Today we are 8 months on the road. What's it like being away from home for such a long time and living together so intensely? What connects us? What affects us? And which interests do we have at heart?
On cycling days we are on the road for an average of 8 hours, of which 5 hours cycling. We don't talk much while being outdoors and enjoying nature. It doesn't feel like 24/7 together all day.
Clearing the mind in our own way
While cycling uphill we do get irritated sometimes. Because we have a different pace we get in each other's way. Moreover, Ben prefers to cycle up a mountain in one go. Linda has to stop more often to catch her breath or sometimes has to push her bike. A very large distance between each other isn’t nice. Ben often stops to wait for Linda or helps her push.
Winter break
While being on a winter break for 3 months, we both have our activities. Being together all day still feels good as from the start and it does not lead to major irritations.
Giving each other freedom and space; looking forward to the journey that awaits us
Activities
After adjusting our logo and website, writing new blogs and our annual report, we are now looking for partners in the field of sustainability and gaining more brand awareness.
Complementing each other
Sometimes we tease each other by saying the tasks aren’t equally divided or someone cannot do a certain task (as good as the other one can). But this is all part of a relationship. Ben is into bicycle maintenance, pitching the tent and cooking. Linda is into social media, PR and laundry. Linda has little knowledge of bicycle maintenance and Ben is not a fan of social media. We both have our qualities and complement each other well.
Expressing small irritations or accepting each other's shortcomings. Those are the ingredients for a good relationship.
Going on this adventure together is the best
We experience so many things in one day. Having the most bizarre encounters and conquering the highest mountains. A muddy path or a walking trail across a cliff? No problem. We both have a winner mentality and a positive attitude.
Our green heart
In addition to loving each other, we have a huge heart for people and planet. Our green heart is reflected in the way we discover the world: by bike without getting on a plane. Doing our utmost to be as green as possible in every way. That’s quite a challenge.
In Greece, for example, sustainability isn’t top priority. The Netherlands will have a deposit on tin in 2023. In Greece deposits don’t exist at all. There isn’t a separate collection of plastic and organic waste either. You do see 2 different containers outside on the street, but waste isn’t really separated. The use of plastic in supermarkets, but also on outdoor markets, is common practice.
Plastic
Avoiding single-use plastic. When shopping we bring our own bags. We use our metal cups when drinking coffee on the go. In winter, the additional advantage is getting warm hands.
Buying less
"Do we really need this?" We use the things we already own. For example, the bottom of Ben's old tent serves as a ground sheet and Ben's mom made rain covers for our leather Brooks saddles out of it. We use Milkit’s booster not only to inflate our tires, but also as a (hot) water bottle.
Buying consciously
When we do need something, we prioritize items that are durable, reusable, or recyclable.
Warm shower
After a whole day of cycling we long for a warm shower. However, often there isn’t a shower facility. Linda takes a shower within 5 minutes. Ben enjoys it a little longer. Plastic containers are a no-go in our bags. When they open, all our stuff is covered with liquid. That’s why we use a piece of natural soap.
Food and drinks
Our aim is to eat meat twice a week and fish once. On the other days it’s a vegetarian dish. When invited, we are very happy and eat what is served.
We purify water with a Steripen or Sawyer filter. In this way water is drinkable. If there isn't a water source and tap water is chlorinated, we buy water in PET bottles.
We keep on spreading bicycle love wherever we go.
If you have a lot of love to share, you can support us with some cycling kilometer. Have a look at our donation page.
Since the beginning of this year, Geef offers donors full transparency. While donating, you can see exactly the net amount of your donation. It is best to transfer donations directly to the bank account of Stichting (Foundation) XPLORid. In this way, our foundation receives 100% of your donation.
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