My Cycling Adventure...

[aardvarkboy]

Hi, I'm new to the boards and one of the reasons I joined is to try and recruit someone crazy/fit/determined enough to join me on my cycle adventure.

I love cycling, especially long distance cycle touring - fully loaded, which means carrying tent, clothes, tools, cooking equipment and everything else in panniers on the bike. I think I'm pushing the boundaries of the term 'long distance' in that I plan to cycle from the UK to South East Asia accross some very remote and tough terrain - the 'stans, China, Tibet, etc.

This is something I've wanted to do for a couple of years now and though I have no firm date of when I'm going to do it, I do have ideas for the route. Part of the ethos for the trip is to promote the vegetarian diet and show that vegetarians are as healthy as meat eaters. I don't know how, but I would like to draw some publicity to it. Even if it's just a word of mouth 'I know someone who cycled to the other side of the world, and he's vegetarian!' I'll be happy. I also want to raise money for an animal charity.

The problem with my plan is that I know of no one who would join me and am hoping that there might be someone here who likes this idea and would be interested. I'm 24, male, shy, uncomplicated, mellow, happy, adventurous and I love nature and animals. I would love to share this experience with someone I can relate to morally, ethically and who can share the trials of eating a vegetarian diet on a trip such as this!

I could go on and on for hours about this, but ultimately I'm just hoping that there is someone out there, male or female, with the spirit, drive and nomadic nature needed for this journey and who wouldn't mind spending a considerable amount of time with me!

Please let me know if so.

:up:

Ant

[aardvarkboy]

Hey Funkified, thanks a lot! When you say you don't road bike much, does that mean you do ride, but ride off road?

Well, I think I've done a lot of research, but in the grand scheme of things I haven't really. I've researched the essentials like visas (there is no such thing as total freedom), seasons (would have to leave the UK in February in order to avoid very harsh winters, monsoons, etc in respective countries on the route) and some other things.

I will research in a lot more depth when I have an exact date to start but at the moment, I don't know if it will be in two years or five years, but hope it to be sometime within that period. That leaves you time to get in shape and uncommit yourself!

Seriously though, I'm always researching and dreaming about it and it's something I'm definitely going to do, so keep it in mind, I'm glad it appeals to you. :yes: I really want to find someone with the same enthusiasm but that isn't afraid, as some of the journey will be very hard!

I think this summer I'm going to cycle along the west coast of Ireland, maybe only a two week trip rather than the year long one I'm planning so if there are any takers for that also, please show yourselves!

[vheogl]

That sounds like one amazing fun adventure. I'd kill to do it or maybe not kill but you get what i mean.

I've been trying to plan a way to go overland from the UK to well basically as far as I can get, but probably not in the most traditional way of going trans siberian etc. It'll hopefully be my next big trip. But i'm not sure about cycling it. Currently i can cycle about 6 miles. So i'm not really up to it. Shame. Given 5 years maybe but not currently.

Have you thought about asking the vegan society or the vegetarian society to mention it in one of their magazines or posting it on the vegan village notice board? Might get some response there.

[Willowriver]

Hmmmm that's intriguing. I have no idea where I'll be in 2-5 years, but it's certainly enough time to get in shape. :) I might know another vegan who would be interested. I'll bounce it off him.

[aardvarkboy]

Thank for the replies guys, it's good that there is some interest. I've never put this idea to anyone before so didn't know if people would either like the idea or shoot it down in flames! :yes:

vheogl, that's a very good idea. I had it in mind to contact the vegetarian society for the publicity side of it, hopfully with a some kind of article, but it might be a good way to find someone else up for doing it as well.

A trans-siberian trip sounds pretty sweet. I read recently about a guy who cycled accross Siberia in the winter - some days were -35 degrees celsius, he had to carry and axe to chop down trees for fires every night and everything plastic he had snapped because it got so cold, that's not my idea of fun! I guess you could use the trans-siberian express for parts of it and go when it's not as cold, but either way, I bet it would be amazing.

Great Willowriver, let your friend know and ask him to get in contact if he likes the idea. :up:

Funkified, I love backpacking as well, I raced endurance cycling the last couple of years (over 100miles/160 km distances) but never thought that cycle travel would actually be that fun until I tried it last year. I like all of the roughing it kind of elements it shares with backpacking, but the greater distance you can travel as well.

I use a rigid (no suspension) mountain bike for the cycle touring I've done. I cycled accross Europe in the summer and it fared well even on the road, but it's a lot slower carrying so much stuff on it! 50 miles a day is good, I'm sure there is a cut off point whereby if you can ride so far without cracking, you can ride as far as you like, within reason.

I love backpacking, there's nothing better than wandering up and down hills/mountains for days on end with everything you need to survive on your back. :yes: