Fieldnotes and reflections from later life — cycling, wandering, noticing, and making sense of things along the way.
I had always suspected that this stage of my tour around Britain might be a big ask, for me and the bike. I just hadn’t realised that it would turn out to be so challenging, peppered with wrong turns, strong winds, a major storm, and a collection of misadventures along the way. Click here to …
“You look at where you’re going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back at where you’ve been and a pattern seems to emerge.”— Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance It was 2007 and I was at a bit of a loose end, living out …
This is Day 4 and 5 of a multi-day adventure from Aberdeen to Inverness-ish (Stage 3 of my ride around Britain). For this part I was joined by my sister Liz, her husband Paul, and our friend Dawn. If you want to start from the beginning, Day 1 is here. After the merry evening before …
This is Day 3 of a multi-day adventure from Aberdeen to Inverness-ish (Stage 3 of my ride around Britain). For this part I was joined by my sister Liz, her husband Paul, and our friend Dawn. If you want to start from the beginning, Day 1 is here. A Makers Market and a Jet Wash …
This is Day 2 of a multi-day adventure from Aberdeen to Inverness-ish (Stage 3 of my ride around Britain). This part was shared with my sister Liz, her husband Paul, and our friend Dawn. You can read about Day 1 here We followed the system we’d worked out on the road yesterday: I'd suggest a …
This is Day 1 of a multi-day adventure from Aberdeen to Inverness-ish (Stage 3 of my ride around Britain). For this part I was joined by my sister Liz, her husband Paul, and our friend Dawn. LET’S UNPACK This was the third stage of my round Britain cycling tour, but this next stretch, from Aberdeen …
Join me on Stage 2 of my cycle journey around Britain from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Aberdeen, covering 263 miles of stunning Scottish coast, bike-friendly paths, and memorable conversations. Day 1 – Berwick-upon-Tweed to East Linton A late start after travelling up by train from Manchester meant a late finish, but it was a superb first day. …
Continue reading Cycling around Britain, Stage 2: Scotland, Stories, and Sunshine
Back on the road again – and it feels good! Follow me on the first stage of my cycle ride around Britain—an adventure I’ll be completing in sections, when the weather is fair and life allows. I’m still figuring out what “Britain” includes exactly (suggestions welcome!), but this first leg took me 200 miles from …
Continue reading Cycling around Britain, Stage 1: Pedal Power, Pit Stops and Punctures
This was to be my last big motorbike trip. It was 2013 and it marked the end of a wonderful few years of two-wheeled petrol powered adventures across Europe and North Africa. Before I tell you about it, I should probably rewind a bit... The year before, I’d taken a solo motorbike trip to a …
Continue reading Crossing Lines – A Ride Through the Balkans
No Route Map: Still Learning, Still Looking 