the necessity of safety gear.

Always...

Wear a helmet.
Wear gloves.
Wear glasses (plastic, NOT glass).
Carry identification AND insurance information.
Bring a cell phone.
Ride with a buddy and/or tell someone your travel plans.

These few things made a dangerous situation much more manageable. For those who need a little more convincing... How's a shiner and some killer road rash?

Happy Halloween!

Adding It Up

10 States

2 Provinces

15 days

3,000 miles

$1,084.24

During our recent road trip, we often explained our route to folks as, "traveling to Ohio... by way of Maine." This usually led to a few raised eyebrows, which was a perfect opportunity to outline our tour of New England. The next question was usually something like, "How are you able to afford a trip like this?"  The answer is plenty of prior planning and thoughtful saving.

This venture was the perfect opportunity for us to practice traveling frugally, simply and efficiently (by car this time). It gave us a chance to make our own rules, and test how they work. A review of our expenses reveals that it is quite possible to travel comfortably on a limited budget, so we wanted to share the good news with others! Here is a breakdown of costs for a 2-week 3,000-mile car trip through New England:

Gas = $375.29
Tolls = $41.15
Food = $373.50
Lodging = $218.61
Miscellaneous = $106.58

Costs Explained

Transportation - For this trip, we drove a 2003 Subaru Outback. It doesn't get the best gas mileage, but it averaged 28 mpg on highways. More importantly, it had the roominess and driving capabilities that we needed. We were hit hard with tolls around New York, and later opted to select "Avoid Tolls" on our GPS.

Food - We spent $100 on a grocery store stop at the beginning of the trip to stock up on staples like peanut butter, bread, snacks and produce that lasted us beyond the two weeks of traveling. This included several easy-to-cook items that could be mixed and matched for camp-stove dinners like rice and vegetables. When we realized we had stayed under budget, we treated ourselves to a few inexpensive meals "out." Note: Our "food" category also includes tasty local brews from places like the Bar Harbor Brewing Company, Atlantic Brewing Company and some exotic Canadian micros.

Lodging - The majority of our accommodations were tent sites. We were generously received by family and friends in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio (totaling 5 nights). Near the end of the trip, we noticed that the motel next to our KOA had a lower rate than our camping reservation. We cancelled our reservation (losing a $10 deposit), and treated ourselves to a small room with a mattress, cable TV (!), A/C and a clean bathroom all to ourselves. It's hard to believe it was less expensive than a patch of grass and public restroom! Word to the wise - Be on the lookout for better deals, even when you already have a reservation.

Miscellaneous - Most of these purchases were planned outings and fees, including park entry fees/passes and a kayak rental. Note: When traveling abroad (even if it's just across the border to Canada), be prepared for an "international tax" to be added to credit and debit card transactions. If you're only visiting for a short time (like us), and opt not to exchange for foreign currency, the few cents tacked onto your bill can be worth the convenience.

A Successful Experiment

When we finally added up our expenses and compared the numbers to our regular monthly spending, we quickly saw that these 15 days on the road were not tremendously more expensive than staying in our cozy little apartment and living a "normal" life in the suburbs. We are convinced that being able to travel in style does NOT require having lots of money, a travel agent, or a tour bus. So, if you're itching to go out and explore... do it! Just make sure you plan ahead!

Travel for Two

Traveling with a partner can double your fun and sometimes double your challenges. Traveling with your spouse is a sure-fire way to learn about yourselves as a couple. We were recently featured in a wedding/marriage blog about our cross country bicycle ride together. You can read the post here.