It's not about the Kilometres: Black and white edition

The 31-year-old from Berriwillock in Australia has joined thousands of Australians in Kazan for the 2018 World Cup opener against France but none have experienced a journey like his.Joel Emonson is riding all over Russia on his bicycle for 52 days during the tournament going to the Socceroos games in Kazan and Samara.And he wont stop there saddling up for a further 10 weeks through Eastern Europe.His journey which started on June 7 in the town of Vladimir - three hours out of Moscow - will take him all over Russia before heading south through Estonia Latvia Lithuania Poland Slovakia Hungary Croatia Serbia Bulgaria and Greece before flying home from the Turkish capital of Istanbul on October 2.Its him his bike a tent strapped to the handlebars and two bags fastened at the back holding his clothes food supplies and a portable stove.He is proudly decked out in the fluoro tradie shirt he wears on the road. He admits that most people are shocked when he tells them what hes doing but to him its the best way to travel.Most people cant understand the principle or actually doing it. I dont think about Istanbul. Im just thinking about tomorrow where Im heading the next dayYou get to see a country. Not just big cities. Cycle touring is such a rewarding way of travelling.The diciest moment so far? There was a truck coming towards me overtaking while I was on a narrow shoulder. So two trucks heading towards me at speed. That wasnt fun This is not the first time he has undertaken such a cycling trip.