I'm more than happy to ambassadate (that is a word!) for anyone who pushes cycling. I wish it was bigger and better supported and that more people from all walks of life would discover it. Hopefully I do my bit in pushing this particular message. I keep hoping someone will pay me to do this full time but as I have oft lamented, there is not much call for wandering cycle poets these days ;)
“Colouring in a portion of your life”- absolutely love it, what a beautiful piece of prose. Another great, thoughtful and inspiring video, thanks for sharing.
I'll be honest I was REALLY pleased with that line too! Doubly so because, while I do kind of plan these monologues, that bit just came out as you see it in this video. So I'm pleased someone else picked up on that because it was possibly my finest moment to date on this channel 😀
Thank you Jethro. Totally thought provokingly inspirational. 55☑️ Female❎..who after leaving poor very old Ridgeback for nearly a year, gathering dust, found an old map of Sustrans R81 Lon las Cymru, pumped up my tyres, packed tent, sleeping bag, kitchen sink and head off one day at a time to see how far I could get. If I can do it (overweight and not very fit) anyone can. Like a 'fat bottomed girl, just get on yet bike and ride!'🏴
Amazing! That is a route that is very much on my list of one's to do. I imagine there are some long old climbs and fantastic views? Weather that can turn on sixpence? I hope it is just the first of many more adventures and I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. Thank you
@@JethroJessop it was very much a hiker bike for me but so enjoyable.. mostly. I was so lucky with 11 dry days in September last year ( most people I've seen doing it bosh it in 3 days!..I did cycle back down the coast though!)
@@gromlynne3550 Wow, 11 dry days in Wales is good going indeed! And a much better pace for a route like that in my opinion. Doing it in 3 just means you miss most of it. I'd much rather take it slow. One day I'll get round to this one and I'll see if I can beat you and do it in 12 ;)
Just really enjoyed your video, very genuine and realistic about cycling. I’ve been a keen cyclist for ever, now retired and trying to get my lovely wife into it. This has been very encouraging - her words just now were “I’m very impressed with him…!” Definitely a good start.
I'm glad to be considered impressive ;) Thank you. I'm glad you both enjoyed the video. And I very much hope that you have many fantastic rides in the future!
The older you are the wiser you become. That's what I'm telling myself anyway 😉 If I'm still doing these videos when I'm 75 they are going to be made utterly impenetrable by all that wisdom! 😉
Beautiful words and sentiment Jethro, - back on top form. Male ✔️ over 40 ✔️ 😳🤣 Being on my bike, feeling free and immersed in nature, I find relaxing, therapeutic and almost healing. As the saying goes - If whatever you do makes you happy - it doesn’t have to make sense to anybody else!
"The wild eyed, leather skinned Frenchman hike-a-biking the Himalayas", absolutely love that comment and the whole video, really. Another "Philosophy of the Saddle" edition and they keep getting better. I've already shared this one several times, its great and so true. You are inspiring in your absolutely, wonderfully not so normal, normal kind of way. When I'm out on the roads I look at my surroundings and my journey just a bit differently and with a big smile on my face, thanks to you.
That's awesome, thank you. It's nice to hear that all this makes sense to you. I generally know what I'm trying to say but am always unsure how much of it I really get across so I breathe easier with each comment like this that I receive.
well this inspired me !!. Im 52 often v tired and injuring easily with a body chalange called EDS . Sometimes i cant walk on flat tar mack into town , but i can always walk barefoot on a soft natural ground ,on up and downy coastal paths with glee and feel no pain . You have really got me thinking "what are my desires ,, what brings me to life ,,and also what are my physical limitations and how can i get the adventure and willdness i crave ,but being kind to my body to . Most importantly of all not give in to a grey feeling life , but weave in some new hues to tapastry . Thanks for doing what you do .
I couldn't agree more. It's about defining the kind of adventure that you want and that works for you. No right or wrong choices, just be out there and doing things. I'm really pleased you liked the video and i hope you manage to find them perfect adventure to satisfy those desires 😀
I'm glad you picked that line. I'll admit that I was pretty pleased with that analogy when it came out. It works very well for how I approach the subject at least.
Thank you Jethro for your inspiring words. You reminded of the important things, and not to overburden myself with unreasonable expectation. Just ride and take it in as you go. Best advice ever. 👌
I am one of those people you inspired to get back on their bike and start touring again. It was the Norway series in particular that did it. For that inspiration I will be forever grateful. Thank you.
I'm very pleased if I played a part in that! I watch that series back myself sometimes to remind me that I need to get back out there. It was a stunning trip and I'm glad you enjoyed watching it.
Wow, a charming inspiring video. I have just returned from a gruelling 4 day ride with a small group of friends in NSW Australia. I think I am going to share this video with them to lift their spirits.
Sounds intense! But you made it back intact! Hope it was worth the hardship, and you can reminisce about the numerous good points that I'm sure it also included ;) Thanks for the share, support and kind comments are always appreciated. Thank you.
Wow, Jethro, I really don’t know what to say. Except that this is arguably the best video you’ve ever done on your channel. Outstanding. Simply outstanding.
Crikey, I wasn't expecting that kind of feedback so thank you, I'm incredibly pleased that you found it so enjoyable. I do enjoy doing these rambling monologues so there may well be more coming soon
Surely you forgot the /s at the end of that? 😉 Honestly though, thank you. I always worry ahead of these monologue type videos. I really enjoy doing them but as I sit there editing I'm asking myself who the hell is going to watch this nonsense. So it is great to get some good feedback so quick of the mark, I really appreciate it.
@@JethroJessop Oh I watch a whole lot of the bike packing TH-camrs ( is that a real word? ) and I really look forward to your videos popping up, you're a real favourite. Listening to your ramblings, I think we're on the same page as far as bikes, the countryside and life in general. Keep it up and keep the rambling going, it's all great stuff.
I can honestly say that you have inspired me greatly, Jethro. And been a positive influence on my life. I am quite a reclusive type of person, I'm really not that good at the outside world to be honest. But I would jump on my bike every now and then and cycle up my local canal and back, then one day I saw your, south wales route 47 video, and the canal path that I often ride was a part of that same route, So I managed to pluck up the courage to leave the canal path and go exploring along more of that route. Since then I have been on many little adventures, gotten lost a few times, once I managed to end up in completely the wrong valley. So basically you have helped me to overcome my fear, of the world a little more, So for that I thank you Jethro.
This is probably one of the best comments I have ever got! That stretch of canal is a great ride and there are so many options round there to extend and adapt the route that you could explore there the rest of your days. I'm so pleased that you are getting out and having those adventures and I hope that now summer is in the air again you're starting to plan a few more. I wish you warms winds and winding trails as often as you want them. Thanks again.
You are a distinctive voice on cycling. The focus is not on the latest gear and the most miles ridden per day. It's on the enjoyment of the route and the contemplation that the journey affords you. I'm not a buddhist, but I think through cycling you have achieved a higher state of consciousness. I'm 61, male, American, regular bike commuter and hope to do a tour someday. I love your positivity. Keep the wonderful videos coming ...
I'm really pleased that you see the videos that way because that is exactly what I want to get across. I like gear as much as the next person but the focus of cycling should definitely be how it makes you feel and the freedom it affords you to explore and see the world from another angle. Keep on riding, keep on exploring and I hope that big tour comes about in your near future. Where you like to ride from/to when you do it?
@@JethroJessop I live in a small city 25 miles north of NYC. Paved trails are nearby but I yearn for dirt trails with mountains and lakes. Probably Montana, Colorado or the Pacific Northwest. I saw a nearly new Surly Ogre on craigslist and became interested in its versatility. I found your channel by searching on the Ogre. I currently ride a Montague Navigator, a full-sized folding touring bike. Due to time and money constraints, my first tour is likely to be the Erie Canal in upstate New York from Albany to Rochester. I plan to bring too much gear. What's your next on your bike-it list?
@@davidsamson6330 I've good things about the Erie Canal and from what I've seen and read it looks like a really nice route. I absolutely agree about yearning for grit and gravel though. I love a nicely surfaced cycle path but there is something special about being out in the forest or the mountains with miles of unpaved adventure ahead of you. And the Ogre is a good bike for that situation, I can testify to that from first hand experience. I don't know what my next trip will be or even when it will happen. I'm worryingly short of holiday days at work already and the year isn't even half done. There will be some over nighters and some weekenders I'm sure and I'd love to get back up to Scotland. In a perfect world I'd go back to Norway and Sweden and explore them more but unless I win the lottery that will have to wait for a while.
Bravo! You are by far the most articulate spokesman for cycling journeys. I would strongly recommend that you publish a book on the topic and would gladly sign on as one of the first subscribers.
You are very kind to say so. I would love to write a book but I honestly don't know how my brand of nonsense would translate to the written word. It is something that rattles around in my head from time to time so who knows though 😉
Thank you. I'm glad you think so as I am honestly never sure in these vids. I always have a point in my mind but during the edit I always wonder if I really got anything useful across so comments like this let me breathe easy... until the next one 😉
Thank you, kind words indeed. If the BBC are watching and want to get in touch then I'm open to discussion 😉 In the meantime though, I'll keep trying to make better videos and talk more waffly nonsense. Hopefully you'll keep enjoying them, keep liking, commenting and sharing them. This all helps boost my rating with the TH-cam algorithm so thanks for the support.
I hope this doesn't disappoint you Jethro . . . but this makes perfect sense . . . thanks man . . . just press on . . . drink good beer . . eat good food . . . find your spaces . . . .
Can't argue with any of that. I'm on a train as I type heading to Surrey for a day ride. Got a pasty in my bag, a pub lunch in my future and the sun is shining already
Nicely done Jethro. I do not follow many channels but picked yours up because I too was building a Surly Ogre (last year). Took some queues from your build and your insight among others. Now, really enjoying my Ogre for touring and enjoying your videos for inspiration to tour more. Keep at it. This one was definitely inspiring.
I am very pleased to be amongst the few channels on your list and I hope I can keep up the quality and maintain my place there 😉 Really glad you are enjoying the ogre as well. It is a great bike!
Very much enjoy your insights JJ. Out on the bike seems to free the mind and allow it to espouse the beauty of life. We are different beasts out on the trails. Many Thx
Definitely agree with that! I'm a different person on long rides and I become more different the longer I'm out and the further i get from home. It's a beautiful thing. And also, quite addictive. Glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching
Your videos and words of wisdom have certainly helped me. The “coloring in..” is a gem. I’m thinking about printing and laminating it and putting on my handlebars for those hikabike sections that I find tough because of my handicap. I did indeed “choose to do this” thanks for sharing
I'm glad you picked out that bit. I usually plan roughly what I'm going to say in these videos but that section was 100% freestyled and I was rather bloody pleased with myself when it came out I have to say 😀 If it helps at all then I am genuinely happy to know that, thank you.
That will be a cracker! Of all the countries I've cycled in Sweden is my favourite I think. If you are following the coast from Gothenburg then I even have a couple of vids from that route. I did Halmstad to Helsingborg a few years back. You will have a great time. I'm envious.
Yep. After years backpacking and biking, I got very ill and spent about 5 years housebound and unwell. Reliving old trips in my mind was one thing that helped me stay sane. Now I'm better, I'm no longer able to walk or cycle, but I have taken up extreme mobility scootering (I dont think there's an official term for it, but that's a candidate). I spent yesterday in the hills, and spotted a drift of wood anenomes in a wood, and my first Swallow of the summer. The sheer intensity of those moments was as inspiring and life-affirming as any of my long distance mountain backpacking trips.
Absolutely! The first rides in spring when all the flowers are coming out between the trees and the sun is shining through the new leaves are really intense. Very hard to describe and very hard to capture on film (at least for me on my phone). This is why we have poetry I guess, to express those moments. Is Extreme Mobility Scootering a big thing? Do you have a crew or do you go solo?
@@JethroJessop The Disabled Ramblers do group scoots but that has never appealed to me. I still go solo and have learnt what is a risk worth taking and what isnt, just like I did on legs.
@@shinywarm6906 Fair play. Set your own goals, set your own limits. It always comes back to that. The key thing is to be out there and doing something. Long may that continue!
Well thank you I appreciate the support and i believe the algorithm appreciates the comment so comment away The numbers are creeping up all the time. This time next year I'll be a millionaire! 😉
That will be amazing! There will definitely be some hard moments there but I think this video holds true, take it at your own pace, don't be afraid to rest when you feel the urge and to push when the hills are too steep. And snack often! Partly because it's a nice excuse to rest the legs but also because I am terrible for waiting till I feel hungry before I eat but I definitely ride better if I just keep browsing on nuts and fruit or whatever. Good luck with the ride. Will you be documenting it anywhere?
And the same to you! I love a good canal ride - I even did a video on that very subject a while back ;) I'm pretty close to the start of the Kennet & Avon which I've ridden a few times and always enjoyed.
I hear you. I often wonder.. “but what if I’m too young and hip to bike pack and/or cycle tour".. but then I realise that such thoughts don’t actually matter ✌🏼😎
You need to fight those thoughts! You can't let your intense coolness and gravitas put you off having an adventure. Just watch me closely, I'll teach you how to be less cool The first step is to get the same haircut that I'm rocking these days...
Hi Jethro, Very nice video. Am eating my oatmeal in the early morning and getting ready for a short ride. I hope to ride the GAP/CO trail (350 mi.) for my first big ride on the east coast of the USA. Thanks for all the inspiration. Keep up the sharing... Peace brother 8)
I stumbled upon your wonderful channel through Mat Ryder giving you a shout out for continuing to ride in the current beastly weather, and I am bingeing my way through them at a rate of knots. Im 51 and have been off of the bike for ten years until this year. but after taking my nieces out for a pootle around the forest of dean I was instantly hooked again. Bought a new (to me) bike, and im riding at every opportunity. I have even bought lights to go night riding with the deer and boar in the forest. Im loving it, and I'm loving that after years of smoking and drinking, eating all the wrong foods, and sitting on my arse, im feeling the befits.But this video, you words are the most inspiring thing I have seen so far. Im looking at starting my own adventures next year. Im looking at tents, and bags and all the rest of the stuff I will need, but there is that nagging doubt there. Will I like it? In my heart I know I will, but if I don't, well, as you say eloquently put it, I will have colored in a little piece of life (albeit possibly the darkest black!). Keep doing what you are doing Jethro. You really are an inspiration. In fact im going off to the black mountains right now in the rain to ride a trail across a ridge into the teeth of a gale, and I will ponder on what color I will use and not be too sad if I go outside of the lines.
I'm really pleased you are enjoying the channel and that you are finding your love for biking again. You are in a great part of the world for bikepacking, so many great rides to be had in those parts! I feel a bit guilty now you have mentioned continuing to ride in all weathers because this weekend I'm actually on a credit card tour of the Cantii Way and staying in pubs every night. So maybe I'm not as hardcore as I come across on screen 😉 I hope the channel continues to entertain and that the rides continue to get longer and more exciting. Thanks for watching 🙂
@@bnfan1189 that is the true reason. I of course wanted to heroically sleep under the stars and laugh the frost from my beard as I dove fearlessly into the icy waves each morning. But Alan wasn't up for that so nice warm hotel rooms it is 😉
I loved my adventure on the King Alfreds Way last year, I will finish it at some point in the future but I found my limit at the time so did get on the train and went home. I did not fail. PS female and 50+
Exactly, you ride your own ride, enjoy it all, and come home loaded up with memories. No point pushing it and knocking the fun out. I had another dig into my stats after I filmed this and the age range is actually a little younger than I'd thought but it is still really male biased. I assume that's because more blokes are into cycling rather than that women don't like my amazing videos 😉
Great video! The Mac N Cheese, "cheese soup", did you give it an extra 10 minutes over the directions? If these brands are available in England try, Good To-Go foods, Mary Jane's Farm, Backpackers Pantry, and Mountain House. I agree with you when it comes to age, and musing on route difficulty. The only thing I humbly offer is choose your route wisely, with respect and humility. After I retired, a friend and I crossed the U.S. on road touring bikes, I was 65, he was 73. That was my third time crossing via roads, so naturally at the tender age of 68, I felt that I was ready for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). I planned on a slow easy pace, with zero days (rest days) every week. After four weeks of bashing around between 5,000 and 10,000 feet off road, I just stopped one morning. When it comes to bike touring, I have never liked the word "conquer". I feel the mountains, deserts, cities, each place allows you to pass through to wherever it is you're going. Respect that gift. Enjoy the route when you can, grit your teeth when you must, and stop when your body reminds you of humility. Lastly, there is a lot of negative "news" about bad people, that is BS, I've found people are usually nice and helpful everywhere. Happy trails!
Absolutely. One of the things I love about traveling by bike is that you really feel like you are moving through the world rather than skipping across the surface. There is no conquering. The last thing I would want to do to a landscape is conquer it, I'd rather... I dunno, absorb it? Taste it? And yes, picking your route is part of this whole idea. Don't be fooled into thinking it isn't Bikepacking because you don't have to do a dangerous river crossing. Pick your route, choose your pace, stop when you want and colour in your life as best you can. And thanks for the food tips, I don't recognise those brands but I'll have a look around for them.
Hi. Probably I am not your average viewer. 1st I am female (okay I am over 50). 2nd I don't do cycle touring because it's a challenge, or hard. I do it because riding a bicycle and camping is (to me) the easiest and most relaxed way to travel ...
The absolute best reason to do it. I can totally relate to that. No other form of transport is as simple and efficient as a bicycle. It gives you so much freedom and a perfect vantage point to really see the place you are passing through. I hope this coming summer see you out on some fine bike camping adventures :)
I watched Simon bloke in the woods videos about his Sussex coast tour. Great video but I just couldn't relate to him. He was so together and nothing went wrong, he never expressed a doubt or negative thought. I prefer your rambling muddled more human approach because it makes me feel more comfortable with my own failings. Keep being normal!
Haha thanks, I think 😉 I agree though and this is exactly what I was thinking when I waffled this load of waffle. People take these things so seriously but at the end of the day, this is my hobby, my passion. It isn't a race, I'm not a pro and I just want to enjoy the fleeting time I get to be alive in this amazing place. Most of us are in that same boat so why pretend otherwise? I just potter along and learn from my mistakes and if those mistakes get caught on camera then you get to learn from them too 😉
Is it a kind of dream… There’s an old guy in town, must be in his 80’s , who still rides his spotless Sturmey Archer 3 speed around town at a leisurely pace and I think that’s the key to this bike touring lark. Don’t make it a race, not even with yourself. Get a bike with a sub 20” gear, load it up and potter away. It’s all about the journey, not the destination.
Damn right. I can only hope that I'll be that 80 year old guy still pottering around on his bike someday. Though I fully expect that by then I'll have uploaded my mind into some kind of immortal, synthetic, super body and be cycling through space on a laser bike 😉
So well said! I’m not your usual viewer - I’m a female of mature years. I’ve been pottering about on bikes since I got my first trike at the age of about two and I hope to continue pottering about on bikes until I fall off it for the last time. 25 or so miles per day is plenty for me as I stop for everything 😁
Your comment and user name both suggest you get the philosophy of this channel 100% 😉 It's all about getting out there and enjoying it, whether "it" is for a few hours or a few months. I hope that you and I both can continue to enjoy it for many a year to come. Thanks for the comment and happy riding to you 😁
I make my own meals as slop in a bag is something i grew tired of from ration packs many years back. I'm just looking for things to watch in the background whilst doing bike maintenance - I have a weekend trip in mind, not far, a few mile with a few big hills - big for me - then a camp under tarp and try out some new gear and if it all goes tits up I'm only a few miles from home. I'm planning something more with a train journey no less. Actually a trip down the New Forest might be an idea some day; I lived there for a while working in some snazzy hotels.
Nice, what new gear have you got? New Forest is definitely worth a visit for a day or two. I enjoyed my rides there very much and will hopefully be back at some point. If you need background filler then please go bonkers on some of my playlists :) There's enough on this channel to fill a few hours I reckon and the views are always welcome. I get you about the slop in a bag as well. It seems to do the job but I'm keen to get into some proper camp cooking and maybe dehydrating stuff as well. I've got my eye on a new firebox if it ever comes back in stock so we shall see
I was worried as there seemed to be a little too much negativity at the start but the mood picked up, by end was positively on a high. When I am in the saddle, providing the weather isn't inclement, there is very often no other place I would rather be. Jethro, he's the Messiah! Give us a sign to follow ............... Some nice looking trails you are riding in this video. Makes all the difference not riding on or adjacent to traffic choking roads.
My videos are a veritable roller coaster of emotion 😉 I will generally end on a high though, I'm not in the doomsaying game. Those trails were great. It's not an area i know well so it was a pleasant surprise and I'll definitely be back out that way for more rides. It means a 20 minute train ride to start but that fine, I enjoy a train journey.
Thank you. Not sure how high that bar is to beat but I'm glad you rated this one. I'm gonna try and get a good few other vids done over the coming weeks so I'll try my best to better this one too very soon
Such a great video. Recently discovered you (and yup.. male and over 45) and I'm in the process of planning to do the whole of the North Downs Way in the South of England, so I'm watching a lot of bike packing videos to get some tips and general advice. Whilst some of the other channels I follow definitely align with your examples of truly epic distances and lengths of time for a single trip, it's actually a refreshing change to see someone who's documenting their time and experience on slightly more .. down to earth adventures. I love the general message that you're putting across which seems to boil down to, "the only thing stopping you doing something like this is you yourself" and it's the realisation of that that has really got me into long(er) distance off road cycling in the first place. Bikepacking is the next logical step to that!
You got it spot on. There is no wrong way to do it and the only way you'll ever zone in on your own personal "right way" to get out and do it and learn. I did an overnighter last night and went without dinner because I tried (and failed) to do something new with camp cooking. Always learning 😉 Really pleased you are enjoying the channel and I hope your trip planning goes well. I don't know the North Downs Way or that part of the world well so i can't offer specifics but I'm always happy to offer opinions or answer questions if I can.
@@JethroJessop Thanks for the response, Jethro. It's another curious aspect about bike packing content creators; you're all very keen to engage with your followers, which is awesome! The North Downs Way is about 150 miles. Starts in Guilford and ends in Dover. There's a pre planned route on Komoot that spans over three days, which includes a couple of camp sites so some of that planning is done already. And to be honest this is partly why I've chosen it as a first. That and I already ride the local bits of it for my daily rides. The only bit that really needs "work" (if you can call it that) is being able to do 3 consecutive days of 50 odd miles of riding. I worked out a route that encompassed a large local section that was 50 miles in total, just to see how I got on - probably 60% road, 40% off road. My goal was completion, rather than speed. Took lots of water, what ended up being nowhere near enough food (biggest take away of the whole experiment) and it really set the bar on my (lack of) fitness in terms of what I'll be needing to do to make this doable. That said, I've also seen a number of bike packers who've said that the first coupe of days are the worst, and your body just settles in to doing hours of consecutive days of riding - which actually blows my mind. Surely there must be some sort of bar you have to get to before that's a reality? I know that in your video where you decided you were going to ride to that Scottish distillery, you said that you'd never done multi day rides before, and cracked on anyway! While of course that makes a great story, I'm not sure how realistic that approach would be for me? Having said that, as you mentioned, there's no rule to say I have to finish it on the first go. Could always jump on a train and come home early if it really gets too much! Again, this is a relatively local ride, so I'm probably no more than a few hours on a train from home. It's interesting isn't it that this kind of reflection with a particular mindset always ends up at the same place: "no reason to not do it and no time like the present"!
@@SteelR4t I'm always keen to engage. I love multiday cycling, I think it can teach you a lot and I'm always pleased when people show an interest, especially people who are coming to it fresh. If I can provide a little inspiration/encouragement then I'm pleased. I did have a look at the route map for the NDW. It looks good but not one I've heard a lot about. You should post some pics, maybe do a little trip report on Reddit after you complete. There is definitely a break-in period when you set off on a trip. I find it's about 3 or 4 days in when I really start to feel like I'm in the groove. Which is a bummer because that's most of the trip a lot of the time. I don't do big days usually. I do tend towards the leisurely approach and would consider 50 miles, fully loaded to be above average. I tend to add about 50% to what a route recommends just because I like knowing I have time for unexpected stops and lazy days 😉 I really think as long as you are relatively fit and used to riding with bags then you can just set off. As long as you ride within your limits and remember that it's not a race and your there to enjoy it. Best of luck, keep me posted!
@@JethroJessop Thanks man, that's good advice. I'm not that used to riding with bags at the moment, but I'm doing a lot of "test" rides, mainly to make sure that everything is mounted on securely, getting a feel for the extra weight on the forks / bars that sort of thing. I suppose the only issue with doing shorter days means more of them, meaning potentially having to carry more stuff (food, primarily - which is something else I'm experimenting with; home made trail mix bars and bean burritos!)? I would definitely say that a 30 - 35 mile ride is the sort of "business-as-usual" distance for me, but of course I have to factor in the extra weight for a multi day. I'm not much of a redditor, but I've dabbled with YT in the past, so I'll certainly be documenting the trip on here!
@@SteelR4t a large proportion of the weight i carry is always food and cooking stuff. I quite like the freedom of knowing i have enough supplies to get me through a few days with no shops but it is pretty rare to find a route in the UK that doesn't have a resupply point every other day at least so as long as have them in mind you can keep things light-ish. It's very much a personal choice though. Some folk like to go fast and minimal, others trundle along slow and comfy. As long as do the majority of it with a smile on your face then it was a success
thanks Jethro great great words of wisdom I like watching your videos .you were right male 45+ I really enjoy going for a bike ride to me it's all about the journey 😁 iam doing first bike packing trip at the end of the month two nights I feel like a kid again yippee thanks again keep doing them videos 🏴
Fantastic, where will your first trip be taking you? I hope the weather comes through for you and you have an amazing time. Keep this video in mind, set a sensible pace and don't forget to look around and enjoy it. Thanks for watching
Thank you so much for a very good video. And very good angled view of age. Needed this today. Not because I'm that old. I just needed it. Thank you so much for what you do Jethro 👍🥰 Much love from Sweden 🙏❤
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it. I think the general idea holds for everyone. Whatever you are thinking about doing, just have a go and see what happens. You don't have to do it fast, you don't even have to do it well. You just have to do it and enjoy the doing. Thanks for watching, what part of Sweden are you in? I love Sweden!
@@JethroJessop Agree with you completely. I live in the middle of the country approximately. Is from a small town called Sala. Is known for its silver mine. Not so far up to where you bought the Mora knives 👍😊
@@leffee5381 ah you've been watching the old videos I see 😉 That was an amazing ride. I've ridden in Sweden a few times and I always enjoy it so much. I really hope that one day I can do the full length of from top to bottom. One day...
@@JethroJessop That sounds like a great idea Jethro. NIce that you like this country. All countries have their beauty. My plan is to cycle to the top of Sweden this summer, to Treriksröset. Lets see how far I get 😊
@@leffee5381 I agree. I'd happily tour top to bottom of pretty much anywhere given the chance but I do have a soft spot for Sweden - deep forests, lakes, gravel roads and wild camping. Have a great trip, I hope you make it to the top. Will you be documenting it anywhere? If so I'll follow along and be envious 😉
Another good one enjoy that. You got my age range correct. I enjoy cycling to campsite utilising train coach ferry and having a cycle around to see what’s there. The old saying comes to mind when you think should I do it. Everything’s impossible until I make it possible. Cheers mate.
Sounds good. I only have a handful of centuries under my belt and only if we go metric 😉 Glad i could help with the inspiration and I hope you have some more trips planned for the future!
@@JethroJessop I think I'm putting it on my Christmas list. They also do visor ski helmets. Some of them are ideal for winter cycling and have good puncture resistance, which lacks in a lot of bicycle helmets. But yes, your helmet looks awesome and it is my want - you are defo an influencer.
Just found your channel while looking at the Badger Divide. Absolutely excellent. You're spot on btw. 48 yo & buying up kit to try a spot of bike packing. Covid, kids & epilepsy aside I'll get there eventually. I'm too old for chucking myself down hills now. Prefer my fatbike/29+ to my full sus nowadays.
Do it, you won't regret it. These days I only see the world from the angle of how nice it would be to potter my way through it on a bike ;) Glad you are liking the videos and I hope the gear shopping is going well.
@@JethroJessop I've got no real excuse given I'm on the Moray coast with the Cairngorms on my doorstep. Need a tent & a bag then I'm sorted. Ohh & for covid to 🤬 off.
@@JethroJessop I'm in Forres, so right at the start/end of the Dava Way. Roseisle forest just along the coast is a good camping spot. But I've got a garden you can pitch in & I'll buy you a pint worst case scenario 😉
@@gregs7562 Very kind of you, thank you! I cycled right through Forres on my first ever bike trip. Inverness to Aberdeen was the last leg before I got the train home. I'd love to revisit the are so you never know, I come knocking one day :)
Interesting you mention model railways. Rod Stewart and Peter Waterman both have huge model sets that they have spent years/decades constructing. What ever rocks your boat.
Sound reasoning, I agree whole heartedly. Your Scandinavian touring videos were a treat and I can recommend cycling Denmark and Sweden (Kattegat Leiden) to any modest cyclists.
As ever, you’ve made me realise something that I already (subconsciously) knew but didn’t know it ! Another great thought provoking video from the thinking mans cyclist! 🙂 Cheers Jethro 👍
This is the thing. I think we all know this but it's easy to be convinced that going for a run is the same as doing a marathon, that all Bikepacking involves mountains, that writing poetry is pointless if you don't get published. If you have a passion, do it because you love it, take it as far as you can before it becomes a chore and if anyone else gives a s##t then that is a nice bonus 😉
Yes, that's also my take on it, every outdoors hobby I partake in is done through my passion for it. On top of a mountain looking down, or looking up from the bottom and being content with a low level valley ride, it's all good.
Another thought provoking video and you're right about the age ;) I do plenty of day rides and have done multi-day rides but my stumbling block is wild camping and I'm realising that block is purely psychological. I'd much rather camp in a campsite but when the route I'm looking at is traversing the Ridgeway and the only realistic means to achieving it is to camp on the Ridgeway. I just need to get on and do it....
Wild camping is quite nerve wracking when you aren't used to it but as is often the case, after a few times you find your groove and learn to love it. Pick your spots carefully the first few times, find places where you can be confident you won't be spotted so you can relax more. Read up on the basics of what to avoid - low, wet places, dangerous trees etc and also the Leave No Trace principles. It's worth it because it really does open up lots of possibilities for trips
Another option if the execution of the planned trip proves too hard/not rewarding/not feasible, Instead of quitting the trip and going home is to revamp the trip so that it becomes achievable and rewarding. I've done this more than once on long tours. A California tour that I started in early December in Fresno was initially routed through Yosemite and northward via the Highway 49 route through the historic gold rush areas, then over to the coast and south through San Francisco to Los Angeles. While in Sacramento visiting relatives, it started to rain and was forecast to rain for the next week. Cool temps and rain are no fun to camp or ride in, so I took the train south to San Diego where it was warm and wasn't raining and road north along the coast instead. When battling headwinds well north of LA was not fun, I hopped the train again to SF so I could spend a couple days there before I was out of time and had to head home. A more recent tour in Taiwan in the fall was tentatively routed through the foothills and with one or two crossings of the central mountainous ridge with high points of 2000m-2500m. My first day riding south out of the capital of Taipei, my legs (and lungs) informed me that I had not trained enough to do lots of climbing and a new plan was needed. I rerouted to stay mostly in the coastal plains and went through more towns and cities and went to many more museums and big temples than originally envisioned. I also took the train a couple times to get to areas I wanted to ride through (or at least into - Taroko Gorge is a must!) given the time I had available. In each case, struggling onward with the original plan would have been a suffer-fest up to the time that I just quit. Instead, I restated my assumptions (any fans of Aronofsky's movie 'Pi' out there?) and came up with a new plan that was achievable and still rewarding.
I absolutely agree. I have also rerouted mid ride and enjoyed the ease of doing so as a solo rider. Not having to have lengthy discussions with a group makes route adjustments like that feel like just another dork in the road instead of a massive political debate. To your other point, I watched Pi many years ago and remember little about it except coming out fairly baffled. I should probably revisit it as an older and wiser viewer.
Thought I had seen most of vlog’s “On the Saddle philosophy”, this must have slipped through, alas it’s very appropriate at this time. Your analysis is correct… I too fall into the silent many that aren’t in the top percentage of high achievers. Probably best described as a Wayfarer.. Thanks agn..
You, me and many others. Keep on keeping on at whatever pace works. It's all good 😃 This is an old one! Nice to see it get a comment as it's been pretty quiet for a long time now. I need to do some more rambling philosophical videos, it's been a while.
We completed our first big ride from Ravenglass to Blyth in Northumberland last year at the age of 60, we were knackered by the journeys end, no sooner had we landed the next journey was already being talked about. This year our original plan was to get the train to Carlisle and do the lochs and glens south then we thought that Edinburgh was only a small ride why not continue it’s less hassle than getting the train. Then the comment. “Berwick is not so far” was floated. This has now morphed into a circular route starting from Northumberland to Carlisle,from Carlisle heading east to Glasgow, Edinburgh and the following the Tweed valley to Seahouses and Then homeward bound. All because we find that getting a bike on a train is more stressful that touring on a bike for several extra days. Next up we are playing with the idea of the Sandstone way which brings its own complications, our road touring bike are just not up to the task. So the first world problems are now questions like, should I build a bike or purchase, gravel or MTB or should i go 29” or 27.5”. Roll on retirement it’s still seams to far away 😀
Ah yes, the slippery slope 😀 That trip sounds amazing. I rode a little in the tweed valley and that area on my first ever tour back in 2010 and i remember it being stunning. And i absolutely sympathise with constantly adding another day to the end of a trip. Just one more, it doesn't make a difference. Best of luck with planning the next one, I hope you land on the perfect bike and that every mile is an adventure
@@JethroJessop Thanks Jethro, one day we may pass somewhere along the way, you never know. There is a grater possibility of that than finding a dealer that actually has a frame that I want in stock.
Mate superb… I’m doing (or having a stab) at the second city divide in August… my first “big” ride. The plan is not to race around as I’d probably crash out (literally) at the first hurdle but it’s to take my time and enjoy the experience, solitude and break from work!!
Sounds great. Let me know how it goes as that is one I might try and do in the future. My bet is that it will be amazing 😉 Take it slow, or fast, and enjoy it
Loving your posts, after recently discovering this channel! Have you done a post about your panniers, because I cant seem to find one? I'm really interested in your thoughts and views on the whole subject of panniers!? I've recently decided to have a go at bikepacking; which is what brought me to your channel. Watching your posts on the Badgers Divide trail has really inspired me! And after a couple of short weekend trips to test my gear, my old bike and more importantly..me; then I think that I will be heading north of the border to have a crack at the B.D. Thankyou so much for posting your videos. I love your laid back, philosophical attitude to cycling. I've watched so many posts of folk who zoom down these trails at break neck speeds; covering 50, 60, 70, sometimes 80 miles in a single day. If they get enjoyment doing that, well good for them; but that's not for me. I much prefer your approach! And I think that is one of the most inspirational things about your posts; it's kind of..Do it! Go at your own pace and dont be rushed..but do it! Coz in years to come, you'll kick yourself if you dont! Thanks Jethro..take care buddy!
I once did 90 miles in a day and it honestly nearly killed me! I think my average over a multi day ride tends towards about 35 which is much more enjoyable in my book 😉 I've not done anything specifically about my panniers because they are really nothing special. They are Altura i think, about 12 or 15 liters, and they hang on a pretty cheap Topeak rack. They used to be my front panniers before I switched to soft bags. They are pretty battered but still do the job and I like riding with panniers despite what the bikepacking purists might say. They are way more practical and usable than a saddle pack. I do intend to do a video on my bags but I just never got round to it. Always happy to answer questions in the comments if you have them though. Thanks for watching and as for the BD, do it! It is a stunning route and you will not regret it. It's hard but totally achievable and every mile is beautiful!
@@JethroJessop I dont get all that crap the purists come out with also. Your bikepacking, if you "pack" your "bike" for camping purposes..surely!? I like the idea of panniers and that's the route I'm choosing. I have a cheap set that you throw over the rack; though I've no idea how I ended up with them, as I never purchased them..someone must have given me them. Anyway, I really want some waterproof bags, like Ortlieb (not sure if I've spelt that correctly). You seem a sensible guy and as I've mentioned previously, I like and agree with many of your ideas and philosophies; so was/am interested in your thoughts/opinions on the whole subject of panniers and carrying kit. I'm in the process of putting together some kit for bikepacking. I've always been a keen walker and loved camping; so I already have some equipment that will do fine for bike packing. But I feel that for a multi day trip, like the Badgers Divide; or anywhere in Scotland, that waterproof panniers, would probably be a good idea. Hope it doesn't sound creepy or anything buddy, but I'm loving your posts and really enjoying watching them. I'm keen on bikepacking equipment reviews, but not to the point where it becomes "gear porn" and its all about the latest kit and they have a different tent every trip. Some of these channels seem to get stuff given as "perks" which is fine; I'd accept free stuff too. But it's so much nicer to have folk tell you why they used their hard earned cash to buy such and such an item. If they've invested in a piece of kit; we as viewers like to hear the hows and whys behind those purchases. It's nice to have gear reviews mixed in with other things. Routes, ride alongs and just stories and opinions. I do think your channel is a really good mix of all of that, and I hope you carry on making videos! Again, sorry if that sounds creepy..but just saying what I think! Take care Jethro!
I promise you, as soon as big brands start offering me free gear I will sell my soul like every other influencer 😉 On the pannier front, you don't have to spend a fortune to be waterproof. My little Altura ones have only failed on that front after many years of abuse has left them with some sizable holes torn in them. My fix was to buy a lightweight drybag of a similar volume to use as a liner. SeaToSummit do a good variety of really light drybags in all sizes. I'll keep on patching the holes until I have a complete failure then I'll look around for something that uses straps to attach rather than hooks as it is claimed that these rattle less (the only downside to panniers). Check out the mini panniers article on bikepacking.com for some good reviews and inspiration bikepacking.com/index/panniers-for-bikepacking/
@@JethroJessop I've just checked out the link that you sent me. Thank you for that, by the way! Strangely, you're the first person to mention the subject of rattling panniers. That is something that I hadn't considered. My thoughts where, to have something that I could unclip quickly; in case of a down poor, and get them into my tent; and be able to unpack whatever I need out, in shelter. Then, in reverse, pack my kit inside the tent; prior to setting off; and therefore keep everything dry. But your excellent idea with the dry bags would easily suit my purpose! Riding with a rattle, would get old, really quickly. You've given me food for thought there; and I'm now having a rethink, and checking out velcro fastenings. What are your thoughts on this? Sorry to be a nuisance, but may I also ask what size your panniers are/what size would you recommend; for multi day rides? Thanks Jethro, you take care!
@@timporter8886 The rattle is a reality if you ride off road but t isn't a constant and I don't really find it that much of an issue. It can also addressed by setting you panniers up well and adding padding to problem areas with gaffer tape. For me an occasional rattle is more than made up for by the ease of use and practicality and all the points that you yourself have realised already about unclipping and storing in the tent. I haven't tried any other fittings, I know there are all kinds of straps and buckles out there but I've just never got round to upgrading - again, the odd rattle really isn't a big deal. I can't exactly remember what size my panniers are but I'd say around the 12-15 litre mark and they are plenty. But as to what I'd recommend... It's impossible to say as it depends so much on your preferences, the route, the time of year etc At my most loaded I have the two panniers on the back, a full frame bag, two Restrap fork bags, a Revelate Designs Sweetroll (large) and the Egress Pocket. I am at the heavier end of the spectrum but I've met people who rode with more and then you'll see people riding with so little that it seems impossible. It all comes down to the kind of ride you want to have. For me, I want to have supplies for several days so I don't have to have such a rigid schedule for resupplying, I want to have hot food and coffee, I want to carry my spoon whittling gear etc etc. The first rides are always heavy and then you zone in on what kind of rig works for you. Don't spend a fortune on gear if you have stuff that you can make do with because until you do a few trips you probably won't know what aspects of new gear you really value.
Great video! When are you off up to Scotland and what is your planned route? We are heading up to do a bit of cycling around the Cairngorms for a bit in June and very much looking forward to it.
I'm going up on the 5th May and will be riding the Badger Divide from Inverness to Glasgow. I can't bloody wait! I've done a little bit of riding in the cairngorms and its amazing round there. I hope you have a great trip!
Great video Jethro. You do inspire me and get me through my doubts (yes, age-related physical niggles). You really have the right mindful approach. Tour of the Peaks coming up then BD/SCD for me and I don’t think I’d have approached these without your philosophical encouragement. Thank you, you’re such a positive person.
Thank you. I shall be reporting in from my own crack at the BD in a few weeks. Hopefully that will be encouraging, I'll try not to complain too much about the rain, the climbs, the midges... I jest of course. It's going to be mild, sunny and amazing for every mile!
38 day's and a wake up till my IOM tour. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. While I'm no Jethro and have none of these intelligent insights, I can say that there is only one way to find out if it's too hard for you. Give it the old college try and see what happens. Keep on keeping on Jethro.
I'm betting it's going to be an amazing trip. As you say, you gotta give it a go either way and whatever happens it will be an adventure that you'll remember for years to come.
Another enjoyable, thoughtful, and always-inspiring video, Jethro - thank you. While viewing your video, I began thinking about how you've mused about a life without the druggery of having to report somewhere for work on a regular basis, and I can appreciate that. As I watch the many beautiful vistas in your videos, I fantasize about that same thing. However, is too much of a good thing not a good thing? In retirement, do unlimited opportunities for escapism from something that no longer exists (work) become routine and no longer special?
Maybe I suppose but I have so many things I'd like to spend my time doing I can't imagine it ever getting old. Work and the 9 to 5 routine is a barrier not just to bike trips but to spoon whittling, building a pole lathe, numerous code projects, learning to sketch, visiting my friends in other countries. The list goes on. My free time isn't an escape from work as much as work is an annoying obstacle to my passions 😉 You may be right I suppose but I'd take that gamble I think!
They are Surly Moloko. I really like them. I got them for the variable hand positions but the sweep is spot on and they are so comfy that I only ever really go up to the horns when I'm riding into a headwind or just tired at the end of a day.
You don't need help, you are perfectly sane. Everything you need can be found in my videos. Keep watching the videosssssss.... If you don't read this in dramatic, stage hypnotist style voice then I realise it sounds like a very creepy message 😉 I'm glad you are liking this one though
I second that. Just take it at whatever pace is comfortable, rest when you are tired and keep reminding yourself they the actual cycling isn't the journey. You gain nothing by just covering the miles if you don't also take them in and enjoy them
@@JethroJessop Absolutely. I'm very much looking forward to enjoying the trip. I'm gonna soak up the sights & sounds along the way in a chilled, leisurely manner
Also a good reason to go bike packing or cycle touring is to try out all that nice kit you have spent such a long time searching for and spent so much cash buying .........
another jethrosophical wander though your mind , but i agree enjoying the journey problems and all is what its about , male nearly 70, mtb rides not to many now but more hiking ,just got to keep moving.
@@michaelmather7352 All the time! In the UK I'd like to do the Great North Trail, across the water I'd love to get to the top of Scandinavia and the bottom of Portugal. Also to go east and follow the Danube to Budapest. I like to try and fly as little as I can so the US is not really on my radar but europe has more than enough to keep me adventuring. The sad truth is that these days I have only 25 days holiday a year and am limited to 90 days in the EU out of every 180. These facts don't rule anything out completely but they do make those kind of plans more difficult. In my daydreams I make a living from the channel, register myself in Sweden as a travel journalist and spend all my time cycling 😉 So keep liking, commenting and sharing the videos. It helps my rating with TH-cam algorithm and gets me always slowly closer to that dream video which starts with me saying "yesterday I quit my job..." 😀
I am male and 60+ with a 45+ physical capability and 65+ memory who is still preparing, sort of, for my first bikepacking trip. I've done my share of backpacking, moto-camping, long distance riding and mountain biking. My challenge is that I live in the desert where there is no shade and no water with a daily limit of around 30 miles. The geography and terrain is intimidating and I would like someone to join me that knows the area and terrain. Plus, I'm preparing for a 1-bike solution and am shopping around for that before getting all kitted out. Yep, all excuses. And you know what they say about excuses... they're like assholes... everybody has one and they all stink! 🤣
I have to say that short water is the one thing that would really scare me off a trip. The places that I ride I am never far from either a tap or wild water so I've just never had to worry about it. I'm also not keen on direct, blazing sun so I'm probably not cut out for desert riding. Though it always looks amazing when I read articles about other people's trips. I guess you just have to do your research ahead of time and be prepared for the unexpected.
Holy good to hear, the more the merrier! Bikepacking, cycling and adventuring in the outdoors should span all demographics. Let's get everyone onboard until age and gender and race become irrelevant and we can all just be folk on bikes 😉
she is quite comfy in the basket and is doing quite well off leash running right along side me on local single track that takes us around the perimeter of the old navy airport, we are still working on our leash skills while riding. shes got quite a high prey drive. its a blast in any case.
@@JethroJessop hey there. Long term plan is to research and bike the trails in this country (whilst still working) then look to Europe (perhaps do france/Spain) and got friends in Portugal... And I saw a girl on youtube called "giant cheerio" do teneriffe.... So that wld be fun....if she can do it then.... !!!!!! I do lots of hiking in the lakes and Wales, but on a bike its easier to cross countries. Ultimately would like to do The Great Divide in Canada /USA and then God knows from there..... Asia, Australia, NZ... We'll see. Just keeping fit in the mean time..... Still feel like I'm 25 in my head...... I definitely don't want to just stop work and veggitate....so much to see in the world... Just wanna get out there, open up my heart and see what comes flooding in...
@@JethroJessop just ordered an Alpkit Sonder Ti Camino on the bike to work scheme. There's a backlog till dec/Jan, but it's such good value getting it on the scheme. I'll kit that out and see how that's works for me. I'd love a Rolhoff Thorn Nomad mk3... But that might not be needed if the sonder works.
@@grahamambridge2856 sounds like an amazing plan to me, good luck with it. Portugal is on my list as well, ideally top to bottom and to cycle there from home but when I'll get the time for that I really don't know. I've seen a few Giant Cheerio videos, she's good and seems to get to some really amazing places - has a good Instagram account too.
@@grahamambridge2856 Ride To Work is great. That was what got me my first bike as an adult and eventually lead me to bikepacking. This channel probably wouldn't exist without RTW and my life would possibly be very very different!
Bike Touring/BikePakcing ='s DETOXIFICATION from all the imbalanced Psychologies of City Dwellers of the Inner Fold. My Retreat and connection to discuss more thoroughly with God on what has and is happening among humanity.
@@JethroJessop My mother did that too; Talk to herself. (I see it as releasing garbage thoughts out of the brain to clear or unwind it). I do it as in form of mentoring; explaining about something that would lead another to have more conveninece or ease in daily living hoping that someone will CATCH my outspoken thoughts :) When adults get older it is importan to apply more self care for preventive measures. Happy bikepacking :)
@@StarEssences there is a lot to be learned from talking with yourself. Especially if you are able to really question your own opinions and beliefs and confirm that they still hold good. Cycling is the perfect time for such dialogues 🙂
@@StarEssences there is a lot to be learned from talking with yourself. Especially if you are able to really question your own opinions and beliefs and confirm that they still hold good. Cycling is the perfect time for such dialogues 🙂
@@JethroJessop I agree especially being away from congested civilization. A person can recollect their thoughts from being among and about the hustle and bustle of inner city living.
Hang on, Jethro. 'Don't know what you're talking about'? If that were so, I for one would have rejected your channel and gone elsewhere. You may not be God's gift to bikepacking etc and all things associated but you do actually talk sense. Hence I and others stay with you. Not hanging on every Gospel word but taking you very seriously and sifting your insights. Sorry but age DOES come into it - as you will discover in time. "thinking about retirement" - I've been retired twice - once @ 65 and then @ 72 (the last five years voluntary work) I agree with you that the numeric count of years should not determine one's vision. However, to be real, it IS a deciding factor as to pace and potential endurance. That is a fact that ought not to be denied for fear of persuading the elderly to 'push their luck'. I'm one of them!! Bikepacking and Cycle Touring are NOT inherently hard UNLESS the routes chosen present unrealistic challenges. The self-styled superheroes DO intimidate. Challenges are relative - as you say. Age after 65 becomes an increasing challenge that ought not to be disregarded lightly. You've got such a good philosophy. Don't forget Robin Cook who died on a basic hill-climb. YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR LIMITS!! IT'S ALL OUT THERE. - YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU ARE READY FOR IT. Best wishes - Paul .
I do agree about age but only in terms of the physical side effects and not the number on paper. There are plenty of folk in the 60s and 70s who are fair better equipped to tackle a bike trip than some in the 20s and 30s. You are never too old but you might be too unfit or too fragile and those things might be linked to your age. The important point is that is no cutoff, it's personal. You construct your own adventures to fit your own abilities. I've heard so many stories of riders being patronised and frowned upon for reasons of gender and age and it makes me sad. Know your limits? Yes absolutely essential. Let others set your limits? Nah, forget that ;)
buy this man a coffee.... it's cheaper than going to a typical story line movie, but is Jethro is much more enjoyable and insightful.
Most kind of you to say, thank you :)
I'm building up to my big full length, hollywood style video.
Just waiting for Spielberg to return my email...
Nailed it again… CTC Cycling UK need to scout you as an ambassador for cycling and it’s beneficial life enhancing properties- chapeau!
I'm more than happy to ambassadate (that is a word!) for anyone who pushes cycling. I wish it was bigger and better supported and that more people from all walks of life would discover it.
Hopefully I do my bit in pushing this particular message.
I keep hoping someone will pay me to do this full time but as I have oft lamented, there is not much call for wandering cycle poets these days ;)
“Colouring in a portion of your life”- absolutely love it, what a beautiful piece of prose. Another great, thoughtful and inspiring video, thanks for sharing.
I'll be honest I was REALLY pleased with that line too!
Doubly so because, while I do kind of plan these monologues, that bit just came out as you see it in this video.
So I'm pleased someone else picked up on that because it was possibly my finest moment to date on this channel 😀
Thank you Jethro. Totally thought provokingly inspirational. 55☑️ Female❎..who after leaving poor very old Ridgeback for nearly a year, gathering dust, found an old map of Sustrans R81 Lon las Cymru, pumped up my tyres, packed tent, sleeping bag, kitchen sink and head off one day at a time to see how far I could get. If I can do it (overweight and not very fit) anyone can. Like a 'fat bottomed girl, just get on yet bike and ride!'🏴
Amazing!
That is a route that is very much on my list of one's to do.
I imagine there are some long old climbs and fantastic views? Weather that can turn on sixpence?
I hope it is just the first of many more adventures and I'm pleased you enjoyed the video.
Thank you
@@JethroJessop it was very much a hiker bike for me but so enjoyable.. mostly. I was so lucky with 11 dry days in September last year ( most people I've seen doing it bosh it in 3 days!..I did cycle back down the coast though!)
@@gromlynne3550 Wow, 11 dry days in Wales is good going indeed!
And a much better pace for a route like that in my opinion. Doing it in 3 just means you miss most of it. I'd much rather take it slow.
One day I'll get round to this one and I'll see if I can beat you and do it in 12 ;)
@@JethroJessop 🤣🐑🌅🏴
Just really enjoyed your video, very genuine and realistic about cycling. I’ve been a keen cyclist for ever, now retired and trying to get my lovely wife into it. This has been very encouraging - her words just now were “I’m very impressed with him…!” Definitely a good start.
I'm glad to be considered impressive ;) Thank you. I'm glad you both enjoyed the video.
And I very much hope that you have many fantastic rides in the future!
Yep....I'm in awe and I'm in the 45 plus group.....actually now in the 75 plus group. Age is just a number....a bloody high number in my case....ha ha
The older you are the wiser you become. That's what I'm telling myself anyway 😉
If I'm still doing these videos when I'm 75 they are going to be made utterly impenetrable by all that wisdom! 😉
Beautiful words and sentiment Jethro, - back on top form.
Male ✔️ over 40 ✔️ 😳🤣
Being on my bike, feeling free and immersed in nature, I find relaxing, therapeutic and almost healing.
As the saying goes - If whatever you do makes you happy - it doesn’t have to make sense to anybody else!
Spot on, couldn't have said it better myself.
Keep on enjoying whatever it is you are doing!
"The wild eyed, leather skinned Frenchman hike-a-biking the Himalayas", absolutely love that comment and the whole video, really. Another "Philosophy of the Saddle" edition and they keep getting better. I've already shared this one several times, its great and so true. You are inspiring in your absolutely, wonderfully not so normal, normal kind of way. When I'm out on the roads I look at my surroundings and my journey just a bit differently and with a big smile on my face, thanks to you.
That's awesome, thank you.
It's nice to hear that all this makes sense to you.
I generally know what I'm trying to say but am always unsure how much of it I really get across so I breathe easier with each comment like this that I receive.
well this inspired me !!. Im 52 often v tired and injuring easily with a body chalange called EDS . Sometimes i cant walk on flat tar mack into town , but i can always walk barefoot on a soft natural ground ,on up and downy coastal paths with glee and feel no pain . You have really got me thinking "what are my desires ,, what brings me to life ,,and also what are my physical limitations and how can i get the adventure and willdness i crave ,but being kind to my body to . Most importantly of all not give in to a grey feeling life , but weave in some new hues to tapastry . Thanks for doing what you do .
I couldn't agree more. It's about defining the kind of adventure that you want and that works for you.
No right or wrong choices, just be out there and doing things.
I'm really pleased you liked the video and i hope you manage to find them perfect adventure to satisfy those desires 😀
Absolutely true and adorable. The colouring of a portion of your life and all. Keep going Jethro!
I'm glad you picked that line. I'll admit that I was pretty pleased with that analogy when it came out. It works very well for how I approach the subject at least.
Thank you Jethro for your inspiring words. You reminded of the important things, and not to overburden myself with unreasonable expectation. Just ride and take it in as you go. Best advice ever. 👌
Absolutely! Its your ride, so make it whatever you want it to be. No right or wrong way to do it and anyone who says otherwise is missing the point ;)
I am one of those people you inspired to get back on their bike and start touring again. It was the Norway series in particular that did it. For that inspiration I will be forever grateful. Thank you.
I'm very pleased if I played a part in that!
I watch that series back myself sometimes to remind me that I need to get back out there. It was a stunning trip and I'm glad you enjoyed watching it.
Wow, a charming inspiring video. I have just returned from a gruelling 4 day ride with a small group of friends in NSW Australia. I think I am going to share this video with them to lift their spirits.
Sounds intense! But you made it back intact!
Hope it was worth the hardship, and you can reminisce about the numerous good points that I'm sure it also included ;)
Thanks for the share, support and kind comments are always appreciated. Thank you.
I can't tell you what it is about your philosophical rambling videos but they are truly inspiring, it's a great talent you have.
Thank you, that is most decent of you to say.
I'm very pleased you like them and I hope they continue to entertain into the future 😀
Wow, Jethro, I really don’t know what to say. Except that this is arguably the best video you’ve ever done on your channel. Outstanding. Simply outstanding.
Crikey, I wasn't expecting that kind of feedback so thank you, I'm incredibly pleased that you found it so enjoyable.
I do enjoy doing these rambling monologues so there may well be more coming soon
This is the best bike packing video I've seen in ages, spot on Jethro!
Surely you forgot the /s at the end of that? 😉
Honestly though, thank you. I always worry ahead of these monologue type videos. I really enjoy doing them but as I sit there editing I'm asking myself who the hell is going to watch this nonsense. So it is great to get some good feedback so quick of the mark, I really appreciate it.
@@JethroJessop Oh I watch a whole lot of the bike packing TH-camrs ( is that a real word? ) and I really look forward to your videos popping up, you're a real favourite. Listening to your ramblings, I think we're on the same page as far as bikes, the countryside and life in general. Keep it up and keep the rambling going, it's all great stuff.
@@seant666 well, thank you, that is high praise indeed. I shall try my best to keep it up and the rambling will most definitely continue :)
I can honestly say that you have inspired me greatly, Jethro. And been a positive influence on my life. I am quite a reclusive type of person, I'm really not that good at the outside world to be honest. But I would jump on my bike every now and then and cycle up my local canal and back, then one day I saw your, south wales route 47 video, and the canal path that I often ride was a part of that same route, So I managed to pluck up the courage to leave the canal path and go exploring along more of that route. Since then I have been on many little adventures, gotten lost a few times, once I managed to end up in completely the wrong valley. So basically you have helped me to overcome my fear, of the world a little more, So for that I thank you Jethro.
This is probably one of the best comments I have ever got!
That stretch of canal is a great ride and there are so many options round there to extend and adapt the route that you could explore there the rest of your days.
I'm so pleased that you are getting out and having those adventures and I hope that now summer is in the air again you're starting to plan a few more.
I wish you warms winds and winding trails as often as you want them.
Thanks again.
@@JethroJessop Thanks.
You are a distinctive voice on cycling. The focus is not on the latest gear and the most miles ridden per day. It's on the enjoyment of the route and the contemplation that the journey affords you. I'm not a buddhist, but I think through cycling you have achieved a higher state of consciousness. I'm 61, male, American, regular bike commuter and hope to do a tour someday. I love your positivity. Keep the wonderful videos coming ...
I'm really pleased that you see the videos that way because that is exactly what I want to get across.
I like gear as much as the next person but the focus of cycling should definitely be how it makes you feel and the freedom it affords you to explore and see the world from another angle.
Keep on riding, keep on exploring and I hope that big tour comes about in your near future.
Where you like to ride from/to when you do it?
@@JethroJessop I live in a small city 25 miles north of NYC. Paved trails are nearby but I yearn for dirt trails with mountains and lakes. Probably Montana, Colorado or the Pacific Northwest. I saw a nearly new Surly Ogre on craigslist and became interested in its versatility. I found your channel by searching on the Ogre. I currently ride a Montague Navigator, a full-sized folding touring bike. Due to time and money constraints, my first tour is likely to be the Erie Canal in upstate New York from Albany to Rochester. I plan to bring too much gear. What's your next on your bike-it list?
@@davidsamson6330 I've good things about the Erie Canal and from what I've seen and read it looks like a really nice route.
I absolutely agree about yearning for grit and gravel though. I love a nicely surfaced cycle path but there is something special about being out in the forest or the mountains with miles of unpaved adventure ahead of you.
And the Ogre is a good bike for that situation, I can testify to that from first hand experience.
I don't know what my next trip will be or even when it will happen. I'm worryingly short of holiday days at work already and the year isn't even half done. There will be some over nighters and some weekenders I'm sure and I'd love to get back up to Scotland.
In a perfect world I'd go back to Norway and Sweden and explore them more but unless I win the lottery that will have to wait for a while.
Jethro-Love your work. Thank you.
Thank you!
I'm really pleased you like the channel. I'm being slack at the moment but there are videos coming soon I promise!
As always.."profound and inspirational "
Cheers Jethro.
You are too kind. Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it
Yep! Perfectly narrated Jethro, Just Do it! Simples. Thank you.
Well thank you. Glad you enjoyed. Just do it indeed!
As always a entertaining and thought provoking video. Thanks.
Very kind thank you. Glad you enjoyed it
Bravo! You are by far the most articulate spokesman for cycling journeys. I would strongly recommend that you publish a book on the topic and would gladly sign on as one of the first subscribers.
You are very kind to say so.
I would love to write a book but I honestly don't know how my brand of nonsense would translate to the written word.
It is something that rattles around in my head from time to time so who knows though 😉
Perfect, much to think about. Thank you.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. And if it inspired some introspection then all the better 😉
Enjoyable, you hit the nail on the head I think.
Thank you. I'm glad you think so as I am honestly never sure in these vids.
I always have a point in my mind but during the edit I always wonder if I really got anything useful across so comments like this let me breathe easy... until the next one 😉
You need to get an agent and a production crew and get this sorted out, for more people to share you vision...
Absolutely wonderful...
Thank you, kind words indeed.
If the BBC are watching and want to get in touch then I'm open to discussion 😉
In the meantime though, I'll keep trying to make better videos and talk more waffly nonsense.
Hopefully you'll keep enjoying them, keep liking, commenting and sharing them. This all helps boost my rating with the TH-cam algorithm so thanks for the support.
This is just beautiful!
Thank you. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it
I hope this doesn't disappoint you Jethro . . . but this makes perfect sense . . . thanks man . . . just press on . . . drink good beer . . eat good food . . . find your spaces . . . .
Can't argue with any of that. I'm on a train as I type heading to Surrey for a day ride. Got a pasty in my bag, a pub lunch in my future and the sun is shining already
Nicely done Jethro. I do not follow many channels but picked yours up because I too was building a Surly Ogre (last year). Took some queues from your build and your insight among others. Now, really enjoying my Ogre for touring and enjoying your videos for inspiration to tour more. Keep at it. This one was definitely inspiring.
I am very pleased to be amongst the few channels on your list and I hope I can keep up the quality and maintain my place there 😉
Really glad you are enjoying the ogre as well. It is a great bike!
Very much enjoy your insights JJ. Out on the bike seems to free the mind and allow it to espouse the beauty of life. We are different beasts out on the trails. Many Thx
Definitely agree with that! I'm a different person on long rides and I become more different the longer I'm out and the further i get from home.
It's a beautiful thing. And also, quite addictive.
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching
Your videos and words of wisdom have certainly helped me. The “coloring in..” is a gem. I’m thinking about printing and laminating it and putting on my handlebars for those hikabike sections that I find tough because of my handicap. I did indeed “choose to do this” thanks for sharing
I'm glad you picked out that bit.
I usually plan roughly what I'm going to say in these videos but that section was 100% freestyled and I was rather bloody pleased with myself when it came out I have to say 😀
If it helps at all then I am genuinely happy to know that, thank you.
Right behind you brother! Blessed are the bike tourers... I'm 54, cycling from Gothenberg to Skipton via NSCR and Hadrian's Cycleway this summer.
That will be a cracker!
Of all the countries I've cycled in Sweden is my favourite I think.
If you are following the coast from Gothenburg then I even have a couple of vids from that route. I did Halmstad to Helsingborg a few years back.
You will have a great time. I'm envious.
Yep. After years backpacking and biking, I got very ill and spent about 5 years housebound and unwell. Reliving old trips in my mind was one thing that helped me stay sane. Now I'm better, I'm no longer able to walk or cycle, but I have taken up extreme mobility scootering (I dont think there's an official term for it, but that's a candidate). I spent yesterday in the hills, and spotted a drift of wood anenomes in a wood, and my first Swallow of the summer. The sheer intensity of those moments was as inspiring and life-affirming as any of my long distance mountain backpacking trips.
Absolutely!
The first rides in spring when all the flowers are coming out between the trees and the sun is shining through the new leaves are really intense.
Very hard to describe and very hard to capture on film (at least for me on my phone).
This is why we have poetry I guess, to express those moments.
Is Extreme Mobility Scootering a big thing? Do you have a crew or do you go solo?
@@JethroJessop The Disabled Ramblers do group scoots but that has never appealed to me. I still go solo and have learnt what is a risk worth taking and what isnt, just like I did on legs.
@@shinywarm6906 Fair play. Set your own goals, set your own limits. It always comes back to that.
The key thing is to be out there and doing something. Long may that continue!
Thanks Jethro, found this very encouraging 👍 colouring in portions of life 😊
Thank you!
I was very pleased with that turn of phrase myself so it's nice that you picked up on it too 😀
65-check, male-check. Another great video!
I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching and for commenting
Another little gem, nothing to much to add but thought I’d comment anyway to help in some tiny way to get you the audience your content deserves.
Well thank you I appreciate the support and i believe the algorithm appreciates the comment so comment away
The numbers are creeping up all the time. This time next year I'll be a millionaire! 😉
Absolutely love this - inspiring!! From a fat bloke taking on the whole GNT in 2 weeks time panicking that ive bitten off too much!!! Great video 👍
That will be amazing!
There will definitely be some hard moments there but I think this video holds true, take it at your own pace, don't be afraid to rest when you feel the urge and to push when the hills are too steep.
And snack often! Partly because it's a nice excuse to rest the legs but also because I am terrible for waiting till I feel hungry before I eat but I definitely ride better if I just keep browsing on nuts and fruit or whatever.
Good luck with the ride. Will you be documenting it anywhere?
Make the first couple of days very modest distances with plenty of bum rests! The rest will look after itself. Anticipate the weather.
Hi Jethro, some wise words on this one. Seventy now and just back in after 20km on the canal towpath after dinner. Safe cycling my friend.
And the same to you! I love a good canal ride - I even did a video on that very subject a while back ;)
I'm pretty close to the start of the Kennet & Avon which I've ridden a few times and always enjoyed.
I hear you. I often wonder.. “but what if I’m too young and hip to bike pack and/or cycle tour".. but then I realise that such thoughts don’t actually matter ✌🏼😎
You need to fight those thoughts! You can't let your intense coolness and gravitas put you off having an adventure.
Just watch me closely, I'll teach you how to be less cool
The first step is to get the same haircut that I'm rocking these days...
@@JethroJessop One can only try!
Hi Jethro, Very nice video. Am eating my oatmeal in the early morning and getting ready for a short ride. I hope to ride the GAP/CO trail (350 mi.) for my first big ride on the east coast of the USA. Thanks for all the inspiration. Keep up the sharing... Peace brother 8)
Nice, hope the ride was good
The GAP/CO seems a popular route, I hear it mentioned a lot. When are you hoping to do it?
I stumbled upon your wonderful channel through Mat Ryder giving you a shout out for continuing to ride in the current beastly weather, and I am bingeing my way through them at a rate of knots. Im 51 and have been off of the bike for ten years until this year. but after taking my nieces out for a pootle around the forest of dean I was instantly hooked again. Bought a new (to me) bike, and im riding at every opportunity. I have even bought lights to go night riding with the deer and boar in the forest. Im loving it, and I'm loving that after years of smoking and drinking, eating all the wrong foods, and sitting on my arse, im feeling the befits.But this video, you words are the most inspiring thing I have seen so far. Im looking at starting my own adventures next year. Im looking at tents, and bags and all the rest of the stuff I will need, but there is that nagging doubt there. Will I like it? In my heart I know I will, but if I don't, well, as you say eloquently put it, I will have colored in a little piece of life (albeit possibly the darkest black!). Keep doing what you are doing Jethro. You really are an inspiration. In fact im going off to the black mountains right now in the rain to ride a trail across a ridge into the teeth of a gale, and I will ponder on what color I will use and not be too sad if I go outside of the lines.
I'm really pleased you are enjoying the channel and that you are finding your love for biking again.
You are in a great part of the world for bikepacking, so many great rides to be had in those parts!
I feel a bit guilty now you have mentioned continuing to ride in all weathers because this weekend I'm actually on a credit card tour of the Cantii Way and staying in pubs every night. So maybe I'm not as hardcore as I come across on screen 😉
I hope the channel continues to entertain and that the rides continue to get longer and more exciting. Thanks for watching 🙂
@@JethroJessop Just blame Alan for "forcing" you to stay in those warm hotel rooms!
@@bnfan1189 that is the true reason. I of course wanted to heroically sleep under the stars and laugh the frost from my beard as I dove fearlessly into the icy waves each morning.
But Alan wasn't up for that so nice warm hotel rooms it is 😉
I loved my adventure on the King Alfreds Way last year, I will finish it at some point in the future but I found my limit at the time so did get on the train and went home. I did not fail. PS female and 50+
Exactly, you ride your own ride, enjoy it all, and come home loaded up with memories. No point pushing it and knocking the fun out.
I had another dig into my stats after I filmed this and the age range is actually a little younger than I'd thought but it is still really male biased. I assume that's because more blokes are into cycling rather than that women don't like my amazing videos 😉
I'm going to give it a go - hopefully later this year. Male 50+. Thinking to do it over the course of a week. Should be nice and relaxing.
@@NigelMarston Do it! You won't regret it.
Even in the unlikely event that you decide you don't really enjoy it you still won't regret having a go.
Great video! The Mac N Cheese, "cheese soup", did you give it an extra 10 minutes over the directions? If these brands are available in England try, Good To-Go foods, Mary Jane's Farm, Backpackers Pantry, and Mountain House. I agree with you when it comes to age, and musing on route difficulty. The only thing I humbly offer is choose your route wisely, with respect and humility. After I retired, a friend and I crossed the U.S. on road touring bikes, I was 65, he was 73. That was my third time crossing via roads, so naturally at the tender age of 68, I felt that I was ready for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR). I planned on a slow easy pace, with zero days (rest days) every week. After four weeks of bashing around between 5,000 and 10,000 feet off road, I just stopped one morning. When it comes to bike touring, I have never liked the word "conquer". I feel the mountains, deserts, cities, each place allows you to pass through to wherever it is you're going. Respect that gift. Enjoy the route when you can, grit your teeth when you must, and stop when your body reminds you of humility. Lastly, there is a lot of negative "news" about bad people, that is BS, I've found people are usually nice and helpful everywhere. Happy trails!
Absolutely. One of the things I love about traveling by bike is that you really feel like you are moving through the world rather than skipping across the surface.
There is no conquering. The last thing I would want to do to a landscape is conquer it, I'd rather... I dunno, absorb it? Taste it?
And yes, picking your route is part of this whole idea. Don't be fooled into thinking it isn't Bikepacking because you don't have to do a dangerous river crossing.
Pick your route, choose your pace, stop when you want and colour in your life as best you can.
And thanks for the food tips, I don't recognise those brands but I'll have a look around for them.
Hi. Probably I am not your average viewer. 1st I am female (okay I am over 50). 2nd I don't do cycle touring because it's a challenge, or hard. I do it because riding a bicycle and camping is (to me) the easiest and most relaxed way to travel ...
The absolute best reason to do it. I can totally relate to that.
No other form of transport is as simple and efficient as a bicycle. It gives you so much freedom and a perfect vantage point to really see the place you are passing through.
I hope this coming summer see you out on some fine bike camping adventures :)
I watched Simon bloke in the woods videos about his Sussex coast tour. Great video but I just couldn't relate to him. He was so together and nothing went wrong, he never expressed a doubt or negative thought. I prefer your rambling muddled more human approach because it makes me feel more comfortable with my own failings. Keep being normal!
Haha thanks, I think 😉
I agree though and this is exactly what I was thinking when I waffled this load of waffle.
People take these things so seriously but at the end of the day, this is my hobby, my passion. It isn't a race, I'm not a pro and I just want to enjoy the fleeting time I get to be alive in this amazing place.
Most of us are in that same boat so why pretend otherwise? I just potter along and learn from my mistakes and if those mistakes get caught on camera then you get to learn from them too 😉
Is it a kind of dream… There’s an old guy in town, must be in his 80’s , who still rides his spotless Sturmey Archer 3 speed around town at a leisurely pace and I think that’s the key to this bike touring lark. Don’t make it a race, not even with yourself. Get a bike with a sub 20” gear, load it up and potter away. It’s all about the journey, not the destination.
Damn right. I can only hope that I'll be that 80 year old guy still pottering around on his bike someday.
Though I fully expect that by then I'll have uploaded my mind into some kind of immortal, synthetic, super body and be cycling through space on a laser bike 😉
So well said! I’m not your usual viewer - I’m a female of mature years. I’ve been pottering about on bikes since I got my first trike at the age of about two and I hope to continue pottering about on bikes until I fall off it for the last time. 25 or so miles per day is plenty for me as I stop for everything 😁
Your comment and user name both suggest you get the philosophy of this channel 100% 😉
It's all about getting out there and enjoying it, whether "it" is for a few hours or a few months. I hope that you and I both can continue to enjoy it for many a year to come.
Thanks for the comment and happy riding to you 😁
Enjoyed this
Pleased to hear it. Thanks for watching
I make my own meals as slop in a bag is something i grew tired of from ration packs many years back. I'm just looking for things to watch in the background whilst doing bike maintenance - I have a weekend trip in mind, not far, a few mile with a few big hills - big for me - then a camp under tarp and try out some new gear and if it all goes tits up I'm only a few miles from home. I'm planning something more with a train journey no less. Actually a trip down the New Forest might be an idea some day; I lived there for a while working in some snazzy hotels.
Nice, what new gear have you got?
New Forest is definitely worth a visit for a day or two. I enjoyed my rides there very much and will hopefully be back at some point.
If you need background filler then please go bonkers on some of my playlists :)
There's enough on this channel to fill a few hours I reckon and the views are always welcome.
I get you about the slop in a bag as well. It seems to do the job but I'm keen to get into some proper camp cooking and maybe dehydrating stuff as well. I've got my eye on a new firebox if it ever comes back in stock so we shall see
Another classic! Well said, food for a wandering soul.
I was worried as there seemed to be a little too much negativity at the start but the mood picked up, by end was positively on a high.
When I am in the saddle, providing the weather isn't inclement, there is very often no other place I would rather be.
Jethro, he's the Messiah! Give us a sign to follow ...............
Some nice looking trails you are riding in this video. Makes all the difference not riding on or adjacent to traffic choking roads.
My videos are a veritable roller coaster of emotion 😉
I will generally end on a high though, I'm not in the doomsaying game.
Those trails were great. It's not an area i know well so it was a pleasant surprise and I'll definitely be back out that way for more rides. It means a 20 minute train ride to start but that fine, I enjoy a train journey.
One of your best yet
Keeping’ it real 👊
Thank you. Not sure how high that bar is to beat but I'm glad you rated this one.
I'm gonna try and get a good few other vids done over the coming weeks so I'll try my best to better this one too very soon
Such a great video. Recently discovered you (and yup.. male and over 45) and I'm in the process of planning to do the whole of the North Downs Way in the South of England, so I'm watching a lot of bike packing videos to get some tips and general advice. Whilst some of the other channels I follow definitely align with your examples of truly epic distances and lengths of time for a single trip, it's actually a refreshing change to see someone who's documenting their time and experience on slightly more .. down to earth adventures.
I love the general message that you're putting across which seems to boil down to, "the only thing stopping you doing something like this is you yourself" and it's the realisation of that that has really got me into long(er) distance off road cycling in the first place. Bikepacking is the next logical step to that!
You got it spot on. There is no wrong way to do it and the only way you'll ever zone in on your own personal "right way" to get out and do it and learn.
I did an overnighter last night and went without dinner because I tried (and failed) to do something new with camp cooking. Always learning 😉
Really pleased you are enjoying the channel and I hope your trip planning goes well.
I don't know the North Downs Way or that part of the world well so i can't offer specifics but I'm always happy to offer opinions or answer questions if I can.
@@JethroJessop Thanks for the response, Jethro. It's another curious aspect about bike packing content creators; you're all very keen to engage with your followers, which is awesome!
The North Downs Way is about 150 miles. Starts in Guilford and ends in Dover. There's a pre planned route on Komoot that spans over three days, which includes a couple of camp sites so some of that planning is done already. And to be honest this is partly why I've chosen it as a first. That and I already ride the local bits of it for my daily rides.
The only bit that really needs "work" (if you can call it that) is being able to do 3 consecutive days of 50 odd miles of riding. I worked out a route that encompassed a large local section that was 50 miles in total, just to see how I got on - probably 60% road, 40% off road. My goal was completion, rather than speed. Took lots of water, what ended up being nowhere near enough food (biggest take away of the whole experiment) and it really set the bar on my (lack of) fitness in terms of what I'll be needing to do to make this doable.
That said, I've also seen a number of bike packers who've said that the first coupe of days are the worst, and your body just settles in to doing hours of consecutive days of riding - which actually blows my mind. Surely there must be some sort of bar you have to get to before that's a reality? I know that in your video where you decided you were going to ride to that Scottish distillery, you said that you'd never done multi day rides before, and cracked on anyway!
While of course that makes a great story, I'm not sure how realistic that approach would be for me? Having said that, as you mentioned, there's no rule to say I have to finish it on the first go. Could always jump on a train and come home early if it really gets too much! Again, this is a relatively local ride, so I'm probably no more than a few hours on a train from home.
It's interesting isn't it that this kind of reflection with a particular mindset always ends up at the same place: "no reason to not do it and no time like the present"!
@@SteelR4t I'm always keen to engage. I love multiday cycling, I think it can teach you a lot and I'm always pleased when people show an interest, especially people who are coming to it fresh. If I can provide a little inspiration/encouragement then I'm pleased.
I did have a look at the route map for the NDW. It looks good but not one I've heard a lot about. You should post some pics, maybe do a little trip report on Reddit after you complete.
There is definitely a break-in period when you set off on a trip. I find it's about 3 or 4 days in when I really start to feel like I'm in the groove. Which is a bummer because that's most of the trip a lot of the time.
I don't do big days usually. I do tend towards the leisurely approach and would consider 50 miles, fully loaded to be above average.
I tend to add about 50% to what a route recommends just because I like knowing I have time for unexpected stops and lazy days 😉
I really think as long as you are relatively fit and used to riding with bags then you can just set off. As long as you ride within your limits and remember that it's not a race and your there to enjoy it.
Best of luck, keep me posted!
@@JethroJessop Thanks man, that's good advice. I'm not that used to riding with bags at the moment, but I'm doing a lot of "test" rides, mainly to make sure that everything is mounted on securely, getting a feel for the extra weight on the forks / bars that sort of thing. I suppose the only issue with doing shorter days means more of them, meaning potentially having to carry more stuff (food, primarily - which is something else I'm experimenting with; home made trail mix bars and bean burritos!)? I would definitely say that a 30 - 35 mile ride is the sort of "business-as-usual" distance for me, but of course I have to factor in the extra weight for a multi day.
I'm not much of a redditor, but I've dabbled with YT in the past, so I'll certainly be documenting the trip on here!
@@SteelR4t a large proportion of the weight i carry is always food and cooking stuff. I quite like the freedom of knowing i have enough supplies to get me through a few days with no shops but it is pretty rare to find a route in the UK that doesn't have a resupply point every other day at least so as long as have them in mind you can keep things light-ish.
It's very much a personal choice though. Some folk like to go fast and minimal, others trundle along slow and comfy. As long as do the majority of it with a smile on your face then it was a success
thanks Jethro great great words of wisdom I like watching your videos .you were right male 45+ I really enjoy going for a bike ride to me it's all about the journey 😁 iam doing first bike packing trip at the end of the month two nights I feel like a kid again yippee thanks again keep doing them videos 🏴
Fantastic, where will your first trip be taking you?
I hope the weather comes through for you and you have an amazing time. Keep this video in mind, set a sensible pace and don't forget to look around and enjoy it.
Thanks for watching
Thanks👍
Glad you liked it. thanks for watching
better than some counselling sessions.
Haha, thank you. Cheaper too 😉
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you so much for a very good video. And very good angled view of age. Needed this today. Not because I'm that old. I just needed it. Thank you so much for what you do Jethro 👍🥰
Much love from Sweden 🙏❤
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.
I think the general idea holds for everyone. Whatever you are thinking about doing, just have a go and see what happens. You don't have to do it fast, you don't even have to do it well. You just have to do it and enjoy the doing.
Thanks for watching, what part of Sweden are you in? I love Sweden!
@@JethroJessop Agree with you completely.
I live in the middle of the country approximately. Is from a small town called Sala. Is known for its silver mine. Not so far up to where you bought the Mora knives 👍😊
@@leffee5381 ah you've been watching the old videos I see 😉
That was an amazing ride. I've ridden in Sweden a few times and I always enjoy it so much. I really hope that one day I can do the full length of from top to bottom.
One day...
@@JethroJessop That sounds like a great idea Jethro. NIce that you like this country. All countries have their beauty. My plan is to cycle to the top of Sweden this summer, to Treriksröset. Lets see how far I get 😊
@@leffee5381 I agree. I'd happily tour top to bottom of pretty much anywhere given the chance but I do have a soft spot for Sweden - deep forests, lakes, gravel roads and wild camping.
Have a great trip, I hope you make it to the top.
Will you be documenting it anywhere? If so I'll follow along and be envious 😉
Another good one enjoy that. You got my age range correct. I enjoy cycling to campsite utilising train coach ferry and having a cycle around to see what’s there. The old saying comes to mind when you think should I do it. Everything’s impossible until I make it possible. Cheers mate.
Spot on. Perfect example of what I was saying about setting your own goals. You make the trip exactly as hard as you want it to be and just enjoy it.
Appreciated the motivation. I too have a Scotland ride planned June, my first trip ever. What’s the worst that can happen !
Exactly!
You gotta just give it a try and take things as they come.
What route do you have in mind?
67, female pronouns, long "credit card touring"... rode my first 3 centuries this summer. Inspo needed and GOTTEN from you! xo
Sounds good. I only have a handful of centuries under my belt and only if we go metric 😉
Glad i could help with the inspiration and I hope you have some more trips planned for the future!
That is a super helmet. Good ear and rear head protection.
It's also probably the first helmet I've ever owned that is comfy to wear. I'm very pleased with it
@@JethroJessop I think I'm putting it on my Christmas list. They also do visor ski helmets. Some of them are ideal for winter cycling and have good puncture resistance, which lacks in a lot of bicycle helmets. But yes, your helmet looks awesome and it is my want - you are defo an influencer.
@@SC-hk6ui i can only hope my influence is a positive one then 😉
Just found your channel while looking at the Badger Divide. Absolutely excellent.
You're spot on btw. 48 yo & buying up kit to try a spot of bike packing. Covid, kids & epilepsy aside I'll get there eventually. I'm too old for chucking myself down hills now. Prefer my fatbike/29+ to my full sus nowadays.
Do it, you won't regret it.
These days I only see the world from the angle of how nice it would be to potter my way through it on a bike ;)
Glad you are liking the videos and I hope the gear shopping is going well.
@@JethroJessop I've got no real excuse given I'm on the Moray coast with the Cairngorms on my doorstep.
Need a tent & a bag then I'm sorted. Ohh & for covid to 🤬 off.
@@gregs7562 Very nice area. I've been eyeing up the Cairngorms for a trip but I don't know if I can swing the holiday this year 😟
@@JethroJessop I'm in Forres, so right at the start/end of the Dava Way.
Roseisle forest just along the coast is a good camping spot. But I've got a garden you can pitch in & I'll buy you a pint worst case scenario 😉
@@gregs7562 Very kind of you, thank you!
I cycled right through Forres on my first ever bike trip. Inverness to Aberdeen was the last leg before I got the train home.
I'd love to revisit the are so you never know, I come knocking one day :)
Interesting you mention model railways. Rod Stewart and Peter Waterman both have huge model sets that they have spent years/decades constructing. What ever rocks your boat.
I discovered this myself only very recently. Also that, apparently Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen are both really into curling 😀
Sound reasoning, I agree whole heartedly. Your Scandinavian touring videos were a treat and I can recommend cycling Denmark and Sweden (Kattegat Leiden) to any modest cyclists.
Denmark is the perfect country for a first tour or for a laid back tour.
I'd still really like to go back and do the entire coast.
One day...
As ever, you’ve made me realise something that I already (subconsciously) knew but didn’t know it !
Another great thought provoking video from the thinking mans cyclist! 🙂
Cheers Jethro 👍
This is the thing. I think we all know this but it's easy to be convinced that going for a run is the same as doing a marathon, that all Bikepacking involves mountains, that writing poetry is pointless if you don't get published.
If you have a passion, do it because you love it, take it as far as you can before it becomes a chore and if anyone else gives a s##t then that is a nice bonus 😉
Yes, that's also my take on it, every outdoors hobby I partake in is done through my passion for it.
On top of a mountain looking down, or looking up from the bottom and being content with a low level valley ride, it's all good.
Another thought provoking video and you're right about the age ;) I do plenty of day rides and have done multi-day rides but my stumbling block is wild camping and I'm realising that block is purely psychological. I'd much rather camp in a campsite but when the route I'm looking at is traversing the Ridgeway and the only realistic means to achieving it is to camp on the Ridgeway. I just need to get on and do it....
Wild camping is quite nerve wracking when you aren't used to it but as is often the case, after a few times you find your groove and learn to love it.
Pick your spots carefully the first few times, find places where you can be confident you won't be spotted so you can relax more. Read up on the basics of what to avoid - low, wet places, dangerous trees etc and also the Leave No Trace principles.
It's worth it because it really does open up lots of possibilities for trips
Another option if the execution of the planned trip proves too hard/not rewarding/not feasible, Instead of quitting the trip and going home is to revamp the trip so that it becomes achievable and rewarding. I've done this more than once on long tours. A California tour that I started in early December in Fresno was initially routed through Yosemite and northward via the Highway 49 route through the historic gold rush areas, then over to the coast and south through San Francisco to Los Angeles. While in Sacramento visiting relatives, it started to rain and was forecast to rain for the next week. Cool temps and rain are no fun to camp or ride in, so I took the train south to San Diego where it was warm and wasn't raining and road north along the coast instead. When battling headwinds well north of LA was not fun, I hopped the train again to SF so I could spend a couple days there before I was out of time and had to head home.
A more recent tour in Taiwan in the fall was tentatively routed through the foothills and with one or two crossings of the central mountainous ridge with high points of 2000m-2500m. My first day riding south out of the capital of Taipei, my legs (and lungs) informed me that I had not trained enough to do lots of climbing and a new plan was needed. I rerouted to stay mostly in the coastal plains and went through more towns and cities and went to many more museums and big temples than originally envisioned. I also took the train a couple times to get to areas I wanted to ride through (or at least into - Taroko Gorge is a must!) given the time I had available.
In each case, struggling onward with the original plan would have been a suffer-fest up to the time that I just quit. Instead, I restated my assumptions (any fans of Aronofsky's movie 'Pi' out there?) and came up with a new plan that was achievable and still rewarding.
I absolutely agree. I have also rerouted mid ride and enjoyed the ease of doing so as a solo rider. Not having to have lengthy discussions with a group makes route adjustments like that feel like just another dork in the road instead of a massive political debate.
To your other point, I watched Pi many years ago and remember little about it except coming out fairly baffled. I should probably revisit it as an older and wiser viewer.
Thought I had seen most of vlog’s “On the Saddle philosophy”, this must have slipped through, alas it’s very appropriate at this time. Your analysis is correct…
I too fall into the silent many that aren’t in the top percentage of high achievers.
Probably best described as a Wayfarer..
Thanks agn..
You, me and many others. Keep on keeping on at whatever pace works. It's all good 😃
This is an old one! Nice to see it get a comment as it's been pretty quiet for a long time now. I need to do some more rambling philosophical videos, it's been a while.
We completed our first big ride from Ravenglass to Blyth in Northumberland last year at the age of 60, we were knackered by the journeys end, no sooner had we landed the next journey was already being talked about. This year our original plan was to get the train to Carlisle and do the lochs and glens south then we thought that Edinburgh was only a small ride why not continue it’s less hassle than getting the train. Then the comment. “Berwick is not so far” was floated. This has now morphed into a circular route starting from Northumberland to Carlisle,from Carlisle heading east to Glasgow, Edinburgh and the following the Tweed valley to Seahouses and Then homeward bound. All because we find that getting a bike on a train is more stressful that touring on a bike for several extra days.
Next up we are playing with the idea of the Sandstone way which brings its own complications, our road touring bike are just not up to the task. So the first world problems are now questions like, should I build a bike or purchase, gravel or MTB or should i go 29” or 27.5”. Roll on retirement it’s still seams to far away 😀
Ah yes, the slippery slope 😀
That trip sounds amazing. I rode a little in the tweed valley and that area on my first ever tour back in 2010 and i remember it being stunning.
And i absolutely sympathise with constantly adding another day to the end of a trip. Just one more, it doesn't make a difference.
Best of luck with planning the next one, I hope you land on the perfect bike and that every mile is an adventure
@@JethroJessop Thanks Jethro, one day we may pass somewhere along the way, you never know. There is a grater possibility of that than finding a dealer that actually has a frame that I want in stock.
Mate superb… I’m doing (or having a stab) at the second city divide in August… my first “big” ride. The plan is not to race around as I’d probably crash out (literally) at the first hurdle but it’s to take my time and enjoy the experience, solitude and break from work!!
Sounds great. Let me know how it goes as that is one I might try and do in the future.
My bet is that it will be amazing 😉
Take it slow, or fast, and enjoy it
44 male going on 45 this year. Love the videos.
Thank you, glad you are enjoying the channel.
I'll be turning 45 this year as well, whatever that means 😉
Loving your posts, after recently discovering this channel!
Have you done a post about your panniers, because I cant seem to find one? I'm really interested in your thoughts and views on the whole subject of panniers!?
I've recently decided to have a go at bikepacking; which is what brought me to your channel.
Watching your posts on the Badgers Divide trail has really inspired me! And after a couple of short weekend trips to test my gear, my old bike and more importantly..me; then I think that I will be heading north of the border to have a crack at the B.D.
Thankyou so much for posting your videos. I love your laid back, philosophical attitude to cycling.
I've watched so many posts of folk who zoom down these trails at break neck speeds; covering 50, 60, 70, sometimes 80 miles in a single day.
If they get enjoyment doing that, well good for them; but that's not for me. I much prefer your approach!
And I think that is one of the most inspirational things about your posts; it's kind of..Do it! Go at your own pace and dont be rushed..but do it! Coz in years to come, you'll kick yourself if you dont!
Thanks Jethro..take care buddy!
I once did 90 miles in a day and it honestly nearly killed me! I think my average over a multi day ride tends towards about 35 which is much more enjoyable in my book 😉
I've not done anything specifically about my panniers because they are really nothing special. They are Altura i think, about 12 or 15 liters, and they hang on a pretty cheap Topeak rack.
They used to be my front panniers before I switched to soft bags. They are pretty battered but still do the job and I like riding with panniers despite what the bikepacking purists might say. They are way more practical and usable than a saddle pack.
I do intend to do a video on my bags but I just never got round to it.
Always happy to answer questions in the comments if you have them though.
Thanks for watching and as for the BD, do it! It is a stunning route and you will not regret it. It's hard but totally achievable and every mile is beautiful!
@@JethroJessop I dont get all that crap the purists come out with also. Your bikepacking, if you "pack" your "bike" for camping purposes..surely!?
I like the idea of panniers and that's the route I'm choosing. I have a cheap set that you throw over the rack; though I've no idea how I ended up with them, as I never purchased them..someone must have given me them.
Anyway, I really want some waterproof bags, like Ortlieb (not sure if I've spelt that correctly).
You seem a sensible guy and as I've mentioned previously, I like and agree with many of your ideas and philosophies; so was/am interested in your thoughts/opinions on the whole subject of panniers and carrying kit.
I'm in the process of putting together some kit for bikepacking. I've always been a keen walker and loved camping; so I already have some equipment that will do fine for bike packing.
But I feel that for a multi day trip, like the Badgers Divide; or anywhere in Scotland, that waterproof panniers, would probably be a good idea.
Hope it doesn't sound creepy or anything buddy, but I'm loving your posts and really enjoying watching them. I'm keen on bikepacking equipment reviews, but not to the point where it becomes "gear porn" and its all about the latest kit and they have a different tent every trip.
Some of these channels seem to get stuff given as "perks" which is fine; I'd accept free stuff too.
But it's so much nicer to have folk tell you why they used their hard earned cash to buy such and such an item. If they've invested in a piece of kit; we as viewers like to hear the hows and whys behind those purchases.
It's nice to have gear reviews mixed in with other things. Routes, ride alongs and just stories and opinions. I do think your channel is a really good mix of all of that, and I hope you carry on making videos! Again, sorry if that sounds creepy..but just saying what I think!
Take care Jethro!
I promise you, as soon as big brands start offering me free gear I will sell my soul like every other influencer 😉
On the pannier front, you don't have to spend a fortune to be waterproof. My little Altura ones have only failed on that front after many years of abuse has left them with some sizable holes torn in them. My fix was to buy a lightweight drybag of a similar volume to use as a liner. SeaToSummit do a good variety of really light drybags in all sizes.
I'll keep on patching the holes until I have a complete failure then I'll look around for something that uses straps to attach rather than hooks as it is claimed that these rattle less (the only downside to panniers).
Check out the mini panniers article on bikepacking.com for some good reviews and inspiration bikepacking.com/index/panniers-for-bikepacking/
@@JethroJessop I've just checked out the link that you sent me. Thank you for that, by the way!
Strangely, you're the first person to mention the subject of rattling panniers. That is something that I hadn't considered.
My thoughts where, to have something that I could unclip quickly; in case of a down poor, and get them into my tent; and be able to unpack whatever I need out, in shelter.
Then, in reverse, pack my kit inside the tent; prior to setting off; and therefore keep everything dry. But your excellent idea with the dry bags would easily suit my purpose!
Riding with a rattle, would get old, really quickly. You've given me food for thought there; and I'm now having a rethink, and checking out velcro fastenings. What are your thoughts on this?
Sorry to be a nuisance, but may I also ask what size your panniers are/what size would you recommend; for multi day rides?
Thanks Jethro, you take care!
@@timporter8886 The rattle is a reality if you ride off road but t isn't a constant and I don't really find it that much of an issue. It can also addressed by setting you panniers up well and adding padding to problem areas with gaffer tape.
For me an occasional rattle is more than made up for by the ease of use and practicality and all the points that you yourself have realised already about unclipping and storing in the tent.
I haven't tried any other fittings, I know there are all kinds of straps and buckles out there but I've just never got round to upgrading - again, the odd rattle really isn't a big deal.
I can't exactly remember what size my panniers are but I'd say around the 12-15 litre mark and they are plenty.
But as to what I'd recommend... It's impossible to say as it depends so much on your preferences, the route, the time of year etc
At my most loaded I have the two panniers on the back, a full frame bag, two Restrap fork bags, a Revelate Designs Sweetroll (large) and the Egress Pocket. I am at the heavier end of the spectrum but I've met people who rode with more and then you'll see people riding with so little that it seems impossible.
It all comes down to the kind of ride you want to have.
For me, I want to have supplies for several days so I don't have to have such a rigid schedule for resupplying, I want to have hot food and coffee, I want to carry my spoon whittling gear etc etc.
The first rides are always heavy and then you zone in on what kind of rig works for you. Don't spend a fortune on gear if you have stuff that you can make do with because until you do a few trips you probably won't know what aspects of new gear you really value.
Great video! When are you off up to Scotland and what is your planned route? We are heading up to do a bit of cycling around the Cairngorms for a bit in June and very much looking forward to it.
I'm going up on the 5th May and will be riding the Badger Divide from Inverness to Glasgow. I can't bloody wait!
I've done a little bit of riding in the cairngorms and its amazing round there. I hope you have a great trip!
Great video Jethro. You do inspire me and get me through my doubts (yes, age-related physical niggles). You really have the right mindful approach. Tour of the Peaks coming up then BD/SCD for me and I don’t think I’d have approached these without your philosophical encouragement. Thank you, you’re such a positive person.
Thank you.
I shall be reporting in from my own crack at the BD in a few weeks. Hopefully that will be encouraging, I'll try not to complain too much about the rain, the climbs, the midges...
I jest of course. It's going to be mild, sunny and amazing for every mile!
38 day's and a wake up till my IOM tour. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. While I'm no Jethro and have none of these intelligent insights, I can say that there is only one way to find out if it's too hard for you. Give it the old college try and see what happens. Keep on keeping on Jethro.
I'm betting it's going to be an amazing trip. As you say, you gotta give it a go either way and whatever happens it will be an adventure that you'll remember for years to come.
I agree- bike travel is for those of us who want to do it, not those of one age or another
Exactly. Summed up all my waffle in a single sentence 😉
Another enjoyable, thoughtful, and always-inspiring video, Jethro - thank you.
While viewing your video, I began thinking about how you've mused about a life without the druggery of having to report somewhere for work on a regular basis, and I can appreciate that. As I watch the many beautiful vistas in your videos, I fantasize about that same thing.
However, is too much of a good thing not a good thing? In retirement, do unlimited opportunities for escapism from something that no longer exists (work) become routine and no longer special?
Maybe I suppose but I have so many things I'd like to spend my time doing I can't imagine it ever getting old.
Work and the 9 to 5 routine is a barrier not just to bike trips but to spoon whittling, building a pole lathe, numerous code projects, learning to sketch, visiting my friends in other countries. The list goes on.
My free time isn't an escape from work as much as work is an annoying obstacle to my passions 😉
You may be right I suppose but I'd take that gamble I think!
Love it,@@JethroJessop! :-) And, I hope that you can attend to those multiple passions sooner than later!
@@FlowJunkie65 Ah me too. I'm doing my best. Just need to find that elusive get rich quick scheme that actually works.
If you spot one, let me know ;)
Can I ask what make your handlebars are pls
They are Surly Moloko.
I really like them. I got them for the variable hand positions but the sweep is spot on and they are so comfy that I only ever really go up to the horns when I'm riding into a headwind or just tired at the end of a day.
@@JethroJessop thanks
Look, I'm watching this again...third time now! Should I get some professional help?
You don't need help, you are perfectly sane. Everything you need can be found in my videos.
Keep watching the videosssssss....
If you don't read this in dramatic, stage hypnotist style voice then I realise it sounds like a very creepy message 😉
I'm glad you are liking this one though
50 years old and will find out if I've bitten off more than I can chew in the summer. I hope I surprise myself
You will be fine, take half of what you think you need, enjoy the route and the people.
@@Mike-vd2qt Thx. I intend to. It'll be the biggest, longest ride of my life but I'm feeling confident 👍
I second that. Just take it at whatever pace is comfortable, rest when you are tired and keep reminding yourself they the actual cycling isn't the journey.
You gain nothing by just covering the miles if you don't also take them in and enjoy them
@@JethroJessop Absolutely. I'm very much looking forward to enjoying the trip. I'm gonna soak up the sights & sounds along the way in a chilled, leisurely manner
Also a good reason to go bike packing or cycle touring is to try out all that nice kit you have spent such a long time searching for and spent so much cash buying .........
God no! If I do that it will get dirty!
Male - ☑️. 45+ - ☑️. Thinking of retirement- ☑️. Uncanny.
I should have put some money on this. Damnit! 😉
another jethrosophical wander though your mind , but i agree enjoying the journey problems and all is what its about , male nearly 70, mtb rides not to many now but more hiking ,just got to keep moving.
Hiking, biking or pottering in the garden. It's just important to be out and doing stuff I think, it's what we're built for and it's what we need
@@JethroJessop just a question Jethro do you ever think of doing a longer ride like the Great Divide or the Europe Divide.
@@michaelmather7352 All the time!
In the UK I'd like to do the Great North Trail, across the water I'd love to get to the top of Scandinavia and the bottom of Portugal. Also to go east and follow the Danube to Budapest.
I like to try and fly as little as I can so the US is not really on my radar but europe has more than enough to keep me adventuring.
The sad truth is that these days I have only 25 days holiday a year and am limited to 90 days in the EU out of every 180.
These facts don't rule anything out completely but they do make those kind of plans more difficult.
In my daydreams I make a living from the channel, register myself in Sweden as a travel journalist and spend all my time cycling 😉
So keep liking, commenting and sharing the videos. It helps my rating with TH-cam algorithm and gets me always slowly closer to that dream video which starts with me saying "yesterday I quit my job..." 😀
@@JethroJessop jethro i hope you get to your dream video.👍
@@michaelmather7352 thank you, me too. I'll keep plugging away and even if it never happens at least I'll get some fantastic rides along the way 😀
I am male and 60+ with a 45+ physical capability and 65+ memory who is still preparing, sort of, for my first bikepacking trip. I've done my share of backpacking, moto-camping, long distance riding and mountain biking. My challenge is that I live in the desert where there is no shade and no water with a daily limit of around 30 miles. The geography and terrain is intimidating and I would like someone to join me that knows the area and terrain. Plus, I'm preparing for a 1-bike solution and am shopping around for that before getting all kitted out. Yep, all excuses. And you know what they say about excuses... they're like assholes... everybody has one and they all stink! 🤣
I have to say that short water is the one thing that would really scare me off a trip.
The places that I ride I am never far from either a tap or wild water so I've just never had to worry about it. I'm also not keen on direct, blazing sun so I'm probably not cut out for desert riding. Though it always looks amazing when I read articles about other people's trips.
I guess you just have to do your research ahead of time and be prepared for the unexpected.
50+ Woman here...so there is that demographic too. ;)
Holy good to hear, the more the merrier!
Bikepacking, cycling and adventuring in the outdoors should span all demographics. Let's get everyone onboard until age and gender and race become irrelevant and we can all just be folk on bikes 😉
Yep 45+
45+ is the new 25+ apparently :)
I'm 68. Am I too old to leave a comment on a TH-cam video? 😉
Absolutely, social media can be fatal for anyone over the age of 21¡
47yo male ogre rider west highland white terrier owner in new england sounding off.
Good to have you in the squad sir!
Does the dog run alongside or ride in a basket?
she is quite comfy in the basket and is doing quite well off leash running right along side me on local single track that takes us around the perimeter of the old navy airport, we are still working on our leash skills while riding. shes got quite a high prey drive. its a blast in any case.
@@lazerblastoid Thats cool. Always nice to have a dog running beside you :)
Male... Correct..... Over 45... Correct... Thinking of retirement.... Correct...... Possibly more time on a bike.... Correct!
4 for 4, not bad!
Where do you plan on riding during that extra time on the bike?
@@JethroJessop hey there. Long term plan is to research and bike the trails in this country (whilst still working) then look to Europe (perhaps do france/Spain) and got friends in Portugal... And I saw a girl on youtube called "giant cheerio" do teneriffe.... So that wld be fun....if she can do it then.... !!!!!! I do lots of hiking in the lakes and Wales, but on a bike its easier to cross countries. Ultimately would like to do The Great Divide in Canada /USA and then God knows from there..... Asia, Australia, NZ... We'll see. Just keeping fit in the mean time..... Still feel like I'm 25 in my head...... I definitely don't want to just stop work and veggitate....so much to see in the world... Just wanna get out there, open up my heart and see what comes flooding in...
@@JethroJessop just ordered an Alpkit Sonder Ti Camino on the bike to work scheme. There's a backlog till dec/Jan, but it's such good value getting it on the scheme. I'll kit that out and see how that's works for me. I'd love a Rolhoff Thorn Nomad mk3... But that might not be needed if the sonder works.
@@grahamambridge2856 sounds like an amazing plan to me, good luck with it.
Portugal is on my list as well, ideally top to bottom and to cycle there from home but when I'll get the time for that I really don't know.
I've seen a few Giant Cheerio videos, she's good and seems to get to some really amazing places - has a good Instagram account too.
@@grahamambridge2856 Ride To Work is great. That was what got me my first bike as an adult and eventually lead me to bikepacking. This channel probably wouldn't exist without RTW and my life would possibly be very very different!
Bike Touring/BikePakcing ='s DETOXIFICATION from all the imbalanced Psychologies of City Dwellers of the Inner Fold. My Retreat and connection to discuss more thoroughly with God on what has and is happening among humanity.
Definitely retreat and connection. I tend to end up talking myself more than anything though 😉
@@JethroJessop My mother did that too; Talk to herself. (I see it as releasing garbage thoughts out of the brain to clear or unwind it). I do it as in form of mentoring; explaining about something that would lead another to have more conveninece or ease in daily living hoping that someone will CATCH my outspoken thoughts :) When adults get older it is importan to apply more self care for preventive measures. Happy bikepacking :)
@@StarEssences there is a lot to be learned from talking with yourself. Especially if you are able to really question your own opinions and beliefs and confirm that they still hold good.
Cycling is the perfect time for such dialogues 🙂
@@StarEssences there is a lot to be learned from talking with yourself. Especially if you are able to really question your own opinions and beliefs and confirm that they still hold good.
Cycling is the perfect time for such dialogues 🙂
@@JethroJessop I agree especially being away from congested civilization. A person can recollect their thoughts from being among and about the hustle and bustle of inner city living.
Hang on, Jethro. 'Don't know what you're talking about'? If that were so, I for one would have rejected your channel and gone elsewhere. You may not be God's gift to bikepacking etc and all things associated but you do actually talk sense. Hence I and others stay with you. Not hanging on every Gospel word but taking you very seriously and sifting your insights.
Sorry but age DOES come into it - as you will discover in time.
"thinking about retirement" - I've been retired twice - once @ 65 and then @ 72 (the last five years voluntary work)
I agree with you that the numeric count of years should not determine one's vision. However, to be real, it IS a deciding factor as to pace and potential endurance. That is a fact that ought not to be denied for fear of persuading the elderly to 'push their luck'.
I'm one of them!!
Bikepacking and Cycle Touring are NOT inherently hard UNLESS the routes chosen present unrealistic challenges.
The self-styled superheroes DO intimidate.
Challenges are relative - as you say.
Age after 65 becomes an increasing challenge that ought not to be disregarded lightly.
You've got such a good philosophy.
Don't forget Robin Cook who died on a basic hill-climb.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR LIMITS!!
IT'S ALL OUT THERE. - YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER YOU ARE READY FOR IT.
Best wishes - Paul
.
I do agree about age but only in terms of the physical side effects and not the number on paper. There are plenty of folk in the 60s and 70s who are fair better equipped to tackle a bike trip than some in the 20s and 30s.
You are never too old but you might be too unfit or too fragile and those things might be linked to your age.
The important point is that is no cutoff, it's personal. You construct your own adventures to fit your own abilities. I've heard so many stories of riders being patronised and frowned upon for reasons of gender and age and it makes me sad.
Know your limits? Yes absolutely essential.
Let others set your limits? Nah, forget that ;)
jETHRO - thankyou - y🤠our words have helped
I'm glad I could say something that made some kind of sense 😉
Thank you for watching!