It’s over. At least for the next four years, football is taking a European detour on its long journey home (2022 anyone?) as the England squad take the short flight back from Russia. In France meanwhile, 170 professional cyclists are embarking on the 3 week Tour de France – the pinnacle of the cycle racing … Read more…
A sticky heat has descended on London and as I sit here attempting to write job applications, what better way to spend my time than writing something else about cycling. I’ve been home just over a week since my journey to the US and I miss it already – The smooth, silent roads, the feeling … Read more…
N.B. My Strava for this ride can be found here! Over a tour of a few thousand kilometers, it’s easy to lose track of a hundred or so as part of the accounting process. An afternoon spent on the beach or in the brewhouse is paid for on credit in the form of a hypothetical … Read more…
Outside the cover of the headland, frantic whitecaps zip across Trinidad Bay. On the beach meanwhile, the wind is reduced to a cooling breeze as pelicans dry their wings on the rocks and tourists kayak between rafts of seaweed. As I sit to ruminate on lunch (vegetarian frittatas washed down with cups of organic coffee … Read more…
The woods at Cape Lookout State Park come right up to the edge of the sea. In the right spot you can sip a cup of tea and feel the little flecks of spray on your face as the waves thunder up the rocks. Nestled in the carpet of ferns that cover the ground are … Read more…
Sitting on the grass at the Ecola State Park viewpoint, the last few days blur in to one. The steep, winding road up to the park entrance has done my legs no favours but as I look out over the sands and surf of Cannon Beach on the left and towards the Tillamook Lighthouse on … Read more…
A day late but close enough: As per my usual approach to travel, I’m sat in Heathrow Terminal 3 flicking through the pages of Spring and Kirkendall’s “Bicycling the Pacific Coast, 4th Edition”, forced finally to do some planning and to turn my attention to the issue of where I’m going to be sleeping for … Read more…
The first day of warm spring weather in London is always one of mixed emotions for me. I’m something of a fair weather sportsman and cruising over Waterloo Bridge in shorts and a t-shirt is a welcome change from the damp leggings and luminous hi-vis that is winter riding in the UK. On the other … Read more…
I’m a week late with this post as work has been a bit crazy but here’s a quick writeup of the 2018 Cobble Monster. CW: You’ll have to use your imagination as I was too busy trying to get to the pub to take many photos of the ride. My day started at around 0700 … Read more…
Since finishing my masters programme 8 months ago, it’s been a rollercoaster ride. In September 2017 I stood a newly belettered man (BA MSc.), footloose, free and filled with dreams of new careers, eager to return to civilisation from my monastic experience as a Masters student. As it turns out, since the end of my … Read more…