Yesterday marked two years to the day since we fired up the Sprinter van and headed out on this trip. The picture above captures how excited we were.

The time, while highlighted by various adventures, has also freed me to invest in creativity through writing, photography and (lately) video. Another huge benefit is that traveling non-stop together and the mutual trust needed to survive (and enjoy!) long bike tours has greatly deepened my relationship with Chelsea. These past 24 months have been some of the most satisfying of my life as we’ve explored many places (<–map) via van and bike and reshaped the way we choose to live.

Fall colors in NW Montana as the tamarack turns yellow.

It seems fitting to share a podcast conversation Chelsea and I had with Paul at The Pursuit Zone. I bet many of you will enjoy listening to Chelsea’s side of the story instead of just mine! Her ideas for adventure frequently inspire our trips, and then I dial in logistics. I loved hearing her thoughts on the biggest challenges of our bike tours, plus what it’s really like to live in a van for months at a time.

Also, I’d like to say THANKS to my blog readers for all the positive feedback and support during the past two years. Who knew I’d make great friends through this site and enjoy writing so much? Sharing our adventures and meeting readers adds depth to our travels and contributes so much to the experience. I can’t imagine it any other way. A big high five to everyone out there, and please feel free to say howdy anytime if you’re so inclined!

Here’s the podcast. Below are a few of the questions Paul asks us, in case you’re wondering what to expect. Enjoy.

• How did we meet?
• What was the evolution to the start of our 2013 adventure?
• How difficult was it to leave our old lives behind?
• What is it like living out of a van for months at a time?
• How did the idea for the 4,000 mile U.S. bike tour come about?
• How difficult is it to follow a vegan diet while bicycle touring?
• What were the biggest challenges and what did we most enjoy about our U.S. and European cycle tours?
• What’s our advice for people that want to do a Europe cycle tour?
• What are some tips for easing into a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle?
• What do we hope people get from reading Traipsing About?
• Are we still having fun? (Spoiler – yes!)

What comes next? We shall see!