I need a break

Sometime in summer 2019, I felt like I needed a break. Mind you, I always want a break, because who doesn’t, but at that point in time, I felt like I needed one. Can’t really say why, at least not with any degree of specificity. I just had the feeling that I had been “on” for 7.5 years, and like a computer, I had accumulated enough strain and stress and shit, I needed a hard reset. I needed a break. I attribute this to the three separate cycles of building a new life: moving to a new country – getting a job – making friends – learning the language –  proving myself at work. Rinse and repeat. Even on my days off, I wasn’t really off. Anyway, that’s my guess, but there was no single trigger, so I suppose that’s as good as it gets.

So…a break. Initially, I was thinking two months would be plenty. Then a wise friend told me to take a least three. So I asked for three months, and fortunately my company and boss were supportive (thanks Annika!), so three months were granted: May 1 – August 1 2020. Let’s go!

So I have the time, I just need a plan

Still no concept of what to do, though travel was clearly a priority, and it had to end with late-July in the US for my cousin’s wedding. I went through a few options. Hiking in the Andes? Nope, winter. Big tour of southeast Asia? Nope, rainy season (though I got conflicting accounts on how problematic this is). Wandering through central Asia? Intriguing, but all the travel would be pretty brutal. Then, like so often in the past few years, my brain turned towards cycling. Why not do a bike trip? Combine my current sports addiction with my love of travel? Winner!

I started checking the EuroVelo routes (awesome, by the way, and provided inspiration for the final route), started to read bikepacking forums, started to look at tourism websites for eastern Europe, and eventually the plan was born. Pack up my bike, pack a couple of small bike bags, fly to Thessaloniki, Greece, and then meander my way back to Berlin. Two months for this portion, covering nine countries, five new countries, 4000km or so of cycling. Then recover there for a few days in Berlin, after which it’s off to the US to visit friends and family, relax, and celebrate my cousin.

Dope. Grymt. Figo. Geil. No matter what language you speak, this is gonna be great. I’m stoked!!

Note: the numbers on the map above are simply waypoints, not indicators of where I’m sleeping. Though it does accurately reflect my desire to spend as few days in Poland as possible – dull scenery, nothing against the people :)