Loretta Henderson – Page 18 – Solo Female Cycling Around The World

Back In My Wheels, My Hubby Rohloff Could Soften Any Heart

The creaking door swings wide on aging post office hinges that have watched closely over many a reunion. The shipping counter is cluttered with stacks of patrons; piles of invoices, blur my vision as I gaze through the distant crowd looking for my hubby Mr. Rohloff Wheel.

Will he look the same, more importantly will he feel the same between my wheels, I wonder as he rounds the shelf and he appears before my eyes. It is a glorious reunion, for almost a month apart, can soften any cranky soul who has longed for their partners return. Vowing to change on the parting, the impending courtship of a larger sprocket and repaired bearing on return, I can only bask in contentment of the glorious sight of a renewed relationship.

True to form, of any man longing for another ride between my wheels, my hubby Rohloff has arrived with gifts, Rohloff AG t-shirts, oil change kit, new cables, n/c sprocket change, new gear cables and most importantly a large apology, that I fully accept from the Rohlof AG Hospital for his delay. A no cost visit to Germany will certainly derail any worries I may have had about his long awaited return. For after all, even Rohloff AG hospital staff at times can make mistakes and choose ineffective return shipping options. No more can be said, I must go, for after all it is our first night of many back together again. Updated lubrication, sexy t-shirts, a more efficient sprocket for my riding style and new cables, it will certainly be a night to remember. What will those crazy Germans think up next. Perhaps, even giving my hubby a run for his money.

photo credit

Waiting On A Man, Rohloff, Where Are You?

Perched high in a round balcony, a widow peers out into the distance Mediterranean oceans waiting on a sailor who left for the hospital in Germany a long time ago. Since the early 1800’s, when the first widows perch was built women have sat patiently and waited for the return of a life they once knew. It is now 2012, I find myself in camaraderie with the women of history as I sit halted from my world bicycle tour waiting on a man, my hubby Rohloff.

The other day, I came across the rules for women cyclists in the 1800’s. Times have changed for WOW women on wheels for we are now not so rare. For instance in 1895, Annie Londonderry became the first women to cycle the world. Motivated by the suffragist movement, dared in a public courtyard, Annie set off by bicycle to show the world she could indeed take care of herself, and with a derailleur she probably did. Annie Londonderry certainly wasn’t waiting on a man to start or finish her world bicycle tour.

Fast forwards a few hundred years and unlike Annie Londonderry, I find myself waiting on a man, my hubby Mr. Rohloff Wheel. He has been a steady companion proving to be unstoppable in any condition through 18 countries. Never a tool have I ever held to his adjustments. As anyone who has read Top 5 Reasons Why Rohloff Makes The Perfect Hubby, I am firm believer in the modernization of too clog-able often replaced derailleur.

However, it is most important to remember that people have been pedaling up mountains wearing nothing but flip flops for a very long time. And going with what you got truly takes the Rohloff verses derailleur debate by any vote. Even so, I will never complain about my modern expensive hubby Rohloff’s reliability on mountain, desert and ocean roads. Mud, rust and clog free, his no maintenance style has softened my heart and turned me into a committed partner.

Regrettably, there had to be a trial separation recently between me and my hubby. He was sent off to Germany for repairs. Roadside assistance, he will not bear for he had busted his bearing, a not too common issue for his age. However, when his bearing blew he needed to be shipped to the Rohloff hospital in Germany, so I detoured my route and ventured to Greece, Cyprus from the Iran/Turkey border because EU Cyprus garnishes the EU data post mailing service.

So what is the story on how long a woman should wait for a man?

December 30^th I sent my wheel to Rohloff Germany expecting an “expedited” repair, my hubby arrives 5 days later to Germany with the EU Data Post mailing service.

January 4^th received by Rohloff and than a 5 days wait for the arrival of a tire I ordered from England sent to Rohloff. The Rohloff hospital in Germany indeed serviced my hubby very promptly and he left the shop for his return voyage with a new tire (1/11).

January 11^th Rohloff’s return shipping of an expedited repair EU to the EU?,13 plus days and still no hubby. Apparently, he must have been sent by mule. By the time I get back on tour perhaps even my hubby Mr Rohloff Wheel will have joined the camp of cyclists who are and will always be derailleur fans.

January 18^th The post office here in Greece EU Cyprus said that if Rohloff had of been sent as certified, registered and/or express mail, the same service that I utilized for my delivery of my hubby Rohloff, I could have been back in my wheels in 1-3 days.

January 24^th 26 days later, Rohloff lingers longer then a widow at her perch longing for a life she once knew, and I still sit like my sisters of history not yet back on tour pondering the word “expedited repair” waiting on a man.

photo credit

What’s A Purist Anyway…Do You Walk The Line?

The purist cyclist will pass up a bus, train or plane, never walk the line and cycle everywhere they travel. Johnny Cash would of made a fine bicycle tourist. Like sobriety is to an alcoholic, a purist is determined to tackle daily route planning logistics of a bicycle tour without motorized support, boats being the exception because you can’t cycle on water anyway. However, even Johnny had his uppers and downers.

On a multi-country bicycle tour sometimes tackled by visas, time restraints, health situations or inclement weather, I do believe even Johnny may off decided to walk the line or take a bus, plane or train if he had too. Despite pedaling through a ring of burning fire many a cyclist that I have met will not take a bus or train unless absolutely mandatory. For instance, customs mandates a no cycling rule between the China/Pakistan, the China/Mongolia and Pakistan/Iran border (2009-2011). With a determination to continue cycling despite missed opportunities or a conversation with new friends onward we go as determined to say good-bye as cycle.
I am guilty of the latter for the first 8 months of my world tour. No one could have gotten me off the magic bicycle, not even Johnny Cash. Now it seems ridiculous to have missed out on all those experiences, which now form my cornerstone memories of bicycle travel. Perhaps, once I got to a certain point in cycling it just didn’t matter anymore about pedaling there quicker. For I knew I would eventually get there.

Even now, I am not a big fan of fast public transportation and I prefer the magic bicycle any day of the week. However, I did get to see the Dali Llama, the big DL himself in India because I lingered about for 12 days with my visa ticking away. In the end, I had to pedal 100km, hop a bus for another 100km and then get out and pedal 30km to the border in order to not over stay my Indian visa. What do I remember most about this day? It certainly isn’t the bus or the cycling, it’s the warm memory of the big DL grinning as he reached over and blessed the people all around me.

However, in order to avoid the possibility of an aviation box packing bicycle pedal removing affair, I have found myself at a cross roads between a magic bicycle and a plane on the Island of Cyprus. All public ferry boats heading to Egypt/Africa have been cancelled. The private sailing community is waiting out the storm for the winter. Syrian visas aren’t available and passenger boats to Israel, the land bridge to Egypt/Africa start in the spring. Israel is also known for stamping your passport rendering it invalid.

The only affordable boat off of Cyprus is to Turkey. My original plans have been halted faster than a plane in a thunder storm. So, I will be taking the pedal/water way west through Turkey to Italy and then a boat to Morocco and head south through West Africa. Due to talk of added military presence in the Sahara of East Africa, it remains questionable whether freedom camping; pedaling sans military convoy and/or guide is even possible right now. With the Gobi and Taklimakan deserts behind me, and my love of pedaling and camping in deserts firmly engraved in my being, the mack daddy of all deserts, the Sahara, is finally here.

As long as I keep sleeping in my little tent, pedal in the cold rain of the EU winter and do not over indulge the budget on Italian food, the costs will be about the same. Purist or Johnny Cash I am not but perhaps this time I am, for I will be pedaling west dressed in black.

Rohloff or Roll On, You Decide

After about 30,000 uncounted kilometers, Pandemic The Magic bicycle is suffering a cough due to cold, a pesky hiccup of sorts that persists with a hypochondriac’s insistence that something is not quite right.

In 2009, my first magic bicycle tour began when I left SJS cycles in England on a thorn raven touring bicycle. I was equipped with full set of top of the line Shimano components, sexy steel forks and my Rohloff internal gear system. Rolling with full amazement that only a baby’s first steps to bicycle touring can muster, we headed out the bike shop door.

Fast forward, 16 countries, 2 and ½ years and about 30,000km’s later, I am now still on my first bicycle tour and many lessons away from Europe. I am in India having just pedaled the Himalaya. How’s the Rohloff rolling these days?…you might wonder. Wobble I do, on a possible warn bearing, through Kashmir, Manali to Leh highway and Spiti Valley of N. India. My Rohloff began wobbling in the Taklamakan desert, China with increasing retaliation about 4000km ago, instead of rolling with the same steady flawless confidence it has always shown. I contacted Rohloff, a company notorious for great service and support of bicycle tourists like me on the road. True to form, Rohloff responded immediately and will be replacing the bearing and warn sprocket at no cost, a 2 day repair plus shipping.

(Rolling on last year in Mongolia When I met Micheal on a titanium racing bike. He felt the Rohloff was too heavy)

Rohloff’s sturdy internal 14 gear system and longevity means the wheel wobble will not prevent me from pedaling forward through Pakistan, Iran and closer to Europe, where the entire wheel will be shipped back to Germany for the repair at no cost under an amazing lifetime warranty. I have met cycle tourists who over the course of a 4 year continuous bicycle tour had to replace their cassette, derailleur and entire gear unit not once but 3 times. Sure my wheel at the start costs a little more but after all this time of flawless gears while pedaling, one repair at the cost of 38 euros for shipping seems like quite the bargain. Rohloff or Roll on, you decide.

Adventures Of A Solo Cyclist, An Article By Vaugh Himmelsbach

I was interviewed for an article about women’s adventure travel by Chick Savvy Travels, a CA based travel website. I thought I would share the article written by Vawn Himmelsbach here as well.

Loretta Henderson was not a cyclist, nor was she a traveler, but she had been obsessing over a dog-eared book about adventure bicycle travel for years — and coming up with every excuse why she couldn’t do something like that. But at the moment, the Cobourg, Ont., native is pedaling her way through Cyprus. In fact, she’s been pedaling since 2009, putting 33,000 kilometres on her bike through 18 countries to date. And she’s doing it solo, on a shoestring budget.

“If you had asked me as a kid if my major relationship at this point in my life would be with a bicycle I would have laughed,” she said in an email interview. “But here I am, happy as can be, deeply committed and grateful to be attached to a bicycle wondering how I got so lucky.”

After years of coming up with excuses, she flew to England, bought a bicycle, which she called “The Pandemic” (after the bird flu that was prevalent at the time) and decided to give it a whirl.

She admits, however, she skipped over the “getting in shape” step, with exactly zero kilometres of cycling experience and zero amount of time invested in getting fit. The bicycle mechanic who sold her the bike even made a sarcastic comment as to whether she was a “real” cyclist. Not that that stopped her.

“I am a big fan of going with what you’ve got. There are thousands of top-end gear choices on the market and most people could work for a lot of hours to be able to afford them,” said Henderson.

Her advice? Put your money into the best tires you can afford and pedal out the door. “People from around the world have been pedaling one-speed bicycles up mountains wearing flip flops since the beginning of time. Just go!”

At the age of 37, she started cycling along the coast of Wales and on to Ireland. She has since been traveling across the world by bike and boat through the South Pacific, Asia and the Middle East on her way to Africa, and is currently in Iran. “I would love to wake up from my tent door and see a zebra or a giraffe somewhere near Capetown, South Africa, in the next year or so,” she said.

Her adventures — and her thoughts about whether women really do this sort of thing on their own — became the motivation behind her bicycle touring website skalatitude.com, which chronicles her travels. She also created the WOW (Women On Wheels) Wall, where solo female cyclists can share their experiences.

“I am convinced, despite having only met three so far, that solo women venturing off alone by bicycle are growing in numbers,” she said, pointing to the fact that some of the best bicycle touring books have been written by women, such as Dervla Murphy, Josie Dew and Anne Mustoe.

Henderson wanted to do something worthwhile while she was cycling her way around the world. While she funds her travels through donations from individuals and small businesses (she has a “donate” button on her website), she’s also raising money for BEN Namibia through the sale of her Be The Adventure t-shirts.

BEN (Bicycling Empowerment Network) Namibia partners with community-based organizations to construct bicycle ambulances (at a cost of around $500 each), which are used to transport people to clinics and hospitals.

A bicycle ambulance includes a removable stretcher with adjustable backrest and sun shade, as well as a carry bag for medical supplies.

Traveling this way has allowed her to see a different side of countries that are portrayed a certain way in the media. When one thinks about Pakistan, for example, one often conjures up images of the Taliban and roadside bombs. Henderson views Pakistan as a must-see bicycle touring location.

“As a traveler, I was shielded by my adventurous spirit and rewarded with a hospitality that quickly detonates any misconceptions the media has fired up about the place,” said Henderson. “Mongolia had always been my favourite destination, but I must admit Pakistan now holds that spot for my favourite country. The people are great fun!”

So is it safe to travel solo? Henderson does garner a lot of male attention, but she shrugs it off. “Not often does it happen in life that you are mistaken for a porn star. And, as much as I am flattered by the mistake, it is usually best to laugh and pedal on,” she said.

Henderson camps for free, whether in family gardens, farmer’s fields or dried-up river beds — generally where she can find a hiding spot for her tent. She keeps her bike as close to the tent as possible and occasionally ties a string from her bike to her arm if she’s unsure of her surroundings.

Her most courageous moment, however, had nothing to do with anything dangerous or life-threatening. “I dropped my camera in a pit toilet near Tibet in Western China. I actually went after it and saved my photos and YouTube video blogs,” said Henderson. “Retrieving that camera from the pit toilet and saving thousands of photos and video is by far the most courageous thing I have ever done.”

The original article was written by Vawn Himmelsbach and posted at Chick Savvy Travels.

Tips and Magic Bicycle Tricks For Bicycle Touring With Only Two Panniers

As anyone who has read Roll’in With My Hommies, How To Bicycle Tour Anywhere With Only 2 Panniers knows, Pandemic The Magic Bicycle is a close personnel friend of Houdini’s. Pandemic The Magic Bicycle ran into Houdini at the Spokes Bar for a talk about bicycle touring anywhere with only 2 panniers.

Pandemic The Magic Bicycle:

So Houdini, you are into bondage, are you an S and M freak or something? What’s with all the straps you got on the outside of your back rack?

Houdini:

Take it easy Pandemic, I only got into bondage because I was afraid of being too weighted down with unnecessary equipment. By the way, I love your rohloff equipped Thorn Raven…Oh la la. And, like your 2 pannier bicycle touring set up, my escape artist act has been spoken of as a very efficient use of space… of course, you can forgo a bulky cook set and put an MSR int’l whisper lite stove inside one large pot. You just have to pick the right pot. MSR Pot or cheap pot like the one you might already have is a great use of pannier space. Please don’t tell anyone Pandemic but I do get off on back rack bondage. Thanks for letting me know that your sea to summit light dry sack tore very easy, I agree those light weight Ortlieb dry bags are a lot tougher.

Pandemic the Magic Bicycle:

Houdini we have known each other since 2009, you and we have stuck together through continuous bicycle touring in 18 countries. Can I talk to you about some personnel stuff, I been having some issues….with change. It’s hard to talk about because it has happens quite a bit. My Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires keep getting changed from front to back due to uneven wear. On the bright side, I have cycled/boat/cycled the same Schwalbe tires from N. Oz to the Turkey/Iran border. Punctures? Hardly any, unlike you Houdini I don’t mess with that kind of necessary bondage. Funny enough, I have only used one small patch kit, although, I did have to replace the glue twice. Yo, Houdini, did you know that glue evaporates inside panniers. What’s up with that, did you have something to do with it?

Houdini:

Whatever Pandemic, how’s your rohloff doing? What makes you think you are magic anyway, you got a screw loose or something?

Pandemic the Magic Bicycle:

Stay inside the box will y’ah. Screw loose? N’ah man, I have only snapped one rack bolt in all this time, that’s why I carry only a small tools and spares bag and no extra bicycle parts. When the bolt snapped, I stole a bolt off of a bottle cage and repaired the back rack until I could buy the right bolt. I also have one handmade allen key multi-tool and one rohloff/pedal wrench. My hardly used and not missed leatherman multi-tool used to live in a small pannier under the saddle, a brooks B-17 standard, women’s. This was taken so I no longer want any small panniers bags on the exterior of my frame. Thanks to a puzzling contortionist packing technique that I sure you can understand Houdini, bicycle touring anywhere with only 2 panniers is definitely possible.

Houdini:

Pop a wheely Pandemic and stay in touch as you continue pedaling to Capetown. You are in Cyprus aren’t you? Which route will you take?

Pandemic The Magic:

Excuse me for a minute, I am not feeling well; my logistics just puked on my air sickness. The ferry boats to Egypt from Cyprus and EU to Egypt have been cancelled. They still run, summer only to Israel. Due to airsickness, flying is not an option. Syria visa? Pedal/Boat/Pedal to Morocco? I haven’t decided yet, for now, I’m just wait’in on a man.

Man In The Mirror…How To Turn Illusions Into Realities and Start a Bicycle Tour

Photo Credit London To Kathmandu By Bicycle

Illusion: Bicycle Tourists must be super fit

It is true that a sustained level of daily activity such as bicycle touring does do some good for cardiovascular health, however, some bicycle tourists lack or have lost their upper and core body strength.

I no longer have my wood chopping arms or a natural six pack tummy acquired not from a gym but from hours of chopping wood and walking in the snow back in my prior life in Alaska.

Reality: It is possible to gain some weight while

bicycle touring

When the world over says that I must be super fit I typically say ‘Fit? Fit for the mental hospital and that’s about it’, or ‘no man, I am just trying to stay out of jail’. I have met people who have grown bellies from touring and others who have trimmed done their waist lines. Like everything in life, nutrition and what is available to eat on tour are big factors.

Illusion: You must start with a small bicycle tour and work up to a longer tour

I and a few other men and WOW (Women On Wheels) had zero cycling experience prior to a world tour. Granted when I left the bicycle shop in England my throbbing neck and creaking Achilles tendons might have been an issue through Wales to Ireland if I hadn’t been grinning so hard over the handle bars of finally starting my long dreamed of adventure. 18 countries later, I am still grinning and learning as I go.

Reality: You do not need prior experience, just a sense of adventure and a willingness to try

Camping and sleeping for free cuts back on costs and I have spent many a day spending nothing more then $2-4 (USD) on food. Biciclown who has been on the road since 2004 usually spends less then 6 (EU) no matter where he is touring. Travelling Two is a great website highlighting all sorts of folks that have toured continents such as Africa and S. America for 10,000 (EU) for a couple’s tour. World Biking is another huge resource for cycle tourists, these two have been touring since 2006 on a low budget. Touring for cheap ($7usd a day) in SE Asia is very popular.

Illusion: Bicycle Touring is very expensive

The Karakorum Highway, Pakistan ($4usd a day) is my favorite place for glaciers that touch the pedals, beautiful free camping and wonderful people. Pakistan is even cheaper than India ($6usd a day). Warmshowers is a website dedicated to finding free warm showers for cyclists; it’s full of bicycle touring on the cheap supporters. Coughsurfing is another resource for meeting locals, sleeping for free and budget bicycle touring. Camping and sleeping for free inside can be pretty easy, the world over seems to understand bicycle touring.

Illusion: Girly Girl Gear For Guys Too

is too expensive, you can’t afford it

Many people get off the bus and get a $100 bicycle at a local market and pedal on. Central, SE Asia and India are great for that. I have seen backpacks strapped to pieces of wood for 1000’s of KMS and handmade panniers that have gone the distance. Couples touring is less costly then solo touring but even than 3-8 USD is less then you might spend on a mug of beer or coffee back home. An expensive bicycle might insure less time spent on repairs but the memories acquired and the smiles of a dream in action will surely curb some of the worries of saving cash and putting off the dream.

Reality: Locals have been pedaling up mountains on old one speed bicycles wearing nothing but flip flops for a very long time

If someone decided to write a bongs and bicycles article I am fairly certain they would find a contributor. Tobacco can be found in some panniers and there are plenty of WOW (women on wheels) and men who enjoy a good drink. Dervla Murphy and Helen Lloyd who counted miles and beers throughout Africa come to mind.

Reality: Bicycle Tourists come in all sizes and personality types, say hello to one today!

Next month’s newsletter is in the works. I would love to hear about your favorite article of outdoor gear and why. Please say hello at skalatitude@gmail.com, FB or Twitter

Ssshhhh, I Can’t Hear You…Why I Love My MSR Whisper Lite Stove

The MSR int’l whisper lite might lack the glimmer of a low simmer but boil it will in a record breaking spill

No need to buy the primus for surely all those fuel cartridges will cause an international fuss

Up in flames she went due to my unattended head, I screwed the cap on wrong, for I must have been thinking about a bong

To no avail, she recovered from my fail and she still burns great even if you’ve cycled all day and it’s getting late

Pasta on demand in a quick boiling camp pan, I am stumped for a better nutritional plan

High altitude passes and the Gobi desert she has gone and even then this stove hasn’t gone wrong

Her silent ways have been proven with every cent well spent even packed tight into a pannier you won’t find a dent

What’s that you say? You want one today but sssssh I can’t hear you. For the whisper lite is always right even if the operator is fresh from a rain soaked bicycle touring night

Special note: Just so you know, I am unsponsored by MSR and enjoy writing about things that have proven to work from almost 3 years of continuous bicycle touring through 18 countries. However, the bicycle ambulance project is on my mind. If you shop at amazon.com through this website it doesn’t cost you anything extra and I receive a small amount, about 1% of the sale. The money will go towards the purchase of a bicycle ambulance and will be given to a community in Namibia when I arrive by bicycle. The profits from the Be The Adventure T-shirts also go towards the bicycle ambulance project. If you shop at amazon.com anyway, a big thanks to you for remembering to shop through the amazon.com icon on the right sidebar.

Roll’in With My Homies…How To Bicycle Tour With Only Two Panniers

I have been asked several times how I got bicycle touring gear and a camping kit into 2 Ortlieb panniers and no handlebar bag instead of the typical 4-5 pannier set up. The answer is Houdini is a close personnel friend of Pandemic The Magic bicycle, just kidding. Here are 5 myths debunked about lightweight 4 season bicycle touring.

Myth 1 You must not be camping

I camp and only sleep inside in big cities when it’s cheap and/or makes sense. My camping kit for the last few years of continuous touring consists of…

Tent/Home

I had an amazing Vaude Hogan Ultra light which was too hot for the tropics of SE Asia until I lost the poles. A small patchable hole encouraged me to purchase a new tent.

Tent 2, Big Agnes Fly Creek 1. This tent was too small and not tough enough. The mesh ripped almost immediately and the zipper gave out after only 2 months. Things kept failing out of the pocket and hitting me in the head and I wouldn’t describe this free standing tent as free standing.

Tent 3, It’s necessary to have a tent without holes for poisonous bugs up ahead in Africa therefore Tent 3 is on it’s way. Tent 2 I will cut and use as a double ground cloth. Thanks to a online x-mas sale plus coupon I purchased the Mountain Hardwear skyledge 2.1 for $196. Happy New Years and Gears to me!

MSR whisper light int’l stove, which after some cleaning of the fuel pump has been unstoppable at altitude and with use of various fuels in the Middle East, great in all conditions so far.

Franscesco from Italy on the Manali to Leh Highway, Himalayan Mtns., N. India

Cook Pot (unknown brand) , a plastic container from China with a sealable lid that serves as a sauce holder, take-away container and coffee cup. I often cook lunch at breakfast time and store it in the container.

Fork, spoon, chopsticks, knife. I have two knives, a buck knife and an X-L REDRUM type knife that I found on the road in Malaysia. It’s great for cutting watermelons and heads (just kidding).

Sleeping Pad REI ¾ inflatable, bought off of another bicycle tourist who was done camping in N. India. Until then, I had an $8 blue foam mat that I replaced on route, which I miss.

Sleeping Bag Mountain Hardwear 3 season. It is a warm, wide women’s bag and there’s enough room inside for me to curl up.

Water bag, Ortlieb 20L it makes a great hot shower and water carrier for expedition type areas. Others have reported they are easy to puncture and that the MSR water bags are tougher but mine is holding up fine.

Dervla Murphy, Ireland To India

Myth 2. You must never change your clothes

Cycling Shirts

Call me a girly girl here but I usually carry 8 bohemian cotton shirts, long and short sleeved purchased cheap on route, shorts, a couple of tank tops, 5 multi-functional buffs for my shaggy locks and 6 pairs of socks because my only shoes are Shimano cycling sandals given to me in Malaysia.

Be The Adventure Panties

Houdini loves my ‘be the adventure panties’, so I remember to always pack these. I have a fake arct’rex fleece jacket, marmot precip jacket, 3 pairs of thin gloves and faux leather over-mittens that I made for $.50 because my Gortex over-mitts were stolen.

Thermals

A full set of thermals (brand unknown), pants, 1 short and 2 long sleeve synthetic tops which are all perfect for rain, snow and mtns . In the rain, I pedal in my Gortex ski pants that I have had for a decade. They are too heavy for warmer rain but are amazing to warm up fast in wet cold temperatures. Travelers since the beginning of time have worn hats so I have 3+ of those as well. I usually find them on the road and wash and wear them.

Loretta Henderson (me) in Tibet, China

Myth 3 You must not have a laptop

Asus Eee PC

On a bad day, writing until I laugh makes me feel better, therefore, I carry an Asus Eee PC ($300usd) purchased in Thailand which I named Prozac. I also carry a Nikon L120 camera, 3 mp3 players, a cell phone that I don’t use and all the electrical cords. I have a tool bag full of spare bolts and tools that I have found on the roads. I pick up anything metal that might help a magic bicycle or Houdini.

Myth 4 You must be on a short bicycle tour

I have been on the road since 2009, 18 countries and a not counted number of KM’s. Bicycle computers are great but too easy to lose. The first six months I had the traditional set up of 4 panniers. I cycled for 3 months with one front pannier completely empty. This bothered my brain while pedaling because I was no longer balanced literarily. I send my water purifier home which was never used and never since been missed, called Houdini and had him pack the back 2 panniers. I added a light Ortlieb dry bag that I carry inside a pannier. It can expand and be attached to the back rack to hold a week or more worth of food for expedition areas.

(the front bag is from a backpack I found on the road, it was an experiment that didn’t last long)

Myth 5 You are a midget bicycle tourist

Ok, this might not be a myth. At 5 foot 1 and ¾ inches, I have never been the biggest kid in the class. I met a tall cyclist who was very weight conscious. He looked at my fit for Houdini set up and said ‘yeah that works because your clothes are smaller and you eat less than me’. This myth might be the secret of how Houdini got out of that box and Pandemic The Magic Bicycle and other WOW(women on wheels) and men can bicycle tour anywhere with only 2 panniers.

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Tips and Magic Tricks For Bicycle Touring With Only 2 Panniers

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Top 5 Symptoms You Are A Psycho, I Mean A Cycle Tourist

Number 5

Your clothes have gotten so mangy that even stray dogs are frightened of your appearance

Number 4

You are stuck in a vehicle and you want to get out and cycle

Number 3

Walking seems like too big of an effort

Number 2

You decide to use an old map as toilet paper because the last three shops you have been to don’t stock TP, because the locals don’t believe that paper is any better than a hand as a bum wiping utensil

Number 1

You know the words for ‘beer’ and ‘can I sleep here for free’ in half a dozen languages