The Next Challenge

Category: Tim’s Adventures

  • Bigger, Stronger, Faster

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    by

    Tim Moss
    in

    My forearms rest over the handlebars and my head is down. My body rocks from side to side and my legs keep turning over. I look ahead at the rising road and subdue a smile with gritted teeth. In the pub last night, the guys propping up the bar all had the same response when…

  • Let’s talk about the weather

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    by

    Tim Moss
    in

    Let’s indulge for a moment in true British fashion. Let’s talk about the weather. I’ve not been checking the forecast. I rarely do. But on two occasions I’ve been told in passing or overheard that “tomorrow” is going to be wet. I hate it. I spend the night worrying about a day spent cycling in…

  • Blood Sugar (Sex Magic)

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    by

    Tim Moss
    in

    Without going into too much boring detail, I’ve had a number of mechanical issues arising with The Bug since stopping in Edinburgh. They’ve largely revolved around dodgy wheels and ill-functioning brakes. Considering it was supposed to be a rest day, I found myself gunning up a fair few of Edinburgh’s finest hills on a single…

  • Stage 1: Aviemore to Edinburgh

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    by

    Tim Moss
    in

    There are lots of reasons that pedalling this contraption is quite slow and a little hard work – its size, its weight, its poor aerodynamics and the fact that the left wheel acts as though someone is jerking the break every two seconds giving the bike a sort of nervous twitch are just a few…

  • Seven Kilos

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    by

    Tim Moss
    in

    “I know you”, she says, pointing a finger at me as she opens the front door. Hmmm. Is she a dedicated follower of my top-class website? Seen me give an inspirational talk somewhere? Or perhaps I’m jsuit the only person to have booked in some work on a bright yellow rickshaw that morning. “I’ll get…

  • Rickshaw Britain

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    Tim Moss
    in

    It’s happening now. I started yesterday and am attempting to cycle 1000 miles from the Highlands to London. I’m in a rickshaw known as ‘The Bug’ (after the company that generously donated it to me – Bug Bugs) and, well, it’s heavy. I’ve got all my camping kit on the back and the laptop on…

  • The Launch – 80 Ways Diary #4

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    Tim Moss
    in

    I have to admit to being more than a little reluctant to depart. All my friends and family had gathered to see me off, I was at home, and everything was safe. But the reason they had all come to this place was to see me start my journey–my epic expedition to travel the world.…

  • About that World Record attempt…

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    Tim Moss
    in

    You voted yes. Yes, I should break a World Record. That’s what you said. I was pontificating over the pros and cons of trying to break the World Record for the longest distance cycled in a rickshaw. I thought it was a slightly silly record to aim for and not really what my rickshaw trip…

  • Telegraph Photo Shoot – 80 Ways Diary #3

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    Tim Moss
    in

    It’s probably fair to say that I was taking the lion’s share of the organisational responsibilities for the trip. Thom was doing a lot, but most things tended to go through me, so when Thom got off the phone and told me that a photographer was heading our way, I was pleasantly surprised. After a…

  • I leave next Monday

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    Tim Moss
    in

    For a number of reasons, I’ve been putting off “announcing” the start date of my next little adventure – the one with the rickshaw – but now, with D-Day looming, it seems silly not to have put it on my own blog. The Bug, as she is now known, still has no functioning front breaks,…

  • I Write Frequently of Cycling

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    by

    Tim Moss
    in

    I write frequently of cycling yet know very little about it. I do not and cannot cycle very fast. My longest trip was three weeks and I’ve not really ridden much outside of Europe. My bike draws laughter from enthusiasts and bystanders. It is nicknamed the Beast of Burden because of its “heavy bones” and…

  • The Embassy Run – 80 Ways Diary #2

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    by

    Tim Moss
    in

    Given that we are travelling the whole way round a world composed of nearly 200 different countries, I suppose I should be grateful that we only required three visas for our trip. But having just spent four and a half hours queuing outside the Russian embassy when there are less than 48 hours before we…