Laid Back Slideshow - the Musical!

Two more opportunities to see my holiday snaps...now with added soundtrack!

• 6pm, Friday 13th February, at BikeFix in Lambs Conduit Street,a double-bill event with bike designer Mike Burrows who will be launching his new book
• 12.30pm, Thursday 7th May, City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA (booking details to follow)

Laid Back Slideshows: come and see my holiday snaps!

I'm doing a couple of public slideshows in January 2015:

• 7.30pm 20 Jan 2015, Kensington Central Library W8 7RX Booking essential 
• 8pm, Friday 23rd January, Willoughby Arms, Kingston, KT2 6LN

Ride stats & article for UEA

22,777 kms
4 continents
18 countries
1,320 riding hours
4,310 hours including all stops
17.3 km/h average
5.3 km/h including stops
116,269 metres climbing
6,000,000 pedal revolutions (approx)

UEA just published a brief article on their alumni site

RTW storified!

I have storified a selection of the laid back tweets, most with photos

see them all again here!

 

Glorious Finish

Some photos from the final day of my ride here. Thanks to all family friends and colleagues who turned up at Bikefix to welcome me home, an occasion I will long remember.

Riding over North Downs towards London with Andy Dave and Dominic

Bikefix Wed 1st October 5pm: various family members welcome me home

Delighted to be joined by Amy & Sara from RoadPeace

Foot art courtesy Shimano sandals

Bike so comfy I don't need to get off to enjoy a glass of bubbly

Re-united with long-suffering wife Pascale...

...and Dad Michael

If you were there and have good photos please email them to me, thanks.

Still rattling the tin for RoadPeace

What's the next challenge? If I can get my notes organised...maybe a book. Watch this space!

Return to the Motherland

Latest news, ie tweets and photos, click here

I've just arrived in New York City....which means only 1/2 a continent to go to the end! I've ridden every day since I left Vancouver on 5th August so now taking a week off to visit this place with my wife who joins me today. Then fly to Lisbon and ride home from there.

Quite a number of people following this blog and the tweets have recently been asking when I plan to get back home. Nice to know you are interested! It will be on Wednesday 1st October. Plan is to finish where I started, at Bikefix in Lambs Conduit Street London WC1. It would be nice to see some friendly faces there at 5pm. We'll probably go for a quick beer in The Lamb till around 7pm. Then I'm going off for a quiet dinner to reacquaint myself with my family.

See you soon!
Richard

Ode to Canada's Highway 3

Latest news, ie tweets and photos, click here

Canada's Highway number 3
Yes siree it's the 3 for me
Hwy 3's the one I like
Cruisin' along on my bike

From the Pacific to the flat Prairie
Hwy 3's the place to be

At dawn every day, back on the move
Mp3 pumping, I'm back in the groove

At dusk every day it's time to stop riding
Find a safe camp and go into hiding

Vancouver to Hope, rode with Bruce
Wind behind us, fast and loose

Hwy 3, in the breeze
Up the Anarchist Pass it's a puff and a wheeze
Met crazy Paul running down - crazy way into town!

Highway 3 here we go
Up the hills I'm pretty slow
But once I'm on the other side
Hang on tight enjoy the ride

Who'd've known: Canada makes wine
Thousands of acres of grapes on the vine

Riding the Rockies, blimey it's hot!
Cycling these mountains takes all I've got

On the Paulson Pass met Chris n Andy
Missing his wife, getting quite...hungry

At 20k an hour I see a lot more
Breath-taking scenery; wide-open jaw

Summits & lakes, torrents & streams
Roadside vendors selling fruit & ice creams

Hundred miles a day it's an 8-day ride
Over high passes and down other side
20k an hour, enjoying the views
Detached from reality, missing the news

At noon if I can I jump in a stream
Rinse out my kit, get myself clean

At the end of the week I'll find a motel
Jump in the bathtub to soak out the smell

Maple syrup on my pancakes
Eggs & bacon, hashbrowns too
Sausage ham & tomato
Coffee please - and where's the loo?

Hwy 3 for he who dares
Watch out for grizzly, black & brown bears
Hwy 3, who dares wins
$2,000 for littering - use the bear-proof bins!

Half way up the mountain is the place that I stop, it's neither at the bottom nor at the top
Half way up the mountain is the place that I sit - there's no other place quite like it
[apols to AA Milne]

Hwy 3 feel the heat
Crazy suntan on my feet
Wind's been kind I'm glad to say
When it blows it goes my way

Chevys & Harleys, RVs, the odd truck
Watch out for cyclists, please give a...fig

One-armed Neil, still awheel
Cracking jokes every line
Lives in Creston, hi-vis vest on
Even in the bright sunshine

For the eyes it's a feast
Going west or going east
For the cyclist it's a test
Going east or going west

Hope to Princeton and beyond
Of hwy 3 we're getting fond
Rock Creek, Greenwood, Castlegar
Hwy 3's the best by far
Glad I'm not stuck in a car

Continental divide at the Crowsnest Pass
Downhill to New York from here?
You betcha sweet ass!

Out of the Rockies
Onto the plains
Down on the Prairie
Where it seldom rains

Gettin' my kicks
Climbs not too steep
Route 66: watch and weep!
Also known as the Crowsnest
Highway 3. It's the best!