In the last newsletter I started with an impromptu riff about trying to figure out what to get my teeth into now that I’ve finished writing Local. I was touched by how many of you got in touch with ideas. Thank you! I love getting emails in response to these newsletters (just hit ‘reply’).

Your suggestions offered great food for thought – not least of all through discounting ideas that several people recommended but which do not appeal to me for various reasons: leading tour groups or writing a how-to guide for family microadventures being two examples.

I have decided to put together a questionnaire in my search for what project I should focus on next.

• If you’d like to help me by offering your ideas, you can fill in the form here. 

Thank you in advance! I’ll share the conclusions next time.

Right, onto business…

• I’ve got a few small events coming up. Please do come along if you’re in the neighbourhood! Yorkshire, Lake District, North Wales, North East, Edinburgh.
• “Great God, this is an awful plaice!” I cycled from the North Pole of my local map to the South Pole.
• What would happen if you got one of those urban rental bikes and then decided to ride across your country? I’ve often daydreamed of doing this in London. But someone has done it from NYC to LA!
• I told ChatGPT all the books I’ve enjoyed reading over the last four years, and asked it to recommend new books for me to read based on that list. Here they are. Fascinating and really useful.
• Love Her Wild is a UK-based women’s adventure community providing opportunities, support and funding to make the outdoors more accessible. It’s a fantastic community.
• Do you ever wonder what music a bird might listen to? ?
• A podcast and/or long article about how to write travel memoir.
• Paul Elkins designed a nomadic cycling micro-shelter based on the Airstream design. A tiny home for $150.
• If you’ve read my new book, Local, I’d be massively grateful if you would leave a quick review here. I’m trying to get up to 100 reviews. It only takes 30 seconds to do. And please be honest in your feedback!! Thank you.

Let me know if you have a relevant project that my readers would appreciate. Here’s what you guys have been up to recently:

50 Newsletters Ago

Shouting from the Shed 69

(If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time, you can subscribe here.)

Cheers,

Alastair