10 Things I Learned From My First Bike Tour

When I left home in the summer of 2001 to ride my bike from Eureka, California to the Mexican/American border, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. As far as I was concerned, this whole “bicycle touring” thing was an entirely new concept – maybe even an entirely new sport? I didn’t know how I was going to travel over 1,000 miles on my rusty old mountain bike, but I did know I would figure out a way to make it happen!

After 30 days of cycling down the Pacific Coast of the United States, I learned a lot – both about myself and about what it takes to pull off a successful bicycle adventure.

The following is a list of ten important lessons I learned while on my first bike tour. Read the story »

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How To Pack Your Panniers: An Inside Look

Currently, the most popular article on the site here at BicycleTouringPro.com is an article simply titled, “How To Pack Your Panniers.” The article features a detailed breakdown of everything I carry in my panniers and also includes a 30 minute video where I physically show you the contents of my bicycle touring bags.

Since writing that article, I’ve received a lot of feedback and questions. My goal today is to expand further on the information I provided in that first article by showing you exactly how I place my gear inside my panniers and by pointing out two very important things you should consider when packing your panniers for a bicycle tour. Read the story »

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An Interview With World Traveler & Documentary Filmmaker: Brook Silva-Braga

When Brook Silva-Braga left his job as an Emmy-Award winning TV producer for HBO to spend more than 11 months traveling around the world, his co-workers didn’t know what to think. Carrying 5 pounds of clothing and more than 30 pounds of video equipment in a backpack, Brook would spend the next year traveling through 26 different countries and 4 different continents… recording his journey on tape as he went along.

Upon his return to the United States, Brook moved in with his parents and spent the next few months editing his footage into the award winning film, A Map For Saturday. Read the story »

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