About Us

Blake:
Grew up in Colorado Springs with my twin brother and parents. I have a passion for foods and cooking which probably comes from growing up with my parent's restaurant La Casa Fiesta, in Monument, CO. I love anything with two wheels and I enjoy the freedoms of living with the things I need on my bike.

Melanie: 
Also grew up in Colorado with my two younger brothers and much younger little sister. I am inspired by simplicity, chaos, colors, lines, design, typography, love, emotion, possibility, the strange, and the familiar.

Us:
We met in Monument in 2008 when we worked together at Blake's parent's restraurant. One year later we started dating and have been hooked ever since. We both acknowledge that life throws you curve balls and because of those we like to think we have a stronger bond then just two love birds.

We moved to the south west, Santa Fe, NM, in 2011. Blake biked there in July and I followed in the Jeep in September. Santa Fe was everything we thought it'd be for us. We brought our cat, Raeni, and had the best time in our little cottage off of the plaza and at the base of Ski Santa Fe mountain. We were there until June of 2012.

In the summer of 2012 we went on "our trip." There's nothing else to call it because that's what it was to us; one long, strange, amazing trip down the West Coast.

In August 2012 we "landed" in Dana Point, California, in a spare bedroom of an old Colorado friend's Orange County apartment. In Novemebr we got our own little place right in the heart of town. Over the next two years we embraced the incredible world of yoga, stand up paddle boarding, surfing, becoming vegan, and sun bathing. ((Sounds so California.))

In December 2013 Blake took his road bike from our door to Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico in 22 days, by himself. It was an indescribable trip Blake knew he needed to go on before the opportunity went away.

Then after a quick trip back home in August 2014 we decided it was time to move back. So we packed up our little place in our little Jeep and left California.

In September 2014 we found out we are expecting our first baby! The next adventure for us will arrive May 2015.

The Trip: I have been recounting our west coast trip over the last few years in this blog, scattered amongst our latest adventures are memories and pictures of that summer. 
We came up with the idea for this trip while discussing my brother's future explorations across the U.S. We thought "What would be 'our' way of doing something cool like that?"
I've always wanted to see California, and well, anything on the west coast. Blake heard my want and so there was our location...the whole West Coast.

How would we do it? Driving would be too fast, and Blake hates driving. Hiking the crest would take too long. Biking? Blake already knew he could bike it, and I knew he could too. But what about me? I'm not a biker, and I'm not about to pick up this sport on a 2,500 mile camping trip in land we have never been before. A small engine moped could do...At least it could take us as far as it would take us. Alright, we will buy one up north. Start packing.

Blake biked back to Colorado and again, I followed in the Jeep with all of our things packed up. The months leading up to the move back to Colorado consisted of lots of backpack and gear shopping, large maps up on the wall, and saying goodbye to the quiet, beautiful world around us.

We were back at home in Colorado for the month of June working, packing, and saying more goodbyes. I had no idea what we were in for. I had no idea what to expect. The OTHER curve ball that was thrown in was that we were actually moving this way. We were saying goodbye for who knows how long and looking for a home in who knows what state or city. Try packing for a two month road/camping trip in a backpack on the back of a moped with THAT in mind!

But we did it! We packed, said goodbye, and got on that plane to Seattle. This blog is dedicated to the days we spent on that trip. The memories, the laughs, the tears, the triumphs, and the sights of God's glorious land and sea. We would never have been able to enjoy those moments from the inside of a speeding car, or the confines of a train. We smelt the ocean breeze, felt the rain, and took in the sunshine every minute from Seattle to Orange County.

I am hoping this blog will follow us through the years as change and grow. Reading previous posts, I know how much we have already changed. This is a visual journal of our crazy life!