RIDE STATS

Started: 01/04/2018 London, UK
Finished: 12/07/2019 Auckland, NZ
Days elapsed: 468

Bikes: Surly Disc Truckers (full spec here)

Countries: 20
Continents: 4
Distance: 12,822 km / 7,967 mi
Elevation: 107,626 m / 353,104 ft
Ride days: 236
Rest days: 232  

Europe

[UK] > Spain > France > Switzerland > Germany > Denmark > Norway > Sweden > Latvia > Estonia > Russia

134 days
4,957 km / 3,080 mi
39,004 m / 127,966 ft

Asia

Nepal > India // Dubai & Malaysia (long layovers)

173 days
3,883 km / 2,413 mi
33,118 m / 108,655 ft

Africa

Kenya > Uganda > Rwanda > Tanzania

125 days
3,601 km / 2,238 mi
32,711 m / 107,320 ft

Oceania

Australia > New Zealand

36 days
381 km / 237 mi
2,793 m / 9,163 ft

records

100+ km rides: 5
Biggest ride: 161 km / 100 mi (for charity)
Biggest climb: 1,226 m / 4,022 ft (Ooty, India)
Biggest elevation: 1,675 m / 5,495 ft (Karnataka, India)

Highest altitude cycled: 5,416 m / 17,769 ft (Annapurna, Nepal)
Highest altitude hiked: 4,940 m / 16,207 ft (EBC, Nepal)
Highest altitude slept: 4,940 m / 16,207 ft (EBC, Nepal)

mountain ranges

Cantabrian (Spain)
Pyrenees – (Spain and France)
Rhône-Alpes (France and Switzerland)
Jura (Switzerland)
Black Forest (Germany)
Hallingskarvet (Norway)
Himalayas (Annapurna, KTM Valley) (Nepal)
Western Ghats (India)
Nilgiri – (India)
Eastern Ghats (India)
Shevaroy (India)
Kenyan Highlands (Kenya)
Eastern Rift (Kilimanjaro) (Tanzania)

bike fails

Fallen off: Dan 8, Jen 9
Puncture: Dan 6, Jen 4
Cracked rim: Dan 1, Jen 1
Snapped cable: Dan 0, Jen 2
Snapped spoke: 0
Bike shop visits: 7

retired components

Services: 2
Schwalble Marathon Mondial 26x2.0 (circa 9,400 km)
Shimano XT M8000 casette (circa 9,400 km)
Shimano 105 chain (circa 9,400 km)
Shimano 105 chain (circa 3,000 km)

accommodation

75% – in a bed
23% – in our tent
2% – in transit

Wild camp: 35
Campsite: 62
Village camp: 9
Hotel: 288
Campervan: 16
Family, friends & hosts: 38
Warm Showers: 1
In transit: 13
Hospital: 1
Back home: 4

transport

Plane: 39,657 km / 24,642 mi (9)
Helicopter: 145 km / 90 mi (1)
Ferry: 2,746 km / 1,706 mi (15) 
Train: 6,498 km / 4,038 mi (9)
Bus: 2,566 km / 1,594 mi (11)
Taxi: 106 km / 66 mi (1)
Hitchhike: 124 km / 77 mi (4)
Hiked: 174 km / 108 mi (11)

blog posts

If you’re a bit daunted by the sixty-odd weeks’ of blog posts, fear not, here are ten of the most eventful weeks to get you started. The week we…

• …cycled the Annapurna Circuit

• …went to Russian court

• …came face-to-face with a hyena

• …got airlifted off Everest

• …had a dance off with Maasai

• …had a mammoth bus journey

• …got stuck up a mountain in Norway

• …got offered bribes at Nepali Customs

• …stayed in a brothel

• …got scammed on a ferry

WILDLIFE on bike (Africa)

Hyena, hippo, elephant (at night), giraffe, zebra, red columbus monkey, meerkat, ostrich, wild ass, warthog, impala, baboon, wildebeest, buffalo, vervet monkey, gecko, bat.

WILDLIFE ON SAFARI (Africa)

Lion and cubs, hyena, elephant, jackal, hippo, zebra, giraffe, impala, buffalo, baboon, gazelle, wildebeest, warthog.

Birds spotted (Africa)

Black heron, vulture, marabou stork, hamerkop, crowned hornbill, hornbill, black and white casqued hornbill, black crowned crane, green ibis, African sacred ibis, African starling, fish eagle, guinea fowl, black heron, woodpecker, African pitta, pied crow.

money raised for charity

£1737.23 for East Africa Children’s Project

silly STATS

Dog chases: 31
Unusual roadkill: horse, cow & zebra (not together)
Spotted on moped: coffin (not sure if it was empty)
Most on moped: 5 men

Selfies in India: 98
Crossed equator: 5
iPhone cables: 8
Big arguments: 14
Most redic argument: over hard drives

Visitors: 10
Visits from Tom: 4 (UK, Dubai, Nepal, Malaysia)
Visits from Jacob: 3 (Germany, UK, Tanzania)

Longest without showering: 7 days
Sick days: Dan 4, Jen 1
Hospitalised: Dan 1, Jen 0
Ticks: Dan 12, Jen 2
Leeches: Dan 15, Jen 9

Blocks of butter: 37
Baguettes in France & Spain: 54
McDonald’s: 32
Dominoes 3
Pizza Hut: 3
KFC: 5