CURIOUS???

It's been two years since we have done any slow travel (code word for bicycle touring) and we hope to answer a few common questions that we inevitably get.

Who planned your trip? 

That one is simple. We did! This is a completely unsupported trip which means we are responsible for carrying all of our daily needs with us on our bike. We chose our starting point, Serbia, and ending point, Netherlands, simply because we wanted to ride the Danube River and the Rhine River. So we mapped the ride with a program called Ride with GPS which is supported by an app on our phone. Whatever happened to the days of paper maps?

Where will you stay? 

That's a great question. The simple answer is, we figure it out day by day. We don't have specific places that have been predetermined because there are too many factors involved. The weather plays a big role as well as topography which can determine the difficulty of a day's ride. Sometimes we just want to relax in a place for a day or two and do some sightseeing. 

Accomodations?

Again this varies but we mostly tent camp. Believe it or not our tent gives us a sense of home because it is constant and familiar. Camping in Europe offers many choices from established campgrounds to people's backyards or even wild camping. But there are times where we just need a break and an AirBnB or a hotel comes in handy. All in all we find something to fit our daily needs.

What about food?

People always ask us did you enjoy the food? To be honest on a trip like this food becomes utilitarian. Riding every day requires thousands of calories so eating is a necessity. For the most part, we cook our own meals on a single burner backpacking stove. Our ingredients are purchased daily since we don't have a way to keep things cold. As with the regular routine of life we will eat out when the moment feels right.

How far do you ride each day?

Again that all depends on what we see along the way. We may take in a cathedral or a castle or stop at a historical site, but bakeries and ice cream seem to always stop our progress. Generally we ride 30 to 40 miles a day on a fully loaded bike. 

Clothes?

When you only have one pannier each that measures 14"x11"x8" you get pretty creative. I won't go into all the details but I will say that two pairs of underwear borders on excessive. Washing clothes in a shower or a sink is not uncommon. Did I mention that all of our cosmetics fit in that pannier as well. Sorry ladies this is not for the faint of heart!

We are just four days away from leaving. I hear the temperature in Belgrade, Serbia, is in the 90's and I hope they have no idea what humidity is...

Keep on Rollin,

Scott and Sarah