On the way: a blog about cycling, scuba diving, and flying…
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Post-trip reflections: 1900 kilometres, 8 countries, and finding purpose on two wheels – The complete story
It’s been a bit over a month since I started my Baltic to Adriatic cycling adventure, and around three weeks since it finished. The scuba diving adventures have wrapped up too, and now I’m back in rainy, cold Denmark where July apparently means three weeks of rain with temperatures stubbornly stuck in the lower 20s.…
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Day 11: The bonus round – When GPS goes rogue and borders play hard to get
The unplanned grand finale Day 11 – a bonus day that was completely unplanned! I decided to split the last day to take it more relaxed, which turned out to be the best decision since deciding to start this madness in the first place. Morning person? Not again I planned to start early at 7:00…
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Day 10: The art of strategic retreat (or how I learned to stop worrying and love half-days)
The 5:30 wake-up call from hell Day 10 of cycling started with what I can only assume was Bosnia’s final attempt to break my spirit. Someone, and I use that term loosely because no actual human would do this, decided that 5:30 AM was the perfect time to fire up a leaf blower. Just in…
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Day 9: When the road becomes a battlefield – The day Bosnia broke me
The morning from hell Day 9 of cycling – what a day. Not sure where to start. I had a dog chase, almost got hit by a car, and got pushed off the road by another car, all that before 8 o’clock! Sometimes you wonder if the universe is testing just how much you really…
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Day 8: Back on the road – Bosnia bound
The numbers game Day 8 of cycling, but day 9 of the trip, though who’s counting anyway? Started from my hometown and finally heading to visit the last country on this adventure: country number eight, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where I’ll be staying for two more days until reaching the final destination. Mountain reality check This…
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Day 7.5: Rest day – The calm before the final storm
Natural alarm clock Day 7.5 – the rest day! Nothing happened, finally. A long-needed rest, though in the morning I got naturally woken up by my body based on the last few days’ routine. I didn’t sleep much longer, maybe 45 minutes more than usual, but I took it very slow in the morning as…
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Day 7: Home sweet home – The final push before rest
The sweet taste of completion Day 7 – the last day before my rest day! Finally, I think I needed it. The last three days have been brutal, so this break will be a very welcome change. Plus, I’m reaching my hometown where I’ll be staying, which makes it even sweeter. Being welcomed by a…
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Day 6: Three countries, one hot day – The flatland express
The morning struggle (Again) I’m really, really not a morning person. I was ready at 7 but started after 8:00 in the morning. I had breakfast at 7:30, which I was supposed to skip, but when you’re facing another day of cycling, sometimes the body overrules the schedule. Navigation nightmare After starting, there were some…
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Day 5: The medieval marathon – When your body writes the real story
Aviation morning ritual In the morning, I had a little bit of bonus entertainment because the airport had an event and there were some helicopters parked actually in front of the entrance to the hotel. So after exiting, I walked around a little bit just to see them up close, I had to satisfy my…
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Day 4: Memory’s selective edit – When summer arrives unannounced
Uh, it’s hard to remember every detail of the day, and it’s really hard to write this every day. So I’m glad I forget the bad things that I think about on the way. But I guess that’s the trick that our mind does, it forgets the bad things and remembers the good ones. Maybe…
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Day 3: When the cycling gods finally smile – Perfect weather and Potsdam’s bike paradise
A chilly fresh start After last night’s cats and dogs downpour, the morning air was crisp and clean, a refreshing 10 degrees that had me questioning my clothing choices. The rain had washed away yesterday’s misery and left behind that perfect post-storm clarity. Of course, getting out of my warm bed into that cool air…
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Day 2: When rain plays mind games – 115km and a lesson in humility
The unwelcome wake-up call 5 AM. Heavy rain hammering against my window like an impatient debt collector. This wasn’t in the optimistic forecast I’d checked last night. My alarm wasn’t set until 6:30, but sleep was now impossible with that relentless drumming overhead. When I finally dragged myself up, every fiber of my being wanted…