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well the time has come, or the time came … the ol’ but short nutmeg needleworks chapter of our lives is over. we got raked over the coals there at the end of it, and we nearly lost ourselves in it all, but as of last friday, we are officially through the smolders. Arya and I are taking a little break from one another to blow some air back into our own perspective fires (really thinking in fire metaphors right now), and will reconvene some time in the coming weeks. maybe you saw her at the Philly Bike Expo?

I left on my van/bike trip 2 weeks ago now, and have been feeling less and less stressed every day. I am back to sleeping more than 6 hrs a night, and certainly have been able to imagine several chapters ahead. it is exciting, and relaxing at the same time for me … knowing full well that a life on the road is where I am happiest. its been 4 years since we’ve had that full time lifestyle, and 2 weeks in …. it feels so good to be back.

not to say the last 4 years weren’t fruitful — we now have a multi generational household and home base in Hadlyme, and Ultradynamico and the Ron’s brands have grown dramatically from all the juice, juiced into them. nice to be able to give the levers of commerce a little rest though … nice to be able to focus even more attention on doing what I love best — riding and designing.

when I do these cross country drives, I love stopping every day in a new place to spin the legs out. this van has taken me back and forth enough times since we got it in 2017 to have a number of select primo zones saved in my google maps. some I have revisited year after year, some are found serendipitously as I go … often times while looking for a place to sleep on satellite view.

I usually can’t drive more than 4 hours per day — but this time round I was 2 weeks late leaving (well that happens everywhere I go), and I had a gaggle of nutmeggers flying out to meet me for a tucson training camp 6 days after my departure. was gonna have to put in a few 10 hour days on the gas pedal to catch up with them.

I surprised myself with my driving endurance, and was able to really put some distance between myself and the east coast with the help of some good podcasts. most notably “Empire” about the history of modern and ancient empires alike. long form. good for driving.

weather cooperated until the Texas panhandle when some big ol’ rain came through. I had cut a hole in my roof and installed a maxxair fan before I left, and hadn’t enough lap sealant to finish the weatherproofing. luckily, no leaks!

then the rain turned to snow. it’s okay, like my bikes, my van has the nicest tires you can buy. this photo was taken over the continental divide, so some colder air was expected. once down towards Albuquerque and Hatch, things settled into the mid 60s once again. time for a ride!

a real homecoming turning the pedals in the desert once again. really starting to feel distance between myself and the previous tuff-months. I am reminded of how much I love bikes. not like I ever forgot, but in all honesty — I love them more and more every time I ride. I am really into bikes (news flash), but turns out there is always more to go! lucky me.

so onward west — made it to AZ in 5 days! not bad at all … the extra daylight this time of year even allowed for me to ride 4 out of 5 of those days. sleeping well in the van, and finding some really good camp spots along the way where I could enjoy my morning pour over with a view. mice though … my van took some mice along for the trip from Hadlyme. I think I captured them all now though … released them in various places along the way with a pile of nuts to hold them over if they don’t become hawk food right away. I know it’s silly, but I felt bad about leaving them.

I am just settling into a back to work routine here in the tucson area after a successful grav camp with the nutmeggers … I have a vidya coming about the trip west, and a bunch of other product news and such that I am excited to start sharing …. look for a lot more blogs from now on!

to be continued …….

XO R.R.