It’s the light that wakes you. Well, sometimes the birds, sometimes the weather and in my case, once a greenkeeper who started very early, but usually the light. Waking up under canvas is different to waking up at home. There’s no sense of urgency, no rush, no dread for what the day may hold. The … Read more
A surprising number of cyclists are quite superstitious in at least one aspect: they’re so terrified of punctures that they won’t even say the word, and I find that extremely amusing. I’m not superstitious at all, and have no misgivings about using the word puncture, nor referring to the Puncture Fairy. For the uninitiated, a … Read more
You open your eyes, not quite sure what time it is, and not bothered by it, either. You know it’s still early, so you lie there for a bit, looking at the tent above you, and listening to the sounds outside. The light breeze whispering through the nearby trees, the verbal battles fought by songbirds. … Read more
Speed. It’s exhilarating. Addictive, even. Exciting. Dangerous, too, of course, but that only makes it more exciting. I know. I’ve been there. My personal speed record on a bicycle (with 700c x 25 skinny wheels, while dressed only in Lycra) is 53mph (85kph), during a descent off Peak Hill, when riding a sportive called the … Read more
Old Man Ride This past weekend, I went on a leisurely adventure, with three others. Caspar I’ve met before, and I know him from cycling advocacy especially in Devon, but also nationally. Simon’s a journalist at Road.cc and cycled the first part of my last Grand Union Canal ride. Tommy’s someone I know from Twitter, … Read more
If you want some free entertainment, walk up to a group of cyclists and say one type of clip-in pedals are better than the others, then sit back and watch the debate get surprisingly heated. People often ask which clip-in system is the best, and the only correct answer is this: it depends. I freely … Read more
I distinctly remember going off into the African bush as a teenager, carrying an ex-army canvas backpack, containing water, food, and a few other bits and bobs, dressed in T-shirt, shorts and trainers. I had a sleeping bag, but usually didn’t bother taking it with, and I didn’t have a tent. Before nightfall, I’d find … Read more
Hot weather can be lethal This is not a doom & gloom post. Instead, I’m looking at realistic options. Man-made climate change is real, with indisputable evidence backing it up. In real-world terms, we see the effects all around us, in unusual weather patterns, increased flash flooding, and yes, heat waves. As the planet warms, … Read more
Most of the time, you’ll go on a bicycle adventure with a smile on your face and the wind in your hair, and that smile will remain on your face all the way. Sometimes, though, the opposite happens, and things go wrong. Most of the time, being prepared for the possibility of things going wrong … Read more
To be a real adventurer, you have to do things like solo trekking through the Amazon basin, scaling the ten tallest mountains of the world (dressed only in beach gear) or wrestling with crocodiles, right? In graphic terms, that belief – sadly quite widely held – is a steaming pile of bovine excrement, and I’ll … Read more
Mastery of fire was arguably the single most important human achievement. It vastly increased our species’ ability to survive and prosper, and to this day we are ultra-reliant on fire. It’s entirely possible that the device you’re using to read this was powered by electricity generated by either coal, or gas-powered power stations, and those … Read more
One of the best things about cycle touring is simply escaping the hustle and bustle of the world, while you’re blissfully isolated from so much that may be happening in the world. This gives you the time to focus on the little things, that ultimately matter so much, like some wild flowers growing in a … Read more
The Travelling What? In South Africa, a slang (and somewhat derogatory) Afrikaans word for a man significantly older than yourself is “ouballie”, which is pronounced “oh – bully”, with “bully” to rhyme with “Scully”. Obviously, there was a rather excellent band, called The Travelling Wilburys. Given that I’m South African, like the music of The … Read more
In life, there are two kinds of people: those who choose to drink coffee, and those that don’t. I’ firmly in the former category, and a good coffee is one of life’s essentials to me. Coffee is a rich source of caffeine, which is common knowledge. Perhaps less commonly known is what caffeine does to our … Read more
COVID has changed the world, probably in a permanent way, but there are bigger changes on the horizon. I am of course referring to man-made Climate Change, which is undeniably real and terrifying. The heart of the matter is transport-related emissions need to radically fall, and that has clear, and direct implications for how we … Read more
I’m an unashamed, proud map-geek, and I generally find navigation easy to do. I also provide digital route guides for a growing number of routes. Over the bank holiday weekend at the end of May, I went cycling the Grand Union Canal, along with a friend of mine, Dom (@Tdr1nka on Twitter). I’ve spent considerable … Read more
Want to know what to expect when cycling the Grand Union Canal? Time for a rethink? I’m all for encouraging people to go on bike rides, but in this case I’ll advise you to change your mind. Why? Let me explain… If you went cycling on the Tarka Trail, in gorgeous north Devon, you’d be … Read more
Some ten years or so ago, I was visiting a friend who lived in Warwick, and obviously I took my bike with. He did the neighbourly thing and showed me a local tourist attraction, Hatton Locks. At the time, I knew canals existed, and that people lived on narrowboats, but that’s about as far as … Read more
Writing about food always feels somewhat uncomfortable to me, as I’m not a foodie. Much like you shouldn’t trust a skinny chef, I suppose you need to be sceptical of taking food advice from me. Well, to a point. You see, sooner or later – especially when touring – you’ll stop caring (or at least … Read more
There’s a huge latent demand for cycling, and a huge demand for cycle touring. However, a latent demand for something is not the same as a huge amount of it actually happening. In the UK, if you’re a new cyclist, you can go on the Let’s Ride site and look for group rides in your … Read more