For 17 years I’ve been slightly obsessed by the idea of cycling Around the World. There is something about the thought of completing a lap of our planet.

 

Already I’ve witnessed how countries blend and cultures mix, how the land and the weather is all part of one big system. I want to see it all and I want to see it at pedal power speed. Slow enough to feel and smell changes, whilst fast enough to be rewarded for a day on the bike by looking at a map.

 

Definitions range from (        =1,000km):

 

 

A) 

 

 

BIGGEST- Circumference of the world- 40,008km- shortest from South to North / North to South.

Slightly longer around the equator- 40,077km. So the Earth is a bit of a Rugby ball.

 

 

 

B)

 

Cross the equator and two antipodal points (180 degrees apart- like a tunnel through the globe to the other side) Roughly 24,000km

 

Here is a website for finding antipodal points.

 

e.g. For Limerick it’s just off Campbell Island near New Zealand. Indonesia’s ,on the equator, would be Peru.

 

 

 

C)

 

Only 29% of the world’s surface is land = 11,600km

 

 

 

Current distance cycled since the year 2000 on tours- 24,380km  (to Nov 2017)

 

So 24000km would be enough to feel that I’ve done the world but..... the thought of a circumnavigation of the planet does feel nice.

​

​

​