IntenseDebate - Tom Allen

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - The Brick Wall Of Eter... · 0 replies · +1 points

Thanks Mum! Hope I'm not the only one who reads this...

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - Why I Can't Live In Ar... · 0 replies · +1 points

There are as many ways to travel as there are travellers, I guess. For me, the important thing at the outset was to see some of the world and have a great adventure on a mountain bike, for the sake of adventure itself and for the freedom to go anywhere at any speed from 20 to 200km a day. Round-the-world per se wasn't the focus, but it seemed to be a good way to explain the idea to media/sponsors.

I think it's good to have a goal of some sort, not necessarily for the final achievement but more because it can help give a direction to a process which can easily become lost and unfocused. I never intended to let the goal dominate my experience and attitude to the day-to-day act of travelling - I set no time limit and am very glad to not have done so. I know of plenty of people who did so and regretted it!

I think a variety of modes of transport would be great fun - walking and sailing are really appealing, and hitching is always an experience. Motorbiking's probably not for me - too fast and I suppose not quite challenging enough at this age!

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - Magura Louise Hydrauli... · 0 replies · +1 points

Hi Joe, thanks for this. It sounds like the other brands of brakes might be easier to repair from what you've said. It's a shame that the caliper end of the hose can't be refitted easily. I carry a spare hose which weighs next to nothing, and any light oil will work to refill the system, so if I snap a hose I should be OK, although it hasn't happened yet - the hoses seem to be very durable.

I also carry a tube of plastic which can be cut and heat-welded around a broken section of hose using the flame from a lighter, although I hope things never get that desperate! I wouldn't write off Maguras for the reasons you've given, though - it's just a case of bringing a spare hose along.

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - Along the Egyptian Nil... · 0 replies · +1 points

Hi Ramez, I'm happy you found encouragement here. Egypt is a great place to cycle, especially along the Nile and away from the tourism areas where it is quite flat and easy. I didn't do any planning. I found it very easy to find food and water on the Nile as there are towns and villages all the time. There were a couple of days in the Sinai desert where I didn't find any food or water and I had to bring it with me. People were very friendly outside of the tourist areas and often gave me somewhere to sleep. I camped in the Sinai desert, but by the Nile there were a lot of people. I think you'd find it easy to find places to sleep most of the time, maybe easier than me because you are from Egypt and can communicate! It might be quite hot in the summer though...

Good luck, please do ask if you have any other questions. I hope you enjoy the trip.

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - Getting Married And Qu... · 0 replies · +1 points

You're right. I think that technology's rapid advance has far outpaced society's ability to form moral standards for the new abilities it gives us. The information age is still in it's infant phase and it's very difficult to see where it's going. Very interesting to watch, as well!

Thanks for the comment - I'd be interested to see where your research takes you, if you are planning on publishing anything at the end of it...

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Main - Video · 0 replies · +1 points

The videos are now back online!

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - Why I Can't Live In Ar... · 1 reply · +1 points

Thank you so much for this comment - it was very interesting to read and you've inspired me to write a more detailed blog on how I perceiveArmenian society. What were you doing in Armenia?

I think you would find that quite a lot has changed (superficially) in Yerevan and elsewhere, although the underlying attitudes you mention are very familiar-sounding. I'll be doing a few interviews and I really need to collect my thoughts on a lot of things before publishing what I expect is going to be another essay-length blog, so watch this space. Thanks again!

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - How To Film Your Solo ... · 0 replies · +1 points

Thank you Robertjan. Hope to have more videos online soon!

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - Why I Can't Live In Ar... · 0 replies · +1 points

Maybe you're right. I do think it's easy for anyone to slip into the habit of skipping over anything more than a couple of screen-lengths long. I know I do it during really busy times! And I still find it hard to make time to sit down and read one of the books on my growing pile of must-reads. I find cycle touring gives me loads of time for this - extended lunch breaks and long nights at camp. So at this rate I'm going to need an extra pannier just for carrying reading material!

14 years ago @ Ride Earth Tom - Why I Can't Live In Ar... · 0 replies · +1 points

Canada is indeed a consideration!

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