How would you like to traverse a country, or even a continent, on two wheels? Inspired by our new book Epic Bike Rides of the World, we invited three blogging bikepackers to recount their most epic journeys and share advice for those tempted to take to the saddle.
The consensus? Just do it. Only one thing’s for certain: you’re in for an unforgettable ride.
The Pamir Highway: Dushanbe to Bishkek
‘You’ll get altitude sickness and the runs... the food’s crap and the roads are worse.’
These were the words of a grizzled cyclist, given to me just days before I tackled a 2000km ride through the Pamir Mountains from Dushanbe, Tajikistan, to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Two months, the equivalent of several ‘Everests’, 10kg of body fat lost and one parasite later I made it to Bishkek, having skirted the Afghan border, climbed washboard passes, camped next to yaks, exploded from both ends and had the time of my life.
From snow-capped peaks to moonscape plateaus and deep canyons, the Pamir Highway plates up some of Central Asia’s most stunning and remote scenery, while showcasing dozens of minority communities. Just don’t forget the water filter.
What was your biggest challenge on the road?
Cycling while sick. One night, I camped among rocks off the Pamir Highway, grimly wondering if I’d see another sunrise. For six hours I’d been exploding with the kind of vomiting and diarrhoea reserved for horror movies. My antibiotics were useless; I was tired, defeated, dehydrated and miles from anywhere but eventually I carried on, scaling passes over 4100m.
Overcoming an intestinal infection is tough. But while you’re cycling one of the world’s roughest roads on a loaded bicycle it’s the stuff of nightmares. It remains my toughest biking challenge to date.
Any advice for travellers hoping to embark on their own epic ride?
‘I farted!’ Two words not usually met with cheers... but my mate was celebrating the end of a month’s worth of diarrhoea in Central Asia and it was a beautiful moment. In fact, humour’s the best thing you can bring on an epic ride – along with wet wipes, emergency food and a water filter.
Define ‘epic ride’
A long, gruelling push along tough but breathtaking roads that force you so far from your comfort zone that you question your own sanity, repeatedly.
Sarah Webb – blogger at longrodehome.com and Lonely Planet Pathfinder. Follow her tweets @longrodehome.
Amsterdam to Venice
In the summer of 2009, when the kids were four, seven and eight, we cycled between two of the world’s most iconic canal cities: from Amsterdam to Venice.
We followed rivers to keep things flat and traffic free; first the Rhine, then the Main, Tauber, Lech and Inn, through Holland and Germany towards Austria. It's amazing how far you can go without meeting a hill. But then there's the Alps. We took the Via Claudia Augusta, the lowest crossing of the Alps, to head into Italy and on to Venice.
The mix of river trail and Alpine scenery kept us entertained, with no shortage of riverside swim stops, ice cream breaks and impromptu camping. Highlights include swimming above a sunken village in Italy, the tinkling of cowbells on the Austrian Alpine plateaux, the lively sparkle of the Venetian lagoon in the distance and the celebratory Prosecco at the end.
What was your biggest challenge on the road?
There were many. Pulling a trailer – complete with child – up a stone track over the Alps; losing all our washing in a launderette; dangerous drivers where we couldn't find cycle trails; and the ultimate oversight: realising too late that bikes are not welcome in Venice.
Any advice for travellers hoping to embark on their own epic ride?
Don't underestimate what you can do or listen to naysayers. Ask around but develop your own sense of what's possible. Make an ambitious plan with tactical escape routes. Two weeks in, send home all the stuff you haven't used, except emergency medical or repair items. Don't be afraid to carry a carton of wine for solace or celebration.
Define ‘epic ride’
An epic ride is full of surprises, variety and uncertainty. You can't be sure you'll finish, but fresh air, inspiring landscapes and the crunching of gravel and miles drives you on.
Kirstie Pelling – blogger at familyadventureproject.org and Lonely Planet Pathfinder. Follow her tweets @familyonabike.
Peru’s Great Divide: Cuzco to Huaraz
My husband and I have been touring the world by bike since 2003. In 2013 we decided to go on a long-distance tour and rode through the Americas. We were living our dream, enjoying ultimate freedom, meeting friendly faces and seeing unforgettable landscapes. In two years we rode 32,000km and during this adventure we fell in love with Peru.
We cycled Peru’s Great Divide – a mountainous off-road track at 4000-5000m above sea level – from Cuzco to Huaraz. We camped under a million stars and had first-class views over Peru’s highest mountain Huascaran (6768m) while the sun set and the sky turned red. The landscape is rough and few people live in this area; only a few abandoned mines and adobe farmhouses, plus grazing llamas, indicate their presence.
What was your biggest challenge on the road?
The track and the altitude. We’d been riding above 4000m most of the time, touching the highest pass at 5000m. And we did this by pushing our bikes through mud, riding very rocky trails and even single tracks.
Distances between civilised pit stops are long, especially in this mountainous terrain, so we had to carry a lot of food and our bikes were heavy. The weather wasn’t our best friend either, with daily rain and hail storms in the afternoon. Most of the time it was just us and the elements.
Any advice for travellers hoping to embark on their own epic ride?
Just go. There will always be a reason (or five) to back out; start looking for reasons why you should do it! You are stronger than you think you are and for every problem, there is a solution. Remember: the toughest moments make for the best memories!
Define ‘epic ride’
An epic ride hurts. It pushes your limits. But embark on one and you’ll be rewarded with views you’ve never seen before, wonderful encounters with local people and pride at having achieved something amazing.
Ellen van Drunen – blogger at bicycle-junkies.com and Lonely Planet Pathfinder. Follow her tweets @bicycle_junkies.
