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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!

What can I say about today? At times I despaired.

What can I say about today? At times I despaired. At times I cried with joy. Other times held on for dear life. With the rain today the cobbled roman roads were slick and slippery as hell. With 20% gradient, it was one push, half a meter gained (despair). Deep breath, repeat. So you reach the top (cry), look down into the abyss and see the next one on the other side (despair). But finding a place to sleep with a picnic table is pure luxury and despair is forgotten as a warm meal is taken and you slip into the tent as the rain comes down. #portugal #braga

Had a day off in #braga so changed the very worn f

Had a day off in #braga so changed the very worn front brakes pads. Big climb out of Braga to Church of Santa María Madalena overlooking the city. Then down the old roman road which is in almost total ruin. And so I rode through valleys, up hills mostly and sometimes down, it was tough. I stopped to eat and dry my socks and shoes in the sun, and a lady living near by saw this. She talked to me but I thought she was saying how nice the fake grass was. She left and came back with a fresh pair of white socks, for me...and then another neighbour brought me water...beautiful moments. I pushed on, with toasty feet, and found a nice place to put the tent on a hill overlooking Amarante.

Wild #caminoportugues has it all, some road, crazy

Wild #caminoportugues has it all, some road, crazy trail in forests, along rivers, through rivers, sometimes it is the river, over rocks, sand and mud, it's mostly old roman road which rides the terraced hillsides, through rural #portugal. It's tough terrain, but there's good bounty to be had. Oranges, with just a shade of green on the skin, super sweet with a lemon zingggg my favourite. And so, slowly, I'm getting a feel for this country. No doubt there is a beauty to this landscape, the towns I pass through are beautiful. Yet, it seems there's a rough edge to things here, a wildness behind the smile that seems untameable. I'm starting to like this place.

Portugal! As always it takes me a few days to get

Portugal! As always it takes me a few days to get used to and settle into a new country. The #caminoportugues got very difficult after crossing the border and it involved some pushing uphill. Sun was out but it was icy cold. #thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #clickstand #cycletour #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #rohloffspeedhub #bikepacking #bikepacker #fahrradtour #adventurecycling #bikewander #bici #fahrradliebe #fahrrad #fahrradfahren #biketravel #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore #outsideisfree #portugal

Beautifully wild day on #caminoportugues with alte

Beautifully wild day on #caminoportugues with alternating wind, rain and sun. The trail was wet and muddy, the colours deep and rich. The Camino has lots of shrines dotted along the way where passing #peregrinos leave messages carved or written on stone. As its winter there aren't many pilgrims out so the trail is mostly empty and quiet. #galicia #thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #cycletour #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #bikepacking #bikepacker #fahrradtour #ortliebwaterproof #adventurecycling #bikewander #bici #fahrradliebe #fahrrad #fahrradfahren #biketravel #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore

Sunshine! The perfect start to the #caminoportugue

Sunshine! The perfect start to the #caminoportugues, with the full beauty of #galicia on show today. It's again so different, so wet, so lush, wildly tropical, moss green, a vegetable spread over a roller-coaster landscape. The villages are moss covered, wet black stone, green grass and livestock. Raw. #thornnomad #cycling #biketrip #clickstand #cycletour #cycletouringlife #biketour #steelisreal #cyclinglife #bikepacking #bikepacker #fahrradtour #adventurecycling #bikewander #bici #fahrradliebe #fahrrad #fahrradfahren #biketravel #solotraveler #touringbicycle #goexplore #welivetoexplore