The Paparoa Track is officially New Zealand’s 10th GREAT WALK.
They really bungled that designation as one of the walks is actually a paddle.
Looks awesome for mountain biking.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Category: cycling
How to get out of a RUT
Do something BIG. Something SCARY.
Jed quit his job. Cycled to Patagonia.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
shooting vertical videos
An old dog, I much prefer landscape videos.
But the whole generation who started with TikTok feel portrait is normal.
As an experiment, I shot and edited one VERT video.
YouTube is soon to launch a TikTok competitor called “Shorts”, but it hasn’t happened yet.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I HATE Running
But days are too short in November – January in Canada to do multi-day hiking or cycling trips. I’m stuck with it.
Right now I’m alternating:
- Runs up to an hour. Up to 10km.
- Stairs series
- 100m sprint intervals
For runs I head off from home towards my favourite park. Turn around at the half way point in time / distance.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
RELATED:
Click PLAY or watch running Parksville in the Spring on YouTube. Flowers!
Click PLAY or watch running Bermuda on YouTube.
Happy March 193rd
#ManPlansGodLaughs
I had big plans for 2020. All postponed.
Instead I’ve spent most of the year in small town Parksville B.C. at my parent’s home. All is well with me and family. We have had very few COVID positive cases in this part of Canada. Almost everything is open.
We’re staying safe as possible in these troubling times.
Since March I’ve made about 15 overnight bikepacking trips. And now feel very confident in this new-to-me hobby.
As days grow short I’ll cycle less, run more. Add more playground conditioning. Add basketball. Perhaps add Golf.
I’d hoped to get to Nepal for November. But they can’t get the virus under control.
I’m now looking at Hawaii.
Stay safe.
Bikepacking the Colorado Trail
I’m adding this to my #BucketList.
I’ve hiked big sections of the Colorado Trail in the past. It’s TOUGH !
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
(via Adventure Blog)
UBeesize 54-inch Selfie Stick Tripod
For hiking I’m not often going to be carrying a full tripod. Too big. Too heavy.
But for cycling, I’ll often bring this one along.
I’ve spent hundreds of hours videotaping from tripods. But — until now — have never used one as an extended selfie stick.
Of many similar options, I got the Selfie Stick Tripod, UBeesize 51″ Extendable Tripod Stand with Bluetooth Remote for iPhone & Android Phone. I won’t be using the Bluetooth Remote.
- CAD $33
- 610 Grams
- suggested max weight is about 2.2 lbs/1Kg.
- 1/4” screw thread (fits my GoPro, Sony camera, OM 4 gimbal)
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch some of my tests on YouTube.
Cycling Whistler B.C.
Whistler is one of the top mountain biking destinations in the world.
There are a LOT OF TRAILS.
I like singletrack, twisty forested green trails best. Last week I cycled mostly around Lost Lake.
The easy trails are free. You do probably need to pay for parking.
This video gives you an idea of the terrain.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
CanaDream 4 days Calgary → Vancouver CAD $618
For the first time I rented a CanaDream camper van to get me and my bike back to the left coast.
My cost for up to 4 days, 3000 km is CAD $618 (US $466) including insurance. Plus about $340 for fuel. About $960 total.
That would be a great price for two people as flying cost over CAD $550 right now with bike. COVID prices. I should have flown or taken the bus for about $140.
That price is cheaper than usual from CANADREAM because more people rent Vancouver to Calgary than the other way around. It’s called a relocation sale.
I departed Calgary Friday August 21. Dropped the vehicle in Vancouver Tuesday August 25th.
Did some adventuring en route. But not as much as I had hoped. I was behind the wheel for 2000 km.
Wild camped one night. Stayed in inexpensive campgrounds the other three. If you don’t plug in to electricity and water, cost is only $15 – $25 at B.C. Recreation sites.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Rick McCharles 