A Not-So-Quick Recap

I'm sure many of you have been wondering what we've been up to for the past 6 months. So this is going to be a not so quick recap of the planned leg of our year-long sabbatical. It's truly been an incredible year packed

A Perfect Whistler Day

Not today, but the other day we had a day that was a perfect day (reference). We were slow to respond to the sun peeking over the snow-capped mountains and through our bedroom window. It wasn't until 8:00 am that we successfully mustered the strength required to

Feeling the Christmas Spirit @ Tokyo, Japan

Despite the ticket debacle the flight went smoothly and soon we’d swap the smog of Bangkok for the crisp fall air of Tokyo. We landed in NRT and took the train to our Airbnb in Shinjuku (a neighborhood in Tokyo). As we walked out of Shinjuku station we were

Fun Flights @ Bangkok, Thailand

We started our day with one last ride to the rental place to drop off our bikes. Everything went smoothly. We got our security deposit back and booked a Grab to the airport. Before we knew it we were checking into our fancy Avani+ Riverside resort, one of the few

Sticky Situations @ Chiang Mai, Thailand

After the sea of clouds sunrise we packed up our bags, strapped them to the bikes, and began the ride to Chiang Mai; completing our moto tour of the Mae Hong Son loop. This last stretch of road had been touted by some as the best of the whole loop.

Caves, Caves, Caves part 2: More caves @ Thamlod, Thailand

Our all-day caving tour was scheduled to leave at 9:00am. As we walked up to the tour truck, John Spies, the owner of cave lodge and star of Helen’s insomnia fueled reading was there to see us off. Helen attempted to sound sane while peppering him with questions

Caves, Caves, Caves part 1: the swifts @ Thamlod, Thailand

From Ban Rak Thai we rode about 3 hours east to Cave Lodge. The lodge came highly recommended by one of Adam’s friends (thanks Justin) who did a similar Southeast Asia trip several years ago and said this was a must do. The drive to Cave Lodge continued the

The Joys of Nature part 2: The only solution is to eat them @ Somewhere in Northern Thailand

We were living our dreams of camping in the Thai mountains and saving money while doing it. For only 500 baht (~$15) we rented a tent, a sleeping pad, a few blankets, a lake front plot on a bamboo platform, and 60 minutes in a bamboo row boat. We were

The Joys of Nature part 1: Sights to be Seen @ Somewhere in Northern Thailand

We went to sleep in our passion fruit farm guesthouse to the gentle swish of a nearby stream and a cool, fragrant breeze drifting through our open window. This was the kind of glamping we could get behind. We slept great. By morning we were rejuvenated and ready for some

Mishaps @ Doi Inthanon, Thailand

We were in Doi Inthanon, a beautiful national park outside of Chiang Mai and Helen, as she often does when near protected nature, had a hankering for a big hike. So after a quick breakfast on our deck we set off on the bikes to the summit of Doi Inthanon;

Back on the Bikes @ Doi Inthanon , Thailand

Helen has wanted to do the Mae Hong Son motorcycle loop ever since she first heard about it on the Adventure Rider Radio podcast (episode). Starting from Chiang Mai, the loop is ~370 miles of paved road with thousands of turns through the mountains of northern Thailand. With unique stops

Float with Us @ Koh Lanta, Thailand

We decided to spend our last couple days on Koh Lanta doing some touristy activities. We started with the 4 Islands Boat Tour. We were picked up from the hotel a little before 9am and driven to the dock where we set sail (in a motorboat) for island number 1.

A Close Encownter of the Bovine Kind @ Koh Lanta, Thailand

We had a few days to soak up the sun on Koh Lanta, so Helen being Helen planned a little date day. First, we rode our scooters to Mem’s Coffee Corner. It was arguably the best breakfast of the trip so far. Adam ordered a traditional English breakfast, but

Fab Fish @ Koh Lanta, Thailand

Getting out of Malaysia was a bit tricky. At first our plan was to take the train to the airport but for some odd reason it was more expensive than a Grab. The cheapest option is actually to take a bus, but Adam harbors a bias against busses. (Upon reflection

Home Sweet Suite @ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We drove back to Kuala Lumpur, down the winding jungle roads; Adam Tokyo drifting like a responsible pro, Helen clutching the sides of the car trying to stifle her gasps when he toed the left line. Despite our best efforts, we arrived an hour late so they charged us an

Leeches are Not Friends! @ Taman Negara, Malaysia

After the high octane excitement of MotoGP, it was time to find joy in the simple pleasures of nature. Where better than Taman Negara? The biggest national park in Malaysia and home to the world’s oldest rainforest. But first we had to answer one question: how do we get

Race Weekend @ Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia

We started our morning the same way we start most mornings, by waking up. After one last fancy breakfast, we said our goodbyes to BobAnn then checked out of the exceptionally comfortable Bespoke Trendy hotel. Adam called a Grab (Southeast Asia’s version of Uber) to the airport. When the

City traveling @ Han Noi, Vietnam

Upon landing in Han Noi we were driven to The Bespoke Trendy Hotel, a very bespoke and trendy hotel. The service was again enthusiastic and on the verge of being oppressive. As guests we were not allowed to carry any of our suitcases. We were greeted by smiling hotel employees

Lavish Living @ Luang Prabang, Laos

After several days in Cambodia it was time to fly to our next destination, Luang Prabang, Laos. We were again greeted at the airport by a quiet but responsible driver and a charismatic tour guide. They drove us to our hotel and gave us a couple recommendations for dinner. So

Temple running @ Siem Reap, Cambodia

Our flight from South Korea to Cambodia was a smooth flight with a short layover in Hanoi, Vietnam. We landed in Siem Reap about 15 minutes before Bob (Helen’s father) and Ann (his partner); who we nicknamed BobAnn (pronounced buh-ban). As we walked out of customs we saw a

The final stretch @ Busan, South Korea

After 6 days and 300 miles of pedaling the final stretch was upon us. At this point we were cycling experts. Helen even learned the delicate art of riding with no handle bars: It was mostly… an uneventful day. Eduardo had a small mishap with his pannier again, but being

No more hills @ Namji, South Korea

After our day of rest and relaxation our legs were refreshed and ready to get back on the bikes. Our target was Namji, a small city halfway between Daegu and Busan. We mounted our trusty steeds and rolled across Daegu towards the familiar riverside trail. Confident that all the hills

R&R @ Daegu, South Korea

After biking more miles in four days than any of us had ever done in a month our legs were begging for mercy. Acknowledging that the bike crew could use some solo time we made the decision to split up for a rest day and reconvene at dinner. Eduardo used

A race against the rain @ Daegu, South Korea

After waving goodbye to our host, we set off at our fastest pace so far. There was rain in the forecast and we were determined to avoid as much of it as possible. Morale was high, but then only a few miles into the ride we hit an 18% gradient