River Run 2017: a Nice ending

On Sunday the 8th  of October, we took the bus from Cannes to Grasse. We walked around the historic center of this perfume-making town and visited the International Perfumery Museum, as well as the Fragonard Museum. Continue reading

Pandemic Pedalling: on the road again, almost.

A year ago, the Freewheeling Freelancer pedalled home, not knowing that he would not soon set out for new places to tell you about. This week, he finally rode out again. I propose to interrupt my retelling of the River Run 2017 with trip reports when I have them. First, let me tell you what has been going on since that ride from Philadelphia a year ago . Continue reading

Where do we go from here (poll repaired)?

On Sunday, some of you reported that the poll in Saturday’s post stopped allowing multiple choice answers. I have fixed that, and I hope that you will take a moment to check off your answers, if you had more than one. Thanks. Continue reading

Where do we go from here?

It’s time to take stock. With travel restricted, the Freewheeling Freelancer is hardly freewheeling and not doing much freelancing. I write this blog for you, my readers, and there are hundreds of you (I’m not an influencer!). So let’s figure out together where to take this site. Continue reading

Come on over!

This week, the sea stories on this blog will begin to move. The Freewheeling Freelancer will continue to carry non-fiction about living and working on the road, and about my bicycle travels. Meanwhile, the site jthine.com will host fiction and memoir. Each Saturday, I will post to one site and publish a link on the other.

Sea stories have been favourites on the porch in the evening ever since sailors have had grandchildren or buddies at the local pub. This week, I invite you to read or re-read the account of my growing up as an urban cyclist in Rome during the 1950s and 1960s. https://jthine.com/blog/. Enjoy!

Until next time,

Smooth roads and tailwinds,

Jonathan.

New England 2019: lessons learned

This was my sixth summer touring with Cheryl, who has taught me almost everything I know about bicycle touring and camping. By now, I think that I may be getting the hang of this by myself. Nevertheless, every year I find things to learn. Here are some of the lessons learned and relearned from the two months in New England. Continue reading

River Run 2017: a Nice ending

On Sunday the 8th  of October, we took the bus from Cannes to Grasse. We walked around the historic center of this perfume-making town and visited the International Perfumery Museum, as well as the Fragonard Museum. Continue reading

River Run 2017 and changes to the blog.

img_20170217_172044-2Trip update: This week has featured visitors. I hosted Couchsurfers Agus and Santi from Argentina, then Warmshowers guests Harrie and Dianne from the Netherlands. Very interesting and wonderful people in very different ways.
img_20170224_060647I am very glad that I decided to open my little flat in Formia to the Couchsurfing and Warmshowers communities. There has been a healthy demand (at least someone every week), and the travellers coming through have enriched my life. Continue reading

“I never repeat a mistake, but …”


img_20170101_000313Trip update
: At 2230, the phone interrupted Gideon Oliver just as he was about to solve the crime. I stood up from the eBook I was reading and went to the phone. Timoteo Lamkin was inviting me to celebrate the New Year from the family balcony overlooking the fireworks on the Gulf of Gaeta. I had planned to spend a quiet evening hiding from the war zone and its fog of cordite, but I was touched that they would think of me. And so I greeted the New Year in the company of friends and waved a dozen sparklers myself. Continue reading

Issues living and working abroad: taxes

 

DSCN1451Trip update: We spent last weekend in Tofino, which was so special, that I have decided to devote next week’s post to the visit. The rest of the week, I have been working on the book translation and taking daily rides around Vancouver. Spanish Banks is a favourite destination, where we lean against a log in the sand and read, or just watch the traffic in the roadstead and the people on the beach. The sea birds provide a fairly entertaining show, too.  Continue reading