A bikepacker’s tales from the trails Bikepacking has been an activity since bikes were invented, but in recent years it has really grown in popularity. The UK has proven itself to be an exceptional place for bike-bound, off-road adventures. In this book, Mike takes you on his journey to becoming a competent bikepacker and it’s filled with top tips and good advice. It contains tales from some of our greatest bikepacking routes including the Highland Trail 550, the Trans Cambrian and the Lakeland 300 routes. The centrepiece of the book is Mike’s own Cylchdaith Cymru/Welsh 550 journey around his adopted home of Wales. Mike is a naturalist, mountaineer and educator and as such he comments knowledgeably on the countryside and how it is being managed. He tells tales of the people he meets, the people he cycles with, and the places he visits. This is a bikepacking travelogue for our times. ‘An engaging account of bikepacking as it should be done, with head up and eyes open.’ Jethro Jessop, Bikepacker and YouTuber ‘I love how Mike has added the nature writing and history into his personal story of bikepacking. This book emphasises the importance of being outside in nature and of movement through the environment. It contains great practical and technical information for those starting out, but it is a personal journey – from naïve beginnings to travelling and exploring the natural world – the unconscious competency. This book is so much more interesting than simply going faster, going stronger!’ Rosie Baxendine, she/her, Bikepacking Guide ‘This is a book full of information, anecdotes and useful insights, written by a man who has climbed, walked and biked around most of the UK and Ireland. Mike’s beautifully written travelogue clearly indicates his intimate knowledge of ecology, geology, history, travel, and a sense of place. A cracking read.’ Iolo Williams, Naturalist and Broadcaster

Bikepacking takes you on an off-road adventure, cycling and wild camping some of Britain s most beautiful hidden trails and ancient trackways. Laurence McJannet sets off to find the 30 finest multi-day rides our island has to offer. From easy city-escapes with the family to epic trails in the Scottish Highlands, this ultimate adventure guide is filled with inspiring stories and packed with tips on kit, planning, camping and route-finding. All routes can be reached by train and are accompanied by downloadable maps and GPX files. In this ultimate guide to bikepacking the most beautiful trails of britain you will find the very best: Epic wilderness rides - With careful planning, and basic gear, you ll be surprised how far into the wild a mountain bike can take you and the distance you can cover Family rides - Careful selection of trail and ride length means children can have an absolute blast, and they ll be planning their next adventure before you have even finished Technical trails - Testing your nerves and handling skills: these trails beg to be tackled at full speed and provide an exciting challenge on the longer rides Coastal trails - There s nothing like the ocean and a beach to transform your journey and to provide a wonderful place to camp and build your fire Hills and mountains - Although it s tempting to steer a laden bike away from the steeper slopes, it s here you will find the most memorable experiences, the greatest descents and the headiest views Winter rides - Don t pack up your bikes for the winter; with some sensible additions to your kit bag there s every reason to carry on bikepacking right through the year

The author explains how her love for the outdoors--and her journeys to natural landscapes in Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Alaska--became her only source of redemption after suffering sexual abuse from her stepfather for more than six years.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE RBC TAYLOR PRIZE WINNER OF THE EDNA STAEBLER AWARD FOR CREATIVE NON-FICTION "Every day on a bike trip is like the one before--but it is also completely different, or perhaps you are different, woken up in new ways by the mile." As a teenager, Kate Harris realized that the career she most craved--that of a generalist explorer, equal parts swashbuckler and philosopher--had gone extinct. From her small-town home in Ontario, it seemed as if Marco Polo, Magellan and their like had long ago mapped the whole earth. So she vowed to become a scientist and go to Mars. To pass the time before she could launch into outer space, Kate set off by bicycle down a short section of the fabled Silk Road with her childhood friend Mel Yule, then settled down to study at Oxford and MIT. Eventually the truth dawned on her: an explorer, in any day and age, is by definition the kind of person who refuses to live between the lines. And Harris had soared most fully out of bounds right here on Earth, travelling a bygone trading route on her bicycle. So she quit the laboratory and hit the Silk Road again with Mel, this time determined to bike it from the beginning to end. Like Rebecca Solnit and Pico Iyer before her, Kate Harris offers a travel narrative at once exuberant and meditative, wry and rapturous. Weaving adventure and deep reflection with the history of science and exploration, Lands of Lost Borders explores the nature of limits and the wildness of a world that, like the self and like the stars, can never be fully mapped.

Preface: I brought all this information together, in a very simple way, so you, the person who wants to travel by bike, can! So go for a long or short ride and experience the Earth and its inhabitants. In 2000, I was a very different person, I was very focused on material possessions, money, work, and although I was passionate about the Earth and nature I had let my false need for respect from others to creep its way into my life; I gained weight and became dangerously unhealthy. I came across an Adventure Cyclists Magazine in a bookstore, which made me pine for travel and to be healthy. I admired people I saw walking and bicycling for transportation. I started to walk and bicycle for transportation, eventually becoming completely car-free. I downsized my lifestyle. I lost over 240 pounds over a period of 12 years, and eventually started to travel by bike. Now I teach how to travel by bike. I write these words to inspire, and I share the other peoples -words, art, links, and info so you can responsibly learn the basics of bike travel. Let me know how you like this book and send me your thoughts. Bill Poindexter, May 3rd, 2020. Kansas City, Missouri, USA.Bill Poindexter is a Kansas City based author

Head out for adventure on the unpaved back roads of America with Nick Legan’s complete guide to gravel grinders and bikepacking! Gravel cycling is a glorious return to the purest roots of two-wheeled adventure. From farm roads and miners’ paths to the high passes of the Rockies and the Alps, gravel cycling and bikepacking will set you free to explore, enjoy, persevere, and discover. Escape the traffic and ride unpaved with Nick Legan’s GRAVEL CYCLING: The Complete Guide to Gravel Racing and Adventure Bikepacking. In this ground-breaking guide, accomplished gravel cyclist Nick Legan shares everything you need to know to enjoy gravel cycling and bikepacking. Drawing on interviews with top gravel junkies and his own hard-won knowledge from countless backcountry miles, Legan covers all the gear, bike setup, riding tips, course previews, and outfitting strategies you need to enjoy gravel cycling with confidence. He profiles 18 favorite one-day gravel races and 8 epic multi-day bikepacking adventure routes. Legan shares colorful stories of the origins of gravel cycling in North America and its rapid spread to Europe, Asia, and South America. Best of all, this full-color guide is packed with more than 350 gorgeous photographs from beautiful rides that will inspire you to seek out dirt and gravel roads near you. Legan brings his experience as a ProTour bike mechanic to this guide, offering detailed data on bike setup, gear selection, and how to build your own dream gravel bike. He shares crucial ride-saving tips and smart ways to make sure you’ll enjoy every moment. Over one-third of the roads in the U.S. are unpaved, which means you can enjoy the roads less travelled at the perfect pace to soak up new vistas and valleys, canyons and creeks—or push the pace over an epic day with fast friends. From gear to racing, route planning to camping—the wild ride of a lifetime awaits you in GRAVEL CYCLING. Gravel grinders Includes complete profiles, tips, and gear set-up for favorite gravel races and events: Almanzo, Barry-Roubaix, Crusher in the Tushar, Deerfield Dirt Road Randonnée, Dirty Kanza, Dirty Reiver, Grasshopper, Gravel Fondo, Gravel Roc, Gravel Worlds, Great Otway, Grinduro, La Gravel66, La Résistance, Land Run, Pirinexus 360, Rebecca’s Private Idaho, Trans Iowa. Bikepacking Offers route guides to favorite multi-day bikepacking routes: The Arizona Trail, The Colorado Trail, Denali Highway, Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Towpath, Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, Katy Trail, Oregon Outback, and Trans North California.

Examines the nature and widespread use of bicycle in the Australian outback from the 1890s ; includes references to the use of and reaction to bicycles by Aboriginal people (pp.206-208).