Because It Is There: A Zero Emissions Odyssey

So i’m setting off again. It’s taken a couple of months to heal fully from the accident and every now and again i will feel a slight twinge in my leg but it’s nothing to write home about. My fitness isn’t quite back to where it was when i left but i’ll soon be back up to speed. The main thing is that i get back on the bike, across to France and then keep heading East. I’ve managed to get a lift over to France on a yacht moored in Plymouth and i should be on the bike again tomorrow. The boat leaves on Tuesday in the early hours of the morning so i have to cover in 40 miles (from when i had the accident) in a day and a half which shouldn’t be an issue.

An issue that has arose due to the delay in the expedition mean i may need a change in the route. My initial route took me through Russia and down into Mongolia but unfortunately i will now be crossing Russia 3 months later than expected – in the middle of winter. Although i’m not overly worried about the -40 temperatures (i’ve done my research), i still think it’s an unnecessary risk and an alternative route might be the better option. I’m thinking about heading in a more southerly route across Iran, a couple of Stans and into China or perhaps from Russia, to Kazhakstan and into China. This will be a decision i have to make closer to the time and it’s something i’ll be thinking about quite alot as i pedal across Europe.

The time spent off the bike has afforded me the opportunity to hunt for sponsorship as i still do not have enough money to complete the journey. I am waiting to hear back from a few companies so my fingers are tightly crossed. Remember, if you’d like to become an individual sponsor you can make a donation here.

I’ve also managed to get the communcation company Telestial on board to help me to keep you all updated whilst i’m on the road. The equipment they are supplying is helping me to communicate via twitter and also a mapping software which gives you the location of each tweet. You can also sign up to receive each tweet via email (send me you email address to sign up – you’ll also be added to the newsletter mailing list).

So i’m gearing up for a weekend away as part of my recovery and i thought i’d expand on a post i wrote for Al’s Blog last year about the kit i use for Micro Adventures.

Rucksack – I always try to extol the virtues of taking what you already have. I recently took a trip up into the loft (or attic) of my house to look through the camping equipment i used to use when i was younger. I was searching through the numerous rucksacks looking for anything that may be useful and i found my old day sack rolled up in the bottom of one of these rucksacks. I’ve had the daysack, a 35ltr Karrimor pack, for close to 15 years. I decided to make use of this ‘relic’ and take it with me on my little jaunts.

Sleeping Bag – I use my trusty Vango Ultralite 400 whenever i’m camping.  OK so i’m sponsored by Vango and i’m supposed to use this sleeping bag but i was using a similar bag before the sponsorship came along. Inside i have a Sea to Summit thermal liner for the colder weather to add a few degrees to the bag. I also pack my inflatable sleeping mat, but if i know i’m sleeping somewhere where i can sleep on foliage i leave it at home due to the size of it when it’s packed.

Bivi Bag – Recently i was very kindly sponsored by Alpkit. I love Alpkit products, especially the bivi bag they provided me with. Compared to my ex-army bivi bag i’d been using previously, it’s far more lightweight and actually more waterproof. It comes with a integrated netted stuff sack but i prefer to simply roll it up and drop it in the rucksack.

Poncho – I used to use a poncho and string it between 2 or 4 trees with a bit of paracord or some bungy cords. Now i use a tarp that came with my hammock. It’s lighter, has cord already built in and covers a large area which is great on those wetter days.

Cooking – I’ve perfected my fire lighting (flint and steel) skills in recent months and can get a fire going pretty quickly so i’ve eliminated the my stove from the kit list. I carry a pan from my Trangia set with the pan handle and use that or sticks to cook my food. My fire lighting kit consists of a flint and steel, some cotton wool pads (for bad weather) and a storm lighter (for really bad weather!). I also carry water with me in two 1ltr Sigg bottles.

First aid – Even if i’m away just over night i always carry a mini first aid kit just in case anything happens. I have a small cloth bag, in which i throw a couple of plasters, a bandage, some duct tape wrapped round a old 35mm film case, a tub of parecatmol and some Ibruprofen gel. I also carry Wemmi’s in the kit although they are not just used for first aid. It won’t help with any major disasters but for any sprains or minor cuts it’s great.

Camera – My camera is a Nikon D40 which gets the job done (perhaps after the exped i’ll upgrade – unless someone wants to donate a camera!). I also carry a fisheye lens and a small zoom lens. I don’t usually carry my camcorder to record footage as it just adds extra weight.

Other ‘bits and bobs’ – I always have my Blackberry so i can tweet which i keep in an Aquapac case. I also carry a 60gb iPod in an Aquapac case with my lovely new Sennheiser PMX 680′s. I generally don’t listen to music except when i’m in my sleeping bag, where it helps me to nod off. I carry a book with me at all times and a Moleskine notebook which doubles as my diary. Another handy tool is of course the headtorch; i usually don’t make camp until just before the sunsets so i need a torch to find my way around. Incase i can’t cook any food for any reason and for energy during the day i carry a couple of Mulebars. All this kit gets thrown into a small drysac so i don’t need to worry about my equipment in the weather.

My micro adventure kit

Hello again. It’s been a little while since my last update. The reason for this? Well, I’ve not really been up to that much. I’ve been slowly getting back on my feet (or leg) and I’ve been heading out on the bike more and more. I’m very nearly back up to speed and should only be home for a couple more weeks. It’s taken me longer than I originally thought it would to recover but I want to be at full strength before I head off again so that I don’t end up doing myself a mischief further on down the road.

The time off the bike is, however, affording me the opportunity to continue my hunt for sponsorship to help finance the project as the expedition kitty is running low. Luckily, my parents letting me stay at home and feeding me means that I’m not eating (no pun intended) into any of the funds that I have been very kindly donated. If anyone is interested in making a donation and becoming an individual sponsor head here to find out more.

I’ve also managed to secure a couple of new equipment sponsors. I’ll talk a little more about this in future post.

I’m now focusing my attention on reorganising my boat across the channel and will hopefully have something ready very soon. Also, to fill my time off the bike and to keep myself fighting fit I have a couple of micro adventures up my sleeve so watch this space!

Thank you for you continued support