Music Man Toni

I stumbled across Toni and his magical music machine in Altenfelden Austria. Toni adapted his bicycle to include 8 separate instruments including a cowbell. Unfortunately for me Toni was busy drinking beer at the time of our meeting so I did not have the pleasure of hearing him play. 

KZ-Gedenkstatte Mauthausen

Feeling Flat...

7000km without one flat tyre is a mammoth effort I know, but getting a flat on dodgy Slovakian cycle path crushed me none the less. You see, given my luck to date, I have been secretly hoping to complete the trip flat free. An almost impossible task but what a story it could have been.

Still managing to smile, just...

One sharp piece of quartz and it's all over...

Slovakian style cycle path!

Reflections On Slovakia

Crossing into Slovakia there is a distinctive change between Western and Eastern Europe, Slovakia feels a little unorganised, a little grubby and far less concerned about health and safety or quality control but it has a beauty of its own that shines through. I spent three days riding in Slovakia and enjoyed it immensely. 

Bratislava

A Day Or Three In Budapest

Approaching Budapest

Captain Australia - The Best So Far...

Australia

New Zealand

England

Switzerland, We Meet Again...

The Loire Valley

Bastille Day In Nantes

A Week In France Cycling the Canal De Nantes A Brest

Captain Australia On The High Seas

Next stop, chasing frogs in France...

An Interview With The Sprocket Podcast

In early April, Brock Dittus of The Sprocket Podcast fame connected with me for an interview about my year long travels. The Sprocket Podcast is very entertaining weekly podcast about simplified living and the many and various topics that fall under the category including cycle touring. Thanks to Brock and Brandon for their hard work in producing 84 episodes to date, I have enjoyed each and every episode and felt privileged to assist them in producing the latest instalment.

You can download the interview and subscribe to the Sprocket Podcast in iTunes, listen online at www.thesprocket.podbean.com or utilise the embedded player below.

So grab your favourite beverage, sit back, relax and enjoy episode 84.

Loire à Vélo

Cycling the Loire Valley in France, if it's anything like the clip below, I cannot wait to get my wheels rolling along the 800km cycleway.

http://www.cycling-loire.com

Further Proof The Solo Cycle Touring Is Not So Good For You!

Either the above or there is something mysterious in Guinness ...

5 Months and 5000km in Icebreaker

Today is my 37th birthday and coincidentally marks 5 months and 5000km of cycle touring through New Zealand, England, Scotland and Ireland. 

I am asked many questions about my travels on a daily basis and the majority of them are the same. "Where are you going?" "How far do you travel in a day?" "How did you get so much time off work?" and "If you don't mind me asking a personal question, how can you afford to travel for so long?"

Surprisingly, people rarely ask the obvious questions like, what do you do when the weather turns bad? and, how many flat tyres have you had? The answers being, ride and grumble and none. That's right, zilch in 5000km of touring. 

This brings me to the more valid questions posed by fellow cycle tourists, my favourite of which is: "What possessions could you not do without?" and my answer is always the same, my Icebreaker wardrobe.

Is Solo Cycle Touring Good For The Mind? Perhaps Not...

The Kindness Of Strangers

Ireland truly is a magical place. In the past week I have been invited to dinner twice by complete strangers, I've had a coffee bought for me whilst lining up for a warm brew on a miserable day, and a couple of pints of Guinness were thrown my way whilst watching Ireland play Spain in the Euro Cup.

The most memorable occasion was one of the two dinner invitations resulting in accommodation being provided on a beautiful estate by a wonderful Irish lady and her daughter. In the afternoon I was taken horse riding and proved that a bicycle is more my forte, even though I rode like a champion..... I shared fine french wine with my amazing host, ate like a king and then rested my weary bones in the most comfortable of accommodation.

To those of you mentioned above, I sincerely appreciate your generosity and hope we keep in contact for many years to come.

Cycling The North Antrim Coastline On A Soft Irish Day

I guess it wouldn't be Ireland without the rain, well, it didn't disappoint. Having driven the North Antrim coastline four years ago, I knew I was in for a real treat. Quiet roads, spectacular scenery and the very friendly Irish make Ireland an ideal cycling destination. 

Rain, hail or shine, this is one of the best streaches of coastline I've ridden in the 5000km I've peddled since leaving home on the 17th of January.

What Should We Do For The Jubilee?

Host a vintage tractor show, what else?

I managed to stumble across another vintage tractor show, they seem to be popular here in the UK. Although an annual event, this years coincided with the Jubilee weekend celebrations and the crowd did not appear to be too concerned about the icy breeze blowing across the event.

Stumbling Across A May Day Celebration

I don't like to plan much on the road as as a result I am often rewarded with a pleasant surprise when I roll into a village such as the day I rode into Padstow on May Day. It's commonly know as the "Obby Oss Day" (Hobby Horse Day for those who speak english) and is a tradition that dates back to 1803 celebrating of the beginning of summer. There are two Oss', one representing the red village people and a the other the blue. From all the locals I talked to, nobody appeared to really know how families were original distinguished as a red or blue. Today, if your born red you are most definitely a proud red villager and vice versa.

As I rolled down the hill into town, the first thing to grab my attention was large groups of people dressed in white sailor type attire walking toward a cemetery. I assumed a funeral was on and being a fishing village this was just tradition. The closer I got to town the penny dropped, music, dance, laughter and people drinking their favourite pints spilled through the streets. The whole town was alive.

I parked my bike against a wall adjacent the harbour and before I could get my helmet off a number of people were talking to me and asking the same questions that everybody puts to a cycle tourist. I soon met Ben and Jess, two locals out having a blowout and why not. Before long Ben had me onto the local Cornish cider Rattlesnake. At 6% it's a tasty drop that has bite drinking it by the pint. After finally leaving the company of Ben and Jess I met dozens of very merry souls. I shared a drink with the majority of them and the last I remember is my head hitting the pillow, the room spinning and then sleeping like a baby.

I met so many fantastic people that day, all out enjoying life and the company of their friends, family and strangers like me. As I sit here typing this post I'm picking through the many business cards in my handle bar bag from skippers of vessels dotted all along the Cornish coast. I can see their faces, hear their laughter and I wonder, will ever see these truly salt of the earth people again. 

A Breakfast Fit For A Cyclist

Cereal, Fruit Platter (Large), Bacon, Eggs, Mushrooms, Tomato, Toast and Tea

The Tarka Trail And A Yarde Orchard

The Tarka Trail is a spectacular 46 mile reclaimed railway line that has been developed for cyclists and walkers and has now been in open for recreational use for 20 years. The trail first came to my attention approximately one year ago whilst watching James May's "Toy Stories" where he successfully reconnected the railway line between Barnstaple and Bidaford with a model railway stretching around 11 miles.
I rode the trail over two days due to only arriving at the trail head late one afternoon. It would easily be ridden by moderately fit cyclists in a day, there is barely and incline over its duration.

Early on day two I stumbled across the Yarde Orchard. Stumbled across probably isn't the correct wording as I had been advised to look out for it but I had no idea what to expect.
The Yarde Orchard is a unique cafe and accommodation business located on the trail. I was lucky enough to meet David the owner, and whilst I had a coffee and a very tasty slice he gratefully answered a bunch of my questions.

Riding The Width Of England Following Hadrian's Wall

Captain Australia In Scotland

Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye

New Friends By The Roadside

Leaving Bude on a relatively fine day, I crisscrossed the countryside leaving the fabulous Cornwall behind me and reentering Devon for about the third and final time for this trip. The plan was a leisurely 45 mile ride to the head of the Tarka Trail and from there I would cycle north and look for a suitable camping spot. Around 40 miles into my ride I rounded a corner and ran in two sensational people in John and Mary who were cycling old Raleigh bicycles to a vintage machinery and vehicle show. John's bike dated back to the early 50's if I remember correctly and was complete with rod operated brakes. He said it weighed about the same as a Ford Festiva, looking at the bikes build, I believe him.

After chatting beside the road for what could have been 20 or more minutes, John and Mary gave me directions to the show and an open invitation to join them in the beer tent if I was to attend. Well, I didn't need any further encouragement and after bidding farewell I shot off to find the start of the trail, whilst my new found friends in cycling took a locals shortcut direct to the show.