As mentioned in a previous blog post or two I have really enjoyed a number of cyclists and other adventurers share their journeys on social media and in particular on Youtube.
As is often my way with these Youtube creators one person and their videos leads me to other content creators, and this has recently been the case when I heard the name Beau Miles mentioned by a cyclist.....quite specifically how good a story teller Beau is. (his link here Beau Miles - YouTube )
Within a few days of searching for Beau I found myself watching around a dozen of his films including attempting a 4000 km sea kayak adventure around southern Africa, a 650 km run along an Australian mountain range and more recently in his life running a marathon over 24 hours running one mile per hour and filling the remaining time each hour completing chores.
Whilst I have no plans (yet) to try out sea kayaking or running across a mountain range anytime soon, the reference to Beau being an excellent story teller is absolutely true - so much so that I have invested in his book which has become essential pre-Scottish cycling trip reading over the past week or two.
One of the chapters I have read in the last week has provided an element of reassurance the week or so before I head up to Heathrow to fly up to Inverness - having some details worked out for an adventure, but not all the details allows for a fuller experience (I'm paraphrasing, but hopefully this gives the flavour that Beau is sharing) and luckily my inability to fully research and plan might, if this is true, allow me far more ability to enjoy the adventure as it happens!
Beau has adjusted the scale of his adventures (available time, family and work commitments etc ) which I can relate to (in terms of time, not the scaling back of adventures.....not sure what I have undertaken so far counts as a proper adventure!) so his adventures are currently described as "backyard adventures".....smaller in scale, but not any smaller in terms of impact.
Totally biased as I've loved all the Beau films I've watched so far, but if you get a chance its well worth a watch of his videos if you get a chance.
I'm not sure where an 8 day 650 mile cycle comes on this scale, I'm treating it somewhere between a cycling holiday and a major expedition, but who knows !
As I check off my kit list for this coming weekend, tickets and bookings organised and anything else I need to take with me at least written down this might be sufficient planning and organisation to begin my adventure. With that in mind, and conscious that this blog might be a little light (#bloglite) I'll leave you by saying that I am off on the John O'Groats adventure from the 10th June.
Blogs posts will follow on my return, but if you think you need more cycling content whilst I'm away please follow my Instagram account where I will be providing updates throughout the ride. ( Andrew (@greenhorseontour) • Instagram photos and videos )