Dreaming of a bike adventure but struggling to find the time to tour? In this mini-blog, Sophia shows budding microadventurers how it's done.
Inspired by Alastair Humphreys' 'Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes', Sophia, Bex and Katie were craving fresh air and open spaces when they decided on their midweek mini-break.
With enthusiasm and curiosity in abundance, they set off from work on two-wheels once they'd managed to escape the desk at 5.30pm. They packed the bare necessities: a tent to sleep in (a bivvy or just sleeping bag would have been fine too) and a change of clothes for work the next day, and stopped off at Sophia's house on their way out of town for a big bowl of pasta.
They covered the roughly 20 miles in an hour and a half to arrive in Eynsford for sunset; cycling over the rolling hills in search of a good spot to wild camp. They eventually bedded down in the corner of a farmer's field as the last light faded behind the beautiful old viaduct they had just ridden under.
Up with the light at 5am, they sipped on tea and breakfasted on cereal bars before packing up their tent and hopping back into the saddle and heading back to the big smoke. By the time the clock struck 9am they were all back at their desks basking in the exhilaration of a weeknight that was infinitely more exciting than sitting on the sofa watching Netflix.
Sophia is a Beeline friend who writes a blog (Sustainunable) on sustainability - she first wrote about her microadventure there.
