October 2018 -

I loved riding the Shimanami Kaido

October 31, 2018 Nicola Bike travel, Cycle groups, Women cycling

I’ve just finished riding in the most amazing cycling mecca – riding the Shimanami Kaido with a fabulous group of women led by my friend Tina McCarthy from Wheel Women in Melbourne. Tina is a self-confessed Japanophile with a love affair with all things Nippon spanning 30 years. The tour I’m on is Tina’s third or fourth tour to Japan and she’s got it down to a fine art. What a wonderful time I’ve had, and I’m sure all the others on the tour have had equal enjoyment. Japan is such a wonderful melting pot of old and new. Ancient

The endlessly fascinating topic of how cycling affects the brain

October 23, 2018 Nicola Brain health, Women cycling

If you’re a regular reader of this blog you’ll know that I have a fascination for brain science, so was intrigued to read an article recently about how cycling affects the brain. I’m not sure what fascinates me so much but I always enjoy reading about the connection between the brain and cycling. I found the article on a site called Duvine which runs cycling tours so I asked permission to republish the article written by Lindsey Hunt. How does bike riding impact our mental and emotional health on a scientific level? The Evolutionary Basis Anthropologists and psychologists suggest that

Tips for packing your bike for air travel

October 16, 2018 Nicola Bike travel, Women cycling

I’m off to Japan later this week and need to get my bike ready, so I thought I should share some tips on packing your bike for air travel. If you’re not really confident about packing your own bike then make a quick call to your local bike shop and ask them to assist. They’ll probably charge you a modest fee so check that when you make the call to them, and make sure you allow plenty of time before your trip. If you want to give it a go yourself then keep reading. My partner and I have been

Come with me on the Wheel Women Japanese Cycling tour

October 9, 2018 Nicola Bike travel, Blogging, Cycle groups, Cycle tours, Women cycling

I am super excited about heading off next week for the Wheel Women Japanese Cycling tour which will see me riding in southern Japan. Our fabulous tour leader Tina McCarthy describes the tour as a full immersion in another world, with the boundaries of the old and the new criss-crossing at every turn. “From sublime temples to the dazzling orchestra of neon signs in the cities, our Wheel Women Japan Tour takes you on a journey across the sea, over bridges and among friends,” Tina says. Wheel Women’s Tina McCarthy, who has been travelling to Japan since 1986 when her

Been looking for the ideal cycling holiday in the south of France?

October 2, 2018 Nicola Cycle tours, Women cycling

Women’s cycling enthusiast Diane Best contacted me recently to tell me about her cycling tour company DBest Cycling that specialises in a cycling holiday in the south of France. I wondered how a Scottish native ends up running her own cycling tour company in France, especially when she got there via the long way – a stint in the TV industry in New York. So I asked Diane to share her story with us. Q: How did you get into cycling? I had been an avid squash player but about 10 years ago, after a series of injuries, I got