They can also hear the voices of local people as they teach the riders how to say basic phrases in their native languages. They are pulling two B.O.B. trailers and are outfitted with Lone Peak and Ortlieb panniers, all of which are used to tote bike repair tools and supplies, Compaq laptops and accessories, Magellan GPS units, video equipment, Casio QV-300 digital cameras, an Adventure Medical first aid kit, bike clothes, street clothes, personal items, water bottles and purifiers, and the guidebooks, maps and promotional materials they have been using during the trip. Much of the equipment used during the Mediterranean journey was donated or loaned to BikeAbout by the manufacturers. Bicycles take a beating on a journey like this. The terrain is often mountainous.
Roads are frequently full of potholes.
The equipment the riders are hauling is heavy. A problem with the back wheel on one of the bicycles, combined with the weight it was hauling, yielded seven broken spokes in just the first three weeks of the trip. But it isn't just the bikes that are punished on a trip like this. All of the bicyclists agree that the experiences they have had have been worth the difficult road they have travelled. They have met wonderful people who have greeted them warmly and made them feel welcome.