I’ve watched a LOT of cycling gear videos. This is by far the coolest.
Quek Shio is a director / creator / cyclist from Malaysia.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Category: cycling
Lael’s Record Cycling Around the World
Full Documentary.
Lael Wilcox is my cycling inspiration.
Incredible positive and upbeat.
In 2024, Lael Wilcox set a new world record for circumnavigation of the earth by bicycle.
For 108 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes she rode, joined by friends and fans, with her journey documented by Rugile Kaladyte.
This is the film of that ride, filled with highs and lows, incredible roads, friends and fans. Beyond the record, it’s about the experience and the connections made, and how the bicycle makes it possible.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (90min.)
Riding an ‘Electric Motorcyle’
Our first electric bicycle was my Dad’s Pedego Trike. Purchased 2019. Dad was worried his driver’s licence might not be renewed in his late 80s. This was a back-up plan.
It worked well for Dad (VIDEO), though he wasn’t keen to take it out unless weather was great.
He DID keep his driver’s licence to age-94.
Later, my brother and his wife purchased good value Ebgo e-bikes at Costco.
As a daily pedal bike cyclist, I’ve always pooh-poohed LAZY making bikes. 😀
However, it is clear to me that e-bikes are the future.
And recently I’ve been out on my brother’s electric a lot.
It’s not cycling. Riding an e-Bike is closer to riding an electric motorbike.
Motorbikes are fun. e-Bikes are fun.
They are much quicker than a pedal bike. Ours easily goes up to about 32km / hour.
Great for short trips — but not much fitness benefit.
On the down side, I find them much more dangerous than pedal bikes. Acceleration of electric vehicles is often faster than expected. And our Ebgo bikes sometimes simply take off without being prompted. I have to keep my hands on the brakes at all times, just in case.
This particular e-Bike is great on pavement. Good on hard pack and hard gravel. Poor for loose gravel and technical single track.
Here I am riding gravel to go check out possible hiking trails on Vancouver Island. Reconnaissance.
One day on this gravel trail out of Parksville, I turned back — two small bears made me think MOMMA might be close.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
My “Retiree” Routine
When not traveling, I stay with my Mom at her home in Parksville, B.C.
➙ PLEASE spread the rumour that I am some kind of son / saint caregiver. 😀
Though I tell people I’m semi-retired, I seem to be mostly retired in 2025.
Retirees tend to evolve a daily routine. Here’s mine as of …
March 2025
Wake EARLY
Pick up COFFEE at McDonalds
WALK the coastline at Dawn
Internet in the morning. Updating my 3 main websites. …More coffee.
Typically I don’t eat until 10:30am or later.
RUN or STAIRS in the morning.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
If I run, leisurely is 4.5km in 30min.
Lunch
1 or more hours CYCLING
Dinner. (I’m actually starting to cook a few things. Under my Mom’s direction. 😀)
Chores
Evening WALK or CYCLE. Most often just after sunset.
Upper body strength and endurance training at the playground. About 10 minutes.
I sometimes do an abdominal program at home, as well.
9pm TV
10pm SLEEP
Saturday and Sunday I try to shoot some basketball outside the local school.
I SHOULD start golfing once a week.
That’s my regular day. Of course, conflicting things come up.
Right now we’re drinking very little alcohol in Parksville. And I’m trying to eat less this winter compared with last year. Fewer sweets.
Health is still good. Dentures my biggest medical issue.
I continue to listen to about 3 audio books / week. At about 145% speed. Fewer podcasts.
I watch a lot of YouTube, as well.
In my “spare” time, 1st priority is VIDEO EDITING for my Hiking YouTube channel. Over 235 videos since I launched during the pandemic.
Most popular, so far, is a fantastic coastal hike in Portugal.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
My AURA Smart Bike Helmet by UNIT 1
Overall, I’m very happy with my Aura Helmet — and would recommend it to one and all.
Right now it’s probably the best smart helmet available.
The system is expensive, however. I paid USD $300 for the entire system. You might be able to buy the helmet alone for about $220.
I bought it on Kickstarter. (And might not use Kickstarter in future.)
My delivery was delayed by several months.
Click PLAY or watch my 3 month review on YouTube.
I used an A.I. voice over on that edit.
A helmet once saved me on a crash in New Zealand. I plan to wear this helmet more often into the future.
I’ll try not to lose it. 😀
IF you ride an electric bike, having the SAFEST possible helmet is even more critical.
- MIPS certified (Multi-directional Impact Protection System)
- Helmet with integrated lights front and back
- Magnetic smart lights that can be mounted anywhere
- Handlebar navigation remote control
- Smart phone app
I really like the quick magnetic attachment of 3 alternate visors. Wearing glasses full-time, very few other types of visors or cycling sunglasses fit.
BUT …
The process for pairing all the devices with Bluetooth is confusing. What’s on their various help videos is not what happened when I paired.
In addition, my first remote was faulty. Support was prompt. And they eventually shipped me a replacement.
The biggest complaint online is that the ON / OFF button is difficult. Personally, I like the fact that the helmet will not accidentally be turned on. I’m OK with the stiff button.
Click PLAY or watch an independent review on YouTube.
Here’s the company pitch.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Here’s one review of the top 4 smart helmets, as of the date of this post.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Cycling Cordilleras Blanca & Huayuash, Peru
An amazing adventure.
Mick Turnbull and Danielle O’Hara. Four weeks in July.
Personal stories like this is what I love about YouTube.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Their trip report is posted on Bikepacking.com
Where to TRAVEL in 2025?
Of course I have a half dozen different itineraries drafted. 😀
BUT which will end up happening?
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Highest priority destinations 2025:
- Indonesia for World Gymnastics Championships October
- Northern Australia
- Nepal in November (Everest Base Camp)
Medium priority destinations 2025:
- USA hiking part of the Pacific Crest Trail
- Denmark for cycling
- Germany for cycling
Low priority 2025:
- Iceland and the Faroe Islands (again)
- Madeira – Portuguese Islands
- Canary Islands – Spain
- East Africa
- northern Vancouver Island cycling
- Pakistan for hiking
- India for hiking
- Jordan for cycling
- Oman for cycling
- Taiwan for hiking
- Mongolia
- Greece
- Scotland
- Corsica
- Montenegro & Balkans
Any other recommendations for me?
Expedition Oregon Adventure Race
Perhaps we should put together an Adventure Racing team for Expedition Oregon. 😀
Only 250 miles of mtn bike, trekking, climbing, packrafting, rafting, navigation.
America’s toughest A.R. race.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
North to Alaska by Trevor Lund
North To Alaska: The True Story of An epic, 16,000-mile cycle journey the length of the Americas
I downloaded this book to read while cycling in Iceland’s wind and rain.
I had it easy compared to Trevor. 😀
At age-21, Trevor cycled 1800 miles down the west coast of Canada and the USA on a second-hand bike he had bought for around £20.
10 years later — in 1999 — he wanted more. Patagonia to Alaska .
His companion crapped out after the first few days. Trevor was alone.
His bicycle was terrible. No mobile phone. Very little money.
What’s different about this book compared with other similar adventures, is how honest and vulnerable the author is about all the many, many things that go wrong. You really feel the highs and lows.
Independently published Jan. 7, 2020.
Cycling Denmark
My biggest surprise cycling Europe in 2024 was Denmark.
It’s fantastic.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
I needed to cross Denmark south to north, coming from the Rhine river in Germany.
I had low expectations, basically planning to spend as few days in Denmark as possible while getting to the ferry to Faroe Islands.
NOW I want to go back to Denmark — the 2nd happiest nation in the world!
Highest priority is National Cycle Route 1, the West Coast Route. 560 kilometers from the German border.
National Cycle Route 12 ➙ Limfjord Route looks interesting, as well. I rode part of that from Aalborg summer 2024.
Third priority would be National Cycle Route 9 ➙ en route from Berlin to Copenhagen.
As I post, Denmark is my #1 cycling destination for the future. It would get me back to Germany, as well, which is fantastic with the Deutschland Rail ticket making public transit almost free.
Part of the attraction are the fantastic free campsites in an otherwise very expensive tourist nation.
I’m still brainstorming future cycling destinations.
Rick McCharles 