The funny thing about long distance bicycle travellers

There’s definitely something funny about them (us?). And I’m quite not sure what it is. The thing is that bicycle travel is actually a totally sensible thing to do. It allows you to travel with an incredible level of independence. And by that I mean independence from planes and public transport,…

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Therm-A-Rest NeoAir XLite Ultralight Camping Mat Review

Full disclosure: Last year I was sent one of Cascade Designs’ new ultralight camping mattresses for long-term testing and review. As with all such arrangements, I’m not obliged to write favourably; just honestly. I’ll never endorse a product that hasn’t proven itself in the field. When packed, the NeoAir XLite can…

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Folding touring with the Tern Link P24h: Possible? Practical? Really?

Full disclosure: I visited Tern, the folding bike manufacturer, in Taiwan last year as part of a tour of the nation’s bike industry. I got in touch later to see if I could test their touring model for its obvious relevance here. Tern loaned me the bike described here for…

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The Hero Myth Versus Everyman: The Two Faces Of Adventure Storytelling

Tales of adventure tend to fall into one of two camps. The first is about the adventurer who sets out to overcome an impossible challenge. Setting forth from familiar surrounds, he (it’s almost always ‘he’) regales us with impressive-sounding escapades that take place in worlds of decreasing familiarity, undergoing transformation after transformation —…

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