There's no place like home

As the days on the road slipped away our grieving increased. Our shared times of ups and downs would soon be replaced by separation.....a parting of ways each day as we rejoined the working world. We certainly had strains on our relationship throughout the journey, but were they really any more difficult than relationships in normal US day to day living? Maybe the only difference is the chance to escape any problems that may arise, with the "excuse" of a job to go to. The powerhouse carrying us home. Christie's view rarely changed, but her legs were always pumping.

North Dakota winds took their toll. We hid out behind some bales along the road.

A goldmine! We rarely stopped for pennies, sometimes nickles and always for dimes or more. We hit the mother load between Lisbon and Gwinner, ND.....$1.37.

Leonard at an NDSU research facility let us tent at his place. He sent us on our way with some monster potatoes.

Adam passed us on a slow ride into the wind. When he saw us in the next town he figured we could use a little energy.

We found the place to hang out in small town SD. Farmers from miles around flooded in at noon.

No trip is complete without a trip to storybook land. We hit the scene with a good childhood friend and her kids.

Another church provided a resting place. We were glad the back door was open.....well open enough to fill up on water!

Diving days. Doughnuts powered us for a few days at this jackpot.

Last day on the road, last town before Mankato, one last chance to go all out. A quick jump and I was under the black cover. Pumpkin pie, rolls, frozen pizzas.....did we really want this to end?

So close to Mankato and the wind actually at our back.

A very familiar road in to town...decked out in fall colors.

And home in time to celebrate a friend's wedding. Was the pedaling really over?

Maybe not. I was a little wobbly starting out. Parking the big rig and jumping on this nimble beast rendered me shaky as a 5 year old without training wheels.

And the only way to get past that feeling was to hit the road again....off to South Dakota. Christie and I had stopped here 14 1/2 months prior...still hard to take it all in.

Now a home of our own. After a few weeks of home searching we ran across one we could both agree on. We plan to move in mid-November.

Settling down....settling in.....the freedom of the road.....sweaty nights in Baja......freezing nights in Peru.....a job......a house. We are still adjusting.

For Christie, the job search continues, the excitement of the house propels her forward, the opportunity to shift, stand and power up hills has re-ignited her joy of cycling (for shorter trips).

And Eric? The lure of the road is present many times each day. The job is not as easy of an adjustment as he'd hoped and the house, while very exciting tings with fears of confinement.

So in the not too distant future, we plan some level of story telling in Mankato. Some of the stories may even be true! And a book......that is a definite maybe.

Just a little more time

Eric - As our bike made its way West, I was faced with one of my greatest fears of the trip. Stopping. Christie had the end in her sights, a stop in St. Paul, then an easy day in to Mankato and the madness would end. She would be finished with this trip that was a physical cake-walk compared to the mental and emotional strains, never to cycle for more than a month or two at a time again.

Could we compromise on a new route? Mesh Christie's need to see family and friends, with my desire to make the freedom roll on a little longer. Our route adjustment has brought us to Fargo, a reunion with Christie's family, a 10 year Concordia Cobber reunion, and two more blessed weeks on the bicycle.

Chicago gets a big thumbs up for their bicycle friendliness. The lake path, good bike lanes and free maps of the city bike routes combine for our best big city cycling experience. At the end of a long day in to the wind, we knocked on George and Georgia's door asking to throw a tent in their field. Within minutes we were making the bed on their back porch and getting ready to watch Monday Night Football. We continue to be amazed by the kindness we encounter. Certainly not getting any younger. Celebrating my second birthday on this trip. Here with our niece and nephew. Family filling the cheering section. A sunny day for some hard hitting 7th grade football action. Back in the foundry family. Mike is Neenah's Metallurgist and was a great stop on our way home. Chain-o-Lakes. Todd is a former co-worker. He and Sharon opened his house to us on a rainy night. We took in a great boat ride during a break in the rain. Thankfully there wasn't a night game. Tucked out of the wind and out of site, this super-sized dugout was home for a night. Colfax, midway between the North Pole and Equator, every small town has a claim to fame. Hiding out during a lightning storm. A few soggy days in the rain. Thankfully we had dry places to sleep each night. More reunions. Being close to home has given us lots of people to celebrate with. Here some Cobbers and their families. A highlight of our trip was sitting at an internet cafe in San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina, talking to our good friends, Chris and Kristin, and hearing that after 14 years they were finally engaged. Celebrating with them in person was even better. Still loving the warmshowers stops. Paul was our 15th and probably our last WS stay. The choice to turn our route North, took us through the full palette of fall colors. On the Lake Wobegon Trail between St. Cloud and Fergus Falls. Cobbers unite! We converged on Christie's sister and brother-in-law as we hit Fargo. As usual, Michelle took the house filling onslaught of people in stride. Due to some visionary friends, we found ourselves in the Cobber homecoming parade. Maybe we'll continue throwing candy for the rest of our ride.

We've arrived at the conclusion that this journey must end....and actually have a definite stopping date (October 12th). We continue to be challenged by our desire to live on the fringe of typical US society and not be outsiders. Maybe now is the time to dance with the changes in our near future.

Reflecting on the return

Eric: As our wheels roll closer to Minnesota, the realities of a changing life are becoming more apparent. The day to day freedoms we have known on the bike - pedal or not, this route or that, long mid-day nap in the park - as well as the discomforts of a long trip - are nearing an end........soon to be replaced with jobs, a real bed, and a mortgage?

The finish line is in sight....but this wasn't supposed to be about a finish line. We wanted to be impacted by the world. Have footprints left all over us and be changed by the bruises. The comforts of our homeland now are filled with pin pricks of discomfort. The typical American fears that surfaced before we first crossed into Mexico a year ago, never materialized. Now we are more impacted by the safe and sterile life many Americans try to create around them......and we don't like it. No trespassing, wash your hands, eat before this date, beware of dog, caution coffee may be hot, warning this peanut butter contains peanuts...........
Still have a few things to figure out. Keep riding.

I've got a mule, and her name is Sal. Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal. She's a good old worker and a good old pal, Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal. We've hauled some barges in our day, Filled with lumber, coal and hay, And we know ev'ry inch of the way From Albany to Buffalo.

Christie was treated to music every inch of the way.

My grandparents went to Niagara Falls on their honeymoon...and again 40 yrs later (grandma always said the second trip was because they actually wanted to see the falls). This was our first time there, it was all it was cracked up to be.

We were drawn to the international flair of the area. Chinese, Colombian, Polish, Swiss and US travelers found the Jojo train a little more exciting than water falling....for a few minutes as we strolled by. A $1 ferry ride addressed our bridge crossing issue. Detroit and Port Huron bridges didn't want anything to do with our preferred mode of transportation.

A friendly face on our final return to the states. Ray went pedaling around town looking for a map we could use, then prayed over our journey before we left him. I believe his understanding of Michigan roads and drivers triggered his prayer.

One cool family! A last trip before the start of school, the determination of this family, particularly the 8th grade twin girls impressed us. They were nearing the end of a week long bike ride along the Erie Canal.

Just part of the family. We enjoyed a Labor Day warm shower host and were welcomed as part of the family. We enjoyed our departing ride with Jim to the dunes of Lake Michigan.

Making new friends.

Stealth camping and warm showers have been the primary places we lay our heads in the US. Rural churches during the week and schools on the weekend are easy, urban camping has been a little more of a challenge.

Lift off in the dunes.

Christie's joy of shopping was slightly dampened as she walked into this mall...soaking wet, bright yellow cycling jacket, cycling shoes, and no shower in a few days. As one of our friends commented, the click of C's shoes walking through were the "loudest clicks ever heard."We filled up at roadside stands throughout NY, Ontario and Michigan.

Grocery stores are hard. We are a nation filled with choices....going in to a store to grab simple things....maybe peanut butter, salad dressing and cereal turns into a colossal chore filled with no less than 100 options. On this Sunday morning it just seemed simpler to go with pumpkin pie....and you can't have pie without cool whip! There wasn't very much talking as we sat in front of the store and our breakfast disappeared.

Sometimes it is easier to have food choices whittled down for us. Hirsch (cycling for 6 yrs around the world) is teaching us the finer points of dumpster diving during our virgin experience. With our endless number of food choices comes a mountain of waste. These bagels were maybe a day old...and mighty tasty. We are excited to practice our new found skills for the rest of the ride. Brings a whole new meaning to the term dive master.

Peace Corps Vanuatu re-unites. The five of us overlapped for one year in the South Pacific. E, C, Hirsch - having a bit of a zen moment here, Sarah and Aaron Reedy - both Chicago teachers. A great stop and opportunity to discuss items with people who can readily relate to our experience as they have had so many of their own unique adventures.

A high school friend from Albert Lea who lives in the Chicago area. Christie is getting comfortable holding a young one.

We enjoyed moving under power while the clickity clack of the wheels on the steel rails sped us towards Chicago. We stayed with Pete (Eric's cousin) in NW Indiana.

The honeymoon period of our return home is giving way to the day to day US realities. Before we could dismiss oddities (to us) as just being an East coast thing, no longer. We are now in the Midwest, the world we left, and it didn't seem to take a year off. A year removed from our cell service we notice nearly everyone is walking or driving or riding the train, while texting or with a phone to their ear. Those who aren't have stuffed their ear buds in isolating themselves from interactions.

So we give you a challenge today. For a few moments be electronic and media free. Move under your own power and engage 10 other people who are moving under their own power. Hey, Hello and Nice Day all count! Then remember what it is like to be a human....without fear.