Burning My Work Shirts In A Symbolic Gesture

Goodbye Work And Home, Hello World!


In the backyard of a friend I made use of their burn pile and set five of my "work shirts" afire. Call it a symbolic gesture of cutting the bonds of wage slavery, a visual representation of, wisely or not so wisely, burning bridges.

Don't get me wrong, I worked for a good company and with good people, but let's face it, a bad day on an adventure of a lifetime is better than a good day at work. Well, usually!

I'm still trying to get the details and kinks worked out, so it looks like an early Sunday morning departure now. Stupid little details like finding five mini-blinds for the apartment. Trixi was torture on blinds and I can buy them for five bucks each or the apartment can do it for $30. That extra $125 will go far in India so it is worth it to get them done myself. Soon enough though I shall roll, I promise.

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Calling Cards I Ordered To Hand Out On The Road

Don't Call It A Business Card!


I ordered a thousand of these 'calling cards' online for only a few bucks so I could hand them out to people I meet who might want to follow along on the blog.
So many times lately my purchases led to questions about me taking a trip. When I described the bike adventure and told people about the blog they always start looking for an ink pen to write the domain name down.
This shall greatly simplify the process. Who I am, what I am doing, how to follow along or contact me. I will leave small stacks with several friends and take a couple of hundred along with me. More can be mailed to my stops along the way.
What do you think? Leave a comment please.
And PLEASE go vote for me to go to Antarctica through the link at the top of the page!!!!

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Gear List For Long Distance Bicycle Touring Trip

Complete List Of Everything On The Bike

Of course every bicyclist is different. Some carry everything but the kitchen sink, others carry a credit card and cell phone. I am beginning with this gear. Maybe in time I will thin the equipment out or add to it, only time and experience will tell me what is needed and what is dead weight for my trip.


1. Ortleib Front Pannier, Left, waterproof
2. Lightweight socks, biking
3. Wool socks, hiking, cold weather
4. Underwear
5. Rain jacket and pants, good REI stuff
6. Light long underwear, wicking, warm
7. Medium long underwear, warmer
8. Dry bag for computer, rubbery for kayaking and such
9. ASUS netbook computer with cover, totally cool, I recommend
10. Magellan pants, zip off into shorts
11. T-shirts, cotton nylon blend, comfy
12. Magellan shirts, cool, dry fast, dressy enough for eating out


1. Ortelib Pannier, Front, Right
2. GORP. Good Old Raisins & Peanuts. With M &M's!
3. Bath towel
4. Knit hat for warmth
5. Non-dairy creamer. Thanks Shipley's!
I also have some hijacked jelly packs. Don't tell.
6. Tea selection
7. Utensils, one-cup coffee gadget
8. Washrag
9. Snack bars
10. Peanut butter, can stew, veggies, tuna
11. Mess kit
12. Extra plastic bags
13. Sugar
14. Coffee
15. Honey
16. Day-Glo vest, gift from Lexi and Sara.
(Where is the promised cash contribution to the trip girls? It was my Father's Day gift!)
17. Oatmeal


1. Ortleib Rear Pannier, Left
2. Katadyn water bottle purifier filter. Dip in river, drink, like magic.
3. Sterno stove and fuels
4. Candle lantern
5. Candles
6. Bathroom- toothbrush, paste, shaving, lotion, shampoo, soap, sunscreen
7. Foot care, lotions, creams, moleskin
8. Manual for camera, I am still learning it.
9. Tool shed, rope, can opener, sewing kit, tent repair kit
10. Pajama bottoms
11. Hat, large brim, neck flap, light, quick dry, high SPF
12. First aid, bandages, painkillers, Immodium, Carmex, etc.
Also, somewhere in there is an LED headlamp.


1. Ortleib Pannier, rear, right
2. OK, both shoes would not fit into one pannier. I have yards rather than feet.
3. Water bottle filter had to be moved
4. Net mosquito hood, cheap, light
5. Kyrptonite New York City lock. Heavy, $3,000 Warranty.
6. Cheap and small tripod
7. Electronics- chargers for phone, computer, camera, batteries, etc.
8. Prescription, 2 months. Won't get you high but without it I don't digest food well. A real pain in the neck. And wallet.
9. Toilet paper. Enough already


1,2,3,4 Panniers, loaded
5. Sleeping bag in dry bag
6. Sleeping pad- Soft and keeps cold ground away from me
7. Tent in dry bag
8. Tent poles
9. Under seat bag, full of tools, spare tubes, patch kit.
10. Helmet
11. Biking shoes and socks
12. Bright yellow jersey
13. Shorts
14. Handlebar bag for phone, camera. snack



1. Handlebar bag
2. Bell. Required in some countires, and fun!
3. Waterproof map case mounts to handlebars
4. Mileage computer
5. Air pump
6. Underseat tool bag
7. Sleeping pad
8. Tent and stakes
9. Sleeping bag
10. Front panniers
11. Water bottles, thanks Sari, Jeanne, and Shannon!
12. Rear panniers

That's it!
I haven't weighed it but it seems scary heavy. That credit card and motel style of biking is surely easier physically, but more expensive. But when I took her for a first spin it was surprisingly easy to move along nicely. A bit wobbly at first, I have to get used to the extra weight.
Strangely, as soon as the wheels touched the pavement the sky darkened, lightning crashed, drizzle fell, and of all things a black cat crossed the street a block away.
I turned the corner!
(Literally and figuratively, I suppose.)

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Before Leaving, Have The Dog Get A Vet Visit

You Want To Stick What Where?


Before heading out on the road I bought my Dog Trixi to the vet for a check-up and all that. She will be staying with Lexi and Oliver while I am away. She's really cool with the idea of her sister Lexi but that hairy beast Oliver, well, she will have to see...
I just had to share this shot of Trixi's worried sideways glance after having her temp checked. You know where they stick that thermometer, right?
Where the sun don't shine!

By the way, have you voted to send Alan Around The World to where the sun don't shine yet?
Vote to send me to Antarctica PLEASE.

I know, that sun thing is more the North Pole but how could I pass up the chance to drop that joke in?

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I Have A Sporting Goods Store In My Closet

Why The President Of REI Sporting Goods Is Smiling

1. Thermarest Sleeping Pad- a full 3/4" thick. Actually is very soft and will keep the ground moisture at bay.
2. Giro Helmet- Not expensive, it's just my head.
3. Rick Steves 'Europe Through The Back Door' Book- Great advice from a master light traveler.
4. Scary, Crazy stack of receipts!
5. Magellan Pants- The crazy zip into two pieces type. Not modern biking garb,I know, so all day-glo spandex clad biking folks can shut yer holes.
6.- Super light and comfy tees.
7.- Magellan Shirts- Light color and weight, vented, super quick drying, high SPF rating.
8. REI Rain Jacket and Pants- Great quality at a fair price for millionaires everywhere.
9. Boxer Briefs- I know, TMI!
10. REI Long Underwear (These are designed to wick away moisture from your body and dollars from your wallet! For extra warmth make sure you wear a lightweight pair near your skin and a thicker set over that pair. Doubling you expenditure of course. Is this like that old thing about lather, rinse, repeat?)
11. Hypodermic Syringes- Just in case I need a shot in any of the countries of the world that believe rinsing a needle is good enough.
12. Moleskin- For tender foot parts. I pity the poor mole though.
13. Big Agnes Emerald Mountain Tent and Stakes.
14. Footprint to go under the tent. (A $55 super-thin tarp!)
15. Full gloves with fingers. (See last post!)
16. Katadyn Water Filter Bottle- Just dip it in a river, ditch, cesspool and squeeze out fresh, clean water! Removes 99.99% of Giardia, the 3 month have-the-poops bacteria! It's that .01% left over that has me worried though.
17. Insulated Water Bottle- I have three. The man said if you put ice and water in them it will stay cold for an hour. Kind of like any other cup, right? These were purchased with funds donated by three separate ladies and will be named after the ladies and tracked on the blog. Will all three make it around the world? We shall see.
(Since three ladies have contributed does that make me a ladies man? Probably not.)
18. One Pound, One Foot Tall Tripod.
19. Passport to the World. Literally.
20. Ortleib Panniers. The only ones that won't leak they say. We shall see. I still bought additional electronics protection.
21. Fancy Biking Socks.
22. Fancy Hiking Socks.
23. REI Hiking Boots- I am not sure about these. Too heavy to tote around the world on a bike to use for a few days. Still mulling this one over.
24. White Gas Stove Fuel.
25. Little One Cup Coffe Device. Super cool!
26. MSR Stove- White gas here, kerosens around the world, hot coffee every morning.
27. Mess Kit- Pan, pot, cup, all in a tiny package. Aslo fork, knife, mini-spatula.
28. Fuel Bottle for Stove.
29. Headlight- Four tiny LED lights can illuminate a campsite, signal for help. annoy my daughter Lexi from 20 feet away.
30. Candle Lantern. Romantic.
31. Waterproof Dry Bags- For the laptop and sleeping bag. Oops, I need one more for the tent!
32. Brass Bell- Man it is loud. It's the law in some countries. Every time I ring it Oliver the dog barks.
33. Electrical Adapter Plugs- Five different ones should cover the world.
34. Cycle Computer- How fast and how far did I ride? What, that's it! This darn thing must be broken.

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Fancy Biking Gloves Are Priced Like Bikinis!

Less Is More


I am sure these gloves have polysomething inserts and NASA engineered fabric liners and possibly have been worn by God, maybe even Lance Armstrong, but they seem to have forgotten the fingertips! I thought maybe they would have little zippers for the fingertip parts, like those two piece pants, but the sales clerk assured me they were made this way.
These were $24.50!
I paid $17.95 for full wrist to fingertip gloves. What a shopper. I just hope I am not troubled by the looming danger of sweaty fingertips.

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Surly Bicycle Is Being Fine Tuned For Around The World Trip

That's Not The Way To Ride A Bike!

That's me looking totally shabby and straddling the Olive Green Surly Long Haul Trucker bicycle which arrived at West End Bicycles in Houston, Texas today. Chad is fine-tuning the placement of the saddle and such and I look as uncomfortable as that time I had that bad visit to the doctor! After much measuring and remeasuring I took her for a spin and I have to say the bike felt more comfortable than any bike I have ever rode. Being properly measured and fitted to a bike means all the difference in the world.
BTW, I was wondering if any of you have any ideas on a name for the bike. One friend suggested Blue Passion and a couple of argu-scussions have broken out over here about possible names. Ideas? Send them to me or put them in the comments and I might just have a poll to decide the final name.
Even happier, little Ollie is almost out of the woods with the vet 95% sure he will make a full recovery. Me, I am 100% sure! Thanks for all the kind words while Oliver recovered from nasty old distemper and beat the odds. I compared his neck to his first collar when we found him being neglected and underfed. His neck is now HUGE!

Remember my mentioning a bad doctor visit. Oliver had his own funky MD moment today! Look at his sad face...Thankfully my own medical sufferings were not recorded on camera. Not that I know about!

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Equipment For A Long Distance Bicycle Ride Around The World

Equipmment For Around The World Trip Is Being AssembledThe last week has been a blur of details and choices, exchanges and re-thinking on what to bring on a long-distance bicycle trip. Luckily for me there are online journals with dozens of equipment lists so I can see what others have done.

Teva Not-Quite-Sandals. I have tried on numerous types and brands of tennis shoe in the past week, bought three, returned three. Three strikes and
you are out, right?These Teva shoes are very light, have ventilation holes, and I have been wearing them all week and forget they are on me. Originally I bought them just to relax around camp. I tried regular sandals but my daughter Lexi convinced me that other campers should not be subjected to the horrible sight of my bare feet right at dinner time. Sadly, she is correct.(As for the holes in the Tevas Rob Sweetgall has walked around the USA twice and always slits his Rockport tennis along the side to air them out in the heat, even in the winter.)I am considering wearing these shoes while biking. (Bike tech-geeks gasping everywhere, I hear you!) I may wear them with an arch insert and good light wool socks to wick moisture away. What do you think, orthopedic gurus and Lance Armstong wannabes?

REI Hiking Boots A pretty penny they were, though only mid-range, but they feel great on my feet. I figure to do some hiking and even though they are heavy I hope I can tote them along. We shall see. I'm hoping to walk a bit in the United Kingdom, the Swiss Alps, and to trek in Nepal, so good boots are a requirement. The folks at REI are excellent and full of knowledge, though when Bob the Boot Expert looks you in the eye and asks what kind of sock you are wearing, as "the sock is as important as the boot", it can be intimidating. Especially when you have on Wal-Mart cotton cheapies.Thanks for the great help Bob!

Portable TripodThis little cheapo is one foot tall, one pound, and only $13 at Wal-Mart. It will be great for getting all those touristy shots (Alan at the Eiffel Tower, Alan at the Taj Mahal, etc.) without having to trust someone not to bound away with your camera. This way they can bound away with your camera and tripod!

A Simple Way to Make a Cup of CoffeeThis handy-dandy little tool makes one cup at a time. Fill with grounds, snap shut, swirl in hot water, drink. For years I have made a pot, drank a cup, went to work and came home to pour out the other five cups of old coffee!Like meeting the girl of your dreams, where have you been all of my life!

Trying To Be PreparedThat's right, hypodermics. When you see a bunch of these you either have come across a man with a habit, a diabetic, or a world traveler. Imagine having to get a shot overseas and watching the nurse RE-USE the needle after each patient. Preventative medicine at it's simplest. Now, just try not to wake up in a hospital and wonder what was done!

Ortleib PanniersTo think I have lusted over luggage. These Ortleib panniers are the saddlebags to be strapped to the side of the bicycle. Laid out on the living room floor and examined caerefully they seem precious small. There is a saying that on a long trip by foot or bike you should lay out all of your gear and all of your money. Now remove half of the gear and double the size of the money pile! Having small luggage encourages this process.Online ratings and travel bloggers have said these Ortleib panniers are the only ones truly waterproof. After deciding to purchase them Mark, a friend of a friend wrote to advise them also. Thanks Mark, that solidified my decision.

MSR Stove and Mess KitThis I have but am still considering if I should take it or return it. I envision a hot meal in the evening, if not every night perhaps quite often. Or will the extra pounds languish in my pannier. I may find myself living on purchased food, dinner invitations, simple to prepare stuff. What do you think? I'm as likely as not to make a sandwich at home, but that is after a day when I have not pedaled 40 miles.

HeadlampWow! Four little LED lights can be really bright. Bright enough to dig through panniers for that pesky stove to package up to send home! Bright enough to temporarily blind and constantly annoy Lexi from across the room!
Ah my daughter Lexi, she left tonight for Miami and Disney World! Have fun my girl. We are planning to meet in New York City soon enough to see 'The Little Mermaid' on Broadway and some of the museums and sights in the Big Apple. But that's another post...

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Big Agnes Emerald Mountain Tent Arrives. It's Hot And So Is The Tent!

My New Home Arrived Today In A Small UPS Box

I chose a three person, three season tent called the Emerald Mountain, made by a company with the unlikely name of
Big Agnes. As with most tents the three person rating means the three people best be real comfortable together. Lots of legroom to stretch though, ample room for gear, and very highly rated by actual users. What else would you expect from Big Agnes?The pic above shows the inner mesh fabic before the rain fly is put on. Three season?

Typically a tent is put up at dusk and taken down in the morning. Mid-afternoon Texas July makes it a most hot prospect and turns the tent into an oven. For me 95 degrees usually beats 15 degrees. Striving for a target date to leave on the 26th or 27th. We shall see.

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When Ordering An Expensive Bicycle, Hire A Professional Photographer To Document The Moment

Never Trust Others To Take Your Pictures For You
Hooray! The day has finally come. Monday morning I officially ordered my new bicycle for the Around The World adventure. I wanted to post a quick update about that and the reason I have been a little out of touch lately.
I ordered my bike from West End Bicycles in Houston, Texas. The staff there took the time to listen to my wants and needs and have not tried to just sell me on product. Being quite an event for me I wanted my daughter Lexi to document the measure and such so she took the camera. When I returned home I realized she had gone all out with a grand total of two pictures.


One image of the shop cat. No I didn't get
the cat's name as we barely spoke.. Get it, 'spoke', as in bike spoke.


One additional image of a grubby me (that's what an unemployed, homeless biker looks like) and the coffee loving cat. That crazy cat's eyes followed my coffee cup everywhere the cup moved, and when allowed would lick the sides of the cup of tea Lexi had.
Anyways, expect a slew of posts in the coming days about all of the equipment coming in and my experience shopping for it. I am NOT a shopper at all, so it has been an mix of pleasure and dread for me to assemble the stuff... bike, tent, sleeping bag, stove, and a hundred little odds and ends. Much more to come, I promise.
Please sign up for Feedburner e-mail updates and stay in touch.

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Alan Around The World Invitations, Facebook, Twitter, Feedburner

I'm not Lance Armstrong and have no killer mileage or distance bicycling goals for my around-the-world trip. The real goal is to see as much as possible and to meet as many people as I can. I want to live more like the locals live, to have some adventures, and experience the world on a personal basis, as a traveler, not a tourist.

One of the ways I hoped to make this possible
was to start the blog and a Facebook page and it seems to be working great. I don't leave for a while still and already I have had almost 200 people join me as a friend on Facebook. Almost thirty of these friends have offered everyting from lunch to a place to pitch my tent to a place to stay and shower. Locations range from nearby cities in Texas to Alaska, from Germany to The Maldives Islands, from Turkey to Shanghai, China.
Check out the ever changing Invitations Map to see where I have been offered a place to stay.
Visit my Facebook or Twitter accounts and sign up to stay in touch.
Use Feedburner to get e-mail updates when I post.
E-mail me at AlanAroundTheWorld@GMail.com to stay in touch.
Several folks have also been kind enough to donate some funds to enable the trip a bit. For the first three I thought it would be fun to name my three water bottles after the donors and track them around the world! Might be fun to see if they make it all the way or end up with a bad leak in Italy...If you have any questions, advice, invitations or ideas let me know.I also think when the new bike gets here I will name it. Send any name suggestions to me and I might just put together a small poll to choose the name for the soon to be worldy bicycle.Looking forward to meeting you out on the road!Alan Mizell

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Surly Long Haul Trucker Bicycle. Taking One For A Test Ride!

Sunday afternoon I managed to squeeze in a quick visit to the bike store to again ponder the imminent purchase of the nicest and most expensive bike I could imagine owning. After much research on bikes and touring it became apparant that you can tour on anything (one gent has pedaled the world for 25 years on 40 dollar bikes) but a nicer ride will make the trip smoother and more enjoyable. Less chance of sitting on the side of the road in India wishing you had moved up the quality scale a bit.
Gearing that sits lower to the ground, a longer chain, proper geometry, and a steel frame for strength were the main attributes I sought in my bike. Surly makes a bike called the Long Haul Trucker that fit the bill. Online reviews were excellent. Check out this interesting gallery of loaded touring bikes sent in from around the world. The are no shortages of Surly LHT's. Those pictures are votes of confidence right from the road.
Surly themselves gave the bike shop West End Bicycles in Houston, TX a high rating for Surly knowledge and with great tredpidation I visited the store. I should explain. I am not a Lance Armstong wannabe, I don't crave high tech gear or lust to shave milliseconds off of my speed. It's highly unlikey you will ever see me in spandex tights of any color, but even less chance I would wear those shorts that seem to encomapss all colors!
I explained all of this to Chad, the clerk at the store, and I have to say he and the others there have been great. Chad actually listened to my thoughts (rare in retail sales), validated the choice of bike, offered great advice, even showed me a line of padded seat biker shorts that looked like us folks that just like riding slowly could tolerate being seen in. Looking for a bike? Stop in and visit them.

Click On Images For A Larger ViewSo here is the pricey little beauty. West End Bicycles had the same price as any online source so I prefer to keep it local where I get personal service and advice. The bike sells for... hold on if you shop at Wal-Mart... $1,050! This is easier to swallow if you visit the other rows where the bikes go for $2,000, $3,000, $5,000 and up. Understand that I drive a Ford Escort that might be worth $1,500. Ah well, it is my vehicle, home, and comanion for the coming months, and I am going to sell the Escort to buy the bike. Anybody need a dependable little work car? Ladies, buy this Escort for your man and no other woman will look at him. Ever. I guarantee it.


Of course I had to work in a picture of my beautiful daughter Alexia holding my beautiful bike... um, well, you know what, I think any bike making an around the world trip needs a name. I think I will make up one of those polls again and let people send in suggestions and vote on the best name! But the bike. Like any expensive and finely tuned machine it always looks better with a pretty girl beside it. Of all the things in my life Lexi is what I am most proud of and the thing I am going to miss the most while away.


Zipping through the Heights neighborhood where the bike store is located was great. She rides like a dream. Several years ago I bicycled the MS150 charity ride from Houston to Austin and I recall that one of the guys lifting my bike into the truck for the ride back to Houston said "Wow, that's the heaviest bike I've lifted all day". It was a $20 dollar Goodwill ten speed! In my research several riders said the Surly Long Haul Trucker was a little heavier than the bikes that cost, well, a few thousand dollars more. It may weigh more, but when Lexi lifted the bike easily over her head and then lifted it with one hand, well, it's all relative, isn't it?
Again, my aim is to enjoy a trip, take my time, see as much of the world and meet as many people as possible.
No rock solid goals on distance.No need for 100 mile days.Keep the schedule loose and free.
Hope to meet some of you out on the road. If interested write to me, I would love to get an invitation to visit or stay the night.

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