Two years on the road has taken its toll on my bike. My rear hub has self-destructed and all the pedalling in the world produces no result right now. So, having finally made my escape from Costa Rica, I am now faced with the prospect of having to return to find spare parts to get [...]
Also tagged panama, things breakMaya Pedal is an organisation in a small, unremarkable town, near Antigua, in Guatemala which does up old bicycles, donated by richer countries, and sells them a relatively affordable prices to locals. The organisation also designs and builds innovative pedal powered machines that perform all manner of useful functions from grinding corn to making smoothies.
Everything [...]
Back in Panajachel (AKA Gringotenango) I go straight to the delivery depot to pick up my box. I enquire, as a matter of idle curiousity, why it wasn’t delivered to address that is clearly printed on the carton and the women shrugs, indifferently. “They couldn’t find it,” she offers by way of [...]
Also tagged guatemalaI arrive in Panajachel hoping to find bike parts and a few other goodies ready and waiting for me but I am sadly disappointed. This bounty, which promises to revitalise my flagging stead, has been en route all the way from Australia, courtesy of an extremely generous benefactor, for a considerable period [...]
Also tagged guatemala, things breakI’ve been hankering after frame bags for a long time now but collecting all the materials together and finding myself a sewing machine in a place where I could spread out and sew in peace proved to be more problematic than I expected. All the elements finally came together at my friend Lea’s house in [...]
Also tagged mexicoRecently my front wheel developed some frightening wobbles and investigating the innards of the hub revealed it to be beyond repair. My break in London has given me easy access to some quality bike parts and since the front rim was also pretty worn I decided that the best thing to do was build a [...]
Also tagged off cycle, things breakWell……..I’m back in Mexico but, unfortunately, my bike is not. Cubana Airlines can’t offer any explanation, at this point in time. This is a sorry state of affairs that I hope will have a happy ending…and soon!
Also tagged cubaOver the last seven months on my bike, I’ve learnt a lot about what does and doesn’t work on bike tour – and one thing I have learnt is that carrying too much gear is definitely a burden. I have gradually, and often somewhat reluctantly, been discarding items that aren’t strictly necessary: the little black [...]
Also tagged the black dressWe are looking forward to getting to Silver City to rest up a little, restock our food supplies, repair our bikes and kit and generally take a break. The guys have tried to set up accommodation through Warm Showers but, on the afternoon of our arrival, nobody has responded. Cass rides ahead to make some [...]
Also tagged dirtbag gang, giant puppets, hospitality, new mexicoI arrive in Flagstaff with serious business to attend to. My trusty bike has taken a beating over the last five months and my lower gears, despite some maintenance work at the Canyon, are no longer functioning. The chain won’t stay on the smallest ring under any kind of load.
Luckily, I have been set up [...]