Author Archives: Gary

About Gary

Over the past four decades I have travelled more than 400,000 miles by motorcycle, while my 2002 BMW R1150GS Adventure has covered more than 260,000 miles of its own. In 2011 I was honoured to be selected by the Ted Simon Foundation as one of the inaugural Jupiter's Travellers, an experience that encouraged me to look beyond the motorcycle itself and focus on the people, places and experiences that make travel so rewarding. Tyclyd is where I share the photographs, stories and memories gathered from a lifetime on two wheels.

Its Been a While – Navigating Challenges

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Blimey, it’s been a while since I popped in here for an update, due partly to everything that has been going on. The cycle of life and death, redundancy, loss of identity, being disowned by a child and then covid injury just all seemed to get in the way. I needed some help to rebuild my resilience – and without Mary I don’t think I would have survived. What did I learn though is that resilience is often described as the ability to recover quickly from difficulties, it’s not just about enduring hardship but thriving in spite of them and the idea that just ‘one more thing’ could break you.

Positive Thinking

For me resilience involves a combination of mental, emotional, and physical capabilities that help me cope with and overcome personal challenges. Life is inherently unpredictable, from personal losses to professional setbacks, stress is an inevitable part of the human experience – and those who follow my unpredictable travel path would I think, say I am pretty good at dealing with the unexpected.

On the road you need to build your resilience to be better equipped to manage the unexpected effectively – you need (mental health) tools in your kit bag to solve issues, some you may have already and others you will need help in acquiring. Be ready for the unexpected and enjoy the ride.

Hundertwasser

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In Vienna so popped into see Friedensreich Hundertwasser house – an Austrian artist and architect and whilst not a naturist in the traditional sense of the word he did have a deep appreciation for nature and the environment, which is reflected in his work. Hundertwasser believed that architecture should be in harmony with nature and that buildings should incorporate natural elements such as trees, vegetation, and natural light – there are 10 tenant trees in the house. While Hundertwasser did not espouse the naturist lifestyle, his work was deeply influenced by his reverence for nature and his desire to incorporate it into his art and architecture – plenty of pictures of his bits though 🙂

Kimmeridge Cows and the Queen

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When we get it right in the UK… well we just get in right. Mary and I have just come back from Kimmeridge and the South Coast footpath with the dogs and the tent and the van. It will be one of those “where were you when you heard” trips as we raised a glass to the passing of Queen Elizabeth.