All in Culture

Constanta, Romania to Istanbul, Turkey: Refurbishing our Bikes where East Meets West

Constanta, Romania to Istanbul, Turkey: Refurbishing our Bikes where East Meets West

Pedals and Puffins
Mosques, Culture, Equipment, Journal, Transportation, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling, Istanbul

In late October 2019, we made our way from the shores of the Black Sea to Istanbul, Turkey - our staging area to prepare for cycling across Africa. We dove into the challenge of refurbishing most of the major components on our Surly touring bikes. It was’t easy, and we wouldn’t have been able to get it all done without the help of a really great bike shop run by an expert cyclist. We even found some time to visit Istanbul’s historic center, with it’s unique mix of Byzantine, Ottoman and modern influences.

Bratislava, Slovakia to Budapest, Hungary: Cycling to the Pearl of the Danube

Bratislava, Slovakia to Budapest, Hungary: Cycling to the Pearl of the Danube

Pedals and Puffins
Journal, Culture, Churches, EuroVelo 6, Food, Danube River, Natural Park, Wildlife, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling, Bratislava, Budapest

We rode eastward from Bratislava, brushing past the northwestern Carpathian Mountains, and out onto the Great Hungarian Plain. The route alternated between excellent paved sections, deep wet gravel, and phenomenally potholed roads. But we eventually reached Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube, with its fascinating history and culture.

Cycling Ulm to Regensburg, Germany: Beer and Cake for Breakfast

Cycling Ulm to Regensburg, Germany: Beer and Cake for Breakfast

Pedals and Puffins
Journal, Culture, Castles, Churches, Danube River, EuroVelo 6, Food, Transportation, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling

Out on a cycling tour, you eat whatever the villages along your way offer. Watermelons sold along the side of the road? Of course. An Italian cafe dinner in the heart of Bavarian Germany? Why not? Beer and cake for breakfast, in an ancient Benedictine monastery? Absolutely. It all tastes great when you’re traveling the world by bike.

Portsmouth, UK to Nantes, France: Bikes on the Ferry and French Trains

Portsmouth, UK to Nantes, France: Bikes on the Ferry and French Trains

Pedals and Puffins
Journal, Culture, Transportation, Bike Art, Castles, Loire River, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling, Brittany

A ferry ride across the English Channel will bring us back to France. But before we can leave, we’ll have to wait in the ferry terminal until our overnight voyage is ready to board. Once we’ve landed in France, two trains will whisk us across Brittany to Nantes. There we’ll finally get to revisit the giant, mechanical elephant, and his equally astonishing, fellow animal machines. There’s nothing quite like it.

Cycling Bridgwater to Bristol, UK: From Bristol Bay to the Land of King Arthur, and Back

Cycling Bridgwater to Bristol, UK: From Bristol Bay to the Land of King Arthur, and Back

Pedals and Puffins
Equipment, Journal, Culture, Castles, Churches, EuroVelo 1, Wildlife, Food, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling

The legend of King Arthur looms large over the marshes and hills, west of Bridgwater. We cycled across the fabled Avalon Marshes and up the lower slopes of Glastonbury Tor, where names like Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin and Morgan are part of the cultural fabric. In Britain’s smallest city, we saw our first great, English cathedral. Then we descended back to sea level, and the vibrant city that gives Bristol Bay its name.

Cycling Josselin to Roscoff, France: The Heart of Ancient Brittany

Cycling Josselin to Roscoff, France: The Heart of Ancient Brittany

Pedals and Puffins
Journal, Castles, Culture, EuroVelo 1, Food, Natural Park, Wildlife, Murals, Bike Art, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling, Brittany

After two more days cycling along the Nantes-to-Brest Canal, we’ve turned north into the region of Armorica - the ancient heart of Brittany. Leaving behind the castles of the valley, we rode through the legendary Monts d’Arrée, where Celtic legends arise from the heathlands and mossy forests. In Carhaix-Plouguer, we enjoyed seeing roadside art inspired by the Tour de France, which raced through the center of town in 2018.

Cycling Soulac-sur-Mer to La Rochelle, France: Marshes and Medieval Towers

Cycling Soulac-sur-Mer to La Rochelle, France: Marshes and Medieval Towers

Pedals and Puffins
Journal, Culture, Castles, EuroVelo 1, Food, Natural Park, Transportation, Wildlife, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling

After a week of biking through the pine forests of Landes, France, we emerged onto the marshlands of northern Aquitaine. Alternating between cycling on coastal roads and the levees between drainage canals in the marshes, we enjoyed the change of scenery. It ended with the awe-inspiring views of the medieval towers guarding the harbor entrance, as we cycled into the ancient city of La Rochelle. A rest day in the old part of the city included a chance to celebrate life with our third Carnival parade for the year.

Cycling Estella to Pamplona, Spain: Headwinds, Holidays and Hemmingway

Cycling Estella to Pamplona, Spain: Headwinds, Holidays and Hemmingway

Pedals and Puffins
Culture, Journal, Camino de Santiago, Castles, EuroVelo 1, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling, Pamplona

We had been looking forward to a rest day in Pamplona, Spain. But we found ourselves cycling into strong headwinds, requiring an extra effort to get there. In Pamplona, most stores and restaurants were closed for San José day (i.e., Father’s Day). Nonetheless, we were still able to enjoy visiting many of the city’s famous sights. 

Monte Gordo, Portugal to Zafra, Spain: Biking to a Flamenco Beat

Monte Gordo, Portugal to Zafra, Spain: Biking to a Flamenco Beat

Pedals and Puffins
Journal, Camino de Santiago, Castles, Churches, EuroVelo 1, Natural Park, Culture, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling

Andalucía is the part of Spain most influenced by the Mediterranean and its moorish past. And like other regions in Spain, Andalucía has a strong identity, especially with respect to Flamenco song and dance. From a cyclists point of view, Spain also has roads and biking trails that are - for the most part - in pretty good condition. This made the biking easier than in Portugal. It also meant biking through more developed, and fewer remote areas.

Lisbon, Portugal: Launching Our Bike Trip From The City Of Explorers

Lisbon, Portugal: Launching Our Bike Trip From The City Of Explorers

Pedals and Puffins
Journal, Planning, Camino de Santiago, Food, Castles, Churches, Culture, Murals, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Cycling, Lisbon

Lisbon’s medieval quarter is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Europe. The Alfama’s winding alleyways date back to the 8th century, when the Arabic Moors ruled the Mediterranean. We spent most of a day wandering through the Alfama’s narrow passageways, climbing hidden staircases to the top of São Jorge Hill.