Archive for August, 2006
Tuesday, August 15th, 2006
Wedding Weekend
We went to the marriage of Kevin & Julia on Saturday, one of our last weekends away before the big trip. Andrew met Kevin when they both worked at the FT. It was a lovely afternoon for the wedding, despite starting out a bit rainy. After dancing the night away, we then drove down to Kent for a meet-up with some of Friedel’s friends from the Recipezaar.com website.
No Comments » - Posted in Britain by friedel
Thursday, August 10th, 2006
Twenty Questions
We thought it would be kind of fun to answer a few questions on our minds before we embark on our trip. Maybe the answers will change by the end of our journey.
What are you most looking forward to?
Some time to think and get out of the routine of daily life (F). The open road on a sunny day (A)
What will you miss about work?
The adrenaline of covering a breaking news story (F). My friendships and increasing my knowledge (A).
What will be your most prized possession on the road, aside from the bikes?
My camera (F). My PSP (A)
What thing will you miss most about London?
The fabulous culture and the pubs (F)!! A pint of Sussex at the Market Porter (A).
What do you think will be your biggest challenge?
Cycling for the umpteenth day in the rain up a mountain (F). Filling in the monotony of day-to-day cycling with something exciting (A).
What do you wish you could take with you?
A fully-stocked kitchen with a gas stove (F)! A pair of comfy jeans and my Doc Martins (A).
What food do you think you’ll get really tired of eating?
Porridge (F). Non-spicy stew (A).
What country are you most looking forward to spending time in?
Tough one. Can I have two? Turkey and Japan. Oh, and Morocco and China and…. (F) India (A)
Will you miss watching TV?
No (F). Yes, for keeping up with news (A).
What part of your bike are you most worried about falling apart?
The back drive-side spokes (F) and (A).
How many kilometers do you think you’ll cover in total?
50,000 (F) 70,000 (A)
How many nights a week will you camp?
Five out of seven (F). Four (A).
How many punctures do you think you’ll get?
None *said very hopefully* (F). 150 (A)
How many days will it take before you forget about work?
At least 2 weeks (F). Four weeks (A).
Which do you look forward to more, flat stretches or mountains?
Flat! Round the world by towpath anyone (F)??? Mountains (A)
What’s the one cycling tool you’d never do without?
Cycle computer (F). Duct tape (A).
What new skill do you think you’ll learn during your travels?
Something to do with organic farming or living sustainably (F). Communication with people face-to-face (A).
Which weather conditions would you prefer: windy and sunny or calm and cloudy?
Calm and cloudy (F). Windy and sunny (A).
Where do you think you’ll settle after your trip?
Canada (F) UK (A)
What job do you think you’ll return to?
Something involving food or the environment or maybe both (F). An IT job in the publishing sector (A).
No Comments » - Posted in Cycling Trips by friedel
Wednesday, August 9th, 2006
Shake-Down Weekend
A couple weekends ago we did our first trial run fully loaded. We took the train to Ashford and cycled from there to the curling club, near Tonbridge, via the National Cycle Network Route 18. It was quite the challenge for us: a hot day, more hills than we’d expected and the weight of all the gear slowing us down.
Still, we managed a respectable 75km (including getting lost!!) and without a proper lunch too or many breaks. Once at the club we got our tent up and slept very soundly, then were able to fire up the stove in the morning and make ourselves a coffee and porridge. Not bad for a first go!
All in all we were pretty pleased with ourselves. We did learn a few things. Don’t leave your gear in the tent porch because the tent is very attractive to slugs which will crawl all over your stuff! Also, we really needed sleep sacks because our bags stuck to us in the heat. We have since made those out of old sheets. Oh, and we need to make sure we stop for good breaks. I think we would be in danger of exhaustion if we tried to go as hard as we did that day, every day.
