www.BicycleTraveler.nl - may 2012
BicycleTraveler International Magazine on Bicycle Touring
Lightweight touring
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America photo story
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May 2012 Frank van Rijn
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Hitch-biking Africa
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Contents
BicycleTraveler Stories 06 10 24 27
Himalayan Trader By Scott Stoll Which Way To Hyderabad By Frank van Rijn Hitch-Biking Through Africa By Jo Charnock Welcome To Laos By Ian Mitchell
Photography 16 32 34 38
Photo Story - America
By Adam & Christy Coppola
Image From The Road - India By Paul Jeurissen Image From The Road - Malawi By Peter Gostelow Parting Shot - America By Paul Jeurissen
Equipment 12 14
Trip Gear
By Grace Johnson
Test Crocs Footwear
By Igor Kovse
Interview 30
Jim van den Berg - Lightweight Touring
By Grace Johnson
Column 34
The Art Of The Unplanned Journey
By Tom Allen
Cover Photo: paul jeurissen Photo Left: patrick hugens http://picasaweb.google.com/racpat.hugens May 2012 - www.BicycleTraveler.nl 3
From the editor
A
fter reading Igor’s review of Crocs, I couldn’t resist buying a pair here in Asia. They’re great; well ventilated, comfortable to cycle in and easy to take off when visiting temples. Now if I could only get myself to throw away the other pair of shoes and sandals that I’m still carrying in my rack pack…
Contact info@bicycletraveler.nl Copyright Bicycle Traveler is copyright Grace Johnson. All material has been used with permission and is copyright original sources. Disclaimer The articles published reflect the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the editor.
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Contributors Adam & Christy Coppola Frank van Rijn Ian Mitchell Igor Kovse Jim van den Berg Jo Charnock & Jan Wouters Patrick & Rachel Hugens Paul Jeurissen Peter Gostelow Scott Stoll Tom Allen
Photos: Paul Jeurissen
Grace Johnson
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Himalayan trader A Tibetan shepherd teaches western cyclists the true value of a pen.
W
hile squatting behind a rock, I admire the scenery. The sun pierces the thin atmosphere, bursting through brilliant white clouds and shattering into sparkles on the rocks. Shadows pan across the ground and up the mountains like disco lights. It looks as if I’ve entered a floorshow, “And here we have the deluxe, super-size Himalayan Model.”
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Photo: scott stoll
By: scott stoll
Eight other bicyclists and I ride a gravel road up the world’s longest hill. We joined forces in Kathmandu to buy the permits, truck, driver and guide that the Chinese require for travel along the Friendship Highway in the ‘liberated’ and ‘autonomous region’ of Tibet. After my potty break, I coast alongside the New Zealander, Edwin. Although Edwin is the strongest rider in the group, he always waits for the weakest member, in this case, me, as I’m sick. My intestines feel as if I swallowed a boa constrictor, and my back end makes noises like a squeeze bottle. During my absence, a Tibetan shepherd has found Edwin. Nearby, the shepherd’s large flock of sheep graze the small plants hiding among the rocks of the high-altitude desert.
The lesson begins
Edwin says, “I’m teaching this guy that pens don’t grow on trees.” The Tibetan turns to me, holding out his hand, “Hello. Pen?” A variation of the ever-popular question: “Can you help me?” Usually meaning: “Can you give me some money?” Which has devolved into: “Give money?!” Or: “Gimmemoney?!” Or, simply: “Give!” Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and feed him for life— this ancient Chinese proverb is both my philosophy and Edwin’s, and soon to be the Tibetan Shepherd’s. “Hello. Pen?” he parrots. “Hello. Sheep?” says Edwin. “Hello. Coca-Cola?” I say, thinking he’ll know this word and realize his absurd demand. The shepherd points to Edwin’s pen and then to himself.
Edwin points to a sheep and then himself. “You want a pen. I want a sheep. We all want something, but you have to work for it, mate.” Although they don’t speak the same language, Edwin’s voice is soothing and fills the gaps. “Baa. Baa,” he bleats to clarify his intent. The shepherd looks confused, so I point from the sheep to Edwin, then from the pen to the shepherd. Grasping the idea, he imitates me and we all nod in agreement. The shepherd walks to his flock and deftly scoops a lamb from her mother.
Trading in earnest
“What are you going to do with a lamb?” I ask. “Don’t worry. He’ll never trade a lamb for a pen. I just want to teach him a lesson.” “How much is a lamb worth?” “I don’t know, but more than a pen.” What the Tibetan knows is that all the shepherds are selling their spring lambs. Lambs are a common source of food for the locals and, I believe, the desert can’t support all the newborns. Of course, the shepherd knows the relative value of a pen in Tibet. When the shepherd returns, Edwin tries to swap but the shepherd refuses and reopens the negotiations. Now he wants the pen and money. Edwin looks dismayed and jockeys his bicycle around the shepherd pretending to leave. The shepherd holds the lamb in front of Edwin, turning her from side to side. Then he shoves the lamb in my face and turns her from side to side. Her blue eyes sparkle, and her thick white fleece, adapted to the Himalayan winters, smells like dung. Again Edwin offers his pen for exchange. This time it’s the shepherd’s turn to May 2012 - www.BicycleTraveler.nl 7
Photo: scott stoll
Edwin holds ‘Bo Peep the bicycling sheep.’
act his part in the bartering drama. He gets angry and pantomimes, “This is a tasty lamb. You’re stealing the food from my children’s mouths.” He’s using the basic argument I’ve heard all over the world, “You have everything. I have nothing.” Edwin holds up his pen and flicks the button several times, scribbles on his hand then tucks it into his shirt pocket by the clip. The Tibetan is entranced and, suddenly, he agrees to the exchange, sealing the bargain. So far, the bartering has followed the usual custom and Edwin has to follow through, or risk insulting and angering the shepherd. The shepherd reaches for the pen, but Edwin indicates he wants the lamb first. After a couple bungled attempts, they swap simultaneously and I photograph the moment for posterity. The shepherd quickly stuffs the pen behind the silver buckle on his belt and Edwin is left cud8
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dling the lamb. For a moment, Edwin’s brown eyes are as big and bewildered as the lambs. “I never thought he’d go for it,” he says, wincing at the loss of his pen. “What are you going to do with her?” “Don’t worry,” he brightens, “It’s a bluff. He’ll never let me ride away with his lamb.” “What if he does?” “Then we’ll have a mascot.” “We can eat it,” I suggest.
Lamb soup?
We mount our bicycles, and as we pedal away, I think, “Lamb noodle soup. Lamb steamed dumplings. Fried lamb chops.” Meanwhile Edwin is wondering what to name her, “The Dalai Lamb-a” or “Bo Peep the bicycling sheep.” He struggles to hold the lamb in one arm and navigate his bicycle over the dirt road. The lamb bleats pathetically and 100 meters down
the road, near the edge of the flock, she wins Edwin’s heart and we stop. The shepherd stares at us with a twinge of curiosity but shows little concern for his lamb. Perhaps, the shepherd has called Edwin’s bluff. “Dang,” Edwin pouts, “That was my last customized pen.” “We can still eat it. Jabu and Dongteng (our Tibetan guide and driver) will know how to cook it.” “Maybe we could just keep her in the truck,” he moves her from one arm to the other, away from me. Edwin is a vegetarian and I don’t think he can bear to be responsible for anyone eating his lamb. “Someone has to eat it.” Edwin puts the lamb down and begins herding her towards her mother. She bolts underneath the legs of the nearest sheep. Edwin chases the lamb. The lamb scrambles from sheep to sheep and Edwin scrambles after the lamb, zigzagging through the flock until, suddenly, he’s face to face with the shepherd. “Just give me my pen. You see—there’s your lamb.”
Mayhem
While Edwin was causing a stampede, the shepherd has gotten his sling out and loaded it with a rock. He swings it around several times and sends the stone soaring over his flock. Edwin doesn’t seem to notice. With a soothing voice, he keeps talking to the shepherd. The shepherd reloads and releases a second stone with a crack and it buzzes through the air, causing me to cringe, and shatters against a boulder. Undeterred, Edwin advances, “Just give me the pen.” He points to the hidden pen and then himself. “Hello. Pen?”
“They’ve both gone crazy,” I think, laying my bicycle down and preparing to rescue Edwin. The shepherd sees me approach and grabs his dagger out of the ground and begins waggling it at Edwin, then me, then Edwin, while yelling, “Stay back or your friend gets it,” or so I imagine. I freeze, but Edwin encroaches on the shepherd’s territory holding out his hand, “Hello. Pen? Give pen!” The shepherd is behaving like a madman now. He shouts, lunges and feints a stab towards Edwin’s belly. Finally, looking genuinely frightened, Edwin holds his arms above his head. “All right, keep the pen,” he says. “Keep the pen.”
The retreat
When Edwin retreats, I’m laughing so hard that my gut twists painfully. “Buddy! What were you thinking?” “I just wanted my pen back,” bemoans Edwin. “Just wait until everyone finds out that I—a New Zealander—traded a pen for a sheep.” By now our Australian friend Matt has arrived and we laugh. The competitive and mischievous Australians have given New Zealanders a notorious reputation with their sheep jokes. “But you don’t have either.” “That’s the worst part.” He closes his eyes and sighs, as if imagining the embarrassment of confessing to his Kiwi mates. “Aw. You made a cute couple.” BT Scott Stoll’s book “Falling Uphill” is a collection of humorous and easy-to-read short stories from his 4 year bike trip around the world. You can read more about Scott and his book at: http://www.theargonauts.com May 2012 - www.BicycleTraveler.nl 9
“Which way to Hyderabad?”
Dutch long distance cyclist Frank van Rijn discovers that such a simple matter as going to Hyderabad is a very complicated expedition after all.
Asking for directions
“Do you speak English?” I asked him. “Yes” was the convincingly sounding answer. “Could you please tell me the way to Hyderabad?” “Yes.” 10
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Photo: frank van Rijn
O
n the main roads in India you are often disturbed by the large amount of traffic and the work being done to improve them, but small roads also have their own specific problems. In this particular case it was a fork where it wasn’t clear in which direction I had to go. There was a road sign but whatever was on it was illegible due to the mass of election propaganda that had been pasted over it. That was understandable, because road signs are very suitable for that purpose. Also other important information is often glued to them. Everybody knows which way to go, so for that you don’t need signposts. Even if the posters hadn’t covered the sign it probably wouldn’t have helped much, as on these smaller roads the signs were usually in Sanskrit anyway. The few letters visible below the posters confirmed this. In between the two roads stood a small hut. The owner was digging on his land next to it.
Frank van Rijn on the road in Asia.
“Well, which way is it to Hyderabad then?” “Yes.” “Left?” I said pointing left. “Yes.” “Or right?” I said pointing right. “Yes.” “So you don’t really speak English do you?” “No.” Suddenly his vocabulary turned out to be twice the size of what I had up to
then presumed. This answering in the negative to a negative question is really confusing in India because, contrary to practice in Europe, it is often used correctly here. The man was probably denying that he didn’t speak English, which confirmed his first answer. So his answers were logical, but I was beginning to doubt if he was speaking the truth. It reminded me of a situation where there was also a house situated between a fork in the road where two brothers lived. Knowing that one always lied and the other always spoke the truth, you could find out which was the road to Amsterdam by asking just one question.
Spoken truth
Here the situation was a bit more complicated. On the one hand the man had lied when he answered my question if he spoke English with a “yes”, but on the other he hadn’t. He just didn’t speak a lot of English and that is something he had never claimed to do anyway. Apart from that, he had resolutely answered me truthfully when he said that he could tell me which road went to Hyderabad. He just hadn’t told me though. He had lied once and spoken the truth once to my questions whether Hyderabad was to the left or to the right, unless both roads actually led to Hyderabad. In that case he had spoken the truth twice, but if neither of the roads led to Hyderabad he had lied twice. From this analysis it could be concluded that even the simplest of conversations can still be rather complicated.
Second attempt
I thanked the man for giving me this abundance of information and with plenty of
misgivings and doubt chose the road to the left. Luckily I encountered a man on a scooter a little further down the road who stood talking to a group of men. Again I asked if anyone spoke English and the man on the scooter said he did and even commanded a greater vocabulary than the farmer who always spoke the truth back on the corner. Unluckily though he didn’t know if this was the correct road to Hyderabad as he wasn’t local. But not to worry, he would ask the others who, although they didn’t speak English, would undoubtedly know the way to Hyderabad. Much to my surprise a long and lively discussion ensued. Hands pointed in the direction I was already heading, while others pointed back down the road and everybody had a different solution. It seemed that such a simple matter as going to Hyderabad was a very complicated expedition after all. Eventually it seemed they reached some sort of consensus as everyone suddenly was in agreement and they all set off in various directions by bike or on foot. Even the English speaking man on the scooter left without bothering to tell me what the outcome was. In the heat of the discussion he had probably forgotten all about me. BT Dutchman Frank van Rijn is a bike touring legend. He’s cycled over 500,000 kilometers, written 11 books and inspired generations of Dutch people to take up bicycle touring. His books are currently only available in Dutch but Frank is searching for a publishing house in Britain, Australia or America to print and distribute his books in English. Learn more about Frank at: http://www.frankvanrijn.nl
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Trip Gear
A look at equipment for bicycle travelers. By: Grace Johnson
Lightweight Duo Shelter
Ultralight cycling couples will appreciate the Sea to Summit Specialist Duo Shelter. It weighs only 29 oz (846 gr.) yet is over 7 feet (220 cm.) long, 37 inches (94 cm.) wide and has two vestibule entrances.” Price: $499. U.S. www.seatosummit.com
Merino Wool Boxer Shorts
Icebreaker’s Men’s BodyFit150 Boxer Brief gives you all the benefits of merino wool minus the itch. This lightweight pair of underwear is odor resistant, breathable and wicks moisture away from your body. Price: $40. U.S. www.icebreaker.com
Double Vision Glasses
Dual Eyewear sunglasses are bifocals for cyclists. The upper sections are normal sunglasses and the lower sections provide magnification to be able to read maps, GPS devices and cycling computers. The glasses come in three levels of magnification: +1.5, +2.0 and +2.5 Price: $50. U.S. www.dualeyewear.com
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Equipment
Waterproof Compression Sack The Airstream Lite is a waterproof sack that lets air out during compression. Just stuff your sleeping bag or clothing into the bag, roll over the dry bag seal to close it, then tighten everything up using the side compression cords. The sack can hold up to 620 cu. in (10 L.) and weighs 2.6 oz. (75 gr.). Price: $25.40 U.S. www.podsacs.com
Camping Mattress
Tired of de-laminating air mattresses? Then check out Therm-a-rest’s lightweight Z Lite Sol mattress. Its virtually indestructible closed-cell foam provides lasting comfort and the aluminized surface reflects heat back to your body. Price: $35. U.S. http://cascadedesigns.com
Handlebar Airhorn
The Biologic Blast horn can produce up to 115 decibels of air-piercing sound to make your presence known while cycling busy roads. It weighs less than 3.5 oz.(100 gr.) and operates on compressed air which can be refilled with a bicycle pump. Price: $34.99 U.S. http://store.thinkbiologic.com
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Photo: igor kovse
Test: Crocs footwear Igor Kovse wears Crocs shoes while cycling in Namibia, Lesotho and Paris-Brest-Paris.
P
ance is a small village near Ljubljana, Slovenia. The local café has a terrace in front, where anybody worth mentioning in Ljubljana’s cycling scene comes to display his latest rig (pretending that they just came to bask in the sun of the café terrace). They come to see or show she latest Dogmas, Madones, Cannondales, Colnagos and Looks – all big brands in the cycling world. I am a bit of disgrace there as I regularly come wearing a cap instead of helmet, prescription glasses instead 14
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of Rudy Project shades and flat pedals with sneakers instead of clipless pedals and Sidi shoes. Since the day when I showed up wearing Crocs, nobody there talks to me anymore. But other than the danger of becoming a social outcast, Crocs probably won’t have any adverse effect on your cycling life, or life in general. On the contrary, despite everything that you’ve been taught about proper cycling footwear (i.e. special shoes with stiff soles and clipless pedals)you may find Crocs
Equipment to be perfectly suitable for cycle touring. There are several good aspects to Crocs. First of all they are lightweight; just 284 gr. for a pair, European size 44. That’s 300 gr. less than most road-racing shoes. And remember: when you cycle, footwear represents ‘rotational weight’ just as if you had a lighter wheel. Next, since they’re plastic, they dry quickly, making them ideal for rainy conditions and fording streams. In cold weather you’ll have to complement them with some kind of waterproof socks but in serious weather conditions you’ll have to do that with most other kind of shoes anyway. Sealskin socks work well with Crocs. Crocs also provide good ventilation to your feet, reducing the need to wash your socks frequently, and they have rather good pedal grip. Of course we are talking flat pedals here. No clip-on pedals. No cages and straps. No Power Grips. The disadvantages are that you might get blisters if you wear them barefoot and that their fit is too loose for hiking. I wore my Chinese Crocs on a one month tour through Africa. Generally speaking they worked well. I didn’t have any problems cycling long days (up to 230 km), or heading up the gravel roads in Namibia and Lesotho, including 20% climbs. My biggest problem was that my Crocs were too big (although they were my usual size), so my feet were floating in them. I stuffed them with plastic bags in front when I wore them barefoot but usually wore them with short socks, or with slipper-like inserts. They were then quite comfortable. Worn with waterproof socks the fit was rock solid. Crocs should be one size smaller than your usual shoes, so they fit tightly.
Some people have expressed doubts about the softness of their sole. My experience is that if your feet sit snugly in them and you have fairly wide pedals, then the softer sole is not a problem. It’s my conclusion that Crocs deserve more serious consideration as the only footwear for cycle touring. Update September 2011. I more or less realize that I’m writing this only for myself, as the idea of riding with Crocs somehow didn’t gain much popularity.
“Crocs are perfectly suitable for cycle touring” Partly it is a consequence of the dogma of ‘proper cycling shoes’, which is ridiculous for non-competitive cycling. Nevertheless, here’s an update after my 2011 journey through France. In 36 days I rode 5,500 km including climbing and descending around 140 cols and côtes and the 1,238 km. Paris-Brest-Paris in 72 hours. I’m happy with Crocs. I was practically living in them, as they were my only footwear. I didn’t have a single cramp, which was frequently the case when cycling in other types of shoes. I would definitely choose them as the only footwear for a round-the-world tour. BT Igor Kovse is an ultralight cyclist who carries less than 20 kilos (including his bike) on trips all around the world. His website http://ultralightcycling.blogspot.com is full of tips on how to pack light. May 2012 - www.BicycleTraveler.nl 15
America
Photo Story
Adam and Christy Coppola fall in love with cycling as they travel through all 50 states to support the “Give A Bike� charities.
Photos: Adam Coppola Story: Christy Coppola
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I
wasn’t a cyclist before this trip...
I would never have argued that my longest ride of 17 miles was enough to qualify me as one either. Now, 7 months, 9,000 miles, 38 flats, 3 sets of tires, and 2 saddles later, I still wouldn’t qualify myself as a cyclist. The Tour De France was on the past few weeks and I didn’t even have the
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slightest desire to turn it on. I’m pretty sure the test in becoming a true cyclist has to do with watching this race and understanding it and the racers. That is one test I would fail. I couldn’t even name more than one racing cyclist! I could list for you a whole bunch of touring cyclists, though. Does that count?
So what makes a ‘cyclist?’ The term ‘cyclist’ almost has an elite feel which might be why I could never feel comfortable qualifying myself as one. I have ridden quite a few miles this year, but they are slow miles with plenty of rest stops. Over the course of this year, I have fallen in love over and over again with riding my bike and we see so many others doing the same thing.
But being a cyclist? Even though Adam and I look like them with our spandex and jerseys on, I just don’t feel like one. The good news? You don’t have to be a ‘cyclist’ to ride your bike. You can wear whatever you want, carry however much you want, and go as slow as you want. No, I’m no cyclist. I’m a traveler using the bicycle as my mode of transportation. BT
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Above: Christy and Adam Coppola smile for the camera in Alaska. Right: A perfect start to a cycling day.
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Above: A cup of coffee before hitting the road. Left: Camping in Yellowstone National Park. Photojournalist Adam Coppola and his writer wife Christy have combined their talents to document their America trip and help raise awareness for the “Give A Bike� charities www.giveabike.com.
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