Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Cycle Tours => Topic started by: richie thornger on October 09, 2012, 09:12:06 PM
-
As I appear to be up to my 100th post it seemed a good idea to mention my little jaunt.
My Raven Tour took me from Liverpool to Istanbul last year following in the wheel tracks of Thomas Stevens. He was the first person to ever cycle around the world. He wrote a book about his adventure and diarised every day and place that he stopped. I tried to stay as faithful to the book as possible and visit as many places that he visited. Although he started his journey in San Franciso he actually grew up in the village next to me and went past my house on his route. Unfortunately he wouldn't have been able to wave at anyone as the house was actually built a few years later. This was between 1884 -1886. He completed his adventure on a Old Ordinary aka Penny Farthing. The book is a must read for any cycle tourist to show just what is possible. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5136 (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5136)
My original plan had been to do the Liverpool - Istanbul leg as a test and if I enjoyed it to carry on with the rest of the route at a later time. Well I certainly enjoyed it. Although not in the way I had imagined. Having only got back on a bicycle in 2010 for the first time in 25 years I thought it would be the achievement of having cycled across a continent that would be the aspect that pleased me the most. It was however the meeting of ordinary people that made the adventure special and that's what has driven me on to go off on a longer adventure this time. It is also the reason why I'm not going to follow the book any more. Although I had time restraints on the Istanbul trip I still denied myself opportunities that came my way in order to stay true to the book. This time my goal is to just say YES to as many weird and wonderful situations that come my way.
I had originally hoped to fly back to Istanbul to pick up where I left off, unfortunately I have decided to compromise and get myself to Batman in South Eastern Turkey.
This will hopefully get me to India in time to enjoy as much of the cooler weather as possible as I ride down from Amritsar to Sri Lanka. Batman is a few hundred kms from the Turkey/Iraq border. I'm hoping to cycle across Northern Iraq/Kurdistan into Iran and down to Pakistan then onto India. I've not given what happens after that too much thought except to aim for Papua New Guinea and see where that takes me. After two years I have to come back home and sort out some things and rent out my house again. If I'm still in the mood the idea is to cycle down through the Middle East, down through Africa and hitch a ride to Brazil. I'll travel through South America for a while and head towards Alaska. I look forward to coming back on here in four years time to see where I ACTUALLY ENDED UP GOING:)
The last six weeks have been rather full of vaccinations and visas. Had I known what they were all going to cost at the start of planning this trip it might have put me off. £450 gets you stabbed in the arm about 20 times and with a bit of luck you are covered for Hep A & B, MMR, Rabies, Tetanus,Diptheria,Polio, Typhoid and Japanese encephalitis. This is the cost on the fantastic British NHS (all except the Jap en) what would it have been if it was all private?. Visas and associated costs for Iran,Pakistan and India are so far past £350 and that's without the visit to Dublin I'm going to have to make to get my Iranian visa sorted. All told I could have bought another Rohloff equipped Thorn on ebay! In between vaccinations and visa I've been selling anything of value on ebay to ease the sting.
As it stands right now I have my visa for Pakistan secured, this takes a bit of careful planning and leaving out a few details of what part of Pakistan you intend to visit. Mentioning Balochistan province or riding a bicycle are not advised. The Pakistan Tourist Board official website has this to say about Balochistan... "Lawless" that's about it. I'm not sure if that is an attraction or a warning :) My Iranian visa has apparently had the first part completed which means I can now apply and collect the visa. I posted the forms and passport to the Dublin Embassy only to receive them back a week later with a post-it note attached to to the passport saying I must come in person. So a trip to Dublin is now on the cards if only the Embassy would answer the phone or reply to my emails. A little taste of what to come me thinks. The Indian visa is also in the process. If things go according to plan I should be on the plane in a couple of weeks. Needless to say I've not booked my flight just yet.
I'm keeping a bit of a blog at www.batmantorobben.wordpress.com (http://www.batmantorobben.wordpress.com)
I have no idea what form that is going to take, hopefully the occasional picture and update on what country I'm in. I will also head back here with any Nomad related incidents. How to service a Rohloff hub in a Himalayan winter with only a yak for company, that sort of thing. So hopefully any nifty out of the way solutions can be passed onto others. I will no doubt also be asking for ideas on how to fix a broken gear cable with only sand and biscuits.
If anyone is planning a similar jaunt and wants any advice then do get in contact. I'll try and help you as much as I can with anything I've picked up so far or in the future. The Thorn forum has been a fantastic resource for me and I hope it grows and grows.
Likewise Lonely Planets Thorn Tree is invaluable for up to date travel info.
See you on the road, Richie
-
This sounds just fantastic, Richie. I think you have just the right idea, to let go of the schedule and take hold of what presents itself right in front of you! I do dream of such adventures, though nothing quite on the scale you have sketched out! More like a few months than a few years - let's see how I do!
Wishing you many tail winds and dogs with wagging tails!
-
Just before you pedal off, check your left rear pannier.
You may find me hiding there!
Sounds just the kind of trip I plan / hope to do in a year or two.
Can you leave one of those paper trails for me to follow?
Best of luck
Matthew
-
A fantastic adventure and definetly one fit for a Nomad. It will be interesting to hear your review in terms of how you would compare the tour and the nomad.
I am sure many of the form members will be keeping an eye on your blog and wishing you well.
Regards
Andy
-
Sure will Andy.
very best of luck Richie your a brave man, would never have the balls to do anything like it. ::)
-
Thanks All. I've just had conformation that I need to travel to Dublin to pick up my Iranian visa.
After the Ryan Air website crashed for the 3rd time I investigated other methods of travel.
I didn't know about the Virgin Rail&Sail deal.
London/Watford to Dublin on the train/ferry £38 each way. Cheaper than those crooks at Ryan. I leave tomorrow.
It means I will spend a lot more time travelling but I can take the bike :)
The World Tour starts in Dublin.
What part of the world are you in Jags?
-
40mile north of dublin, i think you dock near enough in dublin city.
i don't know dublin at all richie sorry buddy, are you just staying the one night.
-
Richie,
I wish you all the best and godspeed on your wonderful journey ahead. I'll be following your blog updates avidly. If you find yourself in need with limited web access but available email, please feel free to contact me directly if you're in need with of any help with comms or Forum-related activity, and I'll do my best to assist.
We'll surely miss you here, but will be with you as blog readers every roll of your wheel and will be looking forward to any updates at this end as well.
I'm so glad you're taking your time this go-'round. One of my great regrets from my time cycling Europe was my companion's schedule. It meant we had to turn down many offers of dinner, conviviality, overnight accommodations and even joining whole families willing to fete us as Worthy Travelers (astounding and very touching from my perspective). Treasure those moments and the contacts you'll have with store clerks, street workers, the ordinary citizen puttering in a garden who waves as you go by. Each and every such contact is the basis for a golden memory, and something you'll treasure for a lifetime. You've a wonderful perspective on the trip ahead, and I know it will make it all you wish and more.
Take care!
All the best,
Dan.
-
I cycle to Watford Junction (8 miles from my house) for 09:00 and get in at Dublin at 17:15 tomorrow. Do the visa run on Friday ,Depart Saturday 08.20.
I've got a few people from www.warmshowers.com who said they would put me up.
I'm very glad it worked out this way. I get to spend more time in Dublin and get to have the bike with me. Perfect.
I've never cycled in Ireland Jags. What are the drivers like?
-
MENTAL ;D ;D
Only joking richie cycling has taken off big time in ireland since this recession hit,
so it's basically as good or as bad as anywhere else, you should have a good time in dublin but for God sake dont leave your bike in the city it will get nicked use a really good lock .
-
Cheers Jags! Nutters the lot of ya.
Cheers Dan, will do. Might need some advice on beating Iranian firewalls first!
Irish/Iranian visa update. Current situation is you have to collect in person and you have to pay €150 euros in the form of an Irish postal order. €3 ish charge for that. Much cheaper than UK.
I saw at least 10 people at the embassy and all were from the UK. Whole process sorted in 30mins. So a successful trip.
Stayed with a lovely French couple through www.Warmshowers.com (http://www.Warmshowers.com)They had spent nearly 3 months cycling around Ireland on a Tandem for their honeymoon. They have now both got jobs in Dublin and are there for the next year at least. The visa is in my passport. Hooray.
A little trip to West London for my Indian visa made me think I needn't bother going that far East at all. For anyone wanting a flavour of India, just visit Southall!
-
did you have a good time in dublin richie.
best of luck with the big tour keep safe ;)
-
A lovely time in Dublin cheers Jags. Although very few pints of the black stuff as my hosts were not big drinkers. They were lovely though and it was nice to have a clear head for the 6am ride to the ferry.
Well I'm still in the UK. Various things have plotted against me but I'm still going.
All visas are now in place and I somehow managed to get a 12 month multiple entry visa for India. I mentioned bicycle riding and gave a detailed projected plan of every week I was going to be there.
Most of which I have no intention of following. Basically the complete opposite of obtaing my visa for Pakistan. ;)
The day my passport arrived through the letterbox I got a twang in my knee. I'm off for more physio on it today but only time will tell how long it lasts or if it causes a problem at all.
With this in mind I've tweeked the plan a bit. I'm off to the Eastern Med Coast of Turkey for a weeks relaxation before heading off towards the rising sun along the Turkey/Syria border and into Iraq. What a great place to test out wonky body parts!
The flights are booked, the extra luggage space has been reserved and I'm off on Wednesday morning.
I've never felt the need to "pedal" every mile of my journey. I've read many blogs of people who travel in dangerous places. When they feel they need to make the armed convoy go at bike pace so they can complete their goal it has never sat easy with me. It's highly likely that when I arrive at the Iran/Pakistan border they will want me to get in the back of the pickup truck with the machine gun. That's fine with me:) I hope to take my bike on as many different types of transport as possible. But no more planes if I can possibly help it. If you don't see some photos of the Nomad in a bus, on a roof,in a boat, a homemade raft,on a camel, an elephant or a helicopter I will probably feel the journey has not been complete. Having seen a camel in the back of a small 4 door hatchback I know most things are possible.
The upside to the new knee problem is that it has made me be a bit more ruthless on the luggage to get the weight down. I'm going to have a box sent out to me when and if I actually need it.
I used www.pacrelhero.com (http://www.pacrelhero.com) to get some quotes. A 10kg box measuring 40x32x27cm comes out at the following prices: Sent from UK mainland.
parcel hero dhl/ups 10kg Turkey Mersin 3 day £42.00
parcel hero dhl/ups 10kg IRAN Can't quote
parcel hero dhl/ups 10kg Pakistan Karachi 4-7 day £69.41
parcel hero dhl/ups 10kg Pakistan Quetta 4-7 day £69.41
parcel hero dhl/ups 10kg India Amritsar 4-7 day £69.41
parcel hero dhl/ups 10kg Sri Lanka Colombo4-7 day £84.41
If anyone knows any better rates, do let me know. (I have not added extra insurance to any of these)
These quotes are based on the value of the parcel not being more than £300 for customs purposes.
It's changed me from being prepared for all eventualities to being prepared to wait a week for the box to arrive. It's a gamble/compromise I'm willing to make. :)
-
May the wind be behind you always, and the road run only downhill. -- Andre Jute
-
Dont forget the tea bags richie ;) hope the knee gets better real soon you might want to higher you saddle bit at a time might just relive the pain ::)
best of luck with the tour sounds fantastic just be carefull and have a blast.
-
Richie!
All best wishes your way for a wonderful, exciting, and adventurous trip. 'Don't see a single demerit for doing it "your" way -- you're the fellow in the saddle and will know what's best at the time better than anyone. So! Go as the wind takes you, ride or not as you please, and know our thoughts are with you!
Please keep in touch as you can, if nothing else so we can add the occasional "Go, Richie" and have the privilege of helping as needed.
All good luck your way,
Dan.
-
Richie
All the best for this fantastic trip. I will check the blog often to follow your progress ... every time I put the Carradice saddle bag on my thorn, it will remind me to look up your blog!
This is a trip I have been considering myself so will probably be throwing a few questions in your direction during the trip! Sounds fascinating!
Richard
-
Hello All, currently still stuck at my first port of call. Mersin in Turkey.
A parcel I had sent to me from the UK has been stuck in customs for the last 10 days. This is due to DHL Turkey being totally incompetent. Anyhoo. I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a blogging service/ platform where I can upload kml or gpx routes. Creating a route on a map which I can embed in my blog. I know this was talked about in a different post. But my internet is painful here and my phone has been blocked by the very Tax hungry Turkish government.
The knee now seems like a far off problem. Only to be replaced with a different one. :)
I paid £40 for my DHL parcel to be delivered here and will probably have to pay twice that to get it out of customs even though all the items are used in no packaging and addressed to me.
A Farsi phrasebook I ordered from the UK the day after has arrived today. Cost of postage . £1.75.
Use the post office, its quicker and costs less :)
-
my post disappeared :o
anyway good to hear from you richie great your knee problem is sorted
hope bike and gear is preforming well
and you get your parcel real quick.
Richie why not blog on facebook, i have no idea how these things work but stick around someone will know thats for certain.
mind those turks there worse than us irish ;D
keep safe and ride well may the force be with you ;)
(Jawine just thrown her eyes up in the air ) ::) ::) ;D
-
I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a blogging service/ platform where I can upload kml or gpx routes. Creating a route on a map which I can embed in my blog.
Looks like CrazyGuyOnABike supports gpx:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/website/help/?o=1#trackpoints (http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/website/help/?o=1#trackpoints)
Looks like you are getting the full adventure. I hope things ease up soon so you can get on your bike!
-
Hello all. Thanks for the suggestions and hellos. I'm trying to use Garmin Base Camp and upload my routes as "Adventures" My first route is http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/richie-finger/turkey-batman-to/#.UMd3yOTFUt5. (http://adventures.garmin.com/en-US/by/richie-finger/turkey-batman-to/#.UMd3yOTFUt5.) Garmin are basically useless at software so Don't be surprised if if you get a dead link or a glitch. It was working a few hours ago:)
I'm now in Iraq. I'm sure other Nomads have been here before me but in case they haven't I'll post these pics.
The snow capped mountains are in Turkey. In the pic I've just climbed the pass from Zakho towards Duhok. The descent was pretty hairy with all the bumps in the road. The bike is superb though. Probably not the best time of year to come here, plenty of mud. But the hospitality is incredible.
Have a good xmas. Don't think I'll be celebrating it in the usual way :)
oh yeah...more of this stuff at www.batmantorobben.com (http://www.batmantorobben.com)
-
Wow, now that is REAL adventure cycling!
It looks like the GPS doesn't make track points so very often. There's a straight line segment that goes through Syria. I am guessing that you went around instead!
What a way to experience a part of the world that is in the headlines every day... to see it through your own eyes instead of filtered and warped through the media. Enjoy your ride and stay safe!
-
Cheers Jim, I got the bus for that straight line part! I wasn't expecting zero degrees, sideways rain and 60mph winds all at the same time!! The goretex failed in about 30 mins and my hands started to go blue. Some guy in a transit offered me a lift and i jumped at the chance.
Well at least the lines are showing up on the map for you, that's good.
Certainly different walking around a market where the army equipment for sale is being used for its real purpose. Not sure if I would trust a bullet proof vest bought in the bazaar though!
-
Seasons greetings to you all. I'm still in Iraqi Kurdistan and came across my first minefield whilst out in the mountains today!! I then got a puncture on some sharp stones whilst going off piste. It's sliced a hole in my nearly new Duremes. I've used a large puncture patch on the inside of the hole. Was wondering if anybody has some other suggestions for repairing said hole??? Or should I say tear. It's about 3/4" long on the sidewall.
Pic 1 of Nomad at 1500metres overlooking the city of Sulaymanyia, Kurdistan Iraq.
Pic 2 Minefield signs in the mountains!
-
I've successfully repaired sidewall tears by applying a section of fabric plaster (elastoplast) covering it with gaffer tape and stitching around the edges of the patch with dental floss.
-
Hi Ritchie!
Good to hear from you; just don't go past those skull 'n' crossbones signs -- yikes!
Duremes are nice tires, but do seem to have fragile sidewalls if one hits something just right (I think they'd be most vulnerable to sliding into a rock-lined hole).
Rual gave some great advice, and I can offer a further suggestion. If you happen to carry a Rema patch kit, it will often include an oval patch (two if it is the full "touring" patch kit with spares). For many years, having only the little hole-type tube punctures, I wondered what the oval guy was for. I got my answer when I incurred a sidewall tear much like yours. Applying a patch inside and out -- as one would on a tube -- did the trick for me. The tire continued for many hundreds of commuting miles with no sign of problems, though I did promptly swap it to the back wheel from the front, figuring a tear-out would be less problematic there.
A second large puncture patch on the outside wouldn't hurt. .75in is a good-sized tear.
Lacking that, booting inside with a bank note (cash bill) can really help, as most are printed on a tough linen-content paper. I've done that and smeared the equivalent of ShoeGood or SeamGrip outside and have done alright. If the tear seems to be progressing toward the bead, you may have to wrap a single layer of the bill around the bead itself.
I hope this helps, Richie. Any chance of a replacement arriving in the mail?
Please take care, and know good wishes are with you for a safe journey into and through the coming New Year.
All the best,
Dan.
-
Cheers guys for the advice. It's on the rear at the moment. I think I'll mark it with a pen and keep an eye on it to see if it gets bigger. I may visit a shoe mender and see what he suggests:)
I've got plenty of patches and gaffer tape.
The patch on the outside was going to be my next question.
Got to be in Iran by the 14th Jan to start my Visa. A new tyre might make it but probably not.
Cheers
-
Great to hear about your trip.
It's a part of the world I hope to take my Raven to.
Can you give a quick info update on the visas you have obtained for the present section of your trip?
Many thanks
Matt
-
Hi Matt, You pay $20 at the Silopi border in Turkey to get a Kurdistan Iraq visa. You then get a stamp on entry to Iraq. It lasts for 6 months but you are supposed to get another stamp after 15 days. I haven't bothered as I'm working on the fact the $20 dollar fine was more than worth not having to go through the process of getting the stamp. I'll update when I make it to Iran.
-
Well so far so good. I've patched the inside and sewn the tear with dental floss. I then gaffer taped the inside. I then patched the outside. So far it's holding. I've managed to find what seems to be one of a handful of bike shops in a city of nearly a million people. I've got myself a cheapy Iranian knobbly tyre for the grand price of £3.50. Should the repair fail I will at least have a spare now.
I wonder if any Aussies reading this know of Hillman Cycles? I found a long sleeve cycling top of theirs in the second hand market to replace my top I lost in Turkey. Cost £1. :)
-
Very nicely done field repair, Richie, and wise to acquire the spare as well. Can't hurt, and can only help if you end up needing it. Always wise to pack a spare on any long trip.
I'm not Australian, but found a link to Hillman's for you: http://hillmancycles.com.au/about ...and... http://hillmancycles.com.au/
What a wonderful, mad coincidence, seeing something like that in a second-hand market there. If only it could talk, what tales it would likely tell!
Thanks so much for the followup; I was wondering how you were getting on with the tire repair and feel much better about it now.
Please do take care, and keep in touch!
All best wishes and godspeed on your wonderful journey, Richie,
Dan. (...who wishes his "there" was your "here" so he could ride in the same places right now!)
-
Cheers Dan, I've written to Hillmans. I'm assuming it's them in Aus as I couldn't find another on the www.
I had a spare tyre in my kit but I decided to leave it out at the last minute to make the weight limit on the budget flight!
I'll be in Iran in the next week and everyone here is telling me stuff never makes it if sent in the post?? So I'll have to last until Pakistan on repairs and Iranian specials. All part of the adventure :)
-
update for anybody planning to cycle Kurdistan / Iraq.
DO NOT OUTSTAY THE 15 DAY VISA
make sure you go to get your passport stamped in Erbil or Sulaymanyia before it runs out. Even then you might not get an extension without a local to sponsor you.
*****DO NOT EXIT THROUGH THE MANZAREYA BORDER nr Khanaqin OR ANY OTHER IRAQI CENTRAL GOVT RUN BORDER****
I accidentally went there and ended up in prison for 2 days then got held in a military zone for 5 days and I'm still not allowed to leave the country. My own fault, but it should have been a 10 minute job to issue a fine but a split country with two governments is a bureaucratic nightmare.
-
Uh-oh. Big Uh-oh.
Richie...are you alright? Two days in prison and being held 5 days in a military zone couldn't have been a picnic, and you're still there...
Are you being treated well?
Link to your blog page for those who haven't seen it: http://batmantorobben.com/
All the best,
Dan. (...who is "concerned")
-
My first time in jail was actually very interesting. The food was good. The other 6 inmates in the cell were friendly and I was generally well looked after. Very cold cell though and lots of pacing up and down to keep warm. Just bars on the windows and doors that faced the elements and about 0-5 degrees in the night.
Sleeping on a concrete floor on a very thin mattress is the norm here so that element wasn't too bad.
Thanks for your concern though Dan. I certainly got the adventure I came for but the novelty has worn off now :)
Otherwise I'm in fine form just itching to get back on the bike. Snow in the mountains on the Iraq/Iran border might alter my plans but as soon as I'm past that it's back on the Nomad.
-
Just think of the stories to tell when you get back, you will look back and never regret the great adventure you had.
Talking of which, that Earthian guy is incredible..... Or crazy ......
Best wishes and good luck Richie
Ian
-
Cheers Ian, It's how I try and get through those sort of situations. Think of the great story when it's over :)
Earthian http://earthianblog.wordpress.com/ (http://earthianblog.wordpress.com/) is both, never seems to lose his cool. Takes everything in his stride. That's what happens when you grow up in Iran, and have to flee to another country as a conscientious objector!
-
hi ritchie wow man this is certainly turning into a epic bike adventure, i syre hope your ok and out of jail glad you enjoyed the food though .
ritchi look after yourself dont go taking to many more chances like that.
hows the bike going ;)
-
It would appear that the Thorn Forum is not on the list of websites filtered out on the Iranian internet. So hello you lucky people.
Bike doing well, although it's not really had to do many miles yet.
It has been on the back of many a bus,coach and pick up. Including strapped on the back of a flatbed truck through hair pin bends in the mountains. I was looking in the mirror the whole time expecting the bike to fly off down into the abyss.
It has also hung out the back of a the boot of a Kia Pride. One of the few makes of car you get in Iran along with Peugot 406's and the hilarious Payaks, a rebadged 70's Hillman Avenger. They Only stopped making them 5 years ago. Tehran is insane. Woman can't ride motorbikes or bicycles but motorbikes are allowed on the pavement???!!! 3 lanes on a motorway means 5 cars can fit. Crossing the road as a pedestrian is probably the scariest thing of all though :)
Unlike Kurdistan I have mobile internet so am using the phone as a modem on my laptop.
Note for all Kindle users. The free 3g did not work in Kurdistan but does work so far in Iran.
Filtered sites include: Facebook, some google sites including maps. Couchsurfing sometimes. Twitter. BBC. Tehranis use VPN's to get round this. Oh yeah and the Republican Guard can arrive on your roof at any time and dismantle your satellite TV as its forbidden.
Whilst all this may sound negative (did I mention the pollution) Tehran is actually super friendly and I spent my first 2 nights staying at a mans flat who I met on the bus. As it had rained for a few days the pollution had cleared and the view out of his window to the The food is good and everything is so cheap if you have the hard currency. The Rial is at an all time low against the dollar/pound right now.
60,000 Rial to the £. Bread is fixed at 5000IR and is the size of a surfboard. My hotel whilst super basic and a bit scruffy, shared bathroom. Is £5 a night. £3 if the single was available. This slap bang in the middle of a capital city!!
Hopefully I will spend the next 10 days (my birthday) between here and Esfehan and then I will start to reach the warmer weather. Then the cycling proper can begin :)
-
Richie!
Great to hear from you...are you all sorted with regard to the overstayed visa and surrounding events? It sounds as if that is now resolved and you're no longer required to remain locally? I hope so; what an experience that was for you, and we're all grateful you're back in comms at least.
Very helpful to hear where and how the Kindle works, and about the site filtering/blockages; that'll come in very handy for those who follow in your footsteps.
Sounds as if you're eating well, at least, and good to hear no harm has befallen the Nomad. The native Iranians sound like most people -- fine and pleasant; it is the government that can make things sticky. I miss my Iranian buddies from uni days; a good and pleasant lot all.
If we don't hear from you before then, best wishes for a happy birthday, Richie! Warmer weather, better days ahead for you.
All the best,
Dan.
-
Best wishes from me too.
I hope to pass that way one day soon. So plenty of details please on how easy it is to get visas!
Matt
-
oh man what an adventure happy days richie enjoy it and stay safe. ;)
-
Kidnapped and still in Tehran. Kidnapped by the love and hospitality I've received since I've been here. It's hard to leave.
On the Visa front I managed to get a new Iranian visa from the Iranian consulate in Sulymanyiah in Kuridistan Iraq. I'm not sure if I got given it the same day because I already had one or not? It should have cost $300 but I pleaded ignorance to the man at the desk and only had to pay $217!!
I've still not taken the bike out again since getting here. It's the least bicycle friendly place I have ever been.
I'm reliably informed the rest of the country is totally different :)
I was expecting to be dry from alcohol for my time in Iran but that is certainly not the case. Get invited into peoples homes and you see a very different story to the one portrayed in the media.
I've also been surprised what you can buy here in regards to brands. Top end climbing and walking equipment is about in the wealthier parts of North Tehran. I met a guy who works for Giant bikes here yesterday so will endeavor to find out the location of a decent bike shop.
Thanks for the birthday wishes. From the city that performs the most "Nose Jobs" in the world. :)
-
Hanging on your lips, Richie!
-
Link to street in South Tehran with a good range of bike shops and branded parts.
http://goo.gl/maps/4Q6pD
For general outdoor clothes , walking boots etc this road is good.
http://goo.gl/maps/5tySA
Knowing this would have saved me carrying some excess bits.
-
So great to get the real ground level story! Going places in person is the best but hearing real experiences is priceless too.
Thanks for sharing!
-
Could someone please point me to the link for packing a Thorn S&S bicycle. I've looked everywhere but no joy. It's probably because I'm not using the correct spelling of S&S/S+S/S and S????
Many Thanks.
Still in Tehran....Looking to take the Nomad on a plane.
Update to bicycle shops in Tehran.
There is a Specialized dealer on Vali-Asr Street (The main South-North Rd) its on the left hand side, approx 100metres north of Vanak Square.
Plenty of bikes but not many spares, although I did pick up a Specialized Presta 26" Tube. 300,000 IRR £5.50
-
Richie,
Is this what you are looking for?
http://www.sandsmachine.com/index.html#pack (http://www.sandsmachine.com/index.html#pack)
Julian.
-
Cheers! I seem to remember seeing something about it on the actual Thorn site but this is excellent. Now to squeeze in the racks, mudguards and uncut stem ???
-
AAAAAAHHHH! I just spent 30 mins typing a post but because my photo was too large I got an error message and the whole post has disappeared?
Is lurking somewhere hidden??
-
Phew!! A lot of back tracking and i found it.
Hello All, As you may or not know I'm currently in the Northern Terrortorries of Pakistan. The bicycle and 90% of my luggage are back in Tehran. I had to get my Pakistan visa whilst still in the UK and what with my general slow way of travelling and the odd spell in custody my six months was nearly up to use my visa. I therefore decided to go on a small trip to India by plane and then onto Pakistan. As I had not done much cycling in Iran and the flight was cheap I decided to leave the bike in Iran and go back when Im done in Pakistan and carry on the "bike" tour on my return. This is of course if I manage to get my 3rd visa for iran. With the elections coming up in May there is a definite possibilty that I may get refused. I will cross this bridge when I come to it.
On the tour front and info that may be of use to people coming in a similar direction: My kindle 3g has worked in every country I've visited except for Kurdistan/Iraq. What used to be a use in an emergency gizmo is now just as quick as going to an internet cafe :)
On my Indian / Pakistan "Holiday" I decide to try an experiment of carrying as little luggage as possible. Just one tiny 20 litre back pack. No laptop. just the point and shoot camera and very little clothes. Its been lovely travelling with less clutter and as this part of the world has such cheap hotels its not been a problem with accomodation. My hotel at the moment is two pound twenty a night but you have to have pretty low standards to stay there:) My standards are pretty low now :)
The things I've missed the most are my good camera and my laptop. If you have technology with you the laptop just makes every element of using that technology so much easier. Especially backing up photos and videos. And fixing corrupt memory cards. Its all possible in internet cafes but takes up so much time.
I've never owned a tablet but perhaps I might like to try one out for a few months to see what the pros and cons are vs a small laptop.
I definitely took too much gear with me on this trip. I'm going to experiment again in Iran by trying to shed a load of it and see how I get on. The weather will be a lot hotter when I return so bulky warm items will not be needed.
Multi climate travelling is a lot more hassle.
Another thing I was hoping to do was back up my photos and videos online as i went. This is ok in Europe and Turkey but the internet speed gets painfully slow in Iraq,Iran and Pakistan.
I've been using a program to reduce all my photos to upload them. At some stage this little program developed a virus and has caused more troubles than it has saved. No problems at all whilst doing everything on my own laptop.
Hope these little titbits help someone.
At some points I really wish I had the bike here travelling along the KKH (Karakoram Highway) at others I'm glad to be in the safety of a bus. Taliban, local issues/general lawlessness all make for a very interesting region at the moment. And the KKH is sometimes pure blissful blacktop and at others shredded bumpy granite.
Until the next time.....
-
Wonderful update with much useful information for others, Richie; thanks so much!
As for future Forum posts...
If you can write the post -- and post it -- *then* post the photos as attachments later ("Modify Post" option, you'll ensure your post stays intact even if the photos later prove to be too big. So sorry you ran into problems. I know how frustrating it can be after putting a lot of time into writing.
Take care be safe, and know out good thoughts are with you.
All the best,
Dan.
-
Cheers Dan, noted for next time :)
I am currently under self imposed house arrest waiting for my visa extension to be sorted here in Pakistan.
With the electioneering in full effect and suicide bombs and assassinations left, right and centre it's an interesting place to be at this time!
Luckily I'm up in Gilgit who keep out of the elections so I'm nice and safe.
That said I would definitely recommend cycling the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakoram_Highway.
I would be back here with the bike in an instance If the visa wasn't so much of a hassle.
Luckily I'm up in Gilgit who keep out of the elections so I'm nice and safe.
With the upcoming Giro and TdF I'm wondering if anybody knows of any TV channels it might be showing on?
What station shows the cycling in the US? I'm not sure If i'll be in Pakistan,India or Iran but any info would be great. Pakistan has Star Sports. But I can't find any info about either.
Internet is no good because the connection is soooooooo slow.
-
Glad you're presently okay, Richie; please stay safe!
US televised coverage of the TdF amd other races are pretty much limited primarly to expanded for-pay cable coverage on what is now known as the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) an secondarily to summary broadcasts on over-the-air NBC here in the States. NBCSN started as the Outdoor Life Network (OLN), was renamed to Versus, and now is NBCSN with expanded cycling coverage (Yay! though I don't get it on my rooftop antenna, sad). I don't see mention of the Giro.
The complete NBCSN/NBC cycling broadcast schedule is here: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/50797969/ns/sports-cycling/ All times listed are for US Eastern time zone. In case you can't access it, here is a summary...Sunday, April 7
Paris Roubaix, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Sunday, April 21
Liege Bastogne Liege, 2 a.m., NBCSN
Tuesday, April 23
Fleche Wallonne, 2 a.m., NBCSN
Sunday, May 5
Amgen Tour of California, 5:30 p.m., NBCSN
Sunday, May 12
Tour of Turkey, 2 a.m., NBCSN
Amgen Tour of California Stage 1, 5 p.m., NBCSN
Monday, May 13
Amgen Tour of California Stage 2, 5 p.m., NBCSN
Tuesday, May 14
Amgen Tour of California Stage 3, 5 p.m., NBCSN
Wednesday, May 15
Amgen Tour of California Stage 4, 5 p.m., NBCSN
Thursday, May 16
Amgen Tour of California Stage 5, 4:30 p.m., NBCSN
Friday, May 17
Amgen Tour of California Stage 6, 5 p.m., NBCSN
Saturday, May 18
Amgen Tour of California Stage 7, 7 p.m., NBCSN
Sunday, May 19
Amgen Tour of California, 1 p.m., NBCSN
Amgen Tour of California Stage 8, 6:30 p.m., NBCSN
Sunday, June 2
USA Cycling Pro Championships, 1 p.m., NBCSN
Criterium Dauphine Libere, 11 p.m., NBCSN
Monday, June 3
Criterium Dauphine Libere, Noon, NBCSN
Sunday, June 9
Criterium Dauphine Libere, 5 p.m., NBCSN
Saturday, June 29
Tour de France Stage 1, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Sunday, June 30
Tour de France Stage 2, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Monday, July 1
Tour de France Stage 3, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Tuesday, July 2
Tour de France Stage 4, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Wednesday, July 3
Tour de France Stage 5, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Thursday, July 4
Tour de France Stage 6, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Friday, July 5
Tour de France Stage 7, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Saturday, July 6
Tour de France Stage 8, 8 a.m., NBC
Sunday, July 7
Tour de France Stage 9, 8 a.m., NBC
Tuesday, July 9
Tour de France Stage 10, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Wednesday, July 10
Tour de France Stage 11, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Thursday, July 11
Tour de France Stage 12, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Friday, July 12
Tour de France Stage 13, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Saturday, July 13
Tour de France Stage 14, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Sunday, July 14
Tour de France Stage 15, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Tuesday, July 16
Tour de France Stage 16, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Wednesday, July 17
Tour de France Stage 17, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Thursday, July 18
Tour de France Stage 18, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Friday, July 19
Tour de France Stage 19, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Saturday, July 20
Tour de France Stage 20, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Sunday, July 21
Tour de France Stage 21, 8 a.m., NBCSN
Sunday, August 18
Pro Cycling Challenge Preview Show, 3:30 p.m., NBCSN
Monday, August 19
Pro Cycling Challenge Prologue, 5 p.m., NBCSN
Tuesday, August 20
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 1, 4 p.m., NBCSN
Wednesday, August 21
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 2, 4 p.m., NBCSN
Thursday, August 22
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 3, 4 p.m., NBCSN
Friday, August 23
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 4, 4 p.m., NBCSN
Saturday, August 24
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 5, 2:30 p.m., NBCSN
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 5, 4:30 p.m., NBCSN
Sunday, August 25
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 6, 2 p.m., NBCSN
Pro Cycling Challenge Stage 6, 4 p.m., NBCSN
Sunday, October 13
Paris Tours, 4 p.m., NBCSN
Additional story here: http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2012-articles/march/nbc-to-pick-up-tour-de-france-coverage-from-nbcsn.html
Hope this helps, especially if you're near a means to access cable/satellite feeds.
I always enjoy your posts, Richie, both here and on your blog. You're in good thoughts.
All the best,
Dan.
-
Cheers Dan,
I have no idea if that will carry to where I will be. I have seen some of the biggest sat dishes in my life over here so who knows whats possible with dodgy boxes and a lot of clever local know how ;0
I'm getting in the spirit though, I've just picked up a Pinarello Sidermec top circa 1985 for the grand price of 200 Pakistani Rupees approx $2.
-
I've just picked up a Pinarello Sidermec top circa 1985 for the grand price of 200 Pakistani Rupees approx $2.
:o :o :o WOW!!! ;D ;D ;D
What fun! and for the price! Wow, again! (we want blog photos of it, of course).
All the best,
Dan.
-
It;s been 6 months since I've been on the road and a few things happened to me today soI thought I would just share these few morsels with you to hopefully help anyone in the same boat.
Visa Extensions: Both in Iran and Pakistan I’ve had problems extending my visa. Not getting the extension but the date you are able to extend. Both these countries have been unwillingly to extend my visa until a few days before the current visa runs out. This doesn’t always fit in with where you are in regards to the nearest visa office. I pleaded bicycle in Iran and with the help of an Iranian I was able to persuade them I would be in between towns near expiry. Today in Pakistan I had to wait for the visa to actually expiry before they would renew it. This actually worked in my favour and was partly due to the visa officer helping me get a few extra days by telling me to come back after the weekend even though my visa had expired. The side effect of having your visa actually run out is……………
You can not go anywhere that might involve an over zealous army/police checkpoint . In my experience they hardly ever check the date or even look for the stamp. A casual flick of the pages is usually enough to satisfy the mini power trip that lurks within them ?
The other side effect in Pakistan at least…and this may apply to other countries is thus. In Pakistan it is an offence to use a sim card registered to somebody else. Therefore when I registered for mine I had to show my passport and my visa expiry date was entered into the system. When my visa came up for expiry I was sent a text saying my number will be blocked unless I go to a service centre. I went to a service centre when I got this message and they said just come in when you have a new visa. Unfortunately the phone gets blocked until you can do this. Even more unfortunately when you go back to the service centre like I just have it is then that they tell you that they can not unblock it here. I have to go to a main city service centre. In my case that is a 24 hour drive away. I got a 1$ refund but its not the money as I’m sure you;ll appreciate. I will now go and try and register a new sim with a new company.
Whilst in India I had my wallet stolen. I had about 200 pounds in it but more importantly all my credit cards. I had a stash of cash in several other places so was not totally stuck. Once I had contacted all my card issuers and had all the new cards sent out to my home address I got somebody to UPS them out to me. I also had a new tyre sent to me at the same time. This cost me upwards of 50 pounds but was it I kind of killed 3 birds with one stone as I had already had a credit card blocked at the beginning of my trip. This plus the other cards plus the tyre softened the blow of the cost. The parcel arrived in Lahore in 2 days. I got a message saying that I had to pay (7 pounds) 1000 rupees tax (fair enough) although totally disproportionate to what the parcel was worth. Knowing this might happen I was prepared and just swallowed it. There was a catch though. It had to be paid in person by cash. Again I’m 24 hours drive away from Lahore. I only managed to overcome this by some helpful people at the hostel im staying at helping me out. Cheers Ashad and co ;) Medina Guest House 1 ,NLI Chowk ,Gilgit Baltistan. 300 rupees for a dorm bed per night 3$. The pound sign does not work on this keyboard!
So that is my 3 pieces of bad luck, I hope this might help someone else avoid a similar problem.
A few other gems I can share with you after 6 months on the road:
Using credit cards to get cash:
I have a Santander Zero Mastercard. The beauty about this card is that there are zero charges for using abroad. What I do is pay cash into the card creating a positive balance and then withdraw cash from ATM's this way I am not charged interest on the cash withdrawal. This was the plan. However I used this card to buy something at a supermarket in Turkey and had my card cloned. The card was immediately blocked but It meant I had to pay for cash withdrawals and foreign bank charges from then on. I now know to stick to using this card strictly for cash withdrawals.
Well I can't really comment on anything bicycle related as I haven’t done that much cycling, but apart from a split tyre on awful terrain the bike has of course been fine.
My 2 pairs of Merino boxer shorts at 30 and 35 pounds a pop where fantastically comfortable for about 3 months, dried very quickly and looked good, but they both started to fall apart after that. Not at all moth induced, just through wear. Rapha and Iceberg brands and they both started to go about the same time. They’ve had a few repairs but its bin time now. On the other side of the Rapha merino coin I have 3 short sleeved base layers and they are all still like new having been worn virtually everyday in rotation with 2 quecha sportwool tops which have started to find holes in the armpits and a few other places. But not through moth. I mention this as I had a merino dhb long sleeve base layer that got mothed after about a month.
I’m now on my 3rd pair of second hand hiking boots. Iraq :Lowa, lasted 6 weeks, good bit of use cost 10$. Salomon bought in Tehran Bazaar 22$. Sole snapped in half today. Serious use, worn non stop since I bought them about 2 months ago. The hiking has killed them.
Bought a new pair of Hi-Tec today, 1 size too big,need 3 pairs of big socks. Cost 5$.
I looked at my lovely, new ,just worn in Salomon boots as I was packing to leave in October and decided against them at the last minute. Doh!
When I get back to Iran I will by a brand new pair of good European quality boots. There is a bit of a premium on the price compared to home but with the joy of hindsight I know it will cost me that in tax to ship over my own and I will have them from day 1. I am learning ?
PHOTOS and DATA:
I have my laptop and a portable hard drive and regularly back up to at least 3 different places. (After losing 6 months work when I used to make music in the 90’s I am a backup fiend!!)
Still my portable hard drive started to pack up so I posted it home immediately and waited to hear it had arrived home safely before I could relax. Before I left I had planned to back up all my photos to google drive as I went. This was fine in turkey. But Iran,Iraq and Pakistan have had painfully slow internet connections and backing up original size photos has been impossible. I have resorted to 2 alternatives.
1: making small internet friendly size copies of everything and uploading interesting ones to Facebook. Then if connection allows uploading the >1mb copies to google drive and as a final back up…
2: copying the originals to new memory cards and posting them home. This opens another can of worms. In Iran and in Pakistan they have been a bit funny about what you post home. Today in the PO in Pakistan I was getting a letter weighed to find a price. The clerk had seen me put my memory card in the envelope and asked me to come behind the counter. He explained that memory cards were forbidden. As were all electrical items. I kicked up a gentle fuss and I was asked to go to the managers office. He either turned a blind eye or had a different idea of the rules and I was allowed to post my letter. This did come at a cost. I mentioned to him that I had posted a letter back home to the UK and it had got there in 10 days. I was very impressed. He asked me to write a letter of thanks to him so he could pass on the excellent work his office was doing to his superior. We then had tea.
Hopefully these little nuggets of info can go some way to help anyone else in similar situations.
If all goes well when I return to Iran I am going to travel super light on the bike as an experiment and see what happens. I will take tent, but no cooking items. It will be interesting to see what I can go without.
I'm now off to pickup a motorbike and ride on the highest paved road in the world. The KKH to China.
Toodle Oo
-
Wonderful account, Richie, almost as good as being there.
Andre Jute
-
Thanks for the stories, Richie! Shares the experiences wonderfully and definitely helpful for folks dreaming about big trips.
I'm travelling to Seattle every couple months or so, where there is a fun map store, Metzger. I got some nice Gizi maps of China, 1:2000000. Also one Nelle map at 1:1750000. Maybe on my next trip they will have more Nelle maps in stock. It's that road 214 that goes south from Xining that is calling me!
I'm sure that the troubles in China will be a bit different than the troubles in Pakistan or Iran, but just to get a sense of the possibilities, that's a good start!
-
Hi Guys, funny you should mention those two brands of maps. I've got a Gizi map of Iran that was given to me in Turkey and a Nelle map of Pakistan that I left in Iran.
My tour in general was partly sparked by a giant size road atlas of the world. I've had many a fun hour going through that seeing where I could go.
I remember going to a fantastic travel book shop in Covent Garden in London before I left which had the most amazing range of maps I've ever seen. But I stupidly bulked at the prices when I could see how much the rrp was in the country that made them.
As somebody who has worked in transport most of my life on and off ,I do love and appreciate a good map. It's only when you use a poor one that you appreciate the work that goes into a good one and therefore the price.
Iraq,Iran and Pakistan have proved very difficult to pick up a quality map. However my love of maps means I've still bought the local ones. The best map I ever bought was in Serbia for a small part of the Danube cycle way between Bela Palanka and Belgrade. It was so local that the inside cover had an advert for a missing dog on it :)
Finding your way is never the problem,, it's knowing about those interesting roads like you say Jim. Terrain of course is also great to know if you have a good map.
A quick extra note on Pakistan and China mobile phones. There is a phone company called Zong which has a shop here. The manager says that Zong mobiles work in China and Pakistan. Because my "ufone" sim has been terminated I will be buying a Zong sim and keeping it for when I eventually reach China. That will not be on the motorbike as I don't have a visa. That will just be a quickvisit to the Khunjerab pass and then return my bike back to Gilgit. Taking in some Glaciers and 8000metre peaks enroute.
As I remember more I'll keep adding them here..ie: I didn't know you could buy individual sachets of washing powder.(5 rupees) I had been using shampoo until I found that out. Toiletries in general is something I would not bother bringing with me and would definitely buy on the road. I had far too much stuff like that. Lots of suntan lotion and after sun for riding through the winter??? What was I thinking?? I definitely left in a bit of a flap. It couldn't be helped but its so funny looking back on it.
My stove is another one. I have a Primus multifuel stove and every conceivable adapter for all kinds of bottles/canisters but its totally unnecessary. I should have left it all behind and just bought a local stove and gas as I go. More of these as I remember, it's cathartic to get it out in the open :)
-
In case anybody else is in the Middle East wanting to watch the cycling .....
MIDDLE EAST and AFRICA
Several interested countries can be found. Al Jazeera will broadcast live and we have renewed the contract with Super Sport for live broadcast on pay TV channels in the sub-Saharan area; it was decided to interrupt live broadcast after the big victory of Gerald Ciolek of the MTN-QHUBEKA team at the last epic edition of Milano – Sanremo. Super Sport also screens Moto GP in the area.
from the Giro website
-
Hi Richie
Thanks for your description of your trip and useful tips, lots of good info for me as I will be
travelling across Iran and the 'Stans towards China.
I have a long list of items to take with me and I am trying to work out which ones that I
could really do without!
I plan to visit the Map Shop (Stanfords) in Covent Gardens before I set off on my trip so
I am interested in which maps you are using and whether it is also handy to have a local
printed map to use side by side.
Enjoy your trip and stay safe.
Cheers
Dave
-
Hi Dave,
I'm considering going that way myself once i get back to Iran. I haven't decided yet.
I don't think you'll get a better map printed in Iran than say the Givi one.
The other points being the names will be written in latin script so at least you can have a go at asking for the names of places. An Iranian one will be in arabic script but you can at least show it to someone.
When are you thinking of being in Iran??
The decision on what to take and what not can first be whittled down a lot by practice trips at home. It makes such a difference. Then I would leave out anything that can be bought at a regular supermarket/ chemists. Clothing is an interesting one. Apart from footwear I've been able to find everything I could need at second hand markets if not brand new. Something I was surprised by. If I left all my technology behind it would save me 10kg. An iphone does everything. But a laptop is fantastic..oh a camera..a kindle..oops.
I'm still struggling with that.
Everyone has a different idea of whats important.
What things are you having problems with deciding on?
-
I really like the whole way of thinking that most supplies can be acquired locally. My big idea for maintaining a journal is to buy paper and envelopes locally and mail letters home to be accumulated there.
The Gizi map of Xinjiang is fun - the big town names are printed in three scripts, Latin Chinese and Arabic.
I was in Kyoto Japan once for a few days. One restaurant had models of the various dishes on display out in front, but the lettering was all Japanese. So I spent a few minutes copying onto my little notepad the name of the dish I had picked. I went in a sat down. The waitress asked me what I wanted (I presume!) and I just pulled out my notepad. She was pretty surprised but happy to oblige and I got the dish I wanted, as tasty as I'd hoped.
Same trip, I saw in a guidebook mention of a restaurant that looked fun. I found the right intersection... maybe, anyway. But where is the restaurant? The book just had the name in Latin letters but no Latin letters to be seen on the street! I saw a likely candidate on the second floor across the street. I sat there for maybe ten minutes with the table of Japanese letters, trying to decode the sign. Yup, the right place! They were playing some Eric Dolphy inside which sure made me feel at home!
I should think that place-names on a map in the local lettering would make road signs a lot easier to read! In Kyoto only the very biggest intersections had any road signs in Latin letters. Up in Gilgit, are there Latin letters on road signs?
-
Jim, I like your thinking ;)
On sourcing things locally:
It's nice of course to have your comforts with you. But if you are on a long trip these will run out at some time, so why not save the hassle and weight and start on the local bits straight away. Yeah, they might not have your favourite moisturizer or cotton buds but............
Pakistan is the best combination of cultures I've come across so far. *(excepting that All strict Muslim countries have of course a very different Male/Female role and it's far too complicated to try and get under the skin of in a post here)
On the one hand it's very very different to what I'm used to at home. The scenery, the people, the way of life, the weather etc etc. But unlike some other places with all this to offer there is such a high proportion of English speakers and not just the young educated people. Because of the British rule, lots of older people who have been in the army or fathers were in the army speak English as well. This is particularly nice when you are in an out of the way place having a cup of tea in some tiny little chai house. You can get to have a decent conversation and understand the place a lot better. That said if you're not lucky enough to find an English speaker, people will speak 2 different languages depending on what side of the river or mountain they live on, particularly up here in the Northern Areas. So learning the lingo is quite hard.
My two favourite phrases to learn when I enter a new place are "Problem" and "No Problem" you can get most basic stuff sorted with these 2 phrases :)
ALL Road signs I've come across so far are in English. None in any other language. To add to this the country has a staggeringly high illiteracy rate. It all makes for a great adventure.
Something else I'm not sure I've mentioned here is that Pakistan is like Turkey,Kurdistan & Iran. Extremely helpful and friendly to the tourist off the beaten path. If you could survive off tea alone you would never need money as long as you where here. In fact I know someone who managed quite well. See this mans blog www.earthianblog.wordpress.com
-
Hi Ritchie
I plan to set off on my journey next March 2014, and what clothing to take has been
puzzling me. If the weather in Europe is going to be the same next year then warm
clothing will be the order of the day, I guess as I move East and the weather warms
up I could post back what I dont need. But then I may need the warmer clothing
when tackling the Pamir Highway, but I hope to get over it before winter begins.
Its my intention to have a few weekends away testing my equipment and getting
used to my Nomad before my trip starts next year.
I guess I would be lost without the netbook, kindle and camera.
Are you taking any video of your trip?
Are you using your camera or do you have a video cam?
I would love to take some video of my trip although not sure whether to invest in a
purpose made video cam or use the camera?
Does anyone else use a video cam such as the Go Hero or can recommend a vid cam
that would do the job?
Cheers
Dave
-
Hi Dave!
With regards to a GoPro/vidcam, I will be posting an update here in coming weeks: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4117.0
Best,
Dan.
-
Hi Dan
Thanks for the link, it makes interesting reading and I'am looking forward to your future posting.
Cheers
Dave
-
Hi Richie. Im going to follow your blog as I plan to leave Dublin on a Sherpa soon. Im hoping to cross Iran Pakistan India Myanmar so I will be interested in how you get on. Did you go to Balochistan in the end and was it truly "lawless"?
Here is my blog: http://loveforourworld.wordpress.com/
-
Hello All, sorry for late replies, been finding my spiritual side with the Dalai Lama up in the Mcleod Ganj in the Himalayas.
I've got a Drift HD camera, which is fantastic, it has a remote control which you can wear on your wrist but the camera has to be on for it to work. So battery runs down. You defo need a HD battery which can be got off ebay for a few quid. not drift though theirs are about 30 i think.
It can also be set to take time delay burst photos which can be good. set to different intervals. I hope that helps. Amy more questions just ask.
Pakistan: I didn't ride my bike in Pakistan and I didnt go south of Lahore. Two czech girls got kidnapped from a bus down there at th same time i was ther but I dont know the details. I met a guy who is going to ride some camels through that part of the world so i will post a link to his fb page.
On the whole the government tries to stop you or escort you when you are in the dangerous places.
and I thought I would put the reply to the Stolen Thorn bike I thought I saw here as well:
apologies for the appalling spelling before, even worse than usual i mean ;)
So after posting the boy rode past me again and I said I wanted to buy it off him. He said it wasn't his. I said tell the owner I want it. he rode off and I never saw him again.
Now before anyone thinks Im being in any way racist by assuming it couldn't be his, this boy was about 18 and his monthly wages would have been about enough to buy the cheapest component on the bike. Not only that but I've been her for over 3 weeks and not seen a single bicycle that would have cost more than a $100. So when a Thorn rides past your eyes pop out of your head.:)
Having done my bit for the Thorn community I went off to the top of Daramkot to watch a small classical Indian music gig in a yoga temple. As you do here. I took my seat on a cushion on the ground and sat next to an Indian man with a great mustache and watched the concert.
Ten minutes in I start getting bombarded with calls and Facebook to trying to arrange a meet up. Embarrassed ,I turn my phone off and go outside to take the calls. When I get outside I see the man who had been sat next to me putting on a Pearl Izumi raincoat. Their are a lot of fakre chinese outdoor clothes here. North Face, Mamut, that sort of thing but no cycling gear. Then a 10 year old boy arrives on the Thorn. I ask the Indian man if its his bike and tell him about my trip. It is his bike and we have a big hug. Then he tells me his name is Dickie and as i'm a Richard this calls for another big hug. Daramkot/Mcleod Ganj and Dharamsala are very huggy places in case your wondering, there is a lot of love here :)
By the way the guy talked about his bike, the passion, the knowledge, his regret of getting hydraulic brakes instead of V and his knowledge of how damned heavy my bike was. I have no reason to believe it's not his. That and the fact that he mentioned how long he spent deciding with Robin on what bike was best for him, meant if it was stolen it was an amazing piece of background research!!!!!!!! (Totally possible in India)
He comes from Delhi, is on a little bike holiday for a bit and has offered to lend me the bike for a few days when he is not using it, as well as inviting to go stay with him at his home in Delhi. Both offers I'm hoping to take up.
So (presumably) mystery solved. I thought you would all be interested in the outcome.
Until I get a bit more time. Keep the questions coming.
-
Dickie & Richie & a Thorn in the Himalayas. Probably more chance of finding a yeti than this happening :)
P.S. The TDF is on 'Ten Action' channel if you are in India :)
-
Thats a Sterling I think, bit of a rarity these days and increasingly so given their demise.
-
Certainly is. Weighs about half of my Nomad :(
-
Richie,
That café at the side has a very interesting webpage of its own: http://commongroundsproject.org/cafe/common-ground-cafe/cafe
The menu, here: http://www.commongroundsproject.org/cafe/common-ground-cafe/menu ...looks awfully good! Did you try it?
Best,
Dan.
-
I have beeñ in there yes. Pretty standard fair for Mcleod. Which is why I've been here for over a month!
I'm enjoying some luxuries before getting back on the bike in Iran and back to Indian "proper" :)
-
Hello Thornies, I'm writing this on my laptop plugged into my Android phone to get the internet. Luckily the Iranian Regime does not consider this forum worthy of filtering so I can chat away to my hearts content :)
I have finally made it back to Iran and am now reunited with my Nomad...Yay! After a brief catch up with friends in Tehran I jumped on a coach to the Azerbijan border on the Caspian Sea. Since then I've been riding again for the past 4 days. The first time on my Nomad in about 6 months!!
I deliberately chose this route as it meant flat cycling for 600km to get me back into shape. There are some gorgeous mountains behind me but Ive just not got the legs yet. At the moment its my backside that is suffering most as I've still not worn in my new Brooks saddle from when I started my trip.
I'm currently sat in my tent on a private bit of beach owned by a tractor repair man that I found by accident.
My first night camping on the beach got me a visit from the army and the police.....just to say hello :)
If any one is planning on coming to Iran please dont use a visa agent called i r a n i a n visa.com they are crooks and cost me £50. There is a massive thread on Lonely Planet if you want to know more.
Also a quick note on the kindle 3g keyboard. Everything works in Iran!!! Facebook, BBC, Guardian etc and all for free. Its such a shame its such a clunky interface to use. Still to date the only country the kindle has not worked in (internet wise) is Iraq.
I had a couple of weeks on a Royal Enfield 350cc Bullet in India but I'm looking forward to doing India properly on the Nomad. My 'plan' at the moment is to stay in Iran as long as I can extend visas then fly to Dubai, fly to Sri Lanka, ride around Sri Lanka for a month and then Fly to Southern India and cycle up the West Coast. Every flight is one more than I had planned but plans change for many reasons and I have to accept that.
It might rain tonight so Im treating myself to a film on my laptop. Something I haven't been able to do in 4 months because I decided to leave it in Tehran.
Keep pushing those pedals
-
Great to hear you are well and continuing your trip.
Good tip about who not to use for the I r a n v I s a but who would you recommend?
Thanks
Matt
-
sounds like you having a blast,Richie how is all your gear working out bike included, is there stuff you wished you brough and stuff you could do without. did you loose your camera btw the ould photos are very slow coming. ;)
-
Well I thought I had missed the rain last night. I managed to pack up this morning with a big wind blowing in from the sea. Hilarious to watch me trying to fold up my ground sheet! I pootled off up the hard shoulder on the wrong side of the carriageway. Then the heavens opened for the first time this trip. I've been in a chai khane ever since.
writing on this and any other forum on my smartphone is a painful experience because you can't see all the screen. if any one has any tips let me know.
Bags. I have been putting photos up on my blog WWW.batmantorobben.com My lumix camera did get a few scratches and a lots of the snaps have a little blur on :( I will have to get a new s/h one as it's same price as a repair. £60 for a TZ7.
I probably won't have any new photos up because of filtering by the regime and also the awfully slow speeds.
Matt. I have a love / hate relationship with Facebook and keep closing my account. So now I only use it for people I meet travelling. That's why you can't find me. Nothing personal :)
Looks like I'll be in this cafe for a while
so I'll have to try out a new dish. I try to eat or drink something new every day:)
More food updates as they happen!
-
Thanks Richie. Quite OK about Facebook.
And the visa? Who would you recommend?
Matt
-
I used Persian Voyages. persianvoyages@btinternet.com. .
It cost me £50. They quoted 10 days for standard service but mine was ready in a week.
This is just for the application. not for the visa itself.that is another £150ish. You will pay this at your chosen consulate. Dublin Paris and Neyherlands are the closest.
If you want you can just go to one of the Iran consulates in turkey and get one same day/2 days for the same total cost.
Best do a google onthat because I'm not sure of which place is best
-
IRAN:
Hello All, I'm asking for some help if possible?
I'll always try to give back advice or help when I can. If you ask me a question and don't get a reply, please ask again, I'm not ignoring you. It's just sometimes things get lost or forgotten about whilst on the road :) And it's also best to ask me on this thread as messages are a pain to access and reply to. Cheers :) :)
So I've made it to Gorgan on the East coast of the Caspian Sea, 800k from where I started in Astara. I've pretty much been riding flat roads all the way here and most of it UNDER sea level :) . I have felt no ill effects from this so far ;)
I'm in a "mosser far khane" (my pronounciation) this is Farsi for guest house. Cheap room usually with shared bathroom, sometimes with a sink, always with a TV! This is costing me 250,000 Rials a night (£5) . I found it through the Lonely Planet. It's the perfect place , near the visa office and the Laundrette (but check the price first, I was asked to pay $10 for 1 plastic bag of washing!! I paid $6 in the end. The rooms are in a courtyard around some Orange trees. I had to convince the owner to let me have the bike in the room. I problem i seem to run into a lot and never has anything to do with the class of the place either.
I've been refused in the lowest cheapy hotels, and also the 5 star hotel (name forgotten) I tried to blag my way into in Paris when I was following the Thomas Stevens book. Nearly every cycle tourer I meet or read about who has had a bicycle stolen on tour seems to have it done from outside the hotel room. So for me I just don't give them my custom if no bike in the room. I think they usually think the bike is dirty, but I'm normally more filthy than the bike :)
BIKE REPAIRS:
I've just changed my Rohloff oil.
Now I need to swap over my bottom bracket. (This has now done 15,000km so fits the service life)
And take a link out of my chain. (first I have to work out how to remove the KMC missing link!!!)This was a new chain I fitted when I bought the Nomad. It was just a bit too tight with an extra link removed so I knew I would have to remove a link in a thousand miles or so when I fitted it.
If anybody knows where I can DOWNLOAD a video walkthrough of swapping bottom bracket or removing KMC missing link of I would be most grateful.
Would it be an idea to host videos like the Oil change one that forum members can download..pre or mid tour???
I did both of these jobs before I left when I bought my SH Nomad but a lot has happened since then and I'm a bit rusty.
I can watch youtube at the internet cafe (very slowly) but i cant access it on my phone or my laptop at the hotel. :(
I'm sure this is a situation other non-mechanically experienced tourers will come up in other countries/situations as well as Iran.
Also does anybody know the size of the socket/spanner needed for the Shimano bb removal tool as I will need to source/borrow one. I decided this was an extra to heavy to carry.
I'm not being lazy in case you are wondering it's just every click of a new page on the web can take 5 minutes:(
Thanks in advance...Richie
Jags: I still think it's a bit early for me to give any comments on items I should have bought/left behind/bike issues etc as I've only done about 2000km cycling on the trip so far. Hilarious as I left home 10 months ago. I will of course give an update when I've finished in Iran.
The one thing I can say at this point is if you are coming to Iran bring the heaviest duty, off road tyres you can get. My Duremes have had a puncture on average every 2 days. There is just so much nasty stuff in the road and going off road to camp you also encounter the building rubble everywhere. Its the ceramic off cuts and those nasty building blocks that do it I think.
-
Hi Richie!
I think I can get you sorted soon enough on most counts.
First, the KMC Missing Link. Be aware there likely won't be sufficient slack in a well-adjusted chain to remove the link on a Rohloff drivetrain. To remove the connector, I just drop the rear wheel until it just clears the dropout and that frees up enough slack to disconnect the link. Exactly one year ago, I made a picture-tutorial showing how these connectors work; you can see it here: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4461.msg23025#msg23025 In case you can't get there from here on your phone, I'll repost the photo-tutorial below.
Second, my Shimano sealed BB tool has 32mm wrench flats. I usually use a 32mm socket, but a 32mm open-end or adjustable wrench will do as well.
Third, a photo-tutorial on how to remove and reinstall a cartridge-type square-taper internal bottom bracket is available here:
http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/cartridge-bearing-type-bottom-bracket-service-bbt
Here's a video you can watch...if you can watch it, which is unlikely given your connection speed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBnYoYVTnlo
I'm looking for videos you can download directly and will report back soonest if I find one. I usually download and archive videos for my own use in Forefox using the Video Download Helper Add-On, available here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/video-downloadhelper/ I realize this won't help you in an Internet cafe or on your phone, but it might help if you can get to a residential computer and 'Net connection.
[EDIT: Richie! Here's a download link to a Flash video on changing a bottom bracket. Not great, but it is a video, and downloadable (Source: Vimeo): http://vimeo.com/2782840/download?t=1379915027&v=9328472&s=8166d0a7a3c4c4a217987451677c933d ]
Terrific idea to archive videos for travelers to download here on the Forum, but I can't think of a way to do it without running afoul of copyright restrictions.
Best,
Dan.
-
Thank you so much Dan, as ever :)
I have my laptop with me, so I will try that firefox add on you mention for downloading youtube videos.
I have all this sort of stuff on my pc at home but I installed a new ssd hybrid drive in my laptop and just didnt think of everything to put back on it before I went :)
OK I have found a BB picture tutorial from bike radar and I will try your one. It's the little things that i will forget so i just wanted to make sure.
And I've downloaded your missing link picture tutorial. After swearing at the screen for a bit, i realised i wasnt logged in and could not see photos :)
-
Hope it is enough to help, Richie; you're surely welcome.
I've pretty much been riding flat roads all the way here and most of it UNDER sea level Smiley . I have felt no ill effects from this so far Wink
...Except for lungs of steel from holding your breath so long! ;D
Please do take care, and know good thoughts are with you.
All the best,
Dan.
-
Richie...
If your chain is all gunked up with grease and dirt, the KMC Missing Link may be hard to remove by hand. If so, try some needlenose pliers or even some tweezers in a pinch and squeeze-together the rollers/bushings on each side of the link. That should result in enough movement to pop the side plates. Several companies make pliers-like removal tools for such occasions, but the needlenose pliers or tweezers will work as stand-ins. Those aren't available? A length of copper electrical wire drawn together, or dental floss, or even a zip-type cable tie (cut it off later) will do the job as well.
Best,
Dan.
-
Thanks for the help Dan.
Your Missing link Pic tutorial was exactly what I needed. I pinched , I squeezed, I slid and nothing was happening. I tried doing it from the less accesible side of the chain and it came off so easily it's a joke. :)
Likewise for the parktools BB tutorial. My BB is the external bearings Hollowtech type. Thers not much too it but I just wanted to be prepared. As for loosening the cups. You can use an allen key in the centre of the BB removal tool but I haven't got one big enough so I ended up borrowing a pair of mole grips. They didn't open wide enough to then “snap” tight so I tightened the screw on the grips with a pair of pliers and this did the job.Although I don't know how tight the new cups are using this method?
Add to that my oil change and a bit of a tighten on the brooks saddle and I'm good to go.
Hopefully visa extension tomorrow and then some hills :( I'm not ready for it and my knee is still dodgy but I have no worries about hitching a lift if all else fails :)
-
Presta to Schrader conversion?
I've only used Presta valves since I've had my Thorns and to be honest I find them a pain. I've had three different pumps. None of them stay attached properly for a complete flat to full pumping session. The pins bend and just taking the dust cap off can empty the tyre of air in the blink of an eye. I really don't want to have to think when I'm mending a puncture on the side of a busy road in the middle of a storm so I'm going to drill out my rims and use schraders instead. I can also use the never ending supply of air hoses to save me the trouble of pumping :)
If I do drill out the rims can I go back to using prestas at a later date?
Is there anything else I should bear in mind before I drill?
As always your help is much appreciated.
-
I'm pretty sure you can get little washer type things to narrow the valve hole again so you can use Presta tubes when you want. From what I have read, drilling out the rims to handle Schraeder tubes is pretty much fool proof.
Best of luck on your adventures!
-
I normally use Presta, but I drilled out two sets of rims to fit Shrader, only because I wanted to be able to use Shrader if I was somewhere that Presta was unavailable. I do not recall drill bit diameter.
I put these inserts in the rims to allow me to use Presta in the holes drilled for Shrader.
http://wheelsmfg.com/presta-stem-savers.html
I believe that other companies also make adapters like these in plastic.
The Lezyne Micro Floor Drive pump threads on Presta or Shrader valves instead of clamping on. In the photo, the brass fitting is the chuck, it is threaded onto the pump base for storage when not in use which also keeps dust out of the chuck. Two models, high pressure or low pressure, each with or without gauge. The brass fitting is reversible, one end works with Shrader, the other with Presta.
http://www.lezyne.com/en/products/hand-pumps/high-pressure#!micro-floor-drive-hp-hpg
http://www.lezyne.com/en/products/hand-pumps/high-volume#!micro-floor-drive-hv-hvg
If you use Presta tubes with replaceable valve cores with this pump, you need to wrench the cores tight into the valve stems, otherwise the core will stay in the chuck when you unthread the chuck from the wheel. I did not know some of my valve cores were removable until I used this pump on them.
I like this pump very much, I have the high pressure variety with gauge. These in line gauges however are not known for high accuracy or precision. I have an earlier version of this pump, the chuck on mine is Aluminum instead of brass.
I also have had good luck with the Topeak Road Morph, but the chuck on that one clamps onto the valve. Perhaps you would find that problematic? There is a knurled fitting on the chuck that if it comes loose, bits fall out of the chuck and get lost. Thus, take care that the knurled fitting does not get lost if you try this pump. The Topeak also has more plastic parts than the Lezyne, that would concern me if I was far from help.
-
Cheers Guys, I had a Topeak Mountain Morph before and yes I had to replace parts of the connector that got lost.
I'll order in some of those washer adapters and get them sent in my next parcel . Cheers
I realised if you use different valve caps to the one supplied they can thread into the core.
Thus if they screwed in well could unscrew the correct and bye bye lovely air.
-
Hi All. I've done 50km on my newly replaced BB and I can feel a "grinding" feeling when I pedal.
Only when I pedal. I've loosened off the end cap and given the chain another oil but it's still there.
Any one got any ideas?
I used copper ease for greasing as that was alli had.
Could it be that???
Just on the edge of my first mountain so would like to get it sorted whilst still in a town.
I changed the rohloff oil and shortened the chain at the same time. Chain is not too right.
Cheers as ever for any help.
-
Richie
Sounds like a fantastic trip - enjoying your updates!
I have recently completed the North Sea Cycle Route and at one point I thought my bottom bracket was on the way out. On closer examination,
there was a lot of fine grit where the crank attaches to the bottom bracket. The bearings are sealed so I assumed that no grit had got into the bearings.
I flushed it with some water withe bike upright then put some fine oil on each side with the bike on its side each time. The grinding soon stopped and I have had no further grinding sounds.
Worth a try? Let us know how you get on.
-
The grinding feeling is maybe related to your chain meshing with the chainring and sprocket slightly differently than it was before you took it off, what sprocket and chainring sizes are you using? If they are both with an even number of teeth then the chain wears in a fixed pattern and unless you put it back on in the same meshing pattern it will feel grindy until it wears itself in.
-
Hi guys
Thanks for the info. just a quick reply b4 my battery goes.
I'll give both your suggestions a go and report back.
cheers.
-
I am in the unusual position today of doing exactly what I thought I would do before I started my tour. That is: get to somewhere exhausted, have a rest day and catch up with bike and internet things. Somehow it never happens like that. I'm after too exhausted still and have no energy for anything or I get distracted and end up doing something else. I've just done my first bit of desert riding and lived to tell the tale...just. I'm currently in the annexe of a mosque in Jandaq which is the first place with people/water/food for 150km since leaving Mo'alleman, but more on that in my blog if I can upload it.
Chain & BB grinding noise:
Option 1: Take off the cups and give a clean with water to see if grit has got in. This involves A: work and B: me finding a pair of grips to loosen the cups.
Option 2: Chain meshing in. This involves riding the bike.
I've surprisingly gone for option 2. ;D
I've got a 40t and a 17t so is it still possible it could be meshing problems. I've done a few hundred km since Gorgan and its still there. Only under load, which explains why I didn't notice it at first, it was all down hill, but still there. It doesn't seem to have got any worse though.
I believe I had the lowest Rohloff approved gear combo when I left. But I've heard that you can now go lower. Is this correct? What's the new combo?
Richie can never have a low enough gearing :D
-
yeah Rohloff lowered the limit, at least if you're under 100 kg.
from http://www.rohloff.de/en/products/speedhub/sprocket/
"The higher the chainring/sprocket ratio, the lower the input torque to the gear-unit. It is imperative therefore that the chainring/sprocket factor does not drop below 2.10 (e.g. 36/17=2.11). The smallest permissible sprocket ratios for a rider weighing less than 100kg are: 36:17, 34:16, 32:15 and 28:13.
"
-
Hi Richie!
Yes, Rohloff have revised their ratios. I had been running a 40x17 and now have a 36x17 combo and like it very much.
The result is a 15 gear-inch low to an 80 gear-inch high, which I have found suitable for my spinning style of pedaling (at 120RPM, I spin-out of the 80 gear-inch high at 28mph/45kph) and figure gravity/coasting will take me faster if need be downhill -- not fast enough for many).
I am running a 104BCD Shimano Deore external-bearing crank and BB and chose Surly's stainless chainring (Surly's choices are limited in the 104BCD size and 36T is the largest available currently). So you'll have the data ready to hand, here is the the Surly chainring link if you choose to go that route: http://surlybikes.com/parts/drivetrain/stainless_steel_chainrings
Surly stainless 'ring size chart here: Sizes: 94mm BCD x 30t, 31t, 32t, 33t, 34t, 35t and 36t
104mm BCD x 32t, 33t, 34t, 35t and 36t
110mm BCD x 34t, 35t, 36t, 38t, 39t, 40t, 42t, 44t, 46t, 47t, 48t, 49t and 50t
130mm BCD x 38t, 39t, 40t, 42t, 44t, 46t, 47t, 48t, 49t and 50t
Best,
Dan.
-
Cheers guys for the gearing answers.
Quick question about the new low gearing.
Is the gearing you mention Dan the lowest you can go and stay in warranty?
Whats the thinking behind a Stainless ring.
If I change should I change the chain and /or the rear cog at the same time?
Cheers..
More desert updates to follow :)
-
Hi Richie!
Some quick answers for you...Is the gearing you mention Dan the lowest you can go and stay in warranty?
Yes, at present, thanks to Rohloff's revised standards.Whats the thinking behind a Stainless ring.
Extremely tough and long-wearing. Stainless is harder than aluminum. Teeth are tougher, too, if you manage to high-center on something. Added advantage: If you're contemplating a Hebie Chainglider, the thinner Surly stainless 'ring will fit with minimal rubbing, unlike the very high quality but thicker Thorn 'ring. However, Hebie don't (yet) make a 36T front-piece for the Chainglider; 38T is their current minimum.
If you go with a Surly stainless chainring, do note Surly's caution that in some sizes/BCDs, the 'ring is a bit thick for 9-sp chains and will bind slightly for a bit till the chain adapts:Our 94bcd,104bcd and 110bcd x 34/35/36t chainrings are made with a 2.2-2.3mm thick stock plate and work best with 5-8 speed chains. Many folks are using these on 9 speed drivetrains but this can often results in a "tight fit" right out of the box (This will loosen up and shifting should improve after the chain breaks in). The 110bcd 38-50t and all 130bcd chainrings are machine finished to have a 2.1mm tooth thickness and thus work fine with 9spd chains.
If I change should I change the chain and /or the rear cog at the same time?
Depends entirely on the state of wear for the cog and chain, though of course you'll have smoothest meshing if you change the lot and start fresh. The cog is stainless as well, so the most likely point of wear if things "look good" is the chain. If possible, give it a measure, or keep in mind whether you've had to tension it, as stretch (actually wear at the bushless ends/pins is the key determinant).
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Dan.
-
Thanks as ever Dan.
Something for me to consider???
Someone is going to bring some bits out to me . I wonder if they will allow a throwing star of death in hand luggage:)
More blog up at www.batmantorobben.com
No new photos because Facebook is not playing nice today :(
Perhaps Mr Rouhani could make a token gesture to the West by allowing foreign cycle tourists to upload pictures of camels and sand :)
-
Wow! The Regime the NSA and GCHQ are all listening in. Photos uploading as we speak. :)
-
OK. Photos are up. Most of my photos have a comment on them. Some of them don't make any sense unless you read the comment.
I'm now in Nain, the geographical centre of Iran. My deserteering has mainly finished now. I'm just deciding where to go next.
-
Wonderful photos, Richie; captions, too!
All the best,
Dan.
-
Can't find the Stainless ring on the Thorn site???
Any ideas for a UK seller??
Cheers
What chain are using with your setup Dan?
-
Can't find the Stainless ring on the Thorn site???
Hi Richie! SJS Cycles have 'em...but only in 5-arm 110BCD and only in 38T, 40T, and 42T. No 4-arm 104BCD and no other sizes. Any ideas for a UK seller??
Boy, I'm coming up short on this one from UK stockists. I checked all the UK Surly dealers/distributors, but can't determine if they have the 'rings and small parts or just the bikes. I do know Blackspire, FSA, Salsa, and Spot made stainless 'rings, but those were mostly the small inner 'rings, not large enough to help here. Tomi McMillar makes some for bolting to a 6-bolt disc mount for use as a fixed-gear cog, but that won't help either. I'll keep looking and post as soon as I find a source.What chain are using with your setup Dan?
I'm still using the Thorn-issued SRAM PC830 with no problems and little stretch. Lubing with PurpleExtreme, which is essentially dry after the solvents evaporate and collects little if any dust/dirt when used with my extended mudguards and long mud flaps.
Best,
Dan.
-
Good selection of Surly chainrings in the UK here :
110 Bcd 5 arm http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/54/crsu10/surly-stainless-steel-chainring-110bcd-5-arm.html
104 Bcd 4 arm http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/54/crsu04/surly-stainless-steel-chainring-104bcd-4-arm.html
-
Yay, Rual! Very nice job!
Best,
Dan.
-
THANK YOU!
Hello all, thanks so much for all your help as ever. If the internet can cope with two pages at once I will try and follow the links to the Surly rings.
I'm currently in a farm house between Shiraz and Yazd in Iran waiting for the owner to come back from tending to his pomegranates. He also happens to be an Iranian Olympic cyclist by all accounts. If you are planning on travelling between Shiraz and Yazd you must come and stay here. More info at www.batmantorobben.com
In order to update my blog without an internet cafe this is what I have to do:
First. Go and do some stuff. Next remember it, very difficult for my addled brain. Even more difficult, write it down. Then type it up on my laptop.
Then transfer it to my phone because the Freegate program to avoid the filtering will not work with the phone as a modem. Then because my phone does not recognise any other formats I have to save it as .txt file and I Then bluetooth it to my phone because it doesnt like it when i send it via the cable! Then cut and paste it into a special browser i use only for this purpose. Then cut and paste that to another browser which allows me to access Wordpress in Iran. This usually takes ten attempts minimum and loses all the data and I have to go back to the beginning each time. If the internet manages to stay connected for the length of uploading a post...then blimey I manage to update. I'm enjoying Iran but I will look forward to not having to jump through all these hoops. Luckily no such problems accessing this site :)
THANK YOU!
I've been away from home for nearly a year now and the members of this forum have made that a hell of a lot easier. I must say big thanks to Danneaux especially. I have copied your bottles on the stem idea, your alarm on the seat post idea (never used) and appreciate very much the full and complete answers you've given me to problems along the way. Also to the person who recommended the Mirror solution for my Ergon grips. Sorry, can't remember who it was :( My mirror is still going strong and it's still on the wrong side. Fantastic. And of course to every one else who has given me suggestions for solving problems and given me encouragement along the way. THANK YOU!
Although I've only really ridden the bike for a total of about 4 months in the last 12 I will try and write a little bit about what things have been good or bad in that time.
1. My homemade brake bands. Absolutely fantastic. Stole the idea from the click stand website and made them my self. Total cost less than 20p for 2 I think. I use them upwards of a dozen times a day and they still do exactly what they did when I put them on. I don't have a clickstand. I'm now on my second piece of tree, my bamboo got lost and I will be looking to upgrade as soon as I come across the next bamboo seller. Even if you don't have a stand of any sort you simply must get some brake bands. Just leaning against a tree,fence or wall they make such a difference to your life, and for loaded touring they are just the nuts!
2. My Cateye mirrror. I can't remember if the lens and the bracket to hold it on the grips are both made by Cateye??? I've got a feeling the bracket might be Oxford?? Anyway the mirror itself is in a plastic case which incorporates the plastic ball joint that goes into the bracket. Because I lean my bike on the right handlebar and the mirror is still on that side because I'm lazy more than any other reason. The mirror's plastic arm/ball flexes against whatever I lean the bike against. I must do this upwards of a dozen times a day. I turn the bike upside down and the mirror is what the bike rest against on the floor. Still it survives. Whatever they have made it out of is incredible. Its firm enough to keep the mirror in place but flexible enough not to snap. I have been dying to pass on this info as I marvel at it every bloomin' day :)
3. Danneauxs bottles on the stem idea. Two bottle cages ziptied to your uncut fork steerer. Simple. Lowcost. Genius. Keeps the body at much more of a riding position when trying to drink whilst going up or down a steep hill. LOVE IT. Also everyone asks whats in the bottles for some reason......Vodka & Whisky of course.
4. Ortlieb Rear Packer Bags...tut tut. Can't remember the proper name. Will edit when internet comes back.
I upgraded to these from the PVC roll over type. So much easier to access, the side pockets are fantastic for toolkit essentials for punctures and I always seem to be able to get just a bit more in them if I try really hard. I'm very glad I changed to these.
Downside to this extra room is that they take more stuff and are less aerodynamic and you end up having more weight :(
5. Topeak large bottle cage. This takes a 1.5l bottle perfectly and although the plastic strap broke I have just repaired it with a piece of tent pole elastic and a curtain hook! Apart from when its really hot and I keep the water in my pannier to keep cool. I use this non stop. Also fits a bottle of wine,champagne or fruit beer perfectly too. All of these have been tested :)
6&7 Large PVC rear bag. Exped Matress: I chose a Highlander Troone Duffle Drybag rucksack. The rucksack straps came away from the bag quite early on so I can't recommend it from that point of view but the drybag itself was defo the right way to go. It's good for a couple of reasons. A: Its extra room when I want it but packs up smaller when I don't need the extra room therefor causing less drag. B: It's where I keep my tent,mattress, sleeping bag, night clothes, shoes and ground sheet. Because the bag is much bigger than I need. If I need to take down the tent in a gale and the stuff is covered in mud, rain or god knows what else...or if I have to take everything down in a hurry. I can literally just stuff everything into the bag and go. I can then pack it neatly at a later / dryer/ more convenient time. I don't do this very often but its nice to have the option. The thing I use it for most though is my mattress. I have an Exped DLX 10 mattress which is the biggest one. Its probably the heaviest thing in my kit. More than my tent, more than my u-lock. I keep the mattress in the chair kit all the time. This keeps it clean, but it means unless i spend a lot of time deflating it the mattress remains quite large when in the chair kit. Rather than spend ages deflating it. I fold it 4 times and squeeze as much air out as I can and then put it in my 70l drybag. Rather than in its included stuff sack. Then when all my other items go in the dry bag I use the compression straps to squeeze the air out. This another item that puts a smile on my face every time I use it. The matress is also something that is a complete over the top luxury but I wouldn't be without. Whilst obviously its comfortable, the main benefit is that it enables me to sleep in very awkward places, uneven, stony, hills etc. These do however have a ltd life as a quick look at the warmshowers post on this will show you. I'm on my second, replaced for free by exped. Lets hope this one lasts a bit longer.
My bags in general.
Compared to my Liverpool to Istanbul bag setup my new one is perfect. The big bike packers (is that the name) on the back. The 70l drybag lengthways on the back rack. I can hear the gasps, lengthways....nooo. But It enables me access to the rear bags with so much less hassle and just takes a couple of bungees to hold it on. I've tried the other way, but its just too much faffing for me. I'm happy to compromise incredible stability versus ease of access.
Ortlieb front roll tops on the front, just because I already had them. Perhaps if I had the front packers I'd love them too. I keep all my tech in one side and my wash stuff and certain clothes in the other. If I'm invited into someones house for the night and need to leave most of my bike and luggage outside. These are the two that come with me. My rears are for tent/sleeping/food/kitchen/clothing.
And last my bright yellow Ortlieb bar bag. Only yellow because like most of my stuff I try to but second hand but has actually turned out to go really well with the rest of the black stuff on the bike with its black mustache! I don't think this bag is the biggest and when I first got it I was a bit annoyed at how stiff the lid was to open and close around the base. Over time and plenty of heat has loosened this up and its the perfect place for camera, snacks, glasses, notebook etc.
ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN 100% WATERPROOF
that's all for now. I feel a pomegranate coming on :)
-
3 months and 3000km in Iran is over :(
Incredible hospitality and friendliness and has to be the most camping friendly country in the world.
Also the worst driving but not necessarily the worst place to cycle. You just have to get used to it.
A puncture every three days on average!!!!
Dubai is horrible to cycle in and even worse to camp in. The other Emirates of the UAE have no consistent ruling on bicycles being allowed on the road. Sharjah last year apparently had a total ban on bicycles on the road...fullstop!! As well as bicycles not being allowed on the pavement. And coming here in the rainy season is a disaster waiting to happen as none of the UAE has any drains!!!!!!!!!
Roundabouts turn into playgrounds for Rich arabs jetskiing and towing people round on inflatable boats in there 4x4's.
I'm Now in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with even bigger storms than the UAE...
Both rims drilled out for shrader now and two new 2.1" Mondial tires fitted ready to explore this Island that I have taken an instant liking too. These where bought back from the UK by my friend in SL.
Whilst in Dubai I visited Wolfi's bike shop where I picked up a Lezyne HV Drive pump with the ABS flex hose.
About £20. Now I see what all the fuss is about with this brand. As usual you have to try these things for yourself to see why people rave about them. Thanks for the suggestions on going with this brand.
I flew on Flydubai from Dubai to Colombo. The ticket cost me £90. I had a luggage allowance of 3 bags max totaling 40kg and 1 bag at 10kg for carry on. Bicycles are not carried. So at last I had to reduce the bike down in size using the S&S couplings. Although my cardboard box was a little larger than the 35x55x90cm max dimensions, they let it on no problem. I did have 17kg excess to pay which came to just over £100 extra.
The lesson to be learnt from this is if you can ship the bicycle as is (with the usual pedals off,tyres down, bars flat etc) You can usually sneak some extra weight in with the bike (in my experience anyway)
I think I could have flown with Emirates who allow bicycles for an extra charge at about the same total price. I did however dump a load of stuff in Dubai to save weight so effectively the Emirates option would probably have been cheaper. Especially when you factor in the taxi to and from the airports for the dismantled bike. Usually I just ride to the airport with my giant plastic bag :)
The upside of dismantling the bike is that now reassembled without racks or mudguards the Nomad is looking the sexiest it's ever been:) I've never had either of the racks or guards off before.
I managed to break my star fangled anchor nut, because I was taking too much interest in a helicopter landing opposite my balcony but have replaced it from a local bike shop today :)
I still have the bumpy/grindy feel in chain/BB after 2500km's for it to mesh in. I'm going to change the chain and see if that does the trick.
I'm now in the process of starting the mechanism to take my mobile phone company to court to try and recover the £6000 it stole off me and then I will know a bit more about my future plans.
For now I'm going to explore Sri Lanka and hopefully learn to surf.
This weekend the main beach road is being closed off so that the Presidents son and his mates can race cars round the streets of Colombo. This started last year with some quite frightening consequences apparently, so sand bags have been placed along all the pavements to protect the pedestrians!!! I might avoid cycling that night!!
Happy Thanksgiving / Christmas and New Year or any other holidays you might celebrate in the coming weeks.
Richie
-
Richie
Always great to hear your tales! You inspire me to set off again too! The Carradice Pendle bag I bought from you second hand before you left is still going well. Thanks!
Keep the stories coming - it sound like a fabulous trip. Yes, learn to surf. There is something very 'Zen' about it. I did a lot when I lived in Australia. Somehow fits in well with the moving slowly philosophy. 'Zen' is important too when packing and re-packing the tent on tour!
Looking forward to your next post. Have fun! :)
Richard
-
You're so right Richard. I'm in the German Pub next door drinking my Heffe Weissebier in a very Zen way as my Iranian constitution and wallet have not quite adjusted to life in 5 start Colombo yet :)
Yes slow takes time to adjust too.
I'm just reading Wifred Thesigers journey through the Desert of the Empty Quarter in Oman.
I highlighted a quote just tonight where he says about the joys of travelling slowly and how it allows you to take in things you might otherwise miss. He muses how boring it would be to travel through the desert by car :)
-
Richie - enjoy the weissbier! I did a three month tour round the North Sea cycle route this summer and for the first week I felt immensely stressed and frustrated with the 'set-up-camp and de-camp' routine. It was amazing how I soon got used to it and started to enjoy the process! All in the mind indeed.
Would be good to be joining you for a weissbier and a cycle touring chat in that far off land! Can't you find some Erdinger Weissbräu round there?
-
My first was an Erdinger. in a proper glass and poured correctly I might add. I'm now on the Benediktiner which I find a little bit spicier.
However at a third of the price and a perky 8.8% and a massive 620ml a bottle is the Sri Lankan Lion Stout.
-
Not tried the Benediktiner. Do they roll the bottle properly in Sri Lanka? ;D
Any updates on how the Nomad is going?
-
In the Bavarian Pub & Restaurant they do. Very good barmen.
All I need now is a litre jug of Schlenkerla (http://www.schlenkerla.de/rauchbier/beschreibunge.html) and I can die a happy man.
I discovered this whilst in Bamberg in Bavaria. Bacon Beer
-
Very pleased to hear from you again. Looking forward to the continuing adventures of Richie.
Matt
-
So pleased to have you back with us again, Richie, and very much looking forward to hearing of all your latest Adventures.
Do take care!
All the best,
Dan.
-
My time in 5 star Colombo is finishing today and will be off on the road around the rest of Sri Lanka. I've a visa until Feb 27th but I'll be back down the road in Galle for party I'm doing a bit of djing at which just so happens to coincide with my birthday weekend at start of Feb. Then I have to organise a Sri Lankan visa extension or probably try to get an Indian visa. My ideal solution would be to get a boat to India, but its such a pain and involves so much planning to get on a cargo boat it looks like I'll be flying :(
I've just been to the supermarket to get some "basic" food supplies. These weigh in at 3kg!!! Pasta, Oats, instant noodles, toilet rolls etc. Amazing how much weight you could lose if you chose not to take any cooking apparatus at all and just relied on cold food and restaurants. I might try that one time but at the moment I have no idea what lies in store for me once I get into the countryside.
I've absolutely no route planned and no idea of where I'm going to go. Just heading North from Colombo and seeing what capers just saying "YES" gets me into. I've got a fantastic feeling about Sri Lanka, let's hope my intuition is right. I have no idea what the mobile internet will be like or internet cafes in general. So no idea when I'll speak to you again.
Got my new 2.1" Mondials on and I'm hoping for a few less punctures. The mudguards fit but I need to find myself a metal coat hanger to make some longer back stays. The originals have clearance but will clog up at one pinch point at the first sign of mud.
For me (and it's not for everyone) I love this feeling of not knowing anything. Not knowing where I'm going, how I will be treated or what lies around the next bend. It's exciting and nervous all rolled into one.
Being in a new place, new people, religions, customs, cultures and FOOD & WILDLIFE :)
Christmas and New Year are not far away, lord knows what I'll be doing for that?
Wishing everyone here Christmas greetings and see you on my return.
My advice to anyone travelling is learn these two phrases as soon as you get to a new country.
With these you can do anything.
Problem
No Problem
In Sinhalese it's Prashna & Prashna Neh :)
-
Wonderful hearing from you again, Richie, and getting to catch-up on things.
So glad things are well overall, and wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and "No Problems"!
All the best,
Dan. (...who still thinks a good attitude and positive outlook are the best tools in the kit, and Richie's are made of gold)
-
Fair play Richie sounds like your having a blast.
happy christmas and have a great new year and super safe journey.
respect man..
anto.
jags.
-
Happy New Year to you all.
I've made it to Jaffna in the North of Sri Lanka.
I'm treating myself to a £5 hotel for the night and catching up with a few bits.
On the last day of the year I got my chain replaced. 285 rupees including fitting thats £1.25
It has solved my grinding problems that had got to the crazy point.
If remember correctly, which I often don't. My chain was off when I got back to Iran so perhaps it had kinked whilst sat on the floor for 6 months??? This is my conclusion. I'm sticking to it and that's that.
Stat time:
If I survive wild elephants, tick :) , wild leopards not tick :) , crocodiles (small ones) tick ,and man eating lizards (apparently) tick and poisonous snakes (only dead ones) and actually make it back to Colombo. I will have clocked up over 10,000 cycle touring km's since Liverpool.
I've haven't cycled in Africa or India but if anyone has can you tell me if it's possible to cycle in national parks /reserves with the very real chance of coming up face to face with dangerous animals?
I was so pleased to be able to cycle through Wilpattu National Park and actually see all of the above with no fences to protect me.
Yes the Elephants were quite far away but to know they might have been closer was a real thrill.
The night before I entered Wilpattu I followed a sign that took me through the forest to a swimming spot on a river beach. A couple of families were having a picnic and I joined them and decided to stay the night. They all thought I was crazy pointing to the Elephant poo and told me it was very dangerous but I was more interested in getting to see Elephants in the wild for the first time.
Only when they went and it got dark, I remembered I had lost my head torch! So armed with just my phone for a light I climbed a tree. After an hour and having ate my dinner and surrounded by total darkness. I realised what I had got myself into and realised the tree all night would be a nightmare, I began to get a bit scared.
So I got down and built a fire and hoped that would scare them off.
I fell asleep a few times and survived until morning.
No new poo to be seen.
If you find out I've been mauled,squashed,bitten or wrestled to death rest assured it's one way I would like to go!!!!
I'm just loving being this close to scary nature :)
-
Richie,
Man, be careful out there! Doesn't that part of the world have tigers and King Cobras? I think I have read where several people per year are killed by each. You've definitely got nerve. I think I would have to take Andre with me (along with one of his trusted gun bearers)! Have fun but be safe.
Tom
-
Wicked, Richie! -- though I'd go with a guide if I were in your saddle.
I've haven't cycled in Africa or India but if anyone has can you tell me if it's possible to cycle in national parks /reserves with the very real chance of coming up face to face with dangerous animals?
We lived in South Africa between 2003 and 2006, and I recall seeing an advert for a cycling trip through Kruger Ntl Park, about 4 - 5 days if I recall. If your velosafari takes you to Africa, that would be worth checking out. That tour was guided, and the guides would have carried weapons.
Just had a quick squiz at the options via Google, and here's a reference to mountain-biking in Kruger: http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-southafrica.net-mountain-biking-in-the-kruger-national-park#.UsWUwPahDU4
Here's another, from South Africa's Ntl Parks agency: http://www.sanparks.org/parks/kruger/camps/olifants/tourism/activities/biking/ (Includes a foto with guides on bikes, rifles slung across their backs!)
Looks to me as if one can do this only by renting a bike in the park, at Olifants Camp -- i.e., you can't take your own bike. And, day trips only -- no camping beyond th fenced camp.
Good luck with it all, in any case. - J.
-
Richie,
I'd be a bit concerned about something like this happening: http://digitaljournal.com/article/312615
John's suggestion sounds like a good one; I have a feeling some of the larger carnivores could regard a cyclist as prey. This occasionally happens with mountain lions in the American West: http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks_ca.html
All the best,
Dan. (...who doesn't want Richie to get stomped, squished or eaten)
-
Seconding Dan's opinion. I've camped in the bush in Africa sans weapons, sans fence, and you don't have to worry about elephants stumbling over your tent--they're careful creatures, with a delicate touch. (Be careful about camping beneath the trees if they're ripping off the branches, however.) The big cats can be more of an issue, as are scorpions. In those situations, however, I was in a car or Landrover in the parks themselves. As for camping outside the parks, there aren't many spots in Southern Africa any more, where you have to worry about big cats outside the parks, or even elephants.
-
Hi Richie. Once again you put a smile on my face with your talesfrom far away.
Re the elephants; I always carry a carrot.
In all the years I have carried a carrot I have never seen an elephant; proof of works; yes?
Please write to me from hospital if this doesn't work for you.
Best wishes for 2014 from a wet and windy Aberdeen, Scotlandshire.
Matt
-
I've haven't cycled in Africa or India but if anyone has can you tell me if it's possible to cycle in national parks /reserves with the very real chance of coming up face to face with dangerous animals?
I cycled across southern India back in 1995.
On my way from Ootacamund (Ooty) to Mysore I rode through Mudumalai National Park, including an overnight stop at the lodge at the park headquarters where I enjoyed the cheapest ever night's accommodation in the dormitory for the princely sum of 5 rupees (equivalent to 10p at that time), and I think breakfast was included!
Next morning I set off early through the rest of the park and had only ridden a few miles when I saw an animal emerge from the roadside, initially I thought it was a deer and kept cycling, as I got closer it became obvious it was no deer, I stopped at the point where I recognised it as a Tiger!
Ok, what do I do here? I watched it start to cross the road a couple of hundred yards up ahead, hoping it wasn't going to look my way. Only thing I could think of was to take out my camera and take a photo. It continued across the road and just as it went off into the trees I heard a truck coming up behind me, so I started pedalling, increasing my speed as the truck came level and pedalled like mad keeping the truck on my right between me and the area where the Tiger was, as the truck passed me I looked to my right and saw the back of the Tiger walking off down a path through the forest. Phew!
A few miles later I passed a boundary checkpoint and mentioned my encounter to the guards, they said that it wouldn't have caused me any problems, but I wasn't convinced.
Later the same day I passed roadsigns warning of Elephants, 'Do not stop', 'Do not get out of your car', no mention of bikes!
I didn't see any wild Elephants that day but was glad to get to Mysore.
First photo is as taken, hard to make out Tiger on road up ahead. Second photo is crop of first photo, Tiger is there but a bit grainy.
-
I'm going to Mysore. Fantastic. And what a story with pics aswell. Yes taking a photo would be my first reaction too :) I hope that NP is still open. I was in Goa in 1999 and boy has that changed. I'd imagine all the tigers have there own call centre in Bangalore now.
I think the night time elephant situation taught me something about myself. I get myself into these situations and then when the excitement has died down a bit I realise the seriousness and try to respect it. It happens on mountains, cold weather, sea, dodgy parts of town!!!
I think If I had been attacked by a leopard, people would have been more bothered that they are still in existence than the cyclist. They are so rarely seen.
Plus a bit of my info is so dodgy from the locals. Elephants and snakes yes. But apparently there are lions AND tigers to be aware of ;)
Telling me that camping is OK near Elephants is probably not what anyone else wants to here but music to my ears. I will of course do some research , don't worry.
Apart from perhaps startling an Elephant as we meet around a corner I think my biggest concern should be snakes. I'm sure I read that the second biggest killer in Sri Lanka after road accidents is snake bites.
If you have seen my photos on my blog (http://www.batmantorobben.com) you will see one of my tent inside a tree. Not sure what these trees are called but the roots grow down from the branches to the ground. I found one that was big enough to put my tent inside. I just love to camp in ridiculous situations :)
When the locals found me in the morning they told me they come here because poisonous snakes live in the vines!!!!!
As I'm camping I'll just have to keep my eyes open. The blue and black ones are the ones I have to worry about apparently. Which is good as I'm colour blind with green/brown/red.
As for guides, the NP situation in SL is so expensive for tourists. It works out about $200 for a single person.
Entrance fees , compulsory guides, and compulsory jeeps. It's just out of my budget whilst my phone bill is being disputed. Plus it just turns it into an event rather than something real on my cycling trip.
THANKS FOR ALL THE INPUT
-
GPS, Routes & Geo-tagging
I have a Garmin Edge 800 gps/cycle computer which I use for recording my days rides.
After my Edge 705 failed on my Liverpool to Istanbul leg I have learnt this:
Set the unit to record to the memory card. That way if the unit fails, or even resets, which my Edge 800 has done once on this trip, you will have access to your data.
I then use a free program called PhotoMapper for overlaying the GPS co-ordinates onto my photographs so I can view them on a map.
The thing it doesn't seem to do is allow me to copy a co-ordinate to a batch of photos.
Anyone have any suggestions on this?
For photos I take on the move it works great. But when stopped at camp or in a town I want to copy the last known co-ordinate.
EDIT:
Isn't it funny, when you're not looking for something you often find it.
I've been looking for a way of displaying all my routes together on one map.
I've not been able to find a site that does this because because of all the data.
Whilst using photomapper I've noticed it does exactly this. I will have to do a screen shot but its the best solution I've found so far.
Unless anyone knows of another.
I'll see if it can cope with my entire route and post the result :)
EDIT 2
http://batmantorobben.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screenprint-full-route-crop.jpg?w=660 (http://batmantorobben.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screenprint-full-route-crop.jpg?w=660)
-
"Re the elephants; I always carry a carrot."
Ha ha, good one Matt! Do you plan on feeding it to the herd, or beating them off. If you can manage with the other hand; video please.
Tom
-
FINANCES:
I've just been looking at how much I've been spending since I've been away.
This is the first time I've done this.
My original goal was to try and not spend more than £10 a day whilst on the road. Something I thought I would be able to do easily.
Well INCLUDING ALL MY COSTS which include FLIGHTS and VISAS I've averaged £13 per day over 501 days.
**does not include my initial bike and lugagge costs**
That includes a few hundred pound stolen in India and a few hundred on an Iranian visa that didn't get used because of the fun time in prison in Iraq :)
Big costs:
Flight to Istanbul from UK
IRAN visa x 3!!!!
Pakistan visa
India visa
Return flight to Delhi from Iran
Boat from Iran to Dubai
Flight from Dubai to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Visa
Postage costs
Hotel costs for 6 months in India,Pakistan,India
Motorcycle rental in India and Pakistan
various bike bits including 2 new mondial folding tyres
I've been out for £50 meals in Delhi and lived off less than that for a month in Iran.
I've had a beer whenever I've wanted ,if you can buy it :) and always eaten whatever I want.
I've been buying bottled water since i broke my water filter in Iraq
I do tend to eat cheaply when its available but I cook for myself too.
In Iraq,Iran, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka its easy to eat for around £1 a meal on average 3 times a day
In Iran particularly I found myself eating a large lunch and saving half of it for dinner
I use a Santander Zero credit card which has no charges for use abroad. I pay money into this account by standing order from my bank account and withdraw cash using the card when i need it. This way I don't pay any cash interest. No fees at all. (It's actually against the t&c's and they do mention it every know and again but i don't think they are bothered). I only use this card for cash and never in shops or online transactions. This came about after the card being cloned in Turkey.
I use a Barclaycard World Mastercard for other transactions which has minimal fees for use abroad.
I keep a few hundred euros and a few hundred dollars on me. And also a few other credit cards.
I spread these out between my bags so if one gets stolen I still have access to the others.
This turned out to be a life saver when I had my wallet stolen in India.
I think this daily rate will probably halve over the next 8 months
I think my 70 days from liverpool to istanbul in 2011 worked out at £3.50 a day on the road.
The one thing that I don't tend to spend money on is "events" : safaris, theatres, concerts, adrenaline sports etc
Hope this helps anyone planning a longer trip :)
*It doesn't include my £6000 phone bill :(
-
Richie,
You are having one heck of an adventure! Sounds if the thefts and Iranian visa had not occurred, you would be well under your budget. Using hindsight, could any practicable measures have been taken that would have prevented any of the thefts? Is the large (gigantic) phone bill trip related (vs. anytime mistake)?
Hope you get the phone thing straightened out, and continue on. A great read, on a fantastic trip.
Tom
-
Hi Richie
I will be going to Iran for a month later on in the year and wondered how you organised your money there?
Did you take US Dollars into Iran and how much would you think I would need for a month?
Also is it possible to use your card to get money from "the hole in the wall"......do they have holes in the wall in Iran?
This is the kind of information that I am looking for, many thanks for sharing your experiences, its really interesting.
Take care Richie!
Dave
-
Tom, theft was my wallet from my pocket whilst asleep on a sleeper train in India.
It's a common thing with gangs working to pick out tourists and hop on and hop off before anything is noticed.
I was unlucky. If i had stuffed my wallet in my underwear then perhaps it might not have happened :)
Phone bill was due to a comedy of errors. Orange didn't give me full advice on changing my sim when i swapped my contract phone of 13 years over to payg to keep the same number. the sim didnt arrive before i left, my friend registered the new one in the way i told him, which was the wrong way apparently. Only noticed it hadnt been cancelled when i checked my bank account 6 months later and someone in Iraq either stole/found or cloned my number!!! Adjudication/Courtcase is ongoing.
CANCEL anything FULLY before going on an extended trip.
Dave,
Iran is a fully functioning country with THE MOST BANKS YOU WILL SEE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, it's crazy. Because of current sanctions no European or North American and I'm guessing Japanese bank cards will work.
Tehran is just like any European capital city, with driving worse than India!!!
I took GBP, USD and EUR. I ended up staying longer than expected and needed more cash. I was lucky and had made good friends who i trusted. They had friends in the UK so I transferred cash to their UK bank account and then got it from their friends in Iran. You can do this if you're stuck, in cities like Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz. It will cost you a percentage and you have to take a leap of faith that it will go OK.
Avoid changing money with men in the street and stick to the exchange shops and you'll be ok. Ask for the rate first and a receipt and you'll be fine.
Iran is so easy to camp in and so cheap. I can't imagine you will need more than £500 for a month SUPER Maximum. Probably more like £200 if you are not staying in hotels or spending on anything except food.
You'll have so many offers of lunch , dinner and places to stay, usually made to you at 9'oclock in the morning :) And you WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO BUY ANYONE ANYTHING IN RETURN
That said the Rial is growing stronger by the day. It was 10% stronger in August than in February last year.
Mosques are a great place to stay if you get stuck in a city :) But nearly every city and town has a place specially for tents, no cost.
-
Richie
What a trip!
I really look forward to your posts and your experiences such as above are are a goldmine for those contemplating a similar bike tour. So thanks for that! Perhaps you can compile your experiences into a guide! Your comments on Iran are particularly interesting as there seems to be a lot of mis-information on what seems like a fantastic place for a cycle tour.
Looking forward to the next post and a Happy New Year!
Richard
-
Reasons to not go cycling in Iran:
Punctures, Too much hospitality.
That is all
Oh and don't go cycling in Tehran. Worst city I've been to for cycling.
Yeah at the moment I'm sort of using this space to write down anything useful that i can think of as and when it comes along. Sieve for a brain allowing.
Perhaps one day I'll get stuck somewhere with enough time to compile an easier resource.
-
Regarding theft of wallet from a pocket, I have a couple pair of pants that I use for travel that have a zippered pocket at ankle height. At that height, nobody would notice the pocket there unless I did something to bring attention to it. I carry critical plastic in that pocket and most of my larger currency. Most days when I will not need my passport, it also goes in that pocket. But, to keep this pocket from looking too obvious, I have to keep the amount of stuff in it thin and lightweight.
The wallet in my regular pocket has the money that I plan to spend that day. To make this wallet look more like my regular wallet, it has a couple credit cards - but they expired in the 1990s and have account numbers that no longer correspond to any of my accounts. I refer to this wallet as my fake wallet.
-
Hi Richie
Thanks for the information, its always good to hear from someone who has been there and their
experience of a place.
I have read other blogs and lots of people have said that Iran was a highlight of their journey
and a few have said that they were almost killed with kindness. I'am looking forward to that
part of my journey very much, although I didnt like the bit about punctures! >:(
Cheers Richie
Dave
-
example of my photomapper screenprint of my Sri Lankan journey so far.
I'm wondering if I had a higher resolution screen, would the screen print be better??
-
GPS, Routes & Geo-tagging
I have a Garmin Edge 800 gps/cycle computer which I use for recording my days rides.
After my Edge 705 failed on my Liverpool to Istanbul leg I have learnt this:
Set the unit to record to the memory card. That way if the unit fails, or even resets, which my Edge 800 has done once on this trip, you will have access to your data.
I then use a free program called PhotoMapper for overlaying the GPS co-ordinates onto my photographs so I can view them on a map.
The thing it doesn't seem to do is allow me to copy a co-ordinate to a batch of photos.
Anyone have any suggestions on this?
For photos I take on the move it works great. But when stopped at camp or in a town I want to copy the last known co-ordinate.
EDIT:
Isn't it funny, when you're not looking for something you often find it.
I've been looking for a way of displaying all my routes together on one map.
I've not been able to find a site that does this because because of all the data.
Whilst using photomapper I've noticed it does exactly this. I will have to do a screen shot but its the best solution I've found so far.
Unless anyone knows of another.
I'll see if it can cope with my entire route and post the result :)
EDIT 2
http://batmantorobben.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screenprint-full-route-crop.jpg?w=660 (http://batmantorobben.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screenprint-full-route-crop.jpg?w=660)
I use Garmin mapsource and keep all my gpx files there, I can stitch them all together and show my whole map. I attached a screenshot of what that looks like.
As far as pictures & geotagging, look for a piece of software called GeoSetter which is quite brilliant.
-
Onebikeoneworld, Thanks for that.
I don't use mapsource because I don't buy Garmin maps!
I will have a look into it and the geosetter.
Many many thanks :) :)
Enjoying your route, I'll be going that way......eventually!
-
I rarely use Garmin maps either, the OSM maps that I've been using have topo information as well as roads and so are much more useful in mountainous areas.
-
I felt this was important enough to get off the beach and write down before I forget!
I have had great difficulty in finding ear plugs on my travels.
My silicone, wax and foam ones have all died or got lost.
Bring lots if travelling to noisy areas for two reasons.
1. It's noisy
2. Noisy areas don't seem to need the use of earplugs as they are used to the noise :)
-
Thanks, Richie! Very useful advice, and true in my experience as well.
Happy travels!
All the best,
Dan.
-
Mikemg, thanks for the fake wallet advice. I did set off on my original trip from Liverpool to Istanbul with one but I found because it was never used I actually forgot where it was. Should the day come when I get mugged or robbed it would be a waste of time :) That's not to say more switched on people will find it useful!!
My situation in India was typical I imagine of many a tourist.
Tired and worn out by scamming Indian tourist hotspot hustlers and just didn't have my brains on enough to put my wallet somewhere better. I've got shorts with zip up pockets but didnt have them on that day.
I'm not down about it, just carry on and smile :)
as for Mapsource:
I've just tried it and unless I'm missing a trick (i am quite distracted by the beckoning surf i can see at the bottom of my garden here and the dogs at my feet requiring attention, not to mention the pain my legs are in after yesterdays Ayurvedic massage) I need a map on my Garmin to overlay the routes on. My maps on my Garmin for Sri Lanka and everywhere else I've been for that matter are quite incomplete.
So overlaying the routes on Google using photo mapper is definitely doing a better job.
I just wish I could embed the google map on my blog and have it zoomable for all to see and play with.
I might get round to testing geosetter after I go for a swim :)
I'm having a break from the tent for a few days, No more elephants seen :( but I have seen my first ever 3 metre snake and I camped on a reservoir dyke usually reserved by a crocodile bigger than me to do his sunbathing. I went back the next day and there he was!!!!!!! See my blog photos.
-
I'll probably be jotting down a few nuggets in the coming weeks that may be blindingly obvious to some, but I'm going to mention them all the same.
Memory Cards:
Before I left the UK I bought the best quality, size and speed cards I could find for all my gadgets. I bought them from Amazon direct so that when I tested them if they did not do what they said I could get a refund nice and easy. So many on ebay etc are fakes, likewise in developing countries.
It's easy to pick up memory cards everywhere you go but if your super HD camera or video requires a decent speed, more often than not the card you buy will not be the speed printed on the packet.
On more than one occasion in Pakistan I had guys who were tech savvy remark on how fast my memory cards were. Even though they had the same ones (well it was printed on the card so it must be true)
Cheapo cards are fine for backing up (for a short while) but quite often wont play or record video quick enough.
Buy before you leave :)
and on a similar note....I stayed with a Policeman at his house in Iraq. He liked to dress well. We got onto the conversation of clothes and I pointed out to him that all the brand named clothing at the market was fake. He couldn't believe it, it was like telling a child about Father Christmas.
I've also seen fake Mammut, North Face and Mountain Hardware tents and sleeping bags in India. Clothing I expected but I didn't realise other stuff was about. (Completely naive of me)
That's not to say that a fake branded item is any less good for the job than a non branded item of a similar price.
My "Northface" rucksack from Iran is still going strong :)
-
FINGERS CROSSED!!!!
I may have found the solution to the ever growing route on a map and how to let people look at it dynamically.
I will report back after testing and if successful I will start a new thread just for this.
A very excited Richie, and as usual found totally by accident :)
-
Booooo!!! The solution I found has been preened by the Strava api bods and now doesn't work.
Hooray!! yet again I've found another solution by accident.
It's in it's infancy but as it gets tweeked I think this will be perfect.
It would be great if you could click this link Richie's Dynamic Sri Lanka Map (http://www.irreverence.co.uk/activities/map/?user=77ddb670)
and let me know that it all works OK.
Then I can start a new thread on how to do it.
Cheers
-
Hi Richie!
I've attached a cropped screenshot I took of your map. It nicely shows your tracks, but is not dynamic (animated).
Does this help?
Best,
Dan. (...who can't wait to see where this goes)
-
Perhaps my use of "dynamic" is incorrect??
I meant that you can zoom in and out and re-size, change type of map etc
Standard google maps stuff but something I've been unable to do until now
No moving parts......yet
-
Looks good enough to me.
What moving parts do you need?
Matt
-
I meant that you can zoom in and out and re-size, change type of map etc
Standard google maps stuff but something I've been unable to do until now
Hi Richie!
Oh, it does all that very nicely indeed and looks terrific! What method did you use to get there?
Best,
Dan.
-
So...the site that I've found is here http://www.irreverence.co.uk/activities/
You register on the site, upload your Garmin data and it puts it on a Google map. Simples.
Then you can link to that map from your blog/Facebook/friendly cycling forum.
It uses a constant url so you can update the map and it will still use the same link.
I'll do a new thread on the pros and cons versus other methods but of all the options I've looked into, this one works best, at the moment. :)
-
Richie! Great! I was looking for something like this. Great find! Just uploaded my summer tour to the site. Works very well.
http://www.irreverence.co.uk/activities/map/?user=94f04839
;D
-
Superb, Richie; well done and very nicely shared!
Many thanks.
Best,
Dan.
-
New Thread for the Activities multiple Garmin Map here
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=8187.0
-
This is a bit Random but I'm throwing it in because it's the first time I've seen any information this good.
UK to Iran by land is no problem. Pakistan is the sticky wicket and even if you have a visa this can happen:
PLEASE READ IF THINKING OF GOING ACROSS THE BORDER FROM IRAN TO PAKISTAN
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25849649
So the danger is still current. For that reason I see a lot of people trying to get from Iran to India by boat.
Banda Abbas to Sharjah in the UAE is easy but getting from theer to India / SL by boat proves to be a bit harder. I've been signed up to the "couchsailing" group on couchsurfing for 2 years and this is the first time I've seen any solid info on being able to do it so I thought I'd share it here:
Posted on 28/01/14
Hiya,
Yes it is possible to hitch-hike on a sailboat from Oman to India. I have done this in 2010.
Every year there will be a number of boats sailing this route East across the Indian Ocean. They will most be heading to Sri Lanka but possibly stop in India.
Now is a good time of year to try to find a boat as boats will be making the most of the NW winds down the Red Sea and will likely be aiming to get to India before the SW monsoon.
A good place to start would be to contact the organiser of the Vasco da Gama Rally (http://www.vascodagamarally.nl/).
I don't think the rally is running this year but the organisers will likely know of the boats if any that are going that way.
Failing that, get in contact with the port in Salala and see if they know of any boats in the port which are heading East. Or, try to contact the Oasis club in Salala (+968 23 219248). They may have a notice board that they could put up a notice for sail boats looking for crew.
Otherwise, if your in Oman, why not make your way to the port or the Oasis club in Salala and chat to any yachties around.
Best of luck,
Cillian
-
Hello All,
I'm still in Kandy in Sri Lanka. Enjoying the fact that my team won the footy yesterday but nursing a bit of a hangover cum cold. Just finished cycling with my friend Kate who's been with me for the last 5 weeks.
She bought a new mountain bike in Colombo and will sell it back to the shop for 50% less when she's finished.
Will end up costing her about £30 for 2 months. The bike is a cheapy Chinese/Indian with awful gears but she has managed to do 1000m climbs on it with a bit of swearing and the occasional piece of Buddha like perseverance.
It's been weird to travel with someone else for so long. On the plus side I've got someone to talk to, look after the bike If I need to do something involved and someone to take a photos and videos of me ;)
On the negative side I've had to compromise what I've been doing, think about it and worst of all, externalise some of my decisions. It makes me realise quite how free and easy I am a lot of the time and that I don't really put a lot of thought into much things...I just do them.
Overall it's been great to have her around though, I might meet up with her again in the North depending on how we are both fixed.
One thing to point out that I couldn't write on my blog (because her parents read it) is the problems of travelling in Asia as a female. We had a few unsavory incidents when she was with me. Unfortunately this is par for the course in Asia and from discussing it with others, it only seems to be getting worse. We are at a time in history when certain parts of the world still have a massively conservative attitude to sex and casual relationships but at the same time media is throwing out it's version of gratuitous Western female attitudes on TV, Film, the internet and even in the news.
I've just responded to a post on the FB Warmshowers group. It's about how Couchsurfing inparticular in India has been seen by Indian men as the perfect way to get in touch with more liberal minded Indian women as well as travelling females in the hope of a date. It's put off a lot of females from using the site. I've had first hand experience of this from my time in India. It's not really effected me with who I have contacted because the women can see I'm genuine from my profile and revues but it's a shame so many are frightened to go on now.
Another example of this cross pollination of views in this particular moment of time was when I stayed at a hotel here in Arugam Bay. A German woman late 20's was travelling by herself and was staying in the room next to me. We struck up a conversation straight away as is often the way of people travelling on there own. One of the young guys who worked at the hotel became jealous and kept trying to separate us.
She told me she had had the following conversation with him.
Him: So in Europe Girls have different boyfriends before they get married?
Her: Yes, they might.
Him: And sometimes they sleep with them.
Her: Yes, they might.
Him: So will you sleep with me
Her: No
Him: Why not?
and so it went on. These types of conversations are so common, and whilst you cant blame a man or a woman for chatting someone up, the total lack of understanding of how things work makes you realise how it can filter down into more unsavory situations.
This is just yet another reason to add to my long list about how lucky I am to be able to do the things I do.
My friend Kate has just cycled on her own for a few days to meet up with a female friend and I've sent her to the same hotel. But explained to her what happened! The German woman told him the truth so as to educate him and I'm sure Kate will do the same. But it's a very long battle.
Ladies I salute you :)
In other news...
I've added a VIDEOS page to my blog. I'll never get round to editing them into a film in the near future so I've just enabled the share facility on googledrive where I back-up to.
Feel free to have a look if you are interested. I've starred the ones that might be a bit more interesting. A lot of them are dull as it's just easier to upload everything.
The ramblings of a madman overlay many of them!
You have been warned!! :)
http://batmantorobben.com/videos/
-
Just heard some very sad news from the Velomads (some here may already know them) they are now on their tenth year of cycling the globe and have just found out that new visa restrictions have come in for British and Canadian passport holders for independent travelling in Iran. You now need a tour guide to accompany you and only stay in hotels, which is the same as the rules for USA passport holders.
I'm just looking back through my photos and videos and remembering what an incredible time I had on both my visits there. Without independent bicycle travelling and camping it would have been a package holiday.
Sad times. I haven't checked this info myself but the Velomads know what they're doing so I trust their comments.
Thought I would share that here as many Brits include Iran in their tours :(
I don't know who said it but "life's what happens whilst you're making plans"
I dithered on my plans and have missed the chance to travel through Syria and the entire length of Africa through Sudan for the foreseeable future.
I'd tell anyone who's planning a trip to spend less time planning and more time doing. You'll never regret it.
I've had a pretty good life except for the few years proceeding my cycling adventures. But by far the greatest thing I have ever done is to get on my bike and go exploring. I can't imagine doing anything else with my life right now....
-
I've been playing around with Google Drive to display my stored videos but it's not a great solution.
Not enough information for the viewer to choose what video to watch.
My starred favourites don't show up and google drives interface is awful.
Does anyone else no of any other solutions for STORING and SHOWING videos online??
Youtube/Facebook etc are no good because they doesn't allow me to download my video at a later date at full resolution.
-
Vimeo Plus or Pro will allow downloading of the original but they aren't free.
-
Cheers. Just had a look at the plus option $9.99 pm.
I'll keep searching to see what else I can find. Lots of great stuff with the Vimeo that I don't really need.
-
Shame about Iran.
I had been thinking of going there next year.
So many good reports.
There appear to be more and more countries I am having to cross off my to visit list
Egypt Tunisia Syria Pakistan Yemen Crimea Tibet more of Africa.
Trouble is, it makes it harder to keep the wheels on the road
-
...new visa restrictions have come in for British and Canadian passport holders for independent travelling in Iran. You now need a tour guide to accompany you and only stay in hotels, which is the same as the rules for USA passport holders.
This is truly sad news, Richie. It seems the geopolitical atmosphere changes from time to time with short periods of relative peace followed by longer periods of governmental restriction.
Meanwhile, the people soldier on, friendlier than their governments are viewed by other governments.
You're right, Richie; one should go whenever, wherever one can. Things can turn quickly.
All the best,
Dan.
-
Bugger! I had planned to be in Iran in June, its now looking
as I will go via Georgia, Azerbaijan and the ferry from Baku
to Aktau in Kazakhstan. I'am really disappointed about this
as I was looking forward to visiting Iran.
Nevermind, its just a small part of my trip to Aus.
Dave
-
Richie
So sad about independent travel in Iran. Perhaps we can start a petition to allow independent travel for bicycle tourists? ;)
Have you looked at Dropbox?
https://www.dropbox.com/
Its free and I have just been playing around with it. Seems like a solution to your storage requirements?
Happy travels!
-
Bugger! I had planned to be in Iran in June, its now looking
as I will go via Georgia, Azerbaijan and the ferry from Baku
to Aktau in Kazakhstan. I'am really disappointed about this
as I was looking forward to visiting Iran.
Nevermind, its just a small part of my trip to Aus.
Dave
Me too.
And it never appears that these kind of changes are ever reversed.
Someone please.correct me.on this.
Please.
Matt
-
I've already got a dropbox account. 5gb free allowance got filled up the same day :)
Although I'm sticking with google for the time being...£1.79 per month for 100gb.
Ive since found A-drive offer 50gb free for their standard service.
Apparently the standard service can be a bit of a pain to upload to, so the advice is to take out the free pro trial and upload using that and then swap over to the free one :)
-
Not a day has gone by since I heard the news about travelling in Iran that I haven't thought of an experience or person I met or friend I made that would never of happened cycling.
These geo political things are normally tit for tat and with the new Nuclear talks on the horizon who knows what will happen in the future.
If things do change back and allow you to travel independently as a Brit, Canadian or U.S. of Aian than I would strongly encourage anybody to visit this country. The People are truly incredible.
In other news...
I can tell you that a bicycle costing £50 brand new needs both new rear bearings and the bottom bracket repacking after 500km and 750km. As the cost for both these jobs was less than £3 in total its not the end of the world :)
My chain I had put on in Jaffna snapped after 1000km and I took a link out and joined it again and got another 500km out of it :)
And my front Thorn and rear Rohloff rings have finally started showing signs of wear after 8000km.
My Schwalbe Mondial tires have seen 2700kms here in Sri Lanka with plenty of off road and jungle action. I've only had one puncture. That was hammering down the mountain road under braking so hard it was hurting my hands. So I'm definitely recommending these over the Duremes any day.
The football is no nearer to a conclusion and I may have to risk coming home for the last match and keeping everything crossed...until that time I'm off to Malaysia next week, I may get three weeks there, I may get three months. It's a nice problem to have.
I'm looking forward to some new food as it's pretty limited here on the road and too spicy even for my curry lovin' lips. I finally took the plunge and shelled out over £4 for a pot of peanut butter which has been going down a treat on a plain roti/paratha.
And one last recommendation. My reversible reflective foldable hat has been amazing and keeping me cooler now I'm back in the lowlands. It's damned hot down here, the Garmin said 44.7 the other day. 100 rupees well spent. You do however need a couple of clothes pegs to clip it to the peak of your cap to stop it blowing off :)
-
Now in Kualur Lumpur , Malaysia enjoying metropolitan city life :)
Thought I'd just mention this nugget even though it doesn't apply to me yet...I have now heard from 2 separate friends. One in Nepal and one in Sri Lanka who say that to renew their British passport outside the UK has taken 8 eight weeks to sort out. They quote 4 weeks minimum but will only start to look into any problems after 5. Worth thinking about if your passport is close to ending, easier to renew at half the cost before you go.
-
Well that's it folks. Pt 2 of my "cycling" world tour has officially come to an end. My Nomad has been dismantled and packed up in a cardboard box ready for flying home. I've still got another 3 weeks in Malaysia and Indonesia whilst my bike stays with a warmshowers host in Kuala Lumpur.
I've been in Lombok and Bali for the last two months doing pretty much nothing and preparing for being back in the UK after such a long time away.
This has been an experiment for me to see how much I enjoy long term travel, what the difficulties are, could I cope, could I afford it, do I want to be on a bicycle???
The answer to all these questions is YES :).
When I get home I'm putting some plans into action that are hopefully going to enable me to do this for a lot longer.
But first I have to get my backside seen too!!!!!
It's been pretty painful for the last few months even having rested off the bike for a good few weeks.
I've found my Brooks saddle to start rubbing the inside of my thighs and various adjustments haven't helped. So I'll be looking into an alternative when I get back. The whole time I've been away I never felt comfortable doing a whole days riding on the Brooks even with Asoss bib shorts. Boils, bumps and lumps have been pretty much everywhere in that area since the start and no amount of sudocreme or chamois butter has managed to totally clear them up. I don't think being in the tropics has helped either.
I'll finish off this thread with some other bits and bobs later.
In summary....travelling by bicycle IS THE BEST way to travel. For so many reasons. You just cant have the same experiences using any other form of transport.
Keep pedalling
-
Hats off, Richie, to such a grand experiment!
I have noticed that the heat and humidity of a New York July do get into the leather of my Brooks saddle and then the leather gets a bit sticky. Stickiness is not what you want in a saddle!
My mind does start to run over alternatives. How to build a better saddle? Merino wool woof over polyester warp, the polyester stretched hammock-style? Nah. The perfect saddle isn't likely to exist! Maybe one of those Brooks Swift saddles, the ones with hardly any sides at all. Nothing to rub on the sides!
My puzzle right now: when I ride, the saddle gets soaked with sweat. But then we get lots of rain storms, so I need to keep the saddle covered when it is parked outside. Maybe I need a cover more like an umbrella, that keeps the rain off but lets air flow through for ventilation. Hmmm, maybe the same old shower cap, but glue foam bits here and there on the inner surface, to lift the plastic off the leather and make space for air flow. Hmmm.
Anyway, good to get those sores looked at and all healed up! Best of luck with clearing the way for more riding!
-
Fascinating reading, Richie. Thanks you so much for taking the trouble to keep us up to date. But for you, some of us would never know all the ins and outs, and be the poorer for it.
-
Not sure which model Brooks you have. I find that the popular B17 or Flyer is a bit too wide for me. Instead I use a Conquest, that is a discontinued model that has the same shape as the Brooks Pro but is sprung.
-
hell of a tour 8)
-
Brilliant stuff, Richie, and a whale of a tale. You've certainly earned your R & R, and a return to "regular life" will have its challenges, for sure. I don't have many suggestions for a new saddle, though over the years I have found that sores, cuts, etc., are usually healed by swimming in tropical seas. Cool lakes on the Canadian shield are wonderful in their way, but lack the necessary brine. :-)
Best wishes for the next grand adventure!
John
-
my french buddy micheal rides a half saddle no nose he loves it and believe me this guy can ride a bike.no idea the name of the saddle guess you will have to hunt for noseless saddles.
sorry
anto.
-
Hi Ritchie. I have always found your trip updates excellent reading. They have inspired me and helped me on my own present tour, around Scotland. Not on your own scale but a big trip for me.
One thing I have learnt is that at the end of the day there is no guy with a chequered flag. So no rush. As my pal Dan o CE told me, smell the roses.
Matt
-
any photos matt.
jags.
-
Cheers for the kind words and I will definitely be looking into the saddle recommendations.
As you may know or not know depending how deep you've delved into my blog I have spent the last eight years of my life dealing with severe depression and anxiety. For anyone that has first hand experience of depression you will know how totally debilitating it can be. For those that don't have experience of it either personally or through friends and family it can be almost impossible to understand. Before I allowed myself to be convinced that this was an illness and not a phase I was going through I had no idea either.
Iraqi jails, mountain passes, vertical freezing rain, border officialdom, scary traffic and dangerous animals have hardly been of any problem to me. Yet sometimes just getting up in the morning is totally impossible. That's why I sometimes end up in one place for a while. I'm very fortunate to have the opportunity to travel like I do and have the money to travel for long periods of time. This enables me to not fight the black dog and just accept it and wait for it to pass.
When I left the UK i was two years into a three year group psychotherapy course. I made a very difficult decision to leave that to come on this trip. Getting everything in place was one of the most difficult periods of my life. I was splitting from my girlfriend of six years and my mother was moving into my house at the same time. The only way I was able to find the strength to keep going was because I was able to draw on my experiences of my trip to Istanbul. How alive that made me feel and how much it opened my eyes to a totally different way of approaching life. The Istanbul trip was made possible by realising that I (Richie) could actually do this kind of thing. Even though my first five day trip to Wales did leave me feeling more physical pain than I could have imagined. All of this was inspired by seeing and reading about other people having done similar things. When I first saw the BBC documentary "The man who cycled the world" I knew instantly I wanted to do that. The idea of cycle touring had never even existed as a concept before I saw that program. This big tour has evolved in the same way my managing of anxiety has evolved. One step at a time. Just making the FIRST step is the most important action. I've spent the last few weeks here in Kuala Lumpur going through my photos and videos of this trip. I still can't believe what I've done. I don't think it will truly sink in until I stop and I'm back in the UK.
What I know now is that this is the perfect lifestyle for me at the moment. I'm able to live a life, which back home is incredibly difficult. A combination of living simply and cheaply, having time to breath, being outside and having my eyes opened to this big wide world we live in is just what I need. The difficult stuff is just the good bits for the film or book, that I will never make or write :)
I haven't gone on this trip , written my blog or posted here with the intention of inspiring anybody but if it does happen to do that to just one person it will have been worthwhile for that reason alone. I'm preaching to the converted here I know but something that has hit me more than anything else on all my trips has been how kind people can be, its effected me deeply so if I can ever get the opportunity to give back I want to take it. Sometimes the smallest gestures can make such a big difference and it's taught me that nothing is ever to small a reason to not do something.
This thread has probably not been much practical help to people regarding touring and it's had next to no information about Thorn Bikes :)
That's because apart from stuff that wears out, stretches or punctures my Nomad has been perfect.
So now I'm preparing to go back to sunny Hertfordshire and try and sort out a load of stuff so I can continue to do more of these two year trips. Everyone asks me where I'm going next and as usual I have no idea. I'll just see what time I'm all sorted back home, look out the window and decide wether to get on the bike or get on a plane. The world is my lobster as some wise person once wrote.
www.batmantorobben.com
Facebook : Tash Rider
-
Great to hear your news.
If it helps in any way - your trip inspired me to do my own - around Scotland.
Matt
-
Cheers Matt, I'd like to say I'm replying from the UK now. But with no reason to go home I ventured into the local KL office of Vietnam Airlines and enquired about changing my ticket.
Originally when I bought it online it was £100 to change it so not viable. In the KL office it was 100rm about £18. So I'm still in Asia for another 6 weeks.