Day 22 of my cycle to a friend’s wedding in Varese, Italy — and the road keeps throwing surprises at me. 🚴♂️ This morning I woke up and realised I’d been riding with a broken spoke from the day before. At 8am, before even setting off, I had to stop and fix it. That’s bikepacking life: you never know what’s waiting for you in the morning, but you deal with it and keep moving forward.
I’m now around 200 km away from my destination, but there’s still the Alps standing between me and Italy. In the next few days I’ll be crossing the Gotthard Pass, one of the legendary mountain routes in Switzerland. The climb is going to test me physically and mentally, but that’s what this journey is all about — pushing through the tough moments and finding strength on the road.
Switzerland has been stunning so far. The small towns, the mountain views, and the kindness of people I meet every day remind me why I chose to quit the easy path and take on this adventure. Fixing a broken spoke might not seem like much, but when you’re living on the road with just your bike and your gear, every repair matters. It’s the difference between making it to the next town or being stuck on the side of the road.
Cycling to Italy isn’t just about getting to a wedding on time. It’s about every challenge and every small victory along the way. From setting up camp at night to fixing mechanicals at dawn, this is real travel — no filters, no shortcuts. Just me, my touring bike, and the road ahead.
If you’ve ever thought about bikepacking or long-distance cycling, moments like this are a reminder that the adventure is never perfect — and that’s exactly what makes it worth doing.
#adventureoats #bikepackinglife #traveltruths #cyclingvlog #bikecamping #Switzerland
1 Comment
Maybe carrying a 2kg cooking stove wasn’t the smartest call 🔧😂