Curiousness, excitement, courage, and anticipation fuel every traveler’s path forward, alongside challenging life-shaping choices. Lessons to learn – ways to go.
Day #1 cycling on the #EastCoastGreenwayTrail. 25 miles so far. I started in Calais ME and stopped in Dennysville to weather the storm. I’m here already for 4 days. Looks like for a week more, and the weather is not the reason.
Calais was sleeping when I took off from the motel towards Key West. But almost immediately stopped at the Canadian border to figure out something for the future, in case I want to do Great Canadian Trail straight from Greenway.
If I knew there was a bus from Boston to Portland, from Portland to Augusta, from Augusta to Bangor, and from Bangor to Calais, I would ride it. But Google did not tell me that. So my way was much longer than even that.
Last time I was in Boston when finished the Appalachian Trail. This time I’m going see Cambridge, look at Harvard campus, and start my ride to Key West.
It was time to start my cycling trip, so I took Derry Rail Trail to Boston. I decided to start the East Coast Greenway from Boston, not from Calais. When I was observing the Robert Frost Farm, I met another cyclist. On his car. So this evening I enjoyed his family supper.
Goose Pond was a community, not commune. A writer and a college teacher buit-rebuilt a house, I would say home-made house. Self sustainable. Organic. Nice, cozy, and warm. Very nice, very cozy and very warm.
It was a bit early for opening a biking season, and I used this delay for experiencing New Hampshire communes. The first one was D Acres, an organic farm. And about the last one.
It still was a ski season in Andover, the last snow, and I came there with my bicycle, which actually wasn’t mine, but eventually was given to me in 24/7 community, that how I call Twelve Tribes.
I took Amtrak rom Penn Station in New York, Rutland was my choice to come. Forecast promised a blizzard and I want to catch it – the last snow in March. I knew a cozy, 24/7 place there, and my train was coming at night.
Caledonia Way goes on Great Glen Ways, a very spectacular trail from Inverness to Fort Williams and further to the South. After riding along Caledonia Canals I decided that it can’t be anything better then that and even didn’t go to Northern Island to save the impression.
The Inverness Highland Games are like a festival, taking place all over the Scotland on different weekends. So wherever whenever in summer you are going, you will definitely see at least one.
As for many cyclist the goal is to get to John o’Groats, not many of them take ferry further to Orkney. Usually people do it in separate trip, together with Shetland Islands.
The milestone of this part is Altnaharra. Either you go with other cyclists straight to Bettyhill, or with almost nobody to Tongue, how National Cycling Route 1 prescribes. All cyclists I’ve met told me that Altnaharra – Bettyhill was one of the best part on their way across UK. So I checked another route.
Inverness is either starting point, or destination, or milestone for any traveller in Scotland – driving, cycling, and hiking.
Cycling Scotland #4 on National Cycling Route 1. The route to Aberdeen was exhausting. The most exhausting part of National Cycling Route 1. Nothing particular to see, no places to stop, no places to eat. I cycled into Aberdeen so hungry…
Chapter #3 of cycling Scotland along the National Cycling Route 1, from Dundee to Stonehaven, with photos on the map.
In St Andrews National Cycling Route 1 merged with EuroVelo Cycling Route and North Sea Cycling Route, which makes life easier in terms of navigation.
Not to miss this part of National Cycling route 1. Loch Level and Falkland Palace is the “must see” places.
Here is a map with pictures on it, showing my cycling ride from London to Edinburg. I tried to keep on National Cycling Route 1 – this option was provided by Google Maps more clear then from any other sources.
Camera Obscura, a World of Illusion in the old centre of Edinburg: mirrors, optical illusions, holograms, lights, tricky images and confusion corridors. Ten selfies in one shot.
Being a subject of so many books and movies, Amazon River is a many people’s childhood dream. To see it from the source to the mouth one should travel from Iquitos in Peru to Belem in Brazil. It can be done in three stages as there is no boat going straight from Iquitos to Belem.
There is no road from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile to Uyuni, Bolivia, but there is a way – dirt road through the Atacama Desert. One should be a genius of GPS to navigate if decides to go by himself. Tour agencies organise 4×4 tours from San Pedro to Salar de Uyuni.
The Atacama Desert in Chile is the place you feel totally out of the planet Earth. The extreme dryness and high elevation make it’s landscapes comparable to Mars surface. In Space Odyssey TV series the Atacama Desert represents both Mars and Venus. And yes, there will be the moments you wish you were in a space suit.
San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) is the closest to Atacama Desert town, which you can reach by bus from the bigger town Calama.
