fellow cyclists write ericandjoan.com

LETTERS ABOUT BIKE TOURING

Cyclists' stories from the road
Dear ericandjoan readers:
If you're scanning these letters for stories from the road, go right to the source. We have a whole page of travellers' tales, including new dispatches from cyclists now traveling in Chile and Vietnam. The same page also has backpacking adventures from around the world. Check it out by clicking on "travellers' tales" at the top of the screen.

Portugal on a hybrid?
Hi, we really enjoyed your stories. My wife and I would like to try a bike trip for eight or 10 days in Portugal we are not hard-core bikers. But we can train some. Do you think this can be done on a hybrid bike? Thanks for your help.
Paul Coyle
30 June 2001
Our Response:
Never fear -- you don't have to be a hard-core biker to enjoy a nice little cycling trip. The best thing to do is pick up a map, and pick an area that you want to explore, and figure out how much you can ride every day (30-40 miles is actually quite a lot), and then divide by two, so you can take days off in the towns you're in. Another approach for portugal -- go to Burgau (on the south shore, near Lagos), rent a nice little place, and take day trips or even an overnite trip on your bikes to Lagos/ Sagres. That would be a total blast. We would love to do that again. Burgau was one of the hilights of our whole trip.
As for the type of bike -- any bike will do. Just make sure that you feel comfortable riding it. I (Joan) did the whole trip on a trek 820 (a low-end mountain bike) and Eric did it on a Trek 520 (a sort of primo touring bike). He loved his bike, and I loved mine.
Good luck, and let us know if we can answer other questions!

Cycling in Northern Spain
I was intrigued by your accounts of the bike trip through northern Spain. I'll be studying in Burgos for 5 weeks this summer, then my wife and brother are coming out for a week and we plan to bike around and see some of the
country. Our hope is to bike a few hours each day - we all run (5ks, 10ks, marathons, etc.) so we figure we can do 50 - 60 miles a day without much trouble and still have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the different towns. Ideally we'd like to stay in paradores or inns along the way, and avoid major highways, if possible. Did you follow El Camino de Santiago at
all? Is this a paved road, or some sort of trail that would be acceptable for mountain bikes?
Anyway, any advice you could give on routes to follow, places to stay, etc.would be great. I'm already planning to bring more cash than I'd anticipated after reading of your troubles with the ATMs.
Sincerely,
Mike Badger
Valley Forge, PA
17 June 2001
Our Response:
We love spain. We love spain. And we loved bicycling in spain. Your plan sounds great, but i would question one thing. Even if you are in great shape, 50 - 60 miles a day is a lot of miles, and when you cover that much, there's a danger that you will end up just looking at a map and trying to make the next big town--when in fact, the small towns are great fun, and great places to linger for hours at a time. So my only suggestion is, don't get married to a distance, just kind of do whatever feels right, and if that ends up being 50-60 miles a day, more power to you. (We often did that, but frankly we had more fun when we did half the distance).
We did not follow El Camino de Santiago. What we did just kind of wander, generally knowing -- gee, we'd like to be in Lisbon by may. And that kept us free to kind of make up the route along the way. We had no problem finding lodging at the last minute ... except in Sevilla during a festival, when we had to try more than 10 hotels and ended up paying something like US$40 for a windowless room with no bathroom. So I would say in general, you do not need to
plan lodging ahead of time. Just try to keep track of the larger holidays. And sorry, we don't have specific recommendationson where to stay, other than Pension La Perla in San Sebastian. We mentioned one restaurant we loved in our Burgos chapter -- that could be a lot of fun.
Also: the small roads in Spain are perfect for cycling-- you don't need to find dirt treks to avoid traffic. As a matter of fact, we didn't see any dirt treks, or dedicated bike lanes, at least not in Spain.
Sounds like you will have an awesome time!

Routes in Poland
Hi! I am from Russia. My friends and i are going to have a bicycle trip about Poland this summer. Could you tell me about some mountain ground routes? Only ground, not asphalt. We don't like asphalt road. Thank you.
Gorlum
22 May 2001
Our Response:
Thanks for your note. I'm sorry to say that we rode mostlyon asphalt roads in Poland, and only a few dirt roads when we got lost. So we can't help you. We really loved riding around the mountains in the Zakopane area and I we hope you do too.
PS: great name!

Panniers for day trips and shopping?
I happened to visit your web site because I was looking for information on pannier/backpack combinations.
By coincidence, I read your story about your first night in New Jersey, and I am from New Jersey.
I am thinking I should get in shape, so I might ride my bike to work, 6 miles each way. I like to carry with
me my laptop computer, some tools and books, probably a total of 20-25 pounds, in a backpack or a satchel.
I am thinking of getting a pannier/back pack combination.I have never owned a pannier, so I am not sure what
good qualities are to look for, especially if I am converting one to a backpack. However, I suspect that the pictures
I have seen show that the backpack is too big for my needs. Do you know of a rear pannier where each side of the pannier is converted to a separate backpack?
I think I would like to go on bike trips during the day with my wife. We would go to a nice town area, park and
lock our bikes, take our backpacks, and walk around town and do some light shopping.
So do you know of any panniers that convert to backpacks that would be good for this type of daytrip? I could just
use one of the backpacks when I take my daily commute to work, I am hoping.
Another idea. Do you know of any panniers that are just like big covered baskets? Maybe I could just attach or contain two normal backpacks using rear panniers that are just baskets or big top loading compartments?
Thanks for your ideas!
Robert Phillips
22 April 2001
Our Response:
We love the Phil Brule panpacks (and no we don't get any money or discounts from him). The rear packs are too big for short day trips, but the front packs, which fold into small daypacks would be perfect. You could lay the front packs over your rear rack, no problem. A lot of panniers may not make good backpacks, but they usually have pretty good handles, so you can carry them as you would a tote bag. But if you're really looking for the ultimate in panniers, get on the horn to anyone you know in Holland. We saw lots of great panniers there -- but didn't really have the money to buy any, so we didn't shop around for any. You might be able to find something great on the Web, though. Good luck!

Questions about Phil Brule Pan-Packs
Just a quick question which you will hopefully have a lengthy detailed answer to:
I am considering buying the Brule pan-pack for some adventures in Japan (for now) and in SE Asia in the not so distant future. The BMG web-site linked me with you so I am wondering
#1 How well did the suspension system do? Did it jiggle, did it wriggle, did it occasionally fall off?
What type of rack did you use with it?
#2 It looks a bit top-heavy in backpack mode. Did you have problems balancing on narrow hiking trails, etc.
#3 How water-proof is the bag?
Michael Gardner
30 March 2001
Our Response:
The suspension system was fine. We did buy special, high-riding (Jandd Santa Barbara) front racks to support the front panniers... and our front racks were some of th eonly ones on the road that didn't break (the other cyclists complained about their racks. Warning, though: our friend Amy's Jandd back rack collapsed 10 minutes into her bicycle tour. So some of this is luck).
I know Phil Brule has made some design changes over the years (we bought ours in 1997). The rear panniers stayed on fine .. no problems. However, we put way too much weight in Eric's front panniers--and early on in the trip, on the dry side of Maui, they flipped right off the rack in front the bike. Immediately after that we got in the habit of using a bungee cord to wrap under the rack and over the suspension part of the front panniers. that worked fine and we never
ever had any suspension problems after that.
As for backpacking. We backpacked with these packs for 23 days in the Himalayas, and what can we say: they worked fine for us. if I were going to go somewhere just to go backpacking, I would get a dedicated backpack. But the brule packs worked fine. No aches, no pains. Yes, they were a bit clumsy. No, they weren't top heavy. (But you definitely would not want to go dancing on cliff edges with them).
Waterproof: The bags are not waterproof. We lined them with two garbage bags each and everything pretty much stayed dry. (OK, not totally but we managed to keep most of our books and travel documents dry). For really critical things, like our Newton computer, we kept them dry by putting them in tupperware. Worked great!
Hope this helps.

How to budget for NZ and what about bike tools?
Greetings. Sarah & Graham from New Zealand here. Congratulations to you guys for your awesome website. it has provided a great deal of interesting reading over the last few months while we prepare for our trip. We are taking a mountainbike tandem with a Bobtrailer to carry our gear and leave on thursday for singapore. We would really appreciate if you could give us a pretty good idea of cost for a couple while travelling through those countries on a day to day/ week to week basis because the $NZ is really weak at the moment only about 42 cents US to the Kiwi dollar and it would be a bummer if we have to cut things short due to poor budgeting. Also if you guys have any advice on accessing money via atm,visa cards etc. while heading into China,Tibet it would be greatly appreciated. At this stage we plan to cross into China from Vietnam, any suggestions?
I see you went out of Laos. Did you ever cross anyone on a tandem in your travels? Your accounts do not appear to address too many problems associated with your bikes, obviously you are good mechanics did you carry a really comprehensive toolkit? Any other hints that you feel maybe beneficial would be greatly appreciated. I haven't really checked out your NZ trip but hope that you spent a substantial amount of time in the South Island. I (graham) come from Queenstown and am definitely of the opinion that the S.Island is best by far, both the people and the place.
Hope you enjoyed the place,
Cheers Graham & Sarah
19 March 2001
Our Response:
Sounds like a fantastic trip! Planning is a lot of the fun but of course only a tiny bit of it in the end. we're both working stiffs now, not much time to write at the moment. But look on our main letters page. Near the top are letters about atm/ debit cards and the best/worst/cost of our trip. Also check out this letter for details on costs.
Going into China from Vietnam--we didn't do this, so we don't have any specific recommendations, other than do a lot of research on the Vietnam visa. When we were passing through, Vietnam would only give us (we're US citizens, but maybe it's different for Kiwis) two weeks in the country, and we had to say the exact date and city for both the entrance and the exit. we read that if you say, for instance, that you will show up in town x on Jan. 1, you can't get in any earlier, and if you go in any later, you are still stuck with your original exit date. Plus two weeks seemed like a very short time to cross a country. It sounded extremely inflexible and in the end, we decided that we couldn't predict that well, so we didn't go. A lot may have changed, or you kiwis may fewer visa restrictions. (Please write in with any updates!)
As for tandems, we didn't see any other long-distance tandem tourists, but we met a guy in Malaysia who had met such a couple. We also met a couple in nz who toured there on a tandem, but they were only out for six weeks and in the end they decided they were running out of time so they switched to a backpacker bus.
Of course we loved New Zealand. We split our time between the North and South islands and believe it or not, we had way better weather on the less-glorious, less-touristed North Island. We also had a better time, as we were hosted by a cattle farmer who repaired Eric's French horn, so that was a major plus. We loved the south, too--had an awesome time in Queenstown, and took a short hike (Greenstone/Caples--the more famous tracks were closed for snow).
Bike repairs. The biggest problems we had with our bikes involved a string of flat tires in the first few weeks, which was our fault because we didn't buy Eric new tires before we left. Trust me, even if you shun the idea of buying all new equipment like we did, at least buy good tires! Other than that, we were able to fix minor problems with brakes & gears with allen wrenches and basic bike tools, plus a freewheel tool. On the way into Nepal, Eric's rack fell off, and we tied it on with rope until we could get to Kathmandu. I think the real secret to our overall bike health was that we were willing to pay to have the bikes practically rebuilt, with top of the line parts, about halfway through the trip, in Bangkok. (See Bankgok chapters). The parts were cheap and the labor was cheap and it was worth it! We also did a smaller rebuild of Eric's bike in Bordeaux, France, by buying the parts in a store and doing the labor ourselves in our hotel room.
Send more questions as you have them, and have a blast planning!

Storing the bikes for long periods
Eric and Joan -
Your incredible website is very inspiring to me and a joy to read. I am a 29-year old, trying to plan my first big trip to Europe (primarily Eastern countries). One of the things that I'm struggling with is how to plan travelling with or without my bike. For instance, I'd like to start my trip in Croatia, then eventually get on my bike for a trip through Hungary and Czech. I want to have the freedom of travelling either by foot or by bike. Is it easy to find places that can hold my bike for long periods of time. Did you store your bicycles at hotels. Do they charge you if you want to keep the bike there for more than a day?
Thanks!!
Sincerely,
Andrew Mardesich
Our Response:
Andy-
There's no one quick solution to your problem of storing your bike. You have to make it up as you go but it can be done fairly easily. We never paid for someone to store the bikes but we always generously patronized the place that kept them. We left our bikes at a hotel in Nepal for three weeks while we hiked the Anapurna circuit. We arranged for this when we selected the hotel. We stayed there for three or four nights both before and after the hike. Another time we left our bikes with friends in Singapore for three weeks while we visited Borneo. They had a pretty large place so it wasn't any trouble for them. When we canoed down the Murray River in Australia we left our bikes at a bike store where we had purchased some equipment.
In Europe we never left our bikes for more than a few days. Probably your best bet would be to find a small family run place with a large garage and a very friendly owner. If you have an expensive bike that you fear might get stolen you may have more trouble finding a place you are comfortable with. Sometimes we just locked our bikes up, walked away and prayed they would be there when we returned. Fortunately they always were.
Good luck on your trip! Send us a note telling us about your progress.

From fellow world cyclists
We saw your website. We loved it!
We cycling for over a year now. Have a look at our website.
Where are you now? Home? It's probably on the site. I have 3 min. more
before I am kicked off this computer.
Love to hear from you.
now in Australie, any tips?
Eric & Noesja
2 December 2000
Our Response:
Wow--we had a look at your site and your trip looks amazing. Especially the part where you biked from Lhasa to Kunming. Would love to
hear those stories. As you guessed, our current wherabouts are on our site, here. Since we are late answering this letter, you must have left Australia, so we son't add tips here. Good luck, and we hope to hear from you again!

Front Suspension for Cobblestones?
Hi Folks,
My name is Rainer Burgdorfer and I'm planning a bike trip to the Fatherland. I am enjoying your accounts of bicycling in Europe as well as the cross-cultural observations that seem to reveal as much about you as they do about your host countries.
I was born in Bremerhaven but we emigrated to Seattle in 1958. I have several relatives living in Germany and Austria who travel to the U.S. frequently. They like traveling here because "the people are nice". Compliments are always nice to hear.
Some questions: Is it worth using a bike with front suspension to ease cobblestone blues? Are there specific legal bike requirements for riding in Germany/Austria, e.g. the reflector requirements you mentioned in the Netherlands? Is is
feasible to "crypto-camp" in most locations? Are there some reliable sources of information about bicycling in Germany/Austria?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. You've already helped a great deal. I found your accounts to be delightfully readable.
Rainer Burgdorfer
(Actually, Burgdoerfer, but I'm too lazy to set MS Word up for Umlauts.)
23 July 2000
Our Response:
Rainer, Thank you for your kind note! I'm glad these pages are sometimes useful.
Front suspension: Neither Eric nor I has ever owned a bike with front suspension, but boy, you're right, it sure would have come in handy for the cobblestones. Actually, in addition to front suspension, you can do your wrists a huge favor by getting padded handlebar tape and wearing gloves, even in scorching hot weather. I noticed that whenever I rode my bike for more than eight hours a day, even with no cobblestones and gloves on, my hands went numb at night.
Legal bike requirements: some countries, including Holland, and I think Germany, do require that you use a light on your bike at night. The Dutch require front and rear lights; I'm not sure about the Germans. I always thought this was a funny requirement by the Dutch, since they pride themselves on freedom in many other areas, including various drugs.
Generally we didn't ride at night, but in Holland, where we visited friends, we went out with them at night on bikes.
Have an awesome trip.

.European Cyclist worries about crazy people and wild animals.
Dear Eric and Joan,
I really enjoyed reading your travelogue of your world adventures. My husband, Tibor, and I will leave for a 3month bicycling and camping trip on Aug. 2, 2000. We will travel from Toronto to Helsinki, Finland then to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Switzerland and finally heading home to Germany.
I'm a little hesitant about the trip because I'm not an athlete but I do look forward to the challenge of getting myself fit and of course I get bragging-rights too: )
We plan to do as much free camping as possible but I can't help making myself nervous about thinking of dangers that may occur such as wild animals, crazy people etc. No one at home will know exactly where we are since we won't be staying at any hostels or getting to destinations on any set day. We would stay at hostels but we can't afford that luxury,
we are on a tight budget. What do you think? Am I being too paranoid?
Any advice would be great.
I will also have a site built of our adventures once we get back. I hope you will have a look when it's uploaded.
best regards,
Brenda
21 July 2000
Our Response:
Brenda, sounds like a great trip. Don't worry about not being an athlete. Our experience is, no matter what shape you're in, the first two weeks will be very difficult (so you will have to take it easy, accordingly), and after that, you'll be in the Zone. You will also enjoy, perhaps for one of the only adult times of your life, the ability to eat anything, in any quantity without worrying about your weight. As for crazy people, they are sometimes, but only rarely a concern. It's very easy to get worried about people in places you haven't visited yet; but once you arrive, you'll be amazed at how they are like you in all the basic ways: they like to eat, drink and be merry, just like you do. And of course, countries you haven't been to have some of the same hooligans that you may know from countries you have been to. So unless you are cycling through a war zone, which is a different matter entirely, I would not worry especially about crazy people, any more than you do at home.
As for wild animals, we spent six months riding in Europe and didn't see any. We also spent time riding and hiking in Alaska, and only got to see a bear from a car as we sped by. The worst animals we met were the dogs of Tibet and Thailand (they roam around in wild packs). I think your itinerary will not have so many wild beasts.
Have fun!

When to Cycle across Tibet?

Hi Eric and Joan,
Thanks again for the great notes on cycling from Lhasa to Kathmandu. I contacted you sometime ago for some info on your opinion on how late we might be able to do this ride. We had planned on Oct 1 to about Oct 31.
We are thinking about changing our route and possibly heading to Lhasa around the end of July and cycling to Kathmandu until about the end of Aug. It is pretty tough to get good info on just how the weather may be during this time of the year. Some say, oh rainy and cloudy. Others say, best time. Of course, these are mainly Chinese travel agents who are trying to sell the plane tickets and have never been to the area on a bike.
Do have any suggestions? I think I recall you had planned to maybe be there around this time but were able to get your visa extended and ended up going around mid Sept to mid Oct. I reckon the terrain is pretty dry all year round with maybe the exception of the area near Everest Base Camp and near the Nepali border.
I looked for an email address of your friend Ben on your site but had no luck. I think maybe he went a bit prior to your timing and maybe he could lend some info if you have an email I could sent a message to.
We would love to make the Oct. timeslot but we would really like to get down to Ladak in India for a couple weeks and then head into Pakistan of the
autumn months.
Thanks for the info. If it's not too much trouble, we could use the advise as soon as possible because we need to make some more definate plans in the next couple days.
By the way, we just got word that it is no longer possible (at least for the time being) to get independent travellers permits at the PSB in Shigatse. Only those booked on tours. Apparently, you need to arrange for individual permits with a travel agent in Lhasa for about $100. We were told they just made the change about four weeks ago.
Thanks again.
Miguel and Dion (currently in Chengdu)
2 July 2000
Our Response:
Hi Michael.
First let me say, it is POSSIBLE to go anytime, but you really can make things a lot easier for yourself by sticking to the times
when people climb Everest: May and September. Our friend ben, as you can see from his notes, was able to get through in August, but had to deal with lots ofavalanches--as in, it took hours to schlepp the bikes over avalanches thatw ould take only minutes to ride over just a month later. The ride is hard
enough as it is, so really, if I had a choice, i would not go in July. That said, you'll probably end up going in july and everything will be more or less
fine. So I can't say DON'T go, but we wouldn't.
Bummer about the lack of permits in Shigatse. you could just plan on trying to get around the checkpoints late at nite. We also heard from a guy who
just rode across Tibet a few months ago I forget the guy's name and his web site is down; but he basically avoided police by going through checkpoints late or early. Ane he said when he checked into hotels, he somehow found a way to have an urgent need to go to the bathroom whenever they wanted him to register. (I can't believe this always works; but he says it worked for him). Other possibility: go to Ladak now, and then fly to Lhasa next April or May to do the ride...
Let us know! and thx for the permit update.
Good luck!

.How are those BMG packs?
I visited your site via BMG site and I was wondering how well the world tour bike packs work as packs for hiking. Do they carry weight well, i.e. do they distribute weight comfortably like a regular good internal frame pack does ... without killing your shoulders? Did you get the shoulder pads, and if so are they easy to remove and replace if necessary for cycling? They look neat but I also want a comfortable pack.
Thanks, Bruce
Our Response
Yes the packs were pretty comfortable! We took them on our 23-day trek through the Annapurna, and they carried the
weight fine. If i were only going backpacking, I would choose a backpack. But for a bike/backpack combo I have to say they
are pretty excellent. The pads are ... pads, which means they are a bit bulky. However, we were carrying so much crap that
we really didn't notice the extra bulk. We just kept all the padding stowed in the packs. And No, it wasn't hard to
change modes. We met three other Americans who were biking with the same bags and they all liked them. We also met some other adventurers who bought the bags after seeing ours, and I believe they are pretty happy with them as well... though I'm not sure how much they used them in backpack mode. Hope this helps.
--Joan

How do you fix a broken bottom bracket when you're in Hanoi?
Great website!!! It has been good fun riding your story. We know that you have not been in Vietnam, but maybe you might know of somebody who can help us.
We are two cycle tourists who are in Hanoi at the moment, having cycled from Chiang Mai and are heading towards China. We are looking for a bike shop that would be able to buy some parts( a new bottom bracket!!) and service our mountain bikes.
If you know of any such stores, please return email to this address. That would be great..
Regards, Hamish and Leah
20 March 2000
Our Response:
Hi guys,
We'd love to hear about your vietnam adventures!
As for bike shops, we have no names for you. But we can tell you that Eric's bottom bracket was broken for most of our trip, and it really didn't matter much. We rode for more than a year with it on the wobbly side, and didn't get it fixed until Bangkok, which has a great bike shop (mentioned in our Bangkok chapters).
Our advice is, in this order:
1. try to live with it.
2. ask expats in Hanoi if they know of any good bike shops; the expats often bring fancy bikes from back home, and they know where to get them fixed.
3. if time is no matter, consider making a special week-long trip to Bangkok to get the bikes fixed there.
4. have a friend order the parts you need from Nashbar, or any bike store you trust, and then have the friend send those parts in a private box to your hotel room in Hanoi. (With a private, or unmarked box, hopefully you can avoid duty tax--we had to pay 100% duty tax on a bike computer we had shipped to Bangkok!!!!)
5. As a last resort, if your bike absolutely won't go, consider buying a bike in Hanoi and riding that.
Good luck, and let us know what happens!
Hamish & Leah's Response:
Thanks for the reply. We have decided to continue on and take a punt on the bottom bracket. It is also comforting to know that where we are going we are no more than one day's bus travel from Kunming, so if need be I can (take my bike there) and fix it.
PS from Eric and Joan: Hamish and Leah sent us a great account of their bike adventures so far. If they give us permission to post them on our site, look for them soon here: http://www.ericandjoan.com/stories.htm

Just panniers, or panniers and a trailer?
I hope you are all doing well and could help me with a important matter in my trip preparation. I need the opinion of experienced people like you to help me make my mind.
Should I take to sets of bags (front and back) or just the rear set and a BOB trailler????
Please answer...Merci, Chrystine
15 March 2000
Our Response:
Bonjour! We personally prefer two pairs of panniers, front and back. We're not familiar with BOB trailers per se, but we think--based on having met a few cyclists whose trailers broke--that most times, it's more difficult to travel with trailers. That's especially true on dirt roads. Also, the panniers give you a skinnier profile on the road, which is important when you have to
route avec les grands camions!
Bonne Chance.

from Lynette Chiang, fellow cyclist now in Costa Rica
I've been loitering with intent with my bicycle and tent around the worldish for three years - right now paused working in Costa Rica. Maybe you want to compare notes - my site is www.geocities.com/thetropics/beach/1487. Includes Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and soon, my two months cycling across Cuba!!!
Great to roll across other cyclists.
Lynette Chiang
14 March 2000
Our Response:
Lynette!
Great to hear from you. We had a lot of fun checking out your site. We'd love to hear more about your Cuba adventures. Happy rolling!

Tibet questions from fellow long distance cyclists
Hello,
We have certainly enjoyed reading about your cycling adventures. We are currently on a trip of our own...now in Bangkok, after nine months in Europe, Nepal, and India. We are planning to ride north through Thailand and into Laos and Vietnam making our way into China and Tibet back to Kathmandu.
Could you lend a bit of information?
For starters, we have a Marmot 3-season tent that is currently in Singapore ... planning to have it mailed to us in Hanoi. What sort of tent did you carry through China and Tibet? Was the weather pretty cold? I assume it was. We are a bit worried that the 3-season will not be beefy enough. We should be there in Aug or Sept.
Where did you secure your visas for China? We are going to arrange in Hanoi, hopefully, all should go well. We are concerned about getting an extension of the standard 30 day visa. Did you need an extension and was it easy to get?
Were you able to find Lonely Planet guidebooks and Nelles Verlag maps in Laos or China? We think we may need to purchase them here in Bangkok and lug them all along the way. I think I recall that you flew into Lhasa from Chengdu(?). Is there a particular city or place that you arranged the flights and did the agent set you up with a 3-day "psuedo-tour" for Lhasa? Did the agent also take care
of the travel permits?
Thanks again for any info or advice you can provide.
Hasta,
Miguel and Dion.,
13 Feb. 2000

Our Response:
Miguel!
Great questions. We had all the same ones when we were in Bangkok. I'll try to answer them all as best I can.
Tent: You will probably survive with a three-season tent if you go to Tibet in September or earlier but you will probably be a bit cold. The winds can get pretty heavy and cold, even in September, when it was mostly good weather. At night it got down to about 25 degrees F. We had a low-end four-season Sierra Designs tent. It worked just fine. A good sleeping bag is crucial. Ours went down to 15-F. We wore all our clothes to bed.
Weather note: we like to think you can go anytime, and there are some intrepid people who can. But your best bet is September (after monsoons, avalanches and mudslides, and before snow), and your second best bet is March or April. Whenever people climb Everest is the time to go. This is extremely important; the weather can cream you. Just as we were starting our world trip, we helped cheer on two guys who were about to paddle the Missississippi from north to south, at the tail end of winter. We had paddled only a small section of the southern river in the summer. We had a great time on our float. They had really bad weather, and died before they even got off the feeder lake. Look out for weather!!
China Visas: We got ours in Bangkok. We went through hell finding the Chinese embassy, then had to wait forever in line. There's no way to avoid this because you must apply in person (as of mid-98 anyway). It takes about five working days to process the application. This is a little nerve racking since they have your passport the whole time. (btw, do not say you are a writer of any kind. Artist is a bad idea, too. Choose an innocuous occupation, like 'file clerk,' or Joan's favorite, 'housewife.') After five days, we paid our travel agency to retrieve the visas for us. Well worth it. (The travel agency said we had to apply in person, but they did have a service for picking up visas). We didn't go to Vietnam so I don't know what it's like getting a China visa there. Our general impression is that it's easiest in Bangkok.
China Visa Extensions: We changed our whole China trip around the belief that we could only get one 15-day extension to our original 30-day visa. We figured that with 45 days max, we would need 30 days for Tibet, so we cut short our ride in southern China. In Chengdu we learned that it's possible to get not one, but many 30-day extensions. Whether or how much of an extension you get depends on what country issued your passport, and where you ask for the extension. The upshot is, you can probably count on getting at least 60 days in China. But all these rules change fast, so check often (with other travellers; the Lonely Planet web site was way out of date on this subject). We got our extension in Chengdu -- a good place for that. Lhasa is suppposed to be harder place to get extensions, but several other travellers told us they got their extensions there with no problem.
Maps and Books: Bangkok is the very last place you will be able to get these things (at least it was when we were there in June-July '98). We lugged something like 15 books from Bangkok to Kathmandu. Get the latest greatest Nelles Tibet map (or equivalent). One more thing: we received some road notes about the Friendship Highway from Lhasa to K'du. These saved our butts and are linked to our Tibet main page: http://www.ericandjoan.com/worldtrip/tibmain.htm (click on Tibet-Friendship Highway Road Notes). I would print them out in Bangkok and tuck them away in a safe place until you get to Lhasa.
Getting to Tibet: Chengdu is the place to launch any Tibet tour (at least it was in mid-98). I'm not sure you can do it anywhere else. Stay at the Traffic Hotel (lots of tourists, but there's a reason for that). In the lobby are about five travel agents. Any one of them will book you to Tibet, and the only kind of tour they offer is a 'false tour' so you don't even have to ask. It's just like buying an airline ticket with a surcharge for not being Chinese. Don't sweat that at all. It's very easy (except that you might have to get up at 4 am to catch the flight.)
Are you staying in Banglampu? We used a travel agent called Cheap and Smile to book a flight to The Philippines. They seemed to be pretty good. But be very careful with travel agents there. When we were there one travel agency took people's money and passports then disappeared.
Let us know how your travels are going and we'd be happy to answer any more
questions.

Re: Investment Biker
Enjoyed reading your travels. I just finished a book called "Investment Biker" by a banker that biked around the world. On a BMW motorocyle! with his girlfriend. It's a good read. Thanks for the website.
Joe
11 Feb 2000
Our Response:
Joe, glad you like the site. That book sounds great. We'll check it out.

Re: Hello from another Tibetan cyclist

Dear Eric & Joan,
I just read some of your cycling exploits in Tibet. Really excellent!! It took me back to the time (in '94) when I went the opposite way. Really appreciate it. I got through to your site via BicycleFish.
Let me wish you a Safe, Prosperous and Intensely Happy 2000!!!!
Regards,
Richard
www.worldcycle.org
Our response:
Richard: I was just rereading our Tibet chapters and I kept thinking Thank God we were going south. The idea of climbing up that outrageous hill from Nepal into Tibet just kills me. Congratulations to you for having done it. Happy Millenium and happy cycling to you, too!
Readers: check out Richard's web site for great cycling photos from Africa and Asia ...

Re: Touring Bike vs. Mountain Bike
Hope you enjoy the rest of it!
What types of bikes are you riding (& why)--it looks from the pix like Eric's on a touring bike (700c X 32mm tires) and Joan's on a fat-tire MTB with bar-ends. Any scoop on which has been better able to cope with the terrain, load & distances ridden?
Which countries have you enjoyed the most? Have any been hostile or rude to you?
Ride Safe,
Keith, November 1998
Our response:
Good question about our bikes. Indeed I am riding a Trek 520 touring bike with 700c wheels and Joan has a Trek 820 mountain bike. Both bikes have performed well on all the terrain we've crossed, including 600 miles of rock/gravel road in Tibet.
However, Joan's low-end Shimano components (her whole bike cost only US$300 new in 1994) wore out after about 4,000 miles. We replaced both derailleurs, hubs, chain, freewheel, front crank, swapped grip shifts for index shifters, had both wheels rebuilt with new spokes, etc. The total cost of all replacements and labor for her bike was US$300.
My bike cost US$700 new in 1991, and has mid-range components that have held up for over 15,000 miles now (including previous tours), though I have replaced the chain a few times. The problem with my touring bike is that 700c tires and tubes (especially Presta) are very hard to find in Asia. I could not find spare tires in any towns, large or small, except Manila, Chengdu (China) and Kathmandu. I did find one in Bangkok but we were slow to buy it, and it sold out--and the store couldn't lay its hands on new stock for the next two weeks, so we were stuck. Meanwhile, Joan could have replaced her tires in just about any small town we rode through.
Whether to ride a Mountain or a Touring bike comes down to preference. Joan likes to sit in a more upright position. She has the bar ends almost vertical. (Just one problem: those bar ends make the bike a wee bit wider, which nearly resulted in Joan's death one day on Eastern Java, when she had to shimmy between a pile of bricks on her left and a speeding, oncoming bus on her right). Also, the handlebars give her more leverage to turn the heavy front wheel. I'm used to a touring bike.
We found Tibet a bit hostile to bike tourists--the kids threw rocks at us. Other than that, every country has been very friendly.
ps: in Bangkok, check out Pro Bike, Sarasin Road, across from Lumpini Park, near Siam Square. Once on Sarasin, find the VW dealership and look down a sidestreet for the ProBike shop. Those guys have great prices on parts and are great mechanics. They rebuilt all of our wheels for US$4 apiece in labor. They sell good mid-range Shimano components (but only mediocre tires).

Re: What kind of bike tires are best for touring?
Great website. My partner and I are starting a long-haul cycle tour through Europe, Asia, and Australia in June 1999. I have been using your website as a source for info quite a bit.
Could you lend some advice on the following? Would you recommend a standard touring bike with 700c wheels or a mountain bike with 26" wheels? Most of the touring we have done thus far has been on standard touring road bikes and we have not had them off road much. They will handle a 37mm touring tire but anything bigger may be a stretch. We might be able to get a 41mm on if we got rid of the fenders. The 26" wheels would be nice but they might be much less efficent. Do you think we will be fine with the 700c, provide we beef up the tires to the 37 or 41? Also, we are considering using flat handlebars on the road touring bikes instead of drop bars. What do you think? What type of bikes have you used on your extensive tour? It seem like this might provide a more comfortable and manageable ride on rough roads. What do think? Any input would be excellent and much appreciated. We too have put together a webpage for friends and family to track our whereabouts. It can be found at: www.geocities.com/yosemite/cabin/2423 We look forward to hearing from you.
Michael.
Our Response:
Thanks for the note. It´s great to hear that other bike tourists our reading our stuff.
One thing: don´t worry too much about efficiency. The more you ride, the more crap you pick up. There's really nothing efficient about bike touring. Which is why we like it. However, it is inefficient to have to search all over Asia for the right tires.
I rode with 700c, and Joan rode with 26-inch wheels. They both worked fine, but it was way easier to find spare tires and tubes for Joan's bike in Asia. Joan could find tires and tubes in every town; I found parts only in Singapore, Manila, Bangkok and Chengdu, China. In Bangkok, we found some mediocre 700c tires for my bike, but decided to hold out for a better brand; we couldn't find a better brand, and in the meantime, the 700c tires had sold out. Plus, the bike store in Bangkok couldn't get any more for the forseeable future.
Speaking of tires, we HIGHLY recommend Continental Town and Country or Continental Country or Conti Touring tires. These are very hard to find outside really good bike stores. Not many people buy touring tires. We found them in only 1 place, that was at a bike store in Auckland New Zealand. Joan´s front tire has 12,000 kms since Auckland in Oct. 1997 (we are going slow) and the tire still has life in it. Meanwhile she has gone through 2 Ritchey rear tires in the last year.
We probably could have found Continentals in the U.S. if we had looked (try Bike Nashbar´s web site). We could not find them in France or here in Spain even though Continental is a German company. People here are really really into racing but not touring. The problem with non-touring tires on touring bikes is the sidewalls wear out long before the tread. And a sidewall failure is all she wrote for the tire so it´s a good idea to have a spare (though we heard of some Finnish guy who had his sidewall sewn up by hand in Tibet. You can do that sort of thing in Asia.)
As for bars. That´s a matter of taste. I like drop bars, Joan likes riser bars with bar ends. The important thing is to have a variety of positions for your hands and wrists so you can change positions. I don´t have any problems with my hands or wrists even though I don´t use gloves. However, Joan gets occasional numbness so she wears gloves and that pretty much takes care of it. Wide bars are helpful when you have a lot of weight up front and you are on rough roads. They are bad when you are dodging buses in Java!
We´ll be watching your site! Keep us up to date and we´ll be happy to give you our two cents about any questions.

Re: Altimeters
Dear Eric and Joan,
My wife and I are interested in buying an altimeter/cycle computer, and were wondering if you could advise us on the brand that you have used. Whether or not you would buy it again, what its pros/cons are.
Shawn H. NYC
Our Response:
Eric highly recommends his Cateye altimeter. He can't remember the model but they only make one. It held up all across the Himalayas. The only drawback is the thermometer doesn't read accurately "in direct sunlight." Of course, that's almost all we ride in (except for now. We're riding across wintry France into Spain, those chapters are coming ...) So bring along a martini umbrella to keep your Cateye out of direct sunlight.We started with an Avocet 65, which was old when we started and broke early in the tour. We met some other people whose Avocet 65 failed on their first day in Tibet. Good luck!

.
Re: Panniers, toe clips, tires, Tevas, etc.
Hi there. I just came across your very cool website while searching the web for info on bike panniers (I got the link from the Brule pannier/pack site). My boyfriend and I are planning a 6 month bike tour of South America. My boyfriend has a touring bike on which he can put some beefier tires. But, I have a mountain bike with front suspension fork. I keep hearing different views: some folks swear that I should NOT use a mountain bike, especially one with a front suspension fork, because the geometry isn't right (e.g., feet might hit rear panniers because chainstay isn't long enough, etc.), the frame isn't designed to carry loads, etc. Others insist that a regular touring bike isn't beefy enough for South America riding. I couldn't get the links on your website to the letters on tires and equipment so please excuse me if I'm asking for info that you posted on your website.
Since Joan uses a mountain bike, can you let me know the answers to the following: what brand/model? Did it handle o.k. when loaded? What type of handle bars did you use and if you used straight bars did you add any bar ends to it? Did you use clipless pedals and shoes (spd?) or just regular pedals with toe clips? Other than the shoes you biked in, what other shoes or sandals did you carry (e.g., did you carry hiking boots in addition to the bike shoes?) What type of tires did you put on the Trek 520 and the mountain bike?
Thank you for posting such an informative and inspiring web page!
Amy
Our Response:
Check here for a description of our bikes.
Check here for our info on bike tires.
(Then click the "back" button on your browser to return to this point).
Suspension: Eric and I didn't have any, and we rode over some brutal roads, and we were fine. However, since then, we both rented suspension bikes for a ride at Moab, and loved them! So if I had it to do over again, I would consider (but not insist on) front suspension.
Clips: we used toe cages. They worked fine. Clipless pedals and shoes are a bit of overkill, especially since a lot of kids around the world, especially in Tibet, get a thrill out of trying to knock you off your bike. It's nice to be able to disconnect quickly in places like that.
As for shoes, we wore Tevas! We also brought along big, heavy, bulky hiking boots, which we barely used. You could probably get away with just packing a light tennis shoe, but if you plan heavy duty hiking and you don't want to carry boots, maybe you can pack them up and have them ready to be shipped to you when you need them.
Good luck and keep writing.

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Re: Dogs, Chickens & Cyclists
Did you two have any problems with dogs chasing and biting you? Did you carry a special whistle or pepper spray with you and did you get rabies shots before your trip? I think the rabies shots (series of 3) are expensive and my health insurance won't cover it. I wonder what you did.
Thanks
Amy
Our Response:
Amy,
Good question. we did *not* get rabies shots, because a doctor friend of ours told us that even if we got those painful shots, we would still have to rush to a doctor after a dog bite and get additional shots. If you don't get shots and you do get bit, I believe (check with a doctor) that you are OK as long as you get a rabies shot within a day.
We were chased by lots of dogs, especially in Thailand. We had not brought whistles or pepper spray--or firecrackers, which believe it or not, some Norse cycle tourists used. The firecrackers were duds so they didn't work, and even if they did work, you'd have to stop to light them, and by then you'd be bit.
Instead, we developed a technique of just 'charging' the dog. I got the hang of it right after one ran me off the road. I'd make eye contact (important, Eric swears), and then just race at the dog, screaming, making like I was going to run him over. Eric did the same. The dogs always ran away.
Another method we heard about but didn't use: either carry a long wooden stick (broom handle, etc.) or use your pump or tripod to swing at dogs that really do seem like they're out to bite you. Remember, the dogs who do a lot of barking usually either don't want to bite you, or are deciding if they should. It's the ones who run up right alongside your pedals, without barking, that you have to worry about.
Note: since I was always riding in front (and Eric just behind) the dogs usually went after me, the 'leader of the pack.'
Eric did get bit by a dog at a longhouse in Borneo, but it wasn't rabid (if it had been we would have had to abandon our whole interior Borneo trip, so we were really lucky that it wasn't). I got bit by a dog in Lhasa, Tibet, but I was wearing my boots that day, so there was no skin contact.
Chicken note: you are far more likely to be bothered by chickens running around on the road. This can be scary; you keep thinking you're going to hit one and crash. Just remember, it's almost impossible to hit a chicken. They really are faster than you!

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Re: Rain and Sun canopies for bikes (see this letter & next letter below)
Dear Eric and Joan,
Hi guys!!! Thanks for publishing your experiences from your worldwide bicycle tour!!! It has been a delightful experience for me to sit back and read about all of things that you encountered and experienced ... especially, as I am planning a trip somewhat similar to yours. I am hoping to retire from my position at Dell Computer within the next six months or so, and embark upon an epic journey across Asia similar to yours. I am hoping to bicycle across Asia in hopes of finding a nice place to live at where the cost of living isn't too bad, the people are nice and the food is good. I am used to living a simple life (I've spent considerable amounts of time backpacking in the remote outback of the Philippines, and loved being with the people in the small villages there), and hope to settle down somewhere to raise a family. (Yes, I am still single yet, and just turned 40. I am tired of the "rat race" in the High Tech industry, I already have enough money to retire, and I really love Asia a lot!!!)
I presently equipping a bicycle with a rain canopy and a sun canopy (I remember how intense the tropical sun was from when I had visited the Philippines and Thailand ... it's quite similar here in Texas but not quite as bad), some solid polyurethane foam tires (so I won't be fixing punctured inner tubes all of the time), and making a lot of other modifications.
Joan and Eric, I have a question to ask you, please. In your website recounts of your experiences, you have quite a lot of details (which I really love!!!). How do you record your experiences? That is, do you both carry around one of those mini-cassette, handheld dictation recorders (that you can purchase at Long's Drugs or WalMart) that you dictate things into, write things into a diary or a journal, or do you use type/write things into the "Newton"? And, how often do you usually record your experiences: is it on a daily or weekly basis? Do you usually do it while sitting at a restaurant, cafe, etc. or in your room in the evenings?
Thank you. I appreciate your input. I was hoping to "drag along" one of those new digital camcorders (to use as a digital camera) and create a photographic record of some of the unusual things that I see and encounter in each country; and, maybe, write some sort of cultural guides to foreigners visiting those countries for the first time; and, wanted to record my experiences & impressions in an efficient manner.
Thank you so much, Eric and Joan!!!! I deeply appreciate your help, time and attention!!! Please take care!! Bye-bye for now!!
With warmest wishes,
Steve
Our Response:
Stephen: Congratulations on your imminent retirement. It's great to hear about other people doing these things. To answer your question: no, we didn't bring a mini-recorder. We did bring a handheld Apple Newton (actually the MessagePad 2000). Every several days or so, we'd stop to write what we had been through. That's how we managed to get all those details onto our Web Page.
Your sun canopy and rain canopy sound excellent. We would love to see a photo. Would you be into letting us post it?
Also, pls keep writing once you're on the road.
Glad you like the site! Hearing from folks like you makes it worth while.

Re: RainGo canopy, gear sites, etc.
Hello, Eric and Joan!!!
I am so happy to hear from you!!! Thank you very much for telling me about how you are recording notes from your adventures!!! This helps me a lot!!! Many thanks again!!
Oh, Joan and Eric ... about the RainGo canopy: here, I'll attach some photos of the thing. It is being sold through a place in Canada called "Ultimate Bike Gear", and the owner's name is Robert Dierker. The RainGo costs about $245 (including shipping and handling). Their website is located at: http://www.alternatives.com/ultimate/enter.html
He is presently designing a sun canopy but it won't be ready in time before my embarkation on the Asia Overland journey, Eric and Joan, so I will have to design my own using the basic frame of the RainGo without the rain canopy skin. I was planning to purchase some "solar screening" at our local Home Depot store (it is located in the aisle where they have doors and window screening), and make my own "solar skin". I'll shape it like the rain canopy but using solar screening rather than the clear vinyl panels, and extended it all the way to the back (rather than having the back end open like the rain skin is). And, I was going to mount a lightweight "roof" onto the top (maybe, I'll make it out of that woven thatch like people use throughout Southeast Asia to make baskets, walls of huts, etc. with). I am going to shape the roof somewhat like the Magere Brug in Amsterdam.
And, if you are ever interested in the solid foam tires for bicycles ... you can get them from Green Tyre. They have a website at: http://www.greentyre.com/english/index.html For a pair of tires, it cost about $70, I think (that is, including shipping).
An interesting thing which I purchased recently for my travels, Joan and Eric, is a "Travel Safe" and a "PacSafe" to deter people slashing my backpack open or stealing my passport, traveller's cheques, etc. when out. They have a website at: http://www.pac-safe.com
You can get the "Travel Safe" at Magellan's Travel Supplies. They have a website at: http://www.magellans.com/cgi-bin/mitc/catalog?SessionID=4mbegheJ&Args=&Pos=1 06778
and, you can purchase the "PacSafe" from your local REI store, or from Walkabout Travel Gear at the website of: http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/
Instead of using the "key lock" that is provided with the "Travel Safe" or the "PacSafe", Joan and Eric, I use a standard-type of Master Padlock (like the kind that people use on their lockers at gyms or in high schools).
Oh, by the way, Eric and Joan ... I almost forgot to ask you, did you bring along many tools or bike parts on your adventures abroad?
Thanks again for writing, Eric and Joan. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help you with or if you need any information about anything. There are sure a lot of neat travel gear now (unlike even just a couple of years ago)!!! Please take good care of yourselves!!! Good-bye for now!!
Best regards,
Steve W.

Our Response:
Steve! wow, sounds like you'll be prepared for anything. To answer your question about tools: we brought a standard set of bike tools: wrenches, spare bolts (but not enough, as it turns out, and if you're going to bring them, bring the real thing, not those cute little aluminum bolts that fall apart), patch kits, two pumps, a Gerber tool (a different brand of Leatherman, goes for about $35 at KMart). I think the fanciest tool was a chain whip to remove the freewheel. We didn't bring a bottom bracket tool, and as it turns out, we didn't need one.
As for keeping our money safe, the only thing we did was keep our money in our handlebar bags when we were riding, and on our bodies when we were off the bikes. We never had any money stolen from our persons. We did accidentally send $100 to the laundry service in a money belt once, but that's a different story. thx for the tips.

last updated 8 November 2001