You're viewing the comments posted on the entries, photos, and maps for this journal. Want to add a comment of your own? Click anywhere you see the icon within a journal entry. Go to the most recent entry in this journal.
I'm so excited for you guys! I was sad y'all disappeared off CGOAB but I knew you had to be up to some kind of adventure. Little did I know the scope of the adventure you were on.
Congratulations, Jeff and Kristen. You guys are going to kick ass at parenting. :D
As a father to two girls (who are both in University right now) you are about to embark on your greatest tour. May it be filled with all of the joys and wonder and adventure of parenthood.
5 years agoBeautiful. Just beautiful.
5 years agoCONGRATULATIONS :: I've got to get in touch with Bernice and Mike Miller, you know, the couple you met here in Reidsville, Ga. a couple of years ago!!
5 years agoI realize this was not the most memorable thing that happened that day on your trip, but: Was that a Snappy Tomato Pizza place in Springfield?
It's a small Kentucky-based chain that started not too far from where I'm from.
Now that I'm moving back to KY, maybe there will be one nearby!
Jeff and Kristen, I'm glad I was able to find your journals again. CGOAB has taken on a weird, uncomfortable tone that leaves me unsettled about using it for my own musings.
In any case, congratulations on your family addition and the direction your lives have taken. Your writing is stellar, and when combined with your excellent photography it brings our shared love of bike touring to life.
I hope to be reading more of your adventures in the future.
Hey Ben,
It's great to hear from you. Thanks for following my travels for all of these years and for all of the kind words of support along the way. It's been quite the ride!
Hey Jeff,, 6 years ago when you were on that trip was the first time that I met you.. I've enjoyed the comments ever since..
5 years agoJeff, you still got the knack for tale telling!!
Ben
Reidsville, Ga.
Don't worry, I've already started planning our first trip!
6 years agoGreat news!
None of our three children were "planned".
Now you should start looking at trailers, Wee Hoos, Tag Alongs etc
Mike and Mary
Thanks for the kind message Paul. One of the more disappointing things we've heard on the road over the last few years are the comments like, "Better get all that traveling in while you're young. Once you have kids, it's all over." We're lucky to have an even greater number of voices like yours reminding us that living a less adventurous life when you have children is just a choice, not a requirement. As long as our little one is healthy, we already have a long list of interesting places we want to go, either by bike or on foot our in our camper van.
One of the only pieces of parenting advice I've taken the effort to remember is the idea that if you want your kids to live a passionate, interesting life, they need to see their parents doing the same. We aim to do that the best we can.
Great to hear from you.
Thanks so much Sherry. The worst part now is the waiting game; we want so very much for our little one to come out into the world but there's nothing we can do to make that happen. As long as everything goes well, we hope to do some non-bicycle travel this spring, and then get back to riding bicycles as a family some time the year after.
All the best to you and yours.
Jeff/Kristen - excited for your new adventure! Children make adventuring different. You’ll find out all sorts of things but most of all it doesn’t stop you from adventuring. They travel with you. My older daughter grew up in a backpack (yes, she had stroller time when my wife took her shopping and to the grocery store without me) so she’s used to seeing the world from over my shoulder. At 13 months old, we took her to France for 10 days and she lived in the backpack the whole time. Having children doesn’t force you into buying a minivan any more than it stops you from traveling. You live the journey YOU want to live; have the adventures YOU want to have. Don’t let anyone dictate what you HAVE to do now that you have a child (and I do understand the irony in me advising you not to listen to anyone - kind of defeats the purpose of me telling you that 😂).
6 years ago
A belated thank you for the kind words. This is indeed the adventure of our lives. It's an incredible amount of working, but it's also incredibly rewarding, and we can't wait to see what the road ahead holds for the three of us.
5 years agoAll the best to you and yours.