Trekking the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania
The landscape of Lushoto was incredible! It was Hollywood scenery: hobbit land. Lord of the Rings meets Jurassic park. Unlike anywhere else I had visited in Tanzania. Perhaps it was the rolling hills and cool elevation which gave it a particular indescribable character. Or maybe it was the cool vibe of subsistence farmers, far from […]
Tanzania Safari: Maasai Warriors, The Big 5, Claustrophobia and Learning How To Kill Lions
After climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, I spent two days recouping in the town of Moshi, before heading out on a 3-day safari. If you love the opportunity to interact with locals, Moshi is an exciting destination. Perhaps a little too exciting. In fact, the quantity of attention I received was overwhelming. At times I was approached […]
I spent my 42nd Birthday Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
2022 started out rough! I was racing against a writing deadline, while also trying to plan a trip to southeast Africa in efforts to escape another mid-west winter. I had spent the previous 6 months writing a hiking guide for Wisconsin where each of the treks ended at a scenic waterfall. This involved traveling to […]
Week 8: Cycling in and around Chiapas
My first week in San Cirstonal De Las Casas I hardly rode my bike at all. Aside from going in search of local bike shops and mechanics, my bike stayed parked at the hostel. The narrow cobblestone roads were just too difficult and annoying to properly explore the historic city on two wheels. A week […]
Week 7: San Cristobal De Las Casas, Chiapas
“It is hard to stay mad when there is so much beauty in the world.” – Lester Burnham Bus Station Adventures: Two days in Villahermosa was enough for me to check out the local bike shops and see the city in all of its cultural and ecological diversity. Next stop: San Cristobal De Las Casas, […]
Week 6 On The Road to Patagonia: Palenque to Villhermosa
Catazaja to Palenque (61 miles) In my last post, Week 5 on the Road to Patagonia, I explained how I took a reprieve in the lakeside town of Catazajá to get off the road for a few days to hydrate, recharge and come face to face with Mexican Jesus (see previous post for explanation). The […]
Week 5 On The Road to Patagonia
Xpujil to Laguna Silvituc (61 Miles) The beautiful thing about all of our mistakes in life is that, in the universe, nothing is ever wasted. Heat exhaustion taught me to be more aware of my hydration, my nutrition intake, ideal hours of biking (avoiding mid-day), seeking shade when necessary and getting plenty of rest. I […]
Week 4 On The Road to Patagonia
From Tulum to Bacalar: The route from Tulum to Bacalar was 135 miles and for some reason, in the scorching Caribbean sun, I decided that I was going to do it in one day. It’s important to note, that my confidence in accomplishing this physical feat was a result of my cycling experience back in […]
Week 3 On The Trail To Patagonia
“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life…I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive.” –Joseph Campbell The majority of the adventure “bike-packing” I have done has been with my good friends Jim McLure, Jonathon Anderson and Michael Santiago-Ignasiak who all still live in Milwaukee, WI. They […]
Week 2 On The Trail to Patagonia
Since I couldn’t cross over the border directly into Mexico, I was hoping to at least fly into Mexico City for two reasons: 1.) More options for affordable bicycles (or at least I hoped), 2.) It would give me more distance to bike south in order to see more of this beautiful country before reaching […]