phoenix, arizona

hostel patio

making our mark

the hostel, with so much character and everything made into art!

a random wall in an alley

best fence ever made.
bike rental/fix shop/house/?

i wish i got a picture of the coffee shop, conspire, which was down the street from the bike place. it was a coffee shop, art space, handmade clothing and accessory shop, and a place to hold events with an outdoor stage and big painted bus in the yard! plus it was all located in a house. this setup, which appeared in phoenix was very different from anything i have ever seen before. houses which are businesses and galleries. pretty awesome if you ask me. i think the best decision we made was to stay in the hostel, meet locals and travelers, and be able to experience this part of phoenix, which was so unique. we also met a girl named shay, who is walking across america! so amazing. she was very sweet and insightful, inspirational, and gave off such great energy. we talked with a local artist and she explained to him how one of the things she would like to accomplish from her journey would be to show anyone and everyone that we should all stop making excuses, because we can do anything!

today, we are 6 days east of phoenix and are climbing the higest pass on our planned route. over 8000 feet! being so close to the land, you can truly experience how high up you are, how far the mountains and valleys stretch, and how spread out the country really is. i have traveled by motor across this country twice and it of course was amazing. traveling by bicycle, you feel every hill, every bit of wind, and every temperature change. cows like to stare. so do the horses. i ventured on this adventure for many reasons, but hoping to feel more independent from the luxuries of everyday life, to appreciate more what is just expected of most as everyday happenings, is definately one of the most important to me. everything we do, and use, has an impact, no matter how big or small, and it has affected me more than i have ever imagined.