Monthly Archives: August 2011

In the words of another distance skateboarder, Adam Colton, traveling by skateboard “is a pretty stupid idea.” It really is. It is less efficient than cycling, you are at the mercy of the road surface and traffic is infinitely less forgiving towards you than other forms of human powered transport. […]

The Allure of Long Distance Skateboarding

Last week I cycled 8 days with my wife, her brother (Rowland), his wife (Alicia), and my wife’s friend (Saoka). It was four of us for the whole trip, plus the extra friend for three days. It was the first time I had traveled in a group before, and I […]

Reflections on Travelling with a Group

A while back I wrote a screed of thoughts regarding digital camera choices* and mentioned that I ended up buying a second hand Panasonic GF1 micro four thirds camera; a miniature SLR camera that takes nice lightweight interchangeable lenses. Well it has now been a few months since that purchase, and I […]

Panasonic Lumix GF1 Review

This is part of a series of posts about cycling gear I have been using lately. First up, the mighty Surly Karate Monkey. Surly Karate Monkey Review Earlier this year, I was looking into bicycle options for life here in Sapporo. I was looking for something that would be as […]

Surly Karate Monkey Review – touring and commuting

In January this year, Andrea Brena, a student from Italy, sent me a sizable list of questions for me to answer as part of a research project he was working on. Before the answers get lost in my inbox forever, here they are. INTERVIEW What’s your name? Robert John Thomson, […]

People are a Window: The Kindness of Strangers