Adventures by bicycle

Ninety years ago, Thomas Stevens died. He was the first person to go around the world by bicycle.

He seemed like Jules Verne, telling his own wonderful performances, or like a contemporary Sinbad the Sailor.

We found that modern mechanical invention, instead of disenchanting the universe, had really afforded the means of exploring its marvels the more surely. Instead of going round the world with a rifle, for the purpose of killing something – or with a bundle of tracts, in order to convert somebody –

this bold youth simply went round the globe to see the people who were on it.

Due to the extremely low maintenance of his direct-drive bike with solid rubber tires, he only needed one significant repair. Due to the low physiological, psychological, and social maintenance of being a colonial-era American dude, he enjoyed the trip pretty well.

In this post I won't endlessly talk about bicycle design (as much as I would like to), or even that guy, but about the spirit of adventure.

• Stevens' Wikipedia page
• If I had the patience and writing skills of the Analog Antiquarian, I would have done a 20,000-word story on that.
• Just as a third link, here is another few-moving-parts vehicle but which much less success: the Great Panjandrum. Kerbal Space Program designers would be proud.

Is the age of adventure over?

In this countryside, there is no public transportation, and everyone has a driving license. Even kids! Nah, just kidding. But what if you decide to not have a car?

Except in the middle of winter when nights are long and car-sharing is available, I prefer the bicycle.

Compared to a trip of similar length by car, "adventure" is the right word for cycling in the countryside. You encounter cows and sheep, rabbits and chickens, various birds, hedgehogs, horses, deers, beavers. You cross barren fields, dense forests, busy towns, swampy flooding rivers, and industrial areas that smell good (they're in the food business).

So I guess the spirit of adventure isn't gone, it's a matter of perspective.

Adventure in other fields

But what about when you don't pedal? That shouldn't be required for adventuring, yes?

Well, trying and seeing new things is some kind of adventure. I like the indie web because it's much less structured than whatever mainstream social media. Much like nature, it's mostly anarchic. No wonder the "cyber" prefix is borrowed straight from sea navigation: every site is an island with treasure and dangers.

Outside the internet, analog media has its pros and cons, like radio (see my November post): there aren't a lot of channels, but their programming is sometimes unexpected to the casual browsing auditor. One constant element of adventures is the element of surprise.

Programming can be adapted to feel adventurous, though as a junior dev I try not to do that at work. Nobody likes cleaning after the yeeha of a cowboy programmer. So I yee my ha at home only.

Adventure games

I make games, so how does the spirit of adventure translate into that?

Well, to be pessimistic, it translates to new game ideas every other week, growing the pile of abandoned prototypes. But let's not think about that.

If you narrow the question to individual games it become: how do I translate the spirit of adventure into a game? Especially in this day and age of everyone knowing everything, even more so when you are the very maker of the game you're toying with?

The only element of surprise left for the adventure maker is the journey of making the adventure. Maybe that's why I like making-of videos. When my pile of abandoned prototypes will be big enough, I will climb it and admire the view on top.

I completely went away from the bike topic now didn't I? Welp! See ya in the next one.