After my first two cycling journeys it became clear to me that cycletouring is much more than simply travelling by bicycle.
When your legs get pumping hour after hour, it is like having three hearts pumping blood.
The frontal cortex of the brain somehow opens up and your situational awareness expands.
You begin to hear, see, taste, smell with an expanding acuity, it's like a meditation, a celebration, a joyful listening to the songbirds.
Then there would be all the great people you meet, and the cycletouring secret society Warmshowers, which is a couch surfing type of deal but exclusively for the cycletourist.
Then there was also the practical and pragmatic aspects. No more burning petrol, no insurance premiums, car payments. No more paperwork hassles entering different countries.
So in addition to improving my health, I discovered a new way of life, a way of life more in harmony with nature which gives a true sense of freedom and liberty from all the lies and bullshit fed to us by our consume more to be better society.
so I was ready to take the next step and acquire a serious touring bike fitted out for the long haul.
Naturally I selected a Surly Long Haul Trucker, or LHT. Kinda the proletariat's touring bike, ya see then all around the world being ride hard and put up wet.
The first big adventure would be an 1800 kms ride from the south of Thailand to the north.
Cycle Touring was becoming something bigger than the simple sum of components.
Pictures to follow in part 6
cheers A.