Georgia, a former Soviet Republic, lies at the nexus of Europe, Middle East and Asia. Due to its central location, it has lived through a rich and troubled history. Georgians though, are characterized for their strength, tenacity, and genuine openheartedness. A strong cultural heritage, fed by a delicious cuisine and an ancient-old viticulture, provided the … Continue reading Georgia’s Mystical Mountains
Further: a race into the unknown
Friday 23rd of August 2019 "Goooo!" Camille shouted. We look at each other. Is this it? The first few racers start running and soon the others follow. It's only 100 meters, only 0.018 % of the race, but it feels important. My heart rate shoots up. What am I doing? This is not what I … Continue reading Further: a race into the unknown
Tour Du Congo
By Dennis Ruijgt As in the seventies when Muhammed Ali shocked the world in Congo during the “rumble in the jungle”, anticipation mounted for the debut performance in Congo of the mixed team of Kenyan and Dutch riders. Tour du Congo was the stage, three Kenyan and two Dutch riders the protagonists, accompanied by the … Continue reading Tour Du Congo
How cycling healed me
By Sean vdP We’ve all hit that point in life where we wonder, “what am I doing it for?” Why can’t I find love, luck or joy in the things I do in life? This is precisely what happened to me towards then end of 2017 / early 2018. Everything seemed to be coming apart. … Continue reading How cycling healed me
Time leaves us polished stones: notes from the trip to Paris and back
Intro Sunday started like always - I came in to Lola just after the doors opened, ordered a cup of coffee and waited for the rest of the group to come in for the usual weekend ride. I was excited, but also a bit worried. For a moment, I really wanted to abandon my plans … Continue reading Time leaves us polished stones: notes from the trip to Paris and back
Athens to Sparta (The Narwhal 300)
By Joe Bradshaw Foreword A sense of belonging - a community - bonds. Words easily spoken and feelings often taken for granted. For sure I feel these back home with friends and family. Moving away from familiar surroundings gave these words new meaning for me as I searched for somewhere to belong in a strange … Continue reading Athens to Sparta (The Narwhal 300)
Hummus, Hezbollah and the Pursuit of Happiness
Tour de Lebanon It is often said that who we are as individuals is largely determined by the things we have experienced. But what if what we have experienced in life has also been experienced by millions of other people? Who are we then really? Taking for granted the lower rungs of Maslow’s pyramid, for … Continue reading Hummus, Hezbollah and the Pursuit of Happiness
Albania: Adventure in Europe’s Backyard
“Cycling is brutal, it always wants a little more than you can give. The joy and fulfilment it gives are only on loan. It asks for them back when you need those things the most.” -Lachlan Morton A large, unlit firework appeared with “don’t hold when lit” written clearly along the left hand side of … Continue reading Albania: Adventure in Europe’s Backyard
Tour de Corse
Introduction As Cyclists, we use a range of superlatives to try and capture our experiences: “Epic”; “ Stunning”; “ Gnarly”; “Hardcore” etc., but 50 km into our 1000 km cycling trip around the island of Corsica and I was already stretching my limited vocabulary for more imaginative and expansive descriptors. Try as I might, I … Continue reading Tour de Corse