Seek Travel Ride

Bella Molloy

Want more adventure in your life? Hear real adventure travel stories and practical insights from people who explore the world in bold and meaningful ways by bike, on foot, and close to home.

Seek Travel Ride is an adventure travel podcast for anyone curious about travel and looking to bring more adventure into their everyday.

Host Bella Molloy chats with adventurers and everyday people about bicycle touring, cycle touring, bikepacking, long-distance cycling, and other human-powered adventures. You’ll also hear slow travel, cultural discovery and micro-adventure stories that show adventure can happen anywhere.

Expect travel stories, helpful advice and practical tips you can use to shape your own adventures, whether you’re dreaming of world travel, planning your first bike travel journey, or starting small with something close to home.

Remember it doesn't need to be epic to be an Adventure!

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20 episodes
Updated Saturday

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Episodes20

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Saturday · 1 hr 33 min
Could You Spend Two Years Bikepacking? Paula and Juan Pablo
Juan Pablo's first bike trip was a huge solo journey over 16 months. Then he came home to Chile, met Paula, they got married and six weeks after their wedding they both got on bikes and started bikepacking together.. All up they hope to spend two years on this adventurous version of a honeymoon. We discuss: Bikepacking as a couple: a newlywed honeymoon covering 20,000km Solo bike touring: 19,000km across Turkey, the Middle East, and Africa Bikepacking Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia: expectations vs. reality Route planning and gear for long-distance cycle touring Relationship and communication tips for touring as a couple Bike mechanical failures and storm survival on tour Juan Pablo's 104 tips for bike travel Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
Tuesday · 22 min
51 Years Cycling The World: Remembering Heinz Stücke
This week's episode is dedicated to Heinz Stücke, who passed away on July 22 aged 86. Heinz is a legend in the bike travel community, the holder of the world record for the most travelled person in the world. He spent over 51 years cycling to every single country and territory in the world. In Sept 2025, I visited Heinz in his home in Hovelhoff and spent the day chatting about this adventures. This episode features excerpts from that conversation. You can listen to the original episodes in full here - Part 1 and Part 2. RIP Heinz. I like to think you are still out there travelling now. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
July 25 · 1 hr 38 min
Bike Touring the World with Marielle Jauring (re-visited)
Marielle Jauring has ridden roughly 89,000 kilometres across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and Asia since her first tour in 2017. This interview was recorded midway through her current ride from Poland to Sri Lanka. The conversation ranges from lighter moments (a turtle sanctuary in Malaysia, blue lava in Indonesia, petting a bear in Canada that turned out to be drunk, not dead) to genuinely hairy ones (heatstroke in the Australian outback, a car accident with her sister, and getting stranded cashless at the Russia–Kazakhstan border before hitchhiking 750 km back into Georgia with two truck drivers). Marielle also opens up about grief, and how cycling has become a form of meditation for her. Follow Marielle's adventures via her instagram - @_the_biking_viking_ This episode was first released in Nov 2024 Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
July 21 · 17 min
The Best Countries for a Bike Adventure (According to You)
What's the best country to take a bike adventure? I put that question to the Seek Travel Ride Instagram community, and the answers poured in, from expected favourites to a few genuine curveballs. This episode is dedicated to running through every single one. It comes on the back of a scorching European summer and a roadside afternoon spectating the Tour de France, which got me reflecting on how the race first brought me to France and ultimately to the Pyrenees back in 2013, where I now live. Countries featured in this episode: Most votes: France, Turkey, Spain Mountain destinations: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Bolivia, Norway Off the beaten path: Tunisia, New Caledonia, El Salvador, Saudi Arabia Classic bike-adventure countries: New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, China, Peru, Iran The philosophical answer: "Wherever you haven't been yet" (and "any country" will do) Got a country to add to the list? Get in touch and let me know your pick for the best country to take a bike adventure. Mentioned in this episode Slauka' Macurak's Norway episode (recently re-released) Leonie Katekar's episode on cycling solo from Antigua to Ushuaia My YouTube series on crossing the Pyrenees coast to coast Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
July 18 · 1 hr 26 min
Cycling 12,000km Through 16 Countries: Germany to Turkey with Rieke Schmees (re-release)
In 2022, German psychologist Rieke Schmees swapped a desk for a bike and cycled 12,000km through 16 countries. This adventure took her from Germany to Turkey, via Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Italy and the Balkans. It was the first type of adventure like this she'd taken with almost no camping experience prior to setting off as well. Rieke shares the reality of taking this adventure as a solo female, the toughest weeks in Morocco which also became teh most rewarding, and how it came to be that she rescued a puppy in Bulgaria. This episode originally aired in June 2024. Be sure to follow Rieke's future adventures via her instagram - @riekeschm Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
July 14 · 33 min
Bikepacking Mongolia: Rob MacLennan on Ultra-Cycling to the Silk Road Mountain Race
Rob MacLennan is back on the pod, this time mid-adventure sharing updates as he bikepacks from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to the start line of the Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan. We learn about how Rob has transitioned from long-distance touring (London to Cape Town) to getting into the world of ultra-cycling and how he ended up signing up to one of the hardest off road ultras out there in the SRMR! He also tells us why he is now out there combining both disciplines on this trip, and what it's actually been like riding through Mongolia's empty grasslands, staying in gers with hospitable nomadic families. He also shares a crazy story of ending up driving a minivan full of people after his bottom bracket failed after teh water exposure from 30 river crossings in the Orkhon Valley. You can listen to the original episodes featuring Rob's adventure from London to Cape Town here - Part 1 and Part 2. Be sure to also give Rob a follow via his instagram @Robbo_On_The_Road Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
July 11 · 1 hr 25 min
Cycling to Everest Base Camp in 1986 with James Baile (Re-visited)
Back in 1986, two Englishmen in their early twenties flew to Delhi with brand new mountain bikes and a paper map, and set off to ride through the Himalaya. James Baile takes us back nearly 40 years to a trip that saw him carrying his bike over three high mountain passes, reaching Kalapattar at 5,545 metres as one of the first cyclists ever to do it, and crossing into India solo after his riding partner's frame gave out. Highlights from the episode: Two 20 year olds, no maps of their own making, no local language, and a bike that had barely existed as a category three years earlier Two weeks of carrying rather than riding, before the terrain eased into Namche Bazaar Reaching Kalapattar at 5,545 metres, among the earliest cyclists to have done it The transition from cycling with a friend to riding solo across northern India The hospitality of strangers shown throughout the journey Five days in McLeodganj giving Tibetan kids bike rides outside the Green Hotel Follow along with James' future adventures via his instagram - @JamesB.Adventures This episode originally first aired on Feb 01 2025. Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
July 7 · 38 min
Raid Pyrénées by Bike: Cycling Across the Pyrenees Coast to Coast
Ever wondered what it's like to cycle across a mountain range? Well in 2023 I loaded up my bike with gear and set off from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean at St Jean de Luz, to cross the Pyrenees mountains all the way to Argeles-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean Sea. The route we took was a mix of the Classic Raid Pyrenees road bike and touring routes and we took nine days to complete the crossing. All up it was 803kms, 24 Cols and almost 18,000m of climbing. You can watch the visuals behind this adventure via our Raid Pyrenees video series on YouTube Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
July 4 · 1 hr 29 min
Solo bikepacking 9000km Across South America | Marta Ballús (re-visited)
Ever wanted to go bikepacking in South America? This episode is for you. After being laid off from her job in Barcelona, guest Marta Ballús decided to take back control of her life by loading up her bike and taking an adventure in South America. I spoke to her while she was nine months and over 9,000 kilometres into her solo South American journey. A trip taken to help her reclaim her confidence and learn to trust herself. Marta's mantra on this trip is 'Do what scares you until it doesn't'. Highlights have included: Southern Chile/La Carretera Austral: Her emote and rugged starting point heading south Argentina desert: So boring she ditched the bike, hitchhiked instead and learnt to paraglide Peru: Demanding bikepacking routes Bolivia (Salar de Uyuni): Cycling across the salt flats and seeing the sunset and stars in the night sky was like a dream. Colombia: Brought with it a tropical climate and an explosion of exotic fruits. Ecuador: Where she witnessed the incredible strength of Indigenous women doing hard physical labour Galapagos Islands: Unique wildlife experience most bikepacking journeys never get to see Follow Marta's future adventures via her instagram @MartasWay Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 30 · 32 min
Bikepacking through Malaysia and Singapore: Olly Hargreaves
Planning a bike adventure through South East Asia? Olly and Ellie just rode Thailand into Malaysia, dealt with Ramadan closures, ferry logistics, and hit some gnarly climbs. Tune into this episode for intel on what it's like to go bikepacking in South East Asia plus a masterclass in pivoting when ferries only run once a month. Follow Olly's adventures on Instagram - @sagas.of_olly.hargreaves Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 27 · 1 hr 46 min
A 1,500km Bike Packing Adventure Through Norway with Slauka (Revisited)
This week we're re-releasing one of our favourite episodes. 1,500 kilometres through Arctic Norway on a fully loaded bike. Our guest Slauka had never done a bikepacking trip before this but she didn't let her lack of experience get in the way of a good adventure. Slauka's journey took her from the Lofoten Islands all the way to the North Cape In this episode we Cover : Why May could be a perfect time to go bikepacking in Norway Wildcamping in Norway Preparation, testing gear in bad weather, and packing strategy Why flexibility in your schedule matters more than having the perfect plan An Italian photographer who rode her bike up a mountain for her Cycling through the North Cape Tunnel GUEST: Slauka Macurak (Instagram: @allridegirl) Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 23 · 27 min
A Month Spent Cycling Around Ireland: Brian Sampson
We are going to hear what it's like to spend a month cycling in Ireland thanks to the latest update from Brian Sampson who just completed a 1500km loop around Dublin and Belfast that proved tougher, more beautiful, and far more rewarding than expected. After cycling through England and Wales, Brian discovered Ireland's slower pace, where he enjoyed cycling on empty farm roads. The standout moment was a hike to Comshagan Lough, a glacial crater lake. He skipped the touristy Dingle Peninsula due to the busy traffic and 40mph wind gusts, opting instead for the quieter Sheepshead Peninsula. Key takeaways: the Irish hospitality is peak (work crews offering shelter, locals offering directions), the scenery rivals NZ and Tasmania, and yes, the weather will get you wet every morning. Cycling in Ireland may not be easy, but it absolutely is worth it. You can keep up with Brian's adventures via his instagram - @brian.sampson4 and also his personal blog https://justfeltlikebiking.blogspot.com/ Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 20 · 1 hr 36 min
They Took a Year Off Work to Cycle the World: Katy and Alan
Katy and Alan spent five years dreaming about this adventure and then went ahead, put their careers on pause and spent a full year cycling 20,000km around the world. Halfway through the adventure, a monotonous desert section through Central Asia nearly broke them, so they threw out their initial planned route and let the trip become something even better. These are the key lessons from their journey: You don't need to wait for retirement to take a big adventure A plan is a starting point but it's ok to change and adapt them The less you know about a place, the more it can surprise you People will help you, almost everywhere, almost every time. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. Fear of the unknown is usually worse than the unknown itself. Shared goals matter more than shared stats. Hard days don't last, but you will have hard days on big adventures You don't need a year to have an adventure. Be sure to give Katy and Alan a follow via their account @CycleTheLongWayHome Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 16 · 26 min
Cycling from London to Croatia with Milica Kovačević
When we last heard from Milica, she was in Northern France and just a few days into her ride from London to Croatia. In this update, she reflects on what the bike adventure has actually looked and felt like across the weeks in between. Milica shares about: What her worst day on the road looked like Why keeping yourself fed is actually one of the most important things you can do out there When a bad day turned into a genuinely good one Why she loves Austria Insights from riding solo across Europe Cycling into Croatia knowing her family had to flee the same villages she's now riding through freely Follow Milica's adventures via her instagram page - @2Wheels1Milikov Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 13 · 1 hr 21 min
Bikepacking Africa Solo: 10,000km from Rwanda to Cape Town with Ellie Mitchell-Heggs
Dreaming about taking a huge bike adventure? Then this episode is for you. Ellie Mitchell-Heggs shares her insights from her solo journey where she cycled 10,000 kilometres across Africa from Rwanda to Cape Town. All up her trip was nine months long and took her across ten countries. It was also a ride that was layered with both a personal family connection to Africa and loaded up with a huge sense of purpose as well. Alongside the cycling, Ellie spent time in every capital city meeting with over 100 local NGOs, social enterprises and community organisations working in education, youth empowerment and gender equality. Ellie shares how those conversations, got her through the toughest stretches on the road. In this episode we cover: How Ellie got into bikepacking starting with the Vélodyssée down the west coast of France Why she chose to start in Rwanda and ride south The communities and landscapes that shaped each country, from Uganda's warmth to the brutal isolation of Botswana's flat roads 70 kilometres being swarmed by tsetse flies in a Tanzanian national park Canoeing four days down the Zambezi river as a mid-trip reset Grieving her father on the road Cycling through Namibia with two fellow bikepackers. Food poisoning two days from Cape Town, and the unicycle escort into the city What made those NGO conversations so energising Find Ellie on Instagram: @ProjectCycleAfrica Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 9 · 26 min
Cycling Turkey, Kurdistan & Kuwait in 47°C Heat: Daragh Cronin
Daragh Cronin is back with a wild update from his Cork to Everest Base Camp ride. This time he shares with us the extraordinary hospitality of Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan. Then every bike travellers nightmare, a flat refusal at the Federal Iraq border crossing derailing his plans for his route. This led Daragh to have to re-route through Dubai and Kuwait City where the intensity of the trip got turned to the max when he found himself trying to cycle through the desert in extreme heat leading to a stint in hospital to be treated for heatstroke. Follow along with Daragh via his instagram - @roaminwithcronin Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 6 · 1 hr 35 min
Around the World by Bicycle: Live in Melbourne
This is a live show, recorded on stage at the Antique Bar in Melbourne. Joining me on stage were three guests who between them have cycled through some of the most remote, challenging and eye-opening places on earth, Fergal Guihen, Em Hulbert and David McCourt. Fergal cycled from Roscommon, Ireland to Sydney via Mauritania, Iran, Afghanistan, the Tibetan Plateau and beyond. Em Hulbert is mid-journey on a solo ride around the world, delivering water filters to communities in need through her project The Water Cycle. David McCourt set off from Melbourne bound for Northern Ireland, taking a route through Central Asia, Iran, Bangladesh, Nepal and Turkey that took years and produced stories he'll be dining out on forever. In this episode we cover: Going from thought bubble to turning pedals Luxury items on the bike and what actually earns its place Perceptions versus reality: China, Iran, Bangladesh and Thailand Getting drugged and robbed in the Iranian desert A sex dungeon in rural Thailand at 4am after 250 kilometres The Nullarbor without music, podcasts or any distraction at all Solo female bicycle travel and the extra layer that comes with it The spaces in between and why that's where the magic happens Why the hardest moments are the ones you'd go back and relive Want to hear the full individual episodes with each guest? Find them here: Em Hulbert: Ep. 127: David McCourt: Ep. 99: and Ep. 120. Fergal Guihen: Ep. 144 and Ep. 145: Follow the guests on Instagram: Em Hulbert: @emhulbert Fergal Guihen: @rossi.to.aussie David McCourt: @longwayhome__2022 Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
June 1 · 30 min
Touring on a Brompton: Cycling Senegal with Two Strangers
James Baile, along with two complete strangers (one of which hadn't ridden a bike since he was 13!) packed their Bromptons into IKEA bags and flew to Dakar. What followed was two weeks riding through Senegal and The Gambia: navigating Dakar rush hour, camping on school playgrounds by invitation of village chiefs, pushing loaded folding bikes through sand that felt like treacle, and sparking conversations with strangers over football allegiances. In this episode we talk about: How a Facebook post about the Tropic of Cancer set the whole thing in motion What it's actually like to tour on a Brompton Riding a route that goes from the edges of the Sahara Desert to the beginnings of West African forest The reality of border crossings into Senegal and The Gambia for European travellers Taking an overnight ferry back to Dakar with Bromptons as hand luggage Why going somewhere with zero expectations means everything exceeds them James's next big adventure connecting a journey he started back in 1986 Give James a follow via his instagram - @jamesb.adventures and you can also listen to the previous episode with him here. Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
May 30 · 1 hr 36 min
17,000km Bikepacking Adventure: Baja, Japan, the Balkans and Istanbul
Roisin Gallagher has cycled over 17,000 kilometres across two continents. Her adventure started by riding the Baja Divide with her partner before continuing through Mexico and Central America. After seven months on the road together, their relationship ended and instead of flying home, Roisin bought a one-way ticket to Japan and kept riding. Roisin has now arrived in Istanbul to share the story so far. We chat loads about her route, the physical and mental side of bike travel and a whole heap about food! In this episode: The brutal physical reality of bikepacking the Baja Divide Cycling the Nicoya Peninsula route in Costa Rica Three months cycling in Japan Wildcamping solo as a woman Cycling the Transdinarica Route through the Balkans The Croatian bora wind that trapped her for five days Getting to Istanbul on a sushi delivery truck A night in Bosnia drinking rakia with three war veterans until 3am Durmitor National Park as an unexpected landscape revelation Food - glorious food! You can follow Roisin's adventure via her instagram - @ontheroadwithro Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music
May 26 · 29 min
Cycle Touring China and the UK with Brian Sampson
Brian Sampson is cycle touring the world to tick off every destination from the book 'The Thousand Places to See Before You Die' This month's update covers the end of his time in China and his first stretch riding through England and Wales. Brian shares his experiences of: Sleeping in temples and stealth camping in multiple continents Visiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Daily routines and how they change with climate and daylight hours. Welcome to My Garden vs Warmshowers A crazy experience of encountering a mountain lion on the Pacific Coast Highway Reverse culture shock going from China to cycling through England and Wales. Follow Brian via his instagram page - @Brian.Sampson4 You can also check out his blog for a breakdown of his experiences so far. Check out Old Man Mountain for the perfect way to carry gear on your bike. Support the show Buy me a coffee! I’m an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including: 👉 CycPlus– ePumps (enter code STR for 5% off!) 👉 Zorali 👉 Helinox 👉 Ombraz Follow us on Social Media! Instagram - @SeekTravelRide Facebook - Seek Travel Ride YouTube - @SeekTravelRide Seek Travel Ride Newsletter Leave me a voicemail message Seek Travel Ride Music Playlist available now on both Spotify or Apple Music