The Braynes’ Tour de France Electrique continuing to go rather well, from Bordeaux and the Medoc down to the Pyrenees, where Mark spent a wonderful week this time of year in 1970 helping restore an old police station/young people’s holiday hostel in Saurat, near Tarascon-sur-Arriege (and Andorra). Alongside the weather’s perfect timing, and the sheer … Read more …
Blog Posts
Brexit and memories of divorces personal and political
Three thoughts – one positive, one neutral and one apocalyptic – as Jutta and I prepare for a month’s tandeming through Central Europe from the Baltics to Bavaria. To start with apocalypse (but please read on for two alternative views), listening to Farage and his kind I’m afraid I can’t help thinking of the late 1980s … Read more …
Braynes’ Tandem Tour of Aotearoa New Zealand – Jutta’s final stoker view looking back
As we watch the South Island fade into the distance, swaying with the Bluebridge ferry’s wave-riding, my thoughts float back over our rich, smooth and eventful 2900-kilometre tandem journey the length of New Zealand from the very North to the very South, with thanks to the Weather Gods and what must be a chorus of … Read more …
TandemTA Tour of Aotearoa/New Zealand officially over, with 2900km on the clock
So this looks like being Mark’s last post (Jutta’s is still to come) from our Tandem Tour Aotearoa of New Zealand, with warm thanks to those who’ve followed our progress these past six and a bit weeks, a most rewarding 2900 kilometres from Cape Reinga in the far North to Bluff in the far South. … Read more …
We made it!
We made it! Hard, hard day’s 140km final ride to Bluff from Mossburn for Daisy, Jutta and skipper, but after very nearly 3000 km, the #TandemTA #Touraotearoa is done, and we’re celebrating at the oyster restaurant overlooking the Bluff signpost at the very bottom on New Zealand. What a journey, six weeks and a bit … Read more …
Wanaka to Queenstown, and the 3500-foot Crown Range.
So, Daisy’s first full day seriously cycling with the girls was just amazing – 90 km over the Crown Range from Wanaka to Queenstown (a cool 3500 foot pass, scaled with elegance and ease, and a bit of pushing) and some of the most amazing views of the trip so far. Lovely to be pedalling … Read more …
Braynes/Snooks reunited. Milford Sound, and a Week’s Downtime for Daisy in Wanaka.
YAY! as the girls would say. They made it, and we had a magical reunion moment yesterday, Friday, 51km out of Wanaka back along the road to the Haast Pass almost exactly where Daisy broke down last Sunday. Read more …
Why the Rory Peck Trust
As we approach – amazingly – the end segment of our Tandem Tour of Aotearoa/New Zealand, with some 2400km behind us from Cape Reinga and only 400+ to go to Bluff in the south, some words on why Jutta and I are raising money for the Rory Peck Trust. And with those words an encouragement … Read more …
Climate Reflections from Aotearoa/New Zealand…
I suspect that most readers of websites that consider climate change, and therapists like myself exercised about its implications, sympathise fairly intensely with George Monbiot’s take on the devastation wrought by agriculture and livestock on the UK’s environment and our “sheepwrecked” uplands. I thought a lot about George’s passion on the issue of sheep and cattle as my … Read more …
We’re in Wanaka. And Daisy’s in trouble again.
Again, the best-laid plans. We had hoped to cycle triumphantly into Wanaka today, scene of the fabulous Winter Wedding of Katie Brayne and Carmela Snooks in August 2014, but Daisy had other ideas. First, just as we’re about to head up the steepest incline towards the 1900-feet high Haast Pass, the gear cable frays so … Read more …