Bölümler
-
Ever wondered about the voice that welcomes you to The Accidental Bicycle Tourist podcast? In this special holiday episode, host Gabriel pulls back the curtain, inviting his wife Sandra as a guest for the very first time! Join them in their cozy home in Germany as they reflect on their summer bike tour with baby Emilio, sharing hilarious mishaps and heartwarming moments. But that's not all - find out which episodes you found most memorable this past season, including a series of entertaining discussions with those episodes’ guests. Also, catch updates from other Season One guests and learn a bit about the podcast’s listeners. Filled with laughter, reflection, and a dash of that irresistible accidental charm, this episode is the perfect way to wind down the year and look ahead to the open road in 2025.
One of the selected episodes is "Adventures of a High-Tech Nomad" with Steven K. Roberts. If you would like to read the serialized version of his book Computing Across America, please visit his Substack page.Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Fueled by a quarter-life crisis and the desire to break free from routine, bikepacking newcomer Melanie Schautt embarked on a transformative half-year cycling adventure through South America with her friend Louise, a seasoned cyclist. From battling fierce headwinds and a near-quitting moment on the Carretera Austral in Patagonia to overcoming mechanical issues and a couple of injuries, Melanie had to be resilient to keep pedaling. Amidst the struggles, she also discovered the unexpected joy and freedom of finding her own pace, the value of enduring friendships, and the thrill of conquering challenging terrain, including the Lagunas Route and Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia and Cotopaxi in Ecuador. Melanie’s vivid storytelling may leave you craving to launch your own South American bikepacking adventure.
If you would like to explore Melanie's posts for yourself, her Instagram is @livingintents. She also maintains a website with additional information.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Eksik bölüm mü var?
-
This episode takes a highly experimental turn as Gabriel, your host, brings in not one, but *two* AI guests, Scout and Rambler – instances of Google’s Gemini AI. These digital personalities debate hot topics in bicycle touring, offering unique and sometimes hilarious perspectives. Prepare for a wild ride as Scout, the hardcore bikepacker, extols the virtues of solo touring and meticulous planning, while Rambler, the easygoing newbie, champions the joys of companionship and spontaneous detours. Their clashing philosophies ignite lively discussions about route planning, solo versus group rides, and the impact of e-bikes on traditional touring. The conversation takes unexpected twists and turns, including a harrowing tale of Scout’s scree-field descent and a shared passion for pie that transcends their differing approaches to adventure. And did sparks fly between our AI guests? Listen in to find out! This episode is packed with information, unexpected humor, and thought-provoking insights. You won’t want to miss this unique AI-powered exploration of the world of bike touring.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Alan Gilbert has always been interested in long, challenging bicycle rides. For Alan, the chance to ride across the United States from Pacific to Atlantic in 38 days finally presented itself in 2022, upon retiring from his job as a technology executive. The timing also coincided with the end of COVID, which had kept Alan cooped up at home and yearning to get out, meet people, and explore the country 100 miles at a time. Rather than undertake this Big Hairy Audacious Goal alone, Alan found a riding partner, Dave, and their respective spouses, Sue and Dee, became known as the Support Angels. In this episode, we will dive into Alan’s BHAG, as well as trace his love of touring to its origins (a trip in Ohio when he was seventeen) and what he’s been up to since finishing his coast-to-coast adventure (a fully supported tour of classic mountain climbs in France).
You can learn more about Alan’s adventures by reading his blog on Medium.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Roger Levy, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, considers himself a scientist of language and a polyglot, speaking five languages fluently and many more conversationally. In this episode, Roger will share the sounds and flavors from his six bike tours across three continents. Since Roger also happens to be a longtime friend, I was his partner on two of the six tours. On his solo adventures, Roger enjoyed the delicious breakfast offerings in Taiwan and ended each day of riding in Scotland in a pub and perhaps a whisky distillery. He also trained with the Stanford University triathlon team and discovered the bicycle-friendly country of Rwanda. Everywhere he went, Roger bravely took on the roads, the weather, and the language barriers he encountered.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Barbados. Dominica. Guadeloupe. Martinique. These are some of the exotic Caribbean islands visited by André Plumeau with his bicycle, Frieda. In Part 2 of this double episode, André again defies the odds by sailing west from the Republic of Cabo Verde on various boats, with diverse crews. Eventually, a spontaneous assignment to pick up a sailboat in Florida separates him from Frieda and the rest of his touring equipment. He makes his way around the United States to Mexico, where he hopes to be reunited with Frieda. At the end of the episode, André reveals his surprise plan for the end of the year, which we also hope will come true.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Imagine that you are walking down the road near your home town in France when a friend calls you and invites you to join him on a bicycle tour. Since you don't own a bike, you buy one over the Internet and call it Frieda. You pack your bags and three days later you are cycling with your friend in Portugal. You don't know it yet, but this is the start of an adventure that will last at least two years, taking you to the tip of Portugal, into Spain, and then by sea, island-hopping across the Atlantic, with Frieda at your side. That is a very brief outline of André Plumeau's story. On part one of this two-part episode, we will hear about André's incredible journey from Porto in Portugal to the Republic of Cabo Verde.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Steve Roberts is probably the world’s first high-tech nomad. For roughly a decade (1983 - 1993), Steve was either designing, building, or riding a custom computerized recumbent bicycle. Beginning with the Winnebiko, continuing with the Winnebiko II, and culminating with the 580-pound BEHEMOTH, Steve logged 17,000 miles, all the while writing articles for various publications and transmitting them from his current location. In a time before the internet and smartphones, Steve was one of the first people on the planet to be continuously networked and connected via various technologies, working and socializing, quite literally, on the road. He immediately drew attention from locals in every town, and made friends on CompuServe and other networks. As his exploits became publicized, he appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal and was a guest on the Phil Donahue Show in 1992. All these years later, Steve looks back on his amazing journey and his pioneering work on technologies that have become mainstream today.
Steve's appearance on the Phil Donahue Show can be viewed here:
https://www.facebook.com/technomadness/videos/1130296767041717/Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
In 2009, Swiss graphic designer Martina Gees sold most of her possessions, flew to Buenos Aires, and started pedaling. She got as far north as Inuvik, Canada, and eventually as far south as Ushuaia, Argentina. All told, her incredible Odisea Panamericana spanned 5 years, 25 countries, and 60,000 kilometers. This conversation with Martina is focused on her experiences traveling with a partner (with whom she started in Buenos Aires), with people she met along the way, and alone. During her journey, Martina fell in love, broke up, made lifelong friends, and was deeply touched by the hospitality of locals. Having lived through a series of coincidences and strange happenings on the road, it’s no wonder that Martina identifies herself as an accidental bicycle tourist.
To learn more about Martina’s adventures, check out her German language website at colorfish.ch. You can also find her on Instagram: @colorfishes.Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
With seven Caminos de Santiago by bicycle under his belt and an eighth one in preparation, Frank Foulon is uniquely equipped to inform us about this remarkable pilgrimage route that has been ongoing, with wild fluctuations in participation, since the ninth century. Frank discusses the historical background and cultural significance of the Camino, including recent changes as a result of the Camino’s rise in popularity. He also details the different routes in Europe that converge to form the Camino Francés, from the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, as well as other historical starting points on the Iberian Peninsula (the Camino Portugués, the Vía de la Plata, and the Camino Primitivo). Additionally, Frank volunteered for several years as an hospitalero in the town of Los Arcos, where he welcomed, assisted, and encouraged thousands of pilgrims.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Mimi Ji, a self-described map nerd and passionate cyclist, has turned her love for detailed route planning into a unique seven-step process. In this episode, Mimi shares numerous planning tips and tricks gathered from her experiences during outings with the New York City Adventure Cycling Club as well as tours in South Dakota, Quebec, and Slovenia. The conversation playfully dissects the seven steps, as Mimi compares different apps, describes how to stitch together weeklong itineraries, and encourages listeners to consider multi-sport touring. Along the way, we inevitably take several detours, with diversions into topics such as Bolivia’s Death Road, bikepacking culture in the United States, and much more.
You can read and subscribe to Mimi's Substack page at: https://winepacking.substack.com/Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Listener Frédéric Dith alerted me that long blue lines mark long distance cycling routes, not only in Japan but also in Taiwan and South Korea. During a year of backpacking in Asia, following a burnout from the pandemic and working at a Berlin startup, Fred bikepacked the 633-kilometer-long Four Rivers Cycle Route, traversing South Korea from Seoul to Busan. Fred learned all about South Korea’s engaging system of issuing bicycling passports and repurposing bright red phone booths as places to stamp your passport to show your progress. After completing his goal of cycling the entire Four Rivers route, Fred’s reward was a professional-looking certificate, suitable for framing. After talking to Fred, we also check in with previous guest Hannah Bowley, who has spent the past months riding in Japan and South Korea.
To learn more about the colors of cycling routes around the world:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095756421000416Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
If you enjoy hearing about random acts of kindness towards cyclists, you'll love this episode! Belgian cyclist Kris Vlaeminck shares selected tales of hospitality from his tours in Europe, North America, and Asia. With the help of strangers, Kris and his riding partners Johan and Luc overcome inclement weather in Scotland, water and food shortages in Iceland, a bear blocking the road in Alaska, and other perils. In Georgia and Kyrgyzstan, they are welcomed into family homes and lavished with food, drink, and accommodations. Kris also reveals the surprising country that he believes to be the most hospitable among the many that he has visited.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Imagine bicycling from San Francisco to Los Angeles in one week, not alone, but in a peloton of thousands. For 545 miles, a team of roadies dedicate their time and energy to supporting your southward journey. The daily rest stops are extravagant events with costumes, dance parties, and drag shows, while the nightly camps provide relaxation areas, medical facilities, and excellent food. Everywhere – among the riders, the volunteers, and residents along the route – there is exuberance and joy. This is the AIDS/LifeCycle, a yearly charity ride that raises millions of dollars to fight HIV/AIDS. Our guide to the ride is Meg Shutzer, an investigative journalist, filmmaker, and spinning instructor who currently captains the inclusive WeSpoke team and has participated in the AIDS/LifeCycle every year it’s been held since 2016.
New Generation Queens: a Zanzibar Soccer Story can be rented on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/newgenerationqueensMeg’s website is www.megshutzer.com
The New York Times article can be found here: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/10/29/us/juvenile-detention-abuses-louisiana.html
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Suffering a heat stroke in the middle of Vietnam’s mountainous jungles was definitely not in the plans when Hannah Bowley decided to cycle from Hanoi to Singapore. Hannah was in month nine of a one-year touring adventure, and Southeast Asia was the third leg of her trip, following long rides in Western Europe, which included the Camino de Santiago, and South America, including the Carretera Austral in Patagonia. Thanks to the remarkable kindness of her Vietnamese host, as well as the help of many others she met through the Warmshowers community and elsewhere, Hannah continues to live her dream of chasing summer around the globe.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Inspired by a man who bicycled across France to attend a wedding, Simon Alfassa decided to organize his own solo bike tour from Berlin (where he resides) to Copenhagen. There’s just one problem: He has no idea what he’s doing. From using his “super weird” secondhand city bike to carrying many kilos of dead weight to stashing his smartphone in a soaked rain jacket pocket, Simon makes all sorts of mistakes along the way. However, with a healthy dose of optimism, perseverance, and improvisation, Simon overcomes the obstacles caused by his lack of experience and preparation. In this episode, we use Simon’s journey as a case study to present 10 fun bicycle touring tips for beginners and hopefully entertain travelers of all experience levels.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
A long blue line runs 70 kilometers, across picturesque islands and over majestic suspension bridges, between Onomichi and Imabari in Japan. This is the famous Shimanami National Cycle Route, a trail that Singapore native Poh Yu Seung and his wife selected for their first bicycle tour. The couple packed their Brompton-style folding bikes and flew to Osaka, home of the famous Shimano Museum. From Osaka, they took the train to Onomichi, where they began their cycling journey. Yu Seung shares the unique characteristics of the Shimanami Islands, as well as learnings about Japanese culture, a fascination with the Brompton folding bike, and the rich Japanese bicycle industry tradition, which is largely unknown both domestically and abroad.
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Ida Sigusch and Tilman Jiménez Reichow met and fell in love in Umeå, Sweden. A long bicycle tour through Europe, initially on a recumbent tandem, strengthened their relationship (this is by no means a given). On the road, Ida and Tilman met many friendly and helpful people who helped them in their quest to reach lighthouses at extreme points of Continental Europe. In the process, they also overcame mechanical issues, insurance problems, rabid dog attacks, and the harsh environment of the Arctic Circle. At times, they only managed these difficult situations because they were together. And so, they say, “It takes two.”
Ida and Tilman’s English-language website can be found at https://justtwowheels.deFan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
One of the hardest parts of turning a vision into reality is simply getting started. Professional photographer Christopher Briscoe has made a habit of starting – and completing – bold undertakings, such as multiple long-distance cycling trips in the United States. He embarked on his first cross-country bicycle journey with his friend Brian in 1976. Most recently, in 2016, he and his son Quincy followed Route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago, a ride that is captured in a book and a film, both titled The Road Between Us. After thousands of miles traversed over every kind of road and every type of weather, and after getting to know so many people, Christopher’s recipe for success is simple: get out of your comfort zone.
Christopher’s Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Christopher-Briscoe/author/B0189R39BM
Shifting Gears Publications: https://www.shiftinggearspub.com/
The Road Between Us can be viewed on Vimeo free of charge: https://vimeo.com/327512864
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist -
Cuba is a fascinating island nation whose beautiful beaches, diverse geography, tropical climate, relative safety, and less-traveled roads have made it an excellent bicycle touring destination. Canadians Jim and Susan Allman have been exploring Cuba by bicycle for the past 20 years. They share incredible stories about finding accommodations, navigating the currency and the black market, dealing with the police, and interacting with locals who remain friendly and welcoming despite constantly struggling to make a basic living. Clearly, everything works a little differently in Cuba, which remains a single party Marxist–Leninist socialist republic despite decades of economic and political pressure from the nearby United States.
Music provided by MokkaMusic and https://inaudio.org
Fan Mail: Send ABT an SMS
For links to podcast platforms, feedback via email, the podcast website, and Instagram:
https://linktr.ee/accidental_bicycle_tourist - Daha fazla göster
