It's official. It's Just Riding: Just Pete from Sea to Key will be released September 1. And I couldn't have picked a better date. On September 1, 2021, after eighty-one days and 4,535 miles, I rolled into Key West and finished a cross-country bicycle ride that had started in Anacortes, Washington. Exactly five years later,... Continue reading →
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“It’s Just Riding” Coming Soon
It’s getting close. For the past several months, I’ve been working to turn 4,535 miles, eighty-one days, and one slightly ridiculous bicycle ride across America into my third book. The manuscript is finished. The cover is done. There are still a few steps between here and publication, and I don’t have an official release date... Continue reading →
Southern Italy
We had a fantastic time exploring Southern Italy over the last 10 days. Naples was our first stop. It’s a city of narrow streets, historic neighborhoods, crazy scooter drivers, and some of the best pizza on the planet. Underground Naples was fascinating. Hidden beneath the city is a maze of tunnels and chambers that date... Continue reading →
Cruising Venice to Rome
We spent seven nights aboard Oceania’s Sirena, sailing from Venice to Rome. One of the best parts of the cruise was waking up each morning in a new port, each with its own personality. Our first stop was Slovenia, where we toured Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave. Predjama is the world’s largest preserved cave castle,... Continue reading →
Zarautz and San Sebastián
We spent two days in Zarautz, another of Spain’s premier surf towns. Zarautz Beach was voted the best beach in Spain for 2024 by readers of Condé Nast Traveler. The beachfront promenade is lined with bars, and restaurants, giving the beach a lively atmosphere from morning until late at night. The scenery wasn’t bad, either.... Continue reading →
Somo and Laredo
I’m From Llanes we took a bus to Santander, then hopped on a ferry to the laid-back surf town of Somo. Somo is considered the birthplace of surfing in Spain, and surf culture is woven into everyday life there. Bar, surf shop, and school all in 1. We really enjoyed the vibe in Somo. There... Continue reading →
Llanes
We spent two days in Llanes, and it quickly became a favorite. The combination of dramatic coastline, mountain views, and a beautifully preserved old town gives the place a little bit of everything. One of the highlights is the Paseo de San Pedro, a coastal walkway that runs along the top of the sea cliffs... Continue reading →
Vigo and Pontevedra
We spent one day in each of these Galician cities. Vigo is one of the world’s major fishing ports, with mussel farms lining the estuary that empties into the Atlantic. Naturally, we were excited to feast on fresh mussels. Mussel farms or UFO’s? You be the judge. Unfortunately, the restaurants we tried didn’t have any... Continue reading →
Baiona
We were originally planning to take a bus from Porto to Baiona, but we decided to Uber instead. It cost more, but we arrived four hours earlier, and I was anxious to get there. During my Camino, Baiona was one of the coolest little coastal towns I passed through. Seven years later, I still remembered... Continue reading →
Porto
We left Lisbon by train and rolled into Porto early in the afternoon. Our hotel was conveniently located about a block from the station. We dropped our bags and immediately headed out to explore. Porto is famously hilly. The city climbs steeply from the Douro River, with narrow alleys, and scenic overlooks tucked everywhere. We... Continue reading →