How do you know it is the last time?
You don’t.
Since end of May I am on an expedition over mountain peaks through deserts, crossing countless borders, getting to know far and strange parts of this beautiful earth.
So far by cycling over 5’000 kilometres all the way from France to the south of Turkey.
But as I move and observe changes in my thoughts and ways, this journey itself is about to evolve, change. I have come way further then I would have ever believed on my two wheels. Now it is finally time to accept the change and say goodbye.
Goodbye to my trusted fellow. The bike.
Melancholic, because I am now, already idealizing all the struggles I was cursing just a few weeks back.
Exciting, because only change will bring new ideas and perceptions, and I can’t wait what all the other counties, that lay on my way, will have to offer.
Would I have done something different the last day I cycled, if I knew it was the last one? Maybe I would have appreciated it more?
But this is only my brain, trying to trick me with holding on to “the last time”.
To fully appreciate this bikepacking expedition I need to let it change into something new. Let it go.
I want time to think, think of something else than camp-spots and avoiding traffic.
Nevertheless I will miss it. Miss the feeling of empowered freedom, when I mount on my saddle and know I have every thing I need attached to those two wheels. Pedalling through empty wilderness and know I can decide to put up my “home” for that day where ever I want.
Isn’t that what makes the good choices of life? They are hard to take but exciting to think of!
The first day with a backpack on my shoulders. Now I am the donkey.
As the landscape passes by outside the bus window I am glad not to cycle past those trucks and heavy traffic. When we have to wait ten hours for the next bus, I remember how good it was to only rely on ourselves for transport.
It didn’t even take me one full day to both, regret and adore the decision to leave the bike behind.
Thank you for passing by, enjoy your day!
All photos and words are my own.
Ahhh, so gorgeous!
It must be a very big transition, indeed... When I returned to Scotland from my cycle-ferry-train journey to Slovenia, I felt very good leaving my bike, panniers and rucksack at the house, and walking about not having to worry about where they were, and if the lock would be enough to protect them! I love being all self-contained when travelling, but also love that putting down of travelling-baggage, and being just a woman walking about, again 😍 - back down to Earth!
Yes I totally get that!!! I was thinking it is almost like switching your whole identity... who you are, what you think or worry about, how you spend you time...
❤️ ...Thank you!😊😘
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Enjoy the next step of your journey ( called life ) ;^)
Yes!!😊
💛
sorry about the bike, but this is so lovely. I'm glad you guys got to have this wonderful adventure. Everything ends, it's natural. <3 On to the next adventure, my dear friend.
I assume the bike will be fine without me too...:D
On to the next one indeed😊
😘
Another phase of the journey. Good luck!
Where did you leave your bicycles? Or do you take them with you?
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Thank you!!:)
We left them with a friend in Turkey, carrying or shipping them was just way to complicated! But they are in good hands:)
I'm so curious about where you're headed next. Are you on the way back to France, or going somewhere else?
I'm so sad you're putting down your bike but at the same time I can also appreciate why you would choose to do so. I can't believe how long you've been on this journey.
I really am dying to know what you did with yoru bike. Did you sell it and your gear? What happened to your bicycle? Such a bike cliffhanger🙀🚲👀
I am myself curious where I am headed next! ...though I post with a bit of a delay here so I already am in the next chapter😁
It was difficult and still feels weird! But yes change happens and it is also very exciting😊
Heheh trying to figure out the next cliffhanger...😂 We left them in good hands with a friend in Turkey, except for a few little things that are highly annoying and heavy on our backpacks now...
It's incredible. I've truly enjoyed reading all your posts about this adventure. I have yet to read your latest post, so I'll see the next chapter very soon.
😂 Maybe if you dangle from a cliff, not necessarily a mountain one, that could be your next cliffhanger?
How lovely to be able to leave your bikes with a griend. What are the highly annoying and heavy things you kept?
I love to hear that, Thank you again and always😊💜
I'll have to work a bit on my pull-up skills, so you might have to wait a few months for that one😅
Tent - sleeping mat/bag - some bike bags... But it's alright for walks that aren't toooo long😁
A pleasure as always 💜😊
Pull-ups, yup, upper body workout now that you've done your legs for so long on the bike 😂; I recommend trees, fences.
Tent, mat and bags, yes, heavy and cumbersome. For some reason, I keep seeing some sort of thing with wheels that you could push/pull, maybe with space for a sewing machine, you could set up on the road, sell things, on and on and on...just went into the ridiculous😂
Indeed! thats what I thought as well😁
Yeeeesss!! My atelier on wheels😊 but then I would have to hurry south quick, before it rains and snows onto my sewing machine...
Modern caravan would keep you covered from the rains and snows, if you had it all set up heating, etc. 😄
OOooooooo, there's a sequel on foot????
👣👣 Yess:))
It's gonna be weird to adjust to a new routine, but the worst part, at least for me, was realizing I hadn't much to talk to the 'normal' ppl after the bicycle trip. When we spend so long on the road we kinda develop our own dialect and stuff we talk. Anyways. I can smell some sort of van life coming for you?!xD
😂😂 Indeed!! Eventhough we didn't really meet any cyclists, funny enough. But we always where, so now people don't ask us the same questions anymore, we go used to through all those kilometres!:)
Weird indeed to adjust to a new routine! Especially since we can't just put up the tent anywhere anymore...
🚐😁...who knows!