TCRN07 Day 6: Kutina, Croatia – Tarvisio, Italy

01/08/2019 210.35 Miles 14:19:08 Moving Time 6,152ft gained 14.7mph average Waking with the thought that at a push I could cycle all the way through Slovenia and be in Italy by the same night excited me. I needed to keep setting daily goals and to keep just looking at each day as it came, otherwise,Continue reading "TCRN07 Day 6: Kutina, Croatia – Tarvisio, Italy"

Expect the unexpected

I’m back in the UK. On a park bench in Preston waiting for a train to the Lake District, where I plan to keep myself to myself for a couple of weeks. This is the last place I thought I’d be this time last week. How much things can change in a matter of days.Continue reading "Expect the unexpected"

TCRN07 Day 5: Sabac, Serbia – Kutina, Croatia

187.44 miles 14:16:47 moving time 1,932ft gained 13.1mph average After a very deep sleep and a full belly from the previous nights feast, I zombied out of bed and achingly pulled my bib shorts and jersey on just after 4am. Carrying my packed saddle bag, frame bag, handlebar bag and bottles never got any easierContinue reading "TCRN07 Day 5: Sabac, Serbia – Kutina, Croatia"

Heading South

Winter seems to be grasping tight hold of East Germany as temperatures have remained close to 0 and rain has been ever present. A few glimpses of blue skies have brought some optimism. I arrived in Berlin on Wednesday with a rare blue sky and was welcomed by Christian and Stephie, friends from work andContinue reading "Heading South"

One week in…

At the end of my 8th day on the road, I’m hiding from the rain. Drying my soaking tent in a hotel room at the lower end of the price spectrum just on the outskirts of Magdeburg. It’s clean, quiet and warm, so I’m happy. The first week on the road has been and gone.Continue reading "One week in…"

Open ended travel planning

So yesterday I left the UK on an open ended cycle tour, with the plan of heading East. Since telling family, friends and work about my trip a few months ago, something that was only a thought in my head became a reality, just like that. No amount of planning could get me completely readyContinue reading "Open ended travel planning"

TCRNO7 – DAY 4 – Prokuplje, Serbia – Sabac, Serbia

183.15 Miles 14:31:01 Moving Time 16:49:33 Elapsed Time 9,462 Elevation Gained 12.6mph Average After spending a night under the watchful eyes of Mary hanging on the wall and dreaming about who the old mans slippers were in the bed next to me, the buzz of my bike computer alarm jolted me into life from aContinue reading "TCRNO7 – DAY 4 – Prokuplje, Serbia – Sabac, Serbia"

TCRN07, Day 3: Dupnitsa, Bulgaria – Prokuplje, Serbia

178.60 Miles 15:17:26 Moving Time 17:51:58 Elapsed Time 8,701 Elevation Gained 11.7mph Average 6 dog attacks avoided Starting out from the hotel around 04:30, I spotted a few more bikes in the room where I kept mine, TCR riders. The receptionist was surprised to see me so early, but the other riders must have explainedContinue reading "TCRN07, Day 3: Dupnitsa, Bulgaria – Prokuplje, Serbia"

TCRN07, Day 2: A Forest, Bulgaria – Dupnitsa, Bulgaria

  194.49 Miles 16:19:03 Moving Time 19:47:42 Elapsed Time 15,525 Elevation Gained 11.9mph Average Number of horse and carts overtaken by: 1 Not having the best sleep, I woke around 3am, waking during the night to find myself about 2 metres away from my bike. Shouldn’t have slept on a hill I guess. Anyway, IContinue reading "TCRN07, Day 2: A Forest, Bulgaria – Dupnitsa, Bulgaria"

TCRN07, Day 1, Burgas, Bulgaria – A Forest, Bulgaria

208.76 Miles 15:09:39 Moving Time 16:36:24 Elapsed Time 12,402ft Elevation 13.8mph Average 10 Litres of water (a guess, but probably pretty close)   I arrived in Burgas by plane a couple days before the start so was well rested and starting to adjust to the heat. The race began on Saturday 27th July at 6am.Continue reading "TCRN07, Day 1, Burgas, Bulgaria – A Forest, Bulgaria"