Chris cycling cross country from London to Manchester on his bamboo steed. Frame was built at a week

London to Manchester on a bamboo steed. Chris paused somewhere in the English countryside, bike resting against a hay bale, summer sun catching the natural tubes.

That's roughly 200 miles of British roads — cities, suburbs, countryside, more countryside, industrial edges, and everything between. The kind of ride that tests both bike and rider. Chris built his frame at a weekend workshop specifically for journeys like this.

The touring setup is classic: red and cream panniers strapped to a rear rack, drop bars for position variety, mudguards ready for the inevitable puddles. A yellow water bottle catches the light, suggesting regular hydration stops along the way.

Hay bale photos have become something of a touring tradition. They're perfect lean-tos — stable, photogenic, available in every summer field. This one frames Chris's journey at its most pastoral: golden stubble, distant trees, blue sky promising good weather.

Natural bamboo against natural agriculture. Both materials that grow, both shaped by human hands, both doing their job quietly and well.

Cross-country rides change how you see your own country. At 12mph average, you notice things that disappear at motorway speed: the gradual accent shifts, the regional architecture, the way landscape evolves mile by mile.

London to Manchester, one pedal stroke at a time. The bike carried Chris. Chris's hands built the bike. Everything connects. 🌾