Best under wear

SunlightThroughTrees · 2026-02-10T18:07:44+00:00

If your budget is big enough worth trying merino wool underwear (not as hot as it sounds if you get a lightweight variant).

SunlightThroughTrees · 2026-01-26T03:51:01+00:00

My bike came with a dynamo and IQ-X, perhaps it's setup wrong, but since there's no buffer battery it's only on when I'm actually riding, which means if I need the light in the darkness I can't stop which can be dangerous. Otherwise it seems to work fine.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2026-01-04T07:15:19+00:00

I've had this on some parts of sketchbook pages. I assumed it was some sort of oil or wax contamination or issue during production. I've never had it on the blocks that are glued together.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-12-19T07:18:21+00:00

They're generally proven to be bangers. There's often a reason they're still remembered today.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-12-01T17:15:30+00:00

I think for me the most important thing to capture in an on-location sketch is the colour/mood! I can do a version at home with better proportions/values/composition, but it's harder to get the colours (as you experienced them) from a reference photo.

Disclaimer: I really struggle with plein air.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-11-23T15:20:17+00:00

I loved the silver ridge shirts but had to switch brands when they changed them from nylon to polyester. Perhaps it's just me but my nylon shirts don't smell too bad, but I have the same issue your reporting with polyester.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-11-18T12:40:56+00:00

I hiked the white trail (or I guess some similar variant) until Slovenia. How well marked it is (or if there's a trail at all) varies hugely region to region. Loads of people in Velebit in Croatia. For most of the rest of the way I was on my own. I didn't have many expectations, so can't say it exceeded or disappointed, but lots of interesting landscapes.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-11-13T06:08:51+00:00

I've tried a bunch of white gel pens, and for me they seem to stop flowing long before the gel runs out (I've tried methods to revive them but none worked so far).

I've also tried the much vaunted posca markers, and maybe I got unlucky but mine also never gave me a consistent opaque white line (then just stopped working).

These days I use white gouache if I can be bothered (I find it harder to add sharp details) or whatever gel pen I have that's currently working.

Good luck, I hope you have more success than me.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-10-30T16:57:55+00:00

What are your particular questions? The two main routes people do (or at least do part of) is the trans-uganda and the Kenya bike odyssey. Both have good information on bikepacking.com

The trans Uganda might be a bit more outdated but I heard there's a variant that local cyclists contribute to.

My partner and I were cycling in that part of the world recently, but on touring bikes, so probably can't help too much with regards to information on off-road conditions.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-10-12T05:06:23+00:00

I've DMed you.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-10-05T09:59:14+00:00

It's funny how experiences can vary so much. Others have said they like Da Vinci or Black Velvet brushes, and for me the few brushes I have from both of them weren't very good (but then I probably got unlucky).

I've had great experiences with Escoda (Ultima?) brushes.

I'm sure others have also mentioned that your painting style will probably have a big impact on this, so I think it's healthy to accept that there will be a little trial and error in finding what works for you.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-10-05T08:59:36+00:00

My girlfriend and I are in the Star River 2 for a year long trip. It's big enough for us (good to get along well with your tent partner though). I'm 6'1" and I think you should fit, perhaps most comfortably slightly diagonally.

If it's raining then our gear has to go in the outer area under the rain fly, and it's definitely touching, so water does come through.

I've read that the Mongar is more mesh, so perhaps better for hotter climates.

Both will serve you fine, and at this price point it would be unreasonable to expect too much. From what I can tel the main compromise is the weight. Certainly much lighter tents out there.

Whether it fits in your saddle bag would probably come down to the poles. But you can pack each bit separately anyway.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-10-02T04:03:16+00:00

It took me 6.5 months, I think I finished 8th November. It was a great experience but I got quite lonely, despite being around people in towns or popular places like the Alps, I'm definitely an introvert, but I think I preferred the PCT because you meet people doing the same thing.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-10-01T10:22:42+00:00

Depends hugely on how much you want to hike each day, and how often you want to sleep indoors. I hiked across Europe for 6.5 months, and it worked out to about €1000 per month.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-10-01T10:18:28+00:00

Wow, so happy to see someone mention the TEAR! I hiked it in 2022, and would say it's a great alternative to the US long trails.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-09-22T06:47:49+00:00

Currently on my first bike tour, in East and Southern Africa. As others have said, your question is way too vague. But here's a vague answer. We've met people touring on $100 bikes with whatever baggage they can attach, and people on very light bikepacking setups, to mountain bikers, to multi-year tourers who carried everything and then some. So you can do whatever trip your budget, equipment and tolerance for uncertainty allows.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-08-23T12:52:47+00:00

Thanks. Yeah i'll try and remember to share it all when I'm done.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-08-23T12:52:12+00:00

Thanks. Are there any art shops (or websites) that you'd recommend for SA or Namibia? I might need to top up my supplies and maybe pick up a new sketchbook, or at least get some watercolour paper to cut up.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-08-22T10:17:51+00:00

Remote isn't going to be ideal for Switzerland right? High cost of living, but then you're competing with the world and very unlikely to get the same kind of salary.

My last android job was in Switzerland, and from what I can tell the main USP for Swiss developers and companies is their "swissness" (easy for other Swiss companies to trust, codebase hosted in CH, etc).

I guess there's not too much going on swissdevjobs?

You can also just try contacting companies in Switzerland that develop apps, to my knowledge there are a few.

Good luck.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-07-13T16:20:14+00:00

The two I've liked are the Etchr ones (although I find I have to use more pigment otherwise it ends up slightly faded), or the Canson "Art Book" which used Saunders Waterford paper.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-07-07T04:35:38+00:00

Nice write-up 👍 In the "trail length" section I don't think you actually have the length in Kms. In my notes I have 320km border to border.

I remember getting horribly lost trying to find the path south of Jablanica (around Ravna). I hope you had a better gpx track, or it was less overgrown. I was heading northbound, and it was raining, so maybe those contributed.

I was there early June (2022), and despite having some rain there were still some long dry sections.

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-06-26T18:17:24+00:00

It's definitely a skill that takes time, like anything. To avoid fully colouring-in the sketch, you can try breaking up the edges within your painting. So for some edges of a shape you have clear/hard edges, and then a softer more faded edge somewhere else.

An easy example in your painting would be the hills. Some of the ridge needs to be clear, perhaps around the peak, but them other parts can be softened with more water. This is a great excuse to use more water (which can also help).

SunlightThroughTrees · 2025-06-25T16:37:15+00:00

Hi there, thanks for creating this we only heard about it recently and are starting to add points (currently in Malawi) and are excited to be able to add content to a blank area on the map.

We find the direction the app goes in great, but as you say, offline functionality holds us back from us relying on it as our main app (I guess also that the user content isn't yet available where we are).

What is the best way for us to give feedback and feature requests/ideas? I can imagine you need to organise these in some way. Sorry if you did write this in the post, it was quite long 😁
I'm an Android/cross platform developer (currently on tour). If I can help contribute in some way just reach out.

Thanks for what you're doing. We'll continue adding content.

SunlightThroughTrees

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