Bamboo Odyssey » touring | Bamboo Odyssey

Goon bags and glamping

Jules — Tue, 20 May 2014 01:35:44 +0000

Another day setting off from Walpole towards a cyclist only hut 55km further east along the Munda Biddi
trail. We had slept the night by the inlet in the shelter of a gas BBQ picnic spot, happily dry packing up as the rain set in. The Munda Biddi is a mountain bike track crisscrossing through beautiful karri forests of giants, and scrubby sandy plains and mysterious grass trees …..on a fully loaded touring bike this is slow hard work. The rain became heavier in sync with the heaviness in our legs. When not slipping the track sucks at our tyres depleting us of energy. Downhill the rear tyres fish tailed and slid….on steep inclines the tyres slipped in pea gravel and sand. Maybe pea gravel is a mountain bikers delight…..it makes me quiver. There was a lot of determination, pushing….and yet incredible reward for every movement forward. South Western Australia is a cycle tourists’ dream….beautiful beyond imaginings.
After 10 km we decided to change course and head for the highway. We have to make Albany in time for Nick who has joined us for a stint, to catch a bus back to Perth and his return flight to the UK. So we will take the highway and head for a much recommended camp site on the rugged coast. We are drenched but increase our speed dramatically. It’s warm enough and our spirits are high as we leave a trail of spray lost into oblivion by overtaking vehicles.
Nick suggests we ask a campground if we can use their kitchen for shelter. Li and I are not that keen as it’s early and we want to make a few more kilometres towards our next home for the night. We reluctantly agree to our friend’s request….and quickly become soft. A wee bit of luxury quickly consumes. We meet Gareth the caretaker and share our meals. He whips out some wine and we are easily persuaded to join him. But we decline his wine in preference to depleting our own supply and to shed some weight….maybe 6 litres of wine is what slowed us down on the Munda Biddi? Yes we still carry the equivalent in water. Our route avoids towns for many days at a time and we like the luxury of a tipple at the end of a day. Aussie prices have proved expensive so we have found a taste for cheap sweet red in a “goon bag”….my sister says I have morphed into a bogan…..4 plus litres of cheap wine in a box and plastic bladder….we are fond of our goon bags. Less glass, more liquid. Anyway I am blissfully happy to go slow and merry amidst mother nature’s finest.
So we drink wine, share bread and are offered Gareth’s luxurious carpeted tent…..what the heck….let’s stay…..the rain will hide our pristine coast until another day and time is less precious having gained 2 days via the highway.
Merino sheep stare, we stare…. Sip wine, use a washing machine, shower and put on blissful clean clothes warmed in the dryer.
No need to pitch the tent we enjoy glamping with electric lights under thick watertight canvas and with carpet under our warmed feet.

Perth Western Australia

Jules — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 09:44:51 +0000

We are in Perth, Western Australia….an Australian, after 11 years absence I am in culture shock. As we slowly cycled border to border, country to country from London, more or less South East, the differences were gradual or when not gradual they were somewhat expected.
To arrive at Perth International Airport, and be greeted “g’day….ow ya goin?”. I was amused…..and very much delighted. I am certainly not the Aussie I once was. I hear the Aussie twang everywhere and it is as exciting as listening to the multiple languages of our past year of travel. I’ve forgotten how to use my bank card in stores, forgotten how to order a beer….midi, schooner, pot…..pint? I speak the same tongue, but I feel foreign, I feel as visible as times when kids chased us screaming ‘tourist tourist’ in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan! Well, no matter…you don’t cycle half way across the world and be bothered by feeling different. Perth is a place I have only visited, I have never lived in the most isolated city in the world.
Being back in Oz is like being a child again, learning, listening, new, new, new, everything is new and alluring and I love it. We’ve seen kangaroos, cockatoos, galahas, magpies and funny sounding crows, the bush, sunsets and magnificent white beaches….for me it’s all pleasant deja-vu.
We are taking 3 weeks off cycling, reuniting with long missed friends and family, reuniting with our camping gear, reuniting with the hum drum of sorting visas, banking and replacing very worn clothes. I am behind in my blogging and may find time to recap on Thailand and the amazing welcomes we received cycling the west coast of Malaysia. And next..we head south…..1000km off road on a path through the forest…the Munda Biddi bike trail.

Merino wool clothing review….the essential cycle tourists’ yarn.

Jules — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 09:27:30 +0000

From conception we had about 3 1/2 years to plan for our bamboo cycle ride from London to Sydney. The UK was a perfect climate to try out clothing options that are light weight, warm and or cool with dramatically changing temperatures.

Early on in my 10 years residency in the UK, I realised synthetic or cotton base layers, thermal wear, was unsatisfactory, it retained the smell of sweat or was unable to wick or else it deteriorated too quickly.

Firstly, I tried Icebreakers merino base layers and despite the high cost I was hooked…..and my first items of clothing lasted for years…. The initial cost became much less as I did not need to replace items at regular intervals. With the properties of merino wool I was also able to wear my merino winter layers as outer layers during the summer…..ok….I am not that big on keeping up with the latest fashion trends.
Over the past few years there have been many more brands of merino wool garments hitting the market, including those that are cycle specific.. I’ve tried my fair share……Icebreaker, Howies, Sherpa, On One, Rapha, Smart Wool, Finisterre, Kathmandu, Ibex and Endura.

I’ll start with the cycle specific.
Rapha does a few items of clothing that are more suited to full on road racing, commuting, cafe culture and even the office, rather than an extended tour. My short sleeve jersey is incredibly durable due to the combo of polyester. It looks great and I’ve taken it on the trip as a smarter outfit for cities, socialising, border crossings, etc. It’s a great piece of kit but I wouldn’t go out and purchase it for a tour if I didn’t already own it. I’ve left my other quality Rapha merino jersey in London as these items are really too expensive for the trials of camping. Rapha’s sportwool merino/polyester combo fabric wear is quality, it lasts unlike some of their supposedly cycle specific trousers and shorts which acquire pills in the saddle area within a few weeks of wear.
The pros are it can be durable when fabric is a merino mix while all items look great. The cons…..really, really expensive and Rapha does not produce a large range of women specific items. Sizing can be strange and I recommend try before you buy.

On One, is a brand that produces a small range of everything from bicycles to cycle clothing.I purchased a male specific singlet as I liked the full length and round high neck that was not available for women in other brands. This is very thin and quickly began to look too thin…..but was always designed as a merino base layer. I also have On One merino socks. Great for the price, thinner than icebreaker, cool in summer without becoming stinky for days of wear. In 6 months of daily wear I did wear holes in both pairs. Fair do…..and the cheapest merino socks on the market by miles!

Endura…..cycle specific merino socks……great for summer, not much different to On One socks but twice the price. If you cant get On One I would go for these.

We have both worn a few items of Ibex clothing. I loved the arm warmers and they come with reflective detail. I decided arm warmers were surplus to requirements for our tour, opting for full layers for the colder months. Ibex clothing has proved incredibly durable and Li has been wearing a jersey more days than not, especially in countries where the bare shoulders of a singlet has been culturally inappropriate despite the heat. 12 months riding in London, almost 12 on this trip, it’s looking shabby for bike grease and ingrained dirt but free from holes and incredibly soft. For cycle specific and durable clothing I will continue to look out for Ibex. At the time of purchase we could only buy Ibex on line in the UK. It is an American brand and consequently their sizing I on the generous side.

Icebreaker….my favourite merino clothing producers. Not cheap but fair priced considering the years of wear you will get out of them if not getting the yarn snared up in the bike, cat claws, twigs, or your luggage. In recent years Icebreaker has begun to bring out a range of cycle specific clothing.
I have been wearing this brand for close to 10 years. Apart from a wee blip one year, where the wool appeared to lose its colour in strange patches after several washes…..the sizing and quality continues to be consistent. (I wash all of my merino in the washing machine on the same programme……hot because I am filthy….or hand wash, because there is nothing else). The wool does not fade, remains soft and the choices and styles change annually.
My liner gloves sadly only lasted 1 month of hardship about the camp site. But they were so warm and gave me dexterity that I would not find in any other glove. I abused them when they were not designed for this purpose. I am also wearing….and now slowly patching and sewing a base layer and jumper I have worn consistently in the UK for 7 years. They are warm and why purchase something new when it will be grotty within hours of cycling, dust or snow or whatever Mother Nature throws at you.
I also purchased a merino fleece outer layer for this trip. Their socks are also fairing well…..as I hole my other brands I gain Li’s hand me downs…thicker Icebreakers, as she generally wears sandals. Some of the lighter grade wool garments do gather holes quickly…. Not so much of a problem on the road but trying to look smart for embassy visits? Even Rapha gear looks pitiful when you ride, eat, sleep in your gear without flowing water for days on end.

Non cycle specific, Howies….I have only ever bothered with one singlet…..too thin and fragile for my liking but Li will purchase the occasional singlets for the bright colours or design. Still preferable to cotton or non organic. Neither of us bought along Howies for the trip as they didn’t last the test rides.

Finisterre, a small UK cold water surf company. Great……when it fits or does not shrink. I find the products too unreliable. The wool is not consistent from one year to the next. A small company and will hopefully sort this issue out as the designs are simple but colourful. Li continues to purchase singlets and underwear but I prefer to lean towards icebreaker…..products I can trust.

Kathmandu makes their own small range of merino clothing that changes style from season to season. I have bought t-shirts, underwear and long sleeve tops during their annual sales. My long sleeve top and a pair of underwear are still going strong with zero holes. Kathmandu merino has for me been the most forgiving yarn without being mixed with cotton, polyester or lycra. My only slight criticism of their merino is it does not stay quite as soft in our battleground of our changing laundry routine and the styling is not always to my taste. I am not a pink or pastel kind of girl. Thankfully they always include some black items of merino travel gear.

I have only owned one item of Sherpa merino clothing. These leggings are 260gsm grade merino and perfect for cold nights in the tent or when I want to run around looking like a jul tomte (Swedish Christmas Elf)…. Look it up…. with very bright red, red legs. I believe it’s a good way to embarrass Li when I chose to wear them on their own. This is the only item of merino that has ever made me itch. It’s also incredibly durable and warm . It appears to have shrunk in a strange way but as I have increasing lost weight apart from a beer belly, this has proved to my advantage. I may not go with Sherpa merino again but I would never go without merino leggings on an extended tour. They aren’t worn every day, but when you have exhausted all other clothing, are wet and cold….or simply all other clothing is in the wash, leggings are a luxury. This item is durable enough that I will have it for years to come.

Before I forget….do not leave home without a merino “Buff”. This multifunctional item remains a most treasured possession. A hat, come scarf, dust and grit mask, balaclava, head scarf for mosques and even a pillow cover.

Merino has properties that ensure your warmth, even when wet, and ensure you stay cool and dry comparable to other fabrics when the temperature soars. Merino is biodegradable and ties in well with sustainable, responsible travel, bamboo bikes and a love for the environment. On a tour….. most importantly, merino also repels the stink. Days of not washing…..no stink! Perhaps this is why people have, across the globe, remained hospitable to us. Unfortunately, I was recently forced to dispose of my very much loved, worn, sun bleached On One singlet which resembled…in looks, not smell, a very holey Swiss cheese. Well being world tourers it actually got repurposed as a chain rag. It was stop wearing the singlet or ride alone. Li very quickly learnt her mistake in suggesting I purchase a cotton replacement. Its hot, I am wet…I stink. Li’s birthday is coming up….on our travels, merino is scarce. If you feel like wishing her a safe and happy 30th birthday, you could send a merino singlet…..for me!

Food on the run

Jules — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:19:07 +0000

Our bodies are no more than machines, misbehaving, high consumption and hopefully to become more manageable with maintenance and care. During the first 3 days on the road the meaning of food changed dramatically. Day one it was difficult to swallow over the taste of emotion. No real sustenance was consumed until about 4pm. We pedalled pretty much on exhilaration and desire alone. Soup and beer kept us somewhat warm in a wee pub in rural Surrey until we were scooped up from our mechanical mishap and taken back to London by our wonderful emergency hero. Spoilt with roast lamb and glorious silky Black Queen sparkling Shiraz, our dear friends may have been left hungry as we ate them out of house and home, a two person meal becoming a meal for 5 including 3 ravenous cyclists.
Day two saw us separate on different tasks to ensure a prompt departure from London…..again. Eating a hot dog standing on a Clapham Junction train station platform and Li a convenient tuna melt. Not sure why either of these are something to write home about? Not our usual breakfast (nor even lunch)This was eaten from necessity and convenience and food was forgotten until we passed Brighton around 6pm. Cold and exhausted and pushing for the ferry in Newhaven eventually our bodies commanded fuel. We literally stuffed frozen chocolate bars into our mouths pushing the bikes up a hill our bodies refused to tackle without nourishment. It was only the hard crunch and shatter of the chocolate that was a reminder that food was essential not just for energy but warmth. It was cold! Our second day was made all the more challenging for the abuse we gave our bodies. Dreams of traditional pub fare to see us on our way was replaced by the late hour of arrival and the warm glow of McDonald’s became our haven. Dare I say, the burgers, fries, apple pie, coke and hot chocolate was divine. 24hours earlier we would have been horrified with thoughts of Mac D being our final meal in the UK.
A beer on the ferry, some gummy meerkats, and we slept till 2.30am. Darkness and cold about 3 hours later, several must have handfuls of trail mix had us pedalling until the first village cafe opened at 7.30. Coffee and pan a chocolate x 2 and more pedalling until we made our camp site at around 2pm. Inconceivable, actually impossible to pitch tent before some protein we ordered steak, fries and a giant salad. From this point on we became fully aware that if we are to pedal even a fraction of our planned journey, a routine respect and nourishing of our bodies has to become a priority. We are foodies and learning to be touring cyclists and both these life styles must fit snugly together, to see us over the next hill and make it damn enjoyable as well.