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  • Planning a bike adventure through South East Asia? Olly and Ellie just rode Thailand into Malaysia, dealt with Ramadan closures, ferry logistics, and hit some gnarly climbs. Tune into this episode for intel on what it's like to go bikepacking in South East Asia plus a masterclass in pivoting when ferries only run once a month.

    Follow Olly's adventures on Instagram - @sagas.of_olly.hargreaves

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  • This week we're re-releasing one of our favourite episodes. 1,500 kilometres through Arctic Norway on a fully loaded bike. Our guest Slauka had never done a bikepacking trip before this but she didn't let her lack of experience get in the way of a good adventure.

    Slauka's journey took her from the Lofoten Islands all the way to the North Cape

    In this episode we Cover :

    Why May could be a perfect time to go bikepacking in NorwayWildcamping in NorwayPreparation, testing gear in bad weather, and packing strategyWhy flexibility in your schedule matters more than having the perfect planAn Italian photographer who rode her bike up a mountain for herCycling through the North Cape Tunnel

    GUEST: Slauka Macurak (Instagram: @allridegirl)

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  • We are going to hear what it's like to spend a month cycling in Ireland thanks to the latest update from Brian Sampson who just completed a 1500km loop around Dublin and Belfast that proved tougher, more beautiful, and far more rewarding than expected.

    After cycling through England and Wales, Brian discovered Ireland's slower pace, where he enjoyed cycling on empty farm roads. The standout moment was a hike to Comshagan Lough, a glacial crater lake. He skipped the touristy Dingle Peninsula due to the busy traffic and 40mph wind gusts, opting instead for the quieter Sheepshead Peninsula.

    Key takeaways: the Irish hospitality is peak (work crews offering shelter, locals offering directions), the scenery rivals NZ and Tasmania, and yes, the weather will get you wet every morning. Cycling in Ireland may not be easy, but it absolutely is worth it.

    You can keep up with Brian's adventures via his instagram - @brian.sampson4 and also his personal blog https://justfeltlikebiking.blogspot.com/

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  • Katy and Alan spent five years dreaming about this adventure and then went ahead, put their careers on pause and spent a full year cycling 20,000km around the world. Halfway through the adventure, a monotonous desert section through Central Asia nearly broke them, so they threw out their initial planned route and let the trip become something even better.

    These are the key lessons from their journey:

    You don't need to wait for retirement to take a big adventureA plan is a starting point but it's ok to change and adapt themThe less you know about a place, the more it can surprise youPeople will help you, almost everywhere, almost every time.Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.Fear of the unknown is usually worse than the unknown itself.Shared goals matter more than shared stats.Hard days don't last, but you will have hard days on big adventuresYou don't need a year to have an adventure.

    Be sure to give Katy and Alan a follow via their account @CycleTheLongWayHome

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  • When we last heard from Milica, she was in Northern France and just a few days into her ride from London to Croatia. In this update, she reflects on what the bike adventure has actually looked and felt like across the weeks in between. Milica shares about:

    What her worst day on the road looked likeWhy keeping yourself fed is actually one of the most important things you can do out thereWhen a bad day turned into a genuinely good oneWhy she loves AustriaInsights from riding solo across EuropeCycling into Croatia knowing her family had to flee the same villages she's now riding through freely

    Follow Milica's adventures via her instagram page - @2Wheels1Milikov

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  • Dreaming about taking a huge bike adventure? Then this episode is for you.

    Ellie Mitchell-Heggs shares her insights from her solo journey where she cycled 10,000 kilometres across Africa from Rwanda to Cape Town. All up her trip was nine months long and took her across ten countries. It was also a ride that was layered with both a personal family connection to Africa and loaded up with a huge sense of purpose as well.

    Alongside the cycling, Ellie spent time in every capital city meeting with over 100 local NGOs, social enterprises and community organisations working in education, youth empowerment and gender equality. Ellie shares how those conversations, got her through the toughest stretches on the road.

    In this episode we cover:

    How Ellie got into bikepacking starting with the Vélodyssée down the west coast of FranceWhy she chose to start in Rwanda and ride south The communities and landscapes that shaped each country, from Uganda's warmth to the brutal isolation of Botswana's flat roads70 kilometres being swarmed by tsetse flies in a Tanzanian national parkCanoeing four days down the Zambezi river as a mid-trip resetGrieving her father on the road Cycling through Namibia with two fellow bikepackers.Food poisoning two days from Cape Town, and the unicycle escort into the cityWhat made those NGO conversations so energising

    Find Ellie on Instagram: @ProjectCycleAfrica

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  • Daragh Cronin is back with a wild update from his Cork to Everest Base Camp ride. This time he shares with us the extraordinary hospitality of Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. Then every bike travellers nightmare, a flat refusal at the Federal Iraq border crossing derailing his plans for his route.

    This led Daragh to have to re-route through Dubai and Kuwait City where the intensity of the trip got turned to the max when he found himself trying to cycle through the desert in extreme heat leading to a stint in hospital to be treated for heatstroke.

    Follow along with Daragh via his instagram - @roaminwithcronin

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  • This is a live show, recorded on stage at the Antique Bar in Melbourne. Joining me on stage were three guests who between them have cycled through some of the most remote, challenging and eye-opening places on earth, Fergal Guihen, Em Hulbert and David McCourt.

    Fergal cycled from Roscommon, Ireland to Sydney via Mauritania, Iran, Afghanistan, the Tibetan Plateau and beyond. Em Hulbert is mid-journey on a solo ride around the world, delivering water filters to communities in need through her project The Water Cycle. David McCourt set off from Melbourne bound for Northern Ireland, taking a route through Central Asia, Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal and Turkey that took years and produced stories he'll be dining out on forever.

    In this episode we cover:

    Going from thought bubble to turning pedalsLuxury items on the bike and what actually earns its placePerceptions versus reality: China, Iran, Bangladesh and ThailandGetting drugged and robbed in the Iranian desertA sex dungeon in rural Thailand at 4am after 250 kilometresThe Nullarbor without music, podcasts or any distraction at allSolo female bicycle travel and the extra layer that comes with itThe spaces in between and why that's where the magic happensWhy the hardest moments are the ones you'd go back and relive

    Want to hear the full individual episodes with each guest? Find them here:

    Em Hulbert: Ep. 127: David McCourt: Ep. 99: and Ep. 120. Fergal Guihen: Ep. 144 and Ep. 145:

    Follow the guests on Instagram:

    Em Hulbert: @emhulbertFergal Guihen: @rossi.to.aussieDavid McCourt: @longwayhome__2022

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  • James Baile, along with two complete strangers (one of which hadn't ridden a bike since he was 13!) packed their Bromptons into IKEA bags and flew to Dakar. What followed was two weeks riding through Senegal and The Gambia: navigating Dakar rush hour, camping on school playgrounds by invitation of village chiefs, pushing loaded folding bikes through sand that felt like treacle, and sparking conversations with strangers over football allegiances.

    In this episode we talk about:

    How a Facebook post about the Tropic of Cancer set the whole thing in motionWhat it's actually like to tour on a Brompton Riding a route that goes from the edges of the Sahara Desert to the beginnings of West African forestThe reality of border crossings into Senegal and The Gambia for European travellersTaking an overnight ferry back to Dakar with Bromptons as hand luggageWhy going somewhere with zero expectations means everything exceeds themJames's next big adventure connecting a journey he started back in 1986

    Give James a follow via his instagram - @jamesb.adventures and you can also listen to the previous episode with him here.

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  • Roisin Gallagher has cycled over 17,000 kilometres across two continents. Her adventure started by riding the Baja Divide with her partner before continuing through Mexico and Central America. After seven months on the road together, their relationship ended and instead of flying home, Roisin bought a one-way ticket to Japan and kept riding.

    Roisin has now arrived in Istanbul to share the story so far. We chat loads about her route, the physical and mental side of bike travel and a whole heap about food!

    In this episode:

    The brutal physical reality of bikepacking the Baja DivideCycling the Nicoya Peninsula route in Costa RicaThree months cycling in JapanWildcamping solo as a womanCycling the Transdinarica Route through the BalkansThe Croatian bora wind that trapped her for five days Getting to Istanbul on a sushi delivery truck A night in Bosnia drinking rakia with three war veterans until 3amDurmitor National Park as an unexpected landscape revelationFood - glorious food!

    You can follow Roisin's adventure via her instagram - @ontheroadwithro

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  • Brian Sampson is cycle touring the world to tick off every destination from the book 'The Thousand Places to See Before You Die' This month's update covers the end of his time in China and his first stretch riding through England and Wales.

    Brian shares his experiences of:

    Sleeping in temples and stealth camping in multiple continentsVisiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.Daily routines and how they change with climate and daylight hours.Welcome to My Garden vs Warmshowers A crazy experience of encountering a mountain lion on the Pacific Coast Highway Reverse culture shock going from China to cycling through England and Wales.

    Follow Brian via his instagram page - @Brian.Sampson4

    You can also check out his blog for a breakdown of his experiences so far.

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  • A few weeks ago Robbie was 500 kilometres into the Monaro Cloudride, a thousand-kilometre ultra race through the Australian high country, when a night-time Snowy River crossing went very wrong.

    They ended up stranded on a tiny island in the middle of the river with their bike, waiting for a rescue helicopter to winch them out.

    Robbie shares their experiences of this event including he decision to cross at night, what happens when fast water takes you down, the hours of calm problem-solving from a very small island, and what every bike adventurer should know about calling for help without shame.

    Since recording, I'm glad to say Robbie has been reunited with their bike, and Guinness World Records has officially confirmed their record as the first openly trans person to circumnavigate the globe by bike. What a legend!

    Listen to the first episode with Robbie about their world record ride.

    Follow Robbie via their instagram - @DirtDropRobbie

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  • You're four days out of London, somewhere in northern France, and every evening you check in with your body to decide how far you'll ride tomorrow. Nobody is telling you where to be. This is your life now.

    Milica Kovačević was commuting through London on her bike, listening to this podcast for inspiration to take her own bike adventure. Then she decided it was time to leave the city, and that's when she started dreaming about cycling from London to Vukovar, Croatia, where her grandmother and mother are waiting for her.

    Milica let's us know how she prepared for the trip, including practicing bike mechanics on friends' bikes before she left, and how she plans out her days on the road. She also shares about the nervousness that creeps in the days leading up to going, and how turning the pedals is the best way to rid yourself of them.

    This is the first of several check-ins as Milica makes her way across Europe. Follow along as she rides home.

    Topics covered:

    Cycle touring from London to CroatiaHow to prepare for a long-distance bike tourSolo cycling as a woman in EuropeTouring with minimal planningBike mechanics for beginnersWhat to pack for a long bike tourCycling through France, Belgium, and beyondHuman connection on the road

    Follow Milica's journey: @2Wheels1Milikov

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  • Eleanor Hulm left Bangkok on a loaded bike she'd just assembled in a hotel room at 6am, sleep-deprived, slightly terrified, and laughing her way through the traffic. Four months later she's ridden solo through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Taiwan and Japan and she's just getting started.

    In this episode you'll hear about:

    The 20km of peanut butter mud in Laos that nearly broke herPushing a loaded bike up a 20% gradient in Thailand until her cycling shoes had to come offPako, a bikepacker from Chengdu who taught her to knock on strangers' doors and trust what comes nextWhat Eleanor calls the mind prison, and why the road gave her the mind palace insteadThe moment of awe when she cycled past Mount FujiSigning up for the Transpyrenees ultra race with half the world still left to ride

    Eleanor is heading next into China, the Stans, Georgia and Turkey before cycling home to the UK. Be sure to follow her adventures via her instagram - @elbybike

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  • Daragh Cronin has been on the road for 68 days. He left Blackrock, Cork, on a loaded bike with Everest Base Camp as his final destination, and this week he is checking in from Istanbul.

    This is a midweek update episode, and it covers a lot of ground. Daragh has already cycled the length of Africa, Morocco to Cape Town, so crossing Europe was his second continent.

    In this episode we discuss:

    Arriving in Istanbul after 68 days cycling from Cork across EuropeThe hardest moments of the journey so far and how he kept goingWhat it meant to have a riding companion join him through Croatia and AlbaniaThe reality of solo cycle touring and what it does to your head over timeRoute planning through the Middle East amid conflict in Iran

    About Daragh Cronin: Daragh Cronin is a solo cyclist from Cork, Ireland, currently riding from Ireland to Everest Base Camp via Africa and the Middle East. Before this leg he completed a solo ride from Morocco to Cape Town. You can listen to the episode where we discussed that adventure in full detail here:

    Follow Daragh via his instagram - @roaminwithcronin and check out his fundraiser for the Children's Unit at Cork University Hospital.

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  • Megan Young is a UK-based ultra cyclist and bike packer from Dorset. She's raced the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco as a pairs entry with her husband Angus, taken fastest female honours on the Dorset Divide, spent six months cycling through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile on sabbatical, and then finished that stretch with the Tour Te Waipounamu, a 1330km ultra race down the South Island of New Zealand. And right now she is lining up for Lostdot 101, a women-only road race across Spain and Portugal where riders plan their own routes.

    In this episode we discuss:

    How Megan got into ultra racing and what it was like competing as a pairs team at the Atlas Mountain RaceThree months in the Andes: kit, food, altitude, wild camping, and choosing when to get a busMax, the stray dog in the mountains who became their guardian for a day and then vanished on the descentThe Tour Te Waipounamu: 30km of hike-a-bike, river crossings she'd never trained for, and a DNF 100km from the finish lineHer mindset heading into Lostdot 101, planning her own route, and racing with six friends from Girls That Ride BikesWild camping confidence, the earplugs trick, and what she learned from getting her food strategy badly wrong on her first ultraWomen in ultra racing, what's changed, and why communities like Girls That Ride Bikes are helping to get more women to the start line

    You can follow Megan via her instagram - @MeganOnTwoWheels

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  • Chris Petermnn has been cycling across the world for four years. When he set out to cross the Sahara on the final leg of his Africa circumnavigation, he was craving one silence. After months of never being alone in West Africa, the desert felt like it might finally offer him some peace. Unfortunately, what he got instead was 1,500 kilometres of relentless headwind.

    In this Tuesday snippet, Chris takes us through his ride north from Nouakchott in Mauritania, through Western Sahara and up toward the Atlas Mountains. Fair to say it was a stretch that pushed him to rock bottom more than once. He talks about sandstorms, sleep deprivation and a strange sense of envy from watching other cyclists cruise past with the wind at their backs.

    It's a raw and honest account of what long-distance cycling in one of the world's most extreme environments actually feels like and how the headwind becomes a relentless mental battle.

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  • What does it take to cycle 15,000 kilometres from Scotland to China along the ancient Silk Road? And what happens when the countries you just rode through are plunged into war the moment you get home?

    In 2009, Helen Watson and her husband Ed clipped in at Glasgow and pointed east. Their route took them through Syria, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and into China, riding one of the most remote, politically charged and culturally rich corridors on earth.

    Months after they got home, the Arab Spring broke. And the world they had just ridden through started burning.

    We discuss:

    What it really means to cycle tour through the so-called Axis of EvilHow bike touring gave them access to homes and lives no other travel couldRiding as a woman through deeply traditional societies across the Middle East and Central AsiaThe moment the Arab Spring broke and the helplessness of watching those places burnHow the hospitality they received on the road led them to sponsor the first Syrian refugee family into Scotland

    Helen's book Tea and Grit: A Bicycle Journey Along the Silk Road is out now and available for purchase here here: https://www.helenwatsonwriting.com/

    If you've ever wanted to cycle Central Asia, ride through Iran, or just hear one of the most extraordinary bike adventure stories to land on Seek Travel Ride, this is the episode for you.

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  • Brian Sampson is cycling through China for the second time, and this update is packed with everything you'd actually want to know before attempting it yourself. He covers the apps that make daily life manageable (WeChat, Alipay, trip.com, and a VPN you'll need from day one), how to find hotels that accept foreign passports, what border crossings look like, and why cycling in northern China is a completely different experience to the mountainous south.

    Brian also shares his highlights so far including the Terracotta Warriors, the Great Wall at Yanmen Pass, and a hidden ancient town in Hunan Province he thinks deserves far more attention than it gets.

    Be sure to follow Brian via his instagram @brian.sampson4 - to keep up to date with his adventures.

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  • Leonie Katekar was 56 years old when she set off solo from Guatemala to cycle 12,000 kilometres to the tip of South America and had no prior solo bike travel experience. The whole adventure was driven by one question: what would you do if you weren't afraid?

    In this episode:

    The chaotic Day One in Guatemala: lost, dehydrated, and rescued by a stranger before finishing half the rideManaging Central American heat by riding from 4:30am and being done before the worst of the dayGetting blown clean off her bike in the winds of PatagoniaTwo back-to-back 4,000-metre passes in Peru and the moment she knew she could finish thisRiding through Nicaragua despite every travel warning, and what she actually found thereTraveling solo as a woman through South AmericaThe unexpected shift in her relationship with her four kidsAn Antarctic cruise, a book, and what she's planning next

    Leonie's book When We're Not Afraid is available at leoniekatekar.com - order direct for a signed copy.

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