My Astra Zeneca experience

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There’re some benefit to being middle-aged (besides not having to carry photo-ID when buying age-restricted products) and one of those benefits include me having had my first COVID vaccination on Sunday. Yes, this post is all about my vaccine experience – not because I’m in any way important (I absolutely am not) but rather in ... Read more

Book review – Riding In The Zone Rouge, by Tom Isitt

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In 1919, some madman decided to hold a race called Circuit Des Champs De Bataille – the Tour Of The Battlefields. The battlefields in question were that of World War One, and the route was deliberately designed to run through 2 000 kilometres of carnage. This incredible book tells the story of that race. The ... Read more

Green touring

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Green touring? As in, touring through a green landscape? Well, no. Green touring is about reducing your environmental footprint while touring. This is the point where people start claiming they care about the planet, always recycle, and what’s more, once wrote a sternly-worded Tweet about a certain supermarket’s excessive use of plastic, and even tagged the ... Read more

SheCycles – Naomi Freireich

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When doing a SheCycles post about a historic figure, such as Annie Kopchovsky, I only have what is written about her to go on. When writing about someone now, I have the benefit of asking questions, and mostly, I’ll ask exactly the same questions of these inspiring women. Some women, like Naomi, will have had ... Read more

DayCycle – Tarka Trail

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Tarka Trail cycle route overall rating: (Colour explanation: blue = good, yellow indicates some warning, and red indicates issues to be aware of) The Tarka Trail in North Devon follows a disused railway that once linked Barnstaple to Hatherleigh, and onwards. It’s a very well-known traffic-free route, set in a stunning natural environment. The trail ... Read more

Top Cycle Touring Tips

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The beauty of cycle touring is the freedom is gives you, and that freedom includes how you tour. Some may choose foreign destinations, while others stay more local. Some may ride with everything but the kitchen sink, while others ride from hotel to hotel, carrying almost nothing on the bike. Broadly speaking, there simply is ... Read more

DayCycle – A Redlake adventure

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20 miles there and back, mostly gravel This route incorporates a significant amount of gravel riding. Not quite extreme off-road, but certainly not easy riding all the way. Gravel riding, especially when carrying luggage on the bike, is considerably slower than riding on tar, and although the Redlake route isn’t particularly long, it’s equally suited ... Read more

GoCycle – Grand Union Canal

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144  miles  in  total,  mostly  flat,  with surfaces  ranging  from  excellent  to  dire The Industrial Revolution laid the groundwork for the world we live in today, and the UK gave birth to the Industrial Revolution. Nothing in that sentence is contentious. What you may find surprising is that the canal network, and in particular the ... Read more

The Primrose Trail

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In the late 1960s, the UK engaged in a staggering act of self-harm, during a process that became known as the Beeching Cuts. Under the scheme, spearheaded by Dr Beeching, the UK’s very wide rail network was decimated, while roads building was massively ramped up. As has been repeatedly demonstrated, induced demand is a real ... Read more

Camping cooking

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I’m not much of a foodie, and doing a post on food isn’t exactly how I envisioned myself spending a number of hours. Having said that, the fact remains that – regardless of how much, or how little you enjoy food – your body will need fuel to power each pedal stroke of your cycle ... Read more

Do you chart a course by the stars?

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Map showing the route of the Grand Union Canal
While being able to navigate using the night sky is a great skill to have, there are far better options available to you, starting with a simple map. I freely, and even proudly admit that I’m a map geek. I’ve always been one, since I can remember. Maps, you see, tell stories, and if you wanted ... Read more

Creatures of the night…

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Have you ever cycled in complete darkness? Night cycling is a totally different experience, and judging by rides such as the Dunwich Dynamo, it’s popular, too. And yet, so many people have never gone night cycling. There’s something magical about cycling at night. No, I’m not referring to urban night cycling, along roads with streetlights. ... Read more