In 2022, German psychologist Rieke Schmees swapped a desk for a bike and cycled 12,000km through 16 countries. This adventure took her from Germany to Turkey, via Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Italy and the Balkans. It was the first type of adventure like this she'd taken with almost no camping experience prior to setting off as well. Rieke shares the reality of taking this adventure as a solo female, the toughest weeks in Morocco which also became teh most rewarding, and how it came to be ...
Jul 18
1 hr 26 min
Rob MacLennan is back on the pod, this time mid-adventure sharing updates as he bikepacks from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to the start line of the Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan. We learn about how Rob has transitioned from long-distance touring (London to Cape Town) to getting into the world of ultra-cycling and how he ended up signing up to one of the hardest off road ultras out there in the SRMR! He also tells us why he is now out there combining both disciplines on this trip, and ...
Jul 14
33 min
Back in 1986, two Englishmen in their early twenties flew to Delhi with brand new mountain bikes and a paper map, and set off to ride through the Himalaya. James Baile takes us back nearly 40 years to a trip that saw him carrying his bike over three high mountain passes, reaching Kalapattar at 5,545 metres as one of the first cyclists ever to do it, and crossing into India solo after his riding partner's frame gave out. Highlights from the episode: Two 20 year olds, no maps of their own makin...
Jul 11
1 hr 25 min
Ever wondered what it's like to cycle across a mountain range? Well in 2023 I loaded up my bike with gear and set off from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean at St Jean de Luz, to cross the Pyrenees mountains all the way to Argeles-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea. The route we took was a mix of the Classic Raid Pyrenees road bike and touring routes and we took nine days to complete the crossing. All up it was 803kms, 24 Cols and almost 18,000m of climbing. You can watch the visuals b...
Jul 7
38 min
Ever wanted to go bikepacking in South America? This episode is for you. After being laid off from her job in Barcelona, guest Marta Ballús decided to take back control of her life by loading up her bike and taking an adventure in South America. I spoke to her while she was nine months and over 9,000 kilometres into her solo South American journey. A trip taken to help her reclaim her confidence and learn to trust herself. Marta's mantra on this trip is 'Do what scares you until it does...
Jul 4
1 hr 29 min
Planning a bike adventure through South East Asia? Olly and Ellie just rode Thailand into Malaysia, dealt with Ramadan closures, ferry logistics, and hit some gnarly climbs. Tune into this episode for intel on what it's like to go bikepacking in South East Asia plus a masterclass in pivoting when ferries only run once a month. Follow Olly's adventures on Instagram - @sagas.of_olly.hargreaves Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a...
Jun 30
32 min
This week we're re-releasing one of our favourite episodes. 1,500 kilometres through Arctic Norway on a fully loaded bike. Our guest Slauka had never done a bikepacking trip before this but she didn't let her lack of experience get in the way of a good adventure. Slauka's journey took her from the Lofoten Islands all the way to the North Cape In this episode we Cover : Why May could be a perfect time to go bikepacking in NorwayWildcamping in NorwayPreparation, testing gear in bad weathe...
Jun 27
1 hr 46 min
We are going to hear what it's like to spend a month cycling in Ireland thanks to the latest update from Brian Sampson who just completed a 1500km loop around Dublin and Belfast that proved tougher, more beautiful, and far more rewarding than expected. After cycling through England and Wales, Brian discovered Ireland's slower pace, where he enjoyed cycling on empty farm roads. The standout moment was a hike to Comshagan Lough, a glacial crater lake. He skipped the touristy Dingle Penins...
Jun 23
27 min
Katy and Alan spent five years dreaming about this adventure and then went ahead, put their careers on pause and spent a full year cycling 20,000km around the world. Halfway through the adventure, a monotonous desert section through Central Asia nearly broke them, so they threw out their initial planned route and let the trip become something even better. These are the key lessons from their journey: You don't need to wait for retirement to take a big adventureA plan is a starting point but i...
Jun 20
1 hr 36 min
When we last heard from Milica, she was in Northern France and just a few days into her ride from London to Croatia. In this update, she reflects on what the bike adventure has actually looked and felt like across the weeks in between. Milica shares about: What her worst day on the road looked likeWhy keeping yourself fed is actually one of the most important things you can do out thereWhen a bad day turned into a genuinely good oneWhy she loves AustriaInsights from riding solo across E...
Jun 16
26 min
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