Outdoors: Husband, wife put spin on trip

Omahan Joel Zimmerman has been fascinated by the tales of Tim and Cindie Travis’ seven-year trip cycling the world.

Now he’ll get to be part of their story.

Zimmernam, the ride chairman for the Omaha Pedalers Bicycle Club, has invited the Travises to stay with him and his wife, Kathi, the week before they take part in RAGBRAI, the bike ride across Iowa that begins July 19 in Council Bluffs.

He has set up some speaking engagements for the couple, who chronicle their adventures on www.DownTheRoad.org. They’ve also written two books.

“It’s one thing for me to ride around Minnesota and Iowa,’’ Zimmerman said. “To ride through China and Central America blows me away. I can hardly wait to hear their stories firsthand.’’

The couple from Prescott, Ariz., quit their jobs after saving $100,000 to finance their adventures. Tim is a special education teacher and Cindie a geologist.

They wrote their first book after traveling through Central and South America. They’ve also ridden through such far-flung places as New Zealand, Australia, southeast Asia and China.

They’re now cycling across America, visiting as many national parks and forests as they can.

Tim recently survived a scary incident in Kansas.

“Someone tried to kill Tim near Alexandria. A speeding truck threw a bottle, hit Tim in the head. His helmet saved his life,” Cindie reported in her journal. “Luckily, he was not hurt.’’

Their seven-year plan has been extended, thanks to the profits from their books and advertising on the Web site.

“They are going to keep riding until they are too old to ride,’’ Zimmerman said. “They are living out of a tent and staying with people like me who want to hear their story.’’

If you’d like to hear the couple speak, contact Zimmerman at 402-317-0155 or at jzim@tconl.com.

2,000 miles since January

Although Zimmerman hasn’t piled up near the mileage of the Travises, he’s managed to cycle 2,000 miles since Jan. 1.

The 60-year-old retiree just completed the NUMB ride, which takes place in a different corner of Nebraska each summer. About 135 riders took part in the Nebraska United Methodist Bike ride, which is sponsored by a church in Omaha’s Elkhorn neighborhood. The ride started in Ogallala before moving on to Brady, Stapleton, North Platte and then back to Ogallala.

“It’s like summer camp for adults,’’ he said.

Just before the NUMB ride, Zimmerman biked to Minneapolis and the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, taking advantage on the way of hosts he enlisted through warmshowers.org.

By putting his name on a list saying he’s willing to take in bikers who are traveling across the country, Zimmerman was able to stay with three families on his way to Minneapolis. He said the trip was 350 miles.

When he’s not riding, Zimmerman and others in the Pedalers are working to revitalize the club.

“I like the exercise, and I like the people,’’ Zimmerman said. “I just like to meet and greet people, especially people who like to do the things I like to do. And biking is what I like to do.’’

Hot weather cools fishing

Now that summer has kicked into high gear, fishing is slowing.

Daryl Bauer, the fisheries outreach program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks, says it just means anglers have to work a little harder.

“There is a lot of natural prey available,’’ Bauer said. “They eat more during the summer than any other time of the year. Their metabolism is cooking right along.’’

Bauer said fish have shorter feeding periods because they don’t have to search long to find their food. That means anglers need to hit the prime times — early or late in the day, or after dark for species such as catfish.

Keep in mind, he said, that fish get selective. Anglers need to match as closely as possible the prey of the fish they are trying to catch.

Use smaller bait, because a lot of the fish aren’t very big yet. Switch to something larger in the fall.

“Fishing fast, trolling fast, fast retrieves can work really well right now this time of year,’’ Bauer said.

Contact the writer:

444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com