Kit review: Vango Compact Gas Stove

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The Vango Compact Gas Stove is really rather good, with only three negatives. First though, what makes it so good: for starters, it’s tiny. It comes in a hard plastic case, and screws directly onto a gas cannister. The three supports for whatever you place on the stove fold up, to fit inside the plastic ... Read more

Consequences

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There’s a basic principle that states we are all free to make our own choices, but we are not free from the consequences of the choices we had made. Sometimes, the consequences are immediate: you’re in a crowded pub, walk up to the biggest, meanest, toughest guy there, and you slap him. Yes, you are ... Read more

With great power comes…

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… great  complexity? If you’re a regular visitor here, you’ll know I have a hub dynamo on my bike, and rely on that to help keep my gadgets charged when out cycling. Especially on multi-day, off-grid rides, with wild camping along the way, your options are either to be self-reliant, or to have all your ... Read more

SheCycles – Uni

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  In this latest SheCycles post, we hear from Uni, in her own words, about what it’s like to be a cyclist and a woman. If you’re unfamiliar with SheCycles posts, I suggest you read them all, simply by clicking this link. Let me hand you over to Uni: I’m strictly a weekend warrior and ... Read more

Security while cycle touring

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After a long day of gorgeous cycling, you had a hearty meal, then settled down in your tent for a well-deserved night’s sleep. But what about your bike? Lying there with wide open eyes all night long is not conducive to good cycle touring, but then again, neither is waking up in the morning to discover ... Read more

Come on in, the water’s fine?

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English  rivers  are  drowning  in  sh*t If you read just a handful of posts on here, you’ll see I’m a big fan of having more adventure in your life. Cycling is a great way to do so, but certainly not the only way. Swimming and cycling is a great combination, and better still if it ... Read more

SheCycles – Lori

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SheCycles are a series of posts highlighting women who cycle, in their own words, asking them a series of questions about themselves. I ask the same questions, and the women are free to answer only those questions they want to, and to interpret the questions in any way they want to. The aim of SheCycles ... Read more

The spirit of adventure

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Adventure is found where you look for it. Don’t believe me? If you live in a city, go exploring locally, taking photos of graffiti that catches your eye.Try to decipher the message the graffiti is attempting to share. Try and identify the signature (called a tag) used by one graffiti artist, then see if you ... Read more

Designing a route

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The  difference  between  a  cycling  route  and  a  GOOD  cycling  route Anyone can design a cycling route, but to design a good route requires a bit of thought. For the purposes of this post, I’ll be focusing on longer, ideally multi-day routes. You cannot design a route without a map. The only question is where that ... Read more

Oh, just a little bike ride

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This Easter weekend, I went and tested my Somerset Circle route. COVID restrictions remain in place, but as from the 29th of March, effective relaxation of the restrictions meant I could wild camp, without falling foul of those restrictions. My day started early, and I was on the road, cycling the 11 miles to Plymouth ... Read more

Your next holiday in Devon or Cornwall

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It’s no secret that Devon and Cornwall are astoundingly beautiful counties. Similar in many ways, yet also quite distinct from each other, with the ever-present Cream Tea War looming in the background. Both counties are full of real people – salt-of-the-earth types – who are friendly and welcoming. Cornwall has a very strong national identity – ... Read more

The Grockle’s Guide To Devon

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Devon, in case you didn’t know, is a county in south western UK, and is astoundingly beautiful. Renowned for its hills, beaches, wildness, and natural beauty, as well as it’s great weather (by British standards). All of this makes Devon a perfect holiday destination, and millions of people visit the county each year. Devon is ... Read more

My Astra Zeneca experience

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There’re some benefit to being middle-aged (besides not having to carry photo-ID when buying age-restricted products) and one of those benefits include me having had my first COVID vaccination on Sunday. Yes, this post is all about my vaccine experience – not because I’m in any way important (I absolutely am not) but rather in ... Read more

Book review – Riding In The Zone Rouge, by Tom Isitt

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In 1919, some madman decided to hold a race called Circuit Des Champs De Bataille – the Tour Of The Battlefields. The battlefields in question were that of World War One, and the route was deliberately designed to run through 2 000 kilometres of carnage. This incredible book tells the story of that race. The ... Read more

Green touring

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Green touring? As in, touring through a green landscape? Well, no. Green touring is about reducing your environmental footprint while touring. This is the point where people start claiming they care about the planet, always recycle, and what’s more, once wrote a sternly-worded Tweet about a certain supermarket’s excessive use of plastic, and even tagged the ... Read more