Old West Bikeway Oregon
discover another side of Oregon old west scenic bikeway Great getaway The Old West Scenic Bikeway offers a tantalizing variety of terrain and scenery. You’ll pedal past everything from rushing rivers and dramatic rock formations to steamy hot springs and
Best Bicycle Touring Destinations Worldwide
The top destinations for bicycle touring in 2020. Whether you're new to bicycle touring or an experienced bicycle traveler. These destinations are guaranteed to please.
Default Mode: don’t let it stand in the way of a big bike tour
Why not give the bicycle touring lifestyle a try? I’m guessing many of you would like to set off on a long-distance cycle tour. Someday. You’re just not quite sure when. At the moment, your focus is elsewhere. Perhaps your
Eight Underappreciated Bike Touring Destinations
Some spots draw scores of bicycle tourists: Chile’s Carreterra Austral, New Zealand’s South Island, the Pamir Highway, America’s west coast, the Danube River Cycle trail. Other lovely spots around the globe attract relatively few two-wheeled travelers. Here are 8 bike
A Practical Guide to Bicycle Touring in Korea
Asia's best-kept bicycle touring secret As a bicycle touring destination, Korea is still largely off the radar of many Western tourists. This is changing as cyclists discover the comprehensive network of riverside cycle trails and endless options for backroad biking.
Top 5 Reasons to go Bicycle Touring in India
Why India is one of the most exciting and adventurous bicycle touring destinations.
How to finance a long distance bicycle tour
The question you’ve been dying to ask. Almost nobody ever comes right out and asks us how we finance our round the world bicycle tour. But most people are curious as to how we were able to quit our jobs
Do you really need travel insurance?
We’ve had travel insurance since day one of our round the world bicycle tour. Being insured is important to us for a couple of reasons. Quality Healthcare Costs add up Quickly A surprising number of cyclists and travelers we meet
Bicycle Touring Norway
Before visiting, I knew 5 things about Norway:The roads are really, really steep.Everything is crazy expensive.Vicious mosquitoes and midges attack any unprotected flesh.The weather is stormy and unsettled all year long.The wild camping is wonderful.
A Brief Guide to Bicycle Touring in Africa
Africa is a place that can appear both exciting and slightly intimidating for cyclists planning a bike tour. Alongside amazing cultures and landscapes is a fear of the unknown. Not nearly as much information is out there for Africa, compared
Finally in Finland: Toothaches, ticks and tunnels of trees!
We weren’t supposed to cycle Finland just yet. The plan was to bike all the way through Sweden and up into Norway.Then I got a toothache. The kind of toothache that’s impossible to block out and keep on riding. So
Which countries are safe for bicycle touring?
ShareTweet Would you cycle the world's most dangerous tourist destinations? Many people do. Before setting off on a round the world bicycle tour, it's important to inform yourself about potential hot spots. That way you can make informed decisions about
The World’s Most Dangerous Countries: are they safe to cycle?
The World's Most Dangerous Countries for Bicycle TravelersAre you wondering which countries are best avoided on a bicycle tour around the world? A recent report by the World Economic Form might help you decide.The WEF's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report,
Download EuroVelo Routes GPS Tracks
Using the links below, you can download the GPS tracks for the most popular EuroVelo Routes. If you're using a dedicated GPS device (including GARMIN), download the GPX files. If you are using your SmartPhone to navigate, download the KML
EuroVelo: The Easy Way to Cycle Europe
EuroVelo: The Simplest Way to Cycle EuropeIt’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the route possibilities in Europe. Forging your own way is fun, but sometimes it’s also nice just to sit back, relax and follow somebody else’s route.What is
9 Things to Know about Cycling the Pamir Highway
#1: It's gonna be tough... But not so tough most moderately fit bicycle travelers can’t hack it. What counts most is commitment and a willingness to put up with some pain. The Pamir Highway traverses harsh and unforgiving landscape. It’s
Easy Ways to Save Money for a Bicycle Tour
Could there be a simple way to start saving money for a bicycle tour around the world? Quite possibly.The typical US household spends $3,008 per year on dining out, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics.That's$250 per month spent on restaurants
Road Connections
The best part of bicycle touring. The thrill of physical challenges and stunning landscapes are fleeting. It's the connections that matter most. That's the real reason we love bicycle touring so much. Connecting. Sometimes it's just an exchange of smiles
Bicycle Touring the Pamir Highway: part 1 Kyrgyzstan
When you dream of something for more than a decade, expectations are correspondingly high. Over the years, we’d crossed paths with scores of cyclists who’d gushed about the sublime beauty of the Pamirs. Not surprisngly, Kyrgyzstan has been ranked the
After the Tour: coping with a return to ‘real life’
Every tour eventually comes to an end. The transition from world traveler to sedentary citizen is stressful for many. In today's guest post, a couple shares their experience of returning to the real world. The guest posters prefer to remain
Cycling Central Asia: So Many Choices!
The Good Ole' DaysI hate having choices. A decade ago, when we first began touring through Africa, route planning was far more clear-cut. Studying our Michelin Africa map usually turned up just one possible route, perhaps two options in more
Changing Continents: Biking Central Asia at Long Last
Changing ContinentsThere’s something disconcerting about jetting half way around the world by plane when you’re more accustomed to rolling slowly across continents.Not that the flight between New York and Kazakhstan was all that quick. From take-off time at JFK to
5 Common Myths about Cycling Southeast Asia
It’s too touristy—you’ll be surrounded by hordes of cyclists and swarms of backpackers. 100% not true. Of course if you’re hungry for company, there’ll be no shortage of places to connect with fellow tourists. But if you’re in search of
The Best Destinations for your First Bike Tour Abroad
It’s not easy to decide where to go on your very first bicycle tour abroad. Everyone’s different so there’s no one ‘perfect’ destination. That said, there are definitely some countries that consistently rank high with first-timers.Via the bicycle touring and
What is the difference between bikepacking and bicycle touring?
You may have heard the word Bikepacking bandied about and wondered exactly what it means and how it differs from bicycle touring. Today we're going to explore the key differences between traditional bicycle touring and bikepacking. Then we'll ask ourselve
Electronics for Round the World Bicycle Tour
In early 2017, we invested in a mirrorless camera. The obvious pros compared with a traditional DSLR are the reduced weight and size. The Sony A6000 is one of the most highly rated entry-level mirrorless cameras on the market. We'll
Southeast Asia Bike Touring Basics
Guide to Bicycle Touring in Southeast Asia
The World’s Best Bike Touring Destinations
Top 5 Most Popular Bicycle Touring Destinations Worldwide: Chile United States Argentina Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan These rankings are are based on the opinion The survey was carried out by Mads Phikamphon of Mighty Goods. Most popular bicycle touring destinations in
Down to the Last Drop in the Arizona Desert
I was down to my last half liter of water. Bumping along a rough track in the Arizona desert, this lack of H2o was some cause for distress. We ought to be passing a ranch about now.But where was it?
Mount Lemmon: A 500 Kilometer Detour up Arizona’s Most Thrilling Climb
Most cyclists dream of biking through massive mountain ranges. The Carreterra Austral in the Andes, the Leh-Manali road through the Indian Himalayas and Central Asia’s Pamir Highway consistently top the lists of favorite cycling spots.Desert cycling rarely makes the cut.
Complications at the Border
Stranded We were stuck on the border between Mexico and the United States. Officials on the American side didn’t see reason to let my French husband back in the country. No, Eric hadn’t done anything wrong. He’s got a B-2
Biking Across America on $7 Per Day
Can you afford a long-distance bicycle tour? I’m convinced a lot more people would go bicycle touring in the USA if they realized just how cheap it can be. $7 per day. That’s how much we’ve spent on average per
Download our FREE Cycling Asia E-book
Asia is an increasingly popular destination for cycle touring. Bike the popular routes through Thailand or Laos, and you’ll cross paths with other two-wheeled travelers on a daily basis. The destinations covered in this book see just a trickle
Are Bicycle Travelers Privileged?
While doing research for the new Women Cycle the World website, I came across a story about a couple who had quit their jobs to go bike touring with their dog.In the comments section I came across this:If I quit my “Corporate
Female Cyclists Info
Discover women adventurers on epic round-the-world bicycle tours on the new Women Cycle the World website. More and more women are exploring the world by bicycle. They're riding up remote mountain passes, crossing continents on two wheels, and camping wild in the middle of
Malaria: our experiences
Malaria is a serious issue for anyone traveling in sub-Saharan Africa, even more so for cyclists who will spend considerable time in villages far away from major medical centers. Your best defense is a good mosquito net, liberal use of
Staying Safe in Africa
Dangerous dudes? Not in our experience.You want adventure and know Africa’s the place to find it. But when you switch on the news, the stuff coming out of Africa is hardly reassuring —coups, famine, civil wars, violent street protests. You’re thinking,
What to wear? Tips for women cycling in conservative countries
Do women need to follow special dress codes when bicycle touring in conservatrive countries? In almost all countries, women are allowed to dress as they please when bicycle touring. The exceptions are Iran and Saudi Arabia. When bicycle touring in
GDMBR New Mexico: Battling Mother Nature
The Final Hurdles After conquering Great Divide Route’s highest point, Indiana Pass at 11,910 feet, you’d think riders could let out a sigh of relief. The tough stuff as over. They’d glide across New Mexico and sail across the Mexcian
Biking the Great Divide: Colorado
After the vast empty spaces and rolling hills of Wyoming’s Great Basin, we were ready to test our mettle on some big mountains. Colorado called. The Cowboy State is home to the Great Divide’s most momentous climb: Indiana Pass (11,913
Big Mountains and the Big Empty: GDMBR Wyoming
As we zipped past the towering peaks of the Tetons, hail pelted us with a devious force. We were cold. And under normal circumstances we’d have been miserable. But not today. The Tetons rose before us, and we were awestruck
Great Divide Mountain Bike Route: Montana Moments
The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is the world’s longest off-road bicycle touring route. The GDMBR is 2,768 miles (4,455 kilometers) long. It begins in Banff, Canada and continues across the spine of the continent all the way to
Idaho Hot Springs Route
In 2014, Adventure Cycling unveiled what promised to be one of America’s most beautiful and challenging bicycles touring routes: the Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Biking Route. The Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route guides riders over and through the breathtaking
Biking Eastern Oregon: the Stunning Steens Mountain Loop
“The most stunning, unique route in Oregon.” Who’d want to miss that? Not us. Bikepacking Oregon’s enthusiastic praise had us sold: Steens Mountain is one of the most spectacular places anywhere. The dramatic rise of this fault block mountain above the
Biking Oregon’s Old West Scenic Bikeway and Beyond
Private Road. No Trespassing. We’d learned to love navigating with online maps, but his time they’d steered us wrong. Did we continue? No way. We were riding Eastern Oregon, a place some claim is the Redneck Capital of America. Most
A Change of Plans: Bicycle Touring on Idaho’s Weiser River Trail
“Those roads are probably still buried under three feet of snow. You’ll have a tough time making it through.”The forest ranger in McCall confirmed what we’d begun to fear: it was still too early in the season to attempt the
Back in the USA- bicycle touring in Montana and Idaho
One last ride across the University of Montana campus and we were ready to roll. A familiar feeling of intense excitement mixed with melancholy swept over me. Montana felt like home and it was hard to leave. I liked Missoula
Bicycle Touring in the Indian Himalaya: Spiti and Lahoul Valleys
The high Himalaya looms large in cyclists’ lore. Over the years we’ve been privy to plenty of tales of ferocious headwinds, debilitating altitude sickness, and freak summer snowstorms. Finally it was our turn to ride some of the world’s highest
Why Oman deserves a Spot on your Bicycle Touring Bucket List
Bicycle touring in Oman? Yes, OMAN! That low-key country just down the road from Dubai, snuggled up next to Saudi Arabia (where it’s actually illegal for women to ride bicycles) and Yemen (in the midst of a nasty civil war).
7 Myths about Cycling Iran
Iran is one of the most misunderstood countries on the planet. Almost everyone who has the opportunity to visit Iran, falls in love with its warm and generous people. The country certainly has its challenges, but there are many misconceptions
Sikkim Surprises.
A blogging break Our last update was from Bangladesh. That was almost 12 months back. Since then, we let the blog slide. Of course we could trot out numerous excuses for the lapse in online communication. Limited internet access. A
FREE e-book: Burma by Bike
Download our latest e-book (it’s free! Burma by Bike WorldBiking ebook contains 54 pages of photos and how-to information on bicycle touring in Myanmar. Topics include: How to get visas and special permits for Myanmar The best season to visit
9 Things to Know about Bike Touring in Bangladesh
As a touring destination, Bangladesh ranks up there with backwaters like Brunei and Burundi. The cyclists who do trickle into the country are usually on multi-year tours. With so few two-wheeled tourists, the country is something of an unknown quantity.
Incredible India: cycling the Northeast part 2
As much as India infuriates me, there’s no denying the country lives up to its catchy marketing slogan: Incredible India. Where else on earth can you find elephants loping down the highway? Nobody (except for silly foreign tourists) bats an
Not the India you Know
India. Chaos and confusion, filth and frustration diluted by a dash of unbelievable beauty. There exists no country on earth so thoroughly maddening, yet so undeniably captivating. All told, we’ve travelled to India on six separate occasions. As wide-eyed backpackers
Second-rate spies and more surprises
There he was again. His bright red Adidas baseball cap giving him away. It was an unfortunate choice in attire for a third-rate spy. Trailing two slow moving cyclists must grow tiresome. Especially when said cyclists stop frequently to snap
Cycling Myanmar
Approaching voices in the distance sent a shudder up my spine. Eric and I fell into an immediate silence. It was our first night in Myanmar. We were wild camping. And suddenly we weren’t alone. Finding a suitable spot to
Where’s your sense of Adventure?
Eric normally hammers out our routes. I trust him, most of the time. We both like big mountains and empty spaces. Neither of us are big city people and we’re fairly indifferent towards most major tourist meccas. After China, I
China Loop: the grand finale
The blog’s been quiet for the past few months. Many of you have wondered what’s up. Well, we haven’t tossed in the towel, if that’s what you’re thinking. And no, we haven’t been lounging on some Thai beach attempting to
The Yi and the Yangtze
After the austere beauty of the Tibetan Plateau, we thought the rest of China might turn into a big disappointment. Not in the least. How to enjoy cycling ANYWHERE! Alright, the first few days out of Chengdu were a blur
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 4
A spectacular place to celebrate! I don’t suppose many people get the chance to celebrate a birthday at 4,487 meters. That’s how Eric began his 47th year, on the top of Balang Shan Pass in China’s Sichuan Province. We hadn’t
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 3
All was well. We’d solved the headset crisis. Some big mountains and amazing landscapes lay ahead. Rains had plagued us since we hit China, but as we rolled out of Litang, the day shone bright and clear. Life was perfect.
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 2
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh all the way down the mountain for 15 odd kilometers. Ok maybe it was more like bump, curse, bump. The rock-strewn Daxuenshan Pass road was rough, and we maxed out at around 8 kms an hour. Still,
Tibet for Foreigners: Part 1
Independent Tibet travel for foreigners has been officially off-limits for years. The occasional intrepid cyclist does manage to sneak in, but most who try it get booted out by the ever-vigilant officers of the PSB (Public Security Bureau). Unwilling to
Another Beautiful Ride for your Bucket List
Southwest China deserves to be near the top of any adventure cyclist’s must-ride list. The last 3 weeks biking Yunnan province have been some of the best in recent years. Yunnan is a place of empty spaces, pristine natural beauty
Road Rage: a rocky start in China
An enraged local man punches Eric in the face, busting his glasses. That’s how our China tour began. Actually, there were two men. The middle-aged guy shook Eric by the collar while the younger one threw the punch. A case
A Short Spin Through Laos–Land of Smiles!
We love Laos. This is where we met way back in 1996 and the country will always hold a special place in our hearts. Much has changed since we backpacked there in the mid-90’s. Back then there was no tourist
The Good Life: Bike Touring in Thailand
The wind picked up, the sky turned a deep indigo and a few moments later the clouds burst. The rain fell fast and furious, pelting the thin metal roof under which we were sheltering. I was grateful to the Thai
The Good, the Bad and the Downright Baffling
Almost six months ago we rolled off the Pelni from Malaysia and set out to circumnavigate Sulawesi. We survived that (but just barely) and went on to bike the length of Java (which turned out to be much better than
Struggling through Sumatra
A little to the left, a slight move to the right, a minor change of saddle angle…nothing stopped the bolts of pain in my underside as we bumped along Sumatra’s backroads. Turns out we still have a few things to
Venturing past Volcanoes
As we crested the summit, a gust of wind brushed away a thick tangle of clouds and our eyes fell upon a spectacular sight: Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano. Rising almost 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), “Fire Mountain” has been
We made It (but just barely)!
We made it (to our own great amazement)! A whopping 3,563 kilometers around just one of Indonesia’s 18,307 islands. In comparison, London to Istanbul measures 2,994 kilometers. Maine to Florida just 2,560 kilometers. So we’ve covered a lot of kilometers
Long Live Tarmac
The Indonesians, with a little monetary support from their Aussie neighbors, have embarked on a road building bonanza. Silky smooth tarmac roads soon will link most of the coastal settlements. This is a good thing. We love riding rough (maybe
The Best Coastal Cycling on the Planet
That’s a bold claim to make. But we believe it’s true. As any keen touring cyclist will know, there’s stiff competition in the best coastal road category. Over the years, we’ve had the good fortune to bike some of the
Sulawesi: Land of Sand, Suffering and Instant Stardom
Hello Mister! Hello Mister! Hello Mister! And so it goes from dawn till dusk. The attention never lets up. Gangs of teenage girls on motorbikes screech to a halt and demand a photo shoot with the odd foreigners. Shy kids
Slow Boat to Sulawesi
Complete chaos. That’s the best way to describe boarding procedures on the slow boat to Sulawesi. Passengers debarking in Nunukan stumbled down a steep, metal plank while porters loaded down with goods simultaneously attempted to squeeze and shove their way
The Joy of Suffering
Eric shot me a look of quiet desperation, “Why are we putting ourselves through this?” It was a fair question. The roads crisscrossing the Cordillera, as the Philippines’ Central Highlands are known, are notoriously steep. And rough. 20% grades are
Life Goes On
A housewife haggles over the price of tomatoes in a busy market, a devout old woman crosses herself as she scurries past an imposing Catholic church, a group of boys shoots hoops on a neighborhood court, young men nap in
The Philippines: First Impressions and a Minor Case of Culture Shock
The beauty of travelling by bicycle is that one country gently flows into the next. Crossing from Cambodia to Thailand, for example, you hardly register a change. Sure, the roads are better in the former Siam and people have a
Rural Riding: the DMZ and beyond
A Bicycle Touring Break in Seoul Hub repaired, wheel rebuilt, well-rested and a few kilos heavier, we hopped on the Han River cycle path and headed for the countryside. I’d taken in my final glorious Seoul sunset and a tinge
Bye-Bye Bike Path
It was time to venture off the bike paths. If we stuck to the official trails, we’d exit the country believing all Koreans ride fancy bikes and look good in spandex. After several car-free weeks, we thought it best to
5 Bike Touring Mistakes (and how to avoid them)!
You just keep pushing. You just keep pushing. I made every mistake that could be made. But I just kept pushing. —Rene Descartes Biking touring blunders aren’t just for newbies! Even after 7+ years on the road, we managed to
Four Rivers Ride
4 Rivers Bicycle Trail from Seoul to Busan I followed the link and discovered a bike trail linking Busan (where we’d arrived on the ferry from Japan) to Seoul (where we needed to get to in order to sort out
Switchbacks, the Sea and Encounters with the Cops
After Hokkaido, we had just a month to pedal the length of Japan’s main island of Honshu. Our visas were due to expire and we had a ferry to catch to Korea. Pounding out 2,000 kilometers in 30 days wouldn’t
Let your GPS be your Guide!
“Are you sure we’re headed the right direction? Looks like this road is meant to be closed.” “According to the GPS we just head straight up this road and we’ll hit the lake in 10 kilometers. It’s a shortcut. Trust
Happy in Hokkaido!
Sunshine. A few rays of warm sunshine, that’s all it took to transform our Hokkaido cycle tour from one of futile misery to fun. Our sincerest apologies, beautiful Hokkaido! Your reputation as a world class cycling destination is well deserved.
Hokkaido Hoax
I’d spun Hokkaido into some kind of cycling nirvana. A Shangri-La of sorts where a smooth ribbon of road cut through the countryside. A bike tourist’s Eden of tailwinds and temperate weather. A utopia of sane drivers, safe roads and
Riding the Spine
Japan is a surprisingly mountainous country. With all the major population centers shoved together along the coastal lowlands, the interior is blissfully empty. After all the hassles and headaches of navigating between Osaka and Tokyo (with a population of around
Mapless in Japan
A country covered in road signs you can’t read, inhabited by people speaking a language you don’t understand may not seem like the ideal spot to wing it on a bike tour. No, Japan is ordinarily a place cyclists travel
Dangerous Expectations
It was mid-morning by the time the bikes were reassembled, the panniers re-packed and we were ready to ride out into the Osaka traffic. The night had been restless. Kansai International Airport is undeserving of its spot in Asia’s Top
A Big Lap: Australia Ride Recap
Our lap around Australia officially came to a close when we rolled into Cairns yesterday afternoon. Friday morning we’ll zip to the airport and fly off to Japan for an adventure in the Land of the Rising Sun. Here’s how
Zen and the Art of Bicycle Touring
‘Oh, merde!’ I knew what that meant. Another flat tire. And to think we hadn’t even hit the road yet. Gently stirring the concoction of instant oats, milk powder, raisins and sugar that would be our breakfast, I pushed our
Touring Talk: Solo Woman Cycling the World
Intrepid Canadian Loretta Henderson is cycling the world. SOLO. Since 2009, she’s pedaled through 30 countries on four continents. This is her story. Loretta’s highly entertaining and inspiring bike touring website is Skalatitude.com. Here you’ll find hilarious tales from her
Queensland Encounters: it’s not just cows and kangaroos
We’re bumping along another lonely country road, calling to the cows as they chomp lazily. A family of sprightly kangaroos bounces past. The morning mist is heavy, but brilliant rays of sun peek through with the promise of another gorgeous
The Big Blur
Guyra, Glen Innes, Deepwater, Glencoe, Sandy Flat, Boonah…names of small Australian towns we’d rolled through in the last week. I couldn’t conjure up an image of a single one. Just like a bedraggled package touriston 10 day/ 14 country European
Touring Talk: Leave without Pay
After working till mid-life in relatively stressful jobs (IT and law), Dave and Nancy decided it was time to live some of those dreams they kept talking about doing ‘someday’. They took a 20 month break from the rat race
Tackling the Tablelands
“Is this the way to Hanging Rock?” “Are you going to attempt to cycle all the way up there?” “No, not attempt. I AM going to cycle up to Hanging Rock!” I was fed up with people doubting my abilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions about Bicycle Touring Around the World'When will you finish your round the world bicycle tour?Our aim is to cycle every country on the planet. So far, we have biked through 102 countries on all six permanently inhabited continents.
Back to Oz
“Please step aside. We need more information about your visit.” The request was pleasant enough, but I was still worried. Nobody likes to be stopped at immigration. “Have you been to Australia before?” “Yes, for three months back in 2012,”
Ride Guide New Zealand
New Zealand offers up an enticing mix of quiet roads, spectacular scenery, and old-fashioned hospitality. Although it’s a small country, the bicycle touring route options are almost endless.There are so many choices that it’s sometimes hard to know where to
Farewell New Zealand
“How far to the Summit?” “You’re almost there–it’s just on the other side of the tunnel—you’ll need a torch, it’s pretty dark inside.” I was relieved. We’d just dragged our bikes through the washout at Siberia Gully. I was hungry.
Into the Heartland
The Maori people paddled their canoes to New Zealand’s shores some 700 years ago. Descendants of these early settlers still populate the East Cape. The East Cape sometimes gets a bad rap. Concerned New Zealanders from other parts of the
People of the World
One of the things I enjoy most about bicycle touring is the chance to capture images of all the interesting people of the world. Here are some of those individuals: For more images from around the world check out
Taking to the Trails!
Mountain biking trails on a fully loaded bicycle? Yes, it’s possible. I know. From experience. No entirely positive experience. But one I ultimately don’t regret. Now, I’d come to New Zealand expecting some fairly laidback cycling. I got about 100
A Forgotten World
One reason bicycle touring is so beloved is that it drags us away from all the distractions of daily life. While out riding, we stop obsessing over Twitter followers, Facebook likes and the latest i-phone apps. Being out on the
Wild, Wonderful and very, very WET!
I sometimes think we ought to hire ourselves out as rainmakers. It seems wherever we cycle the wet weather follows. Even in the Sahara, one of the driest places on the planet, we experienced a freak storm that left us
Surviving New Zealand
Sometimes paradise sours. A dose of extreme weather does the trick on the South Island. We were warned. That I’ll admit. Pack your rain gear and lots of layers we were told. Snow’s possible any time of year. And it
Why 2013 is the Perfect Time to Go Bicycle Touring!
Lots of people me meet confess that they dream of dropping everything to cycle around the world. Some of them actually do it. Like Martin and Pierette, a couple we stayed with in the Yukon. Here’s why these two seemingly
Looking Back on 2012
2012 has been a good year for us. It is, quite possibly, the only year I haven’t seriously contemplated giving up this bicycle touring gig. The year began on the hazardous Chinese highways (with a missing passport no less!) and
Pedaling through Paradise
We’d been hearing about New Zealand’s charms for years. One of the best cycling destinations in the world we were told. Rugged mountain passes, spectacular coastal roads, stunningly beautiful countryside and miles and miles of unpaved backroads where the sheep
Good Times on the Great Ocean Road
America’s got the Pacific Coast Highway, Australia’s got the Great Ocean Road. Both are stunningly beautiful with jaw-dropping views. Both are prone to the kind of weather that sends sane cyclists to an indoor spinning class. And both are worth
Headwinds, Flies and Forest Fires
Rugged coastline, pristine beaches, sleepy fishing villages, rolling farmland, world-class diving and spectacular seafood. The Eyre Peninsula has it all according to the Australia Tourism Board. Given our shoestring budget, I knew the last two were out. But those first
Stranded in the Southwest
You must visit Southwest Australia. We’d been hearing that mantra since we touched down in tropical Darwin almost two months back. And how could we resist? Locals promised us some of the best scenery in Australia- fields of colorful wildflowers,
End of the Outback
Six weeks and nearly 4,000 kilometers and we finally reach our first real Australia city: Perth! To say that distances in the outback are vast is to state the obvious. Never before have we biked a region so remote. After
Between Dawn and Dusk
My wristwatch alarm begins buzzing at 3:45 AM. Its high pitched insistence startles me from a deep sleep. My muscles ache with exhaustion. 3:45 , I’m sure you will agree, is an ungodly hour to rise. The Australian bush, where
The Final Continent
As we touched down in Australia I’d expected a surge of emotion. This was, after all, our final continent (unless we manage to bike Antarctica one day). Back in 2006, the plan was a simple cycle tour to Cape Town.
Tour de Timor
Despite dire warnings (You’ll sink! You’ll be crushed by the crowds! You’ll catch a nasty disease!), we’d survived half a dozen Indonesian ferries. The trip to Timor was to be our last. The journey was slated for a mere 18
Warning: Superhuman strength required
A few superhuman cyclists with legs of steel manage to traverse the island too, using local buses to get up the worst hills and freewheeling down, but the topography of the island rules out cycling for all but Tour-de-France trainees.
Island Hopping: Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa
Sunrise cycling on a beautiful tropical island is about as good as it gets. Soft pastels brighten into a blazing blue, a gentle breeze rolls in from the sea and the air is fresh with possibility. I savor these moments
Coffee and Craters
Visa extensions in hand, we slipped out of Surabaya. Kalimantan–with its heat, humidity and hills– had left us exhausted. Downtime imposed by the dawdling Indonesian immigration officials had done us good. We’d satiated our appetite for internet and were eager to start cranking the pedals
The Streets of Surabaya
One of the best parts of an extended bike tour is the luxury of time. Time to take it slow, drink in the landscape and stop for a chat. But sometimes bureaucracy forces you to slow down. That’s our current
Thoughts on Sticking it Out
I hate the feeling of giving up. You probably do, too. Yet we all have those throw-in-the-towel days. During our two and a half months biking around Borneo I’ve had plenty of them. But I stuck it out. And I’m
Into the jungle: biking Borneo gets better (and worse!)
I’m not normally a jungle person. Pedaling through places with steamy equatorial climates—Guyana, Gabon, Borneo—ranks just above biking through China’s factory belts or on Southern California’s 8-lane freeways. Jungles scare me. The thick tangles of vegetation feel forbidding. The constant buzz of
A well-balanced bike tour: 6 ways to make cycling more fun and rewarding
If you’re holed up in an office somewhere crunching numbers, creating a PowerPoint presentation or answering emails, you might find it hard to believe that bike touring can be anything less than mind-blowing fun and adventure. Reality check. Cycle touring,
Dual Reality: cyclists and a culture of collective amnesia
Six months from now we’ll be 8,000 kilometers south of the equator somewhere on the South Island of New Zealand. I imagine us gathered around a roaring campfire swapping tales with fellow cyclists. Sooner or later the talk will turn
Touring Talk: Cycling South America with Pikes on Bikes
Harriet and Neil Pike are a couple I’d categorize as extreme cyclists. People who search out remote places and high passes always on the lookout for spots rarely explored by two-wheeled travelers. Between 2009 and 2011 Neil and Harriet cycled
Stumbling on Adventure
“Let us know if you make it.” I shot Chad, our latest couchsurfing host, a confused look. “What do you mean, IF we make it?” Turns out Eric had been conspiring to bring a little excitement to our Borneo tour.
How to get sponsorship for your long-distance bicycle tour
“How can I get sponsorship for my bicycle tour?” That’s probably the question we get asked most often. In this post I’ll share some of our experiences with sponsorship and offer a few tips on how to up your chances
Oh, the People You’ll Meet!
Most cycle tourists rank “Easy Interaction with Locals” as one of their top reasons for travelling by bicycle. Whether it’s exuberant kids in Burundi cheering you up the mountainside, taciturn Mayans of the Guatemalan Highlands welcoming you into their humble
Slow Boat to Borneo
For a cyclist, Indonesia–a country comprised of some 18,000 islands–poses more than a few logistical challenges. If you stick to the main islands—Java, Sumatra, maybe Bali and Lombok—getting around’s not too tough. It’s when you venture farther afield, say to
Touring Talk: Epic Eurasia Tour with Rolling Tales
After six years working in the UK, New Zealanders Emma Philpott and Justin Hewitt of Rolling Tales were ripe for an adventure. In March 2010 they set off from London and headed east, not quite sure how long or how
Malaysia Mix: ATM Annoyances, advice from the imam and more
Eric stepped out of the small supermarket scowling. “They don’t take Thai Baht.” Pretty normal, I decided, since we are, after all, in Malaysia. Normal, but annoying, since all we had was Thai Baht. And a stash of US dollars,
Tourism and Terrorism
“Aren’t you afraid of the bombs?” Cycling through Thailand’s deep south, this troubling enquiry was tossed out multiple times each day. Sure we were scared! Who wouldn’t be if they had bothered to read this warning from the US State
Why Thailand is most certainly the easiest place on earth to go bicycle touring.
Bicycle touring enthusiasts are at no loss for challenging places to ride. Bike travelers regularly test their limits by cycling over 5,000 + meter passes in the Andes, biking across remote stretches of desert in sub zero temperatures and riding
Touring Talk: On the road since 2008
Julian Bloomer had been dreaming of a long-distance bicycle tour since he was a boy. In July 2008, he decided to forego becoming a home owner and instead sink his savings into realizing his bicycle dreams. Julian’s original plan was
Random Encounters of the Very Best Kind
Our time in Cambodia was largely spent conforming to the norms of how a Southeast Asian tourist spends her time: At Siem Reap, we wandered around the ancient temples and fought the crowds at Angkor Wat. In Phnom Penh, we
Are you still having Fun?
Southeast Asia is a mecca for cycle tourists. That means we cross paths with bicycle travelers almost every day. You may just be wondering the same thing When our new cycling friends find out how long we’ve been on the
Slumbering with Buddha and a Big Breakdown
The monks invited us in without a moment’s hesitation. Their temple was a simple one, but we were welcome to spend the night. I imagined we’d be shown a suitable spot out back, but no, a gentle-faced man in a
Who says you have to go high-tech?
Certainly not Jay Pathak. The 60 year old Indian-national set off on a bicycle tour of his home country and his gear is about as low-tech as it gets. Homemade plastic panniers, a regular ‘ole bike and Jay is good
The Path Less Pedaled through Laidback Laos
Cross some borders and you’d hardly know you’d switched countries. Roll across the 49th parallel from the US into Canada and you’ll soon spot a Walmart, a Safeway and a Pizza Hut. Switch from the Chilean side of Tierra del
Sawaidee–why everybody loves Laos: a photo essay
Laos is the current darling of Southeast Asia and it’s not hard to figure out why. Sure the scenery is stunning, thick tropical jungle and fast-flowing rivers, and there’s certainly plenty of culture in this temple-dotted land, but what really
Hanoi to the Highlands
Hanoi held us for almost a week. A combination of comfortable lodging, crunchy baguettes and travel fatigue conspired to keep us pushing back our departure “just one more day” again and again and again. While much time was spent holed
Then and Now: Vietnam Revisited
Your very first visit to a Third World country leaves a big impression. It’s inevitable. A few strong images stick in your mind long after you’ve settled back into your comfortable First World existence.. Maybe it’s the “dirt poor locals”
Honey I think I lost my passport: an inauspicious start to 2012
“What? You’ve lost your passport?” I shout, mouth gaping in disbelief. The year was off to a highly inauspicious start. It wasn’t even noon on January 1st 2012 and we’d already witnessed a serious accident involving a semi and a
2011 in review: looking back
A Chris Guillebeau inspired review of 2011. What went well in 2011: We slowed our pace of travel. I’ve suffered on and off from travel fatigue since the very beginning. It’s not so much a physical thing, more a case
Unchanged China
I had plenty of ideas about China before actually visiting. These days, it’s hard not to pick up a newspaper or tune into a podcast without being treated to some pundit’s views on China’s rising power, influence and prosperity. Like
Falling in (and out!) of love with China
Just like in relationships, it’s also possible start off on the wrong foot when getting acquainted with a country. Perhaps one party doesn’t put forward its best face, and you end up not much liking each other. So it was
Why Taiwan Deserves a Spot on Lonely Planet’s top 10
Taiwan nabbed a spot on Lonely Planet’s 2012 list of top ten destinations. After almost three weeks exploring this tiny island nation, I can assure you it deserves the recognition. The Taiwanese are embracing bicycle touring like no other nation
Unexpected moments and a vow to give up griping
Admittedly, my initial impression of China was less than enthusiastic. It’s a great country to gripe about. I could go on and on about all the petty annoyances and irritations. About the often insalubrious conditions. The maniacal driving. The lack
Mayhem on the Mainland
Getting from Hong Kong- a tiny territory crammed full of 7 million people- to Shenzhen- a sprawling mega-city populated by 14 million individuals—was going to be a challenge. Just 50 kilometers, mind you, but the memory of our ride from
Changing Continents
All my life I have lived and behaved very much like the sandpiper – just running down the edges of different countries and continents, ‘looking for something’. Elizabeth Bishop 15 hours in a cramped Boeing 737 and we arrive bleary
Touring Talk: Biking Boomers
Touring Talk episode 8: biking boomers by worldbiking Name: Chris and Heather Hartridge Country: Canada Touring Experience: Long trips in Canada and the USA with plans for an extended multi-year tour in the future. Comfort touring or Camping?
12 Tips for Cycling Western Canada
1. Be Bear Smart.If you’re cycling through Western Canada and up to the Yukon, your chance of coming in contact with bears is about 99.99%.Cyclists rarely encounter problems with bears, but you will want to prepare yourself before entering bear
Touring Talk: Say Yes to Europe!
Touring Talk episode 7: Say Yes to Europe! by worldbiking Name: Deirdre Goodwin Country: Canada Touring Experience: Europe: SIX times! Deirdre often cycles solo, sometimes meets up with fellow cyclists and does a stretch together and has tried one
When things go Wrong
If there’s one thing that’s a certainty about bicycle touring, it’s that Things Will Go Wrong! Equipment will fail, uncooperative weather will foil carefully laid plans, the cycling companion with whom you thought you’d be a perfect match will turn
Touring Talk: Escape from the cubicle
Touring Talk episode 6: escape from the cubicle by worldbiking Name: Bob Stanley Country: Australia Route: Round the World beginning in August 2011: Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia and beyond Bicycle: A beautiful (if slightly pricey) custom touring bike from
Touring Talk: cycle touring on a shoestring budget
Touring Talk episode 5: shoestring cycle touring by worldbiking Names: Ben (20) and Leann (22) Home: Minnesota,USA Route: Minnesota to Alaska Pre-tour gear investment: $400 all inclusive Longest period of time without showering: 14 days through northern British Columbia and
Cycling to the Top of the World
Some roads are legendary amongst long-distance cyclists: Asia’s Pamir Highway, the Carreterra Austral in South America, Sani Pass in Southern Africa and–straddling the border between Alaska and the Canadian Yukon–The Top of the World Highway. Sure, we were excited to
Touring Talk: Cycling the Americas with Tyson Schimschal
Touring Talk episode 4: Cycling the Americas with Tyson Schimschal by worldbiking Name: Tyson Schimschal Country: Canadian, but currently living in Seattle Route: Ushuaia to Alaska beginning in December 2009, finishing in September 2011 Bike Touring Philosophy: “If you’re
The Alaska Highway: 10 Snapshots from the Road
Mile zero The Alaska Highway greets us with a determined headwind. Rather than let it shake our determination, we hunker down and vow to push the pedals those 1,390 miles to Fairbanks. The entire length of the highway connecting Alaska
Touring Talk: Two on Tour since 2004
Robi and Moni, two bicycle crazy Swiss cyclists on the road since 2004. Touring Talk episode 3: The Velocos, on the road since 2004 by worldbiking Names: Monika Estermann and Robert Spengeler Country: Switzerland Age: Monica: 39 / Robi: 47
Touring Talk: the Alaska Highway and Beyond
Touring Talk episode 2: The Alaska Highway all the way up to the Arctic by worldbiking Name: Peer Anselstetter Country: Germany Route: The Arctic Circle to Vancouver with lots of detours to experience cycling in Alaska. Opinion on riding
Meet a Cyclist: Stephanie Chee cycles solo across the USA
Touring Talk episode 1: Cycling Solo across the USA by worldbiking Name: Stephanie Chee Age: 24 Country: Australia Route: Across the USA from the Pacific to the Atlantic via Adventure Cycling’s Northern Tier Route. We crossed paths: In Eureka, Montana
Bears and an itsy-bitsy bump in the road
Back in Bolivia we hit a big bump in the road. It sent us into a spin. Two months off the bikes re-grouping and now we’re back on the road full of energy and enthusiasm for the Alaska leg of
A Fresh Start
Finally we’d managed to stuff, squeeze and squash all our bulky, Alaska-proof, cold-weather gear into four panniers and a dry sack each. Our bikes were heavier than ever. 40+ kilos of gear weighing down each bicycle, we reckoned. One last
Northward Bound: Ready, Set, Go!
Monday July 11th, 8AM from Missoula’s own Adventure Cycling, we set off for Alaska. Yippee! Since the big Bolivia theft, it’s been a long hard struggle to get back on the road. After taking the painful decision to leave South
7 Tips for a Successful Bicycle Tour
The idea of “succeeding” at bicycle touring probably sounds strange to you. After all, a bicycle tour is supposed to be fun. It’s not a job to be judged and evaluated. Let’s just say success is doing what you set
60 months on tour, 60 lessons learned from life on the road
World Biking 5 Year Anniversary!Cycling around the planet for five years you're bound to learn something about the world. Here are a few things that have stuck with us: All ‘helpful’ road directions should be disregarded unless confirmed by a
A $6,000 mistake: post-theft thoughts on moving on
60 seconds or so. That’s all it took for a bold bicycle thief to bound away on Eric’s fully-loaded KOGA. Those careless 60 seconds in Bolivia will probably turn out to be the most costly moments of my life. Because
A big bump in the road: a tale of thievery and loss
I used to like to boast about how few problems we’d run into in five years on the road bicycle touring around the world. I loved busting all the myths about the world being a dangerous place full of thieves,
And so Pass the Days: a dispatch from Bolivia
Our two big Andean adventures (Paso Sico and the remote Southwest Bolivia ride) left me with more than some nice photos and a few good tales to tell. Those cold hard rides had gifted me something that felt like the
Big Mountains, Colorful Lagunas and a Land Cruiser Invasion
“We’re going out for a while. If any tourists show up, just tell them to wait.” Yeah, alright, sure…we’ll do that. You can count on us–two random cyclists—to take charge of the Bolivia Immigration Post. From the Chilean desert town
The Hard Way Round
“She doesn’t look good.” “I’ve never seen her like that. Just collapsed on the side of the road and refused to move. I had to drag her back on to her bike. Force her to pedal. I told her she’d
18 Creative Places to Sleep
When the only hotel in town doubles as a brothel and wild camping options are unappealing, what’s a tired cyclist to do? Ask for help. At least that’s what we do. It’s not mooching, rather what Willie Weir refers to
Photo Essay: Northern Argentina
Stunning. Jaw-dropping beautiful. Amazing. Awe-inspiring. There’s something quite spectacular about the varied landscapes of Northern Argentina that words can’t quite capture. Arid and peaceful at times, brooding and pensive when a storm rolls across the Andes. These is a world
Flooding and other Assorted Fun
Flooding. We hadn’t expected it in on the Puna. But this was a La niña year, said the locals. Clima loco. Crazy weather. In this part of Northern Argentina, undulating Ruta 40 and the other minor roads we bounced along
Humbled by the Andes: 29 switchbacks…and then came the hard part
Curva 3 and already I was short of breath. Gasping and gulping in precious oxygen. I reckoned we were at just over 2,000 meters. That’s nothing in the Andes. La Paz, the highest capital city in world lies at around
25 strange, bizarre and beautiful experiences.
When you pedal almost 90,000 kilometers around the world, you’re bound to have some out-of-the-ordinary experiences. Here are a few them. I never thought I’d end up… 1. Sleeping on the floor of an all-women’s mosque on the border between
Why 2011 is the perfect time to go bicycle touring
Time is running out. We all have a tendency to put off living our dreams. First we’ve got to get a college degree to ensure a good job in the future. Then it’s time to start a career and get
In Awe of Mother Nature
If January is anything to go by, our 2011 promises to be full of adventure, amazing beauty and struggles against nature. The New Year began with a stand-off against the dreaded RUTA 40. This desolate stretch of road is nothing
5 Popular Myths about Long Distance Bicycle Touring
Recently Chris from Vermont e-mailed us about our bicycle tour. Before signing off he wrote, “I would love to do what you’re doing, but at my age it’s just not possible.” This type of email is typical. People writing to
On the Beaten Path…and liking it!
10,000 kilometers and six months biking South America without seeing a single cyclist. Now we’re surrounded by seven of them hanging out in the same campground In Calafate, Argentina. Patagonia is swarming with cyclists. If there’s a bicycle touring mecca,
New Beginnings at the end of a Continent
The ferocious Patagonian winds fought hard to keep us from reaching Tierra del Fuego. They tossed us about, knocked us off our bikes, attacked us from all sides. They humbled us. They angered us. They brought us to tears. But
Why travel? Gauchito and other Argentine oddities
We travel because we’re bored with the familiar. We’re fed up with spotting a Starbucks on every street corner. We can’t take another day of banal office gossip around the photo copier. We’re tired of seeing the same old big
The serendipity of cycling
Wonderful things happen when we open ourselves up to serendipity and chance. Embracing the out-of-the-ordinary often lands us is the most amazing of situations. And so it was last Friday evening on Argentina’s Ruta 3. The windiest road on the
Pedaling to the end of the world
Patagonia at last! Gone are the rolling hills and pine trees, the small towns with their delicious factura-filled bakeries and quiet parks. Patagonia is a windswept land of wide-open spaces, hardy sheep and long, lonely roads. The glaciers and lakes
A Change of Mood
Despondency is dead. At least for the moment. Bicycle touring has its ups and downs and that feeling of ‘I love life on the road,’ has returned. Not sure how we lost it in the first place, but now that
Two on Tour: a survival guide to cycling with a partner
24/7 with the same person for months, possibly years, on end? Sounds like a recipe for a short-lived romance, a costly divorce or a nasty end to a friendship. Add to that the stress of biking through unknown lands under
Candombe cures another case of Bicycle Touring Burnout.
Sometimes you just luck out and end up at the right place at the right time. So it was last Sunday evening in Paysandu, when we stumbled across a group of Candombe musicians rehearsing for the upcoming Carnival celebrations.Candombe originated
Bicycle Touring by Numbers
Total Kilometers Cycled: 84,944 Current Location: Paysandu, Uruguay On the Road: 4 years, 4 months, 17 days A look back at what we’ve been up to since the last update way back in September. 4 Number of border crossings. Paraguay
Biking Brazil- an adventure fix
“Which way now?” “I dunno.” The road suddenly split into two and we were stumped. One narrow dusty track continued straight on. The other, the more travelled of the two judging from the tire tracks, veered off to the right.
Biking the Guianas: dengue dampens the fun
Total Kilometers: 77,771 (48,913 miles)Back on French soil.It dawned on me, as I kept watch on Eric hooked up to an IV on a hard hospital bed In Kourou, that June 6th marked four years on the road. 1,460 days
Spain and Portugal bike touring 2006
update 3. Santiago and the road to the end of the world21 July, 2006Le Puy, France to Tui, SpainLocation: Sines, PortugalTotal kilometers cycled: 3,519Maximum distance in one day: 144 km Most frequently asked question: "Why are you torturing yourselves like this?"Best question:
France 2006: new rhythms on the road
Location: Le Puy en Velay, Auvergne, FranceKilometers: 763falls: Eric 4, Amaya 1number of times on-lookers have remarked "vous êtes bien chargés!" ( you're really loaded): 27After cycling what will certainly be counted amongst the 8 hottest days of the year,
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