Our (canceled) plan / Rome to Barcelona
14 février 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ -13 °C
This was our tentative plan that was canceled near the end of March due to the coronavirus. ☹️
New playhouse lights
8 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Installed some blue LED solar light on the playhouse. 😀
Iowa Gravel
9 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
Pat McKay Rode with us. We sported our buffs while riding. The I included some adventurous B-roads and cold beers in Pat’s backyard at the end.
Mother’s Day
11 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C
We had a relaxing Mother’s day at home. Sebastian turned 17 on April 25th. We planted the Redbud tree in the background the year he was born.
Smoked Pork
14 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
I used my electric smoker to make some smoked pork and smoked salmon. lisa caught the salmon in the fall in Michigan while fishing with her brother Adam.
Trees and Landscaping
15 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We replaced the 45 year old tree that was wrongfully cut down in 2018 while we were touring in France with a Miyabe Maple. We also planted a Norwegian Weeping Spruce and did some landscaping aroundEn savoir plus
Firepit
17 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
We enjoy having fires in the backyard, and Sebastian is at the age when he enjoys having friends over for a fire. This is one socially distancing thing he can enjoy with friends. We built a new fireEn savoir plus
Brown Cafe
18 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
Drink our favorite U.S. beer out of some of our favorite Belgian glasses. 🇺🇸🇧🇪 Brown cafe = an establishment where the dishware and silverware may not match and your beer may or may not beEn savoir plus
Moby Dick
20 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
In 1931 my grandpa, Erwin Cochran read Moby Dick. I decided with so much time at home with social isolation I would try to conquer this read. I am finding my vocabulary level quite below Melville’s.En savoir plus
German Marble in Dresden
24 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Last year (2019) we bought this marble at a flea market in Dresden, Germany. Today, I found you can text a picture to an expert and he’ll identify the marble for you. It’ a Germany stripedEn savoir plus
Iphone se & New App
25 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
I finally upgraded my iPhone 6s and was testing my new camera with a plant identification app.
Postel Abbey & Mol, Belgium
25 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Drinking a beer out of my favorite Belgian glass. Postel Abbey is near Mol, Belgium, one of our favorite places in the world. If you ever go, stay with Kristein & Peter at B&B Molmento! We drove outEn savoir plus
A Look Back at the 2019 Tour
26 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
I use the winter months to plan our tours extensively. I use a combination of mapping sites. Warmsowers.org, Airbnb, Couchsurfing, etc. I plan our routes and line up lodging. I then write outEn savoir plus
More LED Projects
26 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
Lisa hung some new lights in the screened-in-porch and we both worked on getting some blue ones near the firepit.
Arrowhead Hunting
27 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
It had been awhile since I got out walking the fields of Iowa. I found one nice hide scraper and a bunch of flakes.
Westmalle Dubbel
28 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
Enjoying one of the best beers in the world on our screened in porch. We fell in love with this Trappist ale in Belgium and have been to the abbey to enjoy it locally too. A delightful taste if youEn savoir plus
Kitchen Remodel Begins
30 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Money saved from our canceled trip is being spent on house renovation. Starting with new countertops. What a mess! 😏
More Gravel Adventures
31 mai 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Pat, Lisa, and I did a nice gravel loop through Downey, Iowa. We end with beers in our backyard.
COVID-19
2 juin 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
A reminder of what is going on in the world as I ride my go-to-20 mile-loop, a “res loop. My “res loop” is a scenic 20 mile loop over the Coralville Reservoir (part of the Iowa River.)
100 Miles to See Mom
4 juin 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
I left at 7am to ride mainly gravel to my hometown (Marshalltown) to visit my mom. Lisa drove over to give me a lift home ❤️. A beautiful ride which involved avoiding a thunderstorm, a “HaystackEn savoir plus
1 Year and a Day (Ingolstadt)
5 juin 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Last year we met Meike and Herbert as the hosted us at their flat in Ingolstadt, DE. Unfortunately, they had to cut their 2019-2020 bicycle tour from Vancouver to the tip of South America short. TheEn savoir plus
Protesting / BLM / Weird Beer
5 juin 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
George Floyd’s wrongful death has caused protesting and riots around the U.S. and world. Sebastian has joined the peaceful protesting. I enjoyed some free parking and strange beer, and am in supportEn savoir plus
Strawberry Moon
5 juin 2020, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
We drove out to the country to look at the Strawberry Moon (full moon of June) and stars with Sebastian. A very calm and enjoying evening together.
Sutliff Bridge Ride
6 juin 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Pat, Lisa, and I did one of our favorite rides to Sutliff, Iowa. It is a 45 mile ride of mainly gravel, with a beer and food stop at the historic Sutliff Bridge. We met Doug at the pub and enjoyedEn savoir plus
Backyard BBQ & fun!
7 juin 2020, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
We had the McKays and their girls over for a BBQ and games and a fire in the backyard. Bummed I didn’t snap any photos. We’ll do it again soon and I’ll add photos. Pat and Lisa defeated Jim andEn savoir plus
VoyageurI guess you have your plan ready for next year 😉