Author: Crispin
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The simple guide to what to bring for a great day’s bike ride
When I have been asking around with friends for the next post that they would like to see, a lot of them have asked me for advice on what to take on a day ride. So below I have set out my own checklist in rough order of importance. Feel free to adapt as you wish…
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Smart Cycling: When to Hop on a Train or Bus for a Better Bike Tour
I was listening to Andrew P Sykes’ excellent Cycling Europe podcast recently when I heard him say that one of the bike touring lessons that he had learnt rather late is that you should be ready to take public transport during your bike tour. Yet I know many bike tourists who feel that they have to cycle…
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Seven reasons why you should buy a bike GPS
When you first start riding distances, whether day rides or bike tours, buying a bike GPS can seem expensive and unnecessary, especially when you already have a smartphone with an app such as mapy, RideWithGPS, or Komoot. Indeed, many long distance bike tourists go without, relying on a smartphone or paper maps. Having used a GPS for over 10…
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How to embrace the beauty of a winter bike ride
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, it is thick winter. The days are short, the temperatures down, the weather often unpleasant and we have just had a week of snow. But if you can brave those first few steps out the front door, this time of year can be glorious and memorable to ride in. It…
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Why Autumn is the best season for riding
Here in the northern hemisphere, it is full on autumn: the leaves are falling, the days are getting colder and the nights are getting appreciably longer. This is really my favourite season for riding, and it should be yours. I’ve written about this before but let me list the ways. The colours are glorious Yes, I…
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Cycling across a map of Tiny Perfect Moments
A few months ago, I read a review of a new film called “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things”. Judging by the review and the trailer, it appears to be about two teens who find themselves reliving the same day again and again, Groundhog Day-style. In an allusion to the conclusion of the earlier film,…
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Cooking my way around the world, dish by dish: Week Seven and epilogue
Saturday 13 February: Ireland 🇮🇪 : Irish Stew When I casually mention to my friend R that I am cooking my way round the world and am wondering what to do for Ireland, without a second’s hesitation, she says “Irish stew” and looks at me like I am an idiot. Obvious really. (On the same…
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Cooking my way around the world, dish by dish: Week Six
Saturday 6 February: Japan 🇯🇵 : Miso Soup and Chicken Katsu Don Japan… The first time that I went there was on a business trip for my organisation’s annual conference. On my first evening, sluggish with jetlag, a Japanese colleague took me from the hotel to the central train station in Tokyo for a light…
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Cooking my way around the world, dish by dish: Week Five
Saturday 30 January: Vietnam 🇻🇳 : Cha Gio and Phó – Fried Spring Rolls and Soup My 1996 trip to South East Asia ended by crossing into Vietnam, staying a day in the gorgeous city of Hue before ending in Hanoi. Time flies and it shames me that I have not been back since. The…