I spent the morning in the São Paulo Cultural Centre – a place rather like London’s Barbican, combining library, art galleries, concert venues, free wifi public space and exhibition areas, one of which featured this fine array of wrecked cars (pic). At least I think it was an exhibit. It might have been the overflow…
Author: Rob Ainsley
Peru: Abra Málaga
I’ve signed up for a four-day ‘jungle trek’ to Machu Picchu, which involves a variety of methods of getting from Cuzco to the famous lost Inca city: hiking, zipwiring, and – today, the first day – biking. A minibus whisked our group up into the mountains via the pleasant Inca town of Ollantaytambo (pic). There’s…
Ecuador: Village life, Baños
I’m enjoying my few days in Baños, particularly the famous hot springs and baths. I expect my fellow hostellers are pleased about it, too. But today I struck out into the countryside for a spin on a hire bike. For $7 I got a surprise – an MTB that was actually big enough for me….
Ecuador: Local life, Otavalo
I hired a bike in Otavalo today, to explore the surrounding scenery and indigenous villages. I know two things from experience: if in doubt, hiring a bike is always the right thing to do; and it’ll always be too small for my 33″ inside leg. Both proved true again, as I cycled a few kilometres…
Colombia: Ciclovía, Bogotá
Every Sunday, from 7am-2pm, Bogotá cordons off (pic) long stretches of city-centre streets from motor traffic, opening them up for cyclists, walkers, skaters and joggers. It’s called Ciclovía meaning ‘cycleway’, loosely translated as ‘open streets’, and has been running for over 30 years. I hired a bike (pic) to take part. I chose it to…
M2H 14: Ferriby to Hull
The final leg was another stretch I’ve cycled many times. From Ferriby I followed the Trans Pennine Trail alongside the Humber (picture). There’s still a sign up claiming the route is ‘closed to cyclists’, even though it reopened weeks ago. Being an experienced touring cyclist, I always read such signs carefully. And then ignore them….
M2H 13: York to Ferriby
York looked lovely, on the hottest, most beautiful day of the year. The Millennium Bridge (picture) was busy with the city’s everyday cyclists shuttling across the Ouse to Rowntree Park. If they were hoping to play table tennis at the park’s free-access table they were to be disappointed, because we were using it. I rode…
M2H 12: Harrogate to York
Back home to York – a service stop for changing socks, offloading camping gear, eating curry etc – so a short day. In fact, all today’s highlights were in Knaresborough, traditional home of 16th-century prophetess Mother Shipton (picture). One of her lesser known predictions, clearly foreseeing the coming of the Tour, runs “…On iron wheels…
M2H 11: Aysgarth to Harrogate
A sociable day of beautiful but hilly stuff in and around Wharfedale (picture). I was relieved I’d put new brake blocks on back in Penrith. Much of the cycling was an uphill struggle. The socialising in cafes (picture, Kettlewell) certainly wasn’t. In fact, a combination of pushing up 1 in 5s, stopping constantly to take…
M2H 10: Penrith to Aysgarth
I followed quiet, rolling back lanes in the morning from Penrith to Kirkby Stephen, in the shadow of the Pennines. Some of the roads were surprisingly busy with traffic (picture). That’s rush hour just outside Appleby… Handsome Appleby is just about to play host to its famous annual horse fair, when lots of travellers come…