DownTheRoad.org
The continuous bicycle touring story since 2002
no plans to stop

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The story of how I saved money, quit my job, sold my possessions, and set off to endlessly travel by bike around the world. My Plan

My 3 Books
I write, self publish and sell books about touring

(see all 3 book)

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Places I have been
(How can I afford this?)

India and Neighbors
May 2010 to present

Alaska / Canada / USA
May 2008 to April 2010

New Zealand
Sept 2007 to May 2008

Australia
Sept 2006 to Sept 2007

SE Asia / China
Nov 2004 to Sept 2006

South America
June 2003 to June 2004

AZ, Mexico, and Central America
March 2002 to April 2003

How I started
The 5 years before I left

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Written on the road as I travel around the world on my bicycle

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Equipment Pages Index

Introduction
How Much to Bring and Weight
Some Advice About Advice
A Note to Perspective Sponsors and Gear Suppliers
(See more about Sponsorship)

START HERE for Touring Bikes and Commuting Bicycles
Custom Touring Bicycles and Bike Upgrade Buyers Guide
Bicycle Touring Frames
The Steel Repair Myth.
Steel and Aluminum Derailleur Hanger Repair.
Bicycle Touring Wheels
Phil Wood: The Best Bicycle Hubs

Panniers / Bike Bags
Cargo Trailers Vs Panniers
Tires for Bike Tours..
Bicycle Touring Saddles.
Women's Specific Bike Touring Saddles
Brooks Leather Touring Bicycle Saddle Care and Conditioning
Bike Computer
Touring Handlebars, Bar Ends, Adjustable Stems, and Padded Grips.
Kickstands
Sealed Cartridge Headsets
How to prevent flat tires
Bike Route Trails and Maps

Camping
Buying Camping Equipment
Tent and Ground Cloth
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Camp Stove
Pots and Pans
Water Filter
First Aide Kits
Solar Power for Camp

Clothing
Bike Touring Shorts

Electrical
Short-wave Radio
Computer
Internet
mp3
Bicycle touring lights

Books
Packing list
Pictures of Equipment Failures
Shopping

See My Videos Here

Different spokes for different folks

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JOE GARCIA

Tucson Citizen

April 15, 2002

Friends and family of Cindie and Tim Travis say the two are somewhere between "crazy" and "adventurous."

Very soon they will be somewhere between Mexico and South America. Later, the married cyclists can be found somewhere between Africa and China. And years later still, they'll be pedaling somewhere between Europe and New Zealand.

The Prescott couple stopped in Tucson last week as they embarked on their seven-year odyssey around the world - by bike. Tim, 35, quit his job as a teacher at Mingus Mountain Academy. Cindie, 40, quit her job as a geologist with a groundwater consultant firm.

They sold their old cars, rented out their home and stuck just about everything they owned that wasn't trip-related in storage.

"I look at our bikes now as our new apartment," Tim said.

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Both are avid travelers. Cindie has backpacked through China. Tim has endured Baja California on nothing but two wheels and sweat, as well as pedaled through the West.

Their first date was a mountain bike ride in Flagstaff. They got married in Las Vegas in 1998 at a drive-through chapel, with the newlyweds riding away on a tandem bike.

They've been planning this trip almost since they met on a blind date. So, why now? "We have nothing to lose. We have no children," Tim said. "If I wait any longer, I won't want to be sleeping on the ground anymore," Cindie added.

They insist they are not on a lark, and they know their journey - with the inevitable flat tires and harsh weather - will be anything but a vacation. "We're both road savvy," Tim said. "That's the beauty of being our age. We know a few things."
They expect to come across the unexpected. "We say our goal is to not have a goal," he said, although he hopes they are in South America sometime in 2003. "It's a continent a year after that."

The couple are interested in exploring and experiencing. They are not racing or out to prove anything. In other words, they could find themselves working on a farm in Argentina for a few months before moving on. Tim may stop somewhere to teach. Cindie hopes to help villages with their water problems. "This is just another way to see the world," Cindie said of their $41-a-day travel budget.

The couple have set up a Web site to allow family, friends and anyone else to follow their adventures: www.downtheroad.org. They welcome e-mail correspondence, but be patient for a reply. Sometimes they'll be somewhere just outside of who-knows-where, pedaling away.

Assistant Managing Editor Joseph Garcia can be reached at 573-4561 or at jgarcia@tucsoncitizen.com.

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