A Story of My Bicycle
Before I started writing, I was completely overwhelmed by the difficulty and complexity of the process of planning for a bicycle expedition to Europe with the purpose of raising money for Cambodian children. In the three months leading up to the journey, I continued to be unprepared and encountered a multitude of obstacles, such as a lack of sufficient funds for travel and a restricted variety of bicycles from which to choose. Unfortunately, a bicycle company had negotiated with me to sponsor a long-distance bicycle for my use in this cycling mission; they didn’t reply to my message. At this point, they have not responded to my inquiry, and time is running out for the day that I will begin my journey. I also realized that it is possible that they would not be able to keep the promises we made, so I must find a reliable touring bike before the day begins. Hmmm, it’s a headache for me to spend a lot of money and buy a bicycle that is capable of traveling a long distance; the bicycle will likely be very expensive, and it is an effort to look at me.
The things that I had not yet prepared for the trip caused me a great deal of anxiety one month before the trip. The gear that I will bring on this trip is of utmost significance, particularly the bicycle that I will ride. It just so happened that I came across an old bicycle at the office of my brother.
The moment I laid eyes on it, I fell completely in love with it. This drive led me to get in contact with my brother and ask for permission to use it for a cycling mission for Cambodian children.
It is a steel bike, which is, of course, a sturdy and dependable bicycle. I conducted an online search to gather more information about this bike. Surly, an American company, has been producing this bike for over 20 years in their bike catalog. I’m very happy because it seems like there is something extraordinarily unique that exists between me and this bike, and I know we will be able to travel quite a bit together. There are many things I will tell you along the way.
I placed an order to purchase particular accessories and equipment from overseas the next morning in order to use them on this bicycle. These included the traditional Brooke saddle, the Ortlieb 3.5L handlebar bag, the Thule Shield 13L pannier front rack bag, and a few other accessories. I plan to repair and refurbish this old Surly Cross-Check bike by installing the essential accessories I mentioned above.
The moment I see this bike suddenly come to life and function in an almost perfect way is just incredible. I called my brother again and I told him that it was possible that he would not believe that this old classic bike looked so appealing, so I decided to give it the name “Lucky.” I would like to express my profound appreciation to my friends at Siem Reap Bike Shop, who worked diligently with me throughout the day and night to repair this bike, which ultimately allowed it to be safely reused. The repair and refurbishment of this bicycle were completed one evening near the Siem Reap River. I sat there with this bicycle, grinned to myself, and whispered to him that we were going to be working together on a great project very soon. We are going to travel from Siem Reap to Europe, which has a distance of almost 20,000 kilometers and will take us through 25 different countries. The mission is called “Cycling Charity for Cambodian Children from Cambodia to Europe.”.
This time, I plan to ride this old bike through numerous countries, starting from Siem Reap, Cambodia, and continuing to northern Laos, Thailand, and later, India, where I will be likely to fly over Myanmar. Following that, my itinerary will travel to Central Asia, a region known for its frigid climate and breathtaking landscapes. My dream is to ride through the Himalayas and the Silk Road, which was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Cycling to the deserts of Iran and Europe via Turkey.
As I sit and smile on this bike, my dream has come true. Selecting the appropriate equipment for this long-distance cycling mission is a challenging task. I know that some items will prove invaluable, while others may prove unnecessary, and I may discard them. I’ll dispose of it on the road. I divide all these materials into four groups. Group 1: camping and cooking equipment. Group 2: clothing, coats, raincoats, and bath accessories. Group 3 includes general equipment for repairing bicycles, along with first aid kits and medicines. Group 4 consists of my electronic devices, which include my Panasonic Lumix camera, drone, GoPro, Macbook, and various power banks. These are the primary tools I use to carry out crucial tasks in the creation of diverse content for sharing. Share my cycling story with the public, and I especially aim to prioritize fundraising to help our Cambodian children through this journey.
Of course, I am filled with anxiety and uncertainty about how to inspire the public to donate to the Cycling Charity for Cambodian Children. However, I am confident that I will dedicate myself to this task to the best of my abilities. In addition, I knew ahead of time that I would encounter many challenges while riding this bike, but I am prepared to embrace both the good and the bad. My life is always filled with happiness, regardless of the challenges I face. I am confident that I can accomplish this task with an attitude of love and a smile while cycling for Cambodian children.
Thanks so much for reading.
Rith
