Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas one and all!

Wow what an amazing year it has been!  Going through my photographs has truly made me appreciate how wonderful life truly is.  I have been so lucky with the roads I have travelled and to truly have learned to appreciate the things in life that mean the most.  Great friends, loving family, adorable nephews, and so many beautiful horizons have greeted me at every turn.  I had no idea when I gave up my apartment and took to wandering over 8 months ago what wonders I would see or mountains I would climb, but by far more extraordinary is the friends I have made and reconnected with.  From having a relaxing beer with Jeff during the cyclone of my departure to learning to climb mountains with Eddie to meeting old family in Illinois and being adopted for a couple nights in Ohio I have been greeted with warmth and happiness from the very beginning.  Drinking with friends and family across Iowa and South Dakota reminded me how many good friends I have even if there have been miles and years between us. 

Spending time at the parentals during my ride was a great chance for me to restock and get ready for the long empty miles of Wyoming but one of the greatest parts of the year was getting to spend a week and half sharing the open road with Mom and Abbydog.  How rare a chance to share adventure and overcoming obstacles with someone that used to give me such support and happiness!  Of course it was nice traveling with mom too :).  Sharing the joy and freedom of the open road with Mom is hands down one of the most amazing and surprising events of my life.  Thank you mom!

Surviving Idaho (yes potato’s are the most interesting thing there) and riding through Oregon with Eli a fellow self-sustained cyclist and meeting up with my best friend Matt just in time to climb the last mountain of the journey and then join me on the last ride of the epic journey through one of the most beautiful parts of America truly was amazing.  I couldn’t have asked for a better friend or a better day to finish such a ride, and to be greeted by Christina, my brother and awesome nephew Dom only made it even more miraculous.

After the ride I took some time off to visit friends across the country.  I spent a week with the Josephs in Portland then flew back to Philadelphia to spend some more time with Erin and catch up with my wonderful friends there.  After Philly I went to Seattle to visit the Midgets, Dom and Cal who are absolutely adorable.  I must admit though after spending 5 days rained inside with a 2yr old I am seriously reconsidering this whole kids thing…

After Seattle I flew back to the Dakota’s (at this point they knew me by name in the margarita bar at the Denver airport) to help Mom recover from a knee replacement.  I really didn’t help too much but I did keep Dad from trying to help, which was probably the more important thing to do.  I got really good at removing the batteries from the smoke detector in the kitchen when it was his turn to cook breakfast :) Mom recovered very well despite her barbaric helpers at home and set a great example for Dad when he got his done.  

After mom could fend for herself I flew back to Seattle to spend a bit more time with the midgets before heading to Australia. 

Australia is amazing, if you ever get the chance come visit!  I have been here 3 months and absolutely love it.  From kangaroos to sharks to amazing food and wonderful people it has been amazing.  Magnificent people have met me at every turn and shared in even more epic adventures.  From scuba diving with sharks to yachting with silver bags of bliss to spending days out in the bush alone with the emu’s and kangaroos to road trips it has been even better than I imagined it could be.

Life truly is amazing my friends, and I have found that sharing it with friends is truly what makes it such.  From camping with mom to riding with Joseph to playing with the midgets to cooking massive feeds for fellow travelers and making new friends from all corners of the world.  Sharing food, goon (cheap box wine), adventures and smiles with friends and family is what has truly made this year so great.  The 7 wonders of the world are paled in comparison to the friendships and smiles shared in every aspect of my year.  Thank you my friends for making it so amazing and Merry Christmas!   

And with that I am off to pack for New Zealand!