Payson and Nichole met Steve Bein earlier this week at a hotel in rural New Zealand while on a bikepacking trip. Steve is a Philosophy professor in Ohio who decided to use his sabbatical to cycle the 1,800 miles across New Zealand. Before starting the trip, the farthest he'd ever ridden was about 30 miles. Naturally, Payson wanted to sit down and record a conversation to learn more about what drew Steve to the land down under, how he's adapting to the harsh conditions and physical demands of such a long journey, and the personal encounters he's had along the way. They discuss why he decided to ride his bike instead of hiring a van as he'd originally planned, the painful warm-up ride in Tasmania that made him uncertain about whether he could finish, and the cultural differences he's noticed between the US and New Zealand.

Steve's blog: https://www.philosofiction.com/stevebeinfiction

Instagram: @withpacepod
YouTube: Payson McElveen