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April, 2019, Part 2/2. Early morning and I hauled

April, 2019, Part 2/2. Early morning and I hauled my gear down the cliff back onto the road. The road wound up the hill through brown, grey rocky hills, the bottoms of the ravines dry as a bone. I took the dirt road to #ermitadesanfrutos and was blown away by what I saw - I hadn´t planned on coming here and had no expectations. In front of me were the ruins of an XI´th Century monastery, perched on one of the meanders of the river in the #hocesdelduraton park, which were vertical cliff faces rising up from the river forming this amazing canyon. Griffon vultures wheeled about in the sky and you could hear them squabbling in the cliffs where hundreds of them were roosting.
From there I wheeled down the hill to the river and cycled through the valley along the river under the cliff faces and forest.
Exiting the valley was another gentle climb up and out onto the plateau at the beautiful village of #villaseca Made my way to Cantalejo and I could see a huge storm brewing to the south and the wind picked up as I dropped down towards town. On the outskirts of town I rode past a campsite so decided to check it out - reception was closed but a couple were having lunch in their motorhome nearby so I asked what the deal was. They said the park is closed but I could stay if I wanted. So I pitched my tent up, brewed tea and shortly afterwards the storm arrived and my tent went rolling away in the wind as I ran around trying to put everything away. I moved the tent into a little wooden cabin and spent a few nights there.
But time was pressing and I had to leave and the weather only got worse. Ahead of me another mountain pass but as I made my way there I got bogged down in the mud, rain and snow. Stopped at a restaurant for a coffee wondering what to do when suddenly the sky cleared. I decided to go for the pass. With some pushing I made my way through the snow and down the other side for one last wild camp before I arrived in Madrid the following day, in time to vote the next day.

April, 2019, Part 1/2. Cycling from Arrasate in

April, 2019, Part 1/2. Cycling from Arrasate in the Basque Country to Madrid, just over 500km to the south. This time the mission was to make it to Madrid to vote for the national election at the South African Embassy. I gave myself plenty of time and just as well. I left Arrasate under blue skies and a gentle breeze. I crested the hill and arrived in Vitoria-Gasteiz with the wind blowing hard and a storm approaching from the West. By nightfall I was back in Santa Domingo in the albergue. Woke up to a very wet morning and I decided to stay put to wait it out. The following morning was very grey but dry so I set off once more. I turned off the Camino, heading due south and into big, open, deserted farmland. Found a beautiful wild camp and the next morning the sun was shining. I relaxed in the morning sun, listening to the birds and deer snorting and bolting when they caught my scent. A doe nearly walked into me before she got my scent (last pic). Another glorious day´s ride and I found myself camping in a park next to a fountain in a tiny farming village.
The next day was no worse. I came across an ancient crumbling castle guarded by storks in their nests. In the evening I found myself in a valley, the road running between rocky crags on either side. I spotted what looked like a ledge with an overhang up the side of one of the cliffs so scrambled up to take a look. Sure enough, I could fit in here...half an hour later I had hauled all my gear and bike up the cliff onto the ledge. Not enough space for the tent so put the tarp up. That night I listened to owls and deer calling from the tops of the crags.
Check my YouTube channel for the video, part two tomorrow!

December 2018, Arrasate to Leon. With 2 weeks off

December 2018, Arrasate to Leon. With 2 weeks off I left Arrasate on a cold December morning and arrived in Santa Domingo in the early evening. The hostel was very quiet with just a handful of Pilgrims on the #caminodesantiago and we shared a Christmas eve dinner and a bottle or two of wine that evening. Rules are you have to leave at 0800 in the morning, while it´s still dark, and after a coffee with @alixisasmith at the local hotel, with the sun just coming up, I left town, heading south. It was cold and grey and dead quiet. Snow could be seen on the mountain tops in front of me and I had one of the best days riding ever. The sun burnt the grey clouds away and the country was deserted, I had the world to myself for a day. Merry Christmas. Arriving in Burgos reminded me that there were still people on the planet and I spent a night in a busy hostel. Same rules here, out at 0800, in the freezing cold dark but the clouds had cleared and the temperature had dropped even further. Leaving Burgos I was enveloped in a freezing cold fog as I made my way through the countryside along muddy farm tracks. I came up a hill, above the fog and cooked lunch in the sun. Back on it and the mud got sticky and I got stuck and then I was riding in the freezing dark but finally I made it to #Fromista and a very warm Albergue Betania. Different rules applied and I took my time before leaving, as the blue skies had been replaced by a thick, wet, freezing fog. It wasn´t long before my hands and feet disconnected from my body, but the dead thickness and foggy silence had an eerie beauty as I drifted by. I arrived in Sahagun and stayed in the municipal Albergue, a stunning converted 13th century church with just 2 other Pilgrims.
The fog cleared overnight so when we left at 0800 we could see the stars but it was 5 degrees below zero. It stayed ice cold but as the day brightened the sky turned a brilliant blue, the air crystal clear, the country stunning as I made my way to Leon. I spent a night in Leon then returned home via Palencia.

September 2018, Urbia and Aizkorri, Basque Country

September 2018, Urbia and Aizkorri, Basque Country. Hike up to #Aizkorri via #Urbia for a night in the shelter. Watched sunset then cooked on the fire. Up early for sunrise before hiking down and back to Urbia for massive bacon, pepper and cheese #gazta sandwiches with local cider. #gipuzkoa #hiking #campfire #campfirecooking #nature #mountains #landscapephotography #sunset

France, summer 2018. A perfect place and time for

France, summer 2018. A perfect place and time for a first cycle tour. From Roscoff I cycled south on the greenway to Nantes on flat towpath flanked by majestic trees filled with birds and wildlife. From Nantes along the Loire to the Atlantic shore under stormy skies. Then my least favourite part down past the heaving, sun creamed tourist beaches. Finally, into Landes, the pine forests, the heat, the screaming cicadas, clear fresh water lakes and endless beaches.
A daily baguette and pastry kept me going in the morning and often there would be a market in a village to get fresh fruit and vegetables so I could cook a basic but good meal everyday.
I learnt how much we take for granted in a "normal" life and I learnt how to appreciate what I have. With #covid19 changing our world forever, I am reminded once more how lucky I am.
Do you remember your first tour and where was it? What did you learn?

New video on KvBCycles YouTube channel, link in bi

New video on KvBCycles YouTube channel, link in bio! Cycle touring Italy and Spain in October 2019.
#thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #cycletour #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #rohloffspeedhub #bikepacking #bikepacker #fahrradtour #adventurecycling #bici #fahrrad #biketravel #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore #outsideisfree #wildcamp #wildcamping

New video, link in bio. September 2019, cycling i

New video, link in bio.
September 2019, cycling in Croatia.

#thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #bikepacking #bikepacker #adventurecycling #worldbycycling #bici #fahrrad #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore #outsideisfree #wildcamp #wildcamping #croatia

10/12/2019 after a weekend of "rest" 😁 in Lisbo

10/12/2019 after a weekend of "rest" 😁 in Lisboa I rode past the #ponte25deabril in the cold, early morning fog. Got the ferry across the Tagus to Trafaria and got an early night in. Continued along Atlantic, beautiful beaches aplenty. Turned back inland into the magical oak forests and historic towns, spending a night at the bombeiros. With a huge storm coming in I stopped at the amazing @hostel_nature with the amazing people there.

Slovenia! Simply the most stunning place I've cycl

Slovenia! Simply the most stunning place I've cycled. Picture perfect. Not only that but the Slovenian people are super generous and welcoming making for an unforgettable experience. Go check out the video! #thornnomad #biketrip #cycletour #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #bikepacking #bikepacker #adventurecycling #bikewander #worldbycycling #solotraveler #goexplore #welivetoexplore #outsideisfree #wildcamp #wildcamping #slovenia #lakebled #lakebohinj #vrsicpass

New video on KvBCycles YouTube channel, cycling fr

New video on KvBCycles YouTube channel, cycling from Bratislava to Llubljana. #thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #cycletour #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #rohloffspeedhub #bikepacking #bikepacker #fahrradtour #ortliebwaterproof #adventurecycling #bikewander #worldbycycling #bici #fahrradliebe #fahrrad #fahrradfahren #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore #outsideisfree #wildcamp #wildcamping #eurovelo13

Lisbon! It had been ages since I'd been to a city

Lisbon! It had been ages since I'd been to a city and it was a shock to the system. It's a pretty cool place though. The streets are crazy narrow, cobbled and wind over the hills the city is perched on. Trams ply the roads and people scramble and squeeze onto the narrow sidewalks. We ate some good food, saw some cool places like the LxFactory, Azulego museum and even fit in a game at Sporting Lisboa. We raced electric bikes along the coast and visited the old neighbourhoods like Alfama and Bairro Alto, very cool. Ten pics ain't enough. Cheers @auberonhall for making it happen! #lisboa #portugal #lisbon #pasteisdebelem #lasveganlisboa #sportinglisboa #lxfactorylisboa #muzeunazelgo

From Nazaré to Lisboa it was a 300km ride south a

From Nazaré to Lisboa it was a 300km ride south along the coast. Most of it is dramatic cliffs which offer amazing views up top and dramatic beaches. Beaches were mostly deserted and it was only close to towns where surfers were in the water. Some spectacular camping on the beach and once in an empty courtyard, a few meters from the cliff and the booming surf below. The weather turned, getting a bit colder but under blue, blue skies and sun, which warmed the soul immensely.

The road to Nazaré from Fatimá was a lot of fun.

The road to Nazaré from Fatimá was a lot of fun. Rain continued to pour down in feline and canine fury as I rode. The trail wound through a canyon alongside a flowing river then it was through eucalyptus forests over challenging terrain, wet sand, mud and more mud, stones and rocks. Looking over the valley I watched the rain clouds advance, olive groves on the slopes shone in the slanting rays of light before being shadowed and then engulfed in rain. Jacket on, find shelter under a tree, wait and so it went. A camp in a deathly silent forest was eerily spooky, but the sunset was clear and stars appeared with a crescent moon. Then, Nazaré, wow, in more ways then one.

With the biblical amounts of rain that has fallen

With the biblical amounts of rain that has fallen it's been very wet and muddy on the #caminodefatima. After a camp just outside of town I arrived in the sanctuary of #Fátima where I had a days rest. Fátima is a major religious centre, famous for the apparitions of the Virgin Mary seen by 3 little sherperds, Francisco, Lúcia and Jacinta in 1917.

Hoo-wee, rain rain rain. And so I stumbled upon @i

Hoo-wee, rain rain rain. And so I stumbled upon @ibon.ansiao, Rose and Steve, who at the time were both up in an olive tree. Steve came down and welcomed me to their home with a cuppa. I came late to the party and helped scoop up the olives into buckets. Just then the neighbour arrived with a load of sawn off olive branches, loaded with fruit so I got to do some bush whacking afterall. More buckets were filled. I ended up staying 2 nights while Rose and Steve kept me warm and ridiculously well fed as the rain came down, Rose even sending me off with a delicious packed lunch! To Rose and Steve, a million thank you's! Their home is a special place, in a protected natural area, on a dirt road in among the olive groves and oak forest. The silence at night broken by the calling owls. When the clouds cleared the stars came out. Magic.

Heading south after Coimbra the landscape noticeab

Heading south after Coimbra the landscape noticeably changed as vineyards slowly gave way to stonewalled olive groves. The #caminodefatima wends its way through these groves and natural oak forests, sometimes passing through tiny hamlets. It was at one of these I camped for a night. It's been raining the proverbial cats and dogs so the Camino has been incredibly wet and muddy. Moments in the sun are warm and fleeting. Days are so short, and once the sun sets it's like a light has been switched off it gets so dark so suddenly. #thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #cycletour #portugaltourism #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #rohloffspeedhub #bikepacking #bikepacker #fahrradtour #adventurecycling #bikewander #worldbycycling #bici #fahrradliebe #fahrrad #fahrradfahren #biketravel #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore #outsideisfree #wildcamp #caminodesantiago

Finding the coast a bit uninspiring, I decided to

Finding the coast a bit uninspiring, I decided to head back inland to the #caminodefatima. I stopped at a #fonte to try find a leak on my sleeping matt (was the valve) and enjoyed some of the winter sun while the matt dried out. Big rain clouds come off the Atlantic and it's been a case of hide and seek the last two days. Riding in the sun with beautiful blue skies and from the west you can see the clouds coming, find shelter, then while it rains do some work, or eat something, or read, rain stops, sun shines, off you go again. After the hills I'm enjoying the slower pace, I'm getting to meet local people and experience more of Portuguese life. #blessedbeyondmeasure #agueda

Azulejos. Glazed ceramic tiles. #azulejos are part

Azulejos. Glazed ceramic tiles. #azulejos are part of Portugal's history and culture dating as far back the 13th century. The word azulejo stems from Arabic roots and means "small polished stone". These are some of the ones I've come across, decorating churches, water fountains, homes and monuments. #portugal #caminodefatima #thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #cycletour #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #bikepacking #bikepacker #fahrradtour #adventurecycling #bikewander #worldbycycling #bici #fahrradliebe #fahrrad #fahrradfahren #biketravel #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore

21/11/19 good nights rest at the #bombeiros and I

21/11/19 good nights rest at the #bombeiros and I cycled out into a different planet. First stop, the Atlantic and what a feeling to see the mighty ocean once more. I was in awe and wonder so got gear out to dry and took the time to absorb it all in. Then it was through deserted beaches and holiday towns as I headed south in glorious warm Autumn sunshine. Flat country and cycle paths and it wasn't long before I was missing the hills! The abundant fruit dissappeared and it was flat, muddy wheat and corn fields. Went round #aveiro lagoon then a sunset ferry to Aveiro to meet @karinitafoliveira for an amazing #warmshowers host!

After non-stop rain overnight, I got up just befor

After non-stop rain overnight, I got up just before sunup, made tea, packed up, had a quick breakfast then was treated to some of the most beautiful countryside yet as the warm sun broke through the clouds and lit up the valley. Hills shone red gold while the tops were wrapped in wispy white flowing cloud. The smell of winter woodsmoke thick in the air while barking dogs competed with crowing cockerels. It was the last of the hills today and I dropped onto the coastal plains, madly grinning as the sun set over the Atlantic. I stopped at the #bombeiros and asked if I could camp there. Instead, I got a room, a bed and a hot shower, made my day. Thank you @vic0tic for the tip!