Re: Bike ride around the world; 23,000 km in 9 1/2 months

TomBruce

Hi,

I want to share my 23,000 km round the world bike tour. I set off from my home in Peckforton, Cheshire, England, to cycle unsupported around the world. My route took me from my front door, through France, Switzerland and Germany, to the Danube River, which I followed across Europe to the Black Sea. I cycled through Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan to the Caspian Sea, which I crossed on a Ferry to Kazakhstan. A long crossing of the Kazakh Steppe and the Karakalpakstan desert from Beyneu to Nukus brought me to Uzbekistan and next up was the high altitude Pamir Highway in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Then into Kazakhstan again before a 2 month crossing of China through Xinjang province, across the Tibetan Plateau, along the Yellow River, then via Xi'an to Beijing. After that I flew across the Pacific to tackle North America. I cycled across the USA from San Francisco to Florida via, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi. I finished in Daytona Beach, Florida.

There's loads of info about my route, planning advice, photos, maps and my blog at my website http://www.tombrucecycling.com. I've also released a book (info on my website) about the ride, called "Every inch of the way".

Please feel free to contact me for any tips about planning an adventure or just to get in touch. My email address is tombruce86@gmail.com, more contact details are on my website.

Thanks a lot,
Tom Bruce

marcusjb

Looks awesome. Good website.

Some of the photos, particularly of the 'Stans, are amazing.

I will get the book onto my Kindle and have a read.

TomBruce

Thanks a lot, hope you enjoy it.

simonhead

Looks good, just downloaded the book so will feedback

mididoctors

I am amazed by the low budget tbh

TomBruce

Yeah, it's possible to live very, very cheaply on a bike.

craigr

Spent a whole afternoon reading your blog. Would love to have the courage to do something like that in the future.

Will definitely buy the book in the near future.

dylanfernley

hi tom, i see you rode from geneva to nice -- a group of us used to fly out to nice and ride up to watch the tdf --carrying all our gear, it was great to stop at bourg d on the day of the race and with unladen bikes tear up the alp d-- i have always gone with self sufficiency ---the only way to go in my opinion-- i love the freedom and lack of stress it gives--- touring ireland many years ago-- just stuck to minor roads, and undeveloped/non tourist places--what a great time i had--and as a solo traveller you must interact with folk---find that as a group you tend to not do that nearly as much--i hope to ride to moldova sometime in the near future .....its a great little country with an unsullied way of life... don't know how long it will remain like that.....any how will buy your book and look forward to reading it...cheers

Pumpkin Positive

Fantastic website and inspirational story. Looking forward to the book arriving from Amazon.

Mikey23

Chapeau sir

Mikey23

Just purchased the kindle edition ... Will keep me occupied until I can get back on the bike when my clavicle and ribs heal!

simonhead

Halfway through and really enjoying it. Well written and would recomend.

Pumpkin Positive

I finished my copy last night. It's the first book I've started and finished in some time. It's a great read and I enjoyed following the route on google maps and Wikipedia.

TomBruce

Thank you very much for the good feedback, I'm really glad you've enjoyed reading about my trip. If you have time to spare to write a short review on Amazon, I would really appreciate it. Thanks, Tom

Pumpkin Positive

TomBruce wrote:

Thank you very much for the good feedback, I'm really glad you've enjoyed reading about my trip. If you have time to spare to write a short review on Amazon, I would really appreciate it. Thanks, Tom

Done!

TomBruce

Thanks!

simonhead

Done

TomBruce

Thanks simonhead. Really appreciate the reviews. Book is now out on other devices (not just kindle), details on website. Thanks

TomBruce

Hi,

I've now had my book "Every Inch of the Way" edited professionally and a new cover designed:



More info at www.tombrucecycling.com

Thanks,
Tom

dartmoorscottydog

Loved the book and an very jealous! Can I ask why you omitted Oz? Anyway highly recommend any cyclists read the book. Like PP above I couldn't put it down and when I did I had to get out on the bike! Congratulations!

TomBruce

Thanks a lot, really glad you enjoyed it.

I didn't consciously omit Oz - but I only had a certain amount of time and money and wanted to spend it in unfamiliar areas, like China and Central Asia. Although I've never been to Australia, it wasn't at the top of my list of places to bike tour through.

That said, it would be somewhere I'd love to go in the future.

Next plans are Srinagar - Leh - Manali in the Indian Himalayas this Sept and hopefully across Mongolia next summer

TomBruce

Hi,

There's a new version of my round the world book out now, which has been fully edited, and I've released another book about my recent trip to the Indian Himalayas - blog available at my website http://www.tombrucecycling.com.

Thanks,
Tom