Love the sentiment of that message and its something I feel too when I'm riding / walking local. There's something very peaceful being in nature a stones throw away from where you live.
Glad you feel it too. It's very easy to overlook the local but it is where you can learn the most in many ways. Heres to many more glorious local adventures :)
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'd like to do more foraging but I just don't have the skills. I saw so many crazy mushrooms on this ride and have no idea what any of them are. There are a lot of sloes about though so a gin making session might be looming :)
@@JethroJessop You learning (& sharing you new knowledge) would make the content enthralling Jethro. Start simple (Chicken of the woods, penny buns). Take some eggs and a stove and have lovely brunch. Foraging matches your seasonal awareness theme.
@@steveprowse649 It's a nice idea. It might well turn into a video about me being really hungry in the woods though :) But I suppose that is all part of the learning curve.
Every time I watch a video of you, I think: what am I actually watching, why do I like this so much? But after a while I remember, I am looking at someone who, like me, enjoys cycling and being outside. It is as simple as that. You always remain completely yourself and you share your view about things in a pleasant contemplative way. Good enough for me, I like it.
I'll be honest, every time I'm making a video I think very similar thoughts 😉 I got half way through this one and realised I wasn't sure what I was even talking about. Or rather, the idea was solid but putting it into words was harder than I expected. I really do get a massive buzz from just being out and about in nature and I wish I was more able to explain to others. But I'll keep trying, it's all I have to fill this channel with for now 😉 Cheers for watching and commenting though, I really do appreciate it very much
I think you got it right, you don't have to go far away to enjoy the outdoors on your bike. Your message came across clearly. Above all, stay yourself, that's what makes everyone unique. Looking forward to the next one.
@@Eric-rt6tg That sounds about right. I like that. I'll try and not leave it so long this time. I really do mean to do a new video each week but somehow life conspires against me.
I agree it's important to try to know your local pocket of nature better by repeatedly visiting and paying attention to details. There was a past period of great personal stress when I decided to begin hiking a local nature preserve. It became my way of coping, releasing tension and finding peace. Over the course of 7 years I would take hour-long hikes 3-5 times per week. I would study the animals (birds especially), plants and topography. I paid respect to the living residents by learning their species names and how they lived. Yes, you can be an engaged observer in your local natural habitat and feel part of it. Another gem of video. Keep 'em coming.
There is immense value in connecting with nature on any level and it sounds like you know that and used it to hopefully find a silver lining to a cloudy time. I hope the stress has eased now and you continue to enjoy the birds. I wish I was better at knowing the names of the things I see around me but I seem to be pretty bad at remembering them no matter how many times I learn them. Keep on hiking and thanks for watching, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video.
Every time I see a child on a bicycle I'm filled with hope but also a little fear.... they always look on the verge of a massive crash :) A good sentiment though - bicycles for all says I!
You are very welcome. I'm really pleased it found a sympathetic ear. Always nice to know there are others out there who see the world the same way. Saturday tomorrow... let's all have a little adventure!
Since the pandemic I have discovered so many new local routes from my back door, some of which have surprised me with how great they are. It has also made me scrutinise the OS maps more to search for new routes etc. I never go back home until I’ve seen something I’ve not seen before, could be a type of fungus, a bird or mammal etc...makes you really look at your surroundings. Great video
Ah yeah, love a good session with the old OS maps. I'm a big fan of opencyclemap.org as well. I'm currently working on a little map based web tool of my own. Nothing super exciting but something that I wanted and couldn't find. I'll probably do a video about it once it is working 🙂 Hope you keep on finding new things!
This video is absolutely adorable! You really do not need to cycle through a full continent to reap the benefits of your trip. Local is just as worthy, maybe even more so, as indeed you grow to appreciate your surroundings. I love this one (like all the others!) and am asking for more! Congrats for the good work, Jethro!
Thank you, I'm really pleased you liked it so much :) I've not done any rambling philosophy videos for a while so it is probably about time but I have to wait for a suitably interesting subject to pop into my head. Keep your eyes peeled though, I'm sure one will be popping up soon!
Jethro, for you this may be your ordinary daily surroundings ... but I (and many others) was never there. It looks very nice and interesting to me. Maybe one day I will go there ... maybe not, but anyway I saw it through this video you made! Thank you.
That is actually a very good point that I should have made in the video. Everywhere is exotic to people from other places. I am often caught off guard by how beautiful my part of the world is and how easy it is to forget it. Glad you enjoyed the video
The last few miles of this one after I finished filming were actually on the KAW :) The section out of Reading and along the river to Goring is pretty much my default day ride and actually features in quite a few of my vids I should think. I'd definitely like to do the whole loop though so it actually might be on the cards!
I love your 'mulling' Jethro! Such spot on philosophising. On a slightly larger scale I have just finished (or more like, paused) my first long cycle tour in my home country and discovered all kinds of treasures. It made me wonder if I actually ever need to go cycle touring abroad ever again?!
Thank you. It all makes sense in my head so it's nice to hear that I managed to do some kind of job of putting it into words. Whereabouts were you touring this time?
@@JethroJessop Since anywhere abroad was out of bounds this year I decided to explore the UK, and rode from the Shetland Islands via the Orkney Islands to Dunnet Head (most northerly point of mainland) to Lizard Point (most southerly). It was a great trip! So much to see...maybe I'll ride back north in the spring?! The Highlands and Islands were my favourite.
@@sarahcook3992 that sounds amazing! I ride Shetland-Orkney-Inverness-Edinburgh a few years back. The Highlands are fantastic and somewhere I would love to explore again. How long did it take you?
@@JethroJessop it took me 3 months! Soooo slow! 1981miles (I took a very meandering route, generally south but many detours to visit as many British Cycle Quest points as I could on the way) , 63 riding days, 25 not riding days, 66nights camping (22 wild camps in Scotland), 2 hostel nights, 3 hotel nights and 16 with friends and family.
@@JethroJessop I met a fellow cycle tourist at a campsite in Dingwall (both of us in search of showers!) Chatting about who we liked to follow on social media we had a moment of connection when. we discovered we were both fans of your videos!
Hello, dear, sir! Again a wonderful and inspiring philosophical ride and how to find the values in close range of the area you are living in! I have from an early age (living in Sweden) followed this sentence: " dig where you stand"! ( What does ‘digging where we stand’ mean? The phrase has its roots in Sweden, popularised by Sven Lindqvist and then in the History Workshop movement in the UK. The idea is that by researching and learning about their own history and the place where they are living, individuals and groups would regain some control over the understanding of their lives and their inter-connectedness.) Yes, I was very glad to find your video touching the same subject and also creatively and insightfully! A big THANK, again, dear, Jethro, for sharing one more of your many precious monologues you generously share with us your many subscribers! Wishing you safe and enriching bike packing trips! Please, take very good care of yourself and stay healthy during these perilous times with the Corona infection lurking around! Best regards from Sweden! Stort TACK igen för dina värdefulla och fina tankar du delar med oss här på RUclips!
Great video, Jeffers. I wholeheartedly agree. I usually do exactly the same route locally.... Mostly down to laziness, but it’s very therapeutic nonetheless.
I'll tell another interesting angle is to try and ride every road in your area. There is a website that will load all your Strava routes on a single map. I treat it like a piece of art, trying mark of every road and path I can. I'll dig the link out for you
Jethro, thank you so much, for sharing your journeys and thoughts to this point. I've watched all your videos, including the one after this, and it's been a blast. You bring something very special and unique to the world of cycling, and it's appreciated. JP.
Awesome of you to say so. I really appreciate the support and I'm really glad you enjoyed the vids. I hope to get some more out soon and I hope they continue to entertain and that you continue to watch and enjoy 🙂
Very entertaining Jethro. It’s surprising how many local off road bits you can link together to make an interesting ride. Half the fun is mulling over an O S map and wondering ‘what’s that track like?’ (Usually to find its up to your knees in mud! 🤣)
I really need to aspire to ride more local “run of the mill” trails instead of proper mountain bike trails. Sometimes it’s a hassle loading a bike to drive to a trail head. So I’m getting myself an ordinary bike, something that can do a bit of everything if necessary. I’m looking forward to getting my frame to start building something so different from what I normally have. Great video fella.
You can never have too many bikes 😉 And it's great to have something that you can just get out locally on and explore the local area that you likely don't know as well as you might think. I still find bits and pieces that I've never ridden after being in the area all my life
It's always good going over maps. I spend way too long planning rides I'll probably never take both at home and further afield. Keep exploring, you never know what you might find just down the road
Lovely video. All my rides have been local this year, and I've felt I've been letting my trusty touring bike down by not crossing entire continents in the brief interludes between lockdowns (thanks, instagram!) but I've realised, I'd never have discovered so many new local routes and been able to share them with friends if I'd have spent the year chasing mileage. I've manufactured three new cycling buddies (none of them imaginary! 😂) because I found quiet lanes and good cafes to enjoy by cycling local.
Thank you, really glad you enjoyed the vid. I've been tracking my rides this year and trying to use at least one section of new path each time I go out. It's been great! It's put me on some routes I'd never ridden before even having lived my whole life in this area. Great that you are having a similar experience and finding some adventures close to home. I still daydream about foreign rides and spend way too much time planning notional routes across Europe but I'm still happy pottering around here for a while yet. If you discover any real hidden gems then please share. I'd like to get a couple more weekenders in before spring if I can 😉
Very nice Philosophy Jethro, I think you have explained yourself well. Personally I'm looking forward to bike packing close to home initially. Sometimes the best adventures are nearby. Thanks for the content.
Glad you enjoyed it. And I hope your local adventures are great ones. Which bit of the world are you in? It's definitely true that to have an adventure you just need to be adventurous - then it really doesn't matter where you are.
@@JethroJessop I'm in North Shropshire on the edge of Wales. So for me next spring hopefully the Ceiriog and Tanat Valley's. I'd imagine that the Trans Cambrian Way would interest you. Its on my to do list next Year.
@@phill2383 Nice. You are spoiled for choice then! So much good riding up that way. I've done a little bit round there but would love to explore more and hopefully will get to do so next summer. We shall see.
@@JethroJessop There is indeed. North East Wales is generally off most people's radars. Sounds great, let me know if you are in the area/need any help with routes etc. I'm sure we shall catch up in further Vlogs
Often folk take for granted what they already have! Imagine if you lived on an inner city council estate; with little or no access to the countryside! Nature is nature; whether there happens to be an element of familiarity to the arrangement of trees, lanes, plants, rivers and whatnot. Ergo, whether its local, as opposed to a far off land. It always seems more romantic to think of distant adventures..but an adventure is an adventure; wherever it takes place! In a way it's quite nice to have access to the countryside..and be "bored" with it. And to make excuses for being uninspired; or try to kid ourselves we are the antithesis of this. Because to take something for granted, one must have or have had, the abundance of said element in the first place. After all you can't take for granted something you dont have!? So in my humble opinion, it's just about a different journey, a journey inwards; looking at the way we interpret our own thoughts. There is nothing as rewarding as learning to be grateful for the things one already has! Instead of ignoring that and indulging our insatiable want for more, new, and different! Mankind has progressed so very rapidly by wonderment. What's over that next hill, valley, river, ocean and even planet! That's great! But some of us are happy with where we are and what we are doing! I think that "What's over the next hill?" is in all of us; and it will rear it's head from time to time! You can either indulge it, or not, it doesn't matter! But the danger comes from berating ourselves for not doing so. Am I wasting my life/time; surely I should be doing something more, anything more; than what I'm doing right now!? And if not, then what's the point!? I think the "point" is to find purpose in what you do. To have a reason to do something; even if that reason is, because I like doing that, or I just want to! By the way, I like the look of that tree book of yours. Do they do one, "What is that tree, and how well does it burn!?" Then in small print: A book for log burner owners, not Arsonists! Haha. Take care Jethro.
I think it's about not taking it for granted in the first place. I grew in the countryside with hippy parents who taught me to observe the small details, the shifting balances, the changing patterns, to realise that you can't take it fro granted because it different every single day. We take things for granted when we forget how amazing they are so I keep reminding myself how vast and mysterious and all encompassing nature is. On the book front, I don't know of such a manual but I'm sure it exists. My dad and my brother are both serious wood burner users and have some pretty well defined theories on wood types and mixes
Thank you. I really appreciate that. Recently I'm tending towards the 'wandering wizard talks to trees' style as I have no big rides happening so it's nice that these videos get any views at all!
@@JethroJessop exactly! It's so great to see a bikepacking content creator that reflects my feelings. I recently rode the badger divide up in Scotland on my ogre. Like you I travel heavy, when I told two lycra clad warriors on the route I had a jewellery making kit with me they looked positively horrified!
@@WillBloomy That's great :) I think making something as you travel is a brilliant way to solidify memories of the trip. I once mage a length of cord by braiding fibre that I collected at each camp spot. It didn't survive the journey in the end but was a nice project. I'm really keen to do the Badger Divide - it looks like a good one. You recommend it?
@@WillBloomy The videos can kind of get in the way of enjoying the ride if you let them but I manage to keep a good balance and the editing is a nice task to have in the eve, after the bugs come out :)
So when's the book coming out? I think you should have a publishing deal, that would be nice...a barbag paperback of your thoughts... Super video, as ever!
👍Your forest looks great. If you like mushrooms/ cooked the safe ones ,chestnut roasting. Identify trees, plants. Use your stove Fantastic resource & close.
Yeah it's not bad round here. No big tracts of proper forest but lots of decent patches of woodland. I'm ok with nuts but I'm not very confident with mushrooms. Something I'd love to know more about for sure!
Mostly in Lackmore Wood. If you go through College Wood on Deadman's Lane then cross the main road its those ones. I've not really explored them before either but there is a nice trail through the middle out to Hook End.
@@JethroJessop sweet, don't think I've ever been there. Hit the Gorseinon pump track the other day, hard work but actually works pretty well. Best with a push.
Riding local taught me to love my current home in Edmonton. It connects you to the whole route not just your destination. And I wouldn't have gone touring if I didn't ride local. Hey I'm making a series about bikepacking with my dog on the west coast if you're interested. The cameraman is a bit of an amateur but I like to think I'm editing the new episodes well now lol.
Just checked out the latest one. Looks like a bloody amazing ride! I take back everything I said in my video, I want to pack my bags and head off into the mountains. Balls to riding local :) Except the ticks. That looked nasty! I've had my fair share of the little f###ers but always managed to get them before they turned to grapes.
@@JethroJessop Haha right on! Yeah it's a good thing the ticks don't have a lot of disease there because there sure are a lot of them. Thanks for watching!
@@CanadianSledDog Lucky. It was never a problem in the UK until recently. Now it seems to get worse and worse. I know a few people who have had Lyme now, fortunately all caught fairly early. I guess, even if it is rare where you are keep an eye out for rashes and such around the bite.
@@JethroJessop I'm afraid it's just going to get more common. We've got ticks in Eastern Canada as well and I hear they're pretty bad there. Won't be long before they're everywhere.
Hei man, i like your message. An interesting thought and a good monologue. Nice channel too. Just started to relalize the potential of all the small trails around where i live. Thanks to a slow Surly fatbike. How do you like the Moloko bars?
Glad you are enjoying the channel - I appreciate the support. I'm liking the Moloko. Really comfy so far. I would still like some big old bar ends as well just because I like riding in that sit-up-and-beg posture so I can look around as I go. I left a bit of height when I cut the stem so I think I'll try and raise them up, see if that achieves the same thing. Where's home for you? Always interested to hear what other folk's local trails are like :)
@@JethroJessop my local trail from my parents place looks like this, at least in a winter time :ruclips.net/video/UbZqsUn63nc/видео.html At my place there is a woods right behind, trails, like a spider web, across the whole thing. I have not made any video/photos from it yet :)
@MeaNikita Wow! That looks amazing (subscribed). Love the drifting shots on those snowy corners. I am envious of you having such trails so close to hand. I rode in Norway a couple of years back and did the Rallavegen down into Flåm which was amazing but I didn't venture far off the marked trails really as I was travelling pretty heavy. I'd love to come back and explore the area again though. I'll hit you up for some local advice if I ever get back out there :)
Hi, just stumbled across your channel this morning whilst surfing as Im self-isolating with COVID (every cloud and all that). You remind me very much of a dear friend that I haven't seen in far too long. We used to tour together far and wide together. As i now bike pack I should reach out to that old friend once more. Just one small question.....why do you choose not to wear a helmet? Not preaching just curious. Mark
I hope you aren't suffering with the virus too bad, I assume not if you are watching me rambling on 😉 Definitely you should get back in touch with old biking buddies. It's a really good excuse to do just that and a really great way to reconnect with folk after a long time. I always used to wear a helmet but I bought badly. It was uncomfortable and awkward and a pain to wear. Then I got the Tilley hat and it so great to ride in, keeps off the rain and the sun and is really comfy and as good off the bike as on it. I ride pretty slow and steady avoid traffic wherever I can so the helmet just got forgotten. When I did the king Alfred's Way earlier this year I found myself on some rough descents and suddenly felt very vulnerable. Maybe I'm getting old or maybe it was just that particular route but I decided I needed a helmet so I bought a Bollé Eco. It is a completely different beast to my old helmet, light, comfy, looks somewhat less daft. So in more recent videos you will see me wearing a helmet. I'll never be religious about it though and I'm sure on hot summer rides through the forest I'll be back to the Tilley. I'm not particularly proud of my attitude but it's the one I have. Long answer to a short question there, sorry 😉 Thanks for watching though, hope you get through isolation without too much hardship (I've got loads of videos if you want something to binge, hint hint 😉)
Yeah, it really did change the world in some ways. It definitely got a lot more people outside and even now things are returning to normal at least a few of those folk will keep on adventuring ;)
I can ask for nothing more than a floater ;) Ah yeah, the Rallarvegen. Much as I love riding local and genuinely hold to what I said in this vid, I'd love to be off on a massive Euro ride again. Maybe next year.
@@MrBenzcdi it's on my list believe me. I've got a few friends in France to visit along the way and I'd love to explore Portugal properly. I've only spent 4 days there but I loved that glimpse of the country. I just need to work out a way to not work any more 😉
Ah they are shy, the Berkshire druids. Very hard to spot in the wild 😉 I'm trying my hardest to become a spoon Wizard but that's not quite the same as a druid.
Love the sentiment of that message and its something I feel too when I'm riding / walking local. There's something very peaceful being in nature a stones throw away from where you live.
Glad you feel it too. It's very easy to overlook the local but it is where you can learn the most in many ways.
Heres to many more glorious local adventures :)
Nice. Chill. It's videos like yours Jethro that are helping get through this pandemic. More bike foraging too please. ;)
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'd like to do more foraging but I just don't have the skills. I saw so many crazy mushrooms on this ride and have no idea what any of them are.
There are a lot of sloes about though so a gin making session might be looming :)
@@JethroJessop You learning (& sharing you new knowledge) would make the content enthralling Jethro. Start simple (Chicken of the woods, penny buns). Take some eggs and a stove and have lovely brunch. Foraging matches your seasonal awareness theme.
@@steveprowse649 It's a nice idea. It might well turn into a video about me being really hungry in the woods though :)
But I suppose that is all part of the learning curve.
ruclips.net/video/UJRpfyn2mqc/видео.html
Every time I watch a video of you, I think: what am I actually watching, why do I like this so much? But after a while I remember, I am looking at someone who, like me, enjoys cycling and being outside. It is as simple as that. You always remain completely yourself and you share your view about things in a pleasant contemplative way. Good enough for me, I like it.
I'll be honest, every time I'm making a video I think very similar thoughts 😉
I got half way through this one and realised I wasn't sure what I was even talking about. Or rather, the idea was solid but putting it into words was harder than I expected.
I really do get a massive buzz from just being out and about in nature and I wish I was more able to explain to others.
But I'll keep trying, it's all I have to fill this channel with for now 😉
Cheers for watching and commenting though, I really do appreciate it very much
I think you got it right, you don't have to go far away to enjoy the outdoors on your bike. Your message came across clearly. Above all, stay yourself, that's what makes everyone unique. Looking forward to the next one.
@@Eric-rt6tg That sounds about right. I like that.
I'll try and not leave it so long this time. I really do mean to do a new video each week but somehow life conspires against me.
I agree it's important to try to know your local pocket of nature better by repeatedly visiting and paying attention to details. There was a past period of great personal stress when I decided to begin hiking a local nature preserve. It became my way of coping, releasing tension and finding peace. Over the course of 7 years I would take hour-long hikes 3-5 times per week. I would study the animals (birds especially), plants and topography. I paid respect to the living residents by learning their species names and how they lived. Yes, you can be an engaged observer in your local natural habitat and feel part of it. Another gem of video. Keep 'em coming.
There is immense value in connecting with nature on any level and it sounds like you know that and used it to hopefully find a silver lining to a cloudy time.
I hope the stress has eased now and you continue to enjoy the birds.
I wish I was better at knowing the names of the things I see around me but I seem to be pretty bad at remembering them no matter how many times I learn them.
Keep on hiking and thanks for watching, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video.
"Every time I see a child on a bicycle, I am hopeful for the future of our planet, for the human race." A modification of the famous HG Wells' quote.
Every time I see a child on a bicycle I'm filled with hope but also a little fear.... they always look on the verge of a massive crash :)
A good sentiment though - bicycles for all says I!
Can't thank you enough for this wonderful video. Makes me want to cycle more trails and see and hear the beauty that's around us. Inspirational!
You are very welcome. I'm really pleased it found a sympathetic ear.
Always nice to know there are others out there who see the world the same way.
Saturday tomorrow... let's all have a little adventure!
Wonderful stuff Jethro, just found your channel. Keep pedalling the right path :)
Sandy
Thank you!
And welcome 😀
I'm glad you are liking the channel. I hope I can keep you entertained with whatever adventures I get up to in the future!
Since the pandemic I have discovered so many new local routes from my back door, some of which have surprised me with how great they are. It has also made me scrutinise the OS maps more to search for new routes etc. I never go back home until I’ve seen something I’ve not seen before, could be a type of fungus, a bird or mammal etc...makes you really look at your surroundings. Great video
Ah yeah, love a good session with the old OS maps.
I'm a big fan of opencyclemap.org as well.
I'm currently working on a little map based web tool of my own. Nothing super exciting but something that I wanted and couldn't find.
I'll probably do a video about it once it is working 🙂
Hope you keep on finding new things!
This video is absolutely adorable! You really do not need to cycle through a full continent to reap the benefits of your trip. Local is just as worthy, maybe even more so, as indeed you grow to appreciate your surroundings. I love this one (like all the others!) and am asking for more! Congrats for the good work, Jethro!
Thank you, I'm really pleased you liked it so much :)
I've not done any rambling philosophy videos for a while so it is probably about time but I have to wait for a suitably interesting subject to pop into my head.
Keep your eyes peeled though, I'm sure one will be popping up soon!
Love this. So glad I found this channel. Absolute freedom 😊
I'm glad you are enjoying it!
Jethro, for you this may be your ordinary daily surroundings ... but I (and many others) was never there. It looks very nice and interesting to me. Maybe one day I will go there ... maybe not, but anyway I saw it through this video you made! Thank you.
That is actually a very good point that I should have made in the video. Everywhere is exotic to people from other places.
I am often caught off guard by how beautiful my part of the world is and how easy it is to forget it.
Glad you enjoyed the video
Nice, thoughtful and enjoyed, thx :)
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Brilliant, hope to see you doing king alfreds way in spring .
The last few miles of this one after I finished filming were actually on the KAW :)
The section out of Reading and along the river to Goring is pretty much my default day ride and actually features in quite a few of my vids I should think.
I'd definitely like to do the whole loop though so it actually might be on the cards!
I love your 'mulling' Jethro! Such spot on philosophising. On a slightly larger scale I have just finished (or more like, paused) my first long cycle tour in my home country and discovered all kinds of treasures. It made me wonder if I actually ever need to go cycle touring abroad ever again?!
Thank you. It all makes sense in my head so it's nice to hear that I managed to do some kind of job of putting it into words.
Whereabouts were you touring this time?
@@JethroJessop Since anywhere abroad was out of bounds this year I decided to explore the UK, and rode from the Shetland Islands via the Orkney Islands to Dunnet Head (most northerly point of mainland) to Lizard Point (most southerly). It was a great trip! So much to see...maybe I'll ride back north in the spring?! The Highlands and Islands were my favourite.
@@sarahcook3992 that sounds amazing! I ride Shetland-Orkney-Inverness-Edinburgh a few years back. The Highlands are fantastic and somewhere I would love to explore again. How long did it take you?
@@JethroJessop it took me 3 months! Soooo slow! 1981miles (I took a very meandering route, generally south but many detours to visit as many British Cycle Quest points as I could on the way) , 63 riding days, 25 not riding days, 66nights camping (22 wild camps in Scotland), 2 hostel nights, 3 hotel nights and 16 with friends and family.
@@JethroJessop I met a fellow cycle tourist at a campsite in Dingwall (both of us in search of showers!) Chatting about who we liked to follow on social media we had a moment of connection when. we discovered we were both fans of your videos!
Hello, dear, sir! Again a wonderful and inspiring philosophical ride and how to find the values in close range of the area you are living in! I have from an early age (living in Sweden) followed this sentence: " dig where you stand"! ( What does ‘digging where we stand’ mean? The phrase has its roots in Sweden, popularised by Sven Lindqvist and then in the History Workshop movement in the UK. The idea is that by researching and learning about their own history and the place where they are living, individuals and groups would regain some control over the understanding of their lives and their inter-connectedness.) Yes, I was very glad to find your video touching the same subject and also creatively and insightfully! A big THANK, again, dear, Jethro, for sharing one more of your many precious monologues you generously share with us your many subscribers! Wishing you safe and enriching bike packing trips! Please, take very good care of yourself and stay healthy during these perilous times with the Corona infection lurking around! Best regards from Sweden! Stort TACK igen för dina värdefulla och fina tankar du delar med oss här på RUclips!
Dig where you stand.
I like that. A phrase that says a lot in a very few words and one that everyone could do with taking to heart.
Another inspiring video Jessop!
Why thank you. I aim to inspire - and possibly confuse ;)
Great video, Jeffers. I wholeheartedly agree. I usually do exactly the same route locally.... Mostly down to laziness, but it’s very therapeutic nonetheless.
I'll tell another interesting angle is to try and ride every road in your area. There is a website that will load all your Strava routes on a single map. I treat it like a piece of art, trying mark of every road and path I can. I'll dig the link out for you
@@JethroJessop sounds handy. Aye! Please send it.
Jethro, thank you so much, for sharing your journeys and thoughts to this point. I've watched all your videos, including the one after this, and it's been a blast. You bring something very special and unique to the world of cycling, and it's appreciated. JP.
Awesome of you to say so. I really appreciate the support and I'm really glad you enjoyed the vids.
I hope to get some more out soon and I hope they continue to entertain and that you continue to watch and enjoy 🙂
Thanks for this. It's nice to remember that we are also riding through time !
You are very welcome. And will said, we all on a ride through time and relatively speaking it is a pretty short ride so enjoy it while you can.
Very entertaining Jethro. It’s surprising how many local off road bits you can link together to make an interesting ride. Half the fun is mulling over an O S map and wondering ‘what’s that track like?’ (Usually to find its up to your knees in mud! 🤣)
Oh yeah, I love poring over maps. Checking tracks as you say and planning more rides than I'll ever have time to actually do :)
Greatful to have you on this platform! Keep on teaching
And I'm grateful to have people like you watching my stuff.
I really appreciate the kind words and hope I can keep on entertaining
I really need to aspire to ride more local “run of the mill” trails instead of proper mountain bike trails. Sometimes it’s a hassle loading a bike to drive to a trail head. So I’m getting myself an ordinary bike, something that can do a bit of everything if necessary. I’m looking forward to getting my frame to start building something so different from what I normally have. Great video fella.
You can never have too many bikes 😉
And it's great to have something that you can just get out locally on and explore the local area that you likely don't know as well as you might think.
I still find bits and pieces that I've never ridden after being in the area all my life
@@JethroJessop I ordered a Surly Bridge Club frame. It’ll be a parts bin special 😂
@@jonmarshall1502 Those are the best ones :)
words of wisdom!
Very kind, thank you!
I’m digging out the OS map for my area and having an explore.
It's always good going over maps. I spend way too long planning rides I'll probably never take both at home and further afield.
Keep exploring, you never know what you might find just down the road
lol come to Mumbles we have lots of Wolves here …. Love it
I pass by Mumbles fairly often. My brother lives in the Gower.
Fantastic part of the world!
Lovely video. All my rides have been local this year, and I've felt I've been letting my trusty touring bike down by not crossing entire continents in the brief interludes between lockdowns (thanks, instagram!) but I've realised, I'd never have discovered so many new local routes and been able to share them with friends if I'd have spent the year chasing mileage. I've manufactured three new cycling buddies (none of them imaginary! 😂) because I found quiet lanes and good cafes to enjoy by cycling local.
Thank you, really glad you enjoyed the vid.
I've been tracking my rides this year and trying to use at least one section of new path each time I go out. It's been great! It's put me on some routes I'd never ridden before even having lived my whole life in this area.
Great that you are having a similar experience and finding some adventures close to home. I still daydream about foreign rides and spend way too much time planning notional routes across Europe but I'm still happy pottering around here for a while yet.
If you discover any real hidden gems then please share. I'd like to get a couple more weekenders in before spring if I can 😉
Very nice Philosophy Jethro, I think you have explained yourself well. Personally I'm looking forward to bike packing close to home initially. Sometimes the best adventures are nearby. Thanks for the content.
Glad you enjoyed it. And I hope your local adventures are great ones. Which bit of the world are you in?
It's definitely true that to have an adventure you just need to be adventurous - then it really doesn't matter where you are.
@@JethroJessop I'm in North Shropshire on the edge of Wales. So for me next spring hopefully the Ceiriog and Tanat Valley's. I'd imagine that the Trans Cambrian Way would interest you. Its on my to do list next Year.
@@phill2383 Nice. You are spoiled for choice then! So much good riding up that way.
I've done a little bit round there but would love to explore more and hopefully will get to do so next summer. We shall see.
@@JethroJessop There is indeed. North East Wales is generally off most people's radars. Sounds great, let me know if you are in the area/need any help with routes etc. I'm sure we shall catch up in further Vlogs
@@phill2383 I will for sure, thanks. Always good to have a local connection. Keep me posted on any good routes you find
Often folk take for granted what they already have! Imagine if you lived on an inner city council estate; with little or no access to the countryside!
Nature is nature; whether there happens to be an element of familiarity to the arrangement of trees, lanes, plants, rivers and whatnot. Ergo, whether its local, as opposed to a far off land.
It always seems more romantic to think of distant adventures..but an adventure is an adventure; wherever it takes place!
In a way it's quite nice to have access to the countryside..and be "bored" with it. And to make excuses for being uninspired; or try to kid ourselves we are the antithesis of this.
Because to take something for granted, one must have or have had, the abundance of said element in the first place.
After all you can't take for granted something you dont have!? So in my humble opinion, it's just about a different journey, a journey inwards; looking at the way we interpret our own thoughts.
There is nothing as rewarding as learning to be grateful for the things one already has! Instead of ignoring that and indulging our insatiable want for more, new, and different!
Mankind has progressed so very rapidly by wonderment. What's over that next hill, valley, river, ocean and even planet! That's great!
But some of us are happy with where we are and what we are doing! I think that "What's over the next hill?" is in all of us; and it will rear it's head from time to time!
You can either indulge it, or not, it doesn't matter! But the danger comes from berating ourselves for not doing so.
Am I wasting my life/time; surely I should be doing something more, anything more; than what I'm doing right now!? And if not, then what's the point!?
I think the "point" is to find purpose in what you do. To have a reason to do something; even if that reason is, because I like doing that, or I just want to!
By the way, I like the look of that tree book of yours. Do they do one, "What is that tree, and how well does it burn!?" Then in small print: A book for log burner owners, not Arsonists! Haha.
Take care Jethro.
I think it's about not taking it for granted in the first place. I grew in the countryside with hippy parents who taught me to observe the small details, the shifting balances, the changing patterns, to realise that you can't take it fro granted because it different every single day.
We take things for granted when we forget how amazing they are so I keep reminding myself how vast and mysterious and all encompassing nature is.
On the book front, I don't know of such a manual but I'm sure it exists. My dad and my brother are both serious wood burner users and have some pretty well defined theories on wood types and mixes
I like this, this is refreshing, you certainly have a niche
Thank you. I really appreciate that. Recently I'm tending towards the 'wandering wizard talks to trees' style as I have no big rides happening so it's nice that these videos get any views at all!
@@JethroJessop exactly! It's so great to see a bikepacking content creator that reflects my feelings. I recently rode the badger divide up in Scotland on my ogre. Like you I travel heavy, when I told two lycra clad warriors on the route I had a jewellery making kit with me they looked positively horrified!
@@JethroJessop I made one video, but I am leaning more towards making a blog if I ever get round to it!
@@WillBloomy That's great :) I think making something as you travel is a brilliant way to solidify memories of the trip.
I once mage a length of cord by braiding fibre that I collected at each camp spot. It didn't survive the journey in the end but was a nice project.
I'm really keen to do the Badger Divide - it looks like a good one. You recommend it?
@@WillBloomy The videos can kind of get in the way of enjoying the ride if you let them but I manage to keep a good balance and the editing is a nice task to have in the eve, after the bugs come out :)
So when's the book coming out?
I think you should have a publishing deal, that would be nice...a barbag paperback of your thoughts...
Super video, as ever!
My book is like the promise of fusion power. In theory it's possible but in reality it's always about 50 years away 😉
👍Your forest looks great. If you like mushrooms/ cooked the safe ones ,chestnut roasting. Identify trees, plants. Use your stove Fantastic resource & close.
Yeah it's not bad round here. No big tracts of proper forest but lots of decent patches of woodland.
I'm ok with nuts but I'm not very confident with mushrooms. Something I'd love to know more about for sure!
Thanks for the reply. I live in southern Arizona. 61 old man still bike packing.🤙
@@brettfoster6786 Thanks for watching! And here's to many more years of bikepacking still to come!
Do you have any trips planned for this year?
Wise words bro.
Didn't recognize those woods, where you at?
Mostly in Lackmore Wood. If you go through College Wood on Deadman's Lane then cross the main road its those ones.
I've not really explored them before either but there is a nice trail through the middle out to Hook End.
@@JethroJessop sweet, don't think I've ever been there.
Hit the Gorseinon pump track the other day, hard work but actually works pretty well. Best with a push.
@@RuggedJohnWoodland Nice. As soon as Wales remove the snipers from the borders I'll have to come visit again!
Riding local taught me to love my current home in Edmonton. It connects you to the whole route not just your destination. And I wouldn't have gone touring if I didn't ride local. Hey I'm making a series about bikepacking with my dog on the west coast if you're interested. The cameraman is a bit of an amateur but I like to think I'm editing the new episodes well now lol.
Just checked out the latest one. Looks like a bloody amazing ride!
I take back everything I said in my video, I want to pack my bags and head off into the mountains. Balls to riding local :)
Except the ticks. That looked nasty! I've had my fair share of the little f###ers but always managed to get them before they turned to grapes.
@@JethroJessop Haha right on! Yeah it's a good thing the ticks don't have a lot of disease there because there sure are a lot of them. Thanks for watching!
@@CanadianSledDog Lucky. It was never a problem in the UK until recently. Now it seems to get worse and worse. I know a few people who have had Lyme now, fortunately all caught fairly early. I guess, even if it is rare where you are keep an eye out for rashes and such around the bite.
@@JethroJessop I'm afraid it's just going to get more common. We've got ticks in Eastern Canada as well and I hear they're pretty bad there. Won't be long before they're everywhere.
@@CanadianSledDog think you're right. What a future we have to look forward to!
Hei man, i like your message. An interesting thought and a good monologue. Nice channel too. Just started to relalize the potential of all the small trails around where i live. Thanks to a slow Surly fatbike.
How do you like the Moloko bars?
Glad you are enjoying the channel - I appreciate the support.
I'm liking the Moloko. Really comfy so far. I would still like some big old bar ends as well just because I like riding in that sit-up-and-beg posture so I can look around as I go. I left a bit of height when I cut the stem so I think I'll try and raise them up, see if that achieves the same thing.
Where's home for you? Always interested to hear what other folk's local trails are like :)
@@JethroJessop my local trail from my parents place looks like this, at least in a winter time :ruclips.net/video/UbZqsUn63nc/видео.html
At my place there is a woods right behind, trails, like a spider web, across the whole thing. I have not made any video/photos from it yet :)
@MeaNikita Wow! That looks amazing (subscribed). Love the drifting shots on those snowy corners.
I am envious of you having such trails so close to hand. I rode in Norway a couple of years back and did the Rallavegen down into Flåm which was amazing but I didn't venture far off the marked trails really as I was travelling pretty heavy. I'd love to come back and explore the area again though. I'll hit you up for some local advice if I ever get back out there :)
Good old natter...never did anyone harm...as someone in a movie said “this was a good conversation” 🤘🇨🇭
Let's see if you are still saying that after I churn out a dozen more videos of me nattering about trees :)
Glad you enjoyed it though!
Hi, just stumbled across your channel this morning whilst surfing as Im self-isolating with COVID (every cloud and all that). You remind me very much of a dear friend that I haven't seen in far too long. We used to tour together far and wide together. As i now bike pack I should reach out to that old friend once more. Just one small question.....why do you choose not to wear a helmet? Not preaching just curious. Mark
I hope you aren't suffering with the virus too bad, I assume not if you are watching me rambling on 😉
Definitely you should get back in touch with old biking buddies. It's a really good excuse to do just that and a really great way to reconnect with folk after a long time.
I always used to wear a helmet but I bought badly. It was uncomfortable and awkward and a pain to wear. Then I got the Tilley hat and it so great to ride in, keeps off the rain and the sun and is really comfy and as good off the bike as on it.
I ride pretty slow and steady avoid traffic wherever I can so the helmet just got forgotten.
When I did the king Alfred's Way earlier this year I found myself on some rough descents and suddenly felt very vulnerable. Maybe I'm getting old or maybe it was just that particular route but I decided I needed a helmet so I bought a Bollé Eco.
It is a completely different beast to my old helmet, light, comfy, looks somewhat less daft. So in more recent videos you will see me wearing a helmet.
I'll never be religious about it though and I'm sure on hot summer rides through the forest I'll be back to the Tilley. I'm not particularly proud of my attitude but it's the one I have.
Long answer to a short question there, sorry 😉
Thanks for watching though, hope you get through isolation without too much hardship (I've got loads of videos if you want something to binge, hint hint 😉)
Since the plannedemic I see a lot more out on the trails
Yeah, it really did change the world in some ways. It definitely got a lot more people outside and even now things are returning to normal at least a few of those folk will keep on adventuring ;)
Does it sink? Does it swim? I’d reckon it floats, at least. But you’re right, it can’t be rallarvegen every day.
I can ask for nothing more than a floater ;)
Ah yeah, the Rallarvegen. Much as I love riding local and genuinely hold to what I said in this vid, I'd love to be off on a massive Euro ride again.
Maybe next year.
Blighty - Iberia would be massive...
@@MrBenzcdi it's on my list believe me. I've got a few friends in France to visit along the way and I'd love to explore Portugal properly. I've only spent 4 days there but I loved that glimpse of the country.
I just need to work out a way to not work any more 😉
@@JethroJessop me too 😄
@@MrBenzcdi I'll promise to share the secret when I find it if you do!
I tried really hard to see a druid peeking out of the bushes, but alas, in vain!
Ah they are shy, the Berkshire druids. Very hard to spot in the wild 😉
I'm trying my hardest to become a spoon Wizard but that's not quite the same as a druid.
I hope your following me on my Instagram social? 😁😆😆. If not why not? 🤔😉😉
I'm pretty sure I am. I will double check 😉