28 Apr Controversial trail names
What do we do about sexist and offensive trail names? When a mountain bike world champion is hesitant to name her favourite route in public, or a young rider feels she doesn’t belong and steps back...
Published Stories
28 Apr Bhutan wine?
Published on Roadsandkingdom.com (Anthony Bourdain's food and travel site) Melanie Chambers “What does your husband study?” “I don’t know,” replies the 22-year-old Bhutanese mother. Her husband has been gone for two years. I refrain from asking any more...
28 Apr Easy-riding Nepal
By Melanie Chambers | The Himalayas are almost synonymous with Nepal, but the country is so much more than the world’s highest mountain range. Explore jungles, rice fields and rushing rivers. North of Kathmandu: Namo Buddha We’ve already stopped...
13 Oct Northern Ontario Easy riding trips
Click to read on Northern Ontario Travel web site: https://www.northernontario.travel/cycling/5-of-the-best-cycling-holidays-in-ontario?s= If your idea of a relaxing vacation includes blending authentic culture and cuisine with unique lodging and smooth easy cycling, Northern Ontario is packed with everything you...
04 Mar Cuban cycling mentor
I was compelled to visit Cuba after reading One Day in December: Celia Sanchez and the Cuban Revolution by Nancy Stout. And not only that, I wanted to cycle through places she lived, and fought...
04 Mar Taiwan’s KOM: a video story
'Hey Melanie, in three weeks do you want to cycle 105 kms uphill, with Olympic athletes in Taiwan?' 'Absolutely.' Watch the story here: Taiwan KOM ...
09 Jan Hiking South Africa’s famous Drakenbergs
Ancient cave drawings, waterfalls, and skinny dipping in South Africa's giant mountain range of the Drakensbergs. This story appeared in TRAVELLIFE Magazine. TL-Winter2017-18-Drakensberg...
01 Nov My-short-Taiwan KOM Journey
I got the email on a Thursday: "want to race in the KOM? King of the Mountain in Taiwan is a 105 km road bike race, entirely uphill--that's from 0 to 3,275 meters. With less than three...
12 Jun Boots and Bikes: Conquering Taiwan’s Trails
Story for Ensemble Magazine. 2017 At an incredibly steep 20 percent grade, even walking up Hehuan Mountain would be difficult. I’m cycling. Have been for two hours. It’s also one of the hottest days since arriving in Taiwan...