chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
Interesting post today about your inspirations, in this day and age we have access to so much information. It made me reflect on my own inspirations and how I started touring in a more analogue age with much more limited access to other peoples adventures for inspiration. For me it all started in the mid eighties when my Mum bought me a second hand 10 speed Raleigh Winner, I absolutely loved that thing and rode it all over North Devon where I grew up.
Then came a time when I had exhausted all of the day rides around and yet I still had a huge yearning and thirst to know what was over the furthest hills and see for my self where the lines on the map led too. I decided along with a close friend to do what naturally comes next and buy a rack and some cheap panniers. So at the ripe old age of thirteen, we asked our respective parents for permission to undertake a five day bike tour, to our surprise they agreed! I really don't know what inspired me, other than a thirst for adventure and a desire to see over the horizon. We set off and covered about 250 miles I think, around Northern Cornwall. I do remember being told by our respective parents to sleep in an official campsite every night, however, the campsites often forbid any one under 18 to camp without parents, so we ended up stealth camping in small copses more often than not.
That trip led to a life as an Outdoor Instructor where expeditions where a common feature of my life, Canoes, Sea Kayaks, Feet and Bikes where all means of transport. Inspiration came from all around, friends, colleagues, books, magazines and just a good old desire to explore the different spaces on a map.
Nowadays, I'm no longer working in the UK Outdoor Education sector, however the urge to explore has never been greater. Moving to Germany and particularly this Northern corner, I had to recalibrate my ideas about what wild spaces looked like. The forests and gravel riding became my new means of connecting with the wild spaces around. Then I discovered through cycle chat a reference to a bike packing website and subsequently discovered the world of bike packing, which nicely dovetailed with gravel riding and exploration that lay at the core of my ethos for traveling.
With the global pandemic and the climate crisis I have started to look much closer to home for inspiration and realised that I have never really explored the country I now call home. I now have four local routes, two of which start on my doorstep, to explore in the coming year or years. The internet has certainly opened up lots of possibilities for new inspiration and following others in their adventures. However, for me, my primary inspiration has always been the intrinsic desire to explore and connect with nature in wild and remote spots.
Anyway, sorry for the long and rambling post in response to your thought provoking write up on your own inspirations. It's always fascinating to hear what inspires us to under take the journeys we do.
Then came a time when I had exhausted all of the day rides around and yet I still had a huge yearning and thirst to know what was over the furthest hills and see for my self where the lines on the map led too. I decided along with a close friend to do what naturally comes next and buy a rack and some cheap panniers. So at the ripe old age of thirteen, we asked our respective parents for permission to undertake a five day bike tour, to our surprise they agreed! I really don't know what inspired me, other than a thirst for adventure and a desire to see over the horizon. We set off and covered about 250 miles I think, around Northern Cornwall. I do remember being told by our respective parents to sleep in an official campsite every night, however, the campsites often forbid any one under 18 to camp without parents, so we ended up stealth camping in small copses more often than not.
That trip led to a life as an Outdoor Instructor where expeditions where a common feature of my life, Canoes, Sea Kayaks, Feet and Bikes where all means of transport. Inspiration came from all around, friends, colleagues, books, magazines and just a good old desire to explore the different spaces on a map.
Nowadays, I'm no longer working in the UK Outdoor Education sector, however the urge to explore has never been greater. Moving to Germany and particularly this Northern corner, I had to recalibrate my ideas about what wild spaces looked like. The forests and gravel riding became my new means of connecting with the wild spaces around. Then I discovered through cycle chat a reference to a bike packing website and subsequently discovered the world of bike packing, which nicely dovetailed with gravel riding and exploration that lay at the core of my ethos for traveling.
With the global pandemic and the climate crisis I have started to look much closer to home for inspiration and realised that I have never really explored the country I now call home. I now have four local routes, two of which start on my doorstep, to explore in the coming year or years. The internet has certainly opened up lots of possibilities for new inspiration and following others in their adventures. However, for me, my primary inspiration has always been the intrinsic desire to explore and connect with nature in wild and remote spots.
Anyway, sorry for the long and rambling post in response to your thought provoking write up on your own inspirations. It's always fascinating to hear what inspires us to under take the journeys we do.
), sun is shining so I'm off out on the bike. It may not be "touring" but riding a bike here? Now that's an adventure!
