In each of the last 4 years, I’ve reached the end of summer feeling like I haven’t travelled enough on my bike. That’s never actually the case, but as the days start to shorten I panic that I haven’t spent enough time outside and I quickly plot one last domestic escapade. By the time I … More Deeside Trail: Another ‘Hit & Run’ to Scotland (01/10/21-03/10/21)
Amongst many other cancelled plans for 2020, I’d hoped to ride the Torino-Nice Rally in early September. Of course, that was postponed until next year way back in spring. For much of the year, it looked like any holidays would be impossible, but in late summer we did get a little respite from COVID-restrictions and … More The Cairngorms Loop: Pandemic respite in the Scottish Highlands (29/08/20-04/09/20)
On the second half of the trail I passed a few places I visited on my last ride down through Scotland. The first of these places was Kylesku Bridge, which crosses Loch Cainbawn. I’d been coming down the coastal rode last time but then changed my mind and followed the main road to Lochinver, rather … More Highland Trail 550: Part 2 (23/08/18-29/08/18)
I first heard about the Highland Trail 550 in Utah, of all places. Last summer I was cycling along a lonely dead-end road in the American desert when a car pulled over. The driver hopped out and asked me if I fancied a cold bottle of water. When it is 40C and there is no … More Highland Trail 550: Part 1 (18/08/18-23/08/18)
After escaping the Westfjords region I continued around the Hunafloi coastline, affectionately nicknamed ‘bear bay’ after the occasional polar bear drifts in here on an iceberg from Greenland. Unfortunately for the polar bears – hungry after a lonely time out at sea – they are usually met with a shotgun upon arrival. The Icelandic don’t … More Iceland Part 2: Winter in the Arctic Clutches (Stardarskali to Seydisfjordur 28/10/17-08/11/17)
I arrived bleary eyed at Iceland’s Keflavik airport at 4.30am, having picked the word’s most inconvinient flight time. The airport had a fancy ‘bike box’ in the car park (a dedicated space for bicycle assembly) where I hopped to get a little shut eye. I’d managed a grand total of 20 minutes sleep on the … More Iceland Part 1: Blinded by The Northern Lights (Reykjavik to Stadarskali 13/10/17-28/10/17)
JKB's Bike Ride 