Adventure Friday: Traveling with grief and a budget

Today, Andy and I are finishing up our second crosscountry road trip from the east coast to Salt Lake City. Although we followed the exact same route both times, these road trips are wildly different from each other.

Traveling with Grief

When we first did the trip in October 2011, we were driving Andy's tiny Nissan Sentra, overpacked and loaded down with Andy's life belongings. This week, we're driving a zippy Volkswagen Passat, just purchased from a family member and my first ever car. In October 2011, we were giddy with the excitement of Andy's new job and new life. We were awed by the stretches of country we had never seen. This week, although our eyes still saw the beauty of endless blue sky and scrappy pine bluffs, we also felt the burdens of anxiety and sadness. Worries about work, money, family, self, and loss lurked somewhere within the hum of the tires, the vibrations of the engine, the gusting of wind. 

Eating on a Budget

One difference that I've really enjoyed is our approach to food this week. In 2011, we mostly ate at restaurants along the road. We're pretty broke this time, so we packed all of our food with us: instant oatmeal, peanut butter, bread, trail mix, cheese, beer, Red Bull, and a huge batch of spaghetti with homemade sauce. We wash our reusable bowls and utensils with Dr. Brauner's liquid soap in the hotel sinks, and we refill our big coffee mugs at each hotel breakfast.

Let me tell you, at the end of a long driving day, there are few things more comforting than those spaghetti leftovers.

Love begins with 'W'

One thing that has stayed the same is my love for wind turbines and Wyoming. I think my mom would have liked both, too.

Survival by bicycle

Remember when A. moved to Salt Lake City and we weren't sure whether it would be long-term? Well, almost one year later, it's long-term.

The past year has been, for both of us, one of those periods in life that test you far beyond your comfort zone.

A. had moved across country in the hopes that an exciting but risky internship would jumpstart his non-existant career. I was balancing a full-time position with an intense search for a new job. My mother—who has forever been my rock and confidant—continued her two-year battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Months of hard work, sleepless nights, and emotional strain dragged on. 

Then, in one surreal week, my mom landed in the ICU in a Connecticut hospital and I received an amazing job offer in Utah. My life seemed to be screeching to a halt and just beginning at the same exact time. The months that followed faded into a blur.

I remember riding a lot. 

I remember taking the train to Connecticut a lot. My bike, of course, came with me.

I remember bursting into tears while biking to work one morning, and being unable to stop crying until I ordered and ate a side of bacon.

I remember packing boxes and moving furniture at all hours of the hot, humid night. I remember the friends and family who helped me.

Now, I live in Salt Lake City with A. I love my new job, and A's internship has turned into a full-time position. I still ride my bike to work, and we hike together on the weekends. I miss my family, and while my mom's struggle has continued along a roller coaster track, her doctors are working hard to move her out of the hospital and into a physical therapy rehab facility. 

Things aren't perfect. The journey is far from over. There are many times when I wonder, à la Monday Morning Mantra, "What the f**k have I done?" But this past year has taught me that determination can reap amazing rewards; that a loving and supportive family is an invaluable gift; and that a bicycle is one amazing piece of survival equipment. 

Adventure Fridays: Experimenting with food

When eating for your adventures, experimentation is key. Everyone experiences different cravings — sweet treat or salty snack; cold drink or hot meal —as well as different levels of hunger. 

Lately, I've been experimenting with the amount of food I need to pack for a bicycle commute. Packing my own lunches and snacks is healthy, cheap, fun, and a lot easier than running out of the office every other hour to buy a granola bar. 

Planning your meals for a bicycle commute depends on the length of your commute and your body type. A relaxed 15-minute commute may not require a significant change in eating habits, but a fast-paced 45-minute commute may leave you feeling ravenous. While I am a fan of using instinct to tune into your body's needs, a basic calorie counter can help you identify your target range for losing, maintaining, or gaining weight while cycling.

The food I eat changes with the weather and seasons (lighter meals during a heat wave and more oatmeal on cold mornings), but I think I've nailed down a basic pattern that works for me.

Morning

• Before hopping on the bike, I eat a small bowl of oatmeal with honey and ground flaxseed, or homemade granola with plain yogurt.
• I drink water with breakfast, and water on my ride.
• Within 30 minutes of getting off my bike, I follow up with a snack: banana with peanut butter, or a hardboiled egg and a slice of toast with honey. Don't forget coffee! 

Afternoon

• For lunch, I bring a home-cooked meal to reheat in the office microwave. Hearty fibers and proteins keep me full. I drink water instead of soda or juice.
• To stave off my inevitable afternoon craving for chocolate, I finish off my lunch with sweet fruit like grapes or homemade applesauce. Or, I go straight for the chocolate.
• Later in the afternoon, I munch on homemade popcorn—not from a buttery microwave bag, but popped on the stovetop with some olive oil and sea salt.

Evening

• I always pack an emergency granola bar or energy gel for my ride home, just in case my body can't wait until dinner. 
• I'm still drinking water. Really, the only beverages I consume are water, coffee, and the occasional beer. 

What foods do you eat to fuel your outdoor fun? What's your favorite meal of the day?

Survival Mondays: Learning to love the rain

Sure, I've ridden my bicycle in the rain. Once.

Two summers ago, I signed up for the Discover Hudson Valley Ride sponsored by Bike New York.* After what seemed like an entire summer of brilliantly sunny weekends, it poured all day long during the 2010 Hudson Valley ride. We had paid good money to register for that tour, so we rode despite the rain. In fact, once we resigned ourselves to the reality of being absolutely soaked to the bone, we stopped caring. It was fun to speed through puddles and feel the rain on our faces. (Although, that was a day when I sincerely wished I owned contact lenses. Or windshield wipers for my glasses.)

Just a little damp.

When it comes to my commute to work, however, I haven't sucked up the courage to bike in the rain. My cat-like reaction to a few raindrops stems from a combination of many small annoyances: wet clothes, wet hair, no contacts. The biggest deterrent? I carry a laptop and cell phone when I commute.

Now that I've signed up for the National Bike Challenge—a free program that aims to get 50,000 people to bike a total of 10 million miles by August 31—I feel a little more pressure to take my cycling commute seriously. I rode my bike to work this morning under sunny skies, and I took my bike home on the subway under the threat of evening showers. All the way home, I found myself dreaming about waterproof commuting gear.

For small items, like a wallet or cellphone, a Ziplock bag should keep things dry. Cheap and easy rain protection!

For my laptop, and maybe even clothes, I have some research to do. Some potential options for waterproofing gear:

• SealLine computer sleeve looks professional and reliable, but perhaps too bulky (and expensive!) for my needs.
• ExPed or Sea to Summit dry bags work well for my camping gear. Why not for cycling, too?
• This website suggests getting creative and making your own weatherproof case out of a Tyvek envelope.

Do you bike in the rain? What do you do to protect your gear from getting wet? Leave a comment!

*Tip: If the 5 Boro Bike Tour isn't your thing, try the Hudson Valley Ride. It's beautiful, fun, and a lot less crowded than its New York City counterpart.

Road Trip: How to Pack Light

Going on just one long hike with a painfully heavy backpack convinced me to start packing light. Whether it's on a hiking trail or a city sidewalk, it's never pleasant to lug a really heavy bag (and sweat from the effort). Aside from toiletries, the biggest burden for most traveling women is clothing.

The key is picking just a few multifunctional items that keep you dry, keep you warm, and feel comfortable. 

For my four-day road trip, I'm packing:

• 1 pair of jeans. I'll be wearing them when we first hit the road, so they don't even take up space in my suitcase! 
• 1 pair of comfortable hiking pants. Last spring, I invested in a pair of well-fitting hiking pants made from a water-resistant, breathable, comfortable material. They look good even after many wears, on and off the trail. A looser fit on the legs is better for circulation when sitting for hours on end 
• 1 warm base layer. A base layer is a thin shirt that you can wear under other clothing to a) keep you warm and b) keep you dry if you do start to sweat. Think soft polyester, which feels cozy and wicks moisture away from the body. 
• 1 short-sleeved top. For either warmer weather or a burst of color on top of the base layer. 
• 1 fleece sweater. Warm, cozy, comfortable, and stink-resistant. Enough said. 
• 1 waterproof jacket. This jacket should be relatively thin. With the fleece or alone, it acts a windbreaker for extra warmth and stays dry in an unexpected rainstorm. 
• 1 cute blouse. Just in case I do decide to swap the camping gear for a nice dinner or night on the town. 
• Minimal travel cosmetics. The airline won't hate me when I fly back to New York City, and I won't loose my overpriced face cleanser. If you can't be without your best toiletries, however, invest in a few reusable travel containers. Nalgene and Coghlan make small toiletry bottles with leakproof tops.  
• A few necessities, of course. With so few items of clothing, I had plenty of room for socks, underwear, a camera, and a notebook (for my scribblings).

Everything fit in my favorite piece of "luggage," a messenger bag!

Though I can't speak for everyone on this trip...