It is a long, long, and spectacular climb to the Arabel Pass, and a few days on the trail that made me very happy indeed…
Popular Archive
A Fixed Wheel Journey, of Sorts…
Something of an ode to the fixed wheel bicycle and why I still love to ride them.
A Few Days in the Desert
A long weekend bikepacking with friends in the Cambrian Desert of Wales
On a Northerly Heading
A ride on tracks and trails through the empty heart of Wales.
Thoughts Around Sustainability in Everyday Cycling
In which it can be demonstrated that the future belongs to the unwashed riders of old steel fixed-wheel bicycles…
Surly Cross Check
It’s been in the Surly Catalogue for more than 20 years, what possible relevance could the venerable Cross Check still have in a world of modern adventure and gravel bikes…? That would depend on you, here’s mine.
Bikepacking with the Fuji X-System
An overview of the Fuji X-series camera gear I use for bikepacking adventures at home and overseas. Primarily motivated by street photography, my bag currently contains an X100F or an X-Pro 2 with a small selection of prime lenses.
Project: Big Fat Dummy Fenders
A workshop project to make a set of laminated wooden mudguards for my Surly Big Fat Dummy. Made from a blend of oak and smoked red gum with home-made brass and stainless steel fittings. They look cool and are a more sustainable solution than moulding composites.
Surly Big Fat Dummy
My Surly Big Fat Dummy.. a supertanker of a cargo bike that has proven to be way more fun loaded, and unloaded, than I could ever have imagined.
Galloway Gravel: part 1
Part one of a week spent exploring the tracks and trails of Dumfries & Galloway in the company of friends.
Brother Cycles AllDay
In a world obsessed with carbon, 12 speeds, & electronic shifting, the AllDay stands out as a simple, well-executed steel fixed wheel frame. Post now updated with new content after a few years of ownership.
South to Mingulay and Beyond
A Hebridean sea kayak journey from the Isle of Barra south to Mingulay and Barra Head. Towering cliffs, cathedral-like caves, and camping on remote island beaches.
Dirt road touring / bike-packing Crete
I thought that, for once, I could perhaps make myself useful and scribble a general info flavoured post with info on maps and stuff – especially given that Crete is such an accessible destination with some absolutely fantastic riding that doesn’t require a big investment in time, messing with visas and so on. So..on that basis here it is.. Maps Crete is absolutely stuffed with dirt tracks and trails.. some harder to navigate than others but …