Seek Travel Ride

Daragh Cronin has been on the road for 68 days. He left Blackrock, Cork, on a loaded bike with Everest Base Camp as his final destination, and this week he is checking in from Istanbul.This is a midweek update episode, and it covers a lot of ground. Daragh has already cycled the length of Africa, Morocco to Cape Town, so crossing Europe was his second continent. In this episode we discuss:Arriving in Istanbul after 68 days cycling from Cork across EuropeThe hardest moments of the journey so far and how he kept goingWhat it meant to have a riding companion join him through Croatia and AlbaniaThe reality of solo cycle touring and what it does to your head over timeRoute planning through the Middle East amid conflict in IranAbout Daragh Cronin: Daragh Cronin is a solo cyclist from Cork, Ireland, currently riding from Ireland to Everest Base Camp via Africa and the Middle East. Before this leg he completed a solo ride from Morocco to Cape Town. You can listen to the episode where we discussed that adventure in full detail here:  Follow Daragh via his instagram - @roaminwithcronin and check out his fundraiser for the Children's Unit at Cork University Hospital.  Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Megan Young is a UK-based ultra cyclist and bike packer from Dorset. She's raced the Atlas Mountain Race in Morocco as a pairs entry with her husband Angus, taken fastest female honours on the Dorset Divide, spent six months cycling through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile on sabbatical, and then finished that stretch with the Tour Te Waipounamu, a 1330km ultra race down the South Island of New Zealand. And right now she is  lining up for Lostdot 101, a women-only road race across Spain and Portugal where riders plan their own routes.In this episode we discuss:How Megan got into ultra racing and what it was like competing as a pairs team at the Atlas Mountain RaceThree months in the Andes: kit, food, altitude, wild camping, and choosing when to get a busMax, the stray dog in the mountains who became their guardian for a day and then vanished on the descentThe Tour Te Waipounamu: 30km of hike-a-bike, river crossings she'd never trained for, and a DNF 100km from the finish lineHer mindset heading into Lostdot 101, planning her own route, and racing with six friends from Girls That Ride BikesWild camping confidence, the earplugs trick, and what she learned from getting her food strategy badly wrong on her first ultraWomen in ultra racing, what's changed, and why communities like Girls That Ride Bikes are helping to get more women to the start lineYou can follow Megan via her instagram - @MeganOnTwoWheels Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Chris Petermnn has been cycling across the world for four years. When he set out to cross the Sahara on the final leg of his Africa circumnavigation, he was craving one silence. After months of never being alone in West Africa, the desert felt like it might finally offer him some peace. Unfortunately, what he got instead was 1,500 kilometres of relentless headwind.In this Tuesday snippet, Chris takes us through his ride north from Nouakchott in Mauritania, through Western Sahara and up toward the Atlas Mountains. Fair to say it was a stretch that pushed him to rock bottom more than once. He talks about sandstorms, sleep deprivation and a strange sense of envy from watching other cyclists cruise past with the wind at their backs.It's a raw and honest account of what long-distance cycling in one of the world's most extreme environments actually feels like and how the headwind becomes a relentless mental battle. Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What does it take to cycle 15,000 kilometres from Scotland to China along the ancient Silk Road? And what happens when the countries you just rode through are plunged into war the moment you get home?In 2009, Helen Watson and her husband Ed clipped in at Glasgow and pointed east. Their route took them through Syria, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and into China, riding one of the most remote, politically charged and culturally rich corridors on earth. Months after they got home, the Arab Spring broke. And the world they had just ridden through started burning.We discuss:What it really means to cycle tour through the so-called Axis of EvilHow bike touring gave them access to homes and lives no other travel couldRiding as a woman through deeply traditional societies across the Middle East and Central AsiaThe moment the Arab Spring broke and the helplessness of watching those places burnHow the hospitality they received on the road led them to sponsor the first Syrian refugee family into ScotlandHelen's book Tea and Grit: A Bicycle Journey Along the Silk Road is out now and available for purchase here here: https://www.helenwatsonwriting.com/  If you've ever wanted to cycle Central Asia, ride through Iran, or just hear one of the most extraordinary bike adventure stories to land on Seek Travel Ride, this is the episode for you. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Leonie Katekar was 56 years old when she set off solo from Guatemala to cycle 12,000 kilometres to the tip of South America and had no prior solo bike travel experience. The whole adventure was driven by one question: what would you do if you weren't afraid?In this episode:The chaotic Day One in Guatemala: lost, dehydrated, and rescued by a stranger before finishing half the rideManaging Central American heat by riding from 4:30am and being done before the worst of the dayGetting blown clean off her bike in the winds of PatagoniaTwo back-to-back 4,000-metre passes in Peru and the moment she knew she could finish thisRiding through Nicaragua despite every travel warning, and what she actually found thereTraveling solo as a woman through South AmericaThe unexpected shift in her relationship with her four kidsAn Antarctic cruise, a book, and what she's planning nextLeonie's book When We're Not Afraid is available at leoniekatekar.com - order direct for a signed copy. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

If you're planning to cycle Southeast Asia, or just want to hear what it's actually like, this one's for you.Olly Hargreaves is back with an update and this time he's sharing how his girlfriend Ellie has decided to give bikepacking a go.Olly rode to Thailand from the UK and Ellie's longest ride prior to this, was about 30km!  We'll hear how they got on, Ellie's first big day on a loaded bike straight out of Bangkok heading south through Thailand and into Malaysia.This episode covers what cycling this route is actually like. Riding on the coastal roads, dealing with the intense heat and humidity, the dog chases, the scenery, the thunderstorms, and a border crossing that nobody could confirm was open. It also covers the wildlife at Khao Sok National Park, getting scuba certified on the way through, and the honest reality of long days on a loaded bike when you've never done it before.Thailand gets a 10 out of 10. Malaysia is a different story.Be sure to give both Olly and Ellie a follow on instagram via [email protected]_olly.hargreaves and @Ormerod_Fitness Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Javier Carrasco rode from Austria to the other side of the world on a bike rescued from a dumpster. Over 20,000 kilometres and 200,000 metres of climbing travelled on a bicycle that cost him exactly nothing.Javi is the partner of previous guest Rebecca Gross, and while Rebecca made it back to Austria after a year on the road, Javi wasn't quite ready to stop. I got to catch him in person here in Canberra before he headed north, and we sat in the sunshine at the National Arboretum and talked about all of it.It's been a huge journey that's taken him through the Balkans, Turkey, Iran, into Iraq, through Tajikistan's remote Bartang Valley, across Mongolia, solo onto the Tibetan Plateau at minus 20 degrees, through China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and all the way to Australia. Be sure to follow Javi's adventures via instagram on - @hackerbikepacker Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

In this solo episode, I'm talking about post-adventure blues. The experience of coming home after a big journey and finding it so much harder than you ever expected. It's a theme that has come up again and again across three years of conversations on this show, and one I've been deliberately exploring with guests for the past year.The prompt for this episode was a brilliant piece of research by previous guest Alee Denham of cyclingabout.com. Alee fed every transcript from Seek Travel Ride into AI and surfaced the seven biggest lessons bike touring teaches you across 170 podcast guests. The findings are genuinely fascinating and I'd really encourage you to go and read the full article here:But when I read it, one thing was missing and it was dealing with post adventure blues.In this episode I dig into why it might not have surfaced in the data, share what I've picked up when interviewing guests and beyond them, and lay out my own three-part hypothesis on why it hits some people harder than others.Guests referenced in this episode include Steph Devery, Luke Grenfell-Shaw, Alastair Humphreys, Daragh Cronin, Mark Gresser, Claire Wyatt, Paul Edkins, Samer Abouhamad, Tristan Ridley, Madeline Hoffmann and Jesus Estrada.And if you haven't read Alee's previous article ranking the top cycling destinations by podcast guest, that one is worth your time too and you can check it out here. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What if the whole point of racing ultras wasn't the race at all? Claire Stevens is a surgeon and ultra cyclist who rides for the experience of pure presence in wild places.She has lined up for events such as the Indian Pacific Wheel Race, Silk Road Mountain Race, Race to the Rock, Rhino Run and GB Duro. We get into what happens to your senses when you push into the night, what it actually feels like to cycle in the huge mountain landscapes of Kyrgyzstan, the flooded river crossing at Race to the Rock that nearly went very badly and the experience of rolling into Uluru at sunrise. There is also a genuinely wonderful amount of time talking about birds.Be sure to follow Claire's future adventures via her instagram - @surgeonabikeOther guests mentioned in this episode:Katrina Hase Seek Travel Ride is a podcast about cycling adventure, ultra endurance cycling and the stories of people who ride to experience the world. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Rebecca Gross has been sending updates from the road all year and  After cycling from Austria to Australia across something like 30 countries this is the final one!In this update Rebecca talks us through cycling theTassie Traverse, a relatively new bikepacking route running from Hobart up to Launceston through the Highlands and along the east coast. She covers a detour to Maria Island (wombats everywhere, no cars, highly recommended), a night in a tent that was decidedly not waterproof, a private waterfall at sunset after the worst day of the whole traverse, and a Huntsman spider making a last-minute appearance on her handlebars on the final day into Melbourne.She also reflects on what it feels like to come home after a year on the road and why the whole thing already feels like it happened to someone else. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

In 2018, at 24 years of age, Luke Grenfell-Shaw was given a stage 4 cancer diagnosis and told he had months to live. Within weeks, he also lost his brother John in a freak accident. Most people would have pulled the covers up. Luke signed up for a half marathon, hopped on a stationary bike in the hospital ward, and started planning to cycle from Bristol to Beijing.On 1 January 2020, Luke set off on a tandem bike. Over the next few years he rode 32,000 kilometres through 30 countries, with more than 800 different people taking a turn on the back seat. Some were strangers he met on the road. Some were friends and family. One was a puppy named Tarzan. The ride became the award-winning documentary A Life in Tandem, which you should watch immediately after listening to this episode.In this episode we talk about:- What it feels like to be diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at 24- Why Luke chose a tandem over a solo bike and what that decision changed- The science behind exercise during chemotherapy and what the research now says- Dev, the Indian man who turned up in jeans, hadn't ridden in three years, and became Luke's longest-serving stoker- The brake failure at 50mph on a Kyrgyzstan mountain pass that ended in a medical clinic - Tarzan the puppy of Uzbekistan (fate: unknown but probably fine)- The post-adventure blues, identity after big goals, and what it means to turn 32 when you once didn't expect to see it- Luke's definition of a 'canliver' and why he prefers it to 'cancer survivor'- What it means to be a professional trail runner representing Great Britain, and what comes nextLuke Grenfell-Shaw is a professional trail runner representing Great Britain, adventurer, filmmaker, and speaker. His documentary A Life in Tandem is available to stream now.Links:- A Life in Tandem documentary - Luke's website and Instagram- Best Foot Forward short film (Luke and Dan in Sichuan): If this episode moved you, plea Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Daragh Cronin is 40 days into his solo cycling expedition from Ireland to Everest Base Camp, and I sent him four questions via Instagram to find out how it's actually going.He talks about the send-off from Cork that genuinely blew his mind, how it compared to the low-key departure for his West Africa ride, and why the first two weeks on the bike were so much harder than he expected. He gets into the reality of solo wildcamping for the first time, hitting big milestones across Europe, and a very special stop in Germany to see the man he cycled more than half of Africa with.Daragh's route to Everest Base Camp is also currently under a cloud with the war that's broken out in Iran putting his planned route through Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman into doubt. He doesn't have answers yet. Istanbul is where it gets real.You can also watch the new Daragh YouTube video  on our Seek Travel Ride channel.Here's the link to Daragh's Africa episode .Follow Daragh via his instagram @roaminwithCronin for his latest updates. Donate to his fundraiser. Old Man Mountain Big thanks to Old Man Mountain for supporting this episode of Seek Travel Ride. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ever wanted to take a bike adventure through Scotland? This episode is for you!Guest Sheelagh Daley shares her experiences cycling Scotland's Highlands and the Hebridean Way. This was a trip she planned specifically to challenge herself to wild camp and tackle off-road routes solo. She had ALL the weather, sunshine, rain and of course wind.Find out about Scotland's Bothies, what it's like to wild camp solo, taking ferries between the islands on the Hebrides, and why Sheelagh says she could return to Scotland for all her bike adventures and be happy.Be sure to follow Sheelagh to keep up with her adventures. here are links to her instagram - @sheelagh.daley and also her awesome YouTube channel.  Links mentioned:Sheelagh's first STR episodeThe Hebridean WayPictish Trail on bikepacking.comLog Drivers Waltz route episode with Jen Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

This week, listeners Juan Pablo and Paula share a day from their cycling adventure in Mongolia which has to be one of the most remote and rewarding places you can ride a bike on this planet. You can keep up with their adventures via their instagram channel - @juan.pablo.toroI also opens up about my own bikepacking bucket list, and throws the question out to you: where is the destination you're dreaming of? Where would you go if you could go anywhere?Also mentioned this episode: A Life in Tandem — the incredible documentary following Luke Grenfell-Shaw, diagnosed with incurable cancer at 24, who set off to cycle 20,000 miles from Bristol to Beijing on a tandem bike. Watch it here.  Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Daragh Cronin booked a flight to Marrakesh before he even owned a bike. He had no cycling background, no camping experience, but he had a goal to ride the length of Africa from Morocco to Cape Town. Just over 200 days and 13,500 kilometres later, he arrived. In this episode, Irish adventurer Daragh talks through the mental and physical reality of cycling Africa's west coast: navigating borders, battling food poisoning, riding the notorious iron ore train in Mauritania, the strangers who became lifelong friends, and what it was like to finally arrive at the Cape of Good hopeThis episode was recorded when Daragh was days away from his next challenge: cycling from Cork to Everest Base Camp to raise funds for the Children's Unit at Cork University Hospital. Be sure to follow him on instagram - @roaminwithcronin and you can check out his fundraiser here.Other guests mentioned in this Episode:Rob MacLennanTomas Mac An T-SaoirFergal Guihen Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What does it actually take to spend three months a year cycle touring through Europe? This week, Alison Fullerton shares how she and her husband make it happen every single year . She talks about the budgeting, the fitness worries, the accommodation, navigating trains with bikes, and the mindset that has turned their bike adventure dreams into a yearly reality.The thing I love is that Alison and her husband are retirees and they are making this work for them, but her tips are relevant regardless of your age  If you've been telling yourself a big cycling adventure isn't possible yet,  or isn't possible anymore, Alison's story might just change your mind.Follow Alison on Instagram: @loose.spokes Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What happens when you strap skis to a loaded bike and set off to cycle 1,700 kilometres around Iceland in winter? Skier and filmmaker Cody Cirillo did exactly that on a trip he took with his good friend. What's more he also documented the whole experience in his film A Hundred Words for Wind.Cody is a professional skier who's chased remote lines in Mongolia, Morocco, and Iceland. In recent years he's started cycling to his ski terrain instead of driving, something we have called ski bikepacking. Using human powered forms of travel has now completely changed how he experiences the places he travels through.In this episode we cover:- How ski bikepacking started — including his first trip from Telluride to Utah, off the couch, on a wobbly Walmart rack- Iceland's Ring Road in winter : The brutal crosswinds, iced roads, blizzards, and dealing with it on 50kg loaded bikes- Tips and tricks for surviving headwinds when skis add extra sail area?- Breaking eight ribs, a scapula, and puncturing a lung weeks before departure  and why Cody went anyway- The vinarbröð, hot dogs, Snickers, and tortellini that held the whole thing together- What it feels like to park your bike roadside, hike for hours in ski boots, and ski a line down to the ocean- How going slowly created the human connections that made the trip- Turning a 40-day expedition into a film — and why that was harder than the riding**Links:**- Cody on YouTube and also Instagram - @Cody.Cir- A Hundred Words for Wind — Cody's documentary- Steph Devery's ski bikepacking episode Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ever camped in bear country in Japan? Brian Sampson has. This is his second update from his mission to cycle every destination in 1000 Places to See Before You Die.In this episode Brian shares stories from cycling through Japan, including encounters with bears and wild boars. He also shares his experiences exploring the Hiroshima Peace Museum.  From Japan Brian crossed into South Korea, where herides the famous Four Rivers trail and shares the buzz of cycling in the huge city of Seoul.Brian is now heading into China. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss what happens next. You can follow his journey on Instagram at @brian.sampson4 and his blog.If Japan or Korea are on your cycling bucket list, you might also love Terri Jockerst's book Biking to Busan, her nine-month solo ride through Taiwan, Japan and South Korea.And if you haven't seen it yet, come ride with me, Claire Wyatt and Marta Ballús in the Pyrenees over on the Seek Travel Ride YouTube channel.  Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What would it look like to tour a concert by bicycle?Sarah Small is a viola da gamba player who did exactly that. Between May and July, she rode across the UK with her instrument on the bike, playing concerts in village halls, churches, community spaces, and remote locations. Along coastlines, across islands, as far north as the Hebridean Way and the Shetland Islands, bringing live music to places that rarely see it, under her own steam.We talk about the logistics of carrying a fragile instrument by bike, the warmth and generosity Sarah encountered when she arrived having ridden to get there, and why taking music to people rather than the other way around changes something about the experience. We also get into sustainable travel, what cycle touring does to your sense of self, and that particular hit of confidence you didn't know you needed until a bike adventure handed it to you.Sarah also shares her experience using low-impact transport options, including the SailLink ferry between the UK and France.You can follow Sarah's future adventures via her instagram - @SmallSarah Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Imagine cycling from Glasgow to China for your honeymoon! Well that's exactly what guest Helen Watson did with her husband Ed, back in 2010. That extended honeymoon turned into a huge 15-month adventure across Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and into western China.Helen gives us an insight into what it's like to use cycling as a way of moving slowly through cultures, and about what it feels like to experience places that are often reduced to headlines. She shares powerful stories of hospitality in Iran and Syria, including an experience which left her husband needing treatment in a Tehran hospital.Helen has recently published a book about this journey, Tea and Grit: A Bicycle Journey Along the Silk Road Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Old Man Mountain Big thanks to Old Man Mountain for supporting this episode of Seek Travel Ride. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What is it really like to cycle solo from Vietnam to the UK?In this episode, I’m joined by cyclist Matt Whitley, who set off from Ho Chi Minh City in March 2025 to ride home to the UK. Nearly a year into the journey, Matt shares stories from riding solo across the Tibetan Plateau, Central Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Europe.We talk about the intensity that comes with taking long-distance bike travel, choosing the remote mountain routes, managing mechanical issues when you are far from help, as well as how Matt was able to share parts of the journey with his Dad and sister. Be sure to follow Matt via his instagram - @Matty.Travelz Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ever wanted to cycle the South Island of New Zealand?Rebecca Gross shares an honest update from her time bikepacking the South Island. It was a bikepacking trip shaped by relentless rain and freezing summer temperatures. This led to long days of riding chasing weather windows that would allow for side quests such as hiking around Mount Cook.  From Te Araroa sections and west coast gravel to the high mountains around Mount Cook, the final days of riding saw her and partner Javi ride into Paradise near Queenstown.A must listen if cycling in New Zealand on the South Island is on your own bucket list. Be sure to give Rebecca a follow via her instagram - @Rebecca_Grb Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ultra cyclist Lotti Power has completed the Atlas Mountain Race, the Hellenic Mountain Race, and the Silk Road Mountain Race in a single season. Often the youngest rider on the start line, Lotti did not come into ultra cycling through a traditional racing background. Instead she embraces the idea of learning by doing  and it has to be said it has served her well!Lotti first came into long distance riding through the world of Audax. What began with brevets and Paris Brest Paris quickly opened the door to much bigger ideas, She signe up for the Transcontinental and decided to take race the Trans Pyrenees as a team of two with her dad as preparation! Since that she has gradually pushed herself into taking on  more remote and demanding terrain.A defining part of Lotti’s story is how she travels. She rides to start lines, carries a minimal setup, often sleeps without a tent, and makes decisions as she goes. That choice shapes how she trains, how she approaches events, and how she responds when things get complicated, whether that is punctures, heat, long stretches of desert, or the mental weight of being far away from friends and family.In this conversation, we talk about learning ultra cycling by doing it,  standing on a podium she never expected, and trusting herself in situations where there is no clear plan. Lotti shares  how riding to events has influenced every part of her racing, and why she believes motivation and time matter more than experience or  labels.Be sure to follow Lotti via her instagram - @LottiPower Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

You are descending from the Annapurna Circuit when one pothole changes everything. A crash, a broken collarbone, and the ride comes to an abrupt halt.In this midweek update, Olly Hargreaves shares what it was like cycling through India and Nepal. He drops us right into the chaos of riding out of Delhi before reaching the huge peaks of the Himalayas in Nepal. He talks through the aftermath of his accident, a week in hospital, and how quickly long-term bike travel plans can shift.I also give a shout out to listeners who have been sharing their must-see places, taking us from Japan to Iceland and beyond.You can follow Olly's journey via his instagram - @Sagas.of_Olly.Hargreaves Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ever thought about bikepacking across multiple countries?In this episode, I chat with Belgian bikepacker Xiao, known online as @Ciao_Xiao, who set off on a long journey from China back to Belgium.Xiao first got into bike travel as a teenager, riding with his mum and later heading off with friends when time was plentiful and money was not. That curiosity eventually grew into a much bigger ride, beginning in eastern China and unfolding west through Central Asia.In this conversation, we talk about:How early bike trips shaped the way Xiao travelsWhat it is really like to cross China by bike, region by regionRiding through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and camping high in the mountainsCold nights, mechanical problems, and figuring things out as you goHis time riding through Afghanistan and how that experience shifted his perspectiveWhy bikepacking often works best without a rigid planThis episode is a grounded look at long-distance bikepacking, curiosity-led travel, and what you notice when you move slowly through the world on two wheels.Be sure to give Xiao a follow on YouTube and also via his instagram - @Ciao__Xiao Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

How long would it take to cycle your way through A Thousand Places to See Before You Die?This week I am introducing you to Brian Sampson, who has been doing exactly that since 2018. Brian shares an update from his journey so far, and across the year he will be checking in with audio updates as his adventure unfolds.Follow Brian's adventure via his instagram [email protected]  and check out his blog - https://justfeltlikebiking.blogspot.com/Also this week:Fergal Guihen (Rossi to Aussie) finishing ride: I attended Fergal’s arrival at the steps of the Sydney Opera House, marking the close of his almost two-year bike journey!Bikepacking Roots gear library hub: A community-led initiative, supported by podcast sponsor Old Man Mountain, bringing together bikepacking gear libraries with a simple map showing where shared gear hubs exist. Canberra Bikepacking Gear Library: A local gear library helping people in the Canberra region access bikepacking equipment and build skills through shared community resources.  Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Old Man Mountain Big thanks to Old Man Mountain for supporting this episode of Seek Travel Ride. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

This week’s episode features a really thoughtful conversation with Claire Sharpe, a mountain bike instructor, community builder, and the founder of the Bristol Rally. It's a great listen if you’re curious about bikepacking, interested in community-led events, or if you’ve ever talked yourself out of an adventure because you thought you weren’t “ready” yet.In this episode, we talk about:Coming to cycling later in life and learning by doingHow community can be a gateway into bike adventureClaire’s journey into mountain bike instruction and coaching with empathyWhy lived experience matters when helping others build confidenceThe Bristol Rally and how it’s designed to feel welcoming and accessibleBreaking down barriers through inclusive event designRoute planning, rights of way, and riding with confidence in the UKMisadventures, muddy trails, hike-a-bike moments, and why they become the best storiesWhy you don’t need to be “fit enough” before startingAll Terre (Claire’s website): https://allterre.net/The Bristol Rally: https://allterre.net/the-bristol-rally/Follow Claire and her bikepacking projects via the links below:Instagram: @ClaireSharpe, her website - All Terre. Check out her event - The Bristol Rally Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Seek Travel Ride has just turned three, and for this mid-week episode I wanted to do something a little different.Instead of a highlights reel, I’m sharing why this podcast exists in the first place, and what three years of conversations with bike adventurers from all over the world has taught me.In this episode we talk aboutWhy Seek Travel Ride has always been about experiences, not gearHow experience comes after you start, not beforeWhy you don’t need to identify as a cyclist to travel by bikeChoosing your own adventure and letting go of comparisonRiding as transport and sustainabilityThe bike as a connector to people and culturesThe Seek Travel Ride community and the power of shared storiesI also share insights from a recent article by Alee Denham from CyclingAbout, which analysed years of Seek Travel Ride episodes to identify the best places in the world to travel by bike, based entirely on guest stories and lived experience. Very cool!  Listen to my previous episode with Alee here.Finally, I reflect on the community that has grown around the podcast, how it has helped people take their first adventures, and why that community is the reason Seek Travel Ride has made it to three years.Thank you for being part of the journey! Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Why does riding a bike feel like the purest way to experience the world?In this episode, I sit down with Mark Beaumont to talk about bike travel, wanderlust, and what he's learnt after spending two decades taking human powered adventures.Beyond his achievements as a world record holder, Mark also shares how his relationship with adventure has evolved over time. Why endurance is often more mental than physical, and how cycling reveals the gradual shifts between cultures, geography, and ways of life.We discuss the accountability in professional adventure, and the key differences between riding for yourself and riding for work. We also touch on how Mark’s travels have shaped his work in sustainability, using his experience and platform to connect people, ideas, and projects that can create meaningful impact.If you’re drawn to long rides, empty roads, and travel that prioritises experience over outcomes, this conversation will resonate. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What is it really like to bikepack the Tour Aotearoa on New Zealand’s North Island? In this midweek episode, Rebecca Gross shares her experience riding the TA, including the Timber Trail, Warm Showers hospitality, lush North Island scenery, and how well the route is managed with clear detours for trickier sections.If you are planning your own TA ride or curious about what makes this route so unique, Rebecca's update offers up great practical insight into terrain, logistics, the NZ Bike Adventure community, and what to expect when riding the trail.Later in the episode I also share where our Seek Travel Ride listeners on Instagram are planning to ride in 2026 Also be sure to check out the  Snailblazers events happening in Ireland by @SnailBlazers.cc - You can sign up for more info about them via their contact form. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What would you do if you suddenly had four months free to take a bike adventure? For London-based outdoors lover Anna Ruddiman, the answer was simple: buy a touring bike off Facebook Marketplace, catch a ferry to Spain with her girlfriend Fran, and start pedalling east across Europe.In this episode, Anna shares how that idea turned into a four-month ride through 11 countries, wild heatwaves, Balkan backroads and dreamy alpine passes. Along the way they wild camped in secluded spots, rerouted around wildfires, dodged territorial shepherd dogs, and survived on a heroic amount of pesto pasta.We cover: • The serendipity of both losing work & suddenly having time • Buying second-hand touring bikes for the trip • Why rigid planning doesn’t work for long bike travel • Ferry crossings, river valleys & heatwaves • The wild camping learning curve (and mysterious eyes in the dark…) • Mechanical drama & flat tyres in Albania • The shepherd dogs outside Athens that forced a 60 km detour • Finishing the trip in Turkey and what comes next • Why comparison steals the joy from adventureRoute Highlights: UK → Spain → France → Italy → Slovenia → Croatia → Bosnia → Montenegro → Albania → Greece → TurkeyFollow Anna on Instagram - @annaruddimanMusic Pick: Anna adds “Oysters In My Pocket” by Royal Otis to the Seek Travel Ride playlist. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

This week I'm  sharing some awesome bike adventure gear hacks from those of you in the community. I also have an update from Giacomo Turco, who is currently on a huge ride from Cape Town to Italy. Giacomo is updating us from Benin and sharing how the journey has been so far on his bikepacking adventure. He talks about the intensity of the trip, how each day comes with new experiences, and also challenges. He describes the challenges of getting visas for countries, a crazy experience of being invited as a guest to a wedding, and also the scary moment of being assaulted while in Cameroon, and how it nearly made him stop the journey.Giacomo also candidly discusses how despite the finish of his trip being almost a year away, he is already finding himself concerned with thoughts of dealing with post adventure blues. You can follow Giacomo's journey via his instagram page - @cycling.beyond and also find out more about his work on the Water Cycle.  Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

In Part 2 of my conversation with Irish cyclist Tomas Mac An T-Saoir, we continue his nine-year journey around the world by bicycle. We begin in Syria and Afghanistan, where Tomas shares what it was like to travel through regions affected by conflict and have frank, human conversations with the people who live there. One powerful story includes an Afghan woman who was permitted by local authorities to guide him through her city, offering him a rare window into daily life under restrictive laws.From the Middle East, our conversation shifts right back to New Zealand, where this chapter of Tomas’s journey actually began, and where Covid lockdowns meant he ended up staying far longer than he ever expected. His time in New Zealand eventually led to Australia,  and onward to Timor Leste and Indonesia, where he dealt with blistering heat, remote roads and even a major earthquake on the Indonesian side of Timor.We also explore something many long-term travellers quietly struggle with: finishing. After nine years of life on the road, how do you return home? What happens to your identity when the bike stops moving? And how do you make sense of everything you have seen and experienced along the way?If you are interested in bikepacking, long-term travel, culture, human stories and round-the-world cycling, this episode offers an honest look at both the extraordinary and the everyday parts of life on the road.Follow Tomas on Instagram - @anbotharfada📍 Listen to Part 1: Meet the Irishman who Cycled Around the World — Tomas Mac An T-Saoir (Part 1) Episodes mentioned during this conversation:Peter Gostelow - Part 1 and Part 2Heinz Stucke - Part 1 and Part 2 Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

This week I'm sharing a recap from our recent live shows which were held in Melbourne with guests Emily Hulbert, Fergal Guihen, and David McCourt. We  discuss tips on facing fears head on, wild camping, and the importance of leaning into adventure during these long kind of travel journeys. The kindness of strangers shines throughout our panelists stories and Em Hulbert also shares her perspective of travel as a solo female.Want to hear my full length episodes with these guests? check them out below:Emily HulbertFergal Guihen - Part 1 and Part 2David McCourt - Part 1 and Part 2You can also follow them on their social media channels belowEmily Hulbert -@emhulbertFergal Guihen - @Rossie_to_AussieDavid McCourt - @longwayhome__2022 Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ever wanted to go on a bike adventure that takes you from one side of the world to the other? Which countries would you choose to travel to? How do you decide where to go? Well this week I speak with Irish adventurer Tomas Mac An T-Saoir to hear all about his incredible travels across the last decade. Follow Tomas on instagram to see where his future adventures take him: @anbotharfadaOther guests mentioned in this episode: Rebecca Lowe Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ever wanted to cycle in Kyrgyzstan? Well this week adventurer Olly Hargreaves is going to take us on his cycle tour and let us know what it's like to actually ride there. Goign up huge mountain passes, riding alongside the amazing Lake Issyk Kul, Olly tells us all about it as he shares the moments cycling from Osh all the way across Kyrgyzstan and into Kazakhstan, ultimately finishing in Almaty. You can follow Olly's adventures via his instagram account - @Sagas.of_Olly.Hargreaves Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

What happens when two bike adventurers meet outside a supermarket in Turkey, buy a kebab, and end up riding more than half the world together?I sat down with Jamie Hargreaves and Malachi Francis just days after they rolled into the Sydney Opera House, for an in person interviewWe talk about how fast friendships form on the road, the reality behind the hardest days, and why some of the most miserable moments become the most meaningful in hindsight. Jamie reflects on following in his dad Phill's tyre tracks decades later, Malachi opens up about dealing with setbacks on the road and  together they talk about what it really means to share a journey this big.From cycling through Turkey, Nepal, and Central Asia to sleeping in toilets, carrying bikes to base camp, and rolling into the Sydney Opera House together this episode is honest, reflective, and sure to make you laugh.Listen to the previous episodes with both Jamie and Malachi here:Malachi Francis - Ep 102Jamie Hargreaves - Ep 107Jamie and Malachi - Ep 126 - Himalayan ChallengePhill Hargreaves Part 1 and Part 2Follow them on Instagram - @J.A.hargreaves @Malachi_Cycles Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

This week I'm sharing some of my own riding adventures - specifically ones I took just a few days ago over Christmas. I was camped by the Ovens River near Bright in Victoria, and I enjoyed some fantastic riding. This included a memorable cycle to The Horn, a lookout located 11kms further on from Mount Buffalo in Victoria. It's a climb I'd dreamt of riding for over a decade, and I'm sharing my experience of that ride now with you.If you are interested in learning more about the riding around this area of Victoria, check out - Ride High Country, which is a great site for planning out your own stays.For those in Melbourne get yourself tickets to our upcoming live shows:January 07 - Antique Bar, ElsternwickJanuary 08 - Moondog Wild West, Footscray Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Claire Wyatt returns for part two of her Mongolia to UK journey, sharing her experiences of cycling across winter roads, what it's like to hear wolves outside your tent in the night,the illness that put her in hospital and nearly ended her ride half way through and dreamy cycle routes through Northern Italy. Claire also offers up practical advice for anyone wanting to start out on their own bike adventure, from choosing kit that actually matters - spoiler alert you'll want to get yourself some gardening gloves! - to how she plans out her routes. This is part 2 of my conversation with Claire - listen to part 1 here.Follow Claire's future adventures via her instagram - @exploringbybicycle Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Guest Steven Cuthbertson takes us on a ride from Romania to the UK. He shares  the story of a 1,700 mile solo bike ride across Europe, ridden in support of a dog rescue charity that helped re-home his Romanian Shepherd dog, Stella.Steve’s journey begins in Romania, at the very kennels where Stella once lived, before heading west through Hungary, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and finally back to the UK. Along the way, he follows parts of the EuroVelo network,  adapts his route when plans change, and discovers just how important flexibility can be on a long ride.You can read about the full adventure in Steven's book - Going to the Dogs  Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Claire Wyatt shares what it was like to be Cycling solo from Mongolia all the way back home to the UKWe also candidly discuss the reality of life on the road beyond the highlight reels. Riding through torrential rain for days. Camping in flooded fields. Battling extreme cold in Mongolia and brutal heat across Europe. Facing fear, self doubt, and the weight of other people’s worries. And learning to enjoy the hard moments just as much as the good ones.We cover:What it felt like to leave Mongolia and ride into remote wildernessThe reality of bad days on long bike journeysRiding through extreme weather and harsh conditionsManaging fear and other people’s concerns as a solo womanActs of kindness that kept Claire moving forwardRoute decisions from Central Asia through EuropeA last minute decision to cycle across the PamirsThe mental shift that happens once you finish a long-held dreamPost-adventure blues and the power of micro adventuresWhy nature and solitude matter so much after coming homeCheck Claire out on Instagram via : @exploringbybicyclePrevious episodes with Claire;Cycling Across Australia Part 1Cycling Across Australia Part 2Cycling Across SE Asia Other guests mentioned in this episode:Terri JockerstLaura BastioliEm Hulbert Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

This week Rebecca Gross is sharing an update from her journey which will take us to South Korea and Japan. She lets us know what the infamous Four Rivers Route in South Korea was like to cycle on, as well as what she loved about riding in Japan - hint it's all about the onsens!Rebecca also shares a mini solo adventure she took while in South Korea, one which made her realise what she was capable of. Be sure to follow Rebecca's adventure via her instagram channel - @Rebecca_grb Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Robbie Danger Webb shares their experiences of becoming the first openly trans person to cycle around the world. During the episode we learn how Robbie first got into bike travel, their experience gained from riding in their first event, the Tour Aotearoa in New Zealand, and then how they went all in on the world record ride itself.We get into the highs and lows of this record breaking ride, and the realities of setting off to be the first openly Trans Person to do this.  Robbie shares how they found community all over the world, dealt with the setback of getting hit by a car while in the U.S.A, and how the world isn't as scary as it may seem to be. Be sure to follow Robbie's future adventures via their instagram @DirtDropRobbie Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Ever wanted to go Cycling in Turkey? Experience hot air balloons flying overhead in Cappadocia? Then you definitely want to listen to this episode where Slauka give us her account of what it's actually like to go bikepacking there. She talks about the history of the region, the landscapes around there, waking up to hot air balloons all around her tent and of course the extreme hospitality shown to her by the locals. You can follow Slauka via her instagram account- @allridegirl You can also listen to our full length episode with Slauka where we talk about her experiences taking a 3 week bikepacking adventure in Norway. During this episode i also shout out places many listeners are looking forward to going to on a bike adventure in 2026. Get involved with the community adn join us on instagram - @SeekTravelRide  Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Guests Luke Fowler and Sam Edder share what it's been like on their bikepacking adventure from Vietnam to Spain.  The two friends, better known as The Garbage Bag Boys  have certainly chosen to take on some of the most challenging routes. Their journey so far has taken them through the punchy Ha Giang Loop and almost broke them as they pushed headfirst into the punishing winds of the Gobi Desert. They've also taken on the Tian Shan Traverse and the Celestial Divide routes, as well as the Caucasas Crossing. I spoke to them while they were in Greece about to head into the final part of the journey.This trip has been full of adventures, from surviving a roof-ripping storm in a derelict shack to pushing their bikes through deep sand for hours on end, Luke and Sam share brutally honest stories of hardship, freedom, privilege, wild landscapes, and the lessons they’re gathering along the way.Together we talk about:Hitchhiking across IndiaHow two student paramedics decided to ride across the worldThe storm that tore the roof off their shelterThe emotional weight of travel, privilege & storytellingThe Gobi Desert and why it's a place they never want to ride againWhat brings meaning to long-term human-powered travelHow their perspectives have shifted along the journeyWhy discomfort is equal parts addictive and transformativeFollow their adventures via their instagram - @GarbageBagsBoys Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Dreaming of an adventure that takes you across the Pamir Highway? Listen to Olly Hargreaves share what it's actually like to cycle across them. Olly is currently on a huge bike journey from the UK to Thailand. 40 Years ago his dad took a similar tour, and what is special is that he joined Olly for this section of the journey. It was certainly an adventure/mis-adventure, with bad roads, equipment failures and sickness all making an appearance.You can follow Olly's journey via his instagram page - @sagas.of_Olly.HargreavesTo listen to the two episodes featuring Olly's dad Phill Hargreaves click below:Phill Hargreaves - Part 1Phill Hargreaves - Part 2 Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

Australian adventurer Juliana Fontana shares her bikepacking experiences having just returned from a massive solo journey across Europe. That adventure began  in Hungary, saw her riding over the Alps, and continuing all the way to Norway. Once there she realised she was having so much fun so she decided to ride all the way back again.Now back in Australia Juliana has been continuing with her bike adventures and we also discuss her taking on sections of the Hunt 1000 bikepacking route from Canberra to Melbourne through the challenging Australian high country. Her reflections on bikepacking in Europe vs Australia, overcoming fear when camping alone, and the generosity of strangers make this a must-listen for anyone dreaming of their first bike adventure or planning a long-distance tour.You can follow Juliana via her instagram account - @juliana_ftOther guests mentioned in this episode:Sheelagh DaleyClaire Wyatt Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

This week adventurer Kurt Werby gives us an update on what it's been like so far cycling on the Route of Caravans in Morocco. This is one of the first longer bikepacking adventures Kurt has taken on and it's been great to hear how expectations have met up with reality there on the route. We also hear what some of your favourite episodes have been as we celebrate 150 long form episodes of Seek Travel Ride, and lastly - hike a bike - do we love it or do we hate it? Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

In this episode I’m joined by adventurer Mark Gresser, who is currently in the midst of a huge journey: walking solo across Australia from Steep Point in Western Australia to Cape Byron in the east,  a distance of more than 6,000 kilometres.Alogn with being a huge physical challenge, Mark is undertaking this expedition to raise awareness and support for youth mental health, partnering with the Australian organisation Batyr to encourage young people to speak up and seek help. In our conversation, we discuss:The moment Mark decided to attempt this massive walkMark's own mental health journey and experiencesHow he physically and mentally prepared for the journeyWhat life really looks like walking alone through remote AustraliaThe set up of his walking cart which fully loaded can weigh up to 175kgsThe powerful purpose behind Trek 4 Youth Mental HealthFollow & Support Mark🌐 Website & Journey Updates💛 Donate to the Fundraiser:📸 Instagram - @trek4youthmentalhealth Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music 

In 2013 Tom Cartledge and his friend Rhys  James quit their jobs to ride from the UK to India. This week he shares his experiences while in the country of Georgia. Tom says his motivations for this adventure were to visit the 'spaces in between' the landmarks. Slow travel in this manner lets you see the areas you'd otherwise miss, on a train, plane or bus. Can you relate?Tom has also written a book about his journey called Saddle Sores - which you can find available for purchase here. Check out the Manzanita Cradle from Old Man Mountain Support the showBuy me a coffee!I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:👉  CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!)👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media!Instagram - @SeekTravelRideFacebook - Seek Travel RideYouTube - @SeekTravelRideSeek Travel Ride NewsletterLeave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music