The Expedition Journals

"A ship in harbour is safe. But that is not what ships were built for…" Over the last decade I have raced, toured, and explored the European Continent by bicycle. Road, gravel, mud and sand; from mountain pass to windswept flats— Life In The Saddle has proven a diverse adventure and challenge. On my 2018 solo #RoadsFromRome tour—a 2400 kilometre ride across Europe, I relished the challenge, enjoyed the wide-ranging scenery, and embraced the life of wild camping, and self-supported travel and adventure. Yet, the journey left me wondering ' what next? '—another endurance ride, another continental crossing? Then, I realised the thing that keeps me motivated is my love of new horizons; that led me to think of one horizon that has always fascinated me… the ocean. What if I took a sabbatical from pedal-powered challenges to instead pursue an ocean horizon? It would push different boundaries—different comfort zones, and it would introduce a collection of new an

I have been searching for the perfect expedition stove for years. I have come close many times, but there always seems to be a downfall; such as the pan being too small, or the burner too flimsy or ferocious. However, the PRIMUS PrimeTech 1.3L Stove Set is perfection, in my mind. It is beautifully built and delivers everything you need from an expedition level camping stove. The Right Size When you are riding a bike all day, for days on end, the calorie expenditure is mammoth. You can get away with cake, sandwiches, and biscuits as snacks during the day; but when you set up camp for the evening you really need to treat yourself to a large wholesome meal. On previous expeditions I have taken a 1 litre JetBoil MiniMo Cooking System with me, and crammed the pan full of risotto, pasta, or porridge, in an attempt to get protein and calories into my system. The reality though was always that the pan was too small—I always had to supplement the meal with cold carbohydrate sides like

If you cut me through, I will bleed green; or at least green and blue—the earth and water are in my veins. The Green Shape range from VAUDE has fast become one of my go-to clothing ranges for outdoor sports and hiking. The Green Core 3L Hiking 'Pants' (Trousers) are a particular favourite. The VAUDE Green Core 3L Trousers are a waterproof set of hiking trousers, made from organic cotton and eco-friendly castor oil fibres. They are designed to be a weatherproof layer that provides superb breathability and a versatile performance for a variety of conditions. The outer layer on the trousers is comprised of three distinct fabrics. Above the knees a stretchy Econyl® recycled polyamide is used for increased freedom of movement. On the front and back of the thigh a robust and abrasion resistant EcoPaXX® synthetic fibre made from 70 percent eco-friendly castor oil fibres has been used. Finally, on the back of the calves (an area that gets a lot of spray/muck), VAUDE have used a D

When it comes to socks, I am pretty darn fussy. With good reason though—good socks, and the right socks, make as much difference to your comfort as the hiking shoes or boots that you choose. The Darn Tough Vermont socks have become my preferred choice for Hiking and Lifestyle wear. The Darn Tough range is still made in Vermont, U.S.A. They hold an incredible lifetime guarantee against product defects, and indeed from my experience they are impressively durable. The Hiking and Lifestyle range all use the magic Merino wool in their fabric blends, which provides the fantastic softness, temperature regulation, and comfort that makes these socks a go-to option. They keep your feet warm in the winter, and cool in the summer; as well as avoiding hot-spots and friction irritation caused by some polypropylene fabrics. The fit of the hiking socks is particularly exceptional. The fabric blends Merino with Nylon and a little LYCRA® to create a light compression fit; this makes them support