Moving Along

Cycle4Fun Founder Alan Cheesley on Confidence, Training, and Self-Guided Cycling HolidaysBristol-based cyclist Alan Cheesley, founder of Cycle4Fun, designs adaptable, mostly self-guided cycling holidays in places including the UK, Tuscany, the Alps, Croatia, Montenegro, Cuba, Japan, Colombia, and Serbia. Alan explains that anyone can do a cycling holiday with appropriate training, and he helps riders choose routes and daily distances based on fitness, preferences, and desired control. He contrasts hilly Tuscany with the more predictable Alpine climbs, encourages beginners to start slowly, and emphasizes fun over racing, including rules like regrouping at hilltops and giving pedestrians right of way. Alan supports legal pedal-assist e-bikes, describes safety choices that avoid main roads, discusses luggage options from packing light to van support, recommends researching accommodations (often via Booking.com), and promotes his free guides and YouTube videos via https://cycle4fun.co.uk. Contact Alan Cheesleyhttps://cycle4fun.co.ukhttps://www.youtube.com/@Cycle4Fun  Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Alan Cheesley01:53 You Don't Need to Be an Olympic Athlete to Enjoy a Cycling Holiday03:27 Cycling Tuscany Compared to the Alps05:05 Deciding Where to Go on a Cycling Holiday06:01 Recommended Cycling Trips for Beginners07:22 Riding Solo or With a Group10:05 Fast Expensive Bikes and Regular Bikes12:06 E-Bikes14:18 Assisted Bikes vs. Electric Bikes (and Illegal E-Bikes)16:31 Converting a Bike to an E-Bike with Swytch17:19 Hazards of Bicycling18:16 Cycling Old Roads in Europe, Ireland and the U.K.19:07 It's All About Politeness20:14 What About the Luggage?20:55 Organizing Bike Trips for Adventure22:15 Transporting Your Gear25:08 Cobblestones, Rough Terrain and Bicycling in Cities 27:32 In Praise of Little Villages28:04 Camping, Inns or Luxury Accommodations Along the Way29:34 Choosing the Right Accommodations: Free Guides31:05 Alan's Mission31:43 Christi's Bicycle33:14 When You Buy a Cheap or Inexpensive Bike, Do This34:58 It's All About Confidence36:35 Alan's Next Cycling Travel Adventures37:44 How to Contact Alan at Cycle4Fun.co.uk CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Cosmetics entrepreneur Monique Montoya, founder of The Alambique Skincare Company in Taos, New Mexico, talks about how travel, family heritage, and New Mexico’s botanical traditions shaped her path from Albuquerque athlete to international marketing work in Spain and ultimately cosmetic formulation. After studying at UNM, living in New Orleans and Austria, and working in Spain with DJs and a record label, Monique returned to Taos, joined an organic manufacturing facility, and shifted from marketing to formulating—drawing on family curandera traditions and vendor chemist support. Following a buyout and a later job loss, she used severance to fund Alambique, traveling to meet farmers and sourcing raw materials first, emphasizing traceability, supplier stories and sustainability. “Having a science brain is helpful,” she says, discussing the chemistry of hydrosols and essential oils, ethical bee-venom sourcing, and the magic of “disrupting the machine of speed and greed.” To contact Monique and for more information: The Alambiquehttps://thealambique.com   Mentioned in the episode:Josefa BacaNew Mexico Historic Women Marker Programhttps://www.nmhistoricwomen.org/new-mexico-historic-women/josefa-baca/ USDA Organic INTEGRITY Databasehttps://organic.ams.usda.gov/integrity/Default Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Monique Montoya02:36 A Giant Adventure: Traveling as a Child05:06 Monique the Track Star05:54 A Bit of a Troublemaker07:45 Seeing the Magic in Everything Unfortunate09:13  "Elevating me to be a bigger version of myself"11:08 Journey to Spain13:15 B.B. King Gets a Tamale15:00 The Secret Language15:53 The Cosmetics World18:13 Having a Science Brain Is Always Helpful19:26 The Kick in the Tuchus I Needed21:00 Founding Alambique21:36 The Farm First: Developing New Skincare Products23:57 Alambique Customers25:14 Serving Local Markets25:53 Josefa Baca26:41 Building a Network of Wholesalers and Mom-and-Pop Shops27:51 Windfall Peaches29:06 Scaling Up: Driving Revenue Through Soul30:11 Disrupting the Machine of Speed and Greed30:58 Meeting Farmers in Italy and Sardinia31:48 Discovering New Farms33:24 Bee Venom37:18 For a Runner with Bad Knees...Bee Venom Salve38:37 Alambique's Inventory of Products39:07 Hydrosols and Essential Oils40:12 Monique's Garden in Taos40:49 How to Contact Monique Montoya and the Alambique CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Fabian Cousley, author of How Traveling Saved My Life and host of Surviving the Yellow Brick Road, discusses using travel to heal after his 30-year marriage dissolved during COVID. Fabian explains the “yellow brick road” as life’s challenging journey, fueling exploration and curiosity. Travel, he says, provides a necessary reset. Removing yourself from the environment where trauma occurred allows you to recalibrate, shifting from asking “why” to “what now.” A New York City native, he recounts solo trips from his home in Toronto—starting with Cabo, later Dubai, and a pivotal healing experience at Machu Picchu in Peru—plus advice to on how to research safety and connect with supportive people. We end talking about meeting other men who are also traveling to heal, and moving from surviving to thriving. Contact and find links to the book and podcast:www.sybr-book.com or https://survivingtheyellowbrickroad.com/ Free download sample from Fabian: https://survivingtheyellowbrickroad.com/#Download 00:00 Introduction to Fabian Cousley01:31 Growing Up in Queens and Surviving the Yellow Brick Road04:18 Youth Is Curiosity07:21 Deciding to Travel After the Breakup of the Marriage09:38 You Cannot Heal in the Environment That Broke You11:06 Are You Running Away?12:21 Travel Forces You to Recalibrate and Reset15:49 Solo Trips: Reset Happens Alone17:42 Moving from Why Me to What Now19:07 Deciding Where to Go22:11 Beginning the Journey of Healing in Cabo22:50 Finding Peace25:18 The Map as Mirror28:09 Dubai34:29 Traveling While Black35:53 Safety and Due Diligence as a Traveler38:43 Peru: A Healing Experience42:18 Men and Masculinity47:57 Contact Fabian CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Slow Travel, Worldschooling, and Money Planning with Suzy May Certified financial educator and money coach Suzy May—host of the Wander Worldschool podcast—shares how she and her family live between Seville, Denver, and an upcoming multi-month stay near Tokyo while working remotely and prioritizing “slow travel.” She explains worldschooling options like Boundless Life’s three-month cohorts with an education center for kids and coworking for parents, describes settling into Seville via a German school to build language immersion, and outlines how slow travel supports culture, routines, and budgeting. Suzy also dives into planning styles, housing strategies such as TrustedHousesitters and HomeExchange, transportation choices, ways to fund extended travel by renting or subletting a home, and key visa considerations like the Schengen rules, digital nomad visas, and country-specific stays. Timestamps: 00:00 Moving Along - ep. 43 - Suzy May 00:36 Introduction to Suzy May, Host of Wander Worldschool 02:09 Headed to Japan 03:56 Boundless Life - An Organization for Worldschooling Opportunities 07:47 Where Suzy Started: Growing Up in Loveland, Colorado 11:01 Moving to Spain with the Family 16:02 The Benefits of Slow Travel 19:53 Travel Planning for Families vs. Just Showing Up 21:37 Renting, Home Exchange and Housesitting While Traveling 24:37 Getting Around - Rent a Car? 25:44 Affording the Slow Travel Lifestyle 29:47 Visas, Dual Citizenship, the Schengen Shuffle 32:51 Digital Nomad World Schooler 34:54 Making Friends in a New Home Country 35:58 School Culture in Spain 39:31 Water Pistolas in the Plaza 41:39 Adapting to the Seasons in Southern Spain 43:38 Certified Financial Educator, Money Coach and Travel Mom 45:45 Endless Opportunities for Slow Travel 49:05 Resources 52:59 Waiting for the Bus   Contact Information Suzy’s email: [email protected] Wander Worldschool Podcast: https://www.wanderworldschool.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzymay.wander/ Boundless Life: https://boundless.life Servas International: Connecting for Peace (short-term stays) - https://servas.org/ TrustedHouseSitters: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/ Furnished Finder: https://www.furnishedfinder.com/     CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Moving Along talks with podcaster/blogger Craig Constantine during the final week of his and wife Tracy’s five-week Ford Transit van (“Panda”) trip across Newfoundland. Craig shares how childhood camping and Caribbean sailing—with heavy navigation and planning—shaped his approach to travel, watching his mom plan trips with paper and pencil, and why Newfoundland appealed as a place to “depressurize,” despite being more developed than expected. He explains balancing “non-negotiables” (especially prebooked ferry dates) with flexibility, using Crown land, campgrounds and the iOverlander app for overnight spots, and coping with variable terrain and weather.    Craig describes year-long preparation after buying the van, outfitting it with fold-down bed/table systems, organized crates, Starlink and a cellular booster for remote work, and on-trip improvements built from a local hardware store run. To avoid constant status updates, he built a microblog with AI that became travelog.place, and reflects on tight-space communication, driving too much and planning next year’s journey to Tuolumne Meadows near Yosemite.    00:00 Introduction to Craig Constantine 02:21 No Lighthouse 03:59 Growing Up in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania 09:59 Boondocking in Newfoundland 11:39 It's a Big Van But... 12:55 Finding the Nuts 13:25 Finding Places to Sleep 15:57 Not Much Grows Here 17:09 Planning the Trip 19:50 This Is Like a Sabbatical 20:54 The Van Named Panda 21:49 Jerry-rigging the Van  25:14 Clever Solutions: Crafting a Wall of Storage 28:20 Make It Better, Have Fun, That's the Whole Point 29:59 Pecking Order at the Campground 32:09 What You Do Defines Who You Are 34:14 You Have to Make the Ferry 35:58 Type A List Maker 39:03 From the Paper Tablet to the Travel Microblog 41:58 Builder 43:05 You Can Do This 44:38 Newfoundland Is an Hour and a Half... 45:07 Where to Next? 47:14 Any Oops? 48:31 Planning All the Problems Out of the Trip 49:06 It's Birds 50:57 Shorthand: A Different Kind of Mindfulness 53:02 Books I Didn't Touch 53:52 That's Not How the Id Works   Links https://constantine.name https://travelog.place https://temenos.place/ https://ioverlander.com/   CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Wouter Mayeur, founder of Property Invest Blog, has lived in Berlin, Hamburg and Barcelona, and he now resides in London with his family. He shares his experiences investing in real estate in London and Montenegro, costs to move abroad, moving with children, and his plans for purchasing a condo in Thailand. Wouter and his wife, a Canadian-Hong Kong native, travel annually to Hong Kong with their two children, and Wouter has his eye on Shenzhen, China. In addition to Montenegro and Chiang Mai, Thailand, he recommends hidden gems and “underinvested” places to investigate in Europe, Asia and South America. His practical advice includes the nitty-gritty of assessing properties from afar, renting short-term or living in your home abroad, and the logistics of property transfer taxes, purchase and moving.    Blog: Property Invest Blog https://propertyinvestblog.com/   Facebook Group: Buying & Living Abroad – Property Tips, Honest Insights https://www.facebook.com/groups/propertyabroadtips/ CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Belfast rider and author Chris Donaldson weaves the tale of his decades-long attempt to reach Australia on his 1979 Moto Guzzi Le Mans. Leaving Belfast at 21 amid the Troubles, he planned to ride to Australia but was diverted by the Iranian Revolution, traveling instead through Africa (including apartheid South Africa), the Americas, and Argentina, later recounting it in his memoir Going the Wrong Way. Chris reflects on traveling for the journey, the kindness of strangers, and how writing the book 40 years later drew on diaries and photos. After his first adventure, Chris joined the family furniture shop in Belfast, which over the years he expanded into London and Dublin. In 2021, encouraged by a friend, he resumed his quest after COVID, faced border issues (including being denied entry to Jordan), continued alone after his friend quit the trip in Athens, and finally reached Australia, forming the basis of his next book, Adventure Before Dementia (May 2026). He discusses travel changes due to phones and the internet, Moto Guzzi community, other rides including Russia and U.S. trips, and how a Parkinson’s diagnosis motivates him to keep pursuing adventures.   Pictures of Chris, His Moto Guzzi and His Travels Don’t miss the gallery on Chris’s website: https://chrisdonaldson.world/gallery-2/ Instagram: @chrisdonaldson.author   Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Chris Donaldson 02:43 From London to South Africa 04:02 With a Motorbike, You're Bonded to the Landscape 04:22 From the U.S. Down to Argentina 06:53 Another Go at Australia 08:30 What's Changed in 40 Years, What's Stayed the Same 11:38 Going Back to the Family Business in Belfast 14:14 A Pensioner Riding a Motorbike Around the World 16:42 Pilgrimage to Australia - Arriving at Last 17:54 The Moto Guzzi Le Mans 19:23 Crossing the Sahara on the Motorbike 20:23 The Biggest Problem at Age 21 22:52 Every Corner Is a Danger 23:59 Traveling Light 27:10 Teo Lamers Cathedral of Moto Guzzi Festival 27:57 Texas 29:30 It Keeps You Young  31:00 Meeting Up With Old Friends on New Journeys 32:20 Russia 34:42 Spark of Recognition 38:06 Adventures Before Dementia and Going the Wrong Way   Chris’s Books Going the Wrong Way Adventures Before Dementia   Both books are available on his website: https://chrisdonaldson.world   Or use Amazon (not an affiliate link) if ordering from the U.S. or Canada:  Going the Wrong Way - https://www.amazon.com/Going-Wrong-Way-Australia-possibly/dp/1838012761 CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Landscape photographer Tom Reed discusses his influences (Ansel Adams, Edgar Payne, the Hudson River School, and Japanese martial arts/aesthetics) and his books of photography—The Granite Avatars of Patagonia, Moved by a Mountain, and Summers in the Sierras.    Tom Reed delves into the ideas from his TEDx talk “Natural Beauty and Aesthetic Arrest,” describing aesthetic arrest—borrowed via Joseph Campbell from James Joyce—as being stunned by beauty to the point of losing the usual sense of self. He explores why eroded mountains can feel majestic, drawing on physicist Thomas Campbell’s ideas about organization versus entropy and linking organization to love. Reed connects his photography composition to Japanese tea ceremony and ikebana’s dominant/subdominant/subordinate principle, recounts quitting film photography after his camera was crushed, years of intense looking, wide travels (Caribbean, Belize, Alaska, Hawaii, California), near-drowning surfing in Oahu and how he finally returned to photography.    Tom lives in Fort Bragg on the rugged Mendocino Coast of Northern California, travels to wild places and spends five weeks each summer at a cabin he built in Alaska.    00:00 Introduction to Tom Reed, Landscape Photographer 01:53 Aesthetic Arrest 06:11 Inspiration from an Alpine View 08:19 Why Erosion Can Be Majestic 11:00 Japanese Aesthetics:  Ikebana and Chabana 12:23 Creating the Composition 13:46 Putting Yourself in the Right Position for the Composition 14:35 Principles of Flower Arranging as Applied to Photography 16:15 The Majesty of What Stands 16:35 What's Standing Is Still Organized 19:14 On Photography: The Cameras Got Heavy 21:54 In Belize with Birdie 28:24 The Artist's Impulse 29:36 Near-Death Experience Surfing the North Shore of Oahu 33:23 Raw Beauty That Inspires Awe 35:51 A Masculine Sense of Beauty 37:57 Leaving Hawaii 38:32 A Hobo Life with the Fall Colors in New England  40:44 Building a Cabin in Alaska 42:57 The Japanese Aesthetic 43:38 Aikido and Athletics 45:25 An Aikido Bum for 10 Years 47:01 Learning Tea Ceremony 47:43 Tea Ceremony and the Concept of Wabi-Sabi 49:46 Going to Japan 51:56 How to Contact Tom Reed   Tom’s Books The Granite Avatars of Patagonia Moved by a Mountain, Inspiration from an Alpine View in Alaska (also an audiobook, featured in Alaska Magazine and Cirque) The Other Side, On the Road in South America Summers in the Sierras (limited edition) Find these at https://TomReedBooks.com (not an affiliate link)   Tom’s TEDx Talk  "Natural Beauty and Aesthetic Arrest" (TEDxHomer, 2011) https://youtu.be/aB8L5a-P6NM?si=3-LmcdGe2EPJScBr   Contact Tom Reed https://tomreed.com https://tomreedbooks.com CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Donna Barwald, an LA-based professional organizer and educator with 20 years’ experience, shares how she has helped families, seniors and businesses organize, declutter, and downsize.  Donna explains how organizing helped her regulate her own ADHD, discusses supporting neurodivergent clients by creating systems that match how they use space (including entry “drop zones”), and describes how visual clutter increases stress and decision fatigue. She contrasts fight/flight/freeze responses to mess, describes body doubling, and connects decluttering to feng shui-style energy flow and a calmer home.  Donna addresses downsizing for current and future life needs—including preparing for assisted living or moving in with a child. She talks candidly about handling guilt, “might need it” objects, what to do with gifts, keepsakes and collections, and why hoarding is a separate mental illness.  She offers practical tactics like one-in/one-out, favorites-first packing, labeled storage, drawer-based organization, and planning moves by infrastructure and layout.  Note that the audio on Christi's part is a little faded, but Donna's audio is fine.  Contact Donna Barwald Website: https://neatlyarranged.com Email: [email protected] Contact Donna for a free consultation!   Donna’s Books This Mess Is Making Me Stress Improve Your Move: How to Downsize with Ease and Move On to Your Next Adventure   Timestamps 00:00 Donna Barwald Introduction 01:16 The Impulse to Organize 04:21 Donna's Mission 04:56 Creating the Environment in Which to Succeed 05:39 Drop Zones 07:53 Growing Up in San Jose, California 10:20 Finding Peace by Creating Space 11:33 Fight, Flight or Freeze 14:32 Body-Doubling 16:29 The Value of Decluttering 18:58 With Clutter, People Feel Bad About Themselves 21:53 Keeping the Judgment at Bay 27:37 Downsizing 32:25 "But I might need it" 34:40 You Don't Need a Presidential Library 35:42 Inner Peace Is More Important 35:54 Resistance, or 100 Pairs of Socks 37:05 Saving Things for the Future You...And Here You Are 37:40 Hoarders Are Not the Same as Collectors 40:11 Sticking with Your Favorites 41:11 Little Known Secrets of Downsizing 45:06 Crap Equilibrium 47:07 Dealing with Gifts - Wanted and Unwanted 49:04 Dealing with Keepsakes - Wanted and Unwanted 50:03 How to Handle Children's Keepsakes from School 55:36 Garages: The Home of Old Dreams 56:47 Cut Your Losses 01:02:27 Organization Is 90% Infrastructure 01:04:54 Drawers Are Key 01:07:05 Get in Touch with Donna Barwald CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram

Leadership strategist Edna White, creator of the Keeping It Real On Purpose podcast and Wounded to Wonderful newsletter, discusses the culture shock of moving from Alabama to Long Island as a child, her nervous breakdown in her 40s, and her decision to teach English in China. Living in China, she climbed the Great Wall and sampled tarantula and scorpion, returning to New York a changed woman ready to help others. She is the founder of Second Chance, Inc. and lives on Long Island in New York.    00:00 Moving Along Introduction to Edna White 03:34 Black Girl Growing Up in Alabama and Long Island 07:31 Leadership 10:19 Finding Your Original Identity 12:10 Embracing Your Emotions 13:40 Meshing Emotions and Leadership 18:07 Edna's Gift of Clairsentience and for Helping Others 19:42 Making the Wrong Mistakes 20:12 The Solitude of Home and Canoeing 21:06 Learning to Meditate 22:23 Teaching and Traveling in China 24:16 Walking the Great Wall of China 27:16 Zip Line Down the Mountain 28:13 Arriving in China 30:17 Culture Shock in China 30:58 Real Chinese Food 33:58 A New Leaf, Writing and Coaching Back in New York 34:10 Eye-Opening Lessons About Communism and Religion in China 36:53 Learning Different Kinds of Meditation in China 37:27 Can We All Be Leaders? 39:51 How to Contact Edna   Contact Edna: https://ednawhite.com At Edna's website, you can sign up to get more information about her projects: Podcast: Keeping It Real on Purpose Newsletter: Wounded to Wonderful Book (not an affiliate link): The You Project: Uncover the Real You and Create a Better Life   CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: [email protected] by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve’s Blue. Post-production help from Auphonic.com.Show notes written with assistance from Descript and Claude.ai. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram