What’s all this about then?
An introduction
Hello and welcome to my journal, it’s a real pleasure to have you here with us.
My name is Chris and I am a really big fan of bicycle touring. So big, in fact that I did it for over a decade, a decade that I will now summarize for you in two sentences. First, I rode around the world by myself for a good few years, having a good time, looking for girls. Then I actually met a girl I liked, and I rode around the world again with her.
But what happened next, I hear you cry into your devices. Well, we settled down in Denmark, which is where the aforementioned girl, who we shall henceforth refer to as Dea, for that is her name, comes from. And then we had a baby!
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The baby’s name is Kevin, and I happen to think he is absolutely the most amazing thing in the whole entire world. Since he came out into the world at the start of March life has just not been the same. There’s been less free time and more poop in my life, but my goodness me when he looks at me and smiles, what a feeling!
Anyway, enough of that, the important thing is that Kevin is now almost five months old (and is the size of an average 10 month old) and it is time to announce the next phase of the cycle touring journey. I’ve cycled around the world by myself, I’ve cycled around the world with a partner, and now it’s time to cycle around the world with a partner and a baby!!!
That would be exciting, wouldn’t it? Unfortunately it’s not true, we’re just cycling to Belgium.
But that’s still pretty exciting, I think. It’s going to be so great to introduce our little man to a side of our life that is so important to us, a taste of the adventures we had riding bikes around the world, even if it’s mostly going to be taking place on German cycle paths.
The plan is to leave our home in Fredericia, Denmark on the 10th of August and to ride at a pretty leisurely pace across Germany and Holland and arrive in Belgium three and half weeks later. From there we will take trains to England to visit my family. If all goes well, we will return home to Denmark in much the same fashion. It would be great to cycle the whole way to England, but we think it’s best for our first tour with our precious little baby to stick to countries with segregated bike paths and avoid countries with narrow country lanes and blind corners. Sorry, England.
We have a Croozer bike trailer that is suitable for young babies and have already been transporting Kevin around with us in it. He seems to really love it, which is a major plus ahead of this trip, I would say. We have also tried camping together as a family, something that I would describe as ‘could have gone worse.’
It also could have gone better, mind you. One lesson I learned is that when your baby pees in the middle of being changed, sans-nappy, it’s much worse when it happens in the middle of the night in the tent than it is on the changing table next to the bathroom. Much worse.
That’s the kind of excitement I’m anticipating a lot more of on this trip, so if you’re into that sort of thing, congratulations, you’ve found the journal for you. Welcome along.
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We just came back from a trip in which segregated bike paths were important in choosing the route. It didn't always turn out as smooth as hoped for. We hope the Croozer does not find too many obstacles. Pretty soon Kevin can graduate to the likes of Trail a Bike and WeeHoo. And if he is like so many we have seen on European trails, at 5 or 6 he will be charging ahead on his own two wheeler on the Donau!
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A long time ago I told you to hold on to this woman. Looks like it worked out OK.
Boy babies have their own special ways at changing times. Lesson learned. Anyway, have a great trip, and take lots of photos so you can show them to Kevin’s friends when he’s 11 or so.
Cheers,
Keith
2 years ago
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Thanks
Chris
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Bruce
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2 years ago
I followed you from the begining of your cycling around the world. Oh you would leave one on a cliff hanger.
Then purchased and read your journeies again in your two books.
Well done looking forward to reading this journey. Thank you. Kia kaha, kia atawhai, kia ora!
2 years ago
Thanks so much!
Good to hear you read my first two books, but I actually wrote three books about cycling around the world! In case you missed the third one it’s called Different Parts of Everywhere.
Thanks again and all the best
Chris
2 years ago