Biking Mom checking in!

[nancy sv]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm on my way to work right now (it's freezing cold, so I've got about 15 layers on!), but I'll answer any questions later. It was a fabulous trip and we all learned so much, I HIGHLY recommend taking a trip like that - wonderful on so many levels!!!

[Flybye]

Good morning and welcome!! I am from Idaho, too. Glad to have you here, even if for only a bit!
I bet you will be glad to have found this board. Everyone here is helpful, fun, and respectful!
Hope things are a bit warmer where you are. We are a balmy 9 degrees this morning!!! Brrr.

[wavedancer]

Welcome and Woo-hoo! What an awesome journey you have planned. I really enjoyed reading about your previous journeys on your website. Remind us again when you are getting ready to leave for your trip in June so that we can continue to read more about your adventures.

[mimitabby]

welcome to TE! Your kids are getting SO MUCH out of this. Thank you!

[maillotpois]

Wow. Amazing!

[nic840]

Nancy I saw something about your trip back when you started it and was following your blog for a while. I think it was some California coastal paper or something...can't remember. Anyways I was captivated by it! It sounded amazing! I am just amazed at how well your boys did! I am sure you are very proud of them.
Looking forward to hearing more about the preparations for your trip to come. Good luck and hope to do something like that with my girls someday!

[nancy sv]

thank you all. Our last trip was such a highlight of our lives - all four of our lives. My boys don't know any different - biking 9300 miles when you are 8/9 is just "life" for them. It will be interesting to see how this affects them once they are grown. I just got an email from a friend this morning and he said,

I have this vision of your sons in a career later in life when somebody expresses some doubt about being able to do something. The response would be "I biked over 7000 miles at age 10 and Alaska to Chile at age 12 and you're
not sure you can do it before you even try?"

I truly hope that is the case - that they learn there is nothing that can stop them! Even though our trip was tough in a lot of ways, the kids learned (and I mean REALLY learned - internalized and all that jazz) that everything works together. We joked about how the journey was "chicken soup" - there are some yucky ingredients int here, but they all work together to make a great big pot of yummy soup. On those tough days, we simply joked about the chicken soup and how those days make the rest even better. The kids reminded us of that on a number of occasions when John and I were down in the dumps. "Daddy! Why are you complaining about hte head wind?? It's just part of the chicken soup!!"

[Tuckervill]

I know lots and lots of traveling families, but most of them travel by RV. Most of the ones I know are doing it to educate their children. What a fine way to do it!

I wish I had known you were coming through Arkansas! So few bike tourists come through Arkansas! If you ever get back to NW Arkansas, pm me!

Karen