After 50.000 kilometer cycling in roughly 5 years, through West Africa, Europe, Middle East, Indian continent and South America I thought it’ll be peanuts to kickbike a relative little loop somewhere through USA. Wrong. Yes, I needed a challenge. But I sort of forgot, or took out of the equation, that every new endeavor needs practice.
The difference with a bicycle to a kickbike is that I can make more kilometers and can reach further out and therefor see ‘far-flung’ beauty in Croatia. That’s where I am heading.
I was inspired to work on this write-up aftera very kind someone asked me several times to go by car and have beverages at a cafe in town, as ‘I needed a change of environment’. Soon after a second happening surprised me: the dependency of another very kind person’s expectations way beyond what has become my natural way of living.
It is not about a journey but the effects of a journey.
Days of kicking: 9. Total distance: 275 kilometer. Average on a day: 30 kilometer while average speed is about 11 km/per hour. Nights of camping: 10. Average a day spend: € 5,60 (exclusive the new tick tweezer and the food I brought along ).
Clothes laundered in a creek, wet stinky shoes and a damp sleeping bag drying in a fishy corner surrounded by overflowing containers with unwanted-clothing, far removed from the main entrance of Tesco supermarket. I feel too old for it. Like I felt too old, or outgrown, for hostels and bunk beds. The last bunked I shared was in Malaysia; a room without a window, dark as a cell, except when the only female roommate stumbled in at night and left the light on. I must have been 35 years of age. Always been a loner, I disliked these dorms.
Kéktúra: an almost 1200 kilometer long walking trail through the upper part of Hungary. I kick a tiny part. Days of kicking: 3/Days in camp: 2/Average speed: 9/Maximum kilometers in a day: 60
Distance made: 65 kilometer. Average speed: 7.6. Number of nights: 5. Coldest temperature: minus 7.
Every time Geo and I drive in the car with lake Balaton quietly looming in the distance, the low series of mountains sharply contrasting, appearing to be a man-made painting, I feel a strong desire to be on those hills, looking out over the lake and absorbing the unrealistic looking shapes embracing the lake.
What is the thing with winter camping? I was never into it but when I had to cross Patagonia I could not avoid cold temperatures, snow and frost. Heat reaching to a 50 degrees is not pleasant either but cold starts to sit in the bones and makes stiff. Cold has the easiness to disable pleasure and make the whole trip a grim nonsense ongoing rather than a pleasurable challenge.
Plan: 2 nights camping, 70 kilometer in 2.5 days. Done: 1 night camping, 60 kilometer in 2 days. Average speed: 9 (much pushing through mud). Level of happiness and satisfaction: high.
Food. One can not do otherwise than loving Indian street food, in particular the dishes available at truck dhaba’s. The inventiveness of African mom’s is not to dismiss either. They cook up delicious meals with leavy vegetables and home-made palm oil. A delight for a cyclist on sandy roads through the few patches of virgin forest. I vividly remember my breakfast at restaurants lining the streets in Sana’a, though busy with clientele I would eat in quietness. Fresh fish perfectly fried, while goat heads would simmer next to where I sat. In the far away past I would wander the streets of Bangladesh and Pakistan in search of a restaurant mentioned in the Lonely Planet, sometimes it took me hours to find such place, not seldom wandering off forgetting to eat. Though my own prepared sugary tomato paste pasta in the desert was tasty and bread fried in olive oil whether at a soppy wet Patagonian patch, the hostile windy pampa or a sweltering Argentinian yerba mate grove was always good enough. Food mixed up with sand in Mauritania, quick decaying beef in warm sunny Bolivia and constipation enhancing dishes in Paraguay, it all had its charm.
Distance: 332 km. Days: 7. Average distance a day: 47 km. Maximum speed: 56 km per hour. First week of June 2021.
Time for a tour. The mountains in the distance surrounding lake Balaton beckon me. One hill after another passing a shade onto the one following up, the light crisp, the color of the lake a blue I can not describe. The hills are calling out for me for some months now.
My new experience of a winter in Hungary, for The ‘Farmer’ I feel, was challenging, to say the least. There was no soil to turn over (well… not that I knew of). There were no weeds to discover (well… not that I knew of). There was no comfort for a tour, not even a little one. I tried. Read more
Thinking back about Atacama reveals it was the best ride ever! Reason enough to share this post. I had this short write-up done as ‘The story behind the pouch (my creative embroidery projects)’, so you’ll see some creativity pass by. Don’t let that withhold you, its really about the good old cycling lifestyle. Fully emerged and a total ball of bliss! WOOOOOHAAAAAA….
Total distance: 170 km. Average speed: 10 km per hour (fully loaded). Days: 6.
My patience paid off: the weather forecast showed more than 7 sunny symbols in a row. It is the second half of February and the temperatures at night still drop below zero. But it ought to be dry, so fires will warm me (and stretching too).
You have subscribed to CyclingCindy because you are interested in cycling. Yet cycling is the least that I can offer you now, this is no story about cycling adventures you are going to read. Instead, it is what I am able to do because I stopped cycling (or, how we served Corona time). Read more…
We drove a 150cc motorbike through 5 countries of South America. The only reason to drive this little motorbike with so much luggage and two persons was that Geo had bought the motorbike 2 years prior in Paraguay to explore the continent by himself. But he never did. Now was the chance. And that was what we did.
A set-up of any form of transport is important. Not when you are cycling or rolling back and forth to the bakery but when you try to get some distance done, it better be the right set-up for you. We did not had the chance to test any kickbike before we started the journey through the USA. We ordered straight from the Kickbike supplier and that is not the way I’d recommend. When I ordered my bicycle years prior I had it more or less custom made. This is crazily expensive, something I would not recommend either.
Corona Circus is doing well, it attracts lots of people. The show is being followed on television and though its running behind on Europa, a large following grows steadily in the USA as well.
March: upon checking in at the airport of Guayaquil, Ecuador we were asked whether we’d been in China or Italy. Entering the USA we’d seen noticeboards warning for Corona virus. It’s a far away business for us, Corona, though not for our relatives in Europe, it seems the virus has gotten a hold there. It seems they all comply with what the government asks them?
A very short update about the Iveco truck which Geo and I fetched from Spain. In times like these, we´d waited for long to get this done. Mobile diary notes with Instagram snapshots on my creative weblog. 5 days of driving an overloaded truck through 5 countries, how´s that on the pshyche of one who passionately dislikes cars?
From Ecuador to the USA. From a motorbike to something very different. Geo and I each make a concession: Geo goes kickbiking with me and I am okay with starting our tour in Georgia. Back in Ecuador I spend lots of time connecting off-road routes to tracks with small town roads towards hidden gems in Carolina and on to the Appalachians.
It’s different than cycling. Obviously. The challenge, after cycling the world 5 years, had vanished and I searched for a new demanding way of transport and travel. Because our society allows me, I discovered something so amusing as the kickbike… and I knew instantly, intuitively, that I would love it.
The Kickbike was bought online while we were in Ecuador. We arranged it to be shipped to an address in Atlanta, USA. That was March 2020 and I am liking this way of transport, especially for shorter tours. Yet, when we started this out, Geo and I tried to kick through several states in east of USA.
When Geo and I were in South America we often ate bread which was not too memorable, not when it comes to quality. Soft, white, sugared dry bread is what South American countries offer.
I have used all sorts of stoves, from Primus and Optimus Multi Fuel when I started a 5 year worldwide bicycle trip to an Optimus Svea 123. I tried a gas stove, a self-made hobo stove, an alcohol stove and plain wood fires.
Heike asked me for an interview. As always, I am very interested in her sort of questionnaire. This time over, it turned out to be an awesome post. Heike put a lot of effort into this very informative, great read.
Seeing back our Kenton motorbike, we realize how much bags we have, and how small the vehicle actually is. It is not meant to be a vehicle for two people including luggage, hauling not only far away distances but great altitudes too. All our stuff is brought back to a minimum, yet extra racks have to be mounted to carry our gear.
As simple as it may sound, I was inspired by Heike to add beans from a tin to my meal. I decided to go a step further and not heat them, and instead prepared a quick, easy and quite okay meal. After I asked Heike how she prepares meals while hiking she said: ‘I often go without proper meals but when I can I buy a lot of stuff and prepare it soon after I purchased it.’ This makes so much sense, because you need a lot less than you think and carrying food just for the sake of ‘in case’ is only extra weight.
While hiking it becomes quickly clear one has not much capacity to carry food. As for me, I get blocked quickly when I swerve from my way of eating and regularity at home (something I can in no way continue while touring). But I have to let the worry of not having enough food go. I get better over time and dare to be without a stock of food in my backpack.
Fat: preferably cold pressed olive oil/olives, nuts and seeds, beef/mutton, feta/cheese, avocado, salmon, full fat cheese, butter, dark chocolate…
Acid: lemon, vinegar (might come in a small jar with preserved capers for example)…
Flavor: spices, dried herbs, olives, fresh parsley and oregano one of the most beneficial…
This meal is not extraordinary fantastic but it does the job when you have an appetite. Depending on what ingredients you can get, it might become much better when adding herbs. In Hungarian village shops I could not find more than this:
canned beans
carrots
red onions
pasta
canned tuna fish in olive oil
The only cooking that needs to be done is the pasta. The carrot needs to be cut in very thin batons, the onion sliced thinly. The tin of tuna can be emptied with it’s oil contents and the beans too, after the liquid is discarded. I add salt and coarse black pepper (that I took from home).
When you have a bento box or other watertight container, you can cold soak grains and boiling is not needed for oats, bulgur or couscous.
Cherry tomatoes are less prone to bruise than normal size tomatoes.
Try finding herbs along the route you walk. Roast a batch of seeds you bought and sprinkle over your meal (for example sesame, coriander, cumin).
Carry enough zip-loc bags.
If I don’t forget, I wash all the vegetables and herbs in the bathroom of the supermarket, or else at a watertap. Don’t assume that bio products are not sprayed or treated.
Some combinations to come back to:
Chickpeas + Cucumber + Parsley + Lemon
Add-ons: feta, red onion, cherry tomatoes, mint, olives
Dressing: olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano
White Beans + Roasted Red Pepper + Basil
Add-ons: capers, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes
Dressing: olive oil, red wine vinegar (if possible)
I realize I have become a bit of a nerd if it comes to the right pot for cooking in every situation. I must even admit that it is nice to buy new titanium cooking gear. Such buying gives pleasure to a trip long before I actually get on a tour. But now, I have enough. Really. And that’s why I share this post: who needs what and when? Yet, nothing so personal as one’s kitchen.
Some years ago, I liked my camp experience to last until late morning. Having a small fire and preparing tea while simply resting and embroidering, was pure enjoyment for me. As of today I have found a middle way in morning time at camps. The most obvious thing that has changed is that I have a home, bringing the choice of which stove to take along. An ultralight hike or journey with kickbike, bicycle or hiking trailer asks for a different stove, depending on the weather. However, in my opinion, there’s no magic bullet for making the perfect choice.
When cycling had stopped, the full outdoor lifestyle came to a halt as well. Yet desperately wanting to be out in nature there needed to be other outlets. That is not always easy to combine as the mindset has troubles adjusting: from a home base to try grasping that fleeting living-outside-having-no-home lifestyle. It has been some trying and searching, situations regularly and suddenly changed and having a steady base, walking seems to be best for now.
I have embraced the fact that I stopped cycling and am not missing it a whole lot. But sometimes there are these pangs of wanting to feel that excitement, the newness, the unknown, the full outside living, traversing vastness and fully soaked in to another culture.
‘When cycling you will often be seen as someone doing something extra ordinary. This lift up your ego after a while. After years of this extra attention you get used to it and thus it becomes normal.’
Meet Jeffrey, a Dutchman I met in Chile. He a guy on a motorbike. I a woman on a bicycle. Same stretch of road. Same philosophy. How does he experience adventure, and what exactly is adventure?
The term bento is believed to come from the Chinese word biàndāng which means: convenient, handy, easy. You can also call it a lunch box or, less elegant, a food container.
In the Kamakura period (1185–1333) people packed dried rice for travel and hunting, an early form of bento. In the Edo period (1603–1868) the bento culture flourished; people brought beautifully arranged meals to outings. As of today, ‘bento’ became the standard term for a packed meal, often divided into compartments.
I have been brought up with a lunch box that my dad took to his work, prepared the evening before by my mom. Later on, travelling in India, the stainless steel tiffin boxes is something you see everywhere. Today tiffins imported from India are still to be seen in Hungarian villages, dangling on fences, brought to the people by the municipality workers.
I wanted something to soak grains, seeds and dry fruits overnight. Using a plastic clip box didn’t feel good, instead I wanted a lightweight container that would not leak. That is easier said than done: most titanium food containers promise not to leak, but they do. Others, non-titanium containers, are often not lightweight and rather designed more for beauty than functionality. Some titanium containers promote themselves as a pot to cook in, despite their rectangular shape. I had to veer off to online shops in USA to find what I wanted.
A designer with Asian heritage understands the symbiosis between beauty and functionality. He develops titanium outdoor gear and although it was a huge hassle to get products from USA to Hungary, I am glad I did.
Nowadays I don’t use the bento box necessarily for soaking alone but just as well where it is meant for: carrying food. Either left-overs, excess preparations and general food items.
the bento box does not leak, not when it has liquids, not when it is placed upside down or at an angle
the rubber ring placed into the lid can be taken out and washed
lightweight, functional and beautiful
the two clips hold the lid securely in place
easily cleaned
carrying it into a backpack makes also for food that isn’t a mess nor flattened by weight and bulk
The personal back and forth writings I had with the owner of Valtcan made this a very helpful and trustworthy experience. Even in times of much bureaucracy at the Hungarian immigration it was his patience and help that got the parcel eventually through.
So, is a bento box important?
I did years without it. Using a MSR Seagull pot with clips did a good job if it came to nesting gear into it, but it wasn’t leakproof. Starting out with a melamine, plastic lidded bowl turned out unhandy and rather obsolete.
Sure, a bento box is not for cooking, and carrying one only makes sense if you use it. The several functionalities I use it for made it worth the price and effort to get it to Hungary.
The comments below do not refer to this post. The weblog is full and I have to overwrite posts.
‘Adding the fact that ‘doing good’ comes from the heart, does not mean the mind has no say in this. Building toilets for ‘poor black’ but able Africans or distributing bags of rice to people along the fertile bushroad is not smart.’
