Explorer Tile Tales – Bushwhacking Safari 

Jim Solan bike touring imageThe lengths Explorer Tile fanatics go to is somewhat staggering, and we were impressed by the grit and determination of Jim Solan went on his own bushwhacking safari to reach a square by a British zoo.

Jim shares his adventure….

A couple of years ago I finally managed to bag one of only a handful of “impossible” tiles. This was one of two tiles encompassing Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside that were blocking the Western edge of my VeloViewer Largest Square expansion. During a recce ride the previous week, despite at least eight gated and blocked tracks and multiple U-turns, I spotted a promising looking way in. Not at all rideable; indeed it was barely even walkable, so at the next opportunity I rode over, locked the bike under a tree and bushwhacked the last 500m. This entailed a trek through thick clawing soil, brambles, thistles and nettles. Next came the deep ditch, particularly moist in the bottom but just about jump-a-crossable, followed by another copse of nettles. I checked on the map beforehand and knew that if I reached the end of the small pond, that would probably mean I was just within the tile. The trouble was the undergrowth was so dense – it was summer – that I didn’t even see the pond ‘til I felt the land I was walking on falling away. Like Andy Dufrayne breaking out of Shawshank it was, but without the tunnel of s***. My trainers were an inch taller and filthy brown, but hey, who ever really looks at a guy’s shoes? I could only confirm I’d definitely reached the tile once I got home and downloaded the data. Thank goodness I had. I didn’t want to go back (though I will again soon)…

Now I just needed a cunning plan to get inside the Safari Park, as the other remaining tile lies about 20m behind the ticket barriers, and my rules say I can’t use a car to bag tiles. The Safari Park won’t let me ride or walk through the park either. Apparently they have rules against that sort of thing, for some reason; I think it’s something to do with upsetting their lions. I later discovered it’s quite possible to blag one’s way into the Safari Park, under the pretence of purchasing an overpriced cuddly Orangutan or Elephant plushy. So now my largest square is hampered by the Rivers Mersey and Ribble and the Irish Sea, until I can get myself and a kayak over there. Why do I do this?!

Like our other Explorer Tile hunters we love to hear the backstory behind riders and what motivates them to ride. Find out more about Jim below.

Your bike of choice

I do a whole mixture of riding. I’ll use a road bike about a third of the time, but more often than not I’m on my tourer – a Genesis – or a gravel bike.  These give me so much greater flexibility when I’m tiling, or in less-than-optimum weather as the more obscure tiles I’m usually chasing are often up dirt tracks or paths, or worse, on mountains that I can’t legally and sometimes physically ride. I frequently use canal towpaths too so the Tourer/Gravel is better for those. 

I cycle tour about six-eight times a year, mostly for 3-7 days in Wales or Scotland, but most years I get to Europe for a few weeks at least once or twice. 

Your Explorer Score
My VeloViewer score is 994. The VeloViewer score is based on speed and I don’t do that any more, partly as I’m getting slower so there’s no fun in not improving. I think I still have a few obscure KoMs, some by running. I did chase a few local Strava KoMs for a while, but rarely bother now. These days I’m usually trying to increase my biggest square, or cluster, or just increase my tile count.

What’s your next planned adventure?

By the end of this year I want to extend my cluster to the Counties of South Yorkshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire. That’ll take about 5-6 specific rides plus one non-bikable hike in the Pennines near Penistone. These will be counties no. 14, 15 and 16 of my cluster.

Extending my cluster to the Scottish border is also on my list. That’s another 2-3 rides, assuming I can ride through one particularly tricky-looking large industrial estate near Gretna. It might need a walk or two, too, in the Lake District,

Finishing a 22km hike in the Pennines to extend my largest square from 39×39 to 40×40 is also on my list. I already had one go at this but pulled a calf early in the hike so I need to repeat this.

This year I also want to extend my planned circumnavigation of Iberia (i.e. Spain and Portugal). I’m about two-thirds of the way round, I’ve already completed from Girona to Lisbon, clockwise, so I may fly to Lisbon and ride for a few more weeks, and ride North, probably solo and with panniers. Then there’s Australia, New Zealand, Georgia, Armenia and Ireland pencilled in for 2025.

I’ll do a few more local rides to extend my 17×17 square (for 2024 only) to 20×20. Coincidentally, this means I need to get that pesky tile next to Knowsley Safari Park!

Are you ready to share your Explorer Tile tales? We’re looking to feature your stories of adventure in 2025, and as thanks you will receive a VeloViewer casquette to wear on your tile hunting. Simply email veloviewer@gmail.com with details of your activities.

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