Day 1. 87km. Eindhoven – Schimmert.

Posted: September 13, 2014 in Belgium, Cycling, Netherlands
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The day was surreal. Escorted by a mass of friends to the Belgian border, we sat in the sun, fearing the moment of our ways diverging. Then welcomed by more friends on arrival in Schimmert – with the Dutch flag and a glass of champagne. I still haven’t fathomed everything. That will come.

Departure in Eindhoven

Departure in Eindhoven

 

I guess it must be the excitement. 2 years in the making, the day arrives, and I have a cold. Not a bad cold, and nothing that a bit of fresh air, and 30 people with waving flags can’t fix. I walked out of my front door, and soon, the people amassed. Lots of friends, people from work, and even people that I didn’t know that had read about my departure in the newspaper. Really cool. After flying the flags of the 32 countries I will pass through, the moment came: not only am I unemployed, but I am also homeless. I handed over the keys to my apartment to the new tenants. And then the trip began – with 30 followers on their bikes. The Pied Piper of Eindhoven.

All of a sudden, cycling through the forest, I hear ‘Advance Australia Fair’. A string of flags crossed the path, and Rufus Driessen – a friend from Philips – was cheering us on. He was set up there with his stereo in the forest. How cool is that? As my webcam had decided to crash again, I wasn’t able to capture this.. But, it is stored between my ears.

The sun came out for us as we sat in the cafe just over the Belgian border. The 2 hours there was punctuated with hugs and tears between the eating and drinking, and some magic tricks by Dhemie. The time for the departing of ways finally came, and I turned towards Belgium as the friends returned into the Netherlands.

A pleasant and familiar trip along the Belgian canal followed, before my very warm welcome in Schimmert.

Welcome in Schimmert

Welcome in Schimmert

Welcome dinner in Schimmert

Welcome dinner in Schimmert

The day has almost arrived. Day 0. Farewells and Green Pedals

Posted: September 12, 2014 in Cycling
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First it’s a year. Then it’s months. Then days. And then the emotional rollercoaster ride really starts. You say goodbye to friends, one after the other over a period of a couple of weeks. You go to familiar places for the last time – constantly. And random emotion wells up. While running along the canal in Eindhoven yesterday, I thought of my mother. She died of cancer 9 years ago, but she is still here with me. I squeeze her hand, and she smiles back.

My colleagues at work gave me a lovely farewell. I now have a video of them and where we worked, for when I feel lonely, a long way from home. My close friends have been with me a lot in the last weeks. Tomorrow will be my last day with them. My father and family in Australia are there, supporting me on my trip back home. I love them.

This morning I woke up in a new life. And it is amazing! I was at the Green Pedals kick-off at the Willemspark school in Den Haag. It’s like seeing kids at Christmas – running around – looking at my tent, my bike, and my stuff – my only possessions for the coming 2 years. I look at their excitement and curiosity – how they are open to experiencing a world that is magic. And they know and want to live in a sustainable society. They will inherit the planet, and it will all be OK.

Tomorrow morning I will leave Eindhoven. I’m already unemployed. Tomorrow I will be without a humble abode. I’ll be ‘op de fiets’ – cycling. I have a lump in my throat. It’s really happening – now.

Farewell at Philips

Farewell at Philips

The first Green Pedals activity a big success

Posted: September 4, 2014 in Cycling, Sustainability
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See below for English.

Vandaag hebben Mansi Jasuja en ik (arctic-cycler) aan het eerste Green Pedals activiteit deelgenomen – een leuke, interactieve sessie over duurzaamheid en wereldfietsen op de Willemsparkschool in Den Haag. De kinderen waren tussen 10 en 12 jaren oud, en waren fantastisch. Ze hebben echt goede ideeën gehad hoe ze kleine dingen in het dagelijkse leven kunnen doen om het milieu te helpen. We hebben de kinderen gevraagt om hun ideeën op de Green Pedals Facebook pagina te delen, klaar voor de pre-cycle kick-off volgende week vrijdag. Wij zijn allemaal benieuwd naar hun ideeën!!

Today Mansi Jasuja and I (arctic-cycler) took part in the first Green Pedals activity – a lively interactive session on sustainability and world cycling at the Willemsparkschool in Den Haag. The kids were between 10 and 12 years old, and were fantastic. They had some great ideas about little things they can do in their own everyday lives to help the environment. We asked the kids to share their ideas on the Green Pedals Facebook page for the pre-cycle kick-off next Friday. We are all keen to see their ideas!!

 

In front of Willemsparkschool in Den Haag

In front of Willemsparkschool in Den Haag

Mansi at Willemsparkschool for Green Pedals

Mansi at Willemsparkschool for Green Pedals

Talking about the trip

Talking about the trip

My first article in the paper. I’m proud!

Posted: September 3, 2014 in Cycling
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Last week I was interviewed by @SimonRood from the Eindhovens Dagblad (newspaper), and today it appeared in the paper. There’s a bit of a party atmosphere at work today. Really nice!

Article in the Eindhovens Dagblad

http://www.ed.nl/regio/eindhoven/australi%C3%ABr-fietst-vanuit-eindhoven-36-000-kilometer-naar-huis-1.4513483

Here is a pdf of the article in the Eindhovens Dagblad

Green Pedals

Posted: August 18, 2014 in Cycling
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arctic-cyler will cycle for Green Pedals – cycling for sustainable schools

The children are our future, and they inherit the world that we leave them. I want to leave them a habitable world, where each can lead a healthy and satisfying life. This is only possible if we treat the world as our home, look after it, and use its resources in a sustainable way.

Green Pedals (also on Facebook) is a movement to promote the topics of sustainability and health in our schools around the world. It aims to maintain a dialogue on sustainability, organise activities to encourage engagement in the environment and health, and work with schools to build sustainable infrastructure that exemplifies sustainability, stimulating engagement and ownership of this topic in local communities.

In September 2014 I will leave my job of 16 years, and my home of 21 years, and cycle 36000km from Eindhoven in the Netherlands to Adelaide, Australia where I was born. On my way I will meet people, I will observe, and I will write. What are the sustainability issues people face across my path, and how do they deal with them? Who are the people? What are their stories? I will also try to raise money for Green Pedals to promote this dialogue, and use to realise sustainable infrastructure in selected schools on my route.

Equipment list for World Cycle 2014-2016

Posted: August 10, 2014 in Cycling
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Packing list for my world cycle: done!

Five weeks to go before I leave Eindhoven by bike, on the way to Australia. My apartment is looking bare. The boxes of my worldly possessions are ready for shipping to Australia. In a few weeks I’m having my early farewell party when friends can come and take things from my flat – mainly books and various odds and ends. The couple that will rent the flat after me are buying my furniture. That leaves a few possessions that can fit on my bike.

It all fits on the bike

It all fits on the bike

This will be the extent of my worldly kingdom in the next 2 years. Its always a choice of weight and volume against utility. Here is my packing list. All suggestions are welcome! 🙂

2014 World Trip Preparation Cycle: Eindhoven – Limoges

Posted: July 6, 2014 in Belgium, Cycling, France, Netherlands
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With two months to go before leaving Holland to cycle to Australia, my equipment needed testing, and friends needed visiting. I cycled back to La Jonchère in France – where I spent 3 months as an exchange student in 1988-89. This was the start of my relationship with Europe.

And, yes, I am glad I tested my equipment. I need a new pedal axle, and the baggage-holder has broken off from the frame. I’m glad I have time to fix all that before I leave!

As I only had one week this year, I started in Paris – last year I cycled from Eindhoven to Paris, so that stretch was already covered.

Day 1. 145km. Eindhoven-Brussels: A day along the canals of Belgium, staying with Kevin in Brussels.
Day 2. 191km. Brussels-Guise: Following bike paths (existent and non-existent) along rivers and train-tracks to beautiful France.
Day 3. 205km. Guise-Paris: I was awake before the sun. It was crisp – well, cold outside. My tent had a layer of ice as I left it to start my morning ritual. Today was a long and eventful day. It saw me cycle 205 km into the Parisian dusk.
Day 1. 155km. Paris-Égreville: A ride through the old and the new. The old: beautiful Paris – overflowing with memories of the last 26 years. Bathed in warmth and sun, I cycled through memory lane. The new: Following the Seine upstream I discovered the meandering valley, and met my lovely Warmshowers hosts – Nicole and Claude – at their house in the rolling hills of wheat.
Day 2. 120km. Égreville-St Cyr en Val: Along a sand path next to the canal – on and on along the green, shady waterway. A bit bumpy, but peaceful and pretty. A cycle of solitude, finished with a lovely dinner invitation at the camping ground.
Day 3. 165km St Cyr en Val-Montbazon: Sun, castles, views overlooking the Loire, minor bike problems with improvised fixes. Very very bright. It’s summer. I like!
Day 4, 125km. Montbazon-Luzeret: Sun, sun and sun. Leaving the Loire valley, the hills are getting bigger, and the sun is bringing out the sweat. Rolling fields along the Indre River, and then a landscape of lakes in the Brenne region.
Day 5. 95km. Luzeret-Ambazac: South of the Creuse River, the hills get bigger, they said. They did. They also got more familiar, those hills, and I got more emotional. I am here again, and by bike – I laughed with joy. My arrival at La Jonchère was marked with thunder and lightning.

With the equipment tested, and all the farewells made, arctic-cycler is ready for the big trip. Bring it on!

Day 5. 95km. Luzeret – Ambazac

Posted: June 27, 2014 in Cycling, France
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South of the Creuse River, the hills get bigger, they said. They did. They also got more familiar, those hills, and I got more emotional. I am here again, and by bike – I laughed with joy. My arrival at La Jonchère was marked with thunder and lightning.

Read the rest of this entry »

Day 4. 125km. Montbazon – Luzeret

Posted: June 26, 2014 in Cycling, France
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Sun, sun and sun. Leaving the Loire valley, the hills are getting bigger, and the sun is bringing out the sweat. Rolling fields along the Indre River, and then a landscape of lakes in the Brenne region.

Read the rest of this entry »

Day 3. 165km. St Cyr en Val – Montbazon

Posted: June 24, 2014 in Cycling, France
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Sun, castles, views overlooking the Loire, minor bike problems with improvised fixes. Very very bright. It’s summer. I like!

Read the rest of this entry »

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