History of the Nakasendo trail The Nakasendo trail served as one of the main highways through central Japan during the Edo period, connecting the former capitals of Kyoto & Edo (now Tokyo). Today, it’s a 540km historic hiking trail path which passes through bamboo forest, takes in stunning waterfalls & offers views out over rice…
I’d taken a 3 year hiatus from ultra-distance – and whilst the purpose of bikepacking the Illyrian Loop wasn’t to race; I wanted to be around a bikepacking event again & see if the spark was still there. During said 3-year hiatus, work & career had filled the void left in the absence of training…
Hiking Mt Fuji was never on my bucket list – but the second I moved to Japan & heard you could hike to the top, I was praying the invite would come along. With Japan being so far east, its known as the land of the rising sun. Most people aim to summit fuji-san at…
We’d just moved to Japan – and everybody we spoke to recommended cycling the Shimanami Kaido. It quickly became adventure priority number one. Desperate to get this ride done before the insufferable heat & humidity of Japanese summer kicked in, we picked a weekend in early July – before the public holiday & mandated holiday…
My year in Japan was drawing to a close – and whilst I’d stood on top of Fuji-san, I’d never actually ‘seen’ it – nor had I done enough cycling touring. What better way to see Mt Fuji than by cycling around it; cycling the fuji five lakes. I was leaving Japan with both a…
This tour was exactly that – a tour – only this time, I’d learned I don’t need the kitchen sink. Here is my kit list for touring the Hors Categorie Climbs in the Alps;
Its been 6 years since I last did a self supported tour; one that had no set distance or route, only a series of places I wanted to see and wasn’t a race. This time, I wanted to do a tour of some Hors Categories climbs in the Alps. Life in Europe simple; roads are…
My Dales Divide kit list was definitely overpacked – a full bivvy, sleeping bag & pad is little overkill for the sake of two hours sleep when trying to compete on the front of a bike race. Truth be told, this was my first ever ultra-distance race & I hadn’t expected to find myself so…
All Points North is predominantly road racing, in some of the more rural parts of Northern England. At 1’000km, the fast riders would be aiming to finish in 48hours, meaning an all points north kit list needs to factor in night riding & very little sleep. All North 2021 was held in September, where the…
We planned to do the Cairngorms Loop at a leisurely pace, over a 3 day bank holiday weekend in May. My Cairngorms loop kit list needed to carry equipment for cooking, & camping in temperatures close to zero. The Cairngorms national park ranges from 650m to 1300m, with the highest point on the loop being…
I rode the Badger Divide in May – this is the best time to do anything in the Scottish highlands; period. The days are warm enough & nights are cool enough to keep the midge away. General rule is to expect 4 seasons in the same day in Scotland – so my Badger Divide kit…
I rode the Lakeland 200 during the Covid summer of 2020. I was still figuring out what I needed & didn’t for bikepacking trips. Some might say my Lakeland 200 kit list was overkill for a summer night in the UK, as I write this years late, I’d agree! At the time however, I didn’t…
October in the Pyrenees would see equal amount of darkness and daylight – which means my TransPyrenees kit list & bike set up needed to consider riding at night. Given the mountainous terrain, it will also be cold both in the evenings & on the descents. Bike – As a 5ft8 rider, my Ribble is…
I wanted to share some first-hand detailed insight into TPRNo2 from the perspective of someone relatively new to the ultra-distance racing world. This post will discuss problems I had to solve pre-race; logistics, route planning, kit & bike choice & route planning. I’ll also share my thoughts on my race in general & a few…
I do these events & races as it allows me to see more of the world, these rides take me off the beaten track & to places I’d probably never otherwise visit. The Veneto Trail was another example of that; another awesome adventure in a beautiful art of the world. Logistically it was easy. Rail…
I’d categorise the Veneto trail as a bikepacking trip, where I was prioritising comfortable & sufficient night’s sleep, rather than riding all night. As such, my Veneto Trail kit list had a few extra home comforts – more than I’d carry on a race – but not as much as I’d carry on a longer…
Cross training is one of those things we all know we should probably do, but ultimately never actually do! A lack of motivation for bikes right now is my main motivator for writing this, but ultimately, the importance of cross training for ultra-distance cycling cannot be understated. Those of you who follow my social media…
Following on from the last blog where I talked about high cadence pedalling, I wanted to share how I’ve adapted & made a change my training philosophy for ultra-distance cycling, following a traumatic brain injury. Back in December 2022, I went for a bike ride in Fort Worth, TX. I woke up 5 days later…
‘Fancy a beer? – that age old question that brings with it social pressure to fit in, or the FOMO from not going out. Yet how many times do you wake up the next day & regret it; sore head from too much booze, regretting the dodgy kebab, ill from dehydration or just tired from…
The reality is that this year has been a massive setback; I feel like I’ve gained nothing – yet come away with everything. I write this post without any specific objective other than to share the importance of creating a positive mindset & how it can help other people going through tough times. Growth &…