I love it when it’s cold and bright at this time of year, and today was exceptional in terms of a classic Norfolk winter’s day; the air was crisp, the sun shining, and little in the way of wind. To take advantage I hopped on my bike for a final 2014 ride, only 25 miles out to Wymondham and then back to Norwich through the countryside, however it was superb, even if I did have to watch out for the odd icy patch.

I’ll be back to more regular blogging in 2015 as I prepare for my next cycle tour. I’m planning on heading into Europe for a few months; more details to follow however likely to be starting off in Norway (Nordkapp) and heading for Spain.

At present I’m very excited about the new bike I’ve ordered from Oxford Bike Works (http://www.oxfordbikeworks.co.uk/). It’s based on an expedition bike designed in partnership with Tom Allen (http://tomsbiketrip.com/), and it was great to meet Richard earlier this week and get the fitting done. Had a quick test ride around Oxfordshire and it was extremely comfortable; it’s amazing what a difference a professionally fitted bike makes. Hopefully I’ll be picking it up towards the end of January, which gives me plenty of time to get used to the new steed before setting off into Europe.

All that remains is to wish everyone all the best for 2015. I hope everyone has time to get a bit of adventure in and follow their dreams, I’ll certainly be striving to do so.

Happy New Year!