The Curonian Spit

As is typical of the nonchalance of an unplanned, meandering traveller such as myself, arriving at the Curonian I discovered that one must get a ferry across the narrow shipping channel that has been cut into its north end. As is also typical, I had not set aside enough cash to pay for this service…

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Kolyma Highway Photos – Winter Biking – 2000km Yakutsk to Magadan

Well, there are many stories to tell from the last couple of months. The 2000km from Yakutsk to Magadan was a fantastic ride, made all the more memorable by the incredibly kind, generous, hospitable people I met along the way. My journal is full! But this blog post is not for telling those stories with [...]

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Too Cold – Winter Biking Yakutia Photos

Oh where do I start?! I think for now, I will just show you the photos from the last couple of weeks. Mostly it was too cold to stop and take photos… sometimes when I did, the camera wouldn’t work anyway. When it’s -40C and colder (when I woke one morning from the bivvy, it [...]

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Biking to Lake Baikal and Olkhon Island

Just over a week has passed since leaving Irkutsk… and now I’m back. Briefly. Tomorrow I take a train to Neriyungri to begin the very cold cycle to Yakutsk. But back to the last week. It seems a lot has happened. Firstly I cycled to Lake Baikal – it took five days. A bit longer [...]

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Into the White

Time for a long-awaited update… After a few weeks back home, I’m finally back out in Russia – in Irkutsk, near Lake Baikal. The first 3 weeks at home were spent indulging in the guiltless excesses of good food and drink over xmas, safe in the knowledge that I’ll be...
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Take On Asia – Free Photobook and Round Up Part 1

I am back in the UK! Yes, that happened fast you say. Indeed, I’d been keeping my return quiet so I could surprise my mum for her birthday. But now I can tell you about the last days of the journey… Having cycled back to Moynaq, I hopped in a taxi and left a pool [...]

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In Search of the Aral Sea – From Khiva to Moynaq, Uzbekistan

Rather than retrace the direct route to the main road via Urgench, cycled along the smaller roads for a short cut towards Nukus. Riding through small towns and farmland. Uninspiring. But I was quite happy just pootling along. No particular rush. I thought again how this countryside reminded me...
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Elliq Qala – A tour of the 50 Fortresses (well, 6 to be exact)

Because it had taken three hours for the taxi driver to find 3 other passengers, it was well after dark when I arrived in Tortkul. So rather than cycling out of town and camping, I found a place to stay. From here I was going to start a mini tour of the crumbling ruins of [...]

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Get On With It – Getting to Dushanbe and Visa Woes

So this was the plan… cycle through the Pamirs and on to Dushanbe, pick up my Uzbek visa and be on my way to Uzbekistan to see the Silk Road cities, make a brief detour to the remains of the Aral Sea and cycle on into Kazakhstan and fly home in time for Christmas. It [...]

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Riding the Pamir Highway – The Wakhan Valley – from Langar to Khorog

It was a struggle leaving Langar. After a night in a bed (=mattress on floor), I was more tired than usual. Not much energy either (soup and bread for dinner is not enough calories for a cycle-tourer, even after you wake in the night and eat a Snickers bar). So I lingered over breakfast and [...]

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Riding the Pamir Highway – Into Wakhan Valley – Murghab to Langar

I woke up in my dim unlit room in Murghab, went to the window and pulled back the curtains. White light blinded me. I blinked and rubbed my eyes and pressed my face to the window and watched my breath steam up the glass. Beyond, snow was falling gently and the world outside was all [...]

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Riding the Pamir Highway – The Cold Way – Sary Tash to Murghab

My legs and busting lungs screamed for a day off in Sary Tash (that’s what you get when you sit on a horse for a month). But the clear skies were too good to spend indoors. You never know when the winds will change and blow a dastardly-blizzardy-storm your way. When I finally decided I [...]

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Osh and Up to the Roof of the World in Photos

Having lingered long enough in Bishkek while arranging onward visas, I took a bus straight to Osh. From there, it would be back on the bike. In at the deep end – unfit after a 6-week break while horse-riding, I knew the legs would suffer with the endless uphill towards the Pamir Mountains,...
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Bike and Gear Set-up for Asia – Downsizing

Having been on the road a few months in Asia now, I thought it was time to share how I’m carrying all my gear for anyone that’s interested. As usual, I’ve got my Thorn Raven Tour bike, although during its 40,000km life it has had several new parts at various stages (including...
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Russian Altai part 2 – Photos of Chulyshman Gorge and Lake Teletskoe

I finally met someone who likes all the off-the-beaten-track beaten tracks and mud and dirt and gravel… and it was fortunate I met him where I did. A local family I had met had suggested riding up to Lake Teletskoe from Aktash. It would be hard on a bike, but of course it can be [...]

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Russian Altai – Photos of The Chuysky Trakt

The next proper blog post will have to wait. I have the time to write, whiling away the hours until tonight’s train to Novosibirsk from here in Biysk. But unable to find a quiet place to form coherent thought, the writing will have to wait. Noise everywhere. I’m sure Russians...
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Last Days in Mongolia – Photos and Blog Dirt-Road biking in Uvs and Bayan-Olgii

[I got a bit carried away with this blog - about time some may say - but if you just want the photos, skip to the bottom] After a few days ‘rest’ in Ulaangom where my room was once again invaded by drunk locals, it was time to get back to the dirt roads – [...]

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Photos of Biking Across Mongolia

Having made it to Kharkhorin and had a look round the Erd Zuu monastery, I was looking forward to beginning the off-road adventures through Mongolia. Alas, progress has been made and the tarmac extended for a couple more days’ ride… I lingered longer than anticipated in Tsetserleg...
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Bikepacking to Terelj National Park

I’m here in Ulaanbaatar for the Naadam Festival and until next week when I can get my Kazakhstan visa. The one guy at the embassy who issues them is on holiday… So I packed my raft, bivy bag, toothbrush and some food and headed out of Ulaanbaatar on my bike. Destination Terelj NP,...
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