Is it happening?

...I think it's happening! After years of reading about, dreaming, thinking, trying, planning, routing and re-routing, I am finally setting off on the big bike trip of my dreams!

You can blame the travelogues of Chris Pountney, William Bennett, and Pete Gostelow, among others, for inspiring me to this madness. I will thank them instead. And I suppose you actually can blame me for convincing my partner Sarah to join in 😉.

We are in a sense following in the footsteps of these great travellers: attempting to join Europe and Asia by land, by bicycle. Of course, they ranged far beyond that, overcame danger and hardship, and achieved true, astonishing, lasting adventure. We aren't likely to come close, but it's nice to think we'll see some of the same sights!

Another special mention to Truls Asdal, who's good-humoured trip reports I have enjoyed and enjoyed again, though, I hope he doesn't mind me saying, they are not quite as nerve-shreddingly world-spanning as the others. While I was inspired by the others, and do aspire to follow in their footsteps, honestly, I'd be lucky to match up to Truls.

The plan is to fly into Santiago de Compostela from the UK (ferries are more expensive and also booked up right now), head east following Eurovelo 3, the pilgrim's route, until Pamplona; meet another route through the Pyrenean foothills; join Eurovelo 8 across Italy, perhaps detouring to / near the Alps; then down through the Balkans until we can catch a ferry across the Aegean.

We have 3 months in Europe (fuck you Brexit) and will be back in the UK for an event in September. If I still have the money, if I still have the will, if if if, maybe I will fly back and continue on. I would love to cycle in China! Would love to go back to South East Asia. Would love to get all the way to New Zealand. We'll see.

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Jon AylingThis looks great. Particularly interested in the Balkan stage and Albania - I haven't seen many trip reports from those parts, I was there (not on the bike) 18 years ago and wonder how much it's changed.

The Brexit 90-day limit for UK citizens is a real downer. If you manage to spend 90 days in the non-Schengen parts of the Balkans it resets - but it sure makes things practically more difficult.
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonIt’s great to have another journal. Looks like a great tour!
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2 years ago

Lorenzo JarreTo Jon AylingThanks Jon! I've never been so won't be able to make any comparisons, but if you have any recommendations for places you enjoyed I'd be glad of them.

Yeah, the EU visa limit was the first hard hitting consequences of Brexit... First of many I'm sure.
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2 years ago

Lorenzo JarreTo Rachael AndersonThanks Rachael! I was slightly torn whether to write it here or "the other place", but settled on cycleblaze for various reasons. One being I'm sure writing updates from my phone is much easier here!
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2 years ago