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Rolling on Europe
  • Arjun
  • Arjun

Rolling on Europe

Rolling about the continent looking for an exit. Read more
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  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    Cool rock climbing trailFirst external flat tireEiree camp night

    Vennbahnweg flat

    September 16, 2024 in Belgium ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    The Fen railway trail offered no resistance to my pedaling and I rolled on along. It might be the longest section of railway in Europe that is made cyclable. Later I realize this is less comfy as the river trails - because where do I get water?

    The route zigzagged between Luxembourg, Germany and Belgium. Once in there, the coffee quality immediately got better. Energized, I pedaled further to feel a wobble in my handlebar. Great! My first external tire puncture. Looks like I jinxed it by speaking about it that morning.

    I walked to the nearest campsite hoping to find a solution. This site was empty and the man on the phone said I could stay the night. As I set up, I realized that there was just nobody there at all. It was such an eiree feeling to be all alone amongst all the curtained mobile homes and decorated terraces. Under a full moon, I set about repairing the flat tire.    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    Railway trail
    Aachen cathedralAachen DomConquering the heights!Jan shares my delight2Jan shows me his metalwork

    Aachen surprise

    September 17, 2024 in the Netherlands ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    I climbed out of my tent into a gray blanket of clouds. The wind was already heavy and wet. This was a bleak morning in Belgium, as I remember them. Muttering about the futility of existence, I packed up all alone in this deserted camp village and rode out. Thankful that I had dealt with the flat tire last night. Better in the dark than in the bleak.

    I was planning to ride on north, but at the last moment, decided to ride the Vennbahnweg all the way to its end in Aachen. The old city structures were sudden and imposing. To celebrate, I went to get a beer and falafel. Who is also sitting here eating falafel? It's Jan who I worked with back in my early days of Bremen!

    We got chatting and turns out he's also in a self-made sabbatical. He suggests I pitch my tent in his garden.

    "But I wanted to go over to Vaalserberg today", I offered

    "That's actually next to my house. We can walk up there. If you're ready to do it without a bicycle"

    So off we went on the walk, and I could complete the mission that I had been riding downhill all day for: to reach the highest point of the Netherlands!

    The meeting with Jan was soulful. The deep conversation ran through our tech dev projects, metallurgy, psychedelics, life projects and more till late into the night and the next morning. After marveling at the magic of the road that brought us together at this juncture in life, I eventually rolled out late afternoon to head northwards.    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    Kasteel LimbrichtRoermond linesA quintessential Dutch scene

    Lines of Limburg

    September 19, 2024 in the Netherlands ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Finding a quiet spot to sleep in the Netherlands was pretty hard last night. There were people and dogs everywhere. Benches all occupied in the forest. At some point, I just pitched next to a side trail in the woods.

    It seems the Dutch herbs of last night had the opposite effect and I was awake at dawn. The sky was beautiful though, and so I set out real early to enjoy the Dutch bike trails. I rode through Limbricht towards Roermond and Venlo.

    With the sun shining and me making my own breeze, it felt like being on a conveyor belt through the landscape. The Limburg landscape was made of lines, here green, here metallic and here water. By the time I rolled in to a campsite at sunset, I had done a 110 km ride - my longest yet in a day.    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    1Moonlight camp

    Duisburg swing

    September 20, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    The long ride yesterday had it's effect and I slept in till late. My thighs were lightly aching. Interesting to feel the physical challenge even after so many months of cycling. Last time I did this left me with an injured heel for several days.

    That memory changed the arithmetic of continuing north if I wanted to get back to Bremen without a limp. So a bit north from Venlo, I swung eastwards towards Duisburg. Riding through the back country off the bike paths brought back the little details of being back in Germany.

    One such familiar detail was the familiar delays of the Deutsche Bahn, because even the direct train line to Osnabrück was much delayed. So when I stepped out in the middle of the city, I was hungry, it was already almost dark and I had no plan of where to go.

    I rode in the dark until I found a singular bench between farms outside of town. Under the light of a large moon, I ate the wrap I had brought with me. I had not expected it to be so built up along the roads. After riding on a by-road with potholes, I found a field where the grass was so tall that it fell over. With the right tilt of the head, it even looked flat. So I pitched my tent on the soft damp grass silvered by the moonlight and lay down wondering if the ride with the train had been worth it. Not the first time for this thought in Germany.    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    The mill still sells flour and bread!
    Dammer DomSand riding!2Last camp

    Dammer Dom!

    September 21, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I woke up to an expectedly wet tent in this deep grass. Although the sky was clear and the sun shining down, my spot was still in the shade and feeling rather cold. As I rolled out with a wet bundle, I realized I had been barely 100 m from the house which was on a pretty busy road.

    The weather soon turned extremely pleasant. So I stopped off at this windmill to dry out my tent in the sun. I was surprised to find out that there is an active bakery and flour mill still running in the foot of this windmill!

    Here I was on the D7 bike path that should take me all the way to Bremen. With the great weather, it was hard to make fast progress with all the picnic breaks. To be able to enjoy this weather in a slow ride through the countryside, made the train hop worth it.

    And suddenly in Damme the cathedral leaped out of the ground. The Dammer Dom stood tall, gleaming in the sun. The flatness of the landscape makes its stature all that more dramatic.

    The road further through Steinfeld and Lohne was surprisingly varied. With the pleasant weather still going, I stopped early at the edge of a farm to enjoy the orange skies of a crisp sunset.

    As I lay down in the tent, I looked around at the little details of my home of these last months. The streaks and folds of the tent fabric. The ghost trails of slugs. The blood stain from the smashed mosquito. The view through the mesh. As night fell, I closed my eyes to the dimming noises of insects and the light breeze.

    Tomorrow, I will ride to Bremen where my cycling trip ends.    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    Trendy deco
    Such pleasant weatherMegalithic tombEven a singletrack!1The source1Back to Bremen!

    Ride back to Bremen

    September 22, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I rolled up my tent and set off into an absolutely fantastic morning. The sky was crisp, the sun shining bright and a gentle breeze to keep it cool. What a great setting for the final day of riding!

    The route was pretty interesting with a mix of single track, forests, fields in bloom and then slowly the built-up roads of the edges of the city of Bremen. Coming back here over a long road with the bicycle gave me a new sense of the size of the city that had been my home for many years.

    I stopped in front of an apartment at the edge of the city. I rang the bell. Soon the door buzzed open.

    "Hey Yannick, I'm not sure about Friday. Can you also meet on Saturday?", I asked simply. I had decided to answer his text message in person.

    I thought the right way to enter my home city should be by casually dropping in to meet a good friend. Gladly he agreed and installed me with a cold beer on his balcony. Soon after, I had to get going if I didn't want to be late for my dinner date.    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    Back on my usual route to work
    My home sat on the D7 route all this timeEin Dorf an der WümmeBack at the HofFamiliar dinner and chat

    Back at the Hof

    September 22, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Sticking to my tour, I followed the national bike route through my city. It ran through the Bürgerpark. I appreciated again how large this forest in the middle of the city is.

    The sun was getting low by the time I reached the edge of the forest. This time with fully loaded bicycle bags and looking a lot more ragged, I joined the stream of cyclists on my usual route home from my work for over a decade. The sky was beautiful and cast a glow on this landscape, now both familiar and foreign.

    The bike path went all the way till my home in Borgfeld. I went inside and was promptly sat down by Heike to catch up on dinner. And just like that, I was back in my familar home setting. I was absorbed into the chatter and the stories. I was back as one of the Höflinge.

    My trip started 202 days ago with a hearty breakfast at this table. Then I took the 12300 km way back to dinner.

    Reminds of the lines of one of my favorite travel writers: "All travel is circular. After all, the grand tour is just the inspired man's way of heading home."    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    Most at home with Heike & Wolf Dieter
    Susi blows my cover2Sunset at Nadine'sCafe List with Manja & IlcaTook 15 years to get this classic Bremen shotCocktail evening with Eileen & YannickIndian feast with the Borgfeld clanClaudia & Manuel

    Finding and leaving home

    Sep 23–30, 2024 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Paul Theroux couldn't have been more correct about finding home at the end of a long travel. Here in the Hof is home for me.

    The most caring and sharing people I met during my travels were right next door. Heike and Wolf Dieter doted over me like my sweet grandparents. I was expected to join lunch everyday, and was told to only call if I was not able to join. Each day brought a spread of delicious plates so that I "won't be able to forget home-cooked German food". And during these two-hour lunches, they were interested in every detail of my week and my trip. I had to smile at how well she had tempered her worries about me all these months.

    The week was a buzz of activity. My packed boxes were picked up. Bicycle boxes scavenged to pack up Schopper. Paperwork to be dispatched. Students to meet and colleagues to notify. All this in a carousel of friends and cafes, catching up on life both here and on the road, and how my Stupid Sandals plan had beaten the odds. And to say goodbye because I was leaving Bremen the next week.    Read more

  • ArjunRolling on EuropeTraveler
    Damn right. Truth was here all along.
    1There's the exit from the continent!1Off to Australia

    The exit

    October 1, 2024 in Germany ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Half a year of free camping, free wheeling and freedom had led me on the long route home. After this long goodbye kiss to Europe, now with some Schwarzbrot and a Nussecke in my bag, Schopper and I are moving... to Australia!

    A few numbers to round out this trip.

    Time on the road: 202 days
    Countries visited: 13

    Distance traveled
    By Bicycle: 6800 km
    By Train: 2100 km
    By Flight: 1300 km
    By Bus or Car: 840 km
    By Boats: 946 km
    By Walk: 304 km
    By Kayak: 16 km
    By Zipline: 1 km

    Plastic bottles purchased: 2
    Zip-loc plastic bags used: 10 of a pack of 12
    Nuts consumed: 25 kgs (feels like that)
    Amount of roadkill seen: way too much

    A few of my words from the trip I want to remember:

    "A loaded touring bicycle is the ultimate existential vehicle."

    "We don't prepare for the road. Rather, we pack our fears in our bags."

    "It is a lot harder to worry about where to sleep on a full stomach"

    "A bicycle tour lets you have the freedom of walking, the efficiency of wheels and the versatility of being on both these paths."    Read more

    Trip end
    October 1, 2024
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