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Continue reading →: Alan Brown’s Overlander: Eco-Conscious Cycling in ScotlandA friend of Alan’s alerted me to this book and I am very glad she did. I have read it a couple of times now and enjoyed it even more the second time around. Sometimes the best adventures are the ones closest to home. In Overlander, Alan Brown proves this…
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Continue reading →: Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara DykmanThis was a present from my daughter to mark our visit to the Topping and Co. Bookshop at the end of London Road in Edinburgh. It was a thoughtful birthday present, but I was suspicious of it for a start. Once into it, however, I very much enjoyed it. The…
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Continue reading →: Time to bin our bike helmets?I treated myself to a second hand copy of Grant Petersen’s “Just Ride”, which he subtitles, “A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike”‘. I am enjoying it and it makes a great ‘dip in when you have a moment’ book which is full of refreshing insights into cycling. The…
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Continue reading →: Dervla Murphy: Wheels within WheelsSo, winter has arrived in the new normal here in the Northeast of Scotland. Gone are our bittingly cold, but gloriously sunny winter days: to be replaced by endless days of rain and flooded cycle tracks. Bah, time for a bit less outdoors and a bit more reading. I have…
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Continue reading →: The RC120 Gravl’s Big Brother – RC520 Gravl Sub-CompactI really loved my RC 120 GRAVL but gave it away to a friend and decided to upgrade to something worth investing in as my dream road and gravel bike. When I was on the hunt for a new gravel bike, the 2024 RC 520 Gravel Bike from Decathlon quickly stood out.…
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Continue reading →: Tyre Glider: a Little GemTyre Glider Review: A Small Tool That Solves a Big Problem if you take the time to learn how to use it properly! If you’ve ever fought with a tight bicycle tyre, you’ll know the feeling—aching thumbs, sweaty frustration, and maybe a few muttered words you wouldn’t say in polite…
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Continue reading →: A New BeginningFirst the sad news. Due to Jacqui’s serious ill-health, our touring days are over. There will be no more long cycle trips, matching pedal stroke with pedal stroke. No more time on our beloved Thorns. Those glory days are over for the two of us: There will be no more…
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Continue reading →: Safety and NavigationOnce we decided to book hotels for blocks of nights to allow us to cycle somevdays without luggage, we also decided we would like to go back to Vilajoyoso for one of the stays. We have taken to the city itself and to the Hostal El Mercat. Unfortunately, this meant…
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Continue reading →: Shedding WeightWe have been carrying extra weight since we arrived in Spain. In two senses. We allowed ourselves to relax a bit too much when deciding what to take on this trip. I shed the camera in favour of using the phone, but took the laptop when the phone could have…
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Continue reading →: Villajoyoso to Altea
No two cycling days are the same. Luckily, this was a much easier day. Perhaps not as memorable however, more a relaxed micro-touring day. If you have ever wondered about Spanish Hostals, perhaps Hostal El Mercat would reassure you. Pedro, our host, sets high standards and runs a tight ship,…
Hello,
I’m Norman
Welcome along! Enjoy a rummage through my bin-end ramblings on all things bicycle.
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