Cyclists Hosted by Farmer Visit Stewart’s Food Store in Olney

You may have noticed two cyclists traveling through Olney Thursday, Jan. 27. However, if you were near or at Stewart’s Food Store that morning, you would have had an opportunity to meet two of the most intriguing people who decided to quit their jobs and explore the world on bicycles. This exploration has become Tobi and Louisa’s life purpose that they call Chains and Chords.

“We have wanted to travel for a long time, and then we decided that cycling is a nice way to travel and explore the world,” Louisa said.

A world tour by automobile is an intimating thought for some. Can you imagine the motivation required to travel the world on your bike? According to Space.com, the distance across the globe is 24,901 miles. Tobi and Louisa started in Europe and flew to Miami. They attribute their success thus far to cycling through Europe, which they say was “good preparation for their journey.”

“We were commuting a lot with our bicycles before we started this journey, and we weren’t actually into tour or travel cycling, but we had a look at what other people were doing and how they were doing it. So every day we cycled a bit more, and every day we learned something new,” Tobi said.

They take only the items needed to minimize the weight they carry. Tobi’s guitar is one of those necessities, hence Chains and Chords. Tobi taught himself to play the guitar.

Now you’re probably wondering, ‘Why Olney?’ Olney resident Lewis Farmer provided lodging to Tobi and Louisa through an organization called Warm Showers, a nonprofit organization that comprises a network of touring cyclists worldwide who are eligible as members to take advantage of hospitality services provided by host members such as the Farmers. Of course, it’s no surprise that Mr. Farmer is a host to touring cyclists since he also loves tour cycling.

Seeing the world on the bicycle is bound to make you think twice about your choice to cycle, especially in inclement weather conditions. Louisa said the strong headwinds are the most frustrating at times, but they didn’t have too many bad days. Tobi added the exception was Greece, with the 24-hour rain cycle they endured. And when entering Texas, they were greeted by a thunderstorm and hail. Well, you know what they say about the weather in Texas.

Nevertheless, every experience is a chance for growth and connectivity with others. So, what has been the most rewarding part of the couple’s journey thus far?

“Usually, it is the things that you experience that you would not expect. It’s been like that in most places we’ve been in Europe and the U.S. For example, when you’re traveling, you have these stereotypes in mind of how a country might differ from the news and almost always it’s different when you’re actually there,” Tobi said. “Sometimes, it may not be as nice as we thought it might be. But, so far, it’s always been different, maybe not better, but completely different than what we expect.”

Before getting back on the road, Tobi performed two songs on his guitar at Stewarts Food Store. You can watch it on the Olney Enterprise Facebook page. For more information about Tobi and Louisa, visit their website www.ChainsandChords.com.