Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

Mark Beaumont bumps into round-the-world unicyclist midway through his own trip

Ed Pratt’s trip will take him just a little bit longer…

Mark Beaumont is currently attempting to ride around the world in 80 days. He’s not the only cyclist making such a journey however. Last week he bumped into Ed Pratt, who is making a similarly gargantuan trip, only with fewer wheels.

While Beaumont is up against the clock, Pratt is now two-and-a-half years into his trip, which he hopes will see him recognised as the first to circumnavigate the globe on one wheel.

“I enjoy riding these bikes,” he explained. “It’s slower than, obviously, a normal two-wheel bike, but I enjoy the challenge and I enjoy the people that you meet because of it.”

He bumped into Beaumont in Australia, just a few days before the Scotsman was hit from behind by a car driver near Melbourne.

Pratt described his fellow adventurer as ‘inspiring’

“Obviously it’s a very different trip from what I’m doing. Mine’s more about travel. I’m doing, what, 80km a day – when I’m riding. Some days I take off. It’s not about record-breaking; it’s not about speeds for me. But seeing someone who’s really pushing themselves that hard – it’s very cool.”

Pratt has so far covered over 13,000 miles on his unicycle. He is carrying a tent, sleeping bag, cooking stove and everything else in two custom-made panniers.

He says that as well as being a great physical challenge, unicycling also demands complete mental focus, “because you know if you don’t see a pothole or bump in the road that you’re coming off.”

He is raising money and awareness for School in a Bag, an initiative providing school bags to poor, orphaned, vulnerable and disaster-affected children throughout the world. He has so far raised over £12,000. You can donate here.

You can find out more at his website.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

Add new comment

2 comments

Avatar
RobD | 6 years ago
1 like

Wow, that really must take some effort, even getting started looks like a challenge, good on him, even 80km per day is impressive on a unicycle, I really like his outlook on life.

Avatar
bigsy | 6 years ago
1 like

Ed has an excellent youtube channel - I found it weeks back and have binged watch all his videos, there really inspiring and he puts in some real effort editing them. Highly recommened: https://www.youtube.com/user/worldunicycletour

Latest Comments