Day 3 – LEJOG – Middlewich to Lockerbie

After arriving at the hotel late last night and rushing dinner down, we didn’t manage to get to bed until around 11pm. With an early start planned for the morning, not ideal as it meant time for tired muscles to recover was severely reduced. We both agreed to avoid this happening again by being rigid…

Day 2 – Bridgwater to Middlewich

It’s almost 10pm and we are sat in harvester in Middlewich, waiting for some vital calories to arrive. It’s much later than we’d hoped to be sitting down for dinner. Another extremely hot day saw both of consuming vast amounts of liquid to try and keep hydrated. Eight plus bidons each plus 4 cokes and…

Day 1 – Lands End to Bridgwater

An early start this morning, not helped by the fact I set the alarm for 16:15 instead of 4:15. Quickly bolted down 4 weetabix while my lovely wife made me a coffee. Jay had said we’d just as well cycle to the start, some 7 miles from our hotel. I agreed but hoped we wouldn’t…

Day Minus 2 – Bike fully loaded test

After much faffing, should I or shouldn’t I take this or that, I’ve now got the bike ready. Bikes been cleaned (to my standard), new chain, cassette, puncture resistant tyres and the rear wheel serviced with new bearings and free Hub and it’s time to go for a test run. Below is an explorer link…

LEJOG in Five

LEJOG in Five The challenge Lands end to John O’Groats, an iconic bike ride for cyclists in the UK, traversing the length of the mainland of the British isles. It’s been done by thousands if not hundreds of thousands of cyclists before. Routes vary and there is is much debate over whether it’s best to…

Cyclemeter Cycle (Road) 15 May 2017, 04:54:23

Route: London and Back Activity: Cycle Explorer Link: http://cyclemeter.com/9fb89c614db84b86/Cycle-20170515-0454 Import Link: http://share.abvio.com/9fb89c614db84b86/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20170515-0454.kml Started: 15 May 2017, 04:54:23 Ride Time: 12:15:15 Stopped Time: 3:36:03 Distance: 192.99 miles Average Speed: 15.75 mph Fastest Speed: 36.28 mph Ascent: 2833 feet Descent: 2840 feet Calories: 7594 Average Heart Rate: 117 bpm Maximum Heart Rate: 168 bpm Bike: Genesis Equilibrium…

Dodging Storms – Botswana

14th December 2014 Long roads with miles and miles between towns and settlements, the peace and tranquility and sense of being alone in Botswana was welcome after riding through densely populated Malawi and the tourist areas of Zambia.  Being in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s Summer in December and with the summer comes the rainy season.…

Mt. Meru from Kilimanjaro

9th October 2014 I had been cycling around the highest mountain on the African continent, Mount Kilimanjaro. The tarmac slowly disappeared to gave way to rocky tracks, where a careful path had to be picked to remain upright on the bike. The traffic had disappeared as I’d ridden past the last main town Sanya Ju.…

There once was a man from Devizes

While I was on Tour…

While I was on Tour… I had practically reached the end of my cycling tour, riding from the UK to Cape Town in South Africa when I had an email ping in and ask me if I’d be willing to be interviewed for a Ride cycling Magazine in South Africa. Tim the editor of the…

Another screw comes out of the ortlieb

Travelling and Living with Ortlieb Panniers

  Travelling and Living with Ortlieb Panniers, there’s no doubt that Ortlieb panniers are right up there when it comes to quality and popularity as a choice of panniers for the touring cyclist. Although travelling and living with Ortlieb Panniers can at times be less trouble free as one would like. Don’t get me wrong…

Thank You

Thank You

Thank You, Merci Beacoup, Gracias, Shukran, Jeri Jef, Tana Te, Abaraka, Nawari, Asante Sana, Ke a leboga, Ngiyabonga, Ndiyabulela After 10 months on the road I’m now back in the UK.. with a bump! Gone were the brilliantly blue skies when I started compiling this list, warm days (compared to Africa!) and beautiful evening sunsets,…

Stripping down the bike in Cape Town for the flight home

Good Bye Africa

My remaining time in Cape Town being a tourist, just like many others before me and also meeting other tourists in the places I stayed. I stayed the last few days at the Amber Tree Backpackers lodge, recommended to me by Maurice Raleigh whom I had met at Jollyboys backpackers in Livingstone. Maurice also on…

This is taking a while - Time for a brew!

The Argus Cape Town Cycle Tour

Malawi, Nkhata Bay and I was talking to Dominicue, a very affable friendly fellow travelling with his family though Africa. After several minutes exchanging our thoughts and details of our respective travels we moved onto discussion of the future places we were looking to travel to and through. Dominicue casually mentioned a cycle event I…

Sunset in Gordon's Bay - Wild fire improved the colours!

Cape Town Here I Am

Its been almost nine and a half months, but finally Cape Town, here I am! When I set off from the UK on May 14th 2014 I hadn’t said I was definitely going to Cape Town, the distance was large and I didn’t want to set a goal that I may not have achieved, I…