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An unexpected opportunity to update my blog…and a new distance record (which means I’m now less than a day away from Belgrade!)

 Posted by at 8:22 pm  Bike related, Camping, Cycle Touring, Diary Articles with Photos, Expedition, Latest news, What motivates me, Why am I here?, Why tour?  2 Responses »
Aug 282011
 
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Well this is almost certainly going to be the most unusual place from which I update my blog! I’m currently camped next to the E-74 motorway … about 95km from Belgrade – and have somehow managed to get free wifi from a phantom motel!
Anyways…a little bit about my day. When I left my hillside camping spot this morning, my speedo read 5990km. It now reads 6190.6km. That’s a new distance record for me of 200.6km; one which I am going to struggle to beat on this trip – with the days getting shorter, and the weather in Western Europe sounding rather inclement.
Still, I’m pretty happy with how the day has gone; and as with all the other Balkan countries, the Serbians I have met at the various service stations have been incredibly polite and friendly. The country is also pretty stunning; both sides of the motorway being flanked by mountains and farmland with what look like wattle and daub storehouses. So yes, all in all, I’m glad I ponied up and shelled out on a new wheel…for if I hadn’t, I’d have blazed past all of these experiences in a train carriage!
Right…I’ve rambled on for far too long already. But I’ll leave you all with a bit of food for thought;
My food intake to cover the 200km…
-2 bananas
-500grams of pasta
-6 stock cubes
-200grams of Choc spread
-1 bottle of coke
-12 liters of water
It’s fair to say that bikes are a pretty efficient form of transport! If you haven’t done so for a while, dust off your bike and go and surprise yourself. Cars are over-rated anyway :-)

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The wheel is fixed…the ride is back on!! (Thanks to some very, very kind Bulgarians!)

 Posted by at 8:42 am  Bike related, Challenges, Cycle Touring, Diary Articles with Photos, Expedition, Latest news, People & Places, Technical Stuff, Travel, Visual Stuff, What motivates me, Why am I here?, Why tour?  7 Responses »
Aug 272011
 
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Well what a crazy, crazy few days! I think it was Tuesday when I left Istanbul, turning back towards England courtesy of various visa issues. Since that day, I have covered about 500km, crossed the Turkish border (I am finally a legal migrant – rather than the illegal immigrant that Turkey had pegged me as being!). I have set a new personal best distance record of 175km in a day…have slept on the ridges of a ploughed field and in the entrance of a cemetry. I’ve been mauled by mosquitoes, and chased by snarling dogs (I now stop my bike, park it, get off of it…and chase the dogs! Those plucky fellows need to be taught a lesson or two!). But perhaps most significantly of all; and the subject of this post…I managed to break my rear wheel!

The broken wheel…

With 2,500km of riding still to go, and plenty of fire still in the belly, I was feeling pretty good about the prospect of covering such a distance in under 20 days. I figured that with new chains on my bike, plenty of spare spokes, new chains a nice new Schwalbe front tire, and no stoker (Kez flew home to England on Wednesday of last week), there was very little to stop me in achieving this goal. However, whilst laying my bike down two nights ago, I noticed what seemed to be some stickers peeling off the rim of my rear wheel. Those ‘stickers’ turned out to be the metal fracturing away from the rest of the rim. Given that this is a 48 spoke reinforced tandem rim, I knew I was in trouble!

Now it’s fair to say that tandems are pretty rare in the UK. In Eastern Europe though, you’re more likely to see dragons and unicorns! & so it was that I began a very tentative 3km ride into Pazardzhik yesterday morning. It’s fair to say that I had a heavy heart. Pushing myself from surnrise to sunset every day really has given me such a buzz; a feeling no doubt amplified by the amazing hospitality I have received since leaving Istanbul. With such a rim failure, I was staring down the barrel of a 2,400km train trip…racing through countries that I had hoped to experience at a rather more sedate pace.

I needed friends, & friends I got!

Firstly, there was Itzor. He was just any other pensioner…enjoying a cup of coffee before getting on with the rest of his day. But upon seeing me in my predicament, Itzor took it upon himself to walk me around every bike shop in Pazardzhik in the ultimately fruitless quest to find a wheel rim! He didn’t speak a word of English, but nevertheless walked with me for a good hour and a half…before handing me over to my next set of saviours (pictured above)!

I was either just very fortunate, or Bulgarians are just inherently and unswervingly helpful people. For this next assortment of good natured souls were from the other end of the spectrum. They were schoolchildren, with one – Christina – an excellent English speaker. Upon hearing of my adventure, and of my problems, they cancelled their plans, and proceeded to walk with me the three kilometres to the train station. They then waited with me, entertaining me with break dancing and stories about what they get up to and what they are looking forward to doing in the future (the professions that they aspire to be range from dentists & journalists to forestry stewards and snipers!!). They even waited for an hour for the train to arrive, with Rambo and Arnold (the two guys) helping me to lift the behemoth of a bike onto the raised carriage of the train. A simply fantastic bunch of young adults that I couldn’t hope to do justice to in this little paragraph! (Thank you to you all though…)

& the eventual bike fix…

So I took the train the 80km from Pazardzhik to Sofia, fully expecting to have to continue riding all the way through to Austria and beyond. However, after negotiating the catacombs of Sofia’s railway station (I had to use the service tunnels rather than the stairs – for as per usual, my bike was too big!), I popped out into the main railway terminal…

…and soon had my next good soul helping me out! His name is Kiril, a man fluent in six languages, and a long-term resident of Sofia. He has a fleet of five bikes, and knew exactly the man to get mine sorted. The long and the short of it – I am getting a new 36 spoke rear wheel built, with a downhill mountain bike rim, reinforced DT Swiss spokes and a new hub – for the princely sum of 80 pounds. The mechanic assures me it will be good to get me to the UK and far beyond too…so I can now recommence my ride at my leisurely 21km/h, rather than the unengaging 100km/h of a train (or god forbid, a bus!!).

Where now?

This update has been written from Kiril’s laptop at his apartment in Sofia – where I have had a most wonderful and informative stay. Next stop, hopefully Passau in Germany (where I will hopefully be meeting Anna Reiderer – a German student whom I met at Sinbad’s Hostel in Istanbul).

There’s going to be lots of cycling between here and there though…and I probably won’t get many internet opportunities. But rest assured, I am reading and greatly appreciating all of the messages that I have been receiving.

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We’ve reached the Aegean!

 Posted by at 4:21 pm  Diary Articles with Photos, Latest news, People & Places, Why tour?  2 Responses »
Aug 062011
 
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Sorry for the lack of updates-our route through eastern Europe has taken us very far from the tourist trail (as well as the internet).

How’s it all gone? Well, we’ve had lots of broken spokes, long old days in the saddle…and at times (particularly in the Albanian mountains) we’ve even had to do some off-road riding. The riding has been so rewarding though – particularly as we’ve been able to see a side of Europe I never really knew existed (subsistence farmers living in dilapidated farmhouses…two of which gave us the most amazing hospitality-pictured above!).

I’ll have to keep this post brief as we’re trying to push out of Thessalonika before it gets dark…but suffice to say, this part of the adventure has been more than I could have hoped for. Now we’ve just got the Aegean coast to navigate before Kez and I reach Istanbul (I’ll do some proper updates when I get there). In the meantime, I’m sending daily twitter updates…so check back often to see what we’ve been up to.

Thanks to all of you that have messaged me by various means…really is appreciated (I’ll reply as soon as I have a chunk of time to spare)

Bye for now

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For those that have donated to my chosen charities…thank you, thank you, thank you!

 Posted by at 8:37 am  Diary Articles with Photos, People & Places, Visual Stuff, What motivates me, Why am I here?, Why tour?  2 Responses »
Jul 272011
 
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As I’m sure you can all imagine, it’s very difficult to keep track of all the emails/facebook messages/website comments/donations…

However, for those of you that have donated – this page is dedicated to you. You have done that most amazing of things – given out of choice rather than obligation in order to assist people in need whom you may never meet. I know it’s an oft used phrase – but your donation really is going to make a difference. I know, because I’ve been fortunate enough to see it happen…read about my experiences at Bansang Hospital by clicking here or, as it’s a quite a long read, 35 pages in PDF form, download the file to your computer by clicking here
 
To all those people listed below, thank you for having the compassion to help people like the boy in the picture above.


Donations online – through my Virgin Money Giving donate page


Anonymous £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid)
02.09.11

Marian Rose £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
24.08.11 What an awesome effort, good luck Laurence Mazza (friend of Grant, Matt and Alexia)

Judy Povey £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid)
14.08.11 Watching your progress with interest, admiring your spirit and wishing you well

GLENN & SALLY ARMER £100.00
11.08.11 BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR ADVENTURE. WE THINK ITS FANTASTIC. MET YOUR MUM AT A GARDEN PARTY RAISING FUNDS FOR CYCLE RIDE LE to JOG – ASHLEY ARMER & CO WELLINGBOROUGH SCHOOL. HOPE YOU HAVE SOME GOOD PADDING!! ENJOY

Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
07.08.11 Keep up the good work Laurence, and keep smiling!!

Andrea Lowe £25.00 (+ £6.25 giftaid)
02.08.11 Laurence – can’t believe the pictures didn’t turn out! We shall have to recreate the moment when you’re back in the UK. Hope all is still well, I shall get onto to books issue… take care… Andrea xxx

Pat Maxwell £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid)
02.08.11 May the wind always blow you forward, may you find hot food and hot showers at the end of the day and may good luck lead you to your final destination.

Glenis Haynes £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid)
29.07.11 Hi Laurence. Glad to see just how much progress you are making and what a difference you are going to make to the 3 causes. Keep it up, You know who is with you!!

Alexia (sister sledge) £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid)
29.07.11 Laurence this is just for starters! Will of course donate more along the way! Well done old boy.. your doing grand!!

Nicola Dent £50.00 (+ £12.50 giftaid)
26.07.11 Hi Laurence, best of luck with everything, it was a real pleasure to meet you in Croatia and i was very happy you escaped the storm! Look after Suzy Q love the broken girl who had the the worst hang over ever! Nikki xxx

Anita Smith (the other one!!!!) £20.00
19.07.11 Love reading about your trip and seeing the photos – sending all good wishes for continued success!!

Richard Robins £50.00
18.07.11 A great venture. Good luck and have fun!

Loake Shoemakers £200.00
16.07.11 An amazing undertaking – good luck Laurence.

Anonymous £10.00
14.07.11

Barbara £100.00 (+ £25.00 giftaid)
14.07.11 what a wonderful experience for you and a wonderful gift from you for people in need!

Jon Loake shoes £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid)
11.07.11

Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
08.07.11 I will give more when i have it spare! best of luck mate. x

Andy Dennis £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
04.07.11 Keep going my friend, It was great to meet you. Andy

Anonymous £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
03.07.11

Sara Donnison £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
02.07.11 Andy (Dennis) told me all about your amazing adventure and the charities you are riding for. Inspiring! Best of luck and I’ll be following you along the way.

Grant and Matt £40.00 (+ £10.00 giftaid)
24.06.11 Following your every move, keep pedalling!

Pat and Alan Waller £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid)
24.06.11 Best wishes, have a good trip.

Laura Mullens £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
01.06.11 best of luck x

Stewart £20.00 (+ £5.00 giftaid)
25.05.11 good luck see you when you get back

Andy Boath £10.00 (+ £2.50 giftaid)
22.05.11

Dr Andy Leyden £40.00 (+ £10.00 giftaid)
22.05.11

Anonymous £309.00
22.05.11 Proceeds from Laurence’s farewell do at Wellingborough school. Thanks to all who attended and supported.


Donations offline – by way of cash, cheques and standing orders


Miss Joanne Sowerby £10.00 (+£2.50 gift aid)
July 22.07.11 Good luck and well done !!

Simon Scarrow £500.00
July 11.07.11

Kathy Job £10.00 (+ £2.50 gift aid)
July 11.07.11

Dr B Noel £50.00 (+ £10.00 gift aid)
Ju;y 8.07.11

Simon Jacques £100.00
July 2.07.11

Anonymous £100.00
June 25.07.11
 

Make a difference too…

Click on the link below to go to my donations page. Here you can find out the various ways to make a donation…

Go to the Come Ride With Me Donate page

Donating to my chosen charities is not only going to make a huge difference, it is also extremely cost-effective (I hate the thought of donations being squandered in administration costs).

On a personal level, finding out about such donations – and knowing the good they’ll do – is a great incentive and boost for me to keep turning those pedals…so please do give generously.
 

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Our last night at the Soundwave Festival – and what a night it was too !!

 Posted by at 9:27 am  Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, People & Places, Travel, Visual Stuff, What motivates me, Why tour?  3 Responses »
Jul 252011
 
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Well, what a special end to a really memorable festival…(an ending we literally did not expect).

For days on end, the weather had been pretty much perfect as Kez and I meandered our way down the Croatian coastline. However as soon as we got to Petrcane, the weather became rather more changeable! Unbelievably powerful electrical storms were interspersed with beautiful sunny days…the weather literally turns on a dime around here.

So it was, with bated breath, that we looked forward to the last big night at the festival. With a headline act of Roots Manuva, it’s fair to say that we were all pretty excited about the whole thing. But then, many thousands of kilometres from home, some typically dreary English weather rolled in. A constant drizzle of rain and high winds meant the main stage at the festival was closed down and shrouded in tarpaulin. The only alternative venue was ‘Barbarella’s Discotheque’ – a quaint but crowded ‘nightclub’ that inhabits part of the festival site.

Maths alone dictated that there would be many disappointed people. 3,000 festival goers in a club with a capacity of just 500. We were already queuing on a one in one out basis by the time the very first acts were getting on stage. What’s more, Barbarella’s doesn’t do air conditioning. It was fusty and sweaty with all of the accumulated heat of 500 weary revelers. It reminded me of grimy university nights at Fifth Ave in Manchester. It wasn’t what the doctor ordered!

Our little clutch of friends decided to give up our hard earned spot in the club…deciding instead to hope for better weather back at the campsite. It took a long time to arrive…a very, very long time.

But fortunately;

Waiting at the campsite was a pretty frustrating affair…particularly as everyone expected the weather to scupper our final night at the festival. We were resigned to a fairly sedate final night – that was until Boom138 pulled out their Saxaphone and egg maraca from the tent three doors down. & so it was that our night turned on a dime. Right outside the door to my tent, we were treated to the magic that these two guys laid down. Song after song conjured up from the dark recesses of our collective minds.

It reminded me of the musicians that performed at my going away event at Wellingborough School – unbelievable talents, and yet so unassuming. It’s fair to say that our random assortment of friends were equally blown away. Celeste, Andy and Estelle – our Ozzie neighbours – were clamoring just as much as me for the music that they were delivering. & as for our Nottingham friends – well they were totally blown away by it too. In fact, Ash (a burly rugby playing lad) and I both said it was the absolute highlight of our festivals.

& what was even better was that they started playing when the rain was falling…and a couple of hours later, finished with the sun setting over an almost clear sky. Thanks to George and Dom, we had the most amazing of final nights…one which continued up at the festival to the sounds of Roots Manuva.

 

You can see George and Dom (Boom138) on Youtube 
 

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Thank you Suzy, Nicola, Andrea and Lucy…(a most unexpected evening spent with a few good souls)

 Posted by at 4:03 pm  Camping, Cycle Touring, Diary Articles with Photos, Expedition, Latest news, People & Places, Travel, Visual Stuff, Why am I here?, Why tour?  2 Responses »
Jul 222011
 
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Having spent our previous two nights on the roof of the local cemetry, Kez and I decided it was high-time we joined normal society. We therefore had every intention of going to our festival campsite a day early. This would also save us from having to get up at 5:30am as was now necessary given our rooftop camping spot (such campsites – though beautiful at night – are very exposed during the daytime). & so it was that we made our way down to our usual beach side location…

I guess we should have expected it to be an unusually good day. Leaving from our rooftop campsite at the unholy hour of 5:30am ensured we had the beach all to ourselves. Rather than take advantage of a private beach, both Kez and I fell into deep sleeps. When we awoke a fair while later, there was a trail of ants between us both, leading all the way to yet another food parcel (yes, our old Croatian friend had passed through yet again!).

But this wasn’t a day of food parcel deliveries alone. By early afternoon, we had a clutch of English women sunbathing/recovering in front of us. They were clearly women of means, for they had splashed out on renting sun loungers (I can’t remember the last time we treated ourselves to anything other than extra food!). & to our good fortune, they were also interested in finding out more about the waifs and strays that were sharing their part of the beach!

As it turned out, Suzanne (second from right in the picture) has not only been a Guatemalan cycle tour guide; she’s also completed an ironwoman. When I heard this, I was already thinking of her being potential tandem partner material! & amazingly, she is now looking to come and join me in India. (Hauling a tandem on my own through France often seemed like a fruitless endeavour…but having the opportunity to share the travel experience with absolute strangers makes it all worth while)

Now at this point, I’d have been more than happy with having just met a group of people that were interested in the ride. But as was quite clearly the case, these were no ordinary girls. Before the afternoon was out, Kez and I were on our way back to their apartment block – tandem in tow – looking forward to the prospect of an evening spent in good company, and two spare beds for the night.

At their apartment block, the landlady allowed us to use the washing machine (such a welcome treat!!) – where we then got chatting to an English guy working for Visa. In many ways, he was an older version of me. Like me, he has done away with as many possessions as possible (they only ever seem to add worry anyway, and they stop us being footloose!). But he has gone a few stages further than me. He made up what sounded like a rather ambitious wish-list of things to do before he gets to 40. Unlike most people that make up such lists, he is actually making them happen. At number 3 and 2 on his list were to write a book, and to climb to basecamp of Everest. He has done both of those.

& number one on his list – to visit space! Now of course, his astronaut opportunities are never going to materialise…but he is going to do the next best thing. He will be visiting a Russian airbase near Moscow, where a Mig 31 will take him to 65,000 feet – the very edge of space. Pretty incredible – and a reminder for me that pretty much anything is possible, just as long as the desire and self-belief are there.

One last bit of good fortune…

The rest of our welcome evening away from wild camping was spent having dinner and drinks with Suzy, Lucy, Nikki & Andrea – along with a DJ from the Electric Elephant music festival. Unfortunately, the photos from that evening didn’t save properly on my camera (for whatever reason) – but the memories will certainly persist. & how glad we were to have a bed for the night…not only for the comfort, but also because a crashing electrical storm came rolling through in the early hours; one so wild and foul that we’d probably have spent the night hiding in the campite toilets or such like.

So yes, in short – thank you girls. A most unexpected treat. I shall definitely look forward to catching up with you all back in the UK – and of course cycling with Suzy in India. & they’ve also promised me some inspiring/captivating books, which is truly music to my ears given that I am scraping the very bottom of my library barrel!
 

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Monday 18th July – yet more unexpected generosity. Thank you Croatia!

 Posted by at 4:58 pm  Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, Latest news, People & Places, What motivates me, Why am I here?, Why tour?  4 Responses »
Jul 182011
 
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I didn’t plan on posting another update today. However, I’ve found some free wifi, and we’ve also been treated to the most random acts of generosity!

A Croatian man, who doesn’t speak a word of English, keeps coming up to us throughout the day with ever nicer food parcels.

It started with a few apples. He then glided in a little later with chicken, pork and a slab of bread. Then there was a delivery of lava cake…and just now, we’ve had a delivery of donuts!!

Who this man is, we do not know (he literally floats in on the breeze, and is carried away with it just as quickly!). I can only imagine that he has guessed what it is we’ve been up to, and has taken pity upon us.

Either way, it’s a really nice thing for someone to do – and though he will almost certainly never read this, we are extremely grateful!!

Being treated to such generosity by absolute strangers – this is literally what the trip is all about. Thank you Croatia for churning out so many good spirited people!!

 

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Sunday 17th July – a big thank you to the Brzic family for showing us a little of the Zadarian magic!

 Posted by at 9:14 pm  Culture & History, Cycle Touring, Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, Expedition, Latest news, People & Places, Travel, Visual Stuff, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jul 172011
 
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When Kez first joined me 900km ago in Turin, we had two options. One was to do a consistent daily distance so that we reached the Soundwave music festival in Petrcane on-time. The other alternative was to blaze a trail through the frenetic and industrial central belt of Italy so that we would then have plenty of time to soak up the beautiful coastline and culture of the Adriatic.

We chose the latter.

Despite very sore wrists and very saddle battered backsides, we are very much glad we did! We arrived in Zadar on Saturday evening – a full 7 days early for the Soundwave music festival. Our average distance per day was over 100km – with the vast majority of the distance being covered in just 4 testing days in Italy (this bodes very well for us as we contemplate the 1600km ride to Istanbul).

So having had so many days on the road, it was a great relief and privelege to be able to stay with Zvonco Brzic and his family in Zadar, Croatia. Zvonco is a safety officer on a Croatian merchant fleet that operates oil tankers and transporter ships. His son (our fantastic guide and fountain of historical knowledge) is currently studying to be a lawyer…and an impressive one I’m sure he’ll one day be!

Not only were we given a roof over our heads; we were also treated to some fantastic Croatian food (including the tastiest of peach sponge cake! – thanks to Mrs Brzic for that!!). We were taken on a historical tour of the old city of Zadar…which really is a magical place…and were taken to the Beach Handball Championships where Zvonco’s son was competing.

All in all, a fantastic and welcome break from our usual wild camping spots (not having to worry about midges/mosquitoes/cess pits really is unbelievably satisfying!!). & special thanks to Zvone – Zvonco’s son – for helping bring to life the city of Zadar. A truly spectacular place, which may otherwise have simply been just another city on my global odyssey.

So yes, a huge thank you to the whole Brzic family…it really was fantastic meeting you – and you are most definitely a credit to the Rotary organisation that you represent.

 

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Thursday 14th July – our Adriatic odyssey continues. Here’s a few pictures and videos from our time along the coast thus far…

 Posted by at 9:36 am  Camping, Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, Latest news, Nature & the Environment, People & Places, Travel, Visual Stuff, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jul 142011
 
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The road we are currently following is undoubtedly one of the best of my ride so far. The climbs are gradual, as are the descents…and the views are, without exception, amazing.

Take a look at the pictures above to see the places we’ve passed (and the dive boards we’ve jumped from!0…

& when you’re done looking at those, take a look at the video below. It was taken at ‘Marko’s Caffe Barr’ in Baric Draga, Croatia. As we covered Italy so quickly, we can now afford to spent lots of time in the nicest of places. This was just such a place, and we duly spent the afternoon diving off the platform, playing cards and just enjoying the opportunity to relax.

When it came to sleeping, we didn’t realise until we were settled in our camp spot that the nice concrete platform that formed our bed was in fact the top of the cess pit. Nevertheless, we had a fine nights sleep, with a picture postcard view…and when the sun broke through in the morning, we were able to walk just a few metres before hitting the azure blue of our Adriatic swimming pool…
 

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Monday 11th July – (video update) – Italy successfully negotiated! Now for the long push to Istanbul!!

 Posted by at 8:35 pm  Cycle Touring, Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, Expedition, Latest news, People & Places, Travel, Visual Stuff, What motivates me, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jul 112011
 
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What a frenetic, exhausting and ultimately satisfying few days!! With our 1:1,000,000 scale map, we were always going to have a few Italian challenges! In total, we probably clocked up an extra 80kms of cycling through various ‘detours’ (translation: we got lost at least once every day, invariably finding ourselves magnetically drawn towards the Autostrada motorways!!).

Our daily average was around 150km’s. It needn’t have been so high – but then again, escaping the crammed Italian roads wasn’t such a bad thing…and it does mean that we now have 5 days to cover 120km’s as we make our way to the Soundwave music festival near Zadar. Sun, sea and music…a fair trade off – particularly given the difficult riding that undoubtedly lays ahead.

So having raced across Italy in a fraction of the time I took to cross France, I guess I shouldn’t expect to take too much away from the experience. Despite this – and tiring though the riding may have been – the Italian people were interested in our ride, welcoming, and not at all concerned about our less than stellar command of the Italian language!

The only time we thought we were in trouble was when an old lady shrieked at us from her apartment window. As we were helping ourselves to an ill gotten gain from her outside tap, we weren’t too surprised…so scuttled off to a safe distance. Within moments, she was back at her window with a bottle of fresh water. A very surprising and welcome turn of events (and a fortunate save from a bad stomach!).

My ride through Italy also gave me those magic moments with the Leone family. As with the people that came to my aid in France, it’s unexpected moments of generosity and warmth such as this which really do make the ride worth while.

Riding with Kez has also been great fun…very much making up for the large amount of time I’ve spent hauling a tandem on my own! In our quest for games to play whilst on the road, we’ve flogged the ‘name game’ to death – somehow making it last a good 3 days! (It’s amazing how many obscure ‘celebrities’ can be conjured up in the course of such a game!). If you can think of a good game to play on a tandem, please do leave a comment (i-spy doesn’t count!!)

Alongside many close shaves with dangerous drivers, we’ve also had no end of courteous ones — flashing lights, waving and honking. A nice change from the reserve of France.

& of course, being the home of Catholicism, we’ve been treated to some truly exceptional cemetery accommodation! Flushing toilets, loo roll and running water…stealth camping just doesn’t get better than that.

I certainly won’t miss the road network…but I shall look forward to visiting Italy in the future! (& I’m quite sure my mum and grandma will have a lovely time in Italy later this month).
 


 
For those among you with a keen sense of hearing; yes, my video does start with ‘it’s Monday the 11th of JUNE…I’m sure it isn’t the first mistake I’ve made, and it certainly won’t be the last :-)
 

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Thursday 7th July – first day on the road with my new stoker…and 160km of Italy successfully tackled!

 Posted by at 5:20 pm  Camping, Diary Articles with Photos, Expedition, Latest news, Visual Stuff, Why tour?  1 Response »
Jul 072011
 
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Fun as it is to have short-term stokers, it’s never really possible to find a good balance and rhythm. So it is with great relief that I have finally been able to welcome my first long-term stoker, Kez Traynor, and report that the match and balance has been brilliant. This isn’t the first time we’ve toured together, along with another good friend (Mike Davis), we rode John O’Groats to Lands End back in 2007.

However, given the distance we have to cover (2,000km to Turkey), and our mode of transport, I am quite sure this ride will be our most challenging ride yet.

So with all that said, how has our first day been? Well, we cycled more than 160km from our hostel in Alessandria, the biggest daily distance of my ride thus far. We’ve been treated to free food and drink courtesy of the kind staff at McDonald’s in Pavia…had many a close shave with numerous lorries…and thoroughly tested out the bike too.

It’s definitely been a shattering day…but we’ve managed to find a fairly nice campspot near to a shopping centre (see picture) and also taken a shower using our 5 gallon water container. I imagine the cctv operators at the shopping centre will have a few laughs when they see two Englishman – with patchwork tans – lathering up outside their shopping complex!

Anyways, mossie net is up, 1/2kg of pasta has been despatched…only one thing left – sleep!!

 

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Tuesday 5th July – Fossano to Alessandria…from a plush apartment to a campsite in a sweetcorn field! (video update)

 Posted by at 5:29 pm  Camping, Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, Latest news, Visual Stuff, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jul 052011
 
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My time in Italy has been quite a refreshing one thus far. After a shattering day in The Alps, I had that most unexpected meal with the Leone family at the summit of the Col De Larche. The day after gave me a 30km downhill ride into southern Italy…where I again met up with the Leone family – and again had dinner at altitude (the top floor of their apartment block).

My time since leaving them has been interesting too – largely because of the frenetic pace at which Italians live their lives…but also because of my determination to stretch my oh-so meager budget!

Take a look at the videos below to see how my day unfolded!

 

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Sunday 3rd July – a big, big day…a new country…and new friends!

 Posted by at 9:07 pm  Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, People & Places, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jul 032011
 
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It’s 11pm, and I am well and truly shattered!

My objective today was to reach Italy. I must admit, that didn’t seem like a particularly realistic target at 7am this morning. Italy was still 125km away from my morning campspot…and a small matter of The Alps lay in the way, with the Col De Larche to conquer; just one of the highest passes that I could have selected…!

This video is just prior to the climb…once again dodgy recording but do stay with it to the end… Must figure out the problem with the phone and get it fixed.

 
 
Climb of the Col De Larche all done…Unlikely though it seemed at the time, I have actually made it! I’m currently camped at 2,000 metres on the Italian side of the border…such a thrill to reach this unlikely goal.

Best of all, a wonderful Italian family (Donatella, Anna and Leo) saw me cycling to the top of the final mountain pass heading into Italy (the Col De Larche). I guess they must have pitied me, for they invited me to an evening meal in their campervan. What a bubbly, caring, thoughtful family! So a huge thank you to the Leone family for making my first moments on Italian soil such special ones!

What a day….tired but chuffed.

 

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July 2nd – Mad dogs and Englishman…

 Posted by at 4:07 pm  Cycle Touring, People & Places, Why tour?  2 Responses »
Jul 022011
 
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Today has been a most unusual one! I woke with a fire in my belly to go and conquer this part of the Alps. However, within 5km of leaving my camping spot, I was very much sidetracked by that most heavenly sound – a ‘hello’ spoken in an English accent!

The man from which the voice came was Andy Dennis click here for his home page and click here for the blog page featuring me. He is currently walking from Amsterdam to Barcelona…and has raised an incredible sum for the charity whom he works for – and one which was very nearly one of my supported charities – Medicines Sans Frontieres.

I think we probably chatted for a good hour or so…and what a treat it was too!

I wish you all the best on your journey Andy!

(P.s. – another favourite psychadelia album – Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majesties Request! Safe journey)

 

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A couple of videos from my first day on the road…

 Posted by at 6:21 pm  Diary Articles with Video's, People & Places, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jun 262011
 
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I was just having a look through some of the first of my exped’ videos…and thought these little clips deserved an airing…

My best buddy (Jim Petrie), and my schooldays nemesis (Alan Ramsden). Good effort behind the camera Jim…

My first stoker of the journey;


 
A few thoughts from Alan & Jim;


 
 

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It’s the little things that make a big difference…

 Posted by at 6:42 pm  Cycle Touring, Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, People & Places, Travel, Why tour?  1 Response »
Jun 222011
 
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For those that know me well, it will probably come as little surprise when I say the distance I am contemplating cycling really is of little interest to me. My route wasn’t chosen on the basis of how impressive it may appear upon completion. I chose it because it gives me a wonderful opportunity to travel through countries that have captured my imagination in the past, but which I have yet to experience in person. I guess if I had more money, I could have travelled in a vehicle. But being in a social and environmental bubble such as a 4×4 really doesn’t strike me as the best way to immerse oneself in another culture.

So here I am, winding my way across Europe on my rather unorthodox mode of transport. At times – like those following particularly grim nights spent escaping electrical storms – it can sometimes feel a very lonely and unnecessarily challenging endeavour. But the beauty of travelling this way is that amazing experiences can literally pop up from absolutely no-where.

I’ve already had a number of such experiences on my ride thus far. But I must admit, I really didn’t expect to have any such experiences on the day I am about to describe.

Afternoon tea at the Grahams!

Having had just a few hours of broken sleep trying to escape the storm at the steelworks, I was feeling pretty shattered. My legs felt leaden, and my mind certainly wasn’t focussing on the task at hand.

I had resorted to the old trick of taking ‘map reading’ breaks, thus ensuring a veneer of cycling intent remained, even though my desire to fire in some serous kilometres had long since evaporated. During one such map break a leggy ‘Frenchman’ cycled past, piping out what I thought to be a ‘bonjour’. I duly slung a ‘bonjour’ back. A hundred or so metres down the road, and this ‘Frenchman’ was heading my way. It turns out that I was wrong – his words had got mixed with my Ipod music, and I had mistaken a 6’10” American Pro Basketball player for a Frenchman! Oops.

After a brief bit of cycling and chatting, I had somehow been invited for coffee back at Andy’s family home!

Awesome Flickr Gallery Error - Photoset not found

 

Well, the civility rather snowballed. A coffee stop turned into a most unexpected and welcome shower. Then the beer and wine came out. & before I knew it, a family lunch was being prepared by the lovely Carole and Elodie Graham. I was soon learning about Andy’s career as a pro basketball player, the nuances of French culture, Elodie’s love of London life (and her struggles in getting a job), and many other things besides. My 20 minute coffee stop had morphed into 4 hours of wining and dining! Of course, I’m sure I could have been more determined in getting back on to the road; but I’m pleased to be getting to the stage where I no longer consider distance covered to be the sole determinant of what constitutes a successful days riding.

Now unfortunately, my cameras self timer function seems to be a little fickle. So I can’t show you the lovely self-timed shot of us all! But here are a few videos from my afternoon at the Grahams (you can see a few pictures above)

 

Handlebar cam;


 
A long distance video !;


 

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A few videos that have inspired me…

 Posted by at 6:48 pm  Challenges, Cycle Touring, Diary Articles with Video's, Nature & the Environment, People & Places, What motivates me, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jun 182011
 
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Sleeping in disused factories…next to cemeteries…under the stars on private property….

It’s fair to say that my current ‘normality’ is anything but normal! However, though these things are momentarily challenging, they are the things that I will almost certainly reflect upon most fondly. For me, the biggest challenge of all so far has not been the cycling, or the ever-present fear of being ousted from a wild camping spot. My biggest challenge was taking that first step out of the door…

I am sure anyone that has ever done something unconventional will know all about the gremlins of self-doubt that emerge from the dark recesses of the mind. For although I am sure I wasn’t asked the ‘why’ question very often, the mere spectre of being asked such a thing meant I spent an inordinate amount of time tumbling the question around in my head.

At such times, I was grateful to be able to stand on the shoulders of the giants that have gone before me. The videos and books of other people that have done similar things have helped ensure that the ‘why not’ always prevailed over the ‘why’…

With this in mind, I hope you enjoy watching a few of the videos that helped me to get this far…

 


Tim Cope – recumbant cycling from Eastern Russia to China;


Visit Tim Cope’s website click here
 

Rob Lilwall – Cycling Home From Siberia


Rob Lilwall’s Cycling Home From Siberia ; the full lecture ~ Rob Lilwall on Vimeo

 

Mike Beauchamp – The Cross Canada Project; Documenting a Bicycle Tour;


The Cross Canada Project: Documenting a Bicycle Tour Across Canada; ~ Mike Beauchamp on Vimeo

 
 

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A mini-adventure at Hitler’s Atlantic Wall Batterie

 Posted by at 6:38 pm  Culture & History, Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, People & Places, Travel, Why tour?  No Responses »
Jun 032011
 
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With the doctor’s orders still ringing in my ear, I decided it was most definitely prudent to rest my knee as much as possible. Now I couldn’t possibly stop cycling altogether…but I instead opted to seek out as many ‘adventures’ as possible. Following the D940 coastal road through Northern France was certainly a fine decision…for it has a wealth of history very much hewn into the landscape!

The following videos revolve around my little adventure to one of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall Batterie’s — a defensive line that was capable of firing shells 85km’s into the depths of Southern England. They are a truly macabre creation…but at the same time, quite spectacular in their design – reminding me very much of the Roman Ampitheatre’s of antiquity.

(Sorry that the following video’s haven’t been edited at all…I don’t have the time to edit the video’s – but I do have just enough time to upload them)

Part 1:


Part 2:

Part 3:


 
 

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Where were you the morning after the Champions League final??

 Posted by at 12:21 pm  Camping, Challenges, Diary Articles with Photos, Diary Articles with Video's, Why tour?  4 Responses »
Jun 032011
 
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In an all too frequent moment of madness, I decided to try and watch the Champions League final, at the expense of trying to find a suitable wild camping spot.

As it turned out, my efforts at watching the final were pretty much thwarted from the get-go…courtesy of ‘rights restrictions’ on BBC Radio 5 Live. The best that I eventually managed was watching the match via Skype, in McDonald’s!! Was it worth it…?? Purely for the fact Manchester United got a beating, no it wasn’t!

But in my fevour to see the match, I completely ignored the suns steady march towards the horizon!  When I eventually made it to my bike, it was getting pretty dark…and so ensued a mad race to find somewhere passably acceptable to camp. You can see my efforts in the videos below…

Part 1;


 
Part 2;


 
Suffice to say, I won’t be sacrificing sleep for a Champions League final any time soon!
 
 

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A few thoughts from my rather wonderful stay at ‘Les Ombelles’ – Dangu, France

 Posted by at 6:21 pm  Diary Articles with Video's, Nature & the Environment, People & Places, What motivates me, Why tour?  No Responses »
May 292011
 
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It’s always a wonderful treat to have a bed for the night. Combine this with an exceptionally hospitable host, an idyllic location and a steady stream of interesting holidaymakers, and one soon has a rather unforgettable experience!

With this in mind, here are a couple of videos from my time spent at ‘Les Ombelles’ – a very rustic, homely Gite in Dangu, rural France…!
 

A walking tour through ‘Les Ombelles’


 
A few thoughts about my ride up to that point (early June, 2011)


 
 

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Onwards to Europe

 Posted by at 7:38 am  Challenges, Diary Articles with Video's, What motivates me, Why am I here?, Why tour?  No Responses »
May 222011
 
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So this is it…

In about 12 hours time, I’ll be somewhere in France. To my west will be the life that I know; the loving family, the wonderful friends, and the predictable, sheltered life. To the east? More than 20,000 miles of cycling through 20+ countries.

I always expected this moment to be exciting. But as I sit here waiting for the rain to stop, I can’t help feeling hugely apprehensive. Truth be told, saying goodbye to my family has been one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. Seeing the pain etched on their faces hurt enormously, and will probably continue to do so until the day I return to them.

I’m sure as my adventure progresses, this fear and trepidation will be replaced with the wonder and excitement that got me here in the first place…

I hope it does.

…onwards to the gates of Europe
 

(My thoughts from a few hours later, as I head across The Channel)


 
 

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More of the ‘why’, and a little of the ‘how’

 Posted by at 12:00 pm  Challenges, Diary Articles with Photos, What motivates me, Why am I here?, Why tour?  1 Response »
Mar 252011
 
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Land's End, 2009

What a difference a year makes!

This time 12 months ago I was tickling the very base of my £1,500 overdraft. I still had the dreams and convictions that had been cultivated over my many years of education…but seemingly no outlet through which to pursue them. I was heading towards 25. I was watching those around me pursue their careers, but found myself unable to find sanctuary in chasing their kinds of dreams. I spent many a tortured hour trying to shoehorn my passions and abilities into a myriad of careers. I failed.

I needed more. I needed that elixir which has fired me since my earliest years. I needed that rush which comes from self-sufficiency, travel and new experience. I needed to escape the comfortable shroud that had begun to suffocate me.

I needed change.

I searched.

I found “Cycling Home from Siberia”

Written by a guy called Rob Lilwall, it describes a person who decided that the life he was leading wasn’t where he wanted to be. He finished working as a geography teacher in England, bought a plane ticket to Siberia in the middle of winter…and proceeded to cycle home. Seemingly unprepared for many of the places through which he travelled, he nevertheless prevailed two and a half years later. It was a story that completely enthralled me. & it wasn’t because of the physical magnitude of the undertaking – but the way in which it was pursued. Rob took a chance with life. He brushed off the overwhelmingly negative media reports, and instead entrusted his life to a belief in the shared humanity that exists between seemingly different peoples and cultures. It was a wonderful escape from the despair that had begun to manifest itself within me. It inspired me.

Whereas Rob’s journey was an off the cuff, sell all possessions and escape kind of adventure, mine has been different. Years of university, followed by living on a charity wage in the middle of London…these things had emptied my coffers. Starting from such a low ebb, I set myself a tentative dream of cycling from England to Australia. As with all such things, my dreams snowballed. Places cropped up that captivated the imagination, and aspirations as to the purpose of my trip also increased. The route is still very much a fluid one, defined as much by the obstacles of crossing oceans as it is by my desire to cycle particular countries. What I know for sure is that I want to follow a path that’ll take me away from my comfort zone, and that’ll challenge preconceptions of countries. I have never cycled through mountainous regions (Scotland doesn’t really count), nor have I experienced Central or South East Asia. I haven’t cycled in the intense cold, nor intense humidity. I also firmly believe that adventure is something that should be shared…and wondered how I could share such a seemingly individual pursuit.

So with all these things said, what does my own adventure look like;

Departure date:  late May, 2011
After 12 months of working & saving, I shall open the door to the family home, walk to my tandem, and cycle away from the life I know. I will have 14 feet of bike and trailer, camping gear, a pannier bag full of books, a mind full of imagined experiences, and a spare seat with which to share them…

Original Route;
UK, France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tibet, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia’s perimeter, then on to the ring of fire; Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Japan, the Aleutian Islands, & then…the Americas? Dare I think that far??

Revised Route;
UK, France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tazikstan, Tibet, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia’s perimeter, then on to the ring of fire; Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Japan, the Aleutian Islands, & then…the Americas? Dare I think that far??

Why a tandem?
It seems like such a waste to travel so far, see so much, yet only be able to share it with others in those fleeting moments when my pedals stop turning. With a spare seat, my journey of discovery doesn’t have to be mine alone..

Interested in joining my ride…go to the ‘Contact’ page and send me a message.
 
 

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Casting off from the shore…

 Posted by at 6:06 pm  Diary Articles with Photos, What motivates me, Why am I here?, Why tour?  No Responses »
Mar 202011
 
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Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go

(T. S. Eliot)

Beginning in late April, 2011, I will be embarking on a multi-year tandem bike tour that will hopefully see me traverse every great landmass – and in so doing, circumnavigate the globe. With so many people around me bemused as to why I would consider doing such a thing on my own, I thought it fitting to devote this first entry towards attempting to justify it…

Like so many others that have gone before me, I stand at a fork in the road. In one direction, I head towards comfort, convention, and normality. In the other direction, I face uncertainty, a physical challenge like none I have ever encountered before, and the almost unbearable pressure of knowing that I will be adding worry to the lives of those people whom I love.

So what is it that has drawn me so irresistibly away from a life of ‘comfort’? Why commit myself to a life that is so alien to the one that I have encountered thus far…?

Answering the ‘why’ is perhaps the most difficult part of a cycle tourers life. For those that have experienced the joy of saddling up a touring bike, cycling 130+ miles in a day, and then settling down in a wild camping spot, you will no doubt understand how the experience sears through all of the ‘worries’ of life – and awakens the soul to the beauty of the world around us.

It is unlike any other type of adventuring I know – just quick enough to travel sizeable distances and see amazing new horizons, yet slow and tiring enough to demand us to embrace (if only fleetingly) the cultures through which we pass. There is no respite from the elements, nor from the ever-present thought that if trouble were to arrive, there can be no quick getaway. To be successful, it requires something that many of us never have to embrace in our social cocoons – empathy and compassion for the plight of absolute strangers. In a world whose media focusses so overwhelmingly upon the divisions between peoples, having the opportunity to challenge such preconceptions is something for which I feel privileged.

But are such justifications really reason enough to cut loose from all that is familiar and safe? It is a question that has clouded my mind for months. Time and again, my swirling thoughts settle around a few overriding convictions. I personally can’t help but feel that as things currently stand, I am squandering what abilities I have. That is not to say that I think I am capable of anything extraordinary. In all honesty, I know that I have set myself a task that I likely may not achieve (I guess, why set a challenge where the outcome is assured?). But ‘what-if’ I achieve my goal, and manage to haul a tandem and trailer the length of each great landmass? If a distinctly average person can achieve such a dream against adversity, what then for those people that have far more ability than I?

For me, I no longer wish for those times when I feel most alive to merely be the addendum’s to a comfortable, predictable existence. I want every day to be filled with wonder, uncertainty, trepidation. I want to seize my moment…to test my own resolve. & I hope that in striving to reach my own goal, someone else may just strive towards theirs.
 
 

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