Category Archives: Trip Thoughts

Taking That First Step

I first met Wendy and Jim Pearson two years ago. The couple contacted Steve and I after reading an article in The Denver Post recapping the adventures of The World by Road a few months after we returned to US soil. Jim, and experienced adventurer in his own right, was already planning on taking time […]

Can we get some validation please?…Thanks National Geographic

When we first came up for the idea for this adventure, often we would hear from people, “That sounds like one heck of a vacation.”

“How lucky you two are to be able to do something like this,” many would say. Breaking the stigma that we were going on some easy road trip vacation to exotic places proved to be near impossible. We knew, and every day with more and more research, we were absolutely positive that an adventure of a lifetime preceded us. Still, rarely would we find someone willing to listen to our pleading that this was a true expedition that would go far beyond

Nels & Craig, Before & After Photos

“The road” takes it’s toll on everyone and in a lot of different ways. For us boys hygiene is often an afterthought, due to the extra effort required in grooming. So, we embrace our unshaven faces and unkept hair and try to look the part of the rugged wanderer. The following photographs reveal the physical results of the last 6-7 months of constant movement. Proceed with caution.

Nels’ Notes: Nomadic Wandering Shenanigans July 3-12, 2009

The long road has almost come to an end. We’re sitting here, at Steve mom’s place in Dillon, Sunday afternoon, with only an hour and forty-five minutes from home and the completion of the on the road portion of The World By Road Expedition. We’ll be making our way to Denver mid-day, Monday. Just the thought of the end of the road is a beyond eerie feeling, so I haven’t a clue what’s going on in Shoppman’s mind, for this has been his life for the last 29 months. It’s been an incredible ride, and has been an amazing experience. Blogs on the finale will be up soon, put first on to the week in review.

Nels’ Notes: Currently Sedentary Shenanigans

We have been in Denver for thirteen days. This is the longest our crew has been in one place in a long time. Faces and places are familiar, there’s no longer a language barrier, and the food meets the needs of my simple palate. The contents of the trucks find their place in the garage, and our packs occupy a corner of the rooms where our heads rest. Two makeshift offices, one in the mud room where Shoppman works, and one in the dining room has Craig’s computer and mine.

Real World Classroom

At a minimum, I would like to think that my grasp of world geography has received a nice shot in the arm as a result of our expedition. I can not even begin to estimate the number of hours I have spent over the last two years studying maps, guidebooks, and web pages as we planned

Photo of the Week: La Quebrada

In Acapulco we made sure to stop and see the famous cliff divers at La Quebrada. It was an impressive sight to behold.

The Ultimate Relaxation Destination

Being on the road for two years can take its toll on you from time to time. Sitting in a truck for several hours a day can wreak havoc on your body. Rebels, roadblocks, customs agents, shipping companies and border guards can all easily elevate stress levels. Bedding down in a different place nearly every single night can throw a wrench in your sleep patterns and being away from friends and family for such a long duration can make you homesick and depressed. All of our positive experiences and encounters throughout the course of the expedition significantly outweigh the not so glamorous ones, however, the bottom line is that the expedition can at times be a roller coaster ride of energy levels and emotions.

Joined At The Hips

24/7 means 24/7, that’s just how it is on the road. Our crew, by far, spends more time together than most spouses do. We eat together, spend the day together, work together, drive together, do activities together, and sleep in the same vicinity together. It is how it has to be. Yes, it takes it toll, but we need each other, that is for sure.

Nels’ Notes: Nomadic Wandering Shenanigans March 15-20, 2009

The crew and our week-on-the-road-warriors (Shoppman’s sister, Katie and her husband, Nate) awoke Sunday morning in our ocean-side rustic cabana in Nexpa. Nate did some masterful mechanic tricks on the Sequoia over the weekend, so we were set to head to Barra de Navidad.