The bicycle that went around the world perched on the edge of a scenic cliff in the Drakensburg Mountains, Lesotho, Southern Africa.
This is my beloved bicycle and one of my favorite photographs, which is funny because it really was an afterthought when I summited these tough mountains. Notice all the gear on the back of the bike, including the road tires that needed to be swapped for the knobbies. This is Sani Pass, Lesotho. After climbing 1600 meters, sometimes up an unbelievable 33-36% grade dirt road at times surpassing the Guinness Book of World Records' Steepest Hill in Dunedin, New Zealand, and it's not even paved. That's pushing a bicycle that weighed 60 pounds with gear, not including food and water.

A how-to guide for bike touring — Scouting magazine

An article with Scott, the Gear Junkie and Scouting Magazine.

SCOTT STOLL BIKED around the world, cycling a whopping 25,742 miles in four years. He wrote about his continent-hopping bike trip in the book Falling Uphill. Living as a two-wheeled nomad, Stoll took off from America and pedaled through 50 countries.

Planning a bike-touring trip with Scouts doesn’t mean you have to think globally (it could be as simple as cycling to an adjacent town). Yet Stoll, a former Boy Scout who grew up in Wisconsin, encourages Scouts to dream big. “Don’t let planning overwhelm your dream; just go for it,” he says.

Read more of the how-to guide for bike touring with Scouting magazine.

Picture of Scott Stoll

Scott Stoll

My claim to fame is that I rode a bicycle around the world and wrote some books. More about me.

If you enjoyed this story…

  • I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
  • Subscribe to get new stories in your inbox.
  • If you are feeling generous, even $1 helps. Or send an anonymous gift from my Amazon Wishlist.
  • And/or please share.

Thanks. This website is a labor of love, and your kindness keeps me motivated.

Donate

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More stories like this one

The Big Dipper rises over El Capitan. Tiny dots of light on El Capitan white and orange lights reveal the location of climbers at night.

Constellation of Climbers

Late at night in Yosemite, I mistook a cluster of lights for a constellation. They were actually climbers resting on El Capitan, suspended in hammocks above the valley floor. The real Big Dipper hung upside down overhead, turning the whole scene into something unforgettable.
Waymo ride Dennis and Scott

The future is here!

Riding in a fully driverless Waymo in the Bay Area felt like stepping into an episode of Star Trek. Here's what it was like when Dennis and I took a ride. And, yes, this the Dennis who accompanied me halfway round the world.
Boarding Pass Artemis II moon

NASA is going back to the moon, and I’m going along for the ride!

Once again my name will be aboard the ship. And if I'm lucky, I will be chosen to attend the launch and promote this pinnicle of human apsiration.