Waterton Lakes National Park sits just across the border from Glacier National Park in the United States. With beautiful lakes, jagged mountains, thrilling hiking trails, and a small town to explore, this is a smaller, laid-back version of Glacier National Park. Hiking and biking are popular things to do here, as well as some experiences you wouldn’t expect to have …
Racing IRONMAN Italy Emilia-Romagna: Race Report
Ironman Italy is destination racing at its finest. Swim in the Adriatic Sea, cycle past pink flamingoes and through Sangiovese vineyards, and then run through a charming coastal town. What a spectacular setting for a race! Add in its location near popular spots like Venice, San Marino, and Florence, and this makes a great destination to combine Ironman triathlon racing …
Racing Ironman Barcelona
Tim and I have been competing in triathlon races for years. The farthest we ventured from home was Florida, competing in Ironman Florida in 2009 (Julie) and 2010 (Tim). Both of us have dreamed about racing in Europe. But it seems so far to travel, just for a triathlon. In the summer of 2015, Tim expressed interest in racing Ironman Barcelona. …
10 Day French Riviera and Provence Itinerary
The south of France…the land of beautiful coastal cities, glitzy beaches, vineyards, lavender, and one of the world’s best cuisines. This is where the rich and famous come to relax and party. It is a land of luxury, with yachts dotting the shorelines, fancy hotels in every city, and epic parties you read about in magazines. If you get your …
Cycling the Li River Valley from Xingping, China
This is what draws people from around the world to Yangshuo, China: the towering, leafy limestone peaks along the Li River. Yes, we loved Yangshuo, but it is great to get out into the surrounding countryside for at least a day if your schedule allows. We chose to visit the small town of Xingping, located just a half an hour …
Cycling to the White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand
Chiang Rai was our final stop in Thailand. This very small town is located in the far northeast of Thailand, not far from Laos and Myanmar. Here the terrain was mountainous and very lush, with lots of palm trees, tea and rice plantations, and banana trees. Since it was January, it was the cool, dry season, but daytime temperatures still …
Cycling Around the Temples of Bagan
Bagan, Myanmar is one of Myanmar’s most famous destinations for tourism. There are many ways to explore Bagan’s many temples, either by bike, by taxi, by scooter, or by big tourist bus. In our opinion, Bagan is the perfect place to explore by bicycle. The streets are relatively quiet, there are great sandy roads that take you to villages and …
Cycling with Zebras in Eswatini
The Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) is a very small country located entirely within South Africa. Eswatini is a monarchy, ruled by King Mswati III. Sadly, this country has the highest HIV infection rate in the world, with 27% of adults infected with HIV. It is a poor country, with many people living in one room cinder block …
Cycling Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa
The city of Johannesburg was our arrival point in South Africa. We had one day to spend here before traveling on to other places. Now we were a party of six, as Kathy and Valerie, our Moms, arrived in Johannesburg on the same day as us. They will be traveling with us for over two weeks as we tour Botswana, …
A Day Trip to Sandhamn, Sweden
There are 30,000 islands that make up the archipelago of Stockholm. These small islands dot the shoreline of Sweden, separating the city of Stockholm from the Baltic Sea. About 150 of these islands are inhabited year round, and several make a great day trip from Stockholm. The most popular islands to visit are Grinda, Vaxholm, Svartso, and Sandhamn. These islands …
Cycling Mont Ventoux, the Giant of Provence
Mont Ventoux is one of the most famous mountains in Europe. It is featured in many Tour de France races, appearing every several years as one of the great climbs of the race. The history and the drama that has unfolded on this mountain is legendary. For cyclists, both amateur and professional, Mont Ventoux is a climb that makes the …