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A few weeks ago we got an email from Peloton. They wanted to know if we'd run the New York City Marathon with their team this November. We said yes because honestly, tt's the kind of invitation you don't turn down. It's truly a genuine honor, plain and simple to be given this opportunity.
We've both run marathons before, so we know exactly what that email meant.
It meant we needed to start running because we only had eight weeks to train.
Getting into the New York City Marathon on your own right now is close to impossible. This year's lottery accepted about one percent of everyone who applied, the worst odds it's ever had. People apply for years and never get picked.
The other day we were driving the camper through Denmark and camped for the night just outside Copenhagen. Both of us had runs due that day. Sara went first and got lucky, she was back before a single drop fell.
I went out right as the sky opened up.
Not a light rain either.
The first mile was miserable and loud, just rain hitting pavement and my own breathing. Then, almost like someone flipped a switch, it stopped. The rest of the run was calm, a little gray, actually kind of beautiful in that quiet European city way. But that first mile is the part is the part I want to talk about. The part where I could have turned back and didn't.
There's a part of the brain called the anterior mid-cingulate cortex. A 2020 review in the journal Cortex found it lights up when people push through something hard, and stays especially active in what researchers call superagers, older adults who stay sharp well past the age most people start slowing down. One rainy mile doesn't rewire a brain. But choosing the hard thing over the easy one, again and again, apparently builds something. That study keeps echoing in my head. That if we choose something outside our comfort zone, on purpose, again and again, we're not just getting through the moment. We're building the version of us that says yes next time too.
Anyway.
We've got some other news below that took its own kind of nerve to say yes to. More on that in a second.
P.S. What's something you said yes to that scared you a little? Hit reply, we want to hear it.
RAGBRAI 2027 TRIP!
You're the first to hear this.
A few weeks ago we asked if any of you would want to ride across Iowa with us someday. Our inbox filled up. "Take us to Iowa," people said, over and over, like we'd asked the world's easiest question. So here we are, asking back: come ride RAGBRAI with us.
Next July, seven days, one state, the whole thing, back tire in the Missouri River on day one, front tire in the Mississippi by day seven. July 24 to 31, 2027, small towns the whole way, pie stands the whole way, us right there with you the whole way.
We built a whole package around this. Sign up for Ride With Us and you're camping with our crew every night, one big group dinner, a crew shirt, a goodie bag waiting for you at check-in.
And here's the one we're most excited about: don't own a bike? Ride a Litespeed. Litespeed is our bike partner for the ride, and they're bringing a small number of loaner bikes for our crew. If you've always wanted to try one, or you don't have a bike that can cross a state, ask us how.
There are only a few, so a loaner isn't part of every spot. Reach out and we'll talk it through.There is no added cost for this.
You don't have to be an athelete to do this. A little training but people of all ages, shapes, and sizes can do this. That's the whole point of RAGBRAI, it was never a race, it's one long moving party across a state that takes really good care of you. We'll be pedaling right beside you the whole way, cheering, complaining about the hills, eating our weight in pie.
$295 holds your spot, $100 deposit to start, and it climbs to $349 once RAGBRAI announces the official 2027 route. We're capping it at 25 people, so this one's first come, first served.
We've been loving this car mount by Peak Design. It holds the phone on by magnet, no clamp, and it charges wirelessly too. Comes as a vent mount or a ball mount depending on your car.
🎥 We Captained a Boat With Zero Experience on Canada's Most Famous Canal
We started in Ottawa, stayed at the Fairmont Château Laurier, and did a nighttime kayak tour through the city before picking up a houseboat in Smiths Falls for three nights on the Rideau Canal. Neither of us had ever driven a boat before. We figured out locks, tight turns, and how not to hit a dock, all on camera.
Thailand cuts visa-free stays to 30 days — as of September 15, blanket visa-free stays dropped from 60 to 30 days, and 21 nationalities (including Mexico, Colombia, and Morocco) now need an e-Visa in advance. If Southeast Asia's on your radar, double check before you book.
JFK's massive new terminal pushed to 2027 — the $19B New Terminal One was supposed to open this year. Now it's early 2027, with Air France debuting a new two-story lounge, its largest outside Paris.
Fat Bear Week is back — Katmai National Park's bracket-style bear-bulking contest runs September 22–29. Last year drew 1.7 million votes from over 100 countries. Exactly as delightful as it sounds.
Business class to Nantes, France for $3,822 (24% off) Atlanta to Nantes on Air France and KLM, flying November through December 2026. One stop in Paris on the way out (1h45m), Amsterdam on the way back (2h20m). Normally runs $5,070+, this one's at $3,822, and it'll last 2-3 days.
Boston to Tashkent, Uzbekistan for $1,051 (31% off) Boston to Tashkent on Qatar Airways, economy, flying September through November 2026. One stop in Doha both ways (about 3h40m out, 3h25m back). Normally runs $1,525+, this one's at $1,051, and it'll last 2-3 days.
Nashville to Lihue, Hawaii for $433 (48% off) Nashville to Lihue on Alaska Airlines, economy, flying September through November 2026. One stop in Seattle (about 1h19m out, 2h7m back). Normally runs $845+, this one's at $433, and it'll last 1-2 days.
Want flight deals worth booking and travel updates that don't sound like marketing?
Join 10,000+ readers getting Field Notes. We're full-time travelers finding deals we'd actually book, bookmarking things worth your time, and writing honest updates from the road. You get the deals, the links, and the real stories—weekly.