Episode 80: Alee Denham

Cycling About. Experiences and insights from a full time bicycle nomad.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a full time bicycle nomad? What it would be like to permanently travel the world on a bike tour with no fixed end date? Well in this episode guest Alee Denham shares his experiences and insights of doing just that, having spent years cycling all around the world.

Alee shared that he first got the idea to travel by bicycle while on a backpacking trip just after high school. His first short tour on took him across the island of Borneo and despite the challenging conditions due to the political climate at the time, he was hooked. and Before he knew it he was setting off on a 2.5 year tandem journey from Europe to Australia.  But the end of that huge multi-year trip was just the start to what has become Alee’s lifestyle. As a self proclaimed bicycle nomad his bike tours have taken him all around the world, across 6 continents, visiting over 100 countries. 

Something unique with Alee’s touring style is his appetite to take the most rugged of routes. He enjoys exploring trails, linking hike a bike sections to access areas many others wouldn’t consider when bike travelling. Alee also likes to spend the maximum time possible in spending months in any country at a time, in order to fully appreciate its terrain, people, culture, and wildlife. Prior to arriving he will read through Lonely Planet guidebooks to get a feel for the country, before exploring it every way possible. This isn’t just by rolling through the landscape either. Alee regularly stops to take in hikes, see the sites and spend time with locals, to fully appreciate the country, it’s people, wildlife and culture.

Alee is also the face behind Cycling About – one of the  premier online resources when it comes to everything bicycle touring and bikepacking. From gear reviews, to adventure stories and insightful videos, chances are if you have a question about bicycle travel, Cycling About will contain the answer. 

Alee’s has completed a number of long distance tours both with a partner and also solo and he spoke about the pros and cons linked with each. Ultimately there are benefits to doing both and Alee appreciates that not just one style will ever be perfect.

During his journey’s Alee has had to deal with the unexpected. A particularly harrowing moment was when he was cycling in Peru and the trail he was walking his bike along unexpctedly gave way, plunging him thirty metres down into a ravine. His story of survival from that day, and the subsequent experiences of getting help and accessing medical services when stuck in a very remote area of Peru were captivating. I couldn’t imagine being in that situation myself but Alee seems to have the right persona and level headedness to be able to deal with the uncertainty and challenges which came his way.

Overwhelmingly what came across most when I spoke with Alee was his excitement and curiosity to keep exploring more places in this mode of slow travel. I spoke to Alee just after he landed in Zimbabwe. He is currently part way through what he predicts to be a 5 year journey, touring extensively across Africa with his partner Laura.

I fully encourage you to follow his adventures online via:
Instagram – @CyclingAbout
Facebook – @CyclingAbout
YouTube – @CyclingAbout
Website – https://www.cyclingabout.com

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