Real. Active. Women. That’s what the RAW in Raw Gear stands for, short and sweet. If you are a road cyclist who is not a classic shape (or you have a friend who fits this description!!!) Then this article is for you! Angela Williams writes about how she and partner Cindy founded RAW, based in Australia Its conception is a slightly longer story. In our early days of riding (only a few years ago) my partner Cindy and I would often … [Read more...]
Women on Wheels – the Big WOW
WOW is not just in the title of this book, but it's content calls forth a WOW by most who read it. Stories of over 100 women from around the world who have traveled solo by bicycle are hilarious and awesome and frightening and inspiring. The author Loretta Henderson has been on the road for five years on five continents, and in that journey she slowly met other women cyclists and started to build WOW - Women on Wheels Wall on her … [Read more...]
Cycle from Paris to London
Avenue Verte Opened in 2013 Avenue Verte is a unique opportunity for the adventurous and active traveler. Cycle paths and low traffic roads now link these two great capitals of the world. The Avenue Verte London - Paris is a cycle route stretching 406 km. The French section, linking Paris to the Channel port of Dieppe, measures 246 km. It follows special traffic-free greenways (voies vertes), plus some tracks shared with motorists. The Avenue … [Read more...]
Central Otago – just one small slice of the paradise that is NZ
Central Otago is at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand - best access is via Dunedin, but easily found on a South Island Tour. It is a rich historic gold mining area which used to have a train connecting its small communities. The train tracks have long since gone, replaced with one of the best cycling trails in New Zealand - The Otago Rail Trail. The Otago Rail Trail is literally a cycle from pub to pub - in a huge high country … [Read more...]
Meandering by Cycle in Morocco
A solo tour mostly around the Atlas Mountains Jill Lundmark - solo woman cyclist - 728 km (452 miles) over 64 days I was excited about going to Morocco and hoped some people would speak English. I'd felt isolated in Spain. Outside my hotel the market was going full blast. The fruit and vegetables looked superb arranged in piles, just a riot of colour. I got some bread and bananas then went looking for the tourist information. They directed me to … [Read more...]
Cycling Southern Iceland at Seventy
Iceland with a gym-damaged knee Jill Lundmark cycles 589 km (366 miles) over 71 days I read everything I could find about cycling in Iceland especially the excellent notes written by Iviehoff and the tours on crazyguyonabike. I noticed at work at a secondary school I was often dressed in two layers of merino plus a jacket while the students went about bare armed so I knew the cold was going to be a challenge for me. Accordingly I packed four … [Read more...]
Solo Cycling in Cévennes, France
Susan Minnich writes: I was determined that I could do this, travel solo on my bike, in France, as a 61-year-old, reasonably fit woman, with some ability to speak French. It didn’t really occur to me not to do it, though I can’t say why I was so clearly sure that all would go well. After all, I had only been to France once before, the previous year, and other than that had only been out of the US to Canada (mostly hiking trips that were … [Read more...]
Cycling Vietnam and Cambodia at Sixty-Nine
A meander through the Mekong Delta and a visit to Ankor Wat Intrepid solo cyclist Jill Lundmark rides 1,575 km (979 miles) over 64 days The trip starts with a nasty surprise about airline rules regarding transporting bikes After days and days of research, lists and more lists I was finally sitting uncomfortably on the plane with all my valuables strapped around me. My old cotton money belt in the small of my back, another plastic one in front … [Read more...]
Sixty-seven, cycling solo across Scotland: East to West
Wild camping and hosteling from Stonehaven to Edinburgh One of Jill Lundmark's intrepid journeys 650 km (404 miles) over 21 days My name is Jill Lundmark and I live in Auckland, New Zealand. My dream for years had been to make long-distance cycle tours. I'd read the books by women cycling alone across the Amazon, around the world, into the Himalayas etc. I wanted to do the same. … [Read more...]
Sixty-Six, Solo and South East Asia by Jill Lundmark
A Personal Account of a Bicycle Ride around Thailand, Laos and Burma by Jill Lundmark This link takes you the stories of Jill Lundmark's 3 month biking around South-East Asia. Bicycle Touring: Sixty-Six, Solo and South East Asia, by Jill Lundmark Read some of her other travel stories here: Sixty-seven, solo across Scotland: East to West, by Jill Lundmark Touring Vietnam and Cambodia at Sixty-Nine., by Jill Lundmark Southern Iceland, by Jill … [Read more...]