Cycle Touring Blogs, Journals and Articles

Day 9 Only 110 KM left to Trondheim city. I checked online and recognized joyfully that basically its just downhills. Should be a smooth trip. Or..? I lifted the gate of my tent in morning. Out there was still raining mildly. I had to put on my raincoat.  Then I realized I made a huge mistake yesterday: I stuffed it into bag without drying it, now it is still completely wet!  The inside of the coat is wet of my yesterday’s sweat, outside is wet by the rains. To put it on my dried body is just COOL. So cool that even now I can feel of it.  Besides, this day turned to be extremely cold. The wind found its way under my clothes easily, I was for the first time so freeze that I have to make one hand free to wrap myself during cycling.  Now downhills is not...

Day 8 Lesson learned that I started today’s trip quite early, and realized the 20 KM ‘debt’ yesterday is a hard way – all way uphills to reach the city Dombas. Then I realized this was just a beginning. There was another 10 KM steep uphills road leaded me to a height where I was able to see surroundings in bird view. When I finally reached the top, what lies before me was not downhills, but a flat road extent to horizon. Fine, I’m at highland now. A mini story that when I was climbing harshly, an arm suddenly reach out before me from a car driven by, and the man yelled ‘YOHOHO’.. I recognized it should be the man I met twice in Dombas city. The first time was before entering the city center, he stood along side the street with thumbs up – not to encourage me but...

Day 7   Woke up in morning, a new day began. The sunlight pierces into the tent and make the air a little smother. However my feet were still icy. I moved myself a bit and realized the legs had lightly spasm. The cause should be the freezing night. Actually I tested the sleeping bag before departure, it passed so so outdoors in Germany. As it was now proved not suitable to weather condition here, I had to buy another one. There’s a sport shop nearby camping site. I picked one which can endure -3°C. It cost 111 EUR and weight heavier, but I have to compromise to ensure good sleep in coming trips. I met a Netherlands couple at kitchen. They were taking a caravan tour here. The man said he sometimes cycle around in Netherlands, but never such a big plan as I’m doing after married. The woman...

Day 6 There is one and only ONE GOAL today: the peak of Scandinavian, Galdhøpiggen. The distance is just 18 KM, usually takes less than 40 minutes for me, but this time with a rise in elevation of 1900 M at meanwhile is something I definitely NEVER tried before. I learned that the end of the road is not really the peak, but a tourist station. People can group up there and a guide will lead all hiking to the peak through glaciers. I began to hesitate if I shall take the bus there and join hiking tour, anyway it also sounds interesting. Not before next second I slapped myself: Having taken the bike and all gears from thousand miles away, just for show up? As the return route will also pass by the hotel, I leave part of the luggage in hotel and set off. The zigzag road winded...

Day 5 I was actually awakened by freezing, meanwhile another lesson was learned: never look down upon even the LIGHTEST rains: the sleep bag must be absolute dry. Yes, I was too freeze to sleep well last night and eventually woke up with icy feet, found myself wrapped in wet sleep bag, what a bad experience. Still I can’t help laughing when climbed out of the tent: I heard some noises during night, and it turned out to be so many neighbors ‘grow up’ in one night, perhaps many arrived here in midnight as a free and casual stay?   As my strength recovered, and had learned the way back to city, cycling at this moment appeared to be much more pleasant. It’s still cloudy, light fogs circle around the hills, the ground is somehow wet, the coolness of the air in fresh morning made me felt lively. It’s so...

Day 4 Whenever there comes an important moment, I never fall asleep deeply. Despite of the fact that I spent 2 nights in the train, I woke up frequently to check the clock, until it finally ringed at 4:30 AM. Rains whispered out there in darkness, but there’s NOTHING can stop me now. Under dim street lights I pulled all the luggage to the airport bus station: a suitcase, a paper box (as the suitcase was too small for all my stuffs) and the packed bicycle, total weights around 40 KG. I moved them by batch when my strength failed and finally finished the 1 km distance. All went smooth by the airport, I worried about the packaging of the bike might be too rough to get permitted, but it didn’t happen. This time the fate didn’t toy with me, 14:00 PM, FINALLY the plane arrived at Bergen, Norway on...

Day 3 00:00 AM On the train from Hamburg to Frankfurt. Just now an old lady greeted me at platform. ‘I know you, you were kicked out of the train last night in Frankfurt' she said. I numbed for a moment before realised she was just the old lady, who stood behind the conductor and tried to persuade him for me. At the moment she’s still dressing shabby, a big color-faded hairpin stays loosely on her tousled white-grey hair, on her hand there’s a giant dirty sack seems for collecting empty bottles or something. I asked, was the train later really full load of bicycles? She answered 'yes', just as the conductor forecast, totally full load at Mainz station. She also mentioned that 2 train-security staff appeared shortly after. That 2 men… were really unfriendly. I understood then why the conductor refused you firmly. Even if you were on board,...

Day 2   00:00 AM The train to Hamburg arrived right on time. I got into the bike carriage, it’s totally empty. A conductor came to me and ask for bike reservation certification. I was at lost – what the hell is that? He followed rapidly: please get out. I was stunned. I begged him for for accommodation, and I’m willing to stay anywhere in the train. But there’s just cold answers without a single hesitation: No, GET OUT. Desperation drove me extreme thirsty. He suggested me to contact the DB staff at station information desk. I had no choice but to rush there at all speed. 5 minutes to train departure. Obviously my panic didn’t leave any good impression to the information desk staff, he roughly listened to my story and answered just 2 points: 1. bike reservation is only possible at ticket vendor machine or ticket office (during...

Day 1 11:30 AM   Believe everything ready, I took the first step by jumped on the train. At the first interchange station, Treuchtlingen, I met some old travelers. They were with bikes and loaded with all luggage as well and our next stations were same. I closed my eyes for a short rest, until someone pat on my shoulder softly. There was a friendly face before me: come on, here comes the train! We confirmed the train number, station and route were all correct and got on the carriage. There was still 10 minutes before the train should departure, but it suddenly gave a shake and set off. We were a bit at astonished, felt lucky to get in on time and have pity for those who might have missed the train, until the loudspeaker verified one thing: this train drove to opposite direction. The old men were totally...

Diary of A Chinese Cyclist     It was in 2008, and over 2 months a friend achieved his grand trip; cycling from Shanghai to Tibet. It sounded so attractive to me that not long after, I bought my first mountain bike. But I didn’t really want to ride to Tibet. I didn’t even want to ride out of Shanghai. ‘No time’. ‘My leg hurts’. ‘Maybe I’m not the type’. Before the dream really shapes, it was killed by these negative voices inside of me. But by coincidence, I have the chance to take my bike to a new life in Europe, and the dream is finally awaken. I wished to do something I can memory lifelong, and I didn't wish to wait no more. Scandinavian is one of the most fascinating place for me in the planet. I decide to set there as the target, and make it happen...