Get on your bike and go. And in 1944 that’s exactly what Thelma Popp Jones and her friend Doris Roy did. Having dreamt about this adventure for years they finally made it happen. After college and before the “real world” they embarked on this amazing journey. With World War II taking over everyone’s hearts and minds these two hit the road on their single speeds. From Buffalo, New York to the Gulf of Mexico these gals were pedaling for 4 months, sleeping outside, and working as maids on a boat named Steamer Corregidor.

How’s this for the first two days expenses:

June 22
miles – 32
8:30 Buffalo
12:00 Lake View (lunch)
5:30 Six miles from Silver Creek

Milk $0.15
Veal Chops $0.25
Prunes $0.16
Potatoes – free
4 eggs $0.23
6 slices of bacon
Lettuce $0.15
2 birch beers $0.10

Total $1.04 (Poppy pays first two days)

Read more about it here.

The times, they are shitty and i’m ready for a bike tour.

One thing i always have at the ready is an LL Bean ragg wool sweater. Only in oatmeal. Not made in the US but always makes me think of Autumn on the East Coast. As the Fall goes on i’ll start to really jones apples, cider, cinnamon and sugar donuts and my dad on the weekends.

Viyella is a classic fabric from England. It used to be a blend of half wool and half cotton. Now it’s normally 80% Pima and 20% Merino. It’s super soft and pretty durable. Everyone should have at least one Viyella button-down collar shirt in their quiver. Well it’s that time of year in Montana to start dressing for the cold so I busted my Brooks Brothers Viyella shirt out today. Hello old friend, you are butter.

*Image stolen from some dude named Admiral Cod. Peep his post on Sideburns. It’s hilarious. Mostly agree except i’d trust Neil Young even with his gnarly mutton chops.

One of my favorite discoveries is to find out that something is made in the US. And at the same time I have trouble getting up for new found products that are not. 

The other day I was cleaning out the ashes in my wood burning stove and grabbed a box from the garage. I reached for one from Defeet to find this piece of packing material. Packing material always catches my eye. I always take note of the newspaper or whatever used as stuffing. Anyhow it turns out that nike is working with defeet on some socks. Nike, made in North Carolina? How about them apples?

Super flattered to be a part of this crew. David, Jeff and Nick have been really supportive and we totally appreciate it. I’ll be reporting from the mountains of Montana on things that move me. Design, Bikes, American Made Goods, Japanese Joinery, Food, Art… i’ll start there.

Here is an image from last night. 6pm