Category: Big Adventures
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Bikepacking Southern Iran: Day Three
In haste, I have misread the map. Far from being an easy detour down from the central Iranian plateau to the coast, the scenic route I’ve chosen is a rollercoaster of mountains and valleys at altitude. When the asphalt peters out and I hit the dirt, I peer again at the satellite imagery and realise […] Continue reading →
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Bikepacking Southern Iran: Day Two
Southwest of Shiraz is a big green splodge on Google Maps, reportedly the ‘Maleh Galeh’ protected area. Running through its heart is a road of the smallest designation. Satellite imagery depicts rural asphalt becoming dirt, weaving along the scoured valleys of the tail end of the Zagros, a scattering of villages promising basic provisions. Though […] Continue reading →
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Bikepacking Southern Iran: Day One
“Meester! Meester! Your bicycle!” “Yes, yes!” I reply, scurrying across the forecourt to where the second driver is struggling to find handholds through the plastic sheeting. I relieve him of his duties, extracting the bicycle from the hold of the bus and hauling it over to a nearby bench in the sun. Doors swing shut, […] Continue reading →
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Bikepacking Southern Iran: Day Zero
This new story is a simple one. I went on another cycling adventure, had some noteworthy experiences, and reckon there’s a decent yarn in there. There will be no convoluted backstory. I desperately needed a break, and ticking off a long-dreamed-of bike trip would be perfect. The dream in question? Exploring the deep south of […] Continue reading →
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Bikepacking The Transcaucasian Trail: Your Input Kindly Requested
Today I’m departing the UK on a brand new adventure. This one’s rather different to my previous trips, in a couple of ways. Firstly, it’s vehicle supported, which means I’ll be carting my bike around on top of a Land Rover. Second, it’s got a broader social & environmental goal attached to it, which is […] Continue reading →
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3 More Big Bike Trips (& 1 Microadventure) You Can Read For Free On This Blog
Happy New Year! Some more holiday reading material for you today, particularly if you’ve enjoyed reading the free serialisation of my first book Janapar. Blogging from the road is something I’ve done since the beginning of my travels. The stories that follow have been written and published from the road itself over several years of bicycle […] Continue reading →
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What Exactly Does ‘Freedom’ Mean When Travelling?
Freedom – or the sense of it, at least – is the one thing that keeps bringing me back to cycle touring. I have all practicalities whittled down to a slender routine; there is nothing more to learn from the act itself of travelling by bicycle itself. Yet back to it I come, year after […] Continue reading →
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One Year On From #freeLEJOG, Here’s Some Thoughts From The Brink Of Departure
This piece was originally written for The Ride Journal, created to share personal stories from people obsessed in one way or another with bikes. You can download past issues for free from TheRideJournal.com, and connect with the project on Facebook and Twitter. The gates swing back with an affirmative bleep and I wheel my bike onto […] Continue reading →
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Leaving Your Comfort Zone Is Not Something To Avoid
Adventure cycling demigod Alastair Humphreys has just launched a new short film of his recent bike & bothy adventure in the Scottish Highlands. (A bothy, for the uninitiated, is a remote mountain shelter which is free for public use.) It’s really good. And if you’ve never come across bothies before, it’s a fantastic introduction to their unique subculture. […] Continue reading →
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#freeLEJOG: What Happened To Tegan Phillips & Charlie The No-Budget Touring Bike?
Last summer I offered to give away a full touring bike and equipment. The winner was Tegan Phillips, a South African student looking for a way to spend a month or so before starting a semester as an overseas student in the UK. Tegan won the giveaway by making this awesome video: Then she turned up at my flat in […] Continue reading →