Category: Microadventures
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Microadventure: A Lap of Zone One in 24 Hours
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/28991462[/vimeo] Recently, Howies* set up a microadventure competition, in which a grand’s worth of outdoor clothing was put up for grabs for the best told microadventure story. But the rules didn’t specify that the microadventure should take place in the countryside. The result was this incredibly fun urban adventure. Continue reading →
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Microadventure: Hiking, Hitching & Packrafting The Highlands (Part 2)
Early one morning, in the far corner of a wheatfield just outside Laggan, two gaudily-dressed hikers might have been spotted unpacking the contents of their backpacks. A passing dog-walker or cyclist might well have wondered why, before shrugging and continuing on their way. But closer inspection would have revealed the strewn contents taking the form of […] Continue reading →
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Micro-adventure: Hiking, Hitching & Packrafting The Highlands (Part 1)
In my naivety I always expected that my first big bicycle adventure would be about blood, sweat and tears; about grit and grime, toughness and endurance. But I was wrong. First and foremost, it would be a journey amongst people. Chance encounters with individuals from all walks of life formed my strongest impressions and my most […] Continue reading →
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Microadventure: A Pedal/Paddle/Pedal Experiment
I must have misread the map, because the road to Pilton turned out to be a rutted bridleway. No chance of riding the road bike down there, I thought, so I continued along the narrow country lane, knowing that sooner or later I’d reach the River Nene anyway. The plan was extremely simple: cycle to […] Continue reading →
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A Bike Tour In A Day (Part 2)
Something about the English countryside always strikes me as being somehow more voluptuous, more rich and thickly-coated than that of our European neighbours. Even at the very outset of spring, the ground seems to be sprouting almost uncontrollably; a contrast to the bare trees and tortured brown patches of Scandinavian grass I’d watched scrolling past […] Continue reading →
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A Bike Tour In A Day (Part 1)
“I feel like I’ve been electrocuted.” I slumped on the leather sofa in my friend’s front room in a quiet London back-street. The words formed in my mind but when I opened my mouth only a discordant groaning emerged. There was nobody else in the room to hear me, anyway; I could hear the clatter […] Continue reading →
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Off-Road To Shatili In The Caucasus Mountains Of Georgia
Last week I travelled to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi to meet Andy for a few days of mountain-biking in the Caucasus mountains to the north of the city. Andy told me that many people outside the country still think it must be a ‘warzone’. This is probably due to the monumental fuss made by the […] Continue reading →
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Hitching Armenia to England — Ultralight Style
I arrived at my parents’ home in England nine days after I left my home in Armenia to try and hitch my way there. The trip began well, progressed through a lot of self-inflicted suffering, continued into ill health, and ended on a happy note. I have to be honest — it was a lot […] Continue reading →