~ Field Notes ~
Bikepacking expedition number 2: exploring an underwater prison building!
My second bikepacking expedition to prepare me for the Silk Road Mountain race comes quite possibly as a result of playing too much Tomb Raider as a teenager when I hear about a sunken prison building in the middle of a lake that’s around 40 kilometres away from Estonia’s capital city, Tallinn that I’m exploring as a digital nomad.
Exploring the military history of Aegna island, Estonia
In July 2022, I took a ferry to the little-known island of Aegna, located close to Tallinn, Estonia. At just 3 km², it’s a small island, however Aegna is unique are its well preserved former military sites, including artillery, coastal defensive positions, and fortification from different periods. Walking around these old military sites really felt like taking a step back in history and an unforgettable experience.
My first bikepacking expedition - Riding to Keila waterfalls near Tallinn, Estonia
In my quest to train for the Silk Road Mountain Race, I decided to squeeze in an 80-kilometre, 2-day mini bikepacking expedition during the week to test out my bike’s setup, find gaps in my preparation, build conditioning and more fitness, experience Estonia’s summer temperatures, and see what kit I might need for bigger bikepacking trips (like tackling the 500-kilometre Eurovelo 11 route that I want to do later this year).
Learning to fly: What it’s like to enter ‘the gig economy’.
Around 4 months ago, I decided to join the freelance community. I wanted control of everything in my life.
Earlier this year, I had decided to leave a career in the military and start a new path in a London-based global media organisation. Life was simple – you just turn up, do your job, don’t rock the boat too much, go home, get paid, buy nice things. It’s that straightforward. But simple isn’t always the best and by now, I’d had enough of my life being defined by a safe career path that led to an unknown horizon.