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Johnny Isaak | Adventure Cyclist

A compendium of adventure cycling chronicles, travel lore, tips, techniques, and tactics for the adventure cycling perplexed.

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cycle touring

Travelogue: Reflections from a Bridge

Travelogue: Reflections from a Bridge

by Johnny Isaak ·

An Early Fall Sunrise in Zhejiang

Travelogue: Reflections from a Bridge

Our return trek from Jiangshan in Zhejiang province to Shanghai was going to be a long. 224 kilometers lay between us and home. It was going to be a long day. Considering the miles ahead, we pushed on.

The day’s ride began at the crack of dawn. Cool air nipped at my bare face and jersey-only clad torso as well pedaled in the gray light. Early autumn was in the mountain air. Rather than stop and pull a jacket from my handlebar bag, I hope to shake off the chill as I leaned into the rolling hills.

Glancing over my shoulder upriver ascending the low arch one of the many bridges we’d cross during the day, my eyes cast up a fiery orange sunrise. Incredible. Allowing my bike to coast to a stop at the top of the bridge’s arch, I put a foot down to savor the serenity of the moment. Ah, one of the pure, genuine pleasures of traveling by bike. 

Motionless water wandering into thick stands of trees had not even the slightest ripple on its surface, save for a blanket of lifting fog warmed in the yellow sun. A thick mountain mist defused the sun’s golden light. I unzipped my camera pouch, put the viewfinder to my eye and made a picture for my memories. It’s moments like this that make cycle travel so unique.

Many miles of riding nagged me back into action. I stowed my camera and resumed spinning my way down the road ahead. It’s small experiences such as this that make all the effort worthwhile. We had many miles to go before we would sleep tonight.

Sunrises are magical things. You only get so many of them in your lifetime. Embrace the moment. Put your foot down and take in those sweet little slices of life. Enjoy them one by one. Hope in the saddle and ride. Experience all of them you can as long as you can. Cheers. 

Filed Under: Travelogue Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle, bicycle touring, bicycle travel, China, cycle touring, sunrise, travel, travel photography, Zhejiang

Travelogue: Night Ride Up 90-Mile Beach

Travelogue: Night Ride Up 90-Mile Beach

by Johnny Isaak ·

Waves were washing ashore on my left. Countless stars speckled an inky black sky. The Southern Crux and Milky Way showed brightly. The constellations seemed close enough to touch or maybe scoop a handful from the air. To the north was Ninety-Mile beach cloaked in featureless black. Beyond that was Cape Reinga, my destination for the day and this journey lay on the other side. Signpost to adventure up ahead.

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Filed Under: Travelogue Tagged With: 90 Mile Beach, adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle touring, bicycle travel, bike travel, cycle touring, exploration, New Zealand, Ninety Mile Beach, North Island

Travelogue: Cape Reinga

Travelogue: Cape Reinga

by Johnny Isaak ·

Should I leap and descend into the underworld? Standing on the windswept bluff overlooking the meeting place between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, it’s not difficult to see why the Maori consider Cape Reinga such a special place.

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Filed Under: Travelogue Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle touring, bicycle travel, bike travel, Cape Reinga, cycle touring, exploration, New Zealand, North Island, Reinga

Travelogue: North to Reinga

Travelogue: North to Reinga

by Johnny Isaak ·

The journey north begins with a single push of the pedal. I’ve made my way south to Bluff, the southernmost town on the South Island and am now starting my journey north to Cape Reinga, the northern tip of New Zealand’s North Island.

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Filed Under: Travelogue Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle, bicycle touring, bicycle travel, bike travel, Bluff, Co-Motion, cycle touring, Divide, Johnny Isaak, New Zealand, South Island, travel, travel photography

New Salewa Approach Shoes for the Road

New Salewa Approach Shoes for the Road

by Johnny Isaak ·

My well-worn Vibram FiveFingers finally gave out after a couple of days riding around Queenstown, NZ. A blowout along the lacing on the right shoe rendered them unable to lace up.

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Filed Under: Gear Tagged With: adventure cycling, approach shoes, bicycle touring, bicycle travel, bike travel, cycle touring, Firetail 3, FiveFingers, flat pedals, Johnny Isaak, New Zealand, Salewa

Travel Bigly

Travel Bigly

by Johnny Isaak ·

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. — Mark Twain

The World is an Interesting Place

The world is a big place. Endeavor to see it all. At the end of your life, you will be glad you did. Go places that interest you. Travel opens your eyes to the world and expands your mind to other perspectives. Go and experience people and places for yourself. Let your mind do its own thinking. Your life will be much richer for the effort.

People, places, and things are often quite different from what’s presented in the mainstream media. Experience the world first hand. See how the other half lives. Most of the time, it’s not what you think. The world over, most people are good human beings and are just like you — trying to get through the world the best they can.

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Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle, bicycle travel, cycle touring, Divide, Johnny Isaak, photography, touring, travel, travel photography

Travelogue: Turquoise Solitaire

Travelogue: Turquoise Solitaire

by Johnny Isaak ·

Turquoise waters, soft and blue, stretched out to a distant horizon. An unperturbed ocean lapped steadily along sandy shores. The faintest of breezes murmured over the morning calm. Distant palms on a slight hill gently swayed in an offshore breeze. Pastel clouds of soft grays and powder blues painted the sky. A temporary pause in the rain brought stunning views as I pedaled my way up the hidden gem that is Taiwan’s east coast. I caught a glimpse of it just out of the corner of my eye. The slivers of sand on a solitary beach glimpsed between the trees of to my right. Fleeting bits of solitude such as these are to be savored and not passed by.

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Filed Under: Travelogue Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle travel, China, cycle touring, Johnny Isaak, Taiwan, travel photography

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