Cargo Carnage

A proof of Concept

By James Robertson

The first two days, from Edinburgh to Newcastle, were by far the hilliest.

"We were all out of our comfort zones on this one. Four female endurance cyclists all used to feeling in control of when we eat, rest and pedal would instead ride cargo bikes 1000km in two pairs for six days. We would leave Edinburgh at 9am on 26th December with the intention of arriving in Copenhagen in time to celebrate New Years Eve. While one of us rode, the other would sit on the front of the bike as cargo, each pair swapping every hour in order to manage the fatigue from the riding and the cold from the sitting. No electric assist. No vehicle support. Entirely self-supported.

We hoped that this seemingly arbitrary, almost impossible and very silly challenge would bring the more serious global climate challenge we are all facing into sharp relief. We are all inextricably connected to one another, and the only way to make change, to achieve the seemingly impossible, is to endure some personal inconvenience and rise together with mutual care, trust, flexibility, and good-humour. What we were to unexpectedly discover was that by rising to this uncomfortable, logistically complicated challenge, our sense of shared purpose would make the minutes turn into hours and then into days almost effortlessly. We were going to have a lot of fun."