Cycling Around the World - 6 Years, 50,000 Miles, 1 Year to Go...

A great Friday evening kicked off a fantastic weekend. A local tribe got together for an Indoor/Outdoor, Hello/Good-bye, Potluck Party for those Parkies that are leaving to go elsewhere for the summer and for those returning to Yellowstone for another season.

Surprise guests were Nadine and Martin, a couple of cyclists that we heard about from friends in Zion National Park over the winter. Nadine and Martin set off to cycle and paddle around the world in 2003. Six years and 50,000 miles later they rolled through Yellowstone into our hometown of Gardiner, Montana. We were treated to a jaw dropping slide show of their journey, starting in Germany in June of 2003 and taking them through 41 countries and even more cultures.

We saw them off Saturday then intercepted them on the road to take a few pix and a quick video. They're off to Seattle, Vancouver, then all the way across Canada before they hop a flight to Spain (probably) or Africa then the “short trip” back to Germany in 2010. They left here under clear skies yesterday and headed into a snowstorm by daybreak this morning.

Amazing and inspiring stories of the road, the people and the planet. Their unassuming humility and easy smiles give a first impression that immediately answers every question you might have about how they've navigated countries and cultures from Iran and Columbia to Wyoming without crime or (unresolvable) crisis.

Forty one countries, 50,000 miles, 2,000 miles by canoe and raft, 5 sets of tires (yes, only 5), 110 to 140 pounds of gear on each bike, about $3,500 each per year and the sky is the limit. Nadine is 28, Martin is 36. Subtract 6 years from each and mull over what percentage of their lives they've been on this trip.

Safe Journey Nadine and Martin... A brief video interview:

Follow them online and look for them if they're headed your way.

http://www.weltenbummler2003.de