Just Keep Pedalling

3rd May 202117th December 2024

Munga – Get The Book!

“Mungral”, the first Just Keep Pedalling book, recounts the adventures of Theunis Estherhuizen and myself on Munga 2018, with tips for those inspired to try it themselves. Kindle and paperback editions are available. Be careful to select the Amazon store your Kindle is registered with – usually Amazon UK or Amazon US.

For South African readers, a special print run was commissioned to offer the authentic experience of a proper book, printed and bound locally. Orders can be placed here.

” … Thanks for a humorous and very instructive manual for friendship and mutual suffering …”
Izak

11th September 202614th September 2026

This is not the way

I realise I have yet to write up this summer’s main tour along the Rhein with buddy Christopher, but I need to unload reflections on this weekend’s aborted KAW (King Alfred’s Way) first whilst still fresh in mind. I’ll start with the day itself, and break down my analysis after.

The morning started pretty well. The usual pre-ride nerves were there as I kitted up in the car park of Waitrose Salisbury (handily bookable for a multi-day stay). I was an hour or so behind my intended schedule, which was not ideal, but the weather looked pretty much as forecast. Occasional blue patches with some lurking dark clouds. The ground was still wet from the earlier downpours but overall it looked the promise of a mostly dry day would probably hold. After downing the last of the smoothie bought so I don’t feel guilty just using the shop loo, and scoffing a sneaky donut bought last night I was ready to roll. I was very glad that I had ignored last night’s wobble over bringing a warmer outer layer. Within a couple of pedal strokes, with my waterproof jacket still stashed on top of my saddle bag, I was sure it would not be as cold as I’d feared.

13th June 20262nd November 2026

RRR – Epilogue

Rest of the Rhein Route

I had expected there to be a final day of riding once back in the UK. But I’d also anticipated a possible lack of enthusiasm to end the tour fighting traffic back into London, and already looked into the option of taking a train. The latter proved perceptive. Sat over a massive breakfast at stupid-o’clock while the ship made its final way into the port of Harwich, I booked a ticket. Together with a handful of other riders we snuck to the front of the ship ahead of some of the cars, powered up the roadway ramp, and across into the parking areas beyond, pausing only to grab a snap of the ship to send to Christopher (and now the cover shot of this entry).

12th June 20262nd November 2026

RRR – Day 8

Deil to Hook of Holland

The last morning of the tour along the Rhein. It would have been a sombre moment to pause and reflect under any circumstance, but sat looking out of rain spotted windows at the remnants of last night’s storm made it doubly so. I felt a little guilty at asking the owner for an early breakfast. With less riding than expected, no river ferries, and a damp morning I was not planning on starting out any time soon. She seemed OK with it though as I apologised, and she confirmed what my own weather check had shown.

11th June 20261st November 2026

RRR – Day 7

Xanten to Deil

Of the phrases that can sum up bike-packing, two which always come to mind are “there will be weather”, and “expect the unexpected”. And these would definitely turn out to be true of the day ahead, not that I was aware of it as I returned to my default solo breakfast: smoothy; muesli yoghurt, banana, and a donut or pastry. In today’s case, also including a surprisingly decent coffee from the machine right outside my door. Although I didn’t dally – even with a check of tyres and lube of the chain after yesterday’s drenching I was rolling by 7:30. Xanten has a lovely old church with twin spires which I hoped to get a photo of. But the route I chose through town did not provide a good vantage point so I settled for a shot of the old town square, which was busy with market stalls being set out.

10th June 20261st November 2026

RRR – Day 6

Cologne to Xanten

Pulling back the curtains revealed a glorious morning for what I guess could be called “part 2” of the tour. I had no real reason to be up this early, even with what would inevitably be a slower pace riding solo, the shorter 140km for the day should mean a comfortably early finish. All of which meant I lingered a little drinking tea & getting kitted up in the apartment. And I wasn’t exactly efficient getting breakfast at the station either. Initially I went back to the Starbucks where Christopher had grabbed his souvenir Cologne mug yesterday. But looking at the long line I realised that I couldn’t be bothered to wait, because what I really fancied was something savoury. Handily, there were a couple of armed cops outside the McDs so I propped the bike just behind them without needing to waste more time locking. I got a takeaway breakfast, so that I could wheel my way down to the riverside and enjoy it in the fresh morning light.

9th June 202631st October 2026

RRR – Day 5

Bacharach to Cologne

The balcony of the hotel we had meant to be staying at, and the breakfast we enjoyed there was a fitting start to the last day of our combined tour. At the end of this leg in Cologne, Christopher would be getting a train back to Munich – he’d sadly used up his free time for riding, and it was a direct train home from there and so a good point to finish. With around 150km to ride, we didn’t dally too much – although we did get to savour the view. In doing so though, both of us realised we may have ended up in the better hotel from a sleep point of view. The steady rumble of trains running right beside us as we ate would have needed some industrial level glazing to silence.

8th June 202630th October 2026

RRR – Day 4

Speyer to Baccarach

We started out much earlier than on previous days – I guess for the most part due to my slight anxiousness about the longer distance. Ordinarily 160km wouldn’t bother me, especially with our downstream and hence mostly downhill trajectory. But I wasn’t fully ridden in yet, and it was already clear Christopher was riding much stronger than me. Luckily, there was a nearby bakery which opened at 6am (literally called the bakery around the corner – De Bäcker ums Eck). So we crept out as quietly as cleated shoes on a tiled staircase allowed, and wheeled the few hundred meters to the little corner shop

7th June 202629th October 2026

RRR – Day 3

Rheinau to Speyer

Breakfast was a simple, traditional affair which would have been unremarkable except for a minor and entirely accidental faux pas we’d manage to cause. I’d originally planned the entire tour as a solo ride, and later expanded the bookings to twin rooms when Christopher confirmed he could join. All of this had been no problem, or so it seemed. Except unwittingly we’d violated some unspoken rule – although we had been allocated a suite with two rooms, apparently by the nature of the booking we should only have used one of them. I’m sure we offered to pay for the extra bed although I don’t recall if that was accepted. Either way, the upset did seem to have died down by the time we kitted up outside and wheeled off, back towards the river, albeit with a slight twist.

6th June 202627th October 2026

RRR – Day 2

Colmar to Rheinau

With an intentionally easy 100km day ahead there wouldn’t normally have been any reason for an early start. But today’s route involved a detour through the middle of Strasbourg – an ideal spot for some proper food, and a chance to make up for my blitzing through the previous year without seeing any of the city. Plus Christopher had never seen the EU parliament buildings. So we set our alarms early enough that we could cover the 75km in time for lunch. A decision which also led us to take the easy option of the hotel breakfast. And what a breakfast it was. Being the first table to arrive meant we had the pick of the extensive buffet. And, after several laps, we’d got more than our money’s worth and were set for the morning.

5th June 202625th October 2026

RRR – Day 1

Basel to Colmar

Having plenty of time on a ride somehow never equates to sleeping late and a leisurely start. An unfamiliar room, the excitement of a new adventure, and all the things you forgot to do on the bike last night crowd into your head and guarantee waking up way earlier than needed. Thankfully the apartment had a coffee machine – and a proper bean-to-cup one at that. So at least I had a decent brew to savour whilst I tinkered with the steed. Eventually though, impatient with faffing I grabbed a shower, kitted out, and rolled out. It was way way earlier than I needed to be on the road, but it was beyond anything likely to be considered rush hour. And I figured I could easily kill time over breakfast and more coffee.