A week's adventures in Madeira, a pair of pants you need, the benefits of going screen-free, and an excellent bikepacking video.
Howwwwdy from Bend! It feels great to be home and we jumped right into summertime fun, house/work projects and hanging with friends. I'm starting to get a travel itch again though...
Riding over McKenzie Pass near Bend. (Yup, we still like biking.)
This week's fun and games:
A blog about our travels in Madeira (where is that?!), the only pants you need, pleasures of screen-free life, and admissions of an amateur bikepacker.
We flew to Madeira from mainland Portugal after our bike tour wrapped up a few weeks earlier than planned. Turns out this speck of an island is a magical adventure paradise!
The Only Pants You Need
Isn't it fantastic when you find a product you love? Well, the Prana Brion pants are a favorite this year. I brought them to Europe on our trip as my only pair of pants and can't recommend them enough.
They're stretchy, slim-fit, breathe well, and are spiffy enough to look mildly dressy. I wear them climbing, around town, hiking, traveling...everywhere. In fact, the only pants I own are two pairs of Brions and a pair of Prana jeans! Do yourself a favor and grab a pair.
Wait, did I mention how much I liked Madeira? Mountain biking above the clouds!
The Pleasures of Screen-Free Life
Since our return from Europe, I've tried to continue the tech quiet that I so enjoyed over there. (Being 9 hours ahead helped a lot!) Now my phone is on Do Not Disturb frequently and I'm trying to only use texting for logistics, not conversations.
Why? I'll share more about my approach soon! For now, check out Cal Newport's excellent post about the benefits (and potential downsides) of dialing back screen usage.
Admissions of an Amateur Bikepacker
Bikepacking ain't easy nor is it always fun. This well-shot video of a first bikepacking trip shines some light on the ups and down of what it's all about. Though certainly it's harder if you fly to South America and get your butt kicked in the Andes!
