When her van broke down in Crete, Anne Kress decided not to book a flight to get back home to Germany. Instead, she grabbed her 20-year-old mountain bike and camping gear, then pedalled 3,300km home through 11 countries.
Listen if: You love spontaneous adventures, dream about bikepacking the Balkans, or want proof that bike adventures can start with small, imperfect gear.
The story in a nutshell:
Anne was midway through a climbing trip in Crete when her camper van broke down in the middle of nowhere. With Easter shutdown looming, not wanting to take a flight home, and stranded in the what felt like the ‘middle of nowhere’, she decided to ride it her old mountain bike all the way back to Germany. Not via the “boring” coastal route, but off-road through the newly created Trans Dinarica route through the Balkans. All up she cycled over 3,300 km, with a hefty 63,000 meters of climbing as well.
Key takeaways:
• Listen to your inner voice: The wild idea in your head might be the one that changes everything.
• Start with what you’ve got: You don’t need a shiny gravel bike to take on an adventure. Anne rode her third-hand, 20 year old mountain bike
• Open yourself to people: Human connections are the true highlights for Anne from this adventure.
Golden quote: “I listened to my intuition… and suddenly I had the idea: I could ride home.”
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You’re listening to Seek Travel Ride, a podcast all about sharing inspirational bike adventures from all over the world. And before we get into today’s episode, a quick shout out to our sponsor, Red White Apparel. They’ve spent over a decade doing one thing, and that is making bib shorts, which will keep you comfortable in the saddle no matter how far or how long you ride, even on those multi-day tours. As someone who’s tried going shamfire, I can tell you I need reliable bib shorts, and these are the best ones I found lately. If you’re looking for comfort which lasts, hit the link in the show notes and check them out. All right, now on to the episode. I was like, well, I need to sleep here tonight. I have everything I need. I have water. I have something to eat and uh it it won’t get too cold and I will have to have a look for help in the morning. I think the first idea of well, I have my bike with me was Monday evening. I was like just like okay, what are my options? You know, what do I have with me? Because everybody kept telling me, well, you can’t fly home. And I was like, “No, I’m not flying home.” And then I was considering which options I had. And I was like, “Well, I have my bike. With my bike, I can do something.” And then I was like, “Well, what could I do?” Um, I listened to my intuition, I think. And I don’t know, all in a sudden, I had the idea, well, well, I could ride home. Welcome to Seek Travel Ride, where we share the stories and experiences of people taking amazing adventures by bike. Whether it’s crossing state borders, mountain ranges, countries, or continents, we want to share that spirit of adventuring on two wheels with our listeners. [Music] Hello listeners, Bella Malloy here, host of Seek Travel Ride and this week I’m excited to be featuring our guest Anne Crest. Now, for some people, planning out a bike adventure takes weeks, perhaps even months or maybe even years to meticulously plan out. People work out the time of year they’re going to travel, where they’re going to go, the equipment they’ll take, perhaps the gearing they need for their bike, and some of the finer details. Some people even get to the depths of figuring out where they’re going to stop each and every night. Well, listeners, this certainly isn’t the approach Anne took for her journey, as it was very much a spontaneous affair. Anne was in CIT enjoying a holiday in her van when it unfortunately broke down. All of a sudden, stranded on the island and with no option of being able to drive back home, she came up with another idea, and that was to take the 20-year-old mountain bike she’d brought with her along with some camping equipment and ride all the way back home to Germany. Oh, and Anne wasn’t seeking out canal paths and Eurov trails. Instead, she decided she was going to take the dirt where possible, riding off-road routes, including the newly developed trail of the Trans Diner Rica that took her all the way through the Balkans. All up, her adventure would cover over 3,300 km of cycling. She’d climb 63,000 m of elevation and ride through 11 countries. She wild camped where possible, had to deal with some huge thunderstorms in the mountains, and also had to problem solve with some equipment failures. But like many other bike travelers before her, Anne quickly learned there is always a solution. Listeners, I can’t wait to learn more about Anne’s adventure, hear how she navigated her way through the ups and downs of bike travel, but most of all, find out what she’s learned from taking on such a mega spontaneous journey. and Crest, welcome to the show. Hi there. Hi Vala. Thanks for having me. And I have so many questions and especially for a spontaneous journey like this. But the question I start my show with and I ask it of all my guests is an crest, do you remember the very first bike you ever rode? Yes. It was a small silver bike and it had of course at the beginning it had training wheels. I remember my father teaching me how to write it and I think I was like four years old or something. Oh wow. And was this in Germany? Yeah, it was in Germany. In the middle of Germany actually. Where are you in the countryside? Are you in a city? Where are you growing up? Like in a small city I would say but close to some mountains. Here we live now. I live now in the Algoy. We would not consider it as mountains because they are too small because the highest was like uh 870 m. It’s the region is called Tanos and you may know the Tanos bike packing race. I have heard of it. That’s the region. So you remember a bike with training wheels. Did you ride bikes lots growing up as a child in Germany as well? Like I was it was a matter of transportation. We used everything. We did everything by bike, I would say. Yeah. And that active travel, that’s something that’s actually stuck with you too, isn’t it? Because something I’ve learned about you, Ann, is you were definitely an outdoors lover. You’re definitely a mountain lover. Things like rock climbing, mountain climbing, stuff like that, that is very much what you seek out in your normal adventures. And your bike, the one that you took on this journey, that’s what you normally use to take you to the spots to do those other type of adventures as well, isn’t it? Yeah, I use it in everyday life. I use it for commuting. I use it I use it for shopping. I use it just to go to a climb or to a ski trip. The idea of using a bike for travel is something you used to commute, but it wasn’t something that you’d ever planned a bike adventure like a multi-week sort of holiday or month-long holiday or or longer in this case. A long time ago, I spent four weeks in Iceland by bike. Wow. When were when were you there? I think it must have been the summer 2008 or something. Oh, this is like before it was like the trendy trendy place to go, right? Because Iceland has become has elevated as a as a real hot spot for bike packing now. Yes, I know. No, it was before. It was also with some traditional bikes. It was not with fancy whatever gravel bikes. No. Well, gravel bikes didn’t exist back then. Although there would be a lot of people that say that every bike could be a gravel bike. We should. And it was absolutely sufficient and it was it was great. We were camping all the way along and we had really great encounters with people and landscape is just stunning. That trip in Iceland. So, hang on. You said 2008. I mean, my goodness, that’s what, like 17 years ago? Yes. Had you done any form of bike travel similar to that in between? I think just after like 2011, we biked uh the coast of Norway from Bergen to Oslo. Oh, another magic journey. Yeah. Oh. How long how long did you take to do that? I think we had only two weeks or something. So we really had to to accelerate a bit. When you say we, so you took the journey on with Iceland and the Norway journey. They weren’t solo trips, were they? No, it was with my partner at that time. Okay. So you’d had some experience of bike travel before, but really not for quite a while since. Is that because your real passion lies with those other types of adventures, those mountain adventures and ice climbing, rock climbing, mountaineering, those type of things? Yeah. I think I was really pretty occupied with alanism. So every every single free day I spent somewhere in the mountains. So I didn’t even consider planning a bike trip, you know. So if if you were to craft your ideal holiday, it would involve mountains in some form. Yes, definitely. I know Cit for example in Greece, this is where your bike adventure started. It’s a pretty hilly sort of mountainous sort of island as well. It’s not pan flat by any measure. What was your motivation to be holidaying in Cree? Uh the last four years or so, I spent quite some time in Greece and I’ve never been to Creit. It was Greece was a bit of my second home. And four years ago, I spent also a long time traveling through uh Greece, Albania and North Macedonia for climbing. And this time I had like two months to it was not really a vacation. It was sort of a workation. I had everything with me because I work freelance. So I need to get my work done as well. But um I was thinking of starting it off in Creek because I’ve never been there and it’s good for climbing and there are also some really remote mountains. I have a really good friend of mine who’s just finished a twoe holiday in Crit. She had a bike with her and uh she’s was telling me like the roads there are amazing to ride a bike on but are very very steep. So I can just sort of picture the landscape would be amazing for climbing. Yeah. And especially at that time of the year, it’s still early and there are no people around. Yeah, because it’s April, isn’t it? It’s totally early season. Yeah, beginning of April. It’s something that still blows this Australian’s mind, an because in Australia, we don’t I mean, we we definitely have busier times of the year, but the idea that there are spots that are only busy during the summer isn’t sort of a concept that we’re used to. and a place like Cree or Greece where you know you’ve got all of Europe on your doorstep but the idea that they’re empty for months of the year that’s still something that’s quite foreign to me I understand you were talking about the fact that you had to do your work for freelance tell me a little bit about that what do you do for work I’m working as an independent win a expert mainly in in communication so I give keynotes and I do workshops in communication on my second leg I’m coaching I’m coaching women, especially women. I’m coaching people that would love to change their careers at a certain point. I feel like there’s lots of people that’ll be tuning into this who have an adventurous mind who are probably going, “Oh, I want to learn more about that.” How did you step into that role? Because this isn’t something that you’ve done for decades, is it? You’ve changed your own career path just recently as well, haven’t you? Yes, I changed my own career. I gave up on a full professorship um one and a half years ago. It ended and this was the best decision decision I could have done in my life because now I have more time for the adventure. But uh I’ve been working as a as a mentor for more than 10 years for women in wind energy. I think of the type of career path that you had there and I would think of the acronym STEM and women in STEM those sort of fields. You’re under reppresented as well. So would I be correct to assume that? Yes, for sure. It’s it’s sort of evolving slowly. So, women are definitely more visible now, but still we are under represented. So, that mentoring role that you had then it fits naturally into what you’re looking at doing now, doesn’t it? Yeah. It’s just sort of everything was evolving naturally, I would say. When I formulate a picture of you in my mind, Ann, and as I learn things, there’s things that start to make sense. Like, I can sort of see you mentoring yourself in a way. I hope that doesn’t sound odd. On an adventure like this when you’re dealing with brand new problems, I could just see that sort of wise mentoring narration in your mind probably getting you through. Oh yeah, for sure. And I think I learned a lot about myself. Oh gosh, how couldn’t you not? So then hang on, let’s build the actual trip out here. For the listeners that aren’t familiar with what happened, as I said in my intro, you were in CIT in Greece looking to do some rock climbing and and awesome climbing and enjoying the outdoors. You had a van that I’m assuming that you travel with, you sleep in, and then it broke down, didn’t it? Yeah. In the middle of nowhere at the Catharo Plateau with no people around. Oh my gosh. Maybe just a few goats. Uh there was nothing. I was I I I took my bike because it was a Friday afternoon, late afternoon, of course. I took my bike and just tried to get hold of someone and I couldn’t find someone. So you you’re literally stranded on an island all alone. Yeah, there was just nobody around. So what are you thinking at that point? I was like, well um I need to sleep here tonight. I have everything I need. I have water. I have something to eat and uh it it won’t get too cold and I will have have to have a look for help in the morning. Okay. And so then the next morning comes, I’m imagining that you probably take your bike again and eventually find some people and then you start the process of trying to figure out how you’re going to fix the van. I didn’t find people, but I found a place having reception so I could call. And so then how long did it take before you realized that the van wasn’t going to be coming back to life and be able to be driven out of CIT by you in any close amount of time? Uh Monday afternoon. So when did you start scheming the idea of how you were going to get back home? I think the first idea of well I have my bike with me was Monday evening. And was it memories of those earlier trips? Did they sort of come back to you? Like, you know, you’ve done bike travel in Iceland or Norway, so you knew that you could travel on a bike or was it not even that? Was it more spontaneous than that? I think it was not. No, there were no memories of that of those trips. I was like just like, okay, what are my options? You know, what do I have with me? Because everybody kept telling me, well, you can’t fly home. And I was like, no, I’m not flying home. And then I was considering which options I had. And I was like, well, I have my bike. with my bike, I can do something. And then I was like, well, what could I do? Um, I listen to my intuition. I think I think that’s an important thing. I’ve we’ve spoken about that on the show with or I have with other guests before and I’ve spoken about, you know, trusting your gut and your instincts in terms of the route to take or maybe where to camp at night or, you know, feeling out what a place is like. But this is you hearing a voice of sort of saying, well, why don’t you take the adventurous route home? you’ve got this bike to use. I like that idea. I think my first idea was well, I could pack all my climbing stuff and somehow managed to get to to Manikia because that was my next goal I wanted to see because I haven’t been to it’s at and I haven’t been there and it’s a great climbing place. in I don’t know all in a sudden I had the idea well well I could ride home and I think the next thing was like well taking the ferry to Pereos and then riding my bike to Igumenita and then take the ferry to Italy and then bike through Italy on I heard a voice somehow inside saying boring I was like what I love your voice your inner voice yeah somehow I don’t know and and then it was like well um the comes and I could I could really I could feel how everything was celebrating inside and of course my brain told me alone you’re crazy. Even someone who’s taken adventures like you still has that little bit of hesitation that that that voice of hesitation and reason come through as well. So how did you overcome that part? I think I never fully overcome overcame it. I just you know it evolved naturally. I was like, well, I I really would love to do that. And I think the next day I started googling, you know, which roots are around and and I pretty soon found that there was this Transarica project and I was like, “Wow, that sounds so cool.” It’s like brand new, too. Like, it’s is it even a year in existence? I’m not even sure. No, I think they finalized at the end of last year. Yeah. Wow. And so, let’s wind this back a bit again. you you’ve decided that you’re going to take your bike to get back to Germany. You’re not letting yourself take the boring route, which would still probably be quite a lot of fun, let’s be fair. You’d still have an awesome time, and then you’ve decided that you’ll go through the Balkans on this off-road route, Transinica. But there is the other part of this aspect where it’s one thing to have a bike and maybe even a backpack and some and a tent, but you’ve got to figure out how you’re going to actually carry it all with you. So, how did you get your bike ready for this? Yeah, I think on on Thursday, no, on on Tuesday, I think on Tuesday afternoon, I I went through all Heracleion, through all the shops there, all the bike shops, and I I found a very nice one. It’s called Podilis. So, I really recommend that one. And he really was like, uh, well, um, I need some some some outer tires. I need some some brakes because I still have the old rim brakes, you know, so I need some of those. I need a new chain and I need some sort of pas or something. And then he really found some pas for me. Wow. And then all of a sudden being able to put luggage on the bike, get some new brakes. Can I just say, what did I say? You did 63,000 m of climbing, which probably meant you did 63 3,000 m of descending. You definitely needed some brakes for this journey. Yeah. And I changed them once during the journey. So yeah. Oh gosh. Yeah. Well, I crossed the Pyrenees 2 years ago and I had to change mine halfway. So, I can totally appreciate this. So, then your bike, you get it all functioning and ready and then you’re good to go. Wow. Like that’s a quick turnaround. Not many trips are thought up that spontaneously. Yeah. And because I had some time pressure because Easter was coming and everything was shutting down for Easter. You were probably what, like a week or two out from Easter. It was just before Easter. It was uh on Friday it was already starting. So, um, I had like four days to get everything organized from the first idea to setting off. Oh my goodness me. What was it like to actually set off? Because, and I imagine there’s an element here, Ann, where you’re used to, say, hiking with a heavy pack on or something like that. So, or maybe not quite so heavy. you come across as someone who’s got enough experience to probably have a very lightweight setup, but it’s not foreign to you to be, you know, having to travel a bit slower because you’re hauling gear with you. But what was it like to actually get on this bike? Because shout out to your champion of a bike. It’s like 20 years old, isn’t it? Yeah, it’s 20 years old. I bought it third hand. I I know both owners. I bought it like almost 6 years ago. Does it have a name? No, it has no name. But I have a but still I have a strong relationship with it. I love it somehow. I I feel like you can’t part with that bike. Or if you do, it’s got to be to someone you know, right? No, it won’t part. I will I will I will replace all the broken stuff and I will use it on on an everyday basis, I guess. Oh, I love this mentality as well. Can I ask? It’s just something that’s come up that I’m naturally thinking of here. You know, your expertise and and your working field is in wind energy. So there’s obviously an environmental conservation side of this as well perhaps and and using something and replacing parts as opposed to buying brand new. Is that something that really resonates with you as well? Yeah, for sure. Um I love to buy secondhand, but if it’s not possible and I need to buy brand new, then it has to last at least 10 years. And get the full full use out of it. Absolutely. Oh, I can totally resonate with that as well. Okay, then let’s go back to first day taking off. What was it actually like loading everything on your bike and leaving? I was crazy because I was still in the backyard of the garage and I had to somehow decide what to take and what to leave behind and initially I wanted to take some climbing gear and then just the last minute I left it behind because the bike was already heavily loaded. Oh my gosh, that would have been a really hard decision to take because that’s where you consciously have to let go and decide that the adventure you’re on is not the one that you normally do, right? Yeah, it was really out of my comfort zone. M absolutely. Oh my goodness me. So are you in terms of timing, you were talking about Easter, but in terms of how long it would take you to get home, were you restricted in that respect as well? You had mentioned that you were doing some remote work. So, were you going to have to work during this adventure as well? Yeah, I did work during all the the entire trip. Not as much as I would have been with the van, but I did work. I did all my coachings. I think I also did more or less all my LinkedIn postings. So, so again, just figuring it out along the way and figuring and I guess gosh, what a world we live in where we can do those things. Mhm. that then opens you up to the flexibility of how long you would take and and the type of routes you would explore as well. Yeah, initially I wanted to be back by the end of May, but I think two weeks in I realized that this is really stressy for me, you know, having that deadline and not knowing exactly how long it will take me. And also I I’m not a type of person who likes traveling in a rush or with time pressure. And then I I called my aunt because it was my aunt’s birthday the 1st of June. That was my deadline. And uh she said, “Well, I’m happy to see you anytime. Just take your time.” And I was like, “Okay, I’m free.” Oh, I love this. It was like It was like she sort of had to vocally give you permission. And obviously she doesn’t, but in your mind that unleashes any boundaries and and unchains you from those restrictive time frames. Yeah. Yeah, I you know if I promise something I stick to my promise. So I need to talk to the people if I change my plans. [Music] Listeners, if you’re planning a multi-day tour, don’t underestimate how important good bib shorts are. Trust me, I’ve done big days in the saddle. I’ve done the backtobacks and comfort really, really matters. I ride in red white apparel because they just work. The shammy holds up day after day and their pea brake friendly design makes life on the road so much more convenient. Hit the link in the show notes and check them out for your next big ride. Now back to the episode. The notion of not having those time pressures and not having things fully planned out. I really resonate with an that’s sort of something that I especially like. If I plan my own adventures, I like to know where I’m going, but how I get there, I might have a rough idea, but I’m always love the idea of being flexible and spontaneous to change that on the way. And so I imagine that’s sort of the frame set that you used for your route back home. Yeah. And at the beginning I did sort of a schedule and I was like well if I could re if I would ride every day and every day all like according to the plan then I would arrive in Fil and take it to the train at the 31st of May but I would have to ride every single day and every day I would have to manage the distance and I was like okay I’m not going to do that. when you travel with that sort of freedom of timelines out of the way, what are you thinking daytoday? Because you obviously come and I I guess it’s wisdom that I’m hearing in your responses here knowing that the idea of having an adventure where you have to ride every single day isn’t really realistic. No. And I also love detours. You know, if there is like something that I’m really interested in, I I’m heading there, you know. It’s something that I’ve learned interviewing guests as well is sometimes the detours aren’t even for a place or a landscape or some sort of history. Sometimes the detours because of people. Yes, of course. You just stay because it’s a great place to stay. Yeah. And the strangers that you meet along the way. Yeah. Were they some of the highlights for this for you as well? Yeah, for sure. It was incredible. People were incredible everywhere. Everywhere. Okay. So, did you experience this throughout every single country you traveled through? Yeah, it I I experienced it until Switzerland and then it changed slightly. What do you think brought out the change? Is it just a different culture? Is it you’re traveling in different areas or I think it’s a different culture and I think also I came closer to holiday seasons. I think that changed also the behavior of people. How do you mean like you know if uh places are full of tourists then people treat you as a tourist not as a lonesome rider. Yeah, there’s a lot of truth to that. And actually, if I reflect back, I remember some of your social media posts, it was sort of around the idea of, oh, I’m I’m pretty much in a tourist area here. I don’t want to take that part. I I want to divert off. And I could really understand that as well. And listeners, I say that as someone who lives near some very major tourist attractions where I live as well, but I I totally understand 100% where your mindset is on that, an Yeah. And I live also in a pretty touristy place. So in winter during ski season, it’s it’s really crowded. And in summer, like July and August, too. Let’s get into the details of your adventure here. You’ve got your bike equipped. It can now at least take you all the way to Germany. And you’ve got your equipment with you. You said you had to leave your climbing equipment behind. I want to know, was there like something that you took with you that realistically you could have left behind, but you couldn’t do without? I actually took my climbing helmet because I had no bike helmet with me. So, it was perfect. It was white and light and very airy and very comfortable. Did you get to use it for some climbing? Like did you get to do some climbing on the way? Yeah, I I used it on on a little bit of climbing, but um like for example on the on the tree love. Was that somewhere where when you went there you just took time out of your journey as well to again take this small detour? Yeah, that was definitely a detour but I really enjoyed it. so much. They’re milestones of the journey when you do things like that as well, aren’t they? Yes. Okay, so let’s start. You have to get off CIT first. Cre is an island, so the adventure sort of begins once the road ends and you get to the ferry port. What was it like navigating the Greek ferry system with the bike? I didn’t expect it to be that good because uh actually bikes travel for free. They are just luggage. So you don’t have to pay for the bikes and you don’t need an res reservation which is really very handy. So I think I booked my ferry on Wednesday for Friday and I just booked the the deck passage. So I slept on the on deck and this was great and my bike was somewhere down there but uh I didn’t had any issues you know I could just cycle inside that ferryach attach it to just some pole and everything was fine. When I first moved to France, my husband and I, we moved here from Ireland and we caught the ferry over from Dublin to Sherborg. And I remember it was the same thing. We sort of bought the bikes on, sort of tied them to a rail and then that was it. And again, like you’re totally fine doing that. It was my first experience of traveling on a ferry with a bike. I mean, we had to have reservations for our bikes and I think we had to pay extra. I can’t remember now. But you don’t have to pay for your bike and you don’t need a reservation. That’s awesome. Nowhere in Greece on the fairies. And I think that’s unique. But just make sure that you bring some some stuff to attach it because usually they don’t provide it. Yeah. So like a lock or something like that. Yeah. Or some sort of strings enough. But how many ferry crossings did you have through Greece? Uh four. And what was the longest one? The longest one was actually from Cree to Pereos. Is that overnight? That’s overnight. Yes. Okay. Okay, so you get into Pereos and then then you start to get some consistent cycling before the next ferry crossing. What are you like one week into this bike adventure? Because I feel it’s in the first week that you a feel maybe the aches and pains from doing something you’re not used to, but then you also start developing routines and rhythms to your day as well. Yeah, I started with cycling uh really at sunrise into Athens, which was amazing. You know, I I’ve never been to Athens before and I never intended to be and I really loved it. You know, it was so great. They even have, you know, they have cycle paths. They have they have the infrastructure and it was not stressy at all. I have to admit that’s not what I would expect of Athens. I would just expect a sort of like traffic and chaos, but it sounds like you had a really awesome experience traveling into it. Yeah. And then I spent a day in Athens and I enjoyed it so much. It’s a beautiful city. You definitely have to go if you haven’t been. Yeah. And surrounded by some mega history as well. Definitely. And you can feel this the whole history. You can feel it. Yeah. And I guess I mean you can see it so often as well, right? It’s all around you. Yeah. I remember that when I was traveling in Turkey. It’s almost like there’s so much history. You just walking and you go, “Oh, there’s a Roman crypt here.” Or, “Oh, there’s a Lissian tomb that’s like 4,000 years old.” You know, it’s just everywhere. It’s like blink and wow, it’s in front of you. It’s that’s amazing for me. And I imagine you had this sort of history all through the trails that you were taking as well. Yeah, it was just, you know, a journey on on so many dimensions. I don’t know how to express it, but it was like it was history, it was culture, it was different people, it was um the landscapes changed a lot and it was just incredible. I learned a lot. making your way then through to northern Greece to um and leaving Greece behind. You’re going through some pretty mountainous areas there as well, aren’t you? Uh it was not that because I went more to the east than to the west because I’ve chosen a road because I know Greece quite well and I’ve chosen a road to places I haven’t been to before. Oh, I like this. So, you’re not seeking out nostalgia, you’re seeking out new experiences all along the way. Yeah. Are you someone who returns back to places like that you have been to? Like would you go back to places you’ve been to before or do you generally try and experience new things? I definitely go back to places I’ve been to because for climbing you you you always do you know if if some if a place is great you come back and do another route or another mountain and I love that too but I also really like to explore new places. So this adventure you you the new places and and the newness was something you were seeking out. Yeah. What was it like then crossing your first border and leaving Greece behind? I was I was really nervous. I think I at the beginning border crossing days I was always nervous and there was no reason for it because you know people were so nice even at the border you know they they greeted you by name and it was so easy to cross and I’m like okay. It’s weird. Whenever I’m at an airport or at customs or anything, I always get an extra level of stress about me. Even like passing through security, I have nothing to be concerned about, but for some reason, I have like a body full of concern. Are you the same? Yeah. And also, especially in the in the non-European Union countries because uh it might be different, but actually it wasn’t. Leaving Greece behind, how long was it before you actually then got onto the Trans Denerica Trail? Actually, I my second day in in in North Macedonia, I already went on that trail. And you had discovered Did Hang on. Just just to confirm, you knew this trail existed before you set off in Cree or did you learn about it during the journey? No, I actually I think it it influenced my decision on Creed to bike home because I found it googling on Cree. I’m like, “Wow, that sounds so amazing. I have to hunt for that one.” So for listeners who’ve never heard of it before and coming from someone who has now ridden it, how would you describe this trail to people? Wow. It’s just an amazing way to travel the western bans because you have sort of a digital track you can follow and it also indicates where you can sleep for example and where you can do your grocery stuff once in a while but at the same time you are pretty flexible because you can leave it any time and do your own thing and it’s a it’s a really it’s a great way and also maybe an easy way to travel the western darkans because someone’s done all the hard work in letting you know like is there sort of natural flow to your daily stages on the trail in a way go through this place you can resupply here this is places where you can sleep that sort of hard work’s already been scoped out for you yeah at the beginning I wasn’t quite sure if I could manage you know some of the distances and also I was riding most of it in reverse so sometimes I had steeper climbs and uh so I had to readjust some of my planning but then um it’s great because you know you can trust the track you know you will arrive Because if you do the planning yourself, you may end up in a dead end at a certain point because that happened to me in Greece once because commuted make me want to cross a motorway. Good old commuted. Oh my goodness me. Yes, everyone I think has been there, done that. I think my worst one with Kimoot was when it decided that there was a road right through a deep river ravine. Like I there’s no bridge here. It’s not happening. Yeah. I it was also in the river bat that was not would not have been ridable without luggage you know to be fair and I have said this on every episode it’s not just kimoot that does this you know ride with GPS straa Google maps they all have their own little glitches as well with the transinica you were riding it I I guess so it is optimized to be ridden in a certain direction but you obviously riding it in the opposite direction then most of it yes and what’s your view on that having done that would Do you like is there part of you that would like to ride it the other way? I think both ways are really beautiful, you know, because it’s it’s always, you know, if you’re riding in the other direction, do you see the things differently? I’ve leared to reframe my views on oneway roads and out and back routes. I know there’s a lot of people that hate going back on the same road they’ve been on. Where I live with mountain valleys, often you are on on a single road. You get to the top and then you have to turn around. And it is what you just said there. It’s a different experience whether you’re going uphill to then be descending or vice versa to also just the perspective of how you view the landscape. So different, isn’t it? Yeah, for sure. It’s just different. So northern Macedonia, had the culture changed when you crossed that border as well into Macedonia? I’ve been there before, so I was not, you know, so nervous about it because I knew that it would be fine. Yeah, it’s different to Greece. Definitely it is people are different also the culture is a bit different but I I met great people all along the way from the beginning onwards it started already in Bula you know and I was so amazed by the people I think on the entire crossing of northern Macedonia I I paid one single coffee wow because they always invite you even the owners of the cafes you know they they they don’t let you pay do you think that’s because you were solo an a solo woman traveling there. Like, do you think that would be or do you think it would be for any bike traveler? I can’t tell, but I think it’s definitely an advantage being a woman, but I think it could happen to anyone. Yeah, I suspect the same. I think my experiences recently just doing a solo journey, I definitely had a higher level of what would I call it? I don’t know that I’d call it hospitality, generosity, kindness, you know, that type of thing to me when I was on my own. But it’s not to say that I haven’t experienced it when I’ve not been on my own either. Yeah. And I I’ve been to Northern Macedonia with with my partner at that time, but we were traveling in in my van and it was different. We’re not so so much in contact with people because if you’re if you’re riding your bike, you you have to have Yeah, you are automatically in contact with people everywhere where you arrive, you know. So, I can’t really tell if it’s traveling solo or it’s if it’s traveling by bike. And I think the combination gives you sort of a maximum in of contact. Yeah. And I think there’s a level of people see you as maybe a little bit more vulnerable because of the way you’re traveling as well. Like you’re open to the elements and you’re traveling slower. So they’re probably just defaulting to that mindset of looking out for you a little bit more as well. Yeah, maybe. Yes. What about through the rest of the Balkan regions? and we’ll go through them not so generally as the show develops as well because you get through borders quite quickly in some instances. Was it obvious when you had crossed land borders other than the border crossing? Like you know when you were saying in Macedonia it felt different to Greece. Did it feel different with each border crossing? Yes, it felt different. Was that something you expected? Yeah, I sort of expected it because I’ve been traveling before and usually each country you need at least a day to find your way around, you know. In what aspect like in in just in terms of how things work when places are open and stuff like that or what what aspect takes a day to sort of orient yourself? I I sort of call it my personal acclimatization and it’s just you know it’s just sort of that I have a feeling for the country. It’s not so much the organizing part. It’s more the feeling. I like that. I like that idea of selfaclimatization. That’s that’s quite cool. I think I can resonate with that as well. There’s a lot of things that you say which I feel I have been there and felt the same things and we’re sort of aligned in a similar way with the trans dinner. I know that you were traveling on it at the same time that a good friend of mine and previous podcast guest Claire Wyatt exploring by bicycle was traveling on it as well. I don’t think your paths actually met when you were on the trail. No, we didn’t. She was like over like three weeks ahead or something, but we exchanged virtually, I guess. Were you riding it in different directions or she would have been riding in a similar direction to you? We were riding in a similar direction but with different we were we chose different um paths I would say not all the long but um she traveled through Albania and I took the northern Macedonia Kosovo approach. So there we were already sort of parallel but uh we hadn’t set over three weeks. So with the transinica it’s not a one single trail pointtooint. There’s different branches of the trail. Actually, you could do it as a loop. Yeah, you could really do like an entire loop through all the Balkan countries because I I I left out Abana and I left out Serbia and I switched sort of from the from the eastern branch to the western branch via a connector route they call it uh in the mountains between Kosovo and Montenegro, the Choco Pass. Is there part of you that wants to fill in the gaps and do the parts that you missed out on? I think I would love to spend as much time as possible in in the mountains and doing some sort of adventurous routes in the mountains. Back to Cla. I reached out to her knowing that she had ridden the transderea as well and I asked her knowing that I was interviewing you. What question would she like to ask? And one was what was a particularly hard section of the trail that you really liked? Actually, I think it was a sinina plateau in Montenegro because I did it also in reverse. So, climbing up there was just so hard because the gravel was really not the best and it was a long climb and then also the weather was not the best. It was quite stormy and then the plateau you have all these little ups and downs but at the same time it was so beautiful. So, I would definitely recommend it and I had most of the climb I had company by a little dog and the same dog appeared with other people too. So, we exchanged and we realized that she’s running with almost all the all the cyclists cuz I was going to ask what your experience with dogs was. And actually, it’s funny you mentioned that when we were talking about Cla. I’ve nicknamed Cla the dog whisperer cuz she had so many encounters with dogs on her journey. So, this little dog, what did it stay with you all day or something or like until I descended and she couldn’t run with me anymore? Oh, what was that like? Because I’ve often wondered what that would actually be like as the person on the bike because firstly there would be the the bit of hang on is this dog okay or is it aggressive and you’d probably realize quickly that it’s fine but then when it’s running alongside you like my thoughts would be hang on where is your home and where are you running from and how will you get back like were these sort of things you’re thinking of as well. Yeah. Yeah. and she was wearing a color. So, I was really really worried, you know, and I was like, “Well, I I can’t take you along and I can’t take you across the next border for sure.” And what shall I do with her? Oh gosh. So, what did you do? Like, what happened then? Cuz you mentioned there were other bike travelers who had come across the same dog. Yeah. I I realized later, you know, and we exchanged online that that actually we we all had the same dog with us. Oh. So, I think she keeps running both sides of the plateau. Oh my gosh. She’s sort of like a dog welcoming party for bike travelers on the trail. I love it. What about dogs in general? Would were there some I guess tense moments with dogs as well? Yeah. And in northern Greece it was really horrible. They are so aggressive and I got bitten once in a in a little village and I was that was at it was still at the beginning of my journey and I was like well how is this going to be the rest of the bar camps? And I exchanged with Claire actually and she said also well northern Greece the dogs are more aggressive than the rest and I was like okay fine I can continue. You have to worry about things like rabies and things when you’re getting bidden there. Did you have to go and seek treatment? Actually it was not bleeding it was just so it was didn’t come through. So I didn’t worried about it. It was just it was really blue at the next day. I was really it was not very very very painful or something but I just it scared me off you know. It would definitely scare me. What was your strategy then with dogs? Did you develop a strategy if if dogs up in northern Greece were to come up to you? Yeah, I had in my little front pocket I had some pepper spray and I had two big stones, not to throw them at them, but to get them in my hand and to get a bike in between me and the dog and just to, you know, be really big and really bold and then talk with a very clear and low voice, not shouting, no eye contact, but really like get off. And do you find that that just works? Like that was a strategy that that would work. I think it’s a lot about body language and you can really learn that but it doesn’t work if a dog is really aggressive because I had it once also in northern Greece. They were, you know, these uh hering dogs. Oh, they’re the worst. And they saw me like in 2 and 1/2 kilometer distance, you know, and I was not even near the sheep. And one of them was just going after. And there I didn’t stop. I was just able because it was not uphill and I was able to escape that way. I don’t know what would have happened if that would have been uphill. Oh, it seems to be like the overwhelming majority of bike travelers do tell me though that with dogs the best strategy is to get off the bike. Yeah. Put the bike between you and the dog and to just wait. And I think I’ve heard CLA talk about it before as well of you just stand there, stand still, have the bike between you, just wait, be calm, and eventually hopefully they’ll get bored and go away. Did you find that that happened a bit as well? Yeah. Yeah, that that’s fine for most of the situations, but that situation where the this hurting dog came after me, I was like, “No, I’m not going to stop. I’m not going to stop because it’s it’s dangerous.” And you were on a downhill. Yeah, it was flat and then downhill and I managed to escape. Oh, my heart would be racing for a while after that, I think, an Yeah, I know that. Yeah. And after that, I was like the next day I I I was just riding main roads. I was not I didn’t feel like going anywhere near some dogs, you know. Yeah. So, I I I’ve chosen the traffic instead of dogs. Well, the traffic is something that I’d like to get back to as well because you had a section I can’t remember which country it was in. Was it in I don’t know if it was in Macedonia or Montenegro. It was northern Macedonia and there were a lot of truck. Yeah, that was that was I was I was like, well, uh this is insane. Felt like your life is on the line here, don’t you? Yeah, I jumped once in a ditch. Otherwise, they would have just I don’t know. Oh my goodness me. How what did you do after that? Because, you know, we were talking about dogs and racing heart rates, it’s very much another proposition when it’s a big truck that you have to jump from. Yeah. Because I feel with traffic like that, especially coming from behind you, there’s just an extra level of vulnerability. Yeah. And there’s nothing you can do about it. you can wear your vest so that you’re seen, but it’s still in someone else’s, you know, driving ability and and their level of respect for you as well. What I tried is to start pretty early in the mornings if I know that there would be a busy road so that traffic was still bit quiet and after that event with the trucks, I did a little detour to the mountains. So just to calm down and enjoy landscape again, you know, some mountain medicine for the soul. Absolutely. Definitely. Because I was thinking what would I do if I was on a road like the only other option I could think of would be like to hopefully maybe hitchhike out of there or something. Yeah. Yeah. If it would have been worse I next time I would have taken some sort of bus or whatever. How long did that section last for? It was a climb of roughly 10 kilometers. And was that the section were you on that section avoiding a different area or was that a is that the only way to travel the in the route that you took? Yeah, it’s the it was the the normal transdinary track. There would have been an alternative, but that would have been a climb of more than 2,000 something meters in elevation and all almost all in not so good gravel and I had heavy rain the day before and the Transin America people wrote avoided if there was heavy rain and I was like okay this is not an option. But I think like if if I would have ridden it the other way around and I would have had that experience of all the climbs and all the descents and all the route I would have taken definitely the alternative. So there is an alternative around. Oh I see. So again is it more just where it came in the trail doing it in the reverse direction as well? Yeah because otherwise you would have descended that bit you know. God that would be a long descent by the sounds of things. Yeah. You love the descents didn’t you? Yeah I really enjoyed it too. Are they really technical descents or they’re just are they flowing? Like does it change a lot depending on the terrain? Most of the time they’re not that technical. It’s it’s more flowing. It sounds like this route you’re traversing a lot of paths and a lot of climbs. Yes. You’re climbing every single day. Even though if the days are not that hard, you still climb like 800 meters or something. It’s it’s it’s never flat. I would say when you were talking about Montenegro, something that I’d seen that you had written about was Montenegro. This whole region deserves to be a national park. Like it was just out of this world stunningly beautiful. Well, at least the part I’ve seen because I haven’t seen it all, you know. It was so beautiful. I don’t know. It was so beautiful. The scenery, the the lakes, uh the mountains, of course, and that in combination also with the people. I was like, well, this should be just protected somehow. Can you take me to a place in Montenegro and describe it for me? Like just you know maybe an encounter with a person there as well. Like I think I was two days in and I was looking for a place to sleep and I asked you know I saw people in a garden and I asked them if I could sleep there. We didn’t had a single language in common and I had no reception so I could not use Google Translate and still we could communicate. And then they they even cut some grass so I could put my tent in the garden. And they of course they got me some some coffee and some some eggs and first of all a chair because I need a chair. And we communicated a lot, you know, and they I learned that he was working as a ranger. And so I learned really like things without, you know, having Google Translate or language in common. And this was so special. those sort of connections would be where you’re transcending language barriers and still connecting. That is really special. Yeah. And so you had moments like this through the whole journey. Really, didn’t you? It was really through the whole journey. When I think of journeys like this and you know at the start in my intro and I mentioned, you know, the distance you did and the elevation you did and the countries you crossed, but there’s such a deeper element to this journey, isn’t it? And it’s the human connections and interactions that you have along the way, isn’t it? Yeah, definitely. It’s what makes the journey, you know, it’s the interaction with the people. Did you see many other bike travelers? Not at the beginning. In in Greece, I met one single one and then in in northern Macedonia, I met one. I met no one in Kosovo. But the one I met in North Macedonia, I joined him for one and a half days. So, we rode together into Kosovo and then split path. And then in Montenegro I met some of the tar riders from the occursed mountain race. Then I think it started in Bosnia that I really met other riders. Did you meet any other solo females? Yes. And first of all online which was great. I think it’s the first time in my life that I like really Instagram and I can really see the use of it because there was really such a strong network of other women solo travelers riding along the transdinary. That’s how we got in touch, you know. And this was such a valuable exchange, you know, and it was so good. And I think the first one I met in Bosnia, Hatsiggoina. Yes. But she she paired up with another one, Sally and Marion. Oh, that’s awesome. And so do you still you I imagine you still keep in touch now. Yeah, we have sort of a loose network. It’s like a bonding over riding the same trail, isn’t it? Yeah. And actually uh one of those I was only in virtual contact. I met her later in Italy, close to her home. That’s brilliant. And another one I’m going to see in Paris in about two weeks time. Oh, that’s awesome. I have to say it’s something that I’ve had the joy of being able to do just recently is meet people like you, Ann, like that I’ve met virtually through the podcast, but actually meeting people in real life. And we were talking about Cla. I I met and hosted Cla here at my home and we spent three days together. It was amazing. Yeah, I saw it on Instagram. It’s like you already have these friendship bonds and they’re very very real. Then meeting the person face to face is Yeah. It’s extra special, isn’t it? Yeah. And one of them was sort of chasing me for four weeks, you know, like she was always like a week or I don’t know a couple of days behind and then I had my broken derailer and then we met finally in Slovenia. This was so cool and we will meet again next weekend. Do you have to send me a photo? Yeah, I will. Oh, totally. have a drink and ching for me. That sounds brilliant. When with the transerica, I also reached out to the people who have created the route and I asked them to ask a question to you. Some of them we’ve naturally talked about, which again was difficult sections of the trail and people that you met along the way. One of the questions they had was, “How did you get by surviving through the Balkans as a vegetarian?” And I would love to know the answer to this as well. I don’t know. I had no problem with that. Not at all. I I always found something and I was I was never hungry. I was hungry during riding, but I always found something to eat. Being a vegetarian in the Balkans, it wasn’t an issue. There was always vegetable options and stuff like that. Like at least there’s some whatever potatoes or something, you know. Actually, I think you were traveling through there. I think it was I’m pretty sure I don’t know if it was the Balkans, though, but you were like you had like cherries and stuff as well. Yes, I was in Slovenia. I was in Slovenia during cherry season. Oh, the best. I think they’re one of my favorite fruits. And especially at that time of the season cuz it’s sort of like early spring. It’s like the dawn of the winter is over. Yay, harvest time has begun, right? Yeah. And also, Bosnia governor is very well known for its cherries, but there was too early. Reason to go back. One of the other questions from the Transinder Rica founders for you an was, was there ever a moment on the trail where you thought, “Oh my goodness, I don’t know how I’m going to get through this.” There was one day that was also very challenging. It was um from from Mosa to Thomas Levat. And I knew that in advance because it’s really it’s it’s a lot of climbing. It’s I think 1,800 meters and most of it is really on gravel. you can’t really ride even if if you’re descending. And I knew that this it’s only like 50 kilometers. No, all the way to Thomas Lavkat is 70, but I I was already planning just to go to to the to a lake to uh Linda and it was like 50 or 55 kilometers and it took me 10 hours. Oh my gosh. Is hang on. So how much of that were you sort of walking? I was walking I don’t know for hours. No, but in between you could ride, but I there’s an entire section that I did hike a bike and also it was like it was raining and it was slippery. [Music] Listeners, if you’ve ever done a long day on a bike packing trip or a cycle tour and ended up sitting on the ground, in the grass, or on a rock, well, you know the value of a good camp chair. I personally use the Helenox Chair Zero. I love it because it’s super light. It packs down tiny and honestly it makes evenings at camp way more comfortable. Now, I don’t have a discount code for you, but if you’re thinking of picking a camp chair up, hit up my affiliate link, which you’ll find in the show notes. That will help support me and this podcast out at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much. And now back to the episode. It’s always Oh gosh, it’s like the trifecta. It’s so steep and it’s wet and it’s slippery. Yeah. What were you thinking? What were what was what were the thoughts going through your mind in that point? I always told myself, well, I’m independent. I have everything with me. I have like my tent. If I’m too tired, I can just put it up somewhere and I can sleep and continue the next day. So, I told myself, well, there is no reason to panic and it will just take the time it takes. Then it was, you know, there is no coincidence. That day, I met first a single solo traveler woman with an ebike. It was the only ebike I met and she descended that you know and it was also I she was not on Instagram so I’m not in contact with her anymore but it was such a heartwarming encounter and then a little later I met two English guys you know and they just you know they were just sending that part that I was pushing up and and and they were also pushing you know they’re pushing down and they were just we were laughing because they said well they have been cycling all the way from England and this is the worst day it’s type two fun and then she said type four one type two times two. I like that. Yeah. And we had we are still in contact. So this is awesome. It was so good, you know, just to meet in the middle of nowhere. You’re exhausted and then you just meet some great people. That helps a lot. I think also meeting people on a section like that you have an extra special bond with too. Yeah. Like it’s like shared suffering. Yeah, for sure. Something that has come up is you were camping and you wild camped the majority of Well, you were camping for the majority of your time. You were in your tent the overwhelming majority of nights that you were out. You had some amazing camp spots. Yeah. Camping is not something that’s new to you. You’ve done that many times before. But how are you with wild camping? And and what sort of what sort of feelings do you have about wild camping? Do you enjoy it? Do you feel tentative about it as a solo? How do you feel? I really love wild camping. It’s I think it’s sort it’s a bit of my nature. I can’t really explain. It just came into my life and I love it. I also love bibing and without a tent, you know. I do this a lot around where I live in on the mountain tops just maybe for one night just for the sunrise. Um, but I’m I have like my own quite strict ethics with wild camping. So I I don’t do it in protected areas. I don’t do it uh in touristy areas if I have another option. And also if there are people around, you know, it’s a good option to just ask if you can come in their garden because then it’s like you include them. You don’t exclude them. Yeah. And they become part of your experience. Yeah. And also I’m just really don’t leave traces. I’m I’m always carrying my little shovel. I try to use public toilets as often as possible and I have this small shovel with me. I have the same little shovel. Yeah. Yes. Listeners, you can’t see it. Ann’s just shown it to me, but it’s like it’s got like this little handle that actually folds down into the little trail. It’s 80 gram. Yeah. It weighs nothing really. And just take your toilet paper along with you. Don’t leave it. Leave no trace. I know other people who also then leave no trace from the people before them who left to trace. So, they take the rubbish that they find along the trail. Leave the place better than you found it. You know, leave it. And if there’s a lot of rubbish, just take a little piece. Leave it better than before. It is something that has come up with people traveling through the Balkans before is getting starkly in sight of a lot of rubbish on the side of the road and stuff. Is that stuff that you encountered as well? Yeah, it was in northern Macedonia this was very very obvious and in in Kosovo it got slightly better. So it sort of Yeah, it got better and better. But um I knew that before because I’ve been there before. So, and I also have been to Albania, so I know that there’s a big issue. But, you know, I I don’t know some 30 50 years ago, it was also the same in in Western Europe. It’s come up with some other bike travelers offline that we’ve been discussing about as well. And you can sort of feel quite I don’t know. I’m not even sure what the right words to use would put. But when you’re confronted with something like that, to me, there’s so many questions is why is this happening? And then, but why is that the reason? and you know digging into really what the what the problem is there. And then it came up with another bike traveler recently even beyond rubbish on the road but even just with how stuff is packaged in different countries and the more plastic that’s used and so then there’s more plastic around to then be in the environment too. I guess that’s something that you would have come across as well. Yeah, but I’ve also I’ve been to Africa a lot and and like some 20 years ago, 10 years ago and it’s really it’s like how do you provide like the groceries? How do you Yeah. Yeah. And that’s something that has struck me. I was mentioning, you know, obviously I’m from Australia. I now live in France. And in both countries, plastic bags at supermarkets aren’t something that you get. You have to bring your own bags. And that was a cultural change that we all went on on the last, you know, 15 or so years. I remember when I was in Turkey, every single thing is put in a bag. Like if you go to the markets, even if you’ve got your own bags, their default is to to place everything in a bag and to give it to you in a bag. And that’s I guess the step change that still needs to happen in places. But progress is slow sometimes, but there will be progress. Yeah, there will be progress. I think there is already progress. There is. For some of us, it’s it can be more frustrating that it’s not on fast forward, that the the progress feels slower than it should be. Yeah, maybe. But I think you can’t rush it, you know? You can’t sort of accelerate it because it’s you have to change people and nobody wants to get changed, you know? Yeah. I remember when we first had to learn to adjust to not getting plastic bags at supermarkets. It was like what? And then all of a sudden it’s your default. Of course, you don’t get them at D. So, you are right. It is a we’ve all gone through the change slowly. I want to know then while we’re talking about things like change and climate, you had some pretty wild weather to deal with on a bit of your journey as well. Ann, you had some monumental thunderstorms hit, didn’t you? Yeah, I had some. And also, I think I had some cold fronts pushing in and I was really sort of running away from them or at least I tried to escape and sleep as low as possible. Cuz how were you equipped for cold weather? like you were in CIT, I know in April, but what sort of gear did you have with you in terms of cold weather? I have my old down jacket with me and I think it’s 15 years old or something. So, um it’s it’s still okay, but it’s not as warm as it used to be. So, I had that and also my my sleeping bag. It it used to be a pretty good one, but also it’s like 16 17 years old and I had it washed and refilled, but still it’s not the same than it was before. And also because I I scared some people already, so I have to mention this here. May was much colder than it usually is in in in northern Macedonia and also in Kosovo and in Mateneago. So people kept telling me, well, usually it’s pretty it’s it’s it’s a lot warmer than it is now because I had really some frosty nights. Actually, you know, even where I am in France, our May was it was really cold this year here as well. It felt unseasonably cold. Yeah, it did eventually get pretty hot though. Did you hit hot weather as well? Yeah, I hit it in Croatia. It’s where you’re hoping that you’re hitting it with, you know, places that you can go and have like a river swim or to cool off, right? Yeah, it was uh but it was just like I don’t know at a certain point I went down to the coast and it was almost like a shock because it was just too too hot, you know. Yeah. You one extreme to the other. Yeah. What about being in the mountains during a thunderstorm? As someone with a background in alpinism, I imagine you have survived your own a large amount of different weather systems when you’ve been out there in the outdoors, but what was it like for you on this journey? Cuz you had some pretty big storms to deal with. Yeah, and actually that’s really dangerous if you’re somewhere exposed to it. So that’s nothing to make jokes about. That’s something you have to take pretty serious. So try to really protect yourself and just really they don’t come by surprise. You can see them coming. you know, when there’s sort of a weather situation that they can appear. So, always know a place where you can hide or at least where you can retreat. And also just adapt your your stages, you know. Didn’t you I’m trying to remember which country it was. Was it Slovenia? I think were you there for like three days with stormy weather? I think I had I had a really severe thunderstorm in Bosnia. Had to go and then in in in in the Doommites. And so that again is leaning into that flexibility of your schedule. We know at the start of the show you were saying how I could have made it by the 31st of May, but I would have to ride every single day. Well, you can’t do that in this type of weather system, can you? No. Sometimes it’s better not to ride or just ride a little bit and then take um yeah, take shelter early. You know, when you were saying about in stormy weather, find a place to seek shelter. What sort of shelters are you seeking out? Because I remember vividly a couple of years ago riding here in the mountains around me and a storm came that I wasn’t expecting and I got really caught out. And it occurred to me with thunder and lightning booming through the mountains. I actually didn’t know where I would be safe. And I know that might sound silly, but when you’re out in the open, like you look to trees, but then you’re thinking, is it actually safe to be near a tree if there’s a thunderstorm and a lightning strike? I don’t think so. But then if I’m out in the open, like what would you seek out for shelter? Like if there’s some sort of building, just try to seek for the go for the building. And if there is a cave, caves are not bad at all as long as there’s no water at the floor. Yeah. Because that’s the other thing. If you’re near a river, you’ve got to be mindful that the river height can rise really rapidly as well. Get rid of everything that’s metal, you know, if it’s really coming close. So if if you have like a metal bike, leave the bike behind somewhere and then just, you know, if if you’re in the open, just find like a little a little decline in the open and just cuddle in and make yourself small and protect yourself from the hail. Keep your feet together, you know, that you don’t have a big tension between. Did you have like did you have hail and stuff that you had to deal with as well? Like was that the sort of weather you were out in? Actually, I was I was pretty lucky. I I had some hail, but I was always already um sheltering myself by that time. So when I descended from Monteneo, I did really like almost two stages in one because I don’t I didn’t want to be up there when when the cold front hit and I already had a little hut in and down at the at the river when I when I when it hit. So that was I was pretty lucky then. Yeah. And then you’re just waiting it out really, aren’t you? I actually I I stayed for two nights. Did you see anybody else during those days or it was just you in the little hut? No, there was uh there because this is this is this region is pretty well known for rafting. There are these rafting camps. So, there were some people around, but it was still not season. So, there was nobody close, but I I could have I could have walked to see some people. But it’s also nice to just have some time on your own. Yeah. And I was also I was so I was so grateful having that little hut, you know. Oh gosh. Yeah. Especially to yourself. I’ve camped near huts in Australia. We have huts in our high country and they’re again shelters for bad weather as well. They’re basic, but even a basic hut just feels like such a luxury in that type of weather system, doesn’t it? Yeah, definitely. What was it like when you left the Balkans behind? Because I feel like a root of this there’s a distinct change in culture and country and scenery perhaps as well. So transitioning and leaving the Balkans behind and heading further into your route as well. What was that like? It was sort of a soft change because it came sort of gra gradually the way I was traveling for me to in Slovenia was the end of Transinica and from there on I had to plan myself again or I did plan sort of plan myself all the way along but um I had this track I could always follow you know and I had yeah and then I was like well um what what shall I do? And I was like I was really listening to myself and my gut feeling and I planned again and I crossed over to to Italy via the Mangut and this was also so beautiful you know and then I arrived there and I was in the really more in the rural parts of Italy and that was also it was so great. I have never really been to the fowl and I crossed it and I enjoyed it a lot and I was like I was really surprised you know because I’ve seen quite some parts from Italy and then I saw another part I didn’t know and I was like well that’s Italy too and it’s great. And then, oh my gosh, I’m also thinking the mountains that you’re hitting in there as well. And it’s not like you weren’t in amazing pristine mountains before on the Transinica. You’ve got mountain scenery all around you as a mountain lover, you were in heaven, weren’t you? Yeah. Yeah, definitely. And I I could I could really feel well that’s a place I I belong, you know. Can I ask an you know how you had to leave your climbing equipment behind? Reflecting back on your route, if you could choose a place to magically have your climbing equipment transported to you, where on the route would that place have been? I think the first time I was really like a bit frustrated I haven’t had it with me was plente in in Croatia because I I have never been there because I haven’t been to Croatia before either. And I was like, well, that’s definitely on my sort of I don’t have a list because I have sort of a bubble with ideas and it’s definitely sticking somewhere there. Do you have plans to take a bike adventure in a way that you could have climbing gear with you as well, do you think? Actually, I at the moment I have so many ideas and I don’t know if it’s I think you sort of have to decide a bit if you want to do proper rock climbing or if you want to do mountaineering or if you want to do skiing adventures, ski mountaineering because you can’t carry all on a bike. That’s for sure. Do you think you want to combine the idea of the bike travel with another sport though? Yeah, at the moment I have the idea of of really combining it with some um at least with some mountaineering because I think when traveling that’s a great way, you know, to climb the one or other mountain on along the way. I always had this feel that where the trail for the bike ends, the real adventure really and the real wild scenery really starts and you get onto the hiking trails and the mountaineering trails. That’s where the the beauty really starts opening up as well. And I did initially plan this for this trip too. So, I did I I only had my sort of um approach shoes and I had my chains, but I didn’t had krampons with me and an iceax. So, I had to turn around several times um because I it was just there was still too much snow. But then at the end, I could climb Tlav which was really nice and I did it from the uncommon side, from the Trena side and as a day trip. And I I I don’t know. I was like, well, I I felt so connected with everything and it was like a highlight along the route. What was that like a full day to do as well? Like did you set off early early in the morning to do that? Yeah, I left like at 3:30 in the morning. Wow. What time did you reach the summit? I think at 12. Gosh, that’s a long because that puts into perspective to me just how well the terrain that you’re on as well. Yeah, it was it was sort of because it was still early in the season and there was still some snow fields left and I was really over myself and then at the summit I met some people from the other side that was they came the normal way. I came the a bit more quiet way and I had to really take some good decisions myself you know and but I was happy I was lucky and I was I I felt you know I I felt so connected to myself and I was I think I took good decisions. Are you someone like are you used to traveling on your own as well? Like do you feel comfortable traveling solo or were there times during this journey where you wish someone else was with you? Actually I like both. I’m pretty comfortable traveling by myself. So I I I did some long hikes by myself. Last year I went for the um for the Vasca trail in Switzerland 5 days with which involved some climbing. And this was great. And I hiked also parts of the of the Asha Pier the the old route of the Pyrenees. And um a long time ago that was sort of my kickoff of my sing my solo trips. I hiked the GR20 in Corsica by myself. Oh wow. The GR20 it is uh known for a a highly technical trail. Yeah. I haven’t been to Corsica yet an but it is on my list of places that I would really really love to spend a good amount of time in. Not just you know a day or two. I would really like to spend some proper time on Corsica and really understand it. The GR20 I have heard many things about. It’s a magic place from the images that I’ve seen of it. Yeah, I I really enjoyed it. I think I I just try to I think it was in 2012, so quite a while ago. But that was my first really solo trip, I think. Oh, wow. What a place to go solo. You know, when you take these sort of adventures and we’re talking about your your very spontaneous adventure here. When you’re in the adventure, do you find that you’re already scheming new ideas for new adventures as well? Yeah, it’s, you know, it’s already you’re still on your way and you have already ideas you could do, like combining more the the the traveling by bike and the mountaineering, for example. You’re not someone that occurs to me that you’re going to take a travel by bike on a canal path. I feel like you’re always going to be taking the mountainous routes, aren’t you? Yeah, maybe. Is there a country that you’re thinking of like at the moment? Like where’s where do you think your next adventure is going to take you? Oh, my my my next adventure is just taking me to France, but uh that’s fine. There’s a lot of good places here. Yep. One thing I have always on my mind for long is New Zealand, but also for mountaineering and I have friends there. So, that’s something I have on my mind. And then the other thing I have on my mind already for long is traveling in the in the in the Pomeia and Karakorum region. Oh, wow. And going to Kyrgyzstan. And absolutely. Oh, some Oh my goodness. Well, you could ride there. Yes, I know. I am already figuring out how you know really early days in this podcast. Oh gosh. I I don’t know. I think it was probably maybe within the first 20 episodes or so. An I interviewed Roxy and Tommy. Tommy’s from the Alps. Roxy is Polish. And they they cycled from France all the way to Australia. But they purposefully stayed in Caracol in Kyrgyzstan during the wintertime so that they could do some ski touring and stuff there as well. And they had their mountaineering stuff with them on their bikes as well. I like speaking with you. I can almost feel their journey. That’s great. I have to listen that episode. I haven’t I’ll send it to you. Like it was really early days. The audio might be a bit raw, but the interview holds strong. No, they’re an awesome couple and they sought out sort of mountains and mountaineering sort of stuff during their whole journey as well. I think when they were in Turkey, they went up to Mount Ararat as well. They said they could see it for so long, they just had to take the trip there. When they were in Indonesia, they took some of the volcanic climbs up and to summits there as well. But yeah, no, they they actually can’t remember how long they were in Caracol for. I think it was all winter. Wow. Yeah. Because it’s not normally an area that people would bike pack to at that time of year. No, maybe maybe some ideas for you. Oh, yes. So, what about then when you hit the Doommites and the Alps? You’re then on the I guess mountain bike trail cycling routes really, aren’t you? Through the mountains there, aren’t you? Yeah, part of it. Part of it. Because in in the Doommites, I also rode some of the the classic passes, you know, but then I also found some some some alternatives on on some trails and that was so beautiful, you know. You really really embraced those sort of technical trails as well, didn’t you? Yeah. At least a bit more technical words. Yes. Yeah. I came across a quote from you and you said, “I grew technically, mentally, maybe even spiritually. I had to push my bike uphill now and then, but almost never downhill. The more technical parts became something I looked forward to. I even found a new mental rhythm when climbing. Something shifted inside me on those Balkan trails. and I’m still figuring it out. And so that was something that you took with you through the entire journey then, wasn’t it? Yeah. The technical stuff was what you really were energized by. Yeah. And it’s like it was discovering myself, you know, like my abilities. I wasn’t even aware that I could do this, you know. Did you find that that was growing the more you kept doing it? Did you have fear at all at any stage of those technical trails or you were just embracing it all the time? I think it grew over time because at the beginning I was um a lot more hesitant, you know, to to write through some sections and then at a certain point I was like, well, this did work well. Why shouldn’t that work well? And then I tried it out more. And of course, some some sections get easier if you if you just have a bit more speed. See, that’s where I fall down sometimes, literally. But I’m I’m scared to build the speed, but momentum is your friend often more often than not on some of the technical steeper stuff, too, isn’t it? Yeah. It’s like skiing. You really embrace that. So, taking those routes through the European like through the Alps there on those more because I guess you would have come across more single track there as well, just tiny sections, you know, compared to the to the entire days, you know, but it was great because it enabled me to cross from one valley to the next and not going around it. And this was the I could really sort of find my own path, you know, I connected roots together that were not supposed to connect because one is just more the bike packing thing and the other one is more the mountain bike thing. And I could somehow Yeah, I think I really created my own route and that I enjoy it a lot. I mean, the thing that I love is that this wasn’t something that you had to plan out meticulously for months before you set off. Like your van broke on a Friday, by the Tuesday, you’d somehow got new parts on your very old thirdhand 20-year-old mountain bike. It’s still running like rim brakes by the sound of it. But you you didn’t let not having the flashiest gear put you off taking on stuff like this. Like you would you were designing this route as you went in a way. And you had more than capable enough equipment to take it on by the sounds of it. Yeah. At least for the extent that I’m doing it. You know, I will never be a hero in mountain biking, I guess, but I really enjoy these having these sort of flowy single tracks, you know. What do you do you prefer the downhills to the uphills? Like was there an element of being energized by going up the hills as well? I think in mountaineering we say well there are there are uphill and downhill people, you know, they are the ones that really enjoy like skiing really steep quares and they are the ones that really enjoy climbing, you know, rock climbing for example. And I think I’ve always been an uphill person. And I think over over time I became a bit at least a downhill person. Yeah. Maybe the bike is the way that you mix it. Maybe on the bike you’re a downhill person. Yeah. On skis too now. You really do live for the outdoors, don’t you? Yeah. You know when I was saying how your bike was more than capable. You did have some equipment problems along the way though, didn’t you? Yes. Oh, I think your your rear rack broke. I think it broke a couple of times. That broke it a couple of times. The first time already in North Macedonia. Oh, not too long into the trip. Like what how many days into the journey are you by that point? Oh, maybe two weeks. Oh gosh. And and zip ties came to your rescue there. Oh, zip ties are just perfect. They really are, aren’t they? They are. They are just It’s such a handy solution to to so many problems. How many bike travelers have been able to keep going on the road because of zip ties? I wonder. Yeah, I think 50% of them. I don’t know. Oh, easily. So, the rear rack, you fixed that with zip ties. So, that’s all good. But then you had a problem when you’re I think was it a stick took out your rear derailer hanger? Yeah, exactly. I was just I didn’t pay attention because I had such a great I had such a great morning, such a great day already, you know, and I met great people and I got invited eating pancakes, you know. I haven’t had pancakes for weeks. Oh my gosh, this is a mega day. Where which country are you in? In Slovenia in cherry season. I met some some Belgium guys, you know, traveling on elliptigos and they made me try them. So my first time on ago and then we did visit this Kjan cave and then they invited me for pancakes and I was already you know smiling all over and I was riding along with my bike continuing my trip and then I just didn’t pay attention to that stick and my derailer hanger broke. Oh. And then that sort of like and I I can’t blame my bike. It was definitely me. Well, I don’t know. I think it was the stick. Like, but take me there on the trail though because, you know, it’s not something that you can just magically ride away from unless you’ve got some way to shorten your chain and make it a single speed. Yeah. Or you’ve got a spare derailer hanger, which I’m guessing you didn’t have on you. Yeah, I didn’t have because I didn’t plan the entire trip and I think I would not have get hold of one in CIT. No. So what transpired there then? So you’ve got a broken derailer hanger. Could you make your bike a single speed at that time? Not I was but it was rolling downhill to the next city and there I put it on single speed and then Yeah. And then it’s trying to find the optimal gear where there really isn’t one, is there? There isn’t. And the chain is just wobbly and it was very unstable. You’re probably wishing you had those elliptos but they went the other way. Oh no. So I’m guessing similar to when you got stuck with the van in CIT. It’s getting yourself to somewhere where you can then find a bigger solution. Yeah, actually I was I tried it in that little city there. It was close to to um triest and and but it was just before uh Pont cost and I was really worried that everything would close down again. And so I went to a little bike shop and he was like well um he doesn’t have it in in in stock but uh we can order. And then of course it didn’t arrive. And I called I don’t know how many bike shops in in also in Italy and also in Slovenia. And then because I was uh I I was yeah I exchanged with also with the Transin America people and one of them gave me the hint with a shop uh north of Vlana in Kanye and I called them and they were said well can you send us pictures? I sent him pictures and then they said me well we have everything in stock but I was like okay I’m coming. But then it was the weekend of course. So I made it I I went to and on Sunday I took a train to Ulana and on Monday morning I was there and they could fix it within half an hour. Oh wow. And then did you return with like a spare? Yeah, I bought two. Yeah. Once you’ve had a mechanical like that, you fix it, but then you also make sure that if it happens again, you can fix it again, right? For sure. It’s a hot tip, listeners. If you have a rear derailer hanger, because some people’s bikes don’t have rear derailer hangers, but if you do, take a spare with you. And the good thing is that there’s now a standard for newer bikes. They have these UDH, the universal derailer hanger. Oh, really? I didn’t know that they existed. They exist, but it’s very recent. Gosh, it has to be really recent because it also used to be a thing where I remember having to replace a derailer hanger. I had to Google what type of make and model my bike is to find out what number derailer hanger you need. So is there one that will do them all? Uh I don’t know if you will reach that one day. But I think the idea behind is yes to standardize them a bit more. It makes sense. In fact, it’s the sort of thing where you go why isn’t that a standard thing? Yeah. Even within one brand there are tons of different derailer hangers. Yeah, absolutely. Different bike models different hangers. If it’s a road bike to a mountain bike is a different hanger as well. So, yeah, it’s funny like my bike has a derailer hanger. My husband, he has a Surirly and he doesn’t. It’s It It doesn’t. And there’s benefits to either option too, right? Like the whole point of a derailer hanger is that if something breaks, it’s the hanger as opposed to and not the frame. Exactly. But you got a new hanger. So, how long did you have to take out of your time to get that new hanger then? Like that would have been a few days. Yeah, it would be It was 4 days. Yes. In total. But because you had the flexibility, it didn’t mean that you had to sort of fast forward. Like when you got the bike fixed, you weren’t then putting yourself on transport to skip sections. Like did you get to ride every section back home or No, I I didn’t take a train back and didn’t continue where I was, but I I crossed back to Tolmine um using because in Slovenia there’s also a network of mountain bike trails. So I I followed those. But thanks again to to to Mate from Transinica. He gave me the hint. And also these four days they were a gift at the end you know because um when I was stuck with the bike I could I found a family with a wineard where I could camp and I camped in their garden and they were two generations because the younger generation just took over and they just you know they did this little event. So I was there for a traditional evening with um with with music you know all in Slovenian and I was just I could help them. I was there and it was it was one of the best things that could have happened. You know, the silver lining like to a degree your whole journey is a silver lining. If your van never broke, this journey wouldn’t have occurred. No. Where is the van now? By the way, I’m guessing it made it back to Germany. Actually, it’s just out of just I could show you. It’s just in front of my door because uh when I set off, I didn’t even know that I hadn’t because I’m in such an alternative mobile club and my bike is insured, you know. And actually I had an insurance to get it shipped home. So it was shipped home to my garage and I’ve been to that garage for eight years now I think or not eight but couple of years and they made a mistake you know and so at the end I got my van back with a revised engine and I didn’t have to pay for it. Oh wow. That’s like an extra silver lining. Yes. And I got gifted with that journey you know. And you’ve got a like a van that’s like good to go. And I didn’t know that. I didn’t know that that I would not have to pay for it until I think second to last day in in in Croatia. Gosh, you must have been really happy when that news came to you. Yeah, because we we kept talking to each other. So, the people at the garage know myself now very very well. I think I also I went there straight when I arrived, you know. No, I didn’t went straight. I went to see some friends first, but then I went with the bike with the luggage to the garage and they were like coming out looking at the bike. Yeah. Because they know what journey you’ve had. Yeah. like you just rode in from home like wow what a journey you did have in fact what was it like actually getting back home and coming back to Germany it felt strange on one hand it felt familiar and on the other hand it felt strange because it felt so sort of narrow you know like because people around me they just do the same every day and then you come back with your story and you’re like I changed I think and here people have not changed that much in that time and I felt a bit lost at at the beginning. Do you still feel a bit lost now? No, I feel pretty connected with myself and I know that my life will change again just in little tiny bits but it will change and I’m really open for it because that journey taught me a lot like reflecting back and I’ve often said this to guests. I don’t think you can take journeys like this and not be different at the end to the person you were that set off at the very first day of starting it. What do you think has changed the most? I feel so grounded, you know, and not because I found the place I want to live forever. No, I haven’t, you know, and I think traveling will always be a part of my life because it has always been. I think it’s one version of myself and but I feel so grounded and connected and I can trust a lot more than I could before myself for all my decisions but also life because if there is something you know happening you you can’t help it but you can always decide what you do next and I guess there was something you mentioned at the very start of the show as well and it was listening to your inner voice and trusting your instinct. Yeah. and just, you know, do something that doesn’t make sense because, you know, of course this is stupid to say, well, I’m just biking the Balkans to get home. Why don’t you take a plane? You know, because your inner voice told you. Boring. Yeah. Oh, I love it. Actually, I think I remember one of the times you came across my Instagram feed. I’d put a question out there about whether people had like little bike mascots that they take with them. And you’ve got one. It’s like a little Lego person, isn’t it? It’s called an adventure. Yes. adventure Annie or something. Yeah, it’s it’s just because it’s a present of my little niece because I think for my little niece and my nephew, I’m sort of the adventurous person. That’s good. I think you want to be that person, don’t you? And hopefully you’re gifting them a little spirit of adventure, too. Yeah, I’m sure I do. And it’s sort of they saw me as the adventurer before I could see it myself, I think. And now you would identify as someone who is an adventurer. Yeah, I think now it’s sort of a natural part of myself. I can I can embrace it, you know, that I’m maybe not sort of standard. This bike adventure was a spontaneous trip and you spoke about, you know, bike adventures which you had done decades ago, but would I be right to say I think bike adventures are definitely in your future? Yeah, definitely. And I think I will combine it somehow. But it’s a great way of traveling, you know, because it’s such a different thing to to to meet people along the way. Yeah. I haven’t had I had also great experiences with my van be, but because I also I I think I lived more than a year in the van, but it’s not the same. And what about with hiking? Because you have hiked as well because I feel like solo hiking and through hiking you would have similar connections with people. Yeah. that usually I’m hiking in places with less people. Whereas just the nature of bike travel, you’re always taken to places where there will be people. Like if you’re traveling by bike, you sort of stick to roads. Where there are roads, there are somehow people at a certain point. There might be no people for a couple of days, but you will meet people again. By hiking, you could stick to areas where you don’t see people for weeks, you know, and then also you could be in areas where when you do see people, it’s at like refugeios or something like that. And so you’re the other hiker that’s the common person. You’re not you’re not the odd person out who’s just ridden through my village that sees no one from your country in it and what are you doing here? So yeah, the interactions you have with people become stronger ones because of that. Yeah. And also you rely more on that because sometimes you just need people. You need to get some water or you need to get some food or you need to get just some instructions. Is there a shop somewhere or but you sort of need the people. It’s funny. It’s just on reflection the way that you talk about it. It really is true. It is such a stark way of almost forcible encounters with people. Like you are forced to meet people. You have to even if you’re the most independent person in the world, you still have to have those interactions. Mhm. I like it. I like it. And people are going to hear your story and they’re going to want to see more details behind it. We mentioned, I think before we pressed record, the whole reason you even had an Instagram account was because the people at the bike store in CIT asked you to tell them about their adventure through that. So, if people want to follow you on Instagram, what’s your Instagram account handle there? It’s just anadventure.de. Anadventure.de. Listeners, I will put a link to it in the podcast description show notes. So, if you click on that, give Ann a follow and be like I was and go through her archived stories of each country and it will give you a real real grand insight into her adventure as well. Warning, it will probably make you want to do a ride in those areas. It certainly did for me. Before I get on to wrapping the show up, I want to ask a cheeky question, which is my sort of selfish part of these adventures. I love wild camping for the sunrise views. I want to know just the first place that comes to mind when you unzipped your tent and had the most amazing view at sunrise. Where were you? I think I was still in Greece. That was at Lake Marathon. It was my my first wild night on of that journey and and what made it so special? Was it because it was the first wild night? I think it was just so beautiful because it came across that lake and I could see the reflection and I think I was so happy because I always feel so connected being in nature and sleeping out there with having no one around me and I don’t know I I think I was just so happy and and grateful to be here like hearing those sort of things it makes me every guest I interview an makes me want to go and bike travel somewhere. You make me want to take a mini adventure this weekend and go somewhere, sleep in my tent and get excited about what the view is going to be like when I open the zip in the morning. Knowing my luck, it’ll probably be a view of a thunderstorm or something like that. But but you know, that’s part of the adventure. You know, my inner voice is, you know, not doing that this weekend could be boring. So, all right, Ann, it’s time for me to wrap the show up. I have three quick questions I ask every guest to finish the show up. The first one’s music related. You’re a guest at the podcast now. You get to choose a song that goes onto the podcast music playlist. Listeners, it’s on Spotify and Apple Music. What song and Chris are you going to pick to be the soundtrack to your adventure? It’s a German song. It’s from Revol. They sing in German and in French. And the song is called Yet. The translation is now. This makes sense in a in a bit of a uh an personality philosophical way. Is that sort of like taking like seizing now, seizing the moment sort of thing? Yeah, it’s one one of the the lines is like uh I don’t want to want to become what I should who I should be. I want to become who I am. And at the same time, it’s a great song about um self-empowerment and standing up against injustice. Oh gosh, I love it. I I don’t know it. I’m going to get you to send me a link to it so I can make sure I use the right one and listeners will all listen to it for the first time on the playlist. Awesome. Okay, an here’s the next question for you. You’re given a choice one day. You can turn left down a road and forever all day long you are going to be on the most corrugated, bumpy washboard road in the world. There is no smoothness. It is rough. It is bumpy the whole way. Or you can go right and you have a relentless headwind to deal with. No letting up. It’s going to be a battle all day. Which one are you going to choose? Uh I go for the bumpy road. I knew you were going to say that. Why? Why is that the case? Yeah, because you know in my profession I’m dealing with wind all day. So I I want to deal with some other topics. Oh my gosh. I didn’t even think of it as a as from your professional point of view. In fact, had I thought of it that I might have thought that you would take on the wind. Oh, I love it. Okay, final question for you, Ann. I want you to finish this sentence for me. And the sentence is the best thing about taking a bike adventure is just go, don’t plan. Just go, don’t plan. That’s the way that you took this adventure on as well, wasn’t it? You like you didn’t plan. It makes me wonder what this adventure would have been like had you planned for 8 months. Have you ever actually done that before? Actually, it’s so funny because I’m I’m I’m setting off again on Saturday, just a small trip uh into France, but uh this time I had more time to prepare, you know, and it doesn’t help. I wonder how much you’ll deviate from your plan anyway. Yeah, it will deviate every day because the weather forecast looks not very promising. I know that you know how to seek shelter in in inclement weather, but I’m hoping that you get extra sunshine that maybe you weren’t planning for. Oh my gosh. And Chris, it has been an absolute pleasure. I knew when I pressed record on this interview that I would be taking on a journey that would just make me smile constantly and energize me just thinking of what it was like for you on that trip. I want to come back to something which you wrote which was your three top tips for taking out travel. The first one is bring duct tape, cable ties and a spare rear derailer hanger. I think we all know why that one is listeners. The second one and I love is carry extra time. The magic is in the detours, the delays, and the random conversations. My gosh, I love that so much. I nearly feel like I’d write that out and stick it somewhere on a wall. And the third one is don’t overthink it. Just start writing. If I had to sum you up in three points from what you’ve told me, Ann, that is exactly how I would sum you up. You are the adventurous one. I love the way that you take on these journeys. I am so happy that our paths cross. And I cannot wait to see where your next adventures take you and I hope one day they take you to me here in the Pyrenees and we can be energized opening our tent flies and looking at a magic sunrise in the morning. All this to say, thank you so so much for sharing your stories and experiences here on the podcast at Seek Travel Ride. Well, thank you. Thank you so much and I’m sure we will cross path. There you go listeners. What did you think of Ann’s amazingly spontaneous bike adventure? I loved every single element of it and I really loved the beautiful lessons that she has reflected on for herself as well. The idea of take the time, take the detours. The beauty is in the detours and to pack in that amount of flexibility into your journey. And it could be for the things that you don’t know it existed or in Ann’s case as well, broken equipment to deal with or horrendous mountain weather that you just have to shelter from. But being able to set yourself with enough flexibility in your schedule, that means that if you come across those events, they’re not a big stress for you. That allows you to stay calm and realize that everything’s okay and you’ll work it all out as well. The other thing that’s pretty clear is that bike adventures are definitely in Anne’s future and it just sounds like she’s such an outdoor lover, but I love how she’s embracing new things even to her. So, she has spent years if not decades as an alenist, you know, climbing mountains, ice climbing, mountaineering, skiing, all those sort of things. But now she’s also looking at ways of incorporating the bike travel element as ways of doing this. and the anecdote that traveling on a bike allows you to have those interactions with strangers at a deeper level than any other form of travel that she has taken as well. I think it’s something that I can reflect on in my own personal experience and through hearing the stories of my guests on this show as well. Many of them would definitely agree with that. Keep an eye out for an and let’s see where her next adventures take her. Listeners, if you’ve enjoyed this episode of Seek Travel Ride and the podcast in general and you’d like to help this independent podcaster out, you can show your appreciation by buying me some virtual coffees. Simply head to buy me a coffeeop.com/seektraide. Buy me a coffee, but make sure you let me know what is it that you love about the podcast and where is your next adventure taking you. And until the next episode, I’m Bella Malloy. Thanks for listening. 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