Introducing Cycling Expeditioner Ian Wallis

Against the Wind Co-Rider

Against the Wind with a Riding Buddy

This is Ian. Ian celebrates crossing borders, high mountain passes or other significant milestones by donning a tie, a Hawaiian shirt or both. Here he is crossing some impossibly high mountain pass in Central Asia on his heavily laden Thorn Nomad touring bicycle. Hence he is formally dressed for this notable occasion.

I am delighted to announce that I won't be riding solo Against the Wind to Perth. A good friend and training ride colleague, Ian Wallis (a.k.a. Wal or Ian) is going to do most of the ride. He is unable to begin the tour with me, but the plan is that we will meet at Wagga Wagga which is about four days ride from Canberra.

Ian and his wife Cora are truly intrepid travelers and have done many remarkable journeys by bicycle and motor bike. It's great to have such an experienced cycle tourer coming with me on the Against the Wind ride. He and I share a similar philosophy to cycle touring however Ian has done many more international adventure and expedition rides than I have.

To introduce Ian to readers of this journal, I asked him a few questions. The questions, his answers and a few photos follow.

Ian what was your most memorable cycle tour?
It’s impossible for me to name a most memorable cycling trip. They have all been good in a variety of ways. England to Singapore in 2011 is obviously notable because I cycled through so many tough places, often alone. But, the first long ride with Cora across France was terrific. I am not particularly interested in bikes. I ride them, fix them, build my own wheels and so forth but rarely do I look twice at someone else’s bike; I’m interested in the person and not the bike unless, of course, it’s of poor quality!

Ian if you were to give a beginning cycle tourer three, short sentences of advice about cycle touring, what would those sentences be?

Get a bike and go. Don’t agonise over the specifications because it will stop you going.
Devise a rough plan only. Plans are things that fail.
Have the attitude that the only bad outcome is serious injury. I don’t mean fractures; I mean life-changing stuff. Anything else is an inconvenience.

Ian why on earth do you want to cycle from Canberra to Perth? You could go by plane, bus, train or car.
The place is irrelevant. With little planning and a non-caring attitude I know that the ride will be one filled with surprises and laughs. I probably would not go if I knew where I was staying each night and if everything was set in stone. I relish the unknown. Of course, there is far less unknown for me in Australia because I have been all over it by car, motorcycle and bicycle (not to mention some fabulous hitchhiking trips). I’d go by plane to get there quickly. I would not go by bus. If I drove I would find as many back roads as possible. I like the idea of the train.

Ian what is your philosophy about cycle touring?
My trips (most with my wife Cora) have followed the same philosophy. We typically do little planning and prefer to camp and to cook our own food except in Asia where camping is difficult. We don’t want any support and have never been on an organised ride. I can’t imagine repeating a long ride; returning to a place means missing out on visiting a new place.

Ian what journeys have you done?
Ian and Cora's Trip List in no particular order:

Scotland, including many islands and parts of Ireland mostly in short rides
Across France

Across the USA (east to west) and down the west coast (8000 km; 90 nights consecutive camping)
Jordan and Israel
Vietnam and Cambodia (4000 km)
Japan (4000 km)
England to Singapore (18000 km)
Pamirs and Kyrgystan (4000 km)
Uluru to Canberra (3200 km)
Snowy Mountains
Gibb River Road The Kimberley far NW Australia
Winter ride: Canberra – Araluen – Tathra – Cooma – Shannons Flat – Canberra (or reverse).
And one of many motorcycle trips: going to India with Cora, buying a Royal Enfield and riding across India and then through the Indian Himalaya including many of the World’s highest passes including the Khardung La (5602 m).

Ian and Cora set off from Somerset in England and kept riding until they reached Singapore. Here they are toward the end of that remarkable journey.

Cora and Ian in the Himalayas on an epic motor bike journey.

Ian also has a Thorn touring bike. His is the heavy duty expedition model. The Thorn Nomad which he tests to the limit.

I'm not sure what this photo from Ian is. My guess is a beard comparison opportunity in Central Asia.

In 2013, Ian and a riding friend James cycled the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley a few weeks after I also cycle toured The Gibb with friends. The Gibb Road is about 700 km of shale, sand, corrugations and river crossings. Somewhere on that 700 km I lost a tail light. A month later, Ian and James found the light and brought it back to Canberra. I still have that "needle in a haystack" light.

Ian and Cora have scaled some very high roads, indeed the highest road, on two wheels.

Ian came to a fork in the road. Noah's Ark ion Turkey or to Iran? He decided to not to ride to the Ark so that he could cross into Iran and try to watch the Champions' League Final. Yes he likes soccer and is also passionate about cricket.

One of those monumental milestones on a cycle tour which requires both the Hawaiian shirt and the tie.

Large posters of autocrats and dictators also inspire Ian to don his Hawaiian shirt and tie for a photo opportunity. This isn't always well received by local officials in totalitarian countries, but so far so good for Ian.

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Martin Stainesgraham. I am Martin near Margaret River, WA. Ian Wallis is an old mate of mine (we did our PhDs together) and he has promised to drop in on us towards the end of this marvellous adventure. I look forward to seeing him and wish you all a great trip!i will be following this blog and have made a donation. Cheers. Martin
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2 years ago

Graham SmithTo Martin StainesHi Martin,
Many thanks for the donation to the ARLP scholarship and for this comment.

Yes Ian has talked about his plan to visit you in WA. He’s an extraordinary cycle tourer. I’m a much slower rider than him.

I’ll try to keep the blog updated regularly.
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2 years ago

Mark BinghamI LOVE the three, short sentences about cycle touring... they're so true.
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11 months ago

Graham SmithIan is an extraordinary cycle tourer. On 1 May he’ll start a ride from Canberra to Singapore using those three principles. He’ll journal here on Cycle Blaze.
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11 months ago