A world map of Scott's bicycle ride around the world
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.

Favorite photos of the world bike tour

Favorite Pictures of the World Bicycle Tour

As a professionally trained artist, Scott’s photos have been featured in newspapers and websites around the world, such as: featured on NewZealand.com, used by the Australian Parliament, the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, The Malawi Association UK, The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and much more. Scott’s photos are available for sharing with credit or purchase for commercial use. More info.

Below are some of my favorite pictures of my trip, featured in newspapers all over the world. (Of course, I’m saving the best of the best for the book and slideshows.) I took over 4000 photographs, most of them using a 35mm film Canon Rebel, sending the rolls of film home one by one in the mail. My camera survived all the crashes, vibrations and humidity. Unfortunately, the lens started to malfunction. I think I got it wet during my trip to Victoria Falls where the pounding waterfalls make a constant mist.

My Favorite Photograph

Over 500 children and teachers standing on the playground in the shape of giant bicycle.
After seeing the world wonders and taking thousands of photographs, this is my favorite photograph that I made when I returned home.

The bicycle that went around the world

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.

The before and after picture

Scott Stoll's before and after picture of his bicycle tour around the world.
Scott Stoll’s before and after picture of his bicycle tour around the world. The change on the inside is even more dramatic. More about the before and after picture.

Funny Road Signs

Below is one of my favorite subject matters, though I don’t even know why — misspelled and misleading and just weird signs.

El Che Guevara and the hammer and sickle tastefully painted on the back of a road sign in Argentina
“Power to the people” is a common theme all over the world. El Che, the world-famous counterculture symbol, advertised on the back of a road sign in Argentina. Also pictured is the hammer and sickle, symbolic of the working person and socialism. I like how they made good use of the back of the road sign without ruining the front.

More Favorites from the World Bicycle Tour

Sorry, this organization of pictures is a bit outdated now. You can also view my photo albums on Flickr. Update 2020: Darn. Flickr is also out of date. They changed their rules. Well, you can always hire Scott for a slideshow, in person or virtually.

Scott's before and after picture of 4 year bicycle trip
The before and after picture.
The bicycle that went around the world
The bicycle. The bicycle. Plus 60 pounds of gear, plus food and water. 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’s Steepest Hill in Dunedin, New Zealand, and it’s not even paved.
Snow in Africa
Weather. The same location as the last picture after getting caught in a blizzard. 18 inches of snow.
My tent in picture perfect spot.
The tent. An ideal campsite on the top of a mountain in Lesotho. Notice: The tent is pitched through the bicycle to prevent thieves from stealing my bicycle while I slept.
Camp stove
The kitchen. Preparing coffee while surrounded by African bees.
Bicycle dashboard
The bicycle dashboard. A common vantage for 4 years.
filtering water
Water. Filtering about 12 liters of fresh water per day was a chore that could take hours. It took me two years to realize that I could just siphon my water through the filter.
Hotel and bicycle maintenance
Hotels. About once a week I would get a hotel to wash, mend and maintain.
Climbing my first mountain pass in California
Mountains. Climbing my first mountain pass in California. Only thousands of mountains to go including the Rockies, Andes and Himalayas. Photo by Dennis Snader.
Cycling through Yosemite National Park
Cycling through Yosemite National Park
Moving camp
Dennis moving house. Often our camps were flooded by rain or overrun by pests like loudmouth tourists.
El Capitan, Yosemite, California
Monoliths. El Capitan, Yosemite, California.
fixing a flat
A roadside restaurant and a flat tire.
Chili peppers drying on the road in Baja, Mexico
Chili peppers drying on the road in Baja, Mexico
One of tens of thousands of road-side shrines
Shrines. One of tens of thousands of roadside shrines I rode past.
Decorated volcano. Baja, Mexico.
Scenery. Decorated volcano. Baja, Mexico.
Cacti forest. Baja
Deserts. Cacti forest. Baja, Mexico. The daily temperature in the shade exceeded 120ºF (50ºC).
Drunken monkey.
Oddities. Drunken monkey. An alcoholic pet monkey steals a bottle of rum, gets drunk, falls out of the rafters, dies, and gets stuffed.
Tzintzuntzan (humming bird) Ruins
Monuments. Tzintzuntzan (hummingbird) Ruins – reconstructing reface surface with volcanic rock.
Meat hanging out to dry,
Food. Meat hanging out to dry, Dennis ate at this restaurant before looking around the corner.
The Monarch Butterfly Reserve, Mexico.
Wildlife. The Monarch Butterfly Reserve, Mexico. Hundreds of monarchs clinging to a pine tree.
One of many rough but equally beautiful roads.
Roads. One of many rough but equally beautiful roads. Why is that the bigger and smoother the road, the uglier the scenery and the dirtier the air?
Oaxaca, Southern Mexico. Animal wood carving souvenirs.
Art. Oaxaca, Southern Mexico. Animal wood carving souvenirs.
Man harvesting wood.
Work. This man walks to the top of the mountain every day, then rolls his cart of wood to the village below.
My Spanish teacher
Language. My Spanish teacher striking a pose in Antigua, Guatemala
Sawdust street paintings for the Easter parade in Guatemala.
Festivals. Sawdust street paintings for the largest Easter parade in the world.
Border Crossing Nicaragua/Costa Rica
Border crossing Nicaragua/Costa Rica. Don’t forget to get the bond receipt for your bicycle, so you can get out to the other side of the country.
Iguanas for sale
For Sale. Iguanas: “Good food. Tastes like chicken.”
Central America young men and boys harvesting bananas
Work. A day in the life of Central America young men and boys harvesting bananas.
Scott is fit again
At last, Scott is fit again and can admire his inner tiger
A tree full of iguanas
Tourist attractions
. A tree full of iguanas waiting for the tourists to feed them.
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
This phone for rent reminds me of the Bat Phone.Communication. Most people don’t own a phone. This phone for rent reminds me of the Bat Phone.
Volcano beginning to erupt. Ecuador.
Volcano beginning to erupt. Ecuador.
Sacred valley and the lost city of the Incans from Machu Picchu mountain
Sacred Valley and the lost city of the Incans from Machu Picchu mountain on the Incan Trail
Incan Lawn mower. The famous llama
Incan Lawnmower. The famous llama. “Como se llama, llama?”
Alto Plano, Peru
Alto Plano, Peru
Muddy "shortcut"
Muddy “shortcut”
Moss and volcano, Bolivian Alto Plano
Moss and volcano, Bolivian Alto Plano
Isla de Pescado and the salt flats of Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni
One of the coolest and most bizarre places on the planet. Isla de Pescado and the salt flats of Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni.
Tree rock, Salar de Uyuni
Tree rock, Salar de Uyuni
Salvador Dali Rocks, Bolivia
Salvador Dali Rocks, Bolivia
Contemplating how to get to the next city with a broken bicycle rack.
Contemplating how to get to the next city with a broken bicycle rack.
Rack temporarily fixed by using a door hinge.
Emergency repair. Rack temporarily fixed by using a door hinge.
One of hundreds of river crossings in Bolivia.
One of hundreds of river crossings in Bolivia. Sometimes the roads turned into the rivers.
I was honoured to have been hosted by families around the world.
Family and friends. I was honoured to have been hosted by families around the world. Like this family, many literally had no money.
El Che Guevara. "Viva La Revolucion!" Argentina.
Politics. El Che Guevara. “Viva La Revolucion!” Argentina.
Farms and agriculture. "Hairy coo." Scotland.
Farms and agriculture. “Hairy coo.” Scotland.
Lore and legend. Loch Ness Monster.
Lore and legend. Loch Ness Monster.
Corfu Castle, England.
Corfu Castle, England.
Sunflowers in Germany.
Sunflowers in Germany.
Citadel & Eglise Notre Dame on River Meuse, Dinant, Belgium.
Citadel & Eglise Notre Dame on River Meuse, Dinant, Belgium.
Castle and church, Lake Bled, Slovenia.
Castle and church, Lake Bled, Slovenia.
History. Roman Arena in Croatia.
History. Roman Arena in Croatia.
Monk skulls in the Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron, Greece.
Monk skulls in the Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron, Greece.
Parthenon, Greece.
Parthenon, Greece.
Standing out like a sore bicyclist in a Turkish cafe.
Standing out like a sore bicyclist in a Turkish cafe.
Blue Mosque, Turkey.
Blue Mosque, Turkey.
The Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt.
The Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt.
Mohammed the camel driver and Charlie Brown the camel.
Mohammed the camel driver and Charlie Brown the camel.
Sphinx.
Sphinx.
God(s). Outside of a Hindu temple.
God(s). Outside of a Hindu temple.
Hampi, India. Temple from Hemakuta Hill.
Hampi, India. Temple from Hemakuta Hill.
Indian women planting rice.
Women. Indian women planting rice.
Most disgusting bathroom in the world. India. Toilet story -- every traveler's got one.
Toilets. Most disgusting bathroom in the world. India. Toilet story — every traveler’s got one.
Indian gas station. Note all the spilled oil.
Indian gas station. Note all the spilled oil.
Rickshaw driver in New Delhi in the steamy rain
Rickshaw driver in New Delhi in the steamy rain.
Scott in the Maharaja's throne
Scott in the Maharaja’s throne with his self-appointed guides. Next on the tour, visiting the king cobra’s home.
Jaisalmer Fort, Rajastan.
Jaisalmer Fort, Rajastan.
Scott invents bicycle yoga in the himalayas. India.
Scott invents bicycle yoga in the Himalayas. India.
Traffic Jam. Blocked by wild elephants, Bardia National park.
Traffic Jam. Blocked by wild elephants, Bardia National Park.
11 out of the 60 remaining elephants in Nepal cross the road in front of me
Close-up of the previous picture. 11 out of the 60 remaining elephants in Nepal cross the road in front of me.
The imfamous Tata truck run off the road.
Traffic. The infamous Tata truck run off the road. So much for the miniature Hindu shrine inside. Trucks and cars and pollution were the major flaws with riding a bicycle around the world.
Nepalese celebrating Holi, the color festival.
Nepalese celebrating Holi, the color festival.
On the road to Mt. Everest.
On the road to Mt. Everest.
Everest and yaks at sunset from Base Camp I.
Mt. Everest and yaks at sunset from Base Camp I.
Everest Base Camp I.
Everest Base Camp I.
Tea with local Tibetan farmers.
Tea with local Tibetan farmers.
Thai Monks waiting for a buddha.
Thai Monks waiting for a buddha.
The wheel of life.
The wheel of life.
Campground and sunset on Phucket Beach, Thailand.
Campground and sunset on Phuket Beach, Thailand. (Two years later a tsunami wiped out the beach.)
Vietnamese dolls for sale.
Vietnamese dolls for sale.
A conical limestone mountain,
A conical limestone mountain, a common sight in South East Asia.
Can you see the tiny fisherman on his houseboat?
Can you see the tiny fisherman on his houseboat?
Traditional H'mong women. Northern Vietnam.
Culture. Traditional H’mong women. Northern Vietnam.
Saltwater crocodile, Northern Territory, Australia.
Saltwater crocodile, Northern Territory, Australia. The man-eating variety. Salties.
Freshwater crocodile.
Freshwater crocodile. The relatively harmless crocodile. The freshie. Who has time to tell the difference?
Fully-loaded bicycle and a termite hill
Fully-loaded bicycle and a termite hill and Outback adventure.
Devil's marble.
Devil’s marble.
Windmill and outback sunrise.
Windmill and Outback sunrise. Gotta get up early to beat the heat.
Carrying 26 liters (57 pounds) of water through the Australian Outback.
Survival. Carrying 26 liters (57 pounds) of water through the Australian Outback. I needed special permission from the Aborigine Land Council for this adventure. Basically, I had to convince them I wouldn’t make a nuisance of myself by dying.
The outback, back o' beyond,
The outback, back o’ beyond, no man’s land, and the middle of nowhere.
Uluru (Ayer's Rock )
Uluru (Ayer’s Rock ). The biggest monolith (rock) world. Even more amazing is the 1500 kilometers of nothingness in every direction.
Cycling up the Guinness Book's record for the World Steepest Hill
Personal achievement. Cycling up the Guinness World Record for the World’s Steepest Hill in Baldwin Street, Dunedin, New Zealand. And I’m doing it fully-loaded. I’ve cycled up steeper unpaved roads.
Climbing Franz Josef Glacier, NZ
Natural phenomena. Climbing Franz Josef Glacier, NZ
Inside Franz Josef Glacier, NZ
Inside Franz Josef Glacier, NZ.
Fairy-tale mushrooms. The poisonous kind.
Fairy-tale mushrooms. The poisonous kind.
Masaai warriors, Kenya, and springtime flowers.
Masaai warriors, Kenya, and springtime flowers.
Typical Tanzanian fruit and veg market.
Daily life. Typical Tanzanian fruit and veg market.
daily chore for me and African women: fetching water.
Life. A daily chore for me and African women: fetching water.
Picturesque acacia tree
Picturesque acacia tree. With beehives made out of hollow tree trunks by the villagers.
Getting my machete sharpened by a man with homemade bicycle grinder.
Getting my machete sharpened by a man with homemade bicycle grinder.
Victoria Falls viewed from Zambia
World Wonders. Victoria Falls viewed from Zambia. Reminds me of Tarzan and the Apes.
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World as viewed from Zambia.
Wild bull African elephant.
Wild bull African elephant. This animal is so big, I could ride my bicycle between its legs and not even tickle its belly.
Giraffe sculpture and bicycle.
Giraffe sculpture and bicycle.
Snow in Africa?!
Snow in Africa?!
Visiting the corner store.
Visiting the corner store.
Kids are curious all over the world. Lesotho.
Kids are curious all over the world. Lesotho.
Traditional Basotho men after sacrificing a goat.
Traditional Basotho men after sacrificing a goat.
Even babies are curious about the white man.
Even babies are curious about the white man.
Zulu women, South Africa.
Zulu women, South Africa.
Cabbage for sale.
Cabbage for sale.
Impala skull.
Impala skull.
Fynbos flowers a plant kingdom (1 of 7) endemic only in South Africa.
Fynbos flowers a plant kingdom (1 of 7) endemic only in South Africa.
Newfound friend.
Newfound friend.
Beach houses near Cape Town.
Beach houses near Cape Town.
Sunset on my last full day of cycling.
Sunset on my last full day of cycling.
Scott Sporting the Grizzly Adams look
Sporting the Grizzly Adams look. Table Mountain, Cape Town in the background.
Halfway up Table Mountain
Halfway up Table Mountain, can’t bike any further.
Celebrating
Celebrating on Table Mountain. The end of the road. Or is it?
Table Mountain
Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa, and Scott waving hello-goodbye.
 

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