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“Cycling around the World to Build a Planetary Oneness Mandala”,  sounds like heavy stuff to me.  Not just discovering the world and meeting interesting people.

No, Russell Maier is an artist cycling around the world orchestrating a planetary collaborative art project. In June 2008, he sold all his possessions and set off East from his small Canadian home town. The adventures, the thoughts and the art that blossom from his journey are published on his blog.

He believes that together we can do so much more than alone – so he is inviting people in each country he passes through to help collaborate with him and build a giant mandala of Peace. Like this Mandala of good words The (final) 1Mandala will be unveiled in front of the UN on 10-10-10.

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This morning I received a set of three Lightload Towels. The manufacturer claims  that these towels are the lightest( 5 oz. or 140 gr.)  and most versatile towels around. Even better, they say these are not just towels but can be considered as a multi-pupose survival tool. The towels are made of 100% viscose, quick drying and wickable.

For a travelling cyclists one of rewards after a long , hot and dusty day on the road is a (hot) shower. To dry yourself you’ll need a towel. A towel that is as lightweight as possible but on the other side can absorb plenty of water. Can the Lightload towel stand ” The Cycling Around the World Test” ?

Lightload towel in use
My initial reaction after unpacking, what initially looked like a set of three  pill boxes, was: “Are these towels, where are my towels?”  It took me a little while to figure out that dipping in water softens the towels up and gets the wrinkles out.  The “pill box” quickly then transforms into a 30 x 60 cm towel that absorbs a lot of water. The towels dry quicky and feel soft on your skin. According to the FAQ pages on the Lightload Towels website, they last for about two months.

The initial package

But are these towels useful for cyclists travelling and trekking around the world? Well, on a very long trip I would typically use a more durable towel. But as an extra “emergency supply”  these towels could be useful. The manufacturer claims that the Lightloads can also be used as “pot holder, seat or pack padding, water of coffee filter, First Aid supplement or even as fire starter”.

Add some water and seconds later your 30 x 60 cm towel is ready

I wouldn’t use it as a serious water filter but for the rest it’s probably ok.  And of course you could use it as a pot holder or pack padding, but anything soft can do such a job. I also tried my luck to use it as a fire starter. I was not too impressed. Ok, I was able to set in on fire but it petered out after a few minutes.  I’ve had better results with dry paper and a few drops of (car)gas from my camping stove to get a fire going.

So what’s the verdict?
Good for use as an extra disposable towel (very lightweight and very compact) on bike and camping trips. The Lightload towels seem less suitable for the alternatives mentioned on the package.

Promotional Video on Youtube

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While pedalling around the globe, biking through cities sometimes is hard to avoid. Generally this part of the trip is hardly a pleasure. Chaotic traffic, the absence of traffic rules, the exhaust fumes can make it a real battle to pedal through many of the big towns around the world.

But now The Travel & Leisure Magazine published a list of The World’s Top Biking Cities.  The list includes Copenhagen, Portland (USA), Munich, Montreal, Perth, Amsterdam, Seattle, Paris, Minneapolis (USA) and Bogota. Obviously this list was created from the perspective of the recerational and commuting cyclist.

But nevertheless it is g0od to know that these cities have facilities such as of separate bike lanes, bicycle-parking facilities, lower speed limits for cars, bike-specific traffic signals, underground parking garages built for bikes and cycling maps for visitors and much more.

So at least you know that cycling through these towns is going to be a lot easier. Any more suggestions for bicycle friendly cities? Please comment below…

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Cycling around the world is great and there are numerous ways of doing it. The easy way and the hard way and anyway. Below is a selection of travellers who’ve found their way to YouTube.

Any suggestions for other videos? Feel free to comment.

This is always a major issue for those who want to travel by air to places far away. The last thing you want is to arrive with a broken bicycle at your destination.

So it’s important to make a good start and pack your bike properly. Be aware of the fact that the regulations for bicycle transport can vary per airline. Some want you to pack your bike in cardboard boxes, others will also take bikes in bags only.

These three videos on YouTube give some good tips about the packaging part.

Allison Conroy and John Tai love to dance. They’re also crazy about bike riding.

They paired their passions during a recent seven-month vacation to Central and South America, which surprised no one who knows them. It’s nothing for the couple to go out for a 100-kilometre bike ride, followed by a night of dancing.

As Conroy, 27, a personal fitness trainer, gives a rundown of their adventures in the Dominican Republic, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil and Cuba, listeners keep waiting to hear about the “fun” part of the trip, because a lot of it, sounds, um, torturous.

More at the Edmonton Journal

The best movie is being out there on your own bicycle, of course. But for those living around New York,  or going there the BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL 2009 from JUne 17-21 may be worth a visit.  Too far out? Have a look at their website

“The Bicycle Film Festival is a celebration of bicycles through film, art and music. This year is going to be awesome!!! Make your plans to get to the New York festival now!…”

Just in time for the summer bicycle-riding season, outdoor retailer REI has launched a new iPhone app that helps consumers monitor and share their biking experiences.

The new application is part of the REI “Bike your drive” campaign that encourages consumers to get out of their cars and onto their bikes. The app, called the Bike Your Drive mobile application, is a free, REI-branded interactive tool that enables consumers to track, view and share their biking stories.

Read it all at DMNews

When you have plans to travel around in Africa it’s good to know that a recent WHO study says African motorcyclists killing, dying more than elsewhere.  More than 90% of the world’s road deaths occur in low-income and middle-income countries, while these countries only have 48% of the world’s vehicles,” said Dr. Etienne Krug, Director of WHO’s Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability.

African roads are particularly unsafe for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists who, without the protective shell of a car around them, are more vulnerable.  These road users need to be given increased attention. Measures such as building sidewalks, raised crossings and separate lanes for two wheelers; reducing drink-driving and excessive speed; increasing the use of helmets and improving trauma care are some of the interventions that could save hundreds of thousands of lives every year.

Of course your can still make very enjoyable biketrips in this beautiful continent. Check out the African destinations on our travel site.

Read more on Africa Science News Service

Douglas Whitehead accepts a basket of cherries and attempts to do something about his saddle sores, on his 6,000-mile cycle ride to India.

“The folk at The Daily Telegraph did well when they named these journals The Bicycle Diaries. However, I want to suggest a new title: The Pushing a Bike up a Hill Diaries, because that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for large sections of the past week.”

Read it all at The Daily Telegraph