Over 7 weeks in April, May & June almost 30 riders pedalled 3760 km from the Acropolis in Athens to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, spinning through 10 European countries. Here’s what they thought of their cycling Odyssey.

“The Odyssey was my first TDA tour. TDA staff were excellent in providing information on all aspects of the upcoming tour. On tour I always felt well informed by TDA staff with the daily briefings and staff being immediately accessible. This background support made it easy to simply ride and explore ten countries at a pace of my choosing, and to be able to enjoy the adventure with 19 other like minded people was huge!!! Trips like this with the adventure of exploring many countries, challenging myself physically and mentally every day, is truly living life.” – John Hecht (Canada)

“This was my first long bike ride tour and I have to say I had a very positive experience. I worried about the riding every day, the distances, could I do it? I just took one day at a time, one week at a time, and found out that I could do it! I thought the route was well planned out to have two, three, or four riding days and then a rest day. Four riding days at the most seemed perfect. It gave you enough time to rest and recover and be ready to ride again! I found it exciting to see new places every day and riding through so many different countries was an amazing experience.The staff of TDA are all so supportive and really make the trip fun for everyone. I would highly recommend this tour.” – Cindy Sharpe (USA)

“We had a great group of riders and staff; both of which I could not have hoped for better. There was not a single person I would not want to ride with again, and all of whom I again hope to encounter. The Balkans and Bavaria were the highlight for me.” – Mitch Long (USA)

Related Post: “What’s Not To Like?” – The 2023 Odyssey Riders Speak Out

“This tour was definitely a challenge for me. But I feel a real sense of accomplishment upon completing those long rides and all the hill climbs. Were there moments when I was cold, wet and soggy? Yes. Were there hot, sweaty slogs up interminably long hills? Yes. But, I also had some of the best biking days of my life. I swam in the Adriatic, listened to the cuckoo in the forests of Bosnia, smelled the incredible aroma of the many blooming wildflowers, saw castles, medieval towns, shepherds holding crooks while tending their sheep, and even watched the women’s tour d’italia come through a tiny village. I explored the ruins at Delphi, learned about communism and bunkers in Albania, toured a tunnel from the war in Bosnia, ate kuchen at coke stops in Germany and delighted in all the covered bridges and bike paths. It was an amazing experience that I am still digesting and discussing with my husband.” – Margit Donhowe (USA)

“A truly wonderful experience cycling roads less traveled across 10 countries featuring over 4000 years of history and culture. Life is all about collecting experiences. The TDA odyssey tour provides that in spades. Both challenging but also very rewarding. Do it!!” – Chris Wille (Canada)

“A wonderful tour through lesser-visited areas in the Balkans. Beautiful vistas, interesting history and culture, and varied biking profiles every day. The crew was dedicated to giving all riders an excellent experience.” – Lori McCarney (USA)

“The TDA Odyssey section that we did, Sarajevo to Munich, was my first experience with such a long ride and it exceeded my expectations. I was nervous about the climbing but was able to do it with the support from the staff and other riders. Riding the whole coast of Croatia and through the Alps was epic. The people I met were truly inspiring, some in their 80s, just keep moving. Thank you TDA.” – David Kabaker (USA)

RELATED
TOUR

The Odyssey

The original Odyssey by Homer followed Ulysses, King of Ithaca, on his grueling ten year trip home from the Trojan War during which he faced and...

The worlds of adventure cycling and professional road racing rarely overlap. But once in a while, these vastly different disciplines can meet. They did recently when the riders of The Odyssey found themselves riding on the route of the Giro d’Italia Women race, mere minutes before the arrival of the peloton.

It seems that searching the globe for the best cycling roads can lead us both to the same places!

These two worlds will meet again soon. When we heard that the UCI Road Cycling World Championships for 2026 would be held in Montréal, it seemed that TDA Global Cycling should be there.

Despite the differences between cycle touring and road racing, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to be in attendance at one of the world’s largest cycling events, here in our own country. And so, when the World Championships arrives in Montréal from September 20th to 27th, you will find a TDA Global Cycling booth in the Fan’s Village at Parc Jeanne-Mance. If you are in town for the races, please stop by to visit us. You can also attend our film screening night on September 24th.

Maybe Tadej Pogačar will get some ideas for how to spend his time once he one day retires from racing.

It has been a couple months since the cyclists on the 2026 Pub Ride pedalled into Copenhagen, marking the end of their ride through Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany & Denmark. Let’s see if they enjoyed their time together.

Registration is now open for the 2028 Pub Ride Cycling Tour.

“Such an amazing journey! Bicycle paths, towpaths, sidewalks, quiet and busy roads. Flat, gentle slopes, and steep hills for walking up with bicycles. Fields, forests, canals, coastlines, harbours, small and large towns. Sunshine, cool temperatures and hot, gentle rains and a few downpours, tailwinds and headwinds and still days, many hours of sunlight in these summer days. Cycling in small groups, stopping at cafes, rest days to explore and enjoy special places, socializing and solo time.” – Anne Fege (USA)

“It was a great supported ride with good staff and riders.” – Ross Ashborne (Canada)

“This is a great route.” – Bart Berg (USA)

>>Related Post: “I Highly Recommend This Tour.” – Reviews From The Pub Ride

“The TDA Pub Ride was far more than a long-distance bike ride—it was an exercise in resilience, curiosity, and perspective. Each day brought new landscapes, cultures, and conversations, reminding me that travel at the pace of a bicycle allows you to experience a country in ways that are impossible from a car or train. There were demanding days battling wind, rain, and fatigue, balanced by moments of exhilaration listening to the birds along quiet country roads leading to vibrant and welcoming towns. Riding into Copenhagen was a fitting conclusion to the journey. The city’s world-renowned cycling culture felt like a celebration of everything the tour represented: sustainable travel, community, and the simple joy of exploring on two wheels. Arriving after 3 weeks on the road brought a deep sense of accomplishment, and the discovery that some of life’s greatest rewards come from slowing down, embracing pain, and remaining open to the unexpected.” – Brad Klassen (Canada)

“Round for round, pound for pound there ain’t no finer pub ride bike tour around. The staff and fellow riders are first class. We all bonded at the end of each day with exactly what the tour was meant to be, a cold beer in a local beer pub laughing about the days events.” – Jeff Cohen (USA)

“This style of tour is very well run. Organized and efficient. I was more successful as a new long distance rider than I expected which was inspiring to me. The other riders in the group were welcoming as we came in half way to an established group.“- Angela Klasssen (Canada)

RELATED
TOUR

Pub Ride

Over 5 weeks you will cycle from storied Dublin to the waterfront of Copenhagen. Through Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, The Netherlands...

Maz Crotty joined the 2026 South American Epic Cycling Expedition in Cartagena, Colombia and rode to Quito, Ecuador. It was her first tour with TDA Global Cycling.

1,153 miles, 88,690 ft elevation ⛰️🚲⛰️🚲⛰️

Cartagena, Colombia. Saturday evening, the city is a sea of yellow as groups of family and friends gather to watch the Colombian World Cup match. The atmosphere is electric. On Sunday morning, after breakfast and a brief stop at the walls of the Old City for a group departure photo, we set off. A bunch of strangers from 11 countries are about to embark on an amazing adventure, one filled with challenges that will forge lifelong bonds and friendships.

At the start

As we ride out of the city, we quickly learn that traffic in Colombia is remarkably respectful of cyclists, always reassuring when you’re riding in a new country. We ride slowly and steadily as the heat rises each day. Any hazy cloud, patch of tree shade, or even a warm breeze is welcomed. Temperatures peak on day one at 101°F, with a “real feel” of 114°F. After just a 90 km ride, we’re completely wiped out. Each day, riding in the heat becomes a little more familiar, though not for all of us. It’s tough cycling.

Our tour leader goes for a run after lunch, and we debate whether she’s incredibly hardcore or completely crazy, before reminding ourselves that we’re probably a bit of both as well. New friends ride together through the difficult moments. No one gets left behind. The afternoon sweep rider is frequently slowed as we search for more shade and drink more water than we ever thought possible. We understand the consequences if we don’t. The TDA staff team’s ability to organize our daily movements so seamlessly, without ever appearing stressed even in difficult situations, is amazing to witness. Added to that is their attention to the small details for every individual rider, delivered with grace, patience, and genuine care.

Rider meeting on the beach

Each day I seem to discover a new favourite staff member. Will the Assistant Tour Leader returns to help when we can’t get a tire off. Tour leader Michaela picks us up after yet another mechanical issue and loads my bike onto the roof of the car so we can reach the hotel. There, Volker, the bike mechanic, helps solve the problem. Medic Jess offers advice and is the most approachable doctor I’ve ever met. They’re all cyclists themselves and completely understand what we’re experiencing. More importantly, they make it clear that they’re here to support us and keep us safe, and genuinely mean it. The food is incredible, with special vegetarian options available for me. Routes are thoroughly checked, hazards clearly reported, water refills provided along the way, and every one of the support vehicles checks in with us as it passes. It’s a big thumbs up from me.

As the days pass, we begin to understand Colombia’s rhythms and traffic patterns. Entire towns seem to head to work and school at exactly the same time. Families of four balance on a single moped: Mum on the back, Dad driving, and a child standing on each side. It’s wild to watch amidst the endless stream of scooters, motorcycles, and trucks. The traffic moves in peculiar patterns that appear chaotic and dangerous, yet somehow it all works. Days become weeks as we tackle mountain climbs on highways, cross national parks, and ride gravel roads through lush green landscapes filled with cattle, tropical vegetation, and magnificent trees.

Maz Crotty on the road in Colombia

The Colombians are happy, patient people. Everywhere we go, we’re greeted with friendly faces and random acts of kindness. It’s a refreshing contrast to everyday life back home. Many people have very little materially, yet they carry immense pride in their homes, communities, and national heritage.

Las Lajas Sanctuary

Eventually, the heat gives way to cold as we climb to elevations approaching 4,000 metres. Fortunately, we don’t sleep at the highest elevations during my portion of the tour, so altitude medication isn’t necessary. We ride through coffee and cocoa growing regions and gradually lose track of days and dates. There’s no time to read the news. We live in a bubble. Everyone knows we’re having the best time: the “slow crew” at the back. We take extra coffee stops, sample new foods and fruits, soak in the scenery, and never rush to reach camp. As long as we arrive in time to pitch a tent and take a shower, we’re happy. Some days I only ride to lunch. One memorable afternoon I visit Las Lajas Sanctuary, an extraordinary church built into a gorge near the Ecuadorian border. Along the way, I learn something important: enjoy the cycling to the fullest, but also enjoy the journey. Sometimes that means taking a ride in one of the support vans with expert drivers and excellent soundtracks rather than pushing too hard and finishing the day exhausted.

Boat transfer

Several days will remain etched in my memory forever. One is the boat ride through the wetlands from San Marcos – the cattle being driven across the water and a myriad of birds to view in this amazing setting. Another is the descent into Medellín, the City of Eternal Spring. It’s an insane ride down rough, potholed roads filled with sharp switchbacks and what feels like a million cyclists and scooters. Near the city, we stop for lunch at the roadside before being met by a local cycling club that escorts us into town, stopping traffic to ensure our safe arrival at the hotel. Oddly enough, I love riding into massive cities. Apparently being a non-native New Yorker has made me a little fearless. Traffic rarely unnerves me.

Another unforgettable day includes gravel roads, small ferries crossing the fast-moving Magdalena River, Colombia’s equivalent of the Mississippi, and delicious chilled strawberries at lunch near the second ferry crossing. From there, we ride into the Tatacoa Desert, feeling wild and free like cowboys on bikes.

I signed up for this epic adventure three years ago. My goals were simple: test every fibre of my body, gain a deeper understanding of the countries and cultures we pass through, speak bad Spanish, and be humbled by the enormous presence of the Andes and the ever-changing natural environment. The experience exceeded every expectation. What a privilege it has been to undertake a journey supported by such an incredible team, surrounded by encouragement and friendship, and to return home with a full heart etched with memories and a wonderful group of new friends.

RELATED
TOUR

South American Epic

This challenging expedition offers you the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the TDA...

Arjuna Boucher-Pertuisot was the Content Creator on the 2026 Road to Valhalla Cycling Tour.

Ask everyone on Road to Valhalla for their favourite moment and you’ll probably get a different answer. A fjord disappearing into the mountains. Riding through pouring rain and somehow loving it. A Swedish fishing village glowing in the evening sun. Achieving a huge personal goal with TDA. Or, apparently, watching the Content Creator get charged by sheep.

Over more than three thousand kilometres and six weeks travelling through Scandinavia, the landscape changed constantly. Finnish forests gave way to islands and Swedish coastlines, before Norway brought the mountains, fjords, waterfalls and weather. Some days were spectacular because everything went right. Others became unforgettable because absolutely nothing did. These are a few of the moments that stuck.

Åland Islands – The Perfect Transition

For many riders, the Åland Islands became one of the surprise highlights of the tour. Leaving mainland Finland and weaving through the archipelago brought a completely different rhythm: quiet island roads, ferries between stretches of land, red houses, forests and open Baltic water. Instead of simply crossing from Finland into Sweden, we travelled through the landscape in between, island by island, ferry by ferry. For several riders, that peaceful combination of cycling, water and constantly changing scenery made Åland one of the most memorable sections of the journey.

Fjällbacka – Sweden Showing Off

Not every highlight needed to be enormous. Fjällbacka was a small fishing village on Sweden’s west coast, surrounded by rocky islands, boats in the harbour and colourful houses glowing in warm evening light. After days of forests, farmland and quiet country roads, Sweden seemed to be showing off a little. The bikes stopped. The pace slowed. Cameras came out. Nothing dramatic needed to happen. It was simply one of those places where everyone looked around and thought: Okay. This is pretty good.

Peggy Morsch & Kathy Herson – The Day The Rain Won

Norway doesn’t always give you the postcard version. For Peggy and Kathy, one of the most memorable days was also one of the hardest. Cold rain. Soaked roads. Mountains wrapped in cloud. But underneath the rough weather was incredible scenery, deep valleys, waterfalls and dark peaks disappearing into the mist. They pushed through the day together, and what could have been remembered simply as miserable weather became one of the defining memories of their trip. Sometimes the hardest days make the best stories.

Bruce Huddleson & The Norwegian Sheep Situation

Norway has mountains. Norway has fjords. Norway also has an impressive number of sheep. Bruce will probably remember plenty of spectacular cycling, but unfortunately one of his lasting memories will be watching around twenty sheep charge directly toward me in the middle of the road. For reasons nobody understood, they then decided I was responsible for them. They followed. I walked. They kept following. Somewhere in Norway, the TDA content creator briefly changed careers. For the next week, I became known as the shepherd. Bruce found the situation considerably funnier than I did.

Chris Wille – Kilometre 100,000

For Chris Wille, Norway marked something much bigger. On August 5, Chris reached 100,000 kilometres ridden with TDA, becoming the first rider ever to hit that milestone. Behind that number are different continents, countless climbs and descents, borders, camps, friendships and very long days in the saddle. And kilometre 100,000 happened here, surrounded by Norwegian mountains and fjords on the inaugural Road to Valhalla. Pretty fitting.

Anne Thompson – Arriving In Geiranger

Then came one of those days when Norway barely looked real. The approach to Geiranger was cool and grey, but after the bikes came the ferry, and an entirely new perspective. Massive cliffs rose directly from the fjord. Waterfalls dropped hundreds of metres toward the water. Tiny farms clung impossibly high to the mountainsides. Anne Thompson joined the other riders on deck as the ferry travelled deeper into Geirangerfjord. Everyone had gone inside to warm up. Nobody stayed there for long. Every turn revealed another waterfall, another wall of rock, another reason to grab a camera. Sometimes the highlight isn’t a climb or a descent. Sometimes it’s simply standing in the middle of a Norwegian fjord and taking it all in.

Francine Plante – Trollstigen, Arriving At Valhalla

For Francine, Trollstigen was the day that captured what Road to Valhalla had become. By then, nearly six weeks of riding were behind her. And on this day, Norway seemed to throw everything at the group at once. Rain moved through the mountains. Waterfalls crashed beside the road. Clouds wrapped around the peaks as the switchbacks climbed higher and higher. Cold. Wet. Hard. But for Francine, that was part of what made it so memorable.

There was something almost unreal about pushing through the rain, climbing into that enormous landscape and finally reaching the top with the other riders. Lunch was waiting, everyone was bundled into rain jackets, and below them was the spectacular road they had just conquered. After six weeks riding toward a place called Valhalla, Francine felt that this was the moment they had finally reached it. Not a finish line. A feeling.

One Last Ride To Trondheim

And then, suddenly, there was only one road left. After six weeks of waking up, climbing onto the bikes and continuing north, the group rolled toward Trondheim together. The final kilometres always feel strange. You want to arrive. You’re also not quite ready for it to end. Then came the finish line. The hugs. The tired legs. One final group photo. Helsinki was now more than three thousand kilometres behind us. Ask someone for the best moment of Road to Valhalla and they might still struggle to choose. Åland. Fjällbacka. The rain. Geiranger. Trollstigen. The sheep. The people. After six weeks travelling through Scandinavia by bicycle, you don’t really come home with one favourite moment. You come home with a collection.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...

Camille Kirby is the Content Creator on the 2026 South American Epic Cycling Expedition.

“Northern Peru is flat and full of trash.”

I had been warned not to get my hopes up. Those who had visited before described a place of unsavory smells, dusty winds, and endless flatness. After the lush Colombian hills and smiling Ecuadorian faces we had grown accustomed to, they said Peru would be a slap in the face. And so we began our entrance into Peru.

I found myself cycling into Chiclayo, our first rest-day city. Seeing dusty, trash-strewn roads from the window of a vehicle is one thing; being on a bicycle in the middle of it is entirely different. The warnings quickly reveal themselves to be true. A harsh headwind blowing in from the nearby Pacific carried dust across a resource-depleted landscape, while the flat terrain stretched endlessly toward the horizon. The sameness of the straight route makes the riding feel hypnotic. But somewhere between the dust and the wind, something began to get more interesting.

I spot a huge billboard for a local hospital above a collection of half-finished homes. It depicts a pre-Hispanic warrior receiving an X-ray. He wears golden armor and an ornate headpiece, but his image is sliced in half, revealing his skeleton underneath. It’s almost the perfect metaphor for the Peru we’re entering: the past exposed by the present.

This dusty stretch of desert was once home to one of the largest civilizations in the Americas. Not the Incas—the civilization that so dominates our collective image of Peru—but the Moche and later the Chimu, cultures that flourished here for centuries before the Inca Empire emerged.

Maddison Holmes visits archeological site Chan Chan with Colleen Gordon and Yanez Novoa outside of Trujillo, Peru.

When you think of Peru, your mind tends to carve out the silhouette of Machu Picchu. You picture green mountainsides dotted with white llamas, the Amazon basin, or perhaps the chaotic sprawl of Lima. The Peru that is often forgotten is the coastal one. More than 3,000 kilometers of arid desert stretch along the Pacific, and beneath the dusty cities and surf towns lies an enormous trail of pre-Hispanic history, much of it hidden in plain sight.

Then comes Chan Chan. Just north of Trujillo sits the largest city ever built entirely from adobe. It was once the capital of the Chimu, which were at their height between roughly 1000 and 1470. At our rider meeting in Pacasmayo, the night before riding into Trujillo, I tell the riders about the ancient city and how it was once surrounded by fresh, flowing water. Their eyes widen. That can’t possibly be true.

Hundreds of years ago, runoff from the Andes flowed into the Moche River Valley, creating a network of rivers that carried water from the mountains to the Pacific. The Chimu harnessed those waterways with sophisticated irrigation systems, transforming this seemingly inhospitable desert into a thriving civilization. Lucho, our local support in Peru and the man behind the Casa de Ciclistas in Trujillo, tells me that the Incas eventually recognized the importance of these rivers to their enemies and began diverting water away from the coast. Cut off from their freshwater sources, the Chimu were driven inland. Eventually, they were defeated or absorbed by the expanding Inca Empire. Their language disappeared. Their cities were looted by the Spanish. What remains are ruins, and we’re riding right through them.

A Peruvian local watches the waves roll by in Huanchaco, Peru. 

On the surface, we’re pedaling across the flats of an arid desert. Beneath our wheels, however, is archaeological site after archaeological site—some carefully preserved, others neglected and slowly disappearing into the landscape. We are cycling on history, through history, becoming part of a geography continuously reshaped by water, wind, people, and time. As you ride into Trujillo, taking a pothole-ridden road where sections of pavement have already been reclaimed by the sea, you can see how this landscape might succumb to the same forces that have slowly eaten away at Chan Chan’s adobe palaces. This is the heart of coastal Peru.

Most people arrive in search of the Peru they already know: the Andes, the Amazon, the mountains, the dramatic vistas. The coast offers none of that. It offers dirt and grime, history and heart. It wasn’t until this section of the journey—without the picture-perfect scenery—that I began to feel like an explorer. When traversing the length of South America you’re going to get the inspiring volcanoes of Ecuador, but you’re also going to get the flat desert passes of Peru. It means Cotopaxi as well as the Pacific, lush valleys and forgotten archaeological sites, battered roads and cities that don’t look anything like the Peru we imagined.

The beauty of a journey like this isn’t just found in the places that take your breath away. Sometimes it’s found in the places you were told not to get excited about. Northern Peru is flat, dusty and messy. But beneath our tyres are the ruins of one of the greatest civilizations in the world. How lucky are we to trace its rise and fall with two wheels?

Anne Brooks rides into Huanchaco, Peru on a cloudy afternoon.

RELATED
TOUR

South American Epic

This challenging expedition offers you the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the TDA...

Our newest European cycling adventure, the 2027 Plum Ride, takes riders from the Baltic Sea to the Aegean Sea, from Poland to Greece, passing through 7 other European countries – Germany, Czechia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia & North Macedonia. Along the route the tour will stop for rest days in 8 cities and towns, each with their own distinct charm and attractions.

Let’s take a look at what riders can expect on their days off the bicycle.

Świnoujście, Poland

Stawa Młyny Lighthouse

Świnoujście is a Polish spa and resort town on the shores of the Baltic Sea, just across the border from Germany. It is known for the country’s widest beach (200m) and tallest lighthouse. Riders can climb up the latter for wonderful views over the area. They can visit an island within the city, Karsiborska Kępa, which is a protected bird refuge home to over 140 species, marvel at the Stawa Mlyny, a navigation beacon built in the form of a windmill, or wander through the Museum of Deep Sea Fishing.

Insider Tip: A visit to the Wolin Island Underground City is highly recommended. This underground complex was built built by the Nazis and later became a nuclear command post for the Polish Communist State. CNN reports that “visitors are grouped into “platoons,” while the guides play the roles of the strict Polish army commanders. Lining up and submitting to harsh commands and occasional screaming is part of the experience.”

Berlin, Germany

Brandenburg Gate

Berlin is a kaleidoscope of history and architecture. Riders can visit the Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag and Checkpoint Charlie. They can reflect at the Holocaust Museum, the Topography of Terror Museum and the Stasi Museum. If they have the energy, cyclists can pedal all or part of the Berlin Wall Bike Trail and/or the city’s old airport, Tempelhofer Feld, now a public park and when they finish, they can wash down Berlin’s signature curry wurst dish with a fine German lager.

Outside The Box: Feeling whimsical? Riders can visit Kaninchenfeld (Rabbit Field) where artist Karla Sachse installed 120 bunny silhouettes to honour the only creatures able to cross the Berlin Wall at will. Stroll down Chausseestraße for the best chance to come across them.

>>Related Post: Gdańsk – A Cycling Capital In The Heart Of Poland

Prague, Czechia

Prague Castle

The magical city of Prague marks the end of the Plum Ride’s first section and the riders will enjoy 2 full rest days here. Even that is barely enough time to skim the city’s incredible history. There is the spectacular Prague Castle, the iconic Charles Bridge and the medieval Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square. The cyclists can also explore Prague’s Jewish Quarter (Are you familiar with the Legend of the Golem of Prague?) or read the messages for peace at the John Lennon Wall and then head to one of the city’s famous beer halls for a local pilsner.

Must See: A visit to the Muzeum Slivovice R. Jelínek must be considered mandatory for the riders of the Plum Ride! Here they can enjoy a guided tasting and learn about the process of turning the fruit into a spirit.

Bonus Founder’s Tip: Given the political climate these days, TDA Founder Henry Gold suggests you take the Self Guided Tour of Franz Kafka’s Places!

Olomouc, Czechia

Upper Square and Holy Trinity Column

Olomouc, Czechia (pop. 105,000) is one of the smaller cities that the Plum Ride has a rest day in but there is much to charm the riders. The UNESCO Holy Trinity Column is decorated with numerous religious sculptures by the Moravian artist Ondrej Zahner and at noon the riders should be sure to be at the city’s Astronomical Clock to enjoy its animated display featuring 1950’s Social Realist figures – a miner, baker, clerk, volleyball player, auto mechanic and factory worker.

Tasting Note: Riders should be sure to sample the local cheese, Olomoucké tvarůžky. A ripened soft cheese made with cow’s milk, it is known for its distinctive taste and pungent odor.

Budapest, Hungary

Parliament Buildings

One of the world’s great cities. Stunning architecture like the country’s Parliament Buildings. A fabulous castle with sweeping views over the Danube. Soothing thermal baths. Cool ruin bars built in abandoned buildings and courtyards. A beautiful subway (Europe’s oldest) and charming yellow trams. A city of statues  including one of the American TV detective Colombo (Peter Falk)! St Stephen’s Cathedral which seats up to 8,000 worshipers. You may never want to leave.

Personal Tip: Communism Bike Tour by Budapest Bike Breeze. I signed up for this in 2023 and it was one of the best, most interesting city bike tours I have ever been on. You can read about it here. Don’t miss this!

>>Related Post: Thessaloniki: The Plum Ride Finish Line, But Not Quite the End

Belgrade, Serbia

Church of Saint Sava

Belgrade is Serbia’s capital and is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. It is also the end of the Plum Ride’s second section so riders will have 2 rest days to explore this historic city. The riders should be sure to check out the Church of Saint Sava with its vast dome and intricate mosaics as well as the Kalemegdan Fortress which overlooks the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. In the evening they can check out Skadarlija, a cobblestone street with traditional food and music.

Sipping Note: Have you sampled a Serbian Wine? Me, neither but you can try them yourself at Panajotović Wine Cellar which is set underground amongst a maze of ancient Roman tunnels.

Skopje, North Macedonia

Freedom Bridge

Once the Plum Ride enters the little visited country of North Macedonia, it will pause for a rest day in the capital city of Skopje. Much of the city was destroyed by a 1963 earthquake, leaving it with few historical monuments still standing. Fortunately, one of them was the Ottoman-era Old Bazaar, which reflects Skopje’s long and diverse history. Riders can also visit the 15th century Stone Bridge and Macedonia Square which is appropriately dominated by a statue of Alexander the Great.

Spiritual Note: Did you know Mother Theresa, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, was born in Skopje? If you are a fan you can visit the Mother Teresa Memorial House in the city. Its architecture, however, is controversial with one critic stating “if it weren’t for the Christian cross, it could be a disco or casino.”

Ohrid, North Macedonia

Church of St. John at Kaneo

The last rest day on the Plum Ride will take place on the shores of beautiful Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia. Once known as the ‘Jerusalem of the Balkans’, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for its ancient ruins and churches. One of the most iconic sights is the 13th century Church of St. John at Kaneo, perched on the shores of the lake. After visiting the many other historic sights, riders can enjoy a refreshing dip in the lake, one of Europe’s oldest and deepest.

Literary Tip: For a brief digital detox, consider checking out Ohrid’s National Workshop For Handmade Paper and remind yourself how paper was once traditionally made.

RELATED
TOUR

Plum Ride

Plum brandy has a long and illustrious history in Central and Eastern Europe, beginning as far back as the 14th century. Distilled from local plums...

“To move, to breathe, to fly, to float, To gain all while you give,
To roam the roads of lands remote, To travel is to live.“

– Hans Cristian Andersen

The inaugural Road to Valhalla bicycle tour that started in Helsinki, Finland has come to an end as scheduled in Trondheim, Norway. We have cycled over 3,000 km and climbed, let’s just say, enough to make my leg muscles tremble when I climb the stairs to a second-floor hotel room. How does one summarize such an adventure – after all – each one of us feels, sees and reacts differently to what they see and experience?

We have all heard about how unique these Nordic countries are, the way they differ from what seems like the rest of the world in their values, behaviour, approach to life and the natural world.

The British desert explorer, Sir Wilfred Thesiger, is quoted as saying “the harder the life, the finer the type.” I bring this up not because I think nowadays life in these countries is hard but rather that the essence of their character, their sense of community, their responsibility to each other, their utilitarian approach to problems, was formed by the land which they occupied, by the previous harsh conditions in which they were forced to eke out an existence.

A lone rider climbing through the dramatic mountain landscape of Trollstigen, one of Norway’s most iconic roads

By traveling during the most opportune time of the year, we were able to experience the sheer beauty of nature – some of it like the fjords in Norway are simply unreal – as well as the prosperous societies that the people have built but many of us were wondering how do they deal with the long winters, the lack of sun, the severe weather conditions? And that is in modern times, with easy communications, up to date transportation systems, mid-winter vacations in sunny places and easy access to what drives the modern world – energy supplies.

Opera House and saunas in Oslo, Norway

The changes and comforts brought by modern technology have happened in less than a century. Before that, life was harsh in Scandinavia and survival was never easy. It seems to me that it was these difficulties that formed the psyche of the Finns, the Swedes and the Norwegians. The Nordic nations are different from each other, yet they also share features that look oh, so attractive to us, travellers in these lands.

Hjalmar ‘Hjallis’ Andersen, who won- three gold medals at the 1952 Winter Olympics

This tour provided the riders with insights into the Nordic character: resilience, self-sufficiency, collective fairness, an egalitarian tradition, individualism, strong links to, and respect for, nature. Much of it, without a doubt, goes back to the Vikings, their social norms and values and their exploits and mythology.

One thing that the tour didn’t do was to lead us to Valhalla – the paradise of the Norse gods. To find your heavenly kingdom – to be a little jocular – you may have to try another new tour, The Road to Shangri-La, that starts in January, 2027. Perhaps that road will lead you to utopia. I, for one, think I will try that. And let you know…or you can join me and find out for yourself.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...

Are you thinking about joining our annual Journey to the East Cycling Tour through South Korea & Japan? It is always important to check out the reviews from riders who have previous done the tour so here you go…

Registration for the 2027 Journey to the East (Limited Space) & the 2028 Journey to the East is now open.

“A perfect journey to the east: geography-nature-history-culture and last but not least comradeship and a work out.” –  Annegrete Warrer (Denmark)

“The Journey to the East was an eye opener in so many respects. It revealed the beauty of the Korean and Japanese cultures and landscapes previously unknown to me. This was a result of the excellent choice of routes, regular exposure cultrual sites, local food, hotels and informative briefings by the staff. The tour leader and staff were excellent in their support of the riders. They were able to help mold us into a group with a positive identity who enjoyed each others company and cared for one another. This a must for riders who enjoy the challenge of an expedition and revel in discovery of new vistas.”
– Vince Waite (USA)

“Excellent scenery & variety; top notch organization particularly tour logistics; professional staff, especially the tour leader and local support in Japan (shout out to Kazu).” – Peter Donkers (Canada)

“It’s a great way to see Japan and exercise at the same time. This also means that you can try all of the different cuisines on offer as you burn up the calories riding. I loved the camaraderie between the riders and the support crew. We had a wonderful group of caring, fun-loving people who were great to spend time with.” – Andrea Zwerling (Australia)

>>Related Post: Journey to the East Rider Reviews: “Everything I Hoped For And More!”

“A beautiful experience.” – Gary Matey (USA)

“Loved the tour. What’s better than riding a hard day and then getting into an onsen to relax your muscles, followed by a fabulous meal. Mix that with a no drama, great group of people and an excellent cohesive staff and you get an amazing tour. Very different than the camping tours I have done before and no less amazing.” – Peggy Schrieber (USA)

“Totally up to my high expectations! Thanks to all those who were involved in making it happen ☀️.” – Sylvie Vachon (Canada)

“Great trip – a wonderful introduction to different cultures and countries. A fascinating “thin cut” through varied landscapes and places. Polite courteous and helpful people – even when/if we didn’t understand each other. Well led and supported – leaving us to enjoy the day at the variety of speeds chosen.” – Grant Duncan (UK)

“Despite all great information leading into tour I still commenced with much trepidation, unsure whether I would or could undertake the daily riding. Fantastic! my legs did come to the party (at my pace)!! Bonus too was enjoying culture, food and the riding and socializing other riders.” -Giselle Whish (Australia)

RELATED
TOUR

Journey to the East

While South Korea and Japan are close neighbors, their lands and cultures are completely unique. Cycling across these countries, one after the other...

Pedal through the lands of the Moorish Kings and experience the rich history and vibrant culture they have left behind.

We are excited to announce our latest cycling adventure – Road of Moorish Kings – a 7 week, 3236 km ride through Morocco & Spain. In April 2028, cyclists will set out from Casablanca and pedal through some of Morocco’s most famous sights – the souks of Marrakesh, the fortified village of Aït Benhaddou, shifting sand dunes in Merzouga on the edge of the Sahara Desert, the Imperial city of Fez, the towering Atlas Mountains,  the stunning blue-washed town of Chefchaouen & the historic port city of Tangier. Crossing into Spain, the riders will experience the Moorish Old Town in Rhonda, the legendary Alhambra in Granada, the sacred Basilica-Sanctuary of La Vera Cruz, the birthplace of paella in Valencia and some of the world’s best cycling on the island of Mallorca.

>>Related: Click here for dates, prices and full detail

Ronda, Spain

This two-wheeled journey takes riders through 700 years of Moorish history in Morocco and Spain, allowing them to explore the important influences that those years had on the region’s culture, language, cuisine, science, architecture and art. From enjoying the spectacular view over the Atlantic Ocean from a waterside hotel in Essaouira to spinning through Morocco’s stunning Dades Gorge; from climbing up to Ronda’s Moorish old town to boarding an overnight ferry to cross the waters of the Mediterranean to the cycling paradise of Mallorca, please join us on this incredible opportunity to experience the Road of Moorish Kings from the seat of your bicycle.

Registration is now open.

Tangier, Morocco

RELATED
TOUR

Road of Moorish Kings

For over 700 years the Moorish Kings ruled large parts of Spain from their bases in the Moroccan cities of Fez and Marrakesh. We invite you to join us...

When: September 24, 2026 @ 6pm

Where:  Cycles Régis, 1150 Avenue Van Horne, Montréal, QC H2V 1K2

Register for your free ticket here (spaces are limited)

What: ‘Because it’s There – A story of a group of strangers crossing South America by bicycle’ – a 40 minute documentary.

Please join us on September 24th for the first Montreal screening of ‘Because it’s There – A story of a group of strangers crossing South America by bicycle.‘ This visually rich and thought provoking documentary follows the 2024 South American Epic – a 6-month cycling expedition stretching from Colombia to Patagonia run by our team here at TDA Global Cycling. What compels a group of strangers to cross an entire continent by bicycle? This film tries to answer that question.

Led by unflappable tour leader, Carolina, and her resourceful crew, the cyclists pedal across vast salt flats, mountain passes, wind-blasted deserts, and remote river valleys. Along the way, they confront mechanical failures, political protests, wild weather and personal doubts — but they also experience a shared joy that can’t be measured in distance travelled.

Through candid interviews, moments of adversity and scenes of breathtaking beauty, the film captures more than just a journey — it reveals the formation of a tight-knit community. This is not just a film about cycling. It’s about choosing discomfort, embracing challenge and discovering meaning in movement — together.

Pictured above – Steve (left) celebrating in Patagonia and Tom (right) fixing a flat in Chile

At the end of the screening, we will answer all your questions about this cycling adventure across South America as well as any of our other tours and expeditions.

Register for your free ticket here (spaces are limited)

Our newest cycling expedition, Africa: Ocean to Ocean, takes riders through seven fascinating Southern African countries. In this post, we take a look at what cyclists can expect on their journey through country number 4, Zimbabwe.

Bulawayo

Bulawayo Coat of Arms

The second largest city in Zimbabwe, Bulawayo is known as the ‘City of Kings’. It features very wide streets lined with colourful jacaracanda and red flamboyant trees and some fine examples of colonial architecture. The riders will get a break from the African heat here as it is situated 1350 m above sea level, giving the evenings a nice cool touch. They should be sure not to miss both the fine Natural History Museum and the fascinating Railway Museum.

Khami Ruins

On their rest day in Bulawayo, the riders will have the opportunity to visit the 15th century Khami Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 22 kms from the city centre. Built soon after the better known Great Zimbabwe structures, the restored walls reveal intricate and varied patterns of decoration and were the base for terraces upon which huts and other structures were built. It was considered a very spiritual site and was hidden from while settlers until the late 19th century

>>Related Post: Cycling Angola

Matobo National Park

The riders will spin south out of Bulawayo and into Matobo National Park, home to one of Africa’s most distinctive landscapes. The sight of these balancing granite rock formations is truly something unique and a photographer’s wildest dream. In addition it is home to some incredible Stone Age cave art, being an area continuously inhabited by humans for over 40,000 years. Not enough? There are also significant populations of both black and white rhinos.

>>Related Post: Cycling Namibia

Cecil Rhodes Grave Site

Cecil Rhodes is, to say the least, a very controversial figure in the history of Africa being a vivid symbol of European colonialism. He had a vision of a Cape to Cairo Railway that, although never completed, inspired a trans-continental route that many travellers have largely followed, including our own Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition. The cyclists will make a lunch stop at his grave site – ‘View of the World’ – giving them a unique chance to reflect on his impact on Africa.

>>Related Post: Cycling Botswana

Limpopo River

On the last night in Zimbabwe, the riders will camp on the shores of the Mighty Limpopo River. This legendary waterway was made famous in Rudyard Kipling’s tale, The Elephant’s Child, from his 1902 book, Just So Stories. The river contains many large Nile crocodiles (an important part of Kipling’s tale), hippos and the occasional Zambezi shark, a species that can tolerate fresh water and can travel far up the Limpopo.

Recommended Reading

Heidi Holland – Dinner With Mugabe
Doris Lessing – African Laughter: Four Visits To Zimbabwe
Wilson Katiyo – Son Of The Soil
Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu – City Of Kings Trilogy
Terrance Ranger – Voices From The Rocks: Nature, Culture & History In The Matopos Hills Of Zimbabwe

Recommended Viewing

Mugabe and the White African (2009) – Award winning documentary about Robert Mugabe’s land policies being challenged in international courts.
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (2025) – The final days of the Rhodesian War through the eyes of an eight year old girl.
Neria (1991) – Drama about a widow’s life after she loses her husband.

Recommended Listening

2 Broke Twimbos (2BT)
In Conversation With Trevor (YouTube)
The Whitewashing of Zimbabwe’s Ancient History (BBC)

RELATED
TOUR

Africa: Ocean to Ocean

The original way to cross Africa from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean was the maritime Cape Route past the continent’s southern tip, a perilous...

Arjuna Boucher-Pertuisot is the Content Creator on the 2026 Road to Valhalla Cycling Tour.

There’s something the riders have been saying more and more as we make our way north: this trip just keeps getting better. Someone described the Road to Valhalla as a progressive gradient, and after nearly five weeks of riding through Scandinavia, it feels like the perfect way to put it. The Road to Valhalla takes us from Helsinki to Trondheim, crossing Finland, Sweden and Norway. But the progression between those two cities has felt like much more than kilometres on a map.

We started in Helsinki under grey skies, with rain and chilly temperatures welcoming us to Scandinavia. Then came summer. Long sunny days through Sweden and southern Norway, quiet bike paths, forests reflected in lakes, farmland, coastal roads and evenings that seemed to stretch forever. And then, gradually, the North started turning up the volume. The roads began to climb. The coastline became more dramatic. Mountains appeared on the horizon, then suddenly surrounded us. Fjords cut deeper into the landscape, waterfalls seemed to pour from everywhere, and the weather became colder, wetter and less predictable. A little wilder. A little more Viking. A little closer to Valhalla. But perhaps the most interesting gradient has been happening within the group itself.

The Quiet Side of Scandinavia

A bicycle is a good way to notice a place. You move slowly enough to see the details, but fast enough to watch the landscape and culture change around you. Steve Johnson, a rider from Wisconsin, has been particularly struck by something harder to photograph: the cleanliness, organization and quiet respect that seem woven into everyday life here. “There’s no confetti,” as Steve puts it. It’s a simple way of describing something we’ve increasingly noticed. Nothing seems desperate for attention. The bike paths simply work. Public spaces are cared for. Nature feels accessible rather than separate from everyday life. Old Scandinavian buildings sit comfortably beside modern architecture.

Then there are the rituals: fika, saunas, cold plunges, time outdoors regardless of the weather. There’s a coziness to life here, but also a closeness to nature. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that happiness comes up so often when talking about Scandinavia. At first, these are just details you notice. After weeks of riding through them, they start to feel connected. Maybe cycling is simply a good speed for understanding that.

So, What Is Valhalla?

In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the great hall of Odin, where warriors gather after death. Thankfully, our version involves significantly more bicycles, coffee and cake. And after almost five weeks together, Valhalla seems to mean something different to everyone. For some, it’s the freedom of waking up each morning knowing the day ahead is wonderfully simple: get on your bike and see what comes next. For others, it’s a moment. The top of a long climb. A cold plunge after a sauna. An extended fika stop. Laughing around the dinner table after spending the day riding through rain. For some, it’s the challenge. As the gradient rises, so does the reward.

And inevitably, it becomes about the people. Ride, eat, struggle, laugh and discover enough together, and somewhere along the road a group of strangers becomes a small travelling family. Now, with only five days separating us from Trondheim, we’re resting in Geiranger, surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery of the entire journey. And the funny thing is, nobody seems ready for the gradient to stop. The mountains have grown higher. The weather wilder. But the excitement, appreciation and simple happiness of being here seem to have climbed right alongside them. We’re still riding toward Trondheim. But perhaps Valhalla was never something waiting for us at the end. Maybe we’ve been riding into it all along.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...

Camille Kirby is the Content Creator on the 2026 South American Epic Cycling Expedition.

When you sign up to cycle a continent, you know you’ll face vast and diverse landscapes. Some will feel like a breeze; others will test your endurance and mental resolve. Some challenges will be outright difficult, while others will creep up on you over weeks, just as the kilometres of climbing do to one’s thigh muscles in the Colombian Andes.

The South American Epic takes cyclists to nearly every crack and crevice of the continent’s terrain, but it is in the mountains, high above sea level, where a specific hidden challenge tests riders in a unique way: altitude.

Reduced oxygen levels and lower atmospheric pressure combine to test a human being’s relationship with their breathing—with the lungs that keep them alive. Put that human being on a bike and have them cycle toward the sky, and that relationship becomes even more of a battle. And yet, our 2026 cyclists have pushed their bodies to the limit without having to have a difficult conversation with their lungs. From volcano to volcano, here’s how the 2026 South American Epic has tackled the high elevations of Colombia and Ecuador.

Anne Brooks reacts to arriving for lunch at 3,900 metres at the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

Our first taste of thin air came after a slow but lengthy climb from the agricultural centre of Manizales up the slopes of Nevado del Ruiz. We ascended from 2,153 metres to 3,900 metres. The night before, Jessie Morgan, our medic, led a talk on what to look out for when climbing into the thinning atmosphere: dizziness, sudden and rapid fatigue, and a throbbing headache. She urged the cyclists to drink more water, snack often, and make sure they’re getting a full night’s sleep.

>>Related Post: Cycling At High Altitude

Lunch was almost freezing. With mist rolling in and out, you could barely make out Nevado del Ruiz, the towering volcano hidden among the clouds. Nancy Stueve, from the U.S., was the first cyclist to arrive. She said she felt fine until about 15 minutes earlier, when all of a sudden breathing became a conscious effort rather than a subconscious one. Riders arrived at lunch telling similar stories, but the descent into camp calmed the nerves and returned their lungs to a normal status quo. And just like that, we survived our first test!

Riders adjust their layers and drink water as they head up to 3,200 metres outside of Pasto, Colombia

After a two-day bus trip due to civil unrest and safety concerns along our route, we arrived in the small city of Pasto, surrounded by Volcán Galeras and dozens of rolling green hills. Cycling out of the city, we felt the rise of elevation almost immediately. We cycled through the city which lies at 2,500 meters, but by way of steep gravel climb we reached 3,200 meters rapidly. The last two riders walked their bikes up a steep hill, only for us to round the next corner and find six more doing the same—not a single pedal stroke in sight.

“I didn’t think we’d get to 3,200 metres today,” says Karin Lind Hansen from Denmark, checking her Garmin. “The hill is hard, but the thin air makes it almost impossible.” Riders found it difficult to keep drinking water, with the frigid early morning temperatures making hydration feel far more like an afterthought.

At lunch, everyone agreed it must have been the three days off the bike that made the climb feel so punishing but it became clear that the rapid gain in altitude has caught up with us. We began to realize that our gradual ascent to Nevado del Ruiz may have been the key to maintaining steady breathing. Going from 2,500 to 3,200 metres on a 9% gravel climb is even harsher than it sounds. Even I, simply walking back and forth to photograph cyclists climbing the hill, felt my lungs demanding extra breaths.

Rob Fisher sets up his tent under the watchful eye of Cotopaxi

The day has come. Today we’ll reach the highest elevation of the expedition. Two days earlier, Jess encouraged riders interested in taking altitude medication to begin their doses that evening. About half the group choose to take it.

When cycling—or doing any activity at altitude—you give yourself about 20 to 30 minutes to negotiate with your body about why you feel the way you do. Maybe you didn’t sleep enough. Maybe you haven’t had enough water. Maybe your muscles are simply sore. But after those 30 minutes, you realize the thinning air really is the culprit.

At lunch, at 3,300 metres, Jessie taped a sign to the drinking water jug: “Drink more. Eat more. Sleep more. Feel better at 3,900 metres.”

The sign proved more effective than you might expect. Riders returned to refill a second water bottle, then a third. Michaela Pye, our Tour Leader, made sure the staff are acutely aware of the symptoms of altitude sickness and encouraged the lunch crew to check in frequently with riders about how they’re feeling. We also encouraged riders to eat more than usual and stay on top of their water and protein intake. When assessing altitude sickness, you want to rule out every other factor first before concluding that the thin air is causing the problem.

The ride into camp that evening was defined by rough gravel and relentless winds, all beneath the towering presence of Cotopaxi. It’s was a tough day. Riders were pushed toward the opposite side of the road by powerful gusts, forcing them to constantly adjust while navigating the rocky terrain.

Room with a view

And yet, every cyclist rolled into camp—still under the watchful eye of the volcano—with a smile on their face and little mention of struggling lungs or pounding headaches. Maddy Holmes, from Australia, sumed it up perfectly: “To arrive at a camp with this view, you had to have had a tough day.”

Altitude can often feel like anxiety. Your breathing becomes shallow, your heart rate climbs, and your body feels as though it’s vibrating. There’s something to be said for this group’s commitment to drinking more water, eating more frequently, and getting enough sleep. Those habits have helped us listen to our bodies instead of getting caught up in the anxiety-inducing nature of cycling at altitude. Riders stop often, check in with themselves and each other, and know when it’s time to call it a day.

RELATED
TOUR

South American Epic

This challenging expedition offers you the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the TDA...

“Nothing is impossible that one desires with an indomitable will.”  – Henrik Ibsen

The inaugural Road to Valhalla Cycling Tour from Helsinki to Trondheim has reached Oslo, the midpoint of the tour. Wonderful, compact, and almost traffic free, Oslo is ideal for my regular rest day walkabout. And as in Helsinki and Stockholm, there is much to see and explore. It was a windy, rainy day and so with some wonderful companions, I chose to take a ferry to see two museums knowing very little about them.

It turned out that much like my blogs on Helsinki and Stockholm, this piece is essentially about two remarkable Norwegians who are the central figures in each of the museums. The Fram (meaning forward) Museum houses the 39 meter schooner which was designed and built specifically to prove that you could make a ship that northern ice will not destroy. More importantly, it would also prove the natural east–west current of the Arctic Ocean. It was an audacious idea, with many sceptics and nay sayers but, as the Wikipedia page notes,“In the face of much discouragement from other polar explorers, Nansen took his ship Fram to the New Siberian Island in the eastern Arctic Ocean, froze her into the pack of ice, and waited for the drift to carry her towards the pole.”

The man behind building the ship and the leader of the expedition was a remarkable man of action, Fridtjof Nansen, who was an explorer extraordinaire, a polymath, scientist, diplomat, humanitarian and, eventually, a Nobel Prize winner. I had never heard of him or any of his many exploits and activities and I was most fascinated to learn about him and the multiple stories connected to the expeditions of the ship and its crew. And, of course, walking on the actual ship was an experience in itself. Frankly, I could have spend several more hours in the museum.

Right across the Fram museum is the Kon -Tiki Museum which houses the balsa raft that the Norwegian explorer, Thor Heyderhal, and his remarkable crew used to cross from Peru to Polynesia to prove that an ancient civilization had the knowledge to cross the Pacific Ocean. It also houses the totora-reef boat built for the subsequent voyage to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The museum tells the story behind the construction of the boats, the hypothesis for the raison d’etre of the expeditions, the crew, and Thor Heyderhal’s story and his determination to implement his projects.

I started this blog with a quote from perhaps the most famous Norwegian author, often referred as the father of modern drama. If you have read any of his books or seen his plays, you will likely agree that he had an excellent understanding of human nature. There are no better examples of ‘indomitable will’ than Fridtjof Nansen and Thor Heyderhal. Walking around the museums, learning about these two individuals, also reminded me of the ‘indomitable will’ of many of the participants on our tours.

What a wonderful way to spend a rainy day in Oslo.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...

Fun fact about me: in all three tours I’ve joined since starting at TDA, I’ve always been there at the beginning. I arrive with things from the office, meet the crew and riders, and share those first exciting days when the whole adventure is still ahead. But I’ve never experienced the other end of it.

What does it feel like to reach the finish after weeks on the road together? To share that enormous sense of accomplishment and camaraderie – mixed with the bittersweet realization that you did it, but will soon have to say goodbye to the people who became your little travelling world? Finishing a full tour with the riders and crew is one of my biggest dreams. And if I ever get to choose where it happens, I would love to cross that finish line in Thessaloniki on next year’s Plum Ride Cycling Tour.

The White Tower

Stay A Little Longer

But then comes another question: what do you actually do when the tour is over? Do you pack your bike, grab your bags and head straight to the airport? Or do you give yourself more than one day to recover, celebrate and enjoy one of Greece’s most underrated cities? I know what I would choose. I might even unpack the bike – although, after almost 3,500 kilometres, we would have to see how convincing I find that idea in real life. Thessaloniki isn’t a cycling capital, and its bike infrastructure is limited, so this isn’t the place to casually explore every neighbourhood on two wheels. The flat waterfront, however, is the exception: a roughly five-kilometre stretch connecting the port, White Tower and Concert Hall, passing the famous Umbrellas by the famous sculptor Giorgios Zoggolopoulos along the way. It sounds like the perfect easy ride for legs that have already done quite enough.

>>Related Post: Gdansk: A Cycling Capital In The Heart Of Poland

Pedalling past the ‘Umbrellas’

More adventurous riders could look beyond the city towards the forested hills of Seyh Su or Mount Chortiatis but those are proper mountain-biking outings that would require some local route research, not spontaneous post-tour wandering.

Bike or no bike, I would stay for the food alone. This is Greece, after all. I would give myself a couple of gloriously unproductive days dedicated to tavernas, pastries, seafood and discovering exactly how many different things can be improved with feta and olive oil. I would simply wander around the Ladadika district and slip into a couple of tavernas without even checking Google reviews, just choosing whatever catches my eye.

Then I would switch on my history nerd mode. Thessaloniki offers several directions to take it! I could explore ancient Macedonia at the Archaeological Museum, dive into the city’s Byzantine past at the Museum of Byzantine Culture, or visit the Jewish Museum to understand Thessaloniki’s once-thriving Jewish community and what happened to it during the Holocaust. Different chapters of the same remarkably layered city – and knowing me, choosing just one might be the real challenge.

And if a couple of days somehow became a few more, Thessaloniki would also make a great base for exploring the region: ancient Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great, or Litochoro and Mount Olympus. Climbing Olympus is not exactly a casual day trip – it deserves proper planning and, depending on the route, more than one day – but after cycling across Europe, perhaps one more mountain wouldn’t sound completely unreasonable.

Perhaps that is what I would want from Thessaloniki: not another achievement to add immediately after cycling through nine countries, but a little time to understand that the adventure is actually over. To sit by the sea, eat something ridiculously good, replay the past 45 days and slowly get used to the strange idea that tomorrow you won’t be getting back on the bike with the same people.

I still don’t know what finishing a tour feels like. But I imagine it is a confusing mixture of exhaustion, pride, relief and not being quite ready to let go. And Thessaloniki – with its waterfront, layers of history and very persuasive amounts of feta – seems like a pretty good place to stay with that feeling for a little longer.

Hopefully, one day I’ll find out for myself.

RELATED
TOUR

Plum Ride

Plum brandy has a long and illustrious history in Central and Eastern Europe, beginning as far back as the 14th century. Distilled from local plums...

]]> https://tdaglobalcycling.com/2026/07/thessaloniki-the-plum-ride-finish-line-but-not-quite-the-end/feed/ 0 https://tdaglobalcycling.com/2026/07/to-cycle-or-not-to-cycle-a-tale-of-vehicle-transfers-on-tda-tours/ https://tdaglobalcycling.com/2026/07/to-cycle-or-not-to-cycle-a-tale-of-vehicle-transfers-on-tda-tours/#respond Mon, 27 Jul 2026 13:32:03 +0000 https://tdaglobalcycling.com/?p=65793   Over the past 20 odd years TDA Global Cycling has earned its spurs by cycling across countries and continents.]]>

Over the past 20 odd years TDA Global Cycling has earned its spurs by cycling across countries and continents. Cycling the entire route has always been a primary element of our tours, but from the very first Tour d’Afrique in 2003, which included a ferry transfer across Lake Nasser between Egypt and Sudan, TDA Global Cycling has found interesting ways to transfer our cyclists by means other than bicycle when necessary.

>>Related Post: Paradise Lost – The Good Ship S.S. Sagalnaam

Most often a transfer by boat, train, bus or plane is incorporated into the tour route long in advance, as part of the original planning of the tour. This can be done to avoid areas with political unrest or closed borders, to avoid dangerous traffic, or simply to cross an area where roads or bicycle paths do not exist.

Colombia boat transfer on the 2024 South American Epic (San Marcos to Ayapel)

It also is done at times to add to the overall enjoyment and experience of the tour, such as the boat journey along the Bosporus into Istanbul at the end of the Istanbul Express, an overnight ride on the Trans-Siberian Railway in Mongolia during the Silk Route, or an amazing journey by small watercraft through Colombian wetlands on the South American Epic.

Some transfers we’ve organized over the years were not planned pre-tour, but created out of necessity along the route, to avoid potentially unsafe situations. These transfers can be temporary additions to tours, due to reasons such as sudden protests, political unrest, weather events related to climate change, and other causes. In all cases, we make these decisions based on rider safety and enjoyment.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for, and history of transfers on TDA tours.

Geopolitical

Some are temporary and unexpected. For example, in August 2008, the Silk Route (which at that time ran west to east, Istanbul to Beijing) was just about to cross the border from Turkey into Georgia when Russian forces invaded that country. Instead, the riders retreated to the Turkish town of Kars and were bused to Ankara. From there, they flew to Baku, Azerbaijan where the tour restarted.

Earlier that same year, election violence in Kenya meant that the riders on the Tour d’Afrique had to skip the entire country. The riders cycled all the way to the Ethiopia/Kenya border and then the group bussed back to Addis Ababa to fly to Tanzania while the support vehicles drove through Kenya. After a 2 week break, the group met up in Arusha and the tour restarted from there.

>>Related Post: The Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition: The Next 10 Years

On the Silk Route in 2012,  an unexpected clash between the government and local militant groups in Khorog, Tajikistan meant that some of the the riders had to be transferred by Tajik army helicopter to the country’s capital, Dushanbe in order to restart the tour while others arrived in vehicles arranged by the Aga Khan organization.

Some are hard to predict like the December 2025 border closure between Cambodia & Thailand, which remains to this day. As a result our 2026 Bamboo Road cyclists will fly from Siem Reap to Bangkok. On the positive side, this closure allowed us to create an exciting new route from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap that includes both a bus and boat transfer!

>>Related Post: The Bamboo Road: Cambodia Update

The continuing horrific situation in Sudan and the ongoing civil unrest in Ethiopia has meant that for the past few years, and likely long into the future, the Tour d’Afrique includes a flight transfer from Aswan, Egypt to Nairobi, Kenya to avoid those conflicts.

Environmental

Unexpected rain in Namibia on the 2026 Tour d’Afrique

We have had to occasionally transfer groups before due to extreme rainfall and flooding, such as a camp on the South American Epic in Argentina in the foothills of the Andes, but have generally avoided any longer transfers due to climactic events. However, climate change is accelerating. Extreme summer heat in Europe. Typhoons in Asia. Drought and forest fires in North America. In response, we need to be prepared, flexible and quick to adjust.

Developmental

The Great Eastern Road in 2006

As countries around the world, especially those of whom in the past have had poor road infrastructure, see an increase in their wealth, the first thing that happens is more cars and trucks appear on the road. In 2006, when I cycled the Tour d’Afrique, the Great Eastern Road through Zambia was, to me, a wonderful ride. There were virtually no vehicles on the road at anytime and the cycling was divine. Fast forward 20 years and we now have rerouted the riders into Zimbabwe to avoid the traffic. This change meant taking a ferry across Lake Kariba which, happily, turned out to be a favourite memory for many cyclists on the tour!

>>Related Post: Suspended In Time: A Ferry Ride On Lake Kariba

It is not just in Africa, this situation is occurring everywhere and requires us to seek out even more remote and quiet roads for riders to pedal on.

Enhancement

Leaving a ferry on the 2025 Island Hopping Japan tour

Some transfers, such as mentioned in the introductory paragraphs here, are not done out of necessity, or unsafe situations, but are done purely to enhance the overall tour experience. Long and arduous bicycle tours at times can benefit from a day or two of a different mode of transport, whether that be Island Hopping by ferry in Japan, a mountain train journey in Sri Lanka, or a bus / game drive across Kruger National Park in South Africa. Though this isn’t something we choose to do lightly, a group transfer can allow TDA to maximize the experience on tour.

It is a credit to our staff, past and present, both in the field and back in the office, that we have been able to successfully deal with a wide variety of these situations, especially the unexpected ones and still create incredibly unique and memorable travel experiences that only TDA Global Cycling knows how to pull off.

Our newest cycling expedition, Africa: Ocean to Ocean, takes riders through seven fascinating Southern African countries. In this post, we take a look at what cyclists can expect on their journey through country number 3, Botswana.

Okavango Delta

Impala splashing through the Okavango Delta

One of the natural highlights of Africa is the extraordinary Okavango Delta. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, its waters support a vast array of wildlife such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, African wild dogs, elephants, buffalo, hippos and impalas. It is best viewed either from above on a sightseeing flight or at ground level in a traditional dugout canoe and the tour stops in the nearby town of Maun for 2 rest days in order to give the cyclists ample opportunity to experience this unique place.

>>Related Post: Cycling Angola

Elephants

Did you know that Botswana is home to over 130,000 elephants? That is about 1/3 of all the African elephants on the planet! For about 180 kms, the Africa: Ocean to Ocean route follows the path of our legendary Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition and its appropriately named section, the very popular Elephant Highway. Cyclists will have the opportunity to see these magnificent creatures from a unique perspective, the seat of their bicycle.

Makgadikgadi Pans National Park

After leaving the ‘Elephant Highway’, the route takes the riders along the edges of the vast (12,000 sq. kms) Makgadikgadi Pans, some of the world’s largest salt flats. This uninhabited National Park features a harsh beauty, with lone baobab trees standing out against a vast emptiness. Wikipedia mentions that “one of them (baobabs), named after James Chapman, served as an unofficial post office for 19th-century explorers.” it also is home to herds of antelopes, zebras and wildebeest along with a number of lions.

>>Related Post: Cycling Namibia

Francistown

Abandoned gold mining equipment

Just before the riders cross into Zimbabwe, they will stop in Francistown which was founded by an English gold prospector, Daniel Francis, and is the only town in the country with an English name. It was the centre of Southern Africa’s first gold rush in the 1860’s with adventurer coming from all over the world looking to make their fortune. Riders can visit the Supa Ngwao Museum which has exhibits on both the gold rush and cultural displays on the local Kalanga peoples.

Recommended Reading:

Peter Allison – Whatever You Do, Don’t Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide
Mark & Delia Owens – Cry of the Kalahari
Bessie Head – When Rain Clouds Gather
Will Randall – Botswana Time
Eleanor Morse – White Dog Fell from the Sky

Recommending Viewing:

Elephant Refugees (2020): A documentary about how the Elephant Sands Bush Camp sheltered hundreds of elephants during a severe drought.
A United Kingdom (2016): The true story of Prince Seretse Khama of the Bangwato tribe and his marriage to Ruth Williams, a white woman from London.
The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980): A classic comedy about the results of a San bushman in the Kalahari Desert finding a Coca-Cola bottle in the desert.

Recommended Listening:

Beautiful Botswana (Apple)
Elephant Conservation in Botswana (BBC)
Botswana: Living with Elephants (BBC)

RELATED
TOUR

Africa: Ocean to Ocean

The original way to cross Africa from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean was the maritime Cape Route past the continent’s southern tip, a perilous...

Arjuna Boucher-Pertuisot is the Content Creator on the 2026 Road to Valhalla Cycling Tour.

I have always wanted to visit the Scandinavian countries. For years, I have wondered what they do differently to consistently rank among the happiest places in the world and whether some of their habits could be brought into my own life. Is it their connection to nature? Their strong communities? The balance between work and personal time? The saunas, cold plunges and endless coffee breaks?

Now, cycling 3,000 kilometres through Finland, Sweden and Norway on the Road to Valhalla, I finally have the chance to experience this way of life from much closer. At first, however, happiness was a little difficult to see through rain-covered glasses. We left Helsinki beneath a grey sky, cycling through steady rain with soaked gloves and water finding its way into places we had hoped would remain dry. It might not sound like the beginning of a story about happiness. Yet Finland, Sweden and Norway all sit near the very top of the global happiness rankings. Three of the world’s happiest countries, connected by one long bicycle journey.

The World Happiness Report is not simply counting smiles. It asks people to evaluate the overall quality of their lives, taking into consideration factors such as social support, health, freedom and trust. Those ideas can feel abstract when viewed on a chart. But after cycling through Finland and into Sweden, slowly, and quite literally kilometre by kilometre, I am beginning to understand what some of them might look like in everyday life.

Nature Is Part of Life

Here, nature does not feel like somewhere you escape to on the weekend. It is built into daily life. Forests begin at the edges of towns. Lakes sit beside homes, parks and bicycle paths. Islands are connected by small ferries, while docks and swimming platforms appear almost everywhere there is water. Even the cities make room for it. Helsinki opens onto the Baltic Sea, Turku gathers around the Aura River and Stockholm spreads across islands with parks and water woven throughout. People are not necessarily doing anything extraordinary outside. They are walking, cycling, swimming, sitting beside the water or sharing coffee. Nature does not need to become an expedition before it can be enjoyed.

Finland’s Everyman’s Rights and Sweden’s Right of Public Access also give people the freedom to walk, cycle and spend time across much of the countryside, as long as they respect the land, wildlife and those living there. The idea is wonderfully simple: nature should be part of everyone’s life, but that freedom comes with responsibility. Our rainy departure revealed something else. People here do not seem to wait for perfect conditions before going outside. The rain arrives, jackets come out and life continues. Plans are adjusted rather than abandoned. I am fairly certain no happiness survey asks whether you enjoy putting wet socks back on in the morning, but the weather is not treated as an obstacle standing between you and life. It is simply part of life.

Time for Fika

Once we reached Sweden, another part of Nordic culture began appearing in cafés and village bakeries: fika. At its simplest, fika is a break for coffee, usually accompanied by something sweet. But calling it a coffee break does not quite capture the idea. Fika is also about deliberately making time for other people.

On a cycling tour, this makes immediate sense. Helmets and gloves collect on the table. Coffee arrives. Someone orders a simple pastry or a slice of cake to go with it. Stories from the morning are exchanged and the group reconnects before returning to the road. Connection does not always require a major event or an elaborate celebration. Sometimes it is built through an ordinary ritual repeated often: coffee, something sweet and enough time to be present with the people around you.

Heat, Cold and the Finnish Sauna

And then there is the sauna. In Finland, sauna is not simply a spa treatment or something reserved for a holiday. It is part of ordinary life, found in homes, apartment buildings, lakeside cottages, hotels and public spaces. After a long cycling day, its appeal is easy to understand. You sit. You breathe. Tired legs begin to relax. Nobody needs to be productive, and there is nowhere else to go.

Then, for those willing, comes the cold lake or sea. The first contact with the water removes every thought from your mind except one: this is extremely cold. A few moments later, however, you feel intensely awake. You return to the heat and begin again. There is something distinctly Nordic about finding pleasure not by escaping the cold, but by moving between cold and warmth.

Maybe We Already Know the Recipe

Of course, it would be too simple to say that forests, fika and saunas explain why these countries rank so highly. Happiness is also influenced by economic security, health, freedom, trust and strong social systems. But after spending time here, the everyday recipe does not seem quite as mysterious as I expected. Perhaps it is not so far from what many of us already know. Good company. Good food. Time and space to be quiet. Staying close to nature. Moving your body. Going outside even when the weather is far from perfect. Sitting together around a table. Sweating in a sauna before jumping into water cold enough to make you question every decision that brought you there. It all sounds remarkably simple.

And the more I think about it, the more I realize that TDA might have already understood at least part of the recipe. Every day, we go outside and move, whatever the conditions. We share meals, coffee stops, difficult climbs and long stretches of road. There is time to talk, but also plenty of time to be quiet. Time to think while riding alone, followed by evenings spent laughing around a table with people who may have been strangers only a few weeks earlier. Maybe this helps explain why so many riders return for a second, third or even thirteenth tour. They may come back for the countries, the roads and the next big adventure. But perhaps they are also returning to this particular rhythm of life: moving every day, sharing simple moments and becoming part of a small community travelling together.

A cycling tour is certainly not a perfect model for happiness. There are sore legs, mechanical problems, headwinds and moments when the next destination feels impossibly far away. But even those difficulties create connection. Someone waits at the top of a climb. A rider helps another with a flat tyre. Coffee tastes better after hours in the rain, and dinner feels more meaningful when everyone has worked hard to reach the same table. Perhaps happiness is not only about comfort. Maybe it also comes from challenge, purpose and the feeling that you are moving forward with other people beside you.

For now, I am still beginning to make these connections while riding every day through Scandinavia. Maybe it is only the honeymoon phase, the long summer evenings or some kind of Nordic placebo effect. But I do feel very happy here, happy enough that six weeks is beginning to feel a little short, and part of me is already wondering what it would be like to stay longer. We will see whether I still feel the same way by the time we reach Trondheim.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...

To a young person into adventure movies, Romancing the Stone was a big hit in the mid 1980’s with Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and the country of Colombia in starring roles. For a 10-year-old, with too much faith in Hollywood film productions, it was a first impression of Colombia, as a kind of lush jungle wilderness, with a mix of rich criminal underworld characters, with fancy 4×4 trucks, and rural peasants with mules and horses.

As one gets older, they may discover that Hollywood is a cultural propaganda machine that has never let accuracy or truth get in the way of making money. Of the many inaccuracies in such a movie, one was not seeing any Colombians on bicycles. With the rugged and rural mountain terrain, and challenging roads and paths in remote areas, the bicycle has been a key component of rural transportation since the mid 20th century, with it only slowly being replaced by motorcycles and cars the last decades.

>>Related Post: Colombian Cycling Culture Is A Sight To Behold

This necessity of cycling for transportation and the large number of bicycle riders in the country helped lead to the Vuelta a Colombia bicycle race, whose origins date back to 1951. The race turned Colombia’s strongest cyclists into household names and inspired other Colombians to emulate their success. The race, a multi week stage race, was legendary for its endless climbing, the altitudes reached, and the overall adversity faced. Colombian fans would follow along each day with the race being broadcast across the country by radio. These early heroes of Colombian cycling were, like the early days of the Tour de France, people who persevered through challenging living circumstances, with few economic resources, to rise to an elite level, such as Efrain “El Zippo” Forero, the first winner of the Vuelta a Colombia.

South American Epic riders cycling with the locals

Later generations of Colombian cyclists succeeded on the world stage, including the Café de Colombia cycling team, with its star Luis “Lucho” Herrera in the 1980’s. They became the first Colombian team in the Tour de France and their team branding helped spread the word on the amazing coffee culture of Colombia. Boyaca, Colombia native Nairo Quintana, won the Giro d’Italia in 2014, after getting his start as a child cycling 16km through the mountains to school and to sell vegetables for his family’s income. Later Egan Bernal would become the first Colombian to win the Tour de France in 2019.

All this goes to say that the TDA cyclists here on the South American Epic, in the first weeks of the tour as we’ve crossed from Cartagena to Bogota, have not been alone on the roads, with many local cyclists of all stripes cycling along our route, from professional cyclists to families.

SAE riders and their friends from SiCLas Collective

In Medellin, our TDA cyclists met the SICLAS Collective, a group of Medellin cyclists who promote active transportation, at the edge of the city. As a convoy our cyclists and the SICLAS Collective cyclists rode together towards our rest day hotel, including using roads that had been closed by the Medellin government as part of the famous Ciclovia, a family friendly event on Sundays where many roads are shut to vehicles and thousands, or in Bogota which also has the Ciclovia, even millions of bicycle riders and pedestrians fill the roads. On the way out of the city the TDA cyclists were also guided by convoy from Medellin, and enjoyed the safety and support of the SICLAS Collective, who would cheer for other cyclists on the road, while singing songs, both about biking, as well as on their socialist values.

As the first section of the South American Epic concludes in Bogota, the riders deserve to be incredibly proud of their efforts. There is no casual pedalling in Colombia, as they have cycled through intense Caribbean heat, up 50km plus climbs, gone above 4100m elevation, and cycled 3000m+ climbing days. All can know that they have now proudly earned their place in Colombian cycling culture.

RELATED
TOUR

South American Epic

This challenging expedition offers you the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the TDA...

The cyclists who rode the 2026 Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition from Cairo to Cape Town have had a few months to digest their time in Africa and reflect on their experiences . Let’s see what they had to say!

“The Tour d’Afrique was one of the most rewarding and unforgettable experiences of my life. There were beautiful landscapes, amazing people and so many moments that will stay with me forever. I loved the adventure of it all, the simplicity of life on the road, the camaraderie, wildlife, and seeing Africa change country-by-country on two wheels. I genuinely wish I could go back and live the whole experience again!” – Nicky Fox (UK)

“An amazing journey through places I would never experience otherwise. When you choose this trip you choose hard, but you also choose fun, fulfillment and a shared experience with staff and rider group who exponentially add to the experience. When you pack for this trip, leave your ego at the door, and bring your determination, kindness and good humour. You’ll want them all.” – Paul Kelley (USA)

“Oh boy, it’s so hard to describe what we have experienced. Can say this: I will never forget it and we made very special friendships. It’s both a physical and mental challenge and it will give you moments of reflection and a rollercoaster of emotions all day every day. You will have good days and there will be bad days but that’s the beauty of it.” – Loes Zijlmans (Netherlands)

“It was everything I had hoped it would be. It was really tough for me, and I was frequently at the edge of my capabilities. But the impeccable organization, the friendliness and support of the leaders and crew and the incredible camaraderie of the riders helped carry me through it. And because of that I got to see and experience, smell, feel and taste so many wonderful things.” – Tony Free (UK)

“Unbelievable on so many levels. This is not a bike tour, this is a life experience.” – Michael Marek (Austria)

“The tour was so incredibly good that it is hard to grasp, let alone to describe with words. It was far more than merely cycling, it felt like a true expedition. Valuable (self) insights have formed during the tour. A “normal holiday” or work related course would not be able to come nowhere near this experience. Some of the other riders have become friends and we will certainly meet again in the future. Also, the TDA staff we had was great. The downside of this all is that, now the tour is over, I miss every aspect of it, even the head wind and rainy days 🙂” – Gijs Blok (Netherlands)

“The Tour d’Afrique was a life-changing experience–the journey of a lifetime. I enjoyed every minute and every mile: even those in the pouring rain and the slippery mud.” – Eric Hirst (USA)

“Hit the ground running in this circus treadmill that has its own pace. If you can’t keep up, it flips you over and puts you back on again. It’s intense. Nothing is autopilot and there’s overstimulation. And then, you start to realise you’ve adapted. Simple tasks that required a lot of thought before just another simple task to your daily routine. And then, you start to realise you aren’t falling forwards but you’re keeping pace with the circus. And then, you realize you really enjoy the circus treadmill and you can have more fun and flare with your days. You don’t want it to end.” – Fiona Sandrock (Australia)

“Every day was a new adventure. Sensory overload in just about every way. This is exactly how I wanted to explore Africa. Yes there were constant challenges, but this is type 2 fun in its truest form.” – Daniel Chemtov (Canada)

“Super challenging and exhilarating tour filled with memories of a lifetime! TDA staff and support were first rate ensuring we had the best conditions to maximize our experience.” – Rob Knowles (Canada)

“The tour met and exceeded my expectations – from the perspective of experiencing a little of the lives of the local inhabitants as seen from a bicycle saddle, the staff skill level and teamwork, the fascinating riders – with varied home countries, languages and experiences, all combined with an amazing landscape with a bio-diversity new to me as a first time visitor to the countries on the route.” – Clyde Scollan (Canada)

“Although challenging at times and not as comfortable as what I’m used to, the experience of biking and participating in the Tour d’Afrique has been very rewarding and life changing. I’ve been home for over a month now and I still long to be back in Africa riding my bike. The other night I woke up longing to be in my tent. I miss the other riders. I miss the staff. I miss everything about this expedition. I am so thrilled and happy that I had the opportunity to participate.” – Quintin Clark (USA)

RELATED
TOUR

Tour d'Afrique

The trans-African crossing from Cairo to Cape Town has long been one of the world’s epic journeys and an iconic goal for global adventurers. Over...

Camille Kirby is the Content Creator on the 2026 South American Epic Cycling Expedition.

The TDA bus is parked in the dead centre of the bustling Colombian town of Santa Rosa de Osos, tucked into the heart of the country’s dairy country. Men in cowboy hats and knee-high rubber boots – the unofficial uniform of Colombian dairy farmers -wander the colourful streets, stopping to chat outside bakeries and cafés.

Our vehicle sticks out immediately. Brazilian license plates. A pair of bikes strapped to the back. It’s an odd sight in a town where nearly everyone seems to know everyone else. It doesn’t take long before we’re surrounded by three young boys. One straddles a tiny bicycle while the others circle the bus, each wearing the same curious expression. They want to know where we’re from, certainty we don’t seem like we’ve come from Brazil. In my broken Spanish, I try to explain – “Trabamomos para una gira di ciclistas” – we work for a cycling tour. I lift one hand high into the air – from Cartagena – then lower the other – to Ushuaia, Argentina. “Toda Sudamérica en bicicleta” – all of South America by bike. The boys stare back, completely dumbfounded. Maybe they didn’t understand me. Then one repeats what I said, squinting with a mischievous smile. Another slowly shakes his head. “No es posible.” I laugh. “Sí, vero!”

Mike Cote and Richard Hughes cycle through the foothills of the Andes on Stage 5 of the South American Epic

It’s moments like these that remind you just how unbelievable this journey really is. When you’ve been living on the road, day after day, it becomes strangely normal to wake up, ride across mountain ranges, and end the afternoon in another town. It takes the disbelief of someone else to put our journey into perspective. Eight riders on this year’s South American Epic will pedal the entire length of the continent, from the Caribbean coast of Colombia to the southern tip of Argentina. Countless others will ride individual sections, stitching together the route over several years. Different journeys, united by the same extraordinary road. This is the South American Epic, after all.

For some riders, if they’re going to see a place, they’re going to see all of it. For American Mike Cote, South America had long been on his list – “I wanted to experience South America. Biking is unique in the way that you get to see and smell, and participate in the local roads and climate and people. You’re in the elements for the most part.” Those elements have already kept us on our toes. We began among the sweltering humidity of Cartagena and, within a single week, climbed into the foothills of the Andes, where temperatures can change dramatically from one kilometre to the next. For Maddy Holmes, from Australia, this ride has been a decade in the making – “I was supposed to cycle the length of South America ten years ago.” Life had other plans. Now she’s finally here, choosing the support of a TDA expedition over tackling the continent alone.

Richard Hughes, also from Australia, had never set foot in South America before signing up for the full journey. I ask him, why commit to riding an entire continent you’ve never even visited?, “I guess I thought… why not?” That simple philosophy seems to capture something essential about TDA expedition riders. If cycling offers the most immersive way to experience a place, then why not experience an entire continent that way?

Caroline Powell ponders on the cargo boat taking us from San Marcos to Ayapel on Stage 4 of the South American Epic.

Not everyone is choosing the long-term epic. Some sectional riders are continuing journeys they’ve already begun, others are taking their very first step, knowing they’ll spend years coming back to finish what they started. For Caroline Powell, from the United Kingdom, this section is the continuation of a dream years in the making. “I cycled Lima to Santiago in 2019, and I’ve always wanted to complete the rest of South America. I’ve been looking forward to this section for about six years, and now I’m finally here. I think I’ve wanted to be on a bike all my life, and South America just fascinates me as a continent.” Her previous journey, shared with her husband, was entirely self-supported. On the first day of this tour, she couldn’t believe she didn’t have to carry her own bags. The freedom!

For Maz Crotty, originally from the United Kingdom but now living in the United States, this is only the beginning. She plans to tackle South America ‘chunk by chunk over the next decade, returning until every kilometre is complete. Then there’s Canadian Remi Despres-Smyth, who had never cycled outside his home country before joining us in Cartagena. He’s here to experience TDA life before committing to the North American Epic in 2029. “The only place in the Global South I’ve been to is India, and I didn’t cycle when I was there.” Colombia has been quite an introduction. Few places embrace bicycles the way this country does, and the respect shown to cyclists has left an impression on nearly everyone in the group.

Two curious boys join us for lunch on Stage 5 of the South American Epic.

I keep thinking about those three boys in Santa Rosa de Osos. Maybe they believed me. Maybe they didn’t. Perhaps, to them, we were just a group of slightly crazy gringos passing through town with strange bikes and an even stranger story. But I hope they keep wondering – they went home thinking about the possibility of riding the entire continent on two, non-motorized wheels. Because impossible journeys always sound impossible – right up until someone does them.

RELATED
TOUR

South American Epic

This challenging expedition offers you the best opportunity to explore the vastness and diversity of South America by bike. In keeping with the TDA...

As a child watching hockey games between Sweden and Czechoslovakia, I learned some important words in Swedish – ‘Heja, Heja, Sverige’ – go, go Sweden. And now in my eighth decade of life, I am walking the streets of Stockholm, my brain involuntarily chanting ‘Heja, Heja, Sverige’.

The inaugural Road to Valhalla cycling tour has left Finland behind and the most luxurious ferry I have taken in my life – and I have taken many – brought us to Stockholm. On the rest day, we all went our own way to discover and enjoy what this city has to offer. After walking, walking and more walking, I can tell you there is plenty to do, see and enjoy. It was in a blog I wrote in Florence on the Viva Italia cycling tour that I first used the words, ‘I won’t have time; I won’t have time – even in a hundred years…’

I wrote this simply to point out how much there is to see and experience in Florence, and a short visit is simply a tasting adventure. After spending the day walking in Stockholm, coming across museum after museum, churches and palaces, public art, historical sights, delightful cobblestones streets in the old city, a pedestrian friendly and very busy centrum, there is just so much to discover, to taste and enjoy. And I have not even mentioned all the attractions outside of the old city and the centrum, which I simply didn’t have the time to visit.

So rather than tell you more about all these attractions I thought I would write, as I did in my last blog in Helsinki, a few paragraphs about two individuals from Stockholm who made an impact on the world.

One has a very popular museum named for him while the other has a ‘bench memorial’ marking his deeds. The person with the museum invented dynamite and made a lot of money in munitions. A popular story, which hasn’t been confirmed, but is noted in Wikipedia relates that “In 1888, the death of his brother Ludvig supposedly caused several newspapers to publish obituaries of Alfred in error. One French newspaper condemned him for his invention of military explosives…and this is said to have brought about his decision to leave a better legacy after his death.”

The obituary supposedly stated, ‘Le marchand de la mort est mort‘ (The merchant of death is dead) and went on to say, “Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday. Nobel read the obituary and was appalled at the idea that he would be remembered in this way. His decision to posthumously donate the majority of his wealth to found the Nobel Prize has been credited to him wanting to leave behind a better legacy.”

The other city citizen saved over 10,000 lives during the Holocaust in Hungary only to be taken prisoner in Budapest by the Red Army, never to be heard of again, likely spending years in gulags where he eventually died. Even though I knew both stories, I wasn’t thinking about either of them until I stumbled, first upon the Alfred Nobel museum, and then half an hour later, I noticed a bronze diplomat’s briefcase bearing the initials R.W. on a bench of black granite.

Alfred Nobel, or at least the Nobel Prize, gets ever more worldwide attention every year, nowadays due to one well known American! A Nobel Prize winner for literature Saul Below wrote one of my favourite books – Henderson The Rain Maker. Wikipedia writes about the protagonist in that book – “Despite his riches, high social status, and physical prowess, he feels restless and unfulfilled, and harbours a spiritual void that manifests itself as an inner voice crying out “I want, I want, I want.” Sound familiar?

The second person, Raoul Wallenberg, was the son of well to do Swedish family and has an academy and a digital museum centre named after him in Stockholm that talks about his life work. Outside of Sweden there are many monuments and streets named after him. He has been given numerous humanitarian awards and honorary citizenship in the USA, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Hungary and Israel. An annual award that aims to “perpetuate the humanitarian ideals and the nonviolent courage of Raoul Wallenberg” is given annually in Washington, D.C. and by pure coincidence, two months ago my life partner Ruth asked me to watch a new movie called Swedish Connection. Towards the very end of the film, it is revealed that the narrator of the movie is Raoul Wallenberg.

Two Stockholmers, two stories. One about leaving a legacy, one a story of civil courage.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...

There are cities you visit because they belong on every bucket list. You arrive with a checklist, a carefully saved Google Map, and the feeling that you need to see everything before you leave.

And then there are places like Troyes. Places you never expected to fall in love with. When we rolled into Troyes the day before, we almost bypassed the historic centre. I’d heard the Tour Leader Balazs say it was beautiful, but honestly, I wasn’t expecting much. The following morning was my rest day. Like any responsible traveller, I did what we’re all guilty of doing these days. I opened Google Maps, asked ChatGPT to build me the perfect walking route, pinned all the places I “had to see,” and confidently headed into town.

That plan lasted about five minutes.

Because Troyes has a habit of distracting you.

You spot a tiny medieval alley and think, I’ll just peek in for a second. Then another. Then a hidden courtyard. Then a bakery that smells too good to walk past. Then a little square full of people lingering over lunch. Before you know it, your phone is back in your pocket. The map is forgotten. You’re no longer trying to “see Troyes.” You’re simply wandering through it. And that’s when the city starts revealing itself.

Could I tell you to visit the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul? Sure. You’ll probably end up there anyway. Should you walk down Rue Émile Zola? Chances are, you will. Should you find Ruelle des Chats? Somehow, Troyes will make sure you do. That’s the beauty of this place. You don’t have to chase its highlights. They quietly appear when they’re supposed to.

Eventually you’ll get hungry. Don’t overthink it. Look around, pick the nearest café, and sit down. Just make sure you’ve learned one important French lesson first: restaurants serve lunch when they serve lunch (between 12 and 1 pm). Miss the service, and the kitchen is closed. But even that’s not really a problem. Find the nearest boulangerie instead. Grab a fresh baguette, a slice of quiche, maybe something sweet for later, and find a shady bench or a little square with a fountain. And that might end up being the better meal. So this isn’t really a guide to Troyes, It’s suggestion to get lost. Put your phone away, ignore your map, take the next little street that catches your eye and trust the city. It knows where it’s taking you.

And one more thing.

What are you doing to me, Istanbul Express?

Day one, you gave me one of the most unforgettable arrivals I’ve ever experienced, rolling into Provins. Day two, you casually introduced me to Troyes… and then had the audacity to schedule a rest day here. If this is only the beginning, I genuinely have no idea what the rest of this journey has in store. No wonder Istanbul Express (formally the ‘Orient Express’) has become one of TDA’s most loved tours. I’m only a few days in…and I’m already wondering how this tour plans to top itself.

]]> https://tdaglobalcycling.com/2026/07/get-lost-in-troyes/feed/ 0 https://tdaglobalcycling.com/2026/07/paalo-nurmi-emil-zatopek-the-road-to-valhalla-cycling-tour/ https://tdaglobalcycling.com/2026/07/paalo-nurmi-emil-zatopek-the-road-to-valhalla-cycling-tour/#respond Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:19:28 +0000 https://tdaglobalcycling.com/?p=66155   “Mind is everything. Muscle – pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind.” –]]>

“Mind is everything. Muscle – pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind.” – Paavo Nurmi

“Great is the victory, but the friendship of all is greater.” –  Emil Zatopek

Have you heard of Paavo Nurmi or Emil Zátopek? Helsinki connects these two remarkable people. I am here for the inaugural Road to Valhalla Cycling Tour which will take us from the capital city of Finland, Helsinki, to Stockholm Sweden, onward to Oslo, Norway and then past some amazing fjords to our final destination, the city of Trondheim. But this blog isn’t about cycling.

As is my habit when I come to a place I know little about, I take a walkabout. It is not that there is no cycling in Helsinki. The city has an extensive network as well as great routes such as the Seuirasaarenslka trail which is part of a 130 km long public waterfront system. This 14.4 km cycling and walking route runs through four delightful islands. To top it off, the city had just finished building the amazing Kruunuvuorensilta, or Crown Mountain bridge, for cyclists, pedestrians and light rail at a cost of US$373 million.

Oodi Central Library

So, if I am not writing about cycling, what else should I focus on? There is certainly no shortage of subjects here, starting with world-famous Finnish design. Since 2014, Helsinki has been a UNESCO City of Design and one could easily spend a day in the Design District and still be eager to have more time there. A blog or two can easily be written about Finnish cuisine, ranging from game – bear, elk, reindeer or grouse – to the Finnish staples of herring, smoked fish, or the iconic whitefish vendace, eaten whole and accompanied with tasty rye or sourdough breads.

Kampi Curvilinear Chapel

In Helsinki – a city designed for walkers – you can wander around, admire and write about architecture, ranging from remarkable churches such as the contemporary curvilinear wooden Kampi Chapel or the Temppeliaukion Kirkko church hewn from solid rock, to buildings such as the Oodi Central Library or the Musiikkitalo, the glass and copper fronted Helsinki Music Centre. And let’s not forget Finladia Talo, the landmark concert hall designed by world famous architect Paulo Alto, known for his concept of Well Being and Human Environment.

I could dedicate a blog or two to Helsinki’s 10 million metre underground network of sports fields, art installations, swimming pools, museums, tracks for go karting and running, tunnels, the metro, parking and much more, initially built during the Cold War. To get a feel for it, consider watching Architect Tapi Snellman’s film, Helsinki Underground.

Instead, I will write about a couple of long-distance runners whose achievements and personalities made an impact on their countries and the world far beyond running. Paavo Nurmi, considered to be a national symbol and know as the flying Finn, set 22 world records, won nine gold and three silver Olympic medals and was undefeated in 121 races. If you are interested in finding out more about his impact on Finland and its identity, check out the Wikipedia entry. Without a doubt, a truly legendary figure. And on my walkabout, I came across his statue in front of the Olympic Stadium where Emil Zatopek, a Czech runner – who visited my school when I was a kid – became a running legend at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

Emil Zatopek won the 5 km and 10 km gold medals and, at the last moment, decided to run the marathon as well – for the first time in his entire life. To everyone’s surprise, he won that as well, the only athlete to ever win the three races in one Olympics. If you like sports, there are many fascinating stories about these two amazing athletes.

My favourite story, however, is not about running. Zatopek was an officer in the Czechoslovak army in 1968, by then retired from athletics, when the Soviet army invaded the country. Zatopek, along hundreds of thousands of citizens expressed his displeasure with the invasion. For this gesture, he was dismissed from the army and to shame him, the functionaries decided to make him into a garbage collector in Prague. It didn’t work out well for the party. When the public heard that Zatopek was collecting garbage, people waited outside their doors and didn’t allow him to touch the garbage. It was the functionaries who ended up looking embarrassed. So they gave Zátopek another job, as a forester, to keep him away from the public eye.

As a youngster, I was consumed by athletics and read the sport pages from A to Z. Neither Nurmi nor Zatopek have crossed my mind in decades but in Helsinki memories of distant times have come back. Paavo Nurmi became a cultural icon in his country, representing perseverance and excellence, and Emil Zatopek inspired many athletes and non-athletes and is remembered for his generous spirit and camaraderie with fellow athletes. These are good thoughts to have for our challenging cycling from Helsinki to Trondheim.

RELATED
TOUR

Road to Valhalla

Valhalla, also known as the Hall of Heroes, was the goal for all real Vikings. Ruled by the Norse God, Odin, only the bravest and fiercest of warriors...

Sara Frenning was the Content Creator on the 2026 The Odyssey Cycling Tour.

I asked the riders on The Odyssey this very question. Most of the answers started in an expected way. Sunshine, tailwinds, scenery, descents. But as the question lingered, the answers started to shift. Some uphills, some unexpected turn of events, some rain, even some traffic started to seep into this imaginary perfect day on a bike.

Somewhere in between, with a balance between the good and the hard, was where most of the riders landed. A subtle agreement that easy does not always equate to good when it comes to cycling. That the descents are sweeter after a gruelling climb, that the sun feels a little warmer after a heavy rain, and that a deserted mountain road fills you with more freedom after you battled some traffic to get there.

One exceptionally rainy day in Germany proved this. It was raining buckets from the moment we left the hotel until we reached the lunch spot, 70 km later. I kept my head down and battled against the elements, stopping only occasionally to take a photo or two of drenched riders, while trying not to cause permanent damage to my camera. Despite the freezing rain and a  dark cloud that seemed to stretch to the size of Germany itself, almost every rider that passed my plastic bag, wrapped camera, smiled and joked about our situation. Even those who did not smile but simply endured were part of the collective suffering. We felt more like a team than on any of the other days. We all felt the same pain and suffering that day.

Perhaps more importantly, we all felt the same joy when the cloud of doom lightened by just a few shades of grey. Suddenly, the flowers smelled sweeter, the grass was greener, and the otherwise rather mundane landscape seemed like the most beautiful sight any of us had ever seen.

The thing with suffering is that it makes joy easier to find.

A couple of dry socks for drenched feet, a cup of tea for cold hands to hold, an extra layer of protection when Germany decides to dump a record amount of rain on you. All these things are nothing special, nothing you would think twice about on a normal day, but things that, after a long day of suffering on a bike, feel like nothing less than pure joy.

I think this is why so many of us like to ride our bikes. We choose to suffer to remind ourselves how sweet a downhill can be, that bliss can be found in the simple absence of rain. To remind ourselves of how easy pure joy can be.

It’s a privilege to choose our suffering in the form of bike riding, but just like in life, a good day is not only one where everything is easy, but one where we get to practice the art of spotting and enjoying the simple joys life offers, even on a day with many hills.

RELATED
TOUR

The Odyssey

The original Odyssey by Homer followed Ulysses, King of Ithaca, on his grueling ten year trip home from the Trojan War during which he faced and...

Arjuna Boucher-Pertuisot was the Content Creator on the 2026 Journey to the East Cycling Tour.

After thousands of kilometres, countless bowls of rice, endless vending machines, ferry crossings, mountain climbs, quiet roads, busy cities, and more than a few well-earned onsen, the Journey to the East has officially reached its final destination: Sapporo, Japan.

What began in the energetic streets of Seoul became much more than a cycling tour. It became a moving community between riders, staff, bikes, duffel bags, snack stops, laundry missions, early mornings, tired legs, and unforgettable views. For Sheila Morehouse, the tour was a chance to discover two countries at the perfect speed. “The Tour d’Afrique helped me confirm that biking is the perfect speed and manner in which to explore a country. Japan and Korea were complete unknowns to me, so this seemed like a great opportunity to learn a lot in a really granular way.” For Vince Waite, the journey was also about challenging expectations. “I came here to challenge myself with another expedition tour, and to challenge my stereotypes of Japan.” And for many riders, that is exactly what the tour became: a chance to move through South Korea and Japan slowly enough to notice the details: one climb, one meal, one ferry, one convenience store stop, and one unexpected conversation at a time.

The Challenge of the Road

The Journey to the East was beautiful, but it was not always gentle. There were long riding days, steep climbs, changing weather, city transfers, ferries, and the daily challenge of waking up and doing it all again. Riders had to adapt constantly.. to new roads, new countries, new food, new routines, and sometimes to legs that were clearly asking for a rest day. But this is also what makes the wins feel even bigger. For Giselle, each day came with its own uncertainty, but also its own reward. “Every day I thought I was not sure I would be able to ride every day, let alone complete the hills. Most proud to finish and think of the ‘mountains’ as only hills.”

Vince also found himself changing through the climbs. “Steep ascents previously created anxiety for me, and I came to look forward to them.” That is the magic of a long tour. A climb becomes a hill. A hard day becomes a story. A fear becomes something you know how to ride through. For Sheila, the challenge was not only physical. It was also about letting go a little. “I’m proud of overcoming some of my Point A to B tendency, choosing love over EFI, and getting up the climbs.” Some riders were chasing every kilometre. Some were chasing the experience. Most were trying to find their own balance between the two.

The Moments Along the Way

There were plenty of big highlights: arriving in Busan, seeing Mount Fuji on a clear day, cycling through the Japanese countryside, reaching Hokkaido, and finishing near Lake Shikotsu before rolling into Sapporo. But the small moments may be the ones people remember most. A perfect lunch stop. A quiet road through rice fields. A surprise view after a climb. A convenience store snack that saved the energy. A shared table at dinner. A joke that somehow lasted for weeks. A rider overcoming a challenge they were not sure they could complete.

When asked about her favourite moments, Sheila did not choose just one. “Every downhill was an amazing multi-sensory experience. Every single little kid I played with, every single onsen — for better or worse — and being able to ride with Vince this time around were all favourite moments.” For Vince, one of the best parts of the tour was also one of the simplest. “My favourite moment was riding with Sheila and matching our very different styles of riding so that we could stay together.” And Giselle found her favourite memories in the shared rhythm of the group. “Riding with our ‘tribe’ through the many gorgeous winding paths, with canopy over the road, lakes, mountains, and gorges.” In the end, a tour like this is not remembered as one single highlight. It is remembered as hundreds of little moments that slowly become something much bigger.

Two Countries, Many Surprises

South Korea and Japan offered two very different but equally memorable chapters. In Korea, riders found smooth bike paths, riverside riding, busy cities, and a cycling culture that made moving through the country feel easy and exciting. Vince remembered Korea for “the amazing bike paths”, while Giselle was struck by how polite, respectful, and shared the country felt.

Japan brought a new rhythm. The tour moved through islands, mountains, forests, fishing towns, rice fields, temples, shrines, hot spring towns, and some truly impressive hotel dinners. One day might include a tough climb in cold weather, and the next might end with riders walking around in the traditional clothing yukata, before a multi-course meal. For Vince, experiencing Japan completely changed the way he viewed the country. “Japan has literally broken all my stereotypes. I have found it to be a loving, kind place of magnificent beauty.”

A Tour Built by People

Of course, no tour like this happens by accident. Behind every riding day was a team of staff working early mornings, late evenings, and all the hours in between. Bags had to be moved. Routes had to be pre-checked. Lunch had to be made. Hotels had to be ready. Riders needed answers, support, encouragement, and sometimes just a calm voice saying, ‘Yes, you’re going the right way.’ The staff were at all time the invisible engine behind the journey, but the riders brought the magic.

Some brought humour, others their wisdom. Some brought unstoppable climbing legs, others contributed with their excellent snack strategies. And many brought stories from past tours. Together, they created the spirit of the trip. As Sheila put it, one of the things she will miss the most is: “Our cool, quirky group — riders and staff — overeating to try every new food and drink, and the freedom to just ride and explore.” Giselle echoed the same feeling: “I’ll miss the camaraderie and freedom that comes with every day riding.” That freedom was everywhere on Journey to the East. It was in the open roads, the daily discoveries, and the rare simplicity of having one main job each day: ride your bike and see what happens.

What We Take With Us

At the end of a journey like this, it is easy to talk about the goals achieved: distances we passed, destinations that were reached, and elevation that was climbed. Those numbers matter, but they do not tell the full story. The real story is in the people. It is in the rider who overcame more than they ever thought they would. The friendships built over shared ups and downs. The jokes that only makes sense to the people who lived them. The comfort of miso soup, ramen, onsen’s, and, as Giselle reminded us, automatic toilets.

The Journey to the East was not just about crossing South Korea and Japan by bike. It was about discovering what happens when a group of people commits to moving forward together, one stage at a time. From Seoul to Sapporo, it was one incredible ride.

RELATED
TOUR

Journey to the East

While South Korea and Japan are close neighbors, their lands and cultures are completely unique. Cycling across these countries, one after the other...

Our newest cycling expedition, Africa: Ocean to Ocean, takes riders through seven fascinating Southern African countries. In this post, we take a look at what cyclists can expect on their journey through country number 2, Namibia.

*Note: Our flagship cycling expedition, the Tour d’Afrique also passes through Namibia but that route is far to the south of this tour’s path, which explores a new area of this fascinating country.

Kunene River

As soon as the riders exit Angola and enter Namibia, they will begin to pedal westward along the Kunene River. This body of water marks the border between the two countries and is one of the area’s few perennial rivers. Besides hosting a number of crocodiles, it is home to the Kunene River mouth cichlid, a species of fish found nowhere else on Earth. The cyclists will enjoy the views as the river changes back and forth from rushing rapids to quiet lagoons.

Epupa Falls

After following the Kunene River for a couple hundred kilometres, the tour will stop in Epupa Falls, a rather remote and unspoiled location. It is a spectacular sight, especially given the arid surroundings. The water crashes down into a gorge and the shores are lined with baobab, fig and palm trees. Riders can check out the many bird species that inhabit the area or simply sit and enjoy the sight of the falls with Angola’s mountains looming in the background.

Kaokoland

Koakoland is a vast area of northern Namibia and is the country’s least densely populated region (which is saying a lot given that the country’s population density is 3 -4 people per square kilometre!). The climate, although harsh, supports a number of animals such as the unique desert adapted elephant, giraffes, zebra and springbok while hardy succulents and dwarf trees are scattered across the boundless landscape.

Himba Culture

The Himba people, a polygamous, semi-nomadic, pastoral society make their home in Kaokoland, keeping up their traditions and surviving by herding their drought-resistant cattle from one water source to another. The red ochre they use to braid their hair and protect their skin from the harsh sun is distinct to their culture and the women display ornate hairstyles and jewellery made from iron, copper and shells.

Etosha National Park

This iconic National Park, known as ‘The Great White Place’ in the local Ovambo language, features a dry lakebed (Etosha Pan) that is 130 km long and 50 km wide. It can even be seen from space! The park is notable for the large number of watering holes that dot the southern edge of the Pan. These attract an incredible variety of wildlife including elephants, black rhinos, giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs and many, many more. Cyclists will enjoy a game drive through the park as part of their experience.

Recommended Reading:

Dr Mary Seeley – The Namib Desert
Neshani Andreas – The Purple Violet of Oshaantu
André Brink – The Other Side of Silence
Sandra Shields – Where Fire Speaks: A Visit With the Himba
Marion Wallace – A History of Namibia: From the Beginning to 1990

Recommended Viewing:

Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation (2007) –  A historical drama that chronicles the country’s fight for independence.
Bikes for Africa (2013) – A documentary following the life adventures of Hap Cameron and Mandy Todd, and their attempt to help implement a self sustainable bike workshop in rural Namibia.|
Kapana (2022) – A heartwarming drama-romance follows an openly gay office worker and a closeted local kapana (grilled meat) vendor who fall in love.

Recommended Listening:

This is Namibia (Apple)
Namibia: The Price of Genocide (BBC)
Journey Back to Namibia: The Story Begins (Spotify)

RELATED
TOUR

Africa: Ocean to Ocean

The original way to cross Africa from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean was the maritime Cape Route past the continent’s southern tip, a perilous...

Paige White, Content Creator on the 2026 Pub Ride, invited riders to reflect on their journey so far. Collected in a notebook passed from rider to rider, these entries capture some of the experiences, challenges, and highlights from the first half of the tour.

On the 2026 Pub Ride, a notebook with a race plate taped to it has been passed around. In it, we asked our riders to describe their experiences so far riding through the first half of the tour. We invited them to share personal stories, highlights, mishaps, and everything in between. Here’s what they had to say so far.

‘Cycling is what brought us together through a common interest. We all have diverse backgrounds, yet cycling makes us cohesive. What a privilege it is to share this energy, laughter, and conversations with others. For me, cycling brings me joy – a heart-and-soul connection to my physical self. It reminds me of how resilient our bodies are. Thanks, TDA, for taking care of all the logistics so that I am able to focus solely on “the ride.”  Wendy Deloume

Wendy rides along the Scottish canals with a group of riders

‘As always, cycling has brought me many new faces and friends. The encouragement and camaraderie, no matter what your cycling experience has been, on the Pub Ride has been fantastic.  Jeff Cohen

Jeff watches other riders go past

‘Rain. Steep hills. Landscapes!’

‘We walked the hills on the moors, with grades over 11%. These short, steep hills zapped my energy. The moors are a unique landscape with amazing views.’

‘It was an exhilarating experience riding out of London. There were other cyclists, traffic, potholes, pedestrians, and an unfamiliar traffic flow. At the roundabouts, it felt like locals didn’t care about their own rules, and it required hyper-focus to avoid any close calls.’ – Notes from Hans, Ross, Ryan, Dave, and Anne while riding the ferry to France.

Hans and Ross – Dad and Son cycling together

‘I learned once again not to turn back to those behind you while informing them that you’re going to look for coffee. If you forget this, you might catch the curb next to you and suddenly have that awful feeling that you are headed for the sidewalk and the concrete wall beside it. Now that we are halfway through the trip, I’m feeling back to normal and almost healed.’  Bart Berg

Bart inspects the damage after a coffee-related mishap in Scotland

‘There is something unexplainably appealing about TDA’s style of travel. Part boot camp, part social experiment, with so many special moments with newfound friends in between. The lunches are always the carrot of my riding days; fresh and flavourful salads can lure me over the steepest hills. In the days and years after these epic rides, I know that I’ll forgive the early mornings, hilly days, and heavy duffel bags. I will smile inwardly with a sense of accomplishment and fond memories of our host countries and fearless tour leaders.’  Melissa Morse

Melissa rides with Susan along some of the beautiful bike paths in Ireland

Sara Frenning, Content Creator on the 2026 Odyssey, reflects on her first TDA tour. From lessons in time management and content creation to unexpected discoveries about the countries, riders, and staff she met along the way, she shares what she wishes she had known before joining the adventure.

When I first got assigned the role of content creator on the Odyssey, my overwhelming feeling was excitement. Little thought was given to the potential hardships or difficulties. In my mind, I was going to get paid to ride a bike and take photos – what was there not to be excited about?

And luckily, my excited mind was right. It has been a dream job in many ways, and I have probably had even more fun than I anticipated. Without sounding too much like a hype machine, my first TDA tour has been amazing so far.

With that said, running a TDA tour is not for the faint-hearted. The staff works hard, often around the clock, to make the tour the well-oiled machine that it is.

One of the best surprises of a TDA tour is the community you become part of

But these are both things I expected. I expected to work hard, and I expected to have a lot of fun. Which makes “What did I wish I knew before my first tour?” a difficult question to answer.

When it comes to the content creator role in particular, there were certainly things I wish I had known and done before the tour. I wish I had built a music library with songs that fit each country, so I wouldn’t have to spend hours sifting through endless music lists on Motion Array and Instagram during the trip. I wish I had prepared a shot list and planned my reels in more detail.

Behind every great tour is an incredible team

In general, time management is incredibly important. Instead of scrambling to put a post together at the end of the day, opting out of some of the day’s fun to get editing done often pays off in the long run. But when it comes down to it, spontaneity and the ability to create in the moment are equally important on a TDA tour – and perhaps part of the charm of this type of job.

When it comes to the tour in general, I felt prepared, but I guess I wish I had known that Greece could be so cold (bring that puffy jacket), that Albania would be so beautiful (plan to ride as much as possible), that Montenegro would have such kind people (plan to stop often and talk to them), that Bosnia’s history was so rich yet harrowing, that Italy could get so much rain (rain pants are definitely needed), that Austria would have such amazing bike paths, and that Germany would actually have really good food (sorry, Germany).

I also didn’t expect to learn world-class lessons in logistics and organization from Katie, our tour assistant; lessons in leadership – and how to be an absolute boss lady – from Carolina, our tour leader; the value of a positive attitude and how to laugh until my belly hurt from Doug, our bike mechanic; or how to stay calm in the middle of a TDA storm from Micah, our other tour assistant.

I also didn’t expect to be so inspired by the riders. Most of them are in their 70s, yet they remain incredibly strong, resilient, and healthy.

In short, I wish I had known that I would not only get to do a really fun job, but also do it alongside world-class people whom I feel lucky to have met. In any job, it’s a gift when you genuinely enjoy spending time with your coworkers, and on this tour, I was truly fortunate in that regard. But in the end, the best preparation for a TDA tour is an open mind and a sense of excitement. That will take you very far.