Read on Twitter
Two years ago today I went digital nomad. Started living in random 1-month apartments with four bikes and a car, lost one bike to a car crash, eventually sold everything else, and left America with one bike and a backpack. Absolutely wild two years since. https://phil.bike/2019/escape-from-new-york/
Hereâs some stuff I learned.
1. It takes more than 30 days to unwind after burnout, even if itâs on a volcanic island.
2. If you work from your laptop you can take that laptop _anywhere_.
3. If you live in a tent donât skimp on the tent. 2-person mansion is worth it even solo.
1. It takes more than 30 days to unwind after burnout, even if itâs on a volcanic island.
2. If you work from your laptop you can take that laptop _anywhere_.
3. If you live in a tent donât skimp on the tent. 2-person mansion is worth it even solo.
4. Keep regular phone chats with friends. If you let them slip itâll stop happening and youâll go mad in the mountains alone.
5. Donât be too scared of strangers but donât let that make you over trusting. 99% of people wanna help but oh fucking hell that one Albanian guy.
5. Donât be too scared of strangers but donât let that make you over trusting. 99% of people wanna help but oh fucking hell that one Albanian guy.
6. Dynamo lights are worth every penny. The day I got them I smashed 400km through Denmark in 24 hours never stopping to charge anything.
7. Donât let technical upgrades trick you into riding beyond your limits.
8. Hypothermia > Hyponatremia > Giardia > Sun Stroke.
7. Donât let technical upgrades trick you into riding beyond your limits.
8. Hypothermia > Hyponatremia > Giardia > Sun Stroke.
9. Fleas are an easy solve. Just put everything you own in the bath and get in.
10. The barter system is alive in bike shops. Keep stuff you donât want to trade for stuff you do.
11. Monaco Police suck. If they shout just keep riding, youâll be out of their country any second.
10. The barter system is alive in bike shops. Keep stuff you donât want to trade for stuff you do.
11. Monaco Police suck. If they shout just keep riding, youâll be out of their country any second.
12. Losing your wallet with all your money, ID, bank cards, in the middle of a foreign country is more recoverable than youâd think. @monzo do overnight deliveries.
13. Zip ties are life blood, do not run out of zip ties. https://phil.bike/2019/euro-trip-losing-an-axel-nut/
13. Zip ties are life blood, do not run out of zip ties. https://phil.bike/2019/euro-trip-losing-an-axel-nut/
14. Carry a spare SIM card thatâll work in that country. EU roaming only lasts for 90 days and Three will cut you off with no warning that day.
15. Cables break. Donât only have one phone/laptop charger. Even âtoughâ ones like Nomad will snap pointlessly are the worst time.
15. Cables break. Donât only have one phone/laptop charger. Even âtoughâ ones like Nomad will snap pointlessly are the worst time.
16. McDonalds make for an amazing office. Nobody cares enough to ask the spandex warrior to leave. Regularly get 4 hrs of work done only buying a veggie âchickenâ burger and occasional coffee.
17. Beware the permanent feeling of being on vacation. Itâs a work day!
17. Beware the permanent feeling of being on vacation. Itâs a work day!
18. Staying in hotels 90% of the time is cheaper than NYC rent, but itâs rough on the carbon footprint. See advice about getting a great tent youâre happy to camp. Every night in tent saves money and carbon.
19. Water filters are cheap, will save money, plastic, and your life.
19. Water filters are cheap, will save money, plastic, and your life.
20. Most importantly. Depression from vicious burnout is my biggest super power. Whenever a mountain is tough or a path is snowed out, or Iâm hauling over rocks, I think âat least Iâm not back in that fucking office!â and I laugh. Nothing gets me down. Forwards! 
A few more thoughts today:
21. AirPods are worth every penny. 2nd hand even better. Ive taken meetings in crowded bars, windy Serbian farmland, and actively cycling, and sound is excellent.
22. Take a companion like this guy. He starts conversations and opens doors.
21. AirPods are worth every penny. 2nd hand even better. Ive taken meetings in crowded bars, windy Serbian farmland, and actively cycling, and sound is excellent.
22. Take a companion like this guy. He starts conversations and opens doors.
23. Stay invested in your social circles, and learn how to find people with similar interests. I met everyone who invested me for a beer on Twitter. Stayed on some of their sofas! Swung past some conferences/meet-ups. Tagged along on the Atlas Mountain Race and made some friends.
24. Arbitrary goals! Trying to keep my footprint and waste as low as possible became a fun game that Iâll carry into any normal life in the future. @northcarbonapp to track my footprint: hotels, ferry, diet, purchases, gotta keep it all low whilst also eating 5000 calories a day.
25. Eating 5000 calories a day is hard. Snack snack snack. Eat salty to avoid hyponatremia. Hang out at the breakfast buffet with a laptop. Do a few hours work and eat all the crosswinds. Staff have never asked me to leave yet. 
26. The order of words I need to learn in any country is:
- water
- hungry
- yes/no
- thank you
- please
- tap water
- vegetarian
- tired
- this/that
- open/closed
- âtango una problema con mi bicicleta!â
- water
- hungry
- yes/no
- thank you
- please
- tap water
- vegetarian
- tired
- this/that
- open/closed
- âtango una problema con mi bicicleta!â
27. Keep one human outfit that makes you happy and confident. Business meetings and conferences donât care if youâre in denim shorts and a hand-parched T-shirt you refuse to replace. Theyâll understand youâre touring, and the confidence is more important.
28. Laundry cafes! Seek them out. Work in a cafe, eat some coffee, keep an eye on your clothes while the wash.
29. Learn to hand wash gear in hotels and rivers (honestly) because laundry cafes are sadly rare. Hand wash will make your one/two cycling shorts/bibs last longer.
29. Learn to hand wash gear in hotels and rivers (honestly) because laundry cafes are sadly rare. Hand wash will make your one/two cycling shorts/bibs last longer.
30. If youâre in Europe there are trains EVERYWHERE. If you break down and youâre far from a train, somebody will help you get to the train, or help you get to a hotel and you can book a taxi to the train. Hitchhiking can be scary but the car that stops is probably a cyclist.
31. Dish soap is soap. Soap is shampoo. Shampoo is chain degreaser.
32. Find analgesic salve which fixes everything that soap doesnât.
33. Even if you rarely use chamois cream taaaake it just in case. When you need it you need it. Half way up an Alp is no time for saddle sores
32. Find analgesic salve which fixes everything that soap doesnât.
33. Even if you rarely use chamois cream taaaake it just in case. When you need it you need it. Half way up an Alp is no time for saddle sores
34. You canât just buy whatever you want on the road. What address is it going to when you donât know where youâll be tomorrow? Forwarding mailboxes in major cities are key to getting the part/tool/thing you need in a month. Cancel AmazonPrime https://phil.bike/2019/touring-logistics/
