Could you live in rural America? It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves on several occasions over the last few weeks. Remote, few facilities, little in the form of entertainment, it seems there are few positives to recommend it. But spend more time with the people who live in ‘Smallville’ and you begin to get…
In the Appalachians Old King Coal still rules, although his reign is under threat. You only need to look in the valleys to see the impact a decline in mining brings. But huge trains still rumble through local towns with trucks full of the black gold, while coal lorries thunder up the roads to more…
Today had it all, rain, wind, hail, a sudden dog attack and finally camping down in a town packed with Appalachian hikers. After being holed up yesterday peering out the window at the rain from our motel room at Fort Chiswell, Terry was keen to get going as early as possible this morning. I’m not quite…
Have you ever heard of Trail Magic? Nope nor had we – but by nightfall we’d know exactly what it meant – and it has already sprinkled its dust on the bestbybike duo. The day didn’t start as planned. We made the classic mistake of leaving late – and after a few hundred yards we’d…
Sometimes the hardest part of any challenge is getting started and so it has proved with the TransAmerica. The official start of the cross country route is Yorktown, Virginia, but to my geographer’s mind that’s on the York River, Chesapeake Bay, not the Atlantic Ocean. So Terry and I agreed that instead our ride would…
With just two weeks before Terry and I head off to start the TransAmerica, the training isn’t going too well. We both had plans to rack up the miles on our new bikes, but with so much preparation still to do, kit to order and family and friends to see before we depart, the bikes…
It’s a strange phenomenon that riding a bike laden with panniers seems to earn you more respect on the road than even the most expensive carbon fibre machine. I’ve noticed it before, cars give you more space, pedestrians smile at you and small children look on in wonder. I guess people assume you are some…
It felt like going on a blind date without a safety net. I’d never met my companion before and apart from what I’d read, had no first hand experience of their personality. Yet I’d already agreed to nearly three months intimately connected with virtually every hour spent in each others’ company. The strength of the…
Well, it’s done. The Bike is spec’d up and ready to go and currently being built at Richardsons cycle shop in Leigh on Sea, Essex. It’s a Surly Long Haul Trucker in Smog silver with a 56 inch frame and 700c wheels. Choosing a touring bike that is going to be your travelling companion for…
Why are bike specifications so confusing and complex? I’m standing in Richardsons Cycles in Leigh on Sea in Essex attempting to spec up my new Surly Long Haul Trucker and my mind is starting to drift. XL, XT, Sora, Deore, Ultegra, Tiagra – the list goes on. Surely there must be an easier way of…