For me travel is often a means to an end (escaping the fucked up life we’re all programmed to follow) rather than a need to see certain places or countries. The wish or need to travel comes in waves, sometimes a gentle swell fixed with a short holiday or overnighter. Sometimes the wish to escape […]
Shane Cycles Europe
Spring 2022 I once again quit my job the get back to basics. The initial plan was to be on the road for three months starting in South West Portugal. Six months and 7700km later I finished the trip in Istanbul. The blog for this trip can be followed on my Polarsteps blog or on […]
Update 2020: A year of dealing wit...
~To enjoy the light you have to know the dark….. A year ago this week I wrote this blog announcing to the world that I’d be offline for a while to have a real challenge. But, no matter how prepared you are to go into hell, it’s still hell. I’ve tried for months NOT […]
The convenient puncture
“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” ~Hellen Keller Once upon a time during a weekend trip with a bike club I mentioned to Jim that I’d had an inconvenient puncture the previous day on the way to work. Jim laughed and said a puncture is […]
Bikingman Oman race Pt 1
In an age when unsupported Ultra endurance events in all shapes and sizes are popping up all over the place Bikingman Oman is the package tour of Endurance cycling races which includes: Fixed published route with gps track and “survival map” showing food/water stops along the way. Mainly quiet main roads. Two manned checkpoints with […]
2019 Plans : From slowly slowly to...
“A man who has no imagination has no wings.” -Muhammad Ali In the weeks and months after last years Bikepacking Trans Germany race where I’d far out performed my own exceptions I found myself reflecting on the how and why of my transition from my beloved cycle touring to this non-sense of ultra endurance racing. […]
In memory of Johann Rissik. A rogu...
A few hours mountain climbing turns a rogue and a saint into two roughly equal creatures. Weariness is the shortest path to equality and fraternity—and liberty is finally added by sleep. —Nietzsche As a literary barbarian I first read these words in 2011. They are the intro to Johann’s blog which I checked out just […]
Trans Germany (BTG): Pt 1
The pre race BBQ and briefing was a low key affair at a swimming pool just outside Basel. Riders dribbled in from around Europe and further afield. Trackers and race numbers were handed out and there was a short and simple briefing by Achim, he didn’t seem too comfortable talking to a crowd, but that […]
Digging up old memories
Warning: This post is not about cycling or travel, but was wrote as an introduction to an old boys club earlier this week and meant as an ironic recap of my short nine years in the British Army. Its heavy on words, and light on photo’s but, just maybe some of my regular readers will […]
2018 plans : From slowly slowly to...
With Spring almost here its time to crawl back from under my blog free rock and share my plans for 2018. Well, the short version of my plans is simple. Don’t finish last in the Bikepacking Trans Germany this July. The long version: The Bikepacking Trans Germany (BTG) is a self supported race across Germany. From Basel […]
Freedom Challenge-pt II
Day 2+3: Allendale-Ntsikeni-Masakala —————————————————————– At 4am we were gently woken by Xavier Rudd singing from my phone: This song would wake me daily and remind me that my mission was to chase the sun. Each morning longing for it to show so I could warm up and in the afternoons racing to get to a […]
My Freedom Challenge. Part 1
The Race Across South Africa takes place in June/July each year. It is a 2300 km ( with a total cumulative ascent is over 37000 metres), non-stop, self-navigated mountain bike race starting in Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu-Natal and ending in Wellington near Cape Town. Riders are allowed a maximum of 26 days to complete the ride. Blistered […]