The Long Way Home.

Recently I headed over to The Isle of Man to take part in the, very brutal, Manx100 mountainbike race. It had been an eleventh-hour decision to go. At the same time I made another rather rash decision - I was going to cycle home too. The Manx100 didn't quite go to plan (that's another long story: see here) so when the sun shone on the morning of my departure back to the mainland I was emboldened and was looking forward to a few days of very pleasant cycling through England’s finest green and pleasant lands.

I planned to cut across country from Morecambe to Settle on The Way of the Roses and then pick up The Pennine Bridleway (PBW) from there all the way back home to Derbyshire. It was a basic plan with some wiggle room for any potential disasters along the way - which turned out to be a fortuitous plan, as it happened, because I didn't have a map or actually know the way.

Aqua Xtreme Commando Packraft - Unboxing.

Finally my packraft has arrived. It's been a painful process watching it crawl through customs, and the subsequent fee to get it released. However, here it is:

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New Partner Announcement - Aqua Extreme (Kayaks/Packrafts/SUP's)

I'm thrilled to announce that I have been accepted into the Aqua-Xtreme Brand Ambassador Program.

It's pretty amazing, and cool, that I got in, considering they had over 900 applicants.

I will be using one of their packrafts for some of my travel plans over the nexth 12 months or so; so watch this space.

I liked their pitch and it encouraged me to apply:

"Aqua Xtreme 2019 Ambassador Program is seeking committed top athletes ,adventurers and paddlers.
If you're passionate about watersports, exploring, and an adventurous storyteller with a social media following or a rebel who questions everything, we want to work with you."

A Paws for thought. Singlespeeding through Sri Lanka.

A Paws for thought – Singlespeeding through Sri Lanka.

There’s something about the sight and sound of rushing water that captivates me; be it the soothing chatter of a brook speeding through a shallow glide or, like today, the deep base of white horses breaking on a sun-soaked beach. Last night I was lulled into a deep sleep by it, and today I stood on its edge with a wash of cool, foaming, surf tickling my feet whilst I studied, mesmerised, the infinite variety of the forming waves, no two the same, ever.

It was 36 hours since we'd rolled into Tangalle, on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, on our local singlespeed bicycles; seven days after leaving Jaffna, in the north, 804kms of cycling now behind us. My bike sat in the shade of our simple but pleasant beach-side accommodation, its tyres half submerged in the soft white sand. It was a nice place to end an adventure.

Marmite Malta. Hiking the coast of a country.

I breached the summit of a steep earthen track with sore feet, aching muscles, and healthy sweat on, and was immediately thrust in to a melee of tourists, touts, and taxi drivers, humming like the bees I’d been studying earlier around the abundant wild thyme.

Three days of blissful tranquility had preceded this moment - I made a dash for the nearby coffee shop and found myself a quiet corner.

A tip off about some bargain flights to Malta and a nod towards an interesting coastal walk from an acquaintance a few weeks previously had quickly snowballed into a rough plan. I tracked down the out of print guide, still available as a Kindle edition on Amazon, and a 1/50000 map of the island, and hightailed it over to this remote corner of The Union.

A Malteaser.

A few days ago a friend of mine rang me to say that he'd spotted some cheap flights to Malta, and that he'd heard that they have a very nice coastal walk. So that's what we are doing on Wednesday.
Part of my plan for my year off was to have no plan at all, other than some loose ideas about places I'd like to visit and things I'd like to do. My no-plan-at-all-plan allows me to sweep up spontaneous opportunities, just like this one.

Catching up?

Is spring finally sproinging? Whilst it hasn't exactly been a long hard winter here in the UK it is still nice to pass the equinox and feel, on occasions, the increasing warmth of the spring sunshine.

I've had a fairly quiet time of it of late but I intend to put that right in the very near future.

Aside from a three week trip to Nepal for the Pokhara IV Mountainbike Race (which was mostly a much needed holiday riding my bike on dry trails), I have been working and saving hard in preparation for having a year off - I'll come to that later.

Rumble in the Jungle 2017.

“Do you fancy going out to Sri Lanka for The Rumble?” was a bolt out of the blue from my friend, the Race Director at Yak Attack(MTB Worldwide), Phil Evans. “In fact we’re going out three weeks early to recce the trails if you fancy that too?” was his second question.

“Erm… not sure. I’d like to… err… fuck it, yeah” My initial hesitation was due to the fact that I had an impending shoulder operation (which I’ve been putting off for four years) and really I needed to get it done. However, the “fuck it” principle came into effect and bypassed any modicum of common sense.

The timing was also perfect, I was working away in London and we would be flying out exactly a week after my contract finished.

Wherever the wind blows.

Life in the last year or so has been something of a whirlwind (slightly more than it normally is).

During last Summer I moved house. At the end of Summer I finished a contract that had lasted two and half years and took off on a trip, at very short notice, for almost three months in Nepal. The Nepal trip concluded unexpectedly with me being at the sharp end of helping to run the 2016 Yak Attack Mountainbike Race.

Two days after returning from Nepal I purchased a 6 acre wood with a friend, which then ended up being a solo purchase. Then my Uncle offered me a ten week contract rebuilding a fire damaged recycling plant in South-West London, which happened to start just five days after formally signing for the purchase of the wood, and ended up being a sixteen week contract.

During this time period I, unexpectedly again, ended up with a small shareholding in Yak Attack (due to the overwhelming generosity of others). Shortly before finishing my contract in London my friend Phil Evans (Yak Attack head honcho) asked me if I would like to help out with this years Rumble in the Jungle race in Sri Lanka which quickly escalated into a month long pre-race expedition to check the condition of the trails and to reconnoitre any potential new ones.

See what I mean? And breathe...

If you go down to the woods today...

...you might find me there.

I got confirmation from the solicitors today that everything has gone through smoothly and I'm now officially the owner of almost 6.5 acres of mature woodland.

It hasn't been an entirely smooth passage however.

Unfortunately my mate Dave couldn't raise the necessary capital to fund his half of the purchase and so I had to make a decision; let it go or go for it. I went for it.

For the first time in many years I've had to borrow some money, but sometimes in life you have to take a risk.

I'm finding the whole thing both exciting and slightly scary in equal measure. One thing is certain though, no matter what happens now, I am going to gain a great deal of pleasure from the whole adventure.

An Unexpected Twist.

Nepal was as beautiful as ever :)

I've barely given my bike a cursory glance in the last two weeks let alone climbed aboard. Firstly I haven't been particularly interested in doing so, and secondly I've been rather busy; much busier than I planned to be.

Landing at Manchester Airport on a fine Sunday morning after ten weeks in Nepal was surprisingly less traumatic than expected. It wasn't particularly cold; I had been expecting Siberian level chills.

A cancelled train to Manchester Piccadilly saw me hopping onto a rather posh coach; far too posh for a vagrant like me I'd say. And then my delightful connection on The Trans-Pennine route took me through the heart of the Peak District National Park and onwards to gritty Sheffield. From Sheffield I tootled towards home on the East Midlands Trains service to Alfreton. On the way I called my Dad to let him know that I was on time, which took him by considerable surprise - he was expecting me to arrive three days later.

On the Monday I went, with my mate Mad Dave Martin, to have a look-see at some local woodland that was due to be sold at auction.

On the Tuesday we bought it.

I had absolutely no idea when I returned from Nepal that I was about to become joint owner of a six and a half acre wood.

A Daring Deed indeed.

The stunning Rara Lake in Western Nepal.

Because I have been quite lazy of late I thought I should probably post a little update. I am in the process of writing several pieces for the blog. At least one covering some of my extended visit to Nepal and another one with some very exciting news to share.

Watch this space.

I have written a couple of pieces for Alpkit's Daring Deeds section. The first was a preview of my recent trip to Nepal...

Coffee, Curry, Cake, Beer, and a Bicycle.

...and the second is a travelogue of our time exploring the area around the rarely visited Rara Lake National Park in the Wild West (just click on the links).

Rara Hurrah

A curious couple and a curious cottage - Western Nepal.

It's not much of a blog post but there is plenty to come over the next few weeks as I get caught up.

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And now the end is near...

I've done my last day at work for a while. It's a strange feeling to walk away from a place that you've really enjoyed being at, knowing that you won't return. 

Two and half years ago I got a phone call for a short term project - "Three weeks work, four at the most". I'd worked there a couple of times before and was familiar with the people and familiar with the drill. I didn't anticipate two and a half years to be honest, but I've loved it for the most part.

Progress, however, means that I won't return; production is moving out to the far east - Vietnam - and the south east - Essex. The world keeps turning. That's life.

It has provided me with a decent income and plenty of flexibility to pursue my passions.

Today I fly to Nepal for ten-plus weeks. It's been worth it. I'll miss the people, some of whom I consider to be good friends and not just colleagues, but we'll meet again.

People, friends, characters.

You can travel all around the world and see the most amazing things but you will always remember the special people more than anything else. The memories you make in life are almost always connected to people. I like people.

My first YouTube video - Welcome to Chase The Rainbow.

I posted my first video on YouTube. It's crap, but it's a start :)
I'm a one-take wonder. One day I'll learn how to edit and stuff.
Damn, I look an old git on camera :D

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The best laid plans... #DestinationUnknown

My life is a series of best laid plans, some of which magically materialise, and some of which don't. It's always life itself of course that dictates the direction and flow of my best laid plans.

This year for example I had to cancel my attempt at the Tour Divide Race in America because of the change of circumstance in my living arrangements (it was a timing issue rather than a homeless issue). This lead on to plans for an impromptu bicycle tour and an ultramarathon which were then partially dissolved by the opportunity to go to Nepal again.
See what happens? Life is fluid, so I go with the flow.

And so... This is where I'm currently at, and this is the plan...

I fly to Kathmandu at the end of September for a jolly old adventure of ten weeks. Ten whole weeks of dossing around, riding my bike, and making a nuisance of myself.

It's a very good job that it's cheaper to be in Nepal than it is to be at home.

I plan to have a couple of days in Kathmandu, recovering from the rigours of long haul travel, meeting up with friends, and sorting out permits.

I then plan on heading for the Annapurna circuit and The Upper Mustang region (so long as I don't get lost again, see here) to recce the new Yak Attack route, 

I might then head for the lakeside city of Pokhara for some R&R. I haven't spent much time in Pokhara and I'd like to get to know the area a little more. Also it has considerably less air pollution than Kathmandu and I'd like to avoid the dastardly "Kathmandu Cough" before Yak Attack heads out of town.

I then plan to cycle circuitously to Kathmandu for the race registration and stuff.

Yak Attack will be all encompassing for about three weeks and I'll hang in KTM for a few days after the race until everyone has departed.

I might then hatch a plan to cycle to Chitwan for a week or two. They have elephant and rhinoceros in Chitwan. I have met elephant and rhinoceros before but I've haven't met them in Chitwan.

That's a lot of plans. A lot of plans that might get unplanned and replanned into other plans. Who knows man? I'll just float with the tide and see where it washes me up. A man with a flexible plan :)

The Elephant Patrol

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#DestinationUnknown - Independent Short-Haul Travel - Packing and the Pitfalls.

My son Dan in Luang Prabang, Laos; proving you can travel anywhere with 35 litres.

So now that we've booked our impromptu flight, sorted out some cheap accommodation, and figured out how to transfer from the airport it's time to look at how we're going to pack efficiently.

I'm going to look at suitable packs, the type of clothing that is best suited to travelling, essential items that are worth considering, and the sort of shit that you might be tempted to carry but shouldn't!

#DestinationUnknown - Independent Short-Haul Travel - Transfers & Accommodation Choices.

A homestay in Padang, Sumatra, not exactly slumming it.

OK, so we've booked our bargain flight with a budget airline (if not see here), what next?

Selecting an accommodation choice in a handy location and figuring out how to get there from the airport.

A lot depends on your budget, if you are solo or in a small group, how independent you really want to be, and whether you want a sociable or private environment.

The first question to ask yourself whilst hovering the mouse over that nice 4 Star hotel room is this: "How long will I actually spend in my room?" It's a simple enough question with a simple answer - not very long. The reality is that most of us need somewhere clean to stash our pack, take a shower, and sleep. The remainder of our time will hopefully be spent discovering our chosen destination. You can travel an awfully long way, for an awfully long time, on a very modest budget, if you're ready to forsake unnecessary luxury. I'm not saying that you should go for the cheapest out-of-the-way fleapit you can find but to be mindful of the available options and maybe select something that will offer you greater value for your money.

Review: Alpkit Bikepacking Luggage.

Over the last ten years or so there has been a growing trend (or sub-culture) in cycling for Bikepacking.
(I have added a few useful links at the bottom if you are interested).

If you're not familiar with Bikepacking then it's a bit like off-road bicycle touring encompassing anything from an overnight adventure with a bivvy, multi-day (or multi-week) racing like The Tour Divide, right through to global adventure travel. The great thing about Bikepacking is that it can take you as far, or near, from the beaten path as you desire. It has developed alongside the desire to have these adventures.
Pioneering routes like The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route or The Israel Bike Trail have given more mountain bikers a thirst for just such an adventure.

Hand-in- hand with its growing popularity are a bunch of companies innovating solutions to packing gear on a mountain bike. The age old practice of fitting pannier racks on a cycle tourer just doesn't work on a mountain bike.
This is where the likes of Alpkit, and others, have stepped up to the plate and filled in the gaps.

A tale of three cities. Friends, football, and a beautiful girl. The Netherlands.

Shameless travel selfie with my son Dan.

Finally we seem to have left the shadow of winter behind. It has felt like a long time since I felt the sleepy caress of a warm breeze on my face. Here in the UK we seem to have skipped a season this year and lurched from winter to summer in the blink of an eye. From the grip of cold Siberian northerlies to an overnight heatwave. And it is very welcome.

It must have felt even longer for most than I. I spent most of the dreary late autumn and early winter riding dusty singletrack in Nepal, returning only in time for the Christmas festivities; and enjoyed a winter break in Israel, in the fine company of my friend Yoram Hen, doing much the same.

#DestinationUnknown - Independent short-haul travel - getting started.

It's surprising, in the age of the budget airline, how many people find the prospect of independent travel a slightly scary undertaking, overwhelming even. The seasoned traveller may not benefit a great deal from much of my advice, but many people still travel under the comfort blanket of prearranged packages and it is they whom I hope to inspire. Package holidays aren't a bad thing and can often be almost as cheap as a decent flight to long-haul destinations, Thailand from the UK is a good example of this, but if you'd like to get out there and explore more with some shorter breaks then hopefully you might find this useful.

I'm not an industry travel "expert" but I do have plenty of experience, I've visited in excess of thirty countries predominantly as an independent traveller, and I have made plenty of mistakes along the way. This isn't going to be one of those silly "Tourist v Traveller" things either. We are all, by definition, tourists.

With this series of blogs I'm going to attempt to dispel a few myths and, hopefully, open up a little world of opportunities for you to go and explore.

Over the next few weeks and months I will be writing about how to get started, how to avoid a few of the common pitfalls, and hopefully encourage at least a few of you to take that step into the unknown. Once you've made that first step you may be surprised at how empowered it can make you feel and the freedom that it brings.