Day 12: German alpine route

After a couple months of slacking, it’s time to report on the last couple days of my bike trip! I’m actually on my next trip now (not biking), so I’ve got some spare time in the train. It was cold, wet and foggy in the early morning at our Bavarian camp. The Allgäu region is

Day 11: Four countries, one day

For the second time on the trip, we awoke in total comfort. I think maybe even if you plan always to camp, it might not be a bad idea to treat yourself to a hotel here and there, even if you don’t need it. We took full advantage of the sun coming through the window

Day 10: To Splügen Pass and beyond

We awoke to a cool but already sunny morning in the camp. Bert had the smart idea to set up our tent in between as much shelter as possible, so we didn’t get too much wind battering us in the night and I think that made a big difference. For those interested, the holiday home

Day 9: Leaving Como and starting the ascent

We awoke in Como to a very different picture: it was pouring rain! I’m not talking about a drizzle or even a normal rainfall; the heavens had opened up and were pounding down upon our tent, with strong winds to match. Eventually, I needed to empty my bladder and brave the storm. I ran to

Day 8: Lake Como

We started the day with a massive breakfast! After we awoke in our comfortable hotel beds, I declared my intention to investigate the hotel breakfast, given that any bakeries were too far away. Bert had some leftover bread from previous days but I wanted something good before we set out. To our surprise, there was

Day 7: Descending the Trebbia Valley and on to Genoa

We awoke in our tent at Le Fontanelle to find wet conditions, with the weather promising more rain in the developing morning. Our laundry hadn’t dried – in fact, some of it was wet and the winds had blown a few things onto the grass, including my bike helmet. We packed up as quickly as

Day 4 – Derailleur Disaster

The fourth day started out fantastically. We awoke in the camp to good weather, said our goodbyes to Michael, and found our way to a bakery with some great croissants and baguettes. We cycled onward to Nice, following a great cycle path along the boardwalk, enjoying the sea air and beach vibe. We even passed

Day 3: Before Saint Tropez to just past Cannes

Day 3 of our cycling tour was a great day. It began when we first opened our eyes and realised that it didn’t actually rain the night before. Our preparations turned out to be totally unnecessary but would be good practice for later in the trip. I set about working on breakfast, while Bert worked

Day #15: Departure Gate

My heartfelt thanks to Matthew for his incredible hard work and efforts in planning and being the cycling leader of a brilliant and life expanding journey. Of all the many things experienced – witnessed, lived and felt – what I will remember most is the comraderie. It was a privilege to share this experience with

Day 11: Two Bikes, Four Countries

Another guest post by Bert! We woke up in our hotel room in Switzerland, well rested after the previous day’s exertions. Swiss mountains surrounded us in a panorama, forming beautiful white and grey silhouettes against the light blue sky. Switzerland is well known for its exorbitant prices and high cost of living; before the trip,