17. September 2023
After slogging it out at work and school for 2 months whilst Steffen was realising his bike tour fantasies (150km days, starting riding at 3am, riding in rain up steep mountains) we joined up with him in Germany with the hope that two months of hard riding would have gotten the hardcore riding needs out of his soul for at least a few weeks. Our plan has worked thus far. We had a lovely week in Appenheim with family, drinking and eating everything in sight. It was great to be warm again and...
20. August 2023
I left Aarhus well rested, and it was still very windy, the one from the front, the one to hate. But, as I had been pretty lucky thus far with the wind, I kept the head low, did not see much and just battled through the south of Denmark. (not without stopping in Christiansfeld, a very interesting little town, founded by reformed Christians, way before Martin Luther, with cool architecture and “honey cake” to eat) The north of Germany greeted me with more good riding, perfect cycling...
07. August 2023
Norway ended for me how it started. Windy, rainy, hilly and just beautiful. I had such a good time, but when I finally arrived in Bergen I was also very tired and ready for something new. On one of the last ferry rides, I came across the largest gas field of Norway. Quite a spectacular sight and something that has transformed Norway into the country it is today. Until the 1960s Norway was a quite poor country, with fishing the main industry. When the huge oil and gas reserves were discovered,...
27. July 2023
One thing is certain, Norwegians are very cool and extremely nice to bike-tourers. There is not much of bike infrastructure, but everybody is so cautious and respectful. I have had not a single dicey moment on the road. The road can be as narrow or curvy as imaginable, but everybody waits patiently behind you, until it is safe to overtake. Also, all ferries (and there are many) are free for bikes and pedestrians and on most of the tunnels (there are even more than ferries) have a button you...
16. July 2023
Here we go again, back on tour and it started well. Ellie drove me to the airport bus in Ballarat and after a while driving, I realised I had no shoes on (And just a pair of flip flops as spare). To amuse Ellie even more, I fully ripped my pants in the crotch, when entering the bus. It truly made Ellie’s day and I finally understood, why there is a Kathmandu store at the Airport. Once the plane spits you out at the tiny airport of Alta and you start riding, it is, as if you are part of a...
27. August 2021
Multiday hiking and the Sharks is an equivocal affair. We hike quite a bit, but mostly daytrips. When we embark on multiday hikes, we usually get into violent thunderstorms, our tent gets blown off a ledge in the wind, we forget a sleeping bag, or someone gets bitten by a snake. And anyhow, why would you hike, if you have a bicycle. But this year the Larapinta trail in central Australia was the thing to do. 200something kilometre of rugged bliss along the West McDonald ranges. We even got it...
27. January 2021
When you live in the Wimmera localish biketouring, is a bit challenging. But one of the trips that was always on the list is the Goldfields track, that straddles the Great Dividing Range from Ballarat to Bendigo for 200 and a bit Kilometres. It has been there for ever, we just never did it. Not really sure why, because it is a real delight. Things to consider: · We carefully checked the weather forecast (the chance of 45°C days with howling 80kmh northerly winds is real in Summer here) and...
19. March 2020
Over the last couple of weeks, we have gone through all the Corona motions. First, we thought China is far, far away and we ignored the threat thinking all will be good. But country after country has closed its borders, flights have been cancelled and it’s all become nightmarish day after day. In Oman coronavirus is not much of a topic at all – though tourists are no longer able to enter the country and only food stores are allowed to open – it’s just a bit quieter and there is plenty...
12. March 2020
It is official, I left my mortal shell and my astral body travelled the last week through the lands of my wildest dreams. I really cannot remember when I have the last time felt so utterly content with my life. Riding for a week the big loop from Muscat to Nizwa was perfect. This endless sky, barren mountains, perfect camp spots and great food was just wonderful, but it was also just a teaser of what was to come. We needed a shower, wash our clothes and sleep in a soft bed, so we stayed two...