camping tips from a pro...well,not really

hey guys! i thought it would be fun to talk a bit about some of the things that tom and i have learned about camping that have helped make it a bit more enjoyable and since summer is coming to an end many of you might be taking those last minute ventures into the woods.

since tom and i mostly bike camp we have to be sure we not only pack lite but that everything we bring is necessary. first, we like to start with a list. this helps a ton and since our last adventure went oh so wrong, we were determined not to forget the necessaries, like, oh,... tent poles. i know they make camping list pads but for us it isn't bike camping specific but if you are a first timer, it is always helpful to know what to bring.

once, you have compiled a list it is helpful to add things that can make the trip fun. i bought tom this awesome solar paneled crank radio and we bring it everywhere. it is perfect for hanging out by the creek and listening to some tunes! plus no batteries are needed. we also LOVE dominoes but a stack of cards is always a great idea too.

 don't forget boooooooooze!!!!!! since tom and i have to pack light, a wine bottle is just too heavy but never fear! this company makes awesome wine in a small box. it's lighter aaaand has more wine then a wine bottle, booyah baby! plus on the back of the box, it tells you 10 reasons why they rock and they are pretty much right on target ;D

rope. thank goodness tom and i at least remembered rope on our last disastrous trip otherwise we would have been sleeping under the stars and would have gotten rained on the following morning. rope is really handy for just about anything and makes for a perfect clothes line. like i have said, we have to pack light so washing our bike clothes is a good idea and saves space in our bags for other things.

lastly, baby wipes. i like to stay as clean as possible while camping and i like our "house" to stay as clean inside as possible too so when walking around the camp site in flip flops your feet can get a little dirty so wiping your feet before you get in keeps all the dirt and pine needles out of the tent. plus it is less clean up when you are packing up and heading for home. coleman makes biodegradable wipes but we ran out of time and didn't get a chance to pick them up.

i hope we can squeeze one more trip in before winter sets in, typing this out really made me want to go asap. i would love to hear if you have any other tips too!
xo,
cb

a peek into our annual bike camping trip

just a warning: this is a photodump, it was hard to narrow down what pictures i wanted to post so i hope you enjoy it as much as we did experiencing it!

tom is getting really good at taking pictures AND steering the bike

this may be my favorite picture we took!

home for 2 1/2 days. beautiful

a view from the drivers side

getting dominated at dominoes, aren't you suppose to let the lady win?

sipping beer and picking berries

wearing my vintage bathing suit. this ones for you sarah!

that is just what we did

 our trip was excellent, maybe the best yet. the weather was superb, no one tried to kill us with their huge cars, we had two great nights meeting the other bikers and hikers who were staying at the same site, had a delicious breakfast at the pine cone diner, practiced and even dominated skipping rocks, got a bit of a tan, wore my new vintage bathing suit, played dominoes and lost (i will get my revenge!!), saw a fox but didn't take a picture, saw & heard a raccoon fight and lastly, tom and i are planning a longer bike camping tour for next year. so excited and living in the bliss that was 2 1/2 days with my best friend and our bike. what could be better?

oh, did i mention i start work today? what a great way to end an impromptu vacation!

xo,
cb

life lately...

hi everyone! hope everyone had a great weekend. here is what i have been up to since not working but good news, i start working again thursday!

we didnt take many pictures, shame on us but the seats were so awesome! i really wish we got a picture of the awesome couples in front of us!

>>>went to an a's game with tom thursday night! tickets were $12 for field level seats which are normally around $30-$40! super score! we were really close, the a's won and the cutest pair of die hard fans sat in front of us. they knew all the venders, the guest service people, security and the tv crew, throughout the entire game, people were giving them hugs and chatting it up with them. they have been going to every game for years and sit at the same four seats. i want to be them!

>>>many many cuddles with rosie. she has been such a cuddle bug recently! i am not sure what has gotten into her but i don't want it to end! never ever.

she was having a blast!!

clemie squirming away wanting to swim!

i love this picture of tom and i

>>> more lake time!!!!!!! invited kelly-anne and the family to the swimming lagoon and had a blast! clemie was so adorable. we ate lots of yummy food, hung out in the sun and played around in the water. good times and i can't to do it again!

>>> working on some new ideas for the shop and working on a new tattoo design.

kelly-anne got me this pin, isn't it perfect!

>>> packing, packing, packing for our camping trip! we left sunday afternoon and are currently there right now and will be back tomorrow. so nice to get away for a few days!

what have you been up to lately?

xo,
cb

the illustrated lady

hey everyone!  hope everyone had a great weekend. we spent ours up north again hanging out with kelly-anne, working out and dying my hair. it was very fun!


on to the fun news! tom has a flickr account and is friends with a few bike industry peeps and last year when we went on one of our a tandem bike camping trips, swift industries (an awesome bike bag & accessories shop) favorited this picture.

then a little later, they contacted tom to ask if they could use the picture for their summer ad campaign!! i was more then thrilled because what an awesome opportunity and how cool that someone liked the picture so much that they wanted to use it! and this is how it turned out!! 

drawn by karl addison

i really really love how it turned out. the colors are awesome and it just really rocks all around. they are having a essay contest about riding a bike and the winner receives 15% off their next purchase and tom and i have been eyeing  another pair of bags for our camping trips, so i took the opportunity to submit something. here is what i wrote and the picture i submitted........wish me luck!

Riding has changed me. It has changed how I see the world, where I want life to take me, and what truly is important to me. Being able to power my own way through life and feeling independent from what the mass majority of what society thinks and does is such a freeing feeling. Cycling started as a way to better my health & to be happy about my body by feeding it what it needed, and then it grew the more I rode, the further I went and the harder I pushed myself to tear down mountains that I thought I could never climb. It has put into prospective what matters: living life to the fullest, trying and challenging myself, not just on the road, but in other areas of my life. Now more then ever I feel like I am on the right path to where I have always wanted my life to go. I have a partner who shares my goals and who pushes us to keep going and when that hill is super steep and we are in our granniest of granny gears, to put your head down, keep breathing and keep pedaling. There is nothing like conquering that hill, looking back at what it took to get there and then flying down the other side to reap that oh so sweet soothing breeze. It is so easy to jump in a car, put it in cruise control and be taken on a ride but nothing is more satisfying & empowering to truly earn that final resting place.

And there is no better resting place then that of the ancient redwood forests. Touring has opened up so many wonderful worlds and so many other places that are yet to be explored. There is a warmth on that open road that I often do not feel on my everyday commute, a solitary nod from my fellow cyclist acknowledging that in that single moment that we are both out for the thrill and joy of living an awesome life. Although I have had my run in with unfriendly motorists, it doesn't stop me from living how I want to live. It is more important to preserve rather then to hide when the road gets a little bumpy. That is what riding on two wheels is all about.




is there anything in your life that has changed you and your perception on life?


xo,
cb

a sweet farewell

what a trip!! a bittersweet, but glorious trip that tom and i will treasure forever! we were a bit worried about the weather as the day before we left it rained(wft!?!?) well it was a light rain but rain nonetheless. we were going rain or shine and hoping for the latter. we woke up to fog and sf was full of dewy wetness. this is what most of the ride through sf and part of marin looked like.

 we stopped at one of our favorite coffee place and had some espresso and my favorite: mexican wedding cookies!

in case you all were wondered what i looked like with my helmet on, super sexy

then about and an hour & a half into the ride the sun came out to play and just in time for the huge hill we had to climb. thanks sun! hehe

this is the way into the park, so so gorgeous! the weather was much nicer then last time which was a bit hard to believe.

 i had to show you guys what gilbert looked like, we kept calling it the vagabond because we had sooo much stuff piled on the back. we really need to get front bags so we aren't so janky while on our next mini bike tour.

we set up camp in the same spot we had last time, yay and set up some food for bob. which worked but damn he is sooo fast!!! we had our camera on us the entire time and he is as quick as lightening!

this is one of my favorite pictures. this picture looks like it came from the 70's

tom found this rock amongst the millions of other rocks, reminded me of wilson from castaway

view of where we spent most of our time this trip

my all time favorite camping buddy <3

brainwaves!!!!!

we headed down to the creek for some sun and drinks. this is basically all we did this weekend but got another ride in on saturday. on our way back from the coast saturday we stopped at a rummage sale and tom bought a little radio. for some reason it worked perfectly when the antenae was on my forehead, i've got some pretty powerful brain waves :)

i'm not sure exactly what i am saying in this picture but i just love it!

the water was a bit cold and i was way to chicken to get in but i loved searching for rocks and looking at all the tiny little fish that nipped at my feet and toes.

this ones for you shannon!

a little bit of us was left behind <3

 we had such a great time and we will surely miss this awesome spot but we will be back even if we have to ninja camp here!

xo,
cb