The titanium mug. Once upon a time it was almost a novelty, a blatant extravagance, an aspirational item that made a statement about the owners intentions, yet now it’s borderline mundane, bikepacking standard issue and a prerequisite for every self-propelled vagabond. It’s probably no surprise that the ‘Ti mug’ has found its way into the […]
The internet is a wonderful place. Not only is it full of cats doing the funniest things, it also provides a welcoming home for bigots of every persuasion and a safe haven to every (un)imaginable perversion. The internet allows you to do your weekly shop without ever lifting a single lardy arse cheek from the […]
I very rarely sleep in a hammock. It’s not because I don’t like it, on the contrary, I find gently swinging beneath the trees to be both pleasant and comfortable. No, the reason I don’t ‘hang’ on a regular basis is two-fold. Firstly, hammocks are inherently cold; that might sound odd if you’ve never experienced […]
The Welsh Ride Thing is fourteen years old this year. In that time, it’s done many things to many people. It’s inspired, acted as a catalyst, brought people together, opened many eyes and raised a few eyebrows, broken a handful but made hundreds more smile. The WRT doesn’t restrain or restrict, on the contrary, it […]
I value freedom above just about anything else. Knowing that, what, when, how and why are blank pages in an open book that I’ve yet to write is a genuinely precious thing but as with many truly precious things, it’s something that can be hard to find. At this point, I could write about how […]
It’s a time of year for reflection. The mark on the calendar when we look back and acknowledge the deeds and achievements accomplished by the great and the good amongst whatever peer group we subscribe to. There was a time when I used to anticipate the arrival of news. News that ‘Bear Bones’ had received […]
Chain lube? It’s not the stuff of dreams is it? Even the geekiest amongst us probably wouldn’t place chain lube high on the list of interesting topics but maybe we should. Is chain lube not the very elixir of life, a last line of defence against a cruel and savage world, hell-bent on rusty destruction […]
I can still remember seeing my first piece of ‘bikepacking luggage’ and thinking what a great idea it was. The other overwhelming thought swirling round in my head as I stroked the X-pac and fondled the buckles was, bloody hell that’s a lot of money for a bag. I’m sure it’s a thought many people […]
Imagine the indignity … forced to conduct your own interview. Luckily though, I’m not a proud man, so armed with a variety of questions from the bikepacking populace I’m going to do just that … because it appears that no one else ever will. Okay then, the first question is from Scott and he asks, ‘At […]
It’s not unusual for me to find myself beavering away in the dark recesses of my workshop and this day was no exception. As I busied myself making things … mainly tea, radio 4 chatted away to itself in the background. In time honoured tradition, Jayne Garvey introduced Woman’s Hour just after the news at […]