This is the first installment of a two-part series. The second part, from the Danube to the Black Sea, will appear in the Dec. 2019/Jan. 2020 issue.

had been traveling more than a week along the EuroVelo 6 cycling route, which stretches across 10 countries and connects Europe horizontally from France’s Atlantic coast to Romania’s Black Sea, when I met Gottmund. A tall German in his 60s, he had a beard that hung to his chest and an aging linebacker’s girth that gravity had redistributed to his waistline. He rode into the campsite on a well-used city-turned- touring bike and wore a red rain poncho, which fluttered in the wind and whipped around him like an Iunanchored circus tent. As the late-afternoon French clouds momentarily parted during one of the coldest and wettest Mays in recent European memory, Gottmund came to a stop at the camping plot next to the one my cycling partner and I occupied. He waved hello and then dutifully pitched his tent, which sagged as if missing a weight-bearing pole. After, he bounded over, eating a soggy baguette like a banana. He would be the first on a list of recent retirees we’d meet along the “River Route,” as the EuroVelo 6 (EV6) is sometimes called, because it follows some of Europe’s largest waterways and is dominated and bookended by the Loire and the Danube rivers. Along its course, the trail stitches together France, , Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. Like my traveling companion and I, the burly German cyclist found himself on this cross-continental trail, which extends almost 2,900 miles, for reasons that went beyond proving he can rotate his legs for weeks on end. To some degree, each of us was looking to shake up a sedentary life with an epic act of transience. “When I retired from the church, I asked my wife to give me a hundred days,” said Gottmund, a pastor whose name, appropriately, means “God’s mouth” in German. Behind us, the Doubs River had recently replaced the Saône, which replaced the Loire, as our backdrop and EuroVelo guide through the heart of France. Within a few days, we would reach the and Switzerland. “My wife said yes,” Gottmund continued, “so I fixed up my old bicycle and decided this ride was something I needed to do.” The water was high, and there were signs around the riverside campground advising us to leave personal belongings if an evacuation was necessary due to flooding. We all stared at the Doubs, which lapped against the bank separating it from the plots. We drank cans of beer purchased at the nearby marché and savored the moments before another set of storm clouds would drive us into our tents. “Even though we are standing here now, and following the same route, we’re actually riding on our own paths,” said Gottmund, breaking the silence. “In the end, that’s what this is all about. Really, that’s what life is all about — finding your own path.” That simple statement crystalized thoughts I had wrestled with since the start of my ride. My reasons for wanting to ride the EV6 were many. I was, and still am,

story by Alex Crevar ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG/MEMBERSphotos by Thierry Joubert 11 12 ADVENTURE CYCLIST oc tober /nov ember 2019 an aging, wannabe athlete. I am a bicycle enthusiast, both as a means “I was unequipped to know the depth of personal change for travel and for living. I have bikepacking experience — mostly I was about to experience. Still, the simple act of pushing relegated to weeklong trips. I am a tourism advocate, consultant, and critic. And I’ve been a travel journalist pedals, instead of merely thinking about cycling, was a relief.” for more than 20 years. It is that last self-congratulatory title, “travel journalist,” that became the source I also knew my path, the EV6, at the ECF, which sanctions, certifies, of my deepest existential dilemmas, which forms the network’s X-axis, is and approves EuroVelo routes and acts and a fountain of both clarity and one of the most popular. There are as the umbrella for Europe’s national personal befuddlement. several reasons for that popularity, cycling organizations. And I visited What I knew, before starting the but according to EuroVelo’s own my local bike shop, Protea Sport, in ride, was that the EuroVelo network description: “Coasts, rivers, castles, Zagreb, Croatia, to prepare my bike and includes 16 cycling routes. Covering top-class infrastructure, and a nice become more proficient with a wrench. some 55,000 miles, those trails flat topography make this route into “Whatever you do, start slow,” said include 42 countries and touch every every cycle tourists’ dream journey. Luka Kovačević, a mechanic at Protea corner of Europe. This system’s The famous sections along the Loire Sport, while he placed sensors on my genesis can be traced to a meeting, and the Danube rivers are known to ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, in 1995, among European Cyclists’ cycle tourists around the world, and and wrists. He watched my motion Federation (ECF) members. The first for good reason. In France you’ll taste on a screen as I pedaled in place on a route, the North Sea Cycle Route the best wines after cycling through stand. He looked for deficiencies and (today the EV12), opened in 2001. the vineyards, in Vienna you’ll visit oddities in my stroke and adjusted The newest itinerary, the EuroVelo the most stunning museums, and in my bike’s fit accordingly. “The biggest 19, was added in March 2019 and Serbia you’ll experience the warmth mistake people make on long tours is runs through France, Belgium, and of the people.” acting like it’s a race. Build up slowly. the Netherlands. And in the 25 years My journey, however, began weeks Your body won’t be used to this much since its inception, the network has before I jumped on a saddle in France. weight. Ride yourself into shape and spread across the continent like a I emailed tourism offices and EuroVelo enjoy the scenery.” human-powered highway grid that country representatives from across Our ride began on a brisk spring runs in a parallel universe to the the EV6 in search of advice about morning in the town of Saint- automobile version appearing on campgrounds, B&Bs, GPX tracks, and Brevin-les-Pins, on a peninsular

most maps. sites of interest. I spoke with people spit of land tucked under France’s WALLY AMY MAP:

ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG/MEMBERS 13 Brittany region and shaped by the confluence of the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean. With views of nearby shipyards, we started our pursuit to cycle what seemed like, at the time, an almost incomprehensible distance. Chilly winds swirled off the coast as I accustomed myself to the heft of my gravel bike (loaded with panniers up front, a seatbag, a framebag, and a handlebar pack holding a tent). I was unequipped to know the depth of personal change I was about to experience. Still, the simple act of pushing pedals, instead of merely thinking about cycling, was a relief. EuroVelo 6’s opening salvo follows the Loire River on a 500-mile corridor that doubles as the La Loire à Vélo route. Almost immediately, I learned that being prepared for a ride into the unknown is smart — being over-prepared, however, can be debilitating. For instance, I knew about this section’s towns and cities: Nantes, Angers, Tours, Orléans, and Nevers. I knew we could expect a mixture of route types: 60 percent being “shared” or on cycle lanes, and around 40 percent bike-only paths of asphalt, concrete, and hard-packed gravel. But I’d also tried to map out as much of the trail as possible. I notated confusing junctions and places we would stop for potential lunches, sightseeing, and overnight stays. Within one day (literally the first day), it was clear that overthinking wasn’t just illogical or unnecessary — it was untenable. As we rode along levees, over ancient bridges, past castles, and through vineyards, the route’s signs were so omnipresent that my assortment of phone apps (including Ride with GPS, Bikemap, and Google Maps) were largely unneeded. Most importantly, there were too many variables to bother trying to control the ride. Rain, minor injuries, mechanical difficulties, knee pain, flat tires, road closures, path flooding, the very French hours of operation, and, yes, wrong turns all presented themselves as one of two options: 1) a continual source of stress, or 2) a reality to sync with. “You have to make a decision early,” Thierry Joubert, my cycling companion and the trip’s photographer, said on our third morning. No stranger to the

14 ADVENTURE CYCLIST oc tober /nov ember 2019 rhythm of adventure tours, for the past 20 years Thierry has run cycling and hiking trips through his Bosnia and Herzegovina–based company Green Visions. “You either give into the route or not. The path has plenty of services, cafés, and places to stay. The weather and mishaps are part of the ride. The question is whether you, as a rider, can give up control, or every little thing becomes an obstacle.” Within a couple of days, our routine started to take shape. We cooked coffee in the morning before disassembling the tent and packing the bikes with our sleeping bags, air mattresses, food, and drying clothing. (In the early weeks, before summer, I carried two jerseys, two bibs, a cycling jacket, rain pants and coat, winter cap, full gloves, leg and arm warmers, a puffy jacket, and post- ride pants and a shirt.) We would then ride for an hour or so before spotting a boulangerie to load up on bread and croissants. Most businesses shuttered by 1:30 pm, so for lunch we’d find a bench in a quiet center square. Between the universal setup of church, Hotel de Ville (town hall), shops, and café, we slathered baguettes with whatever we had that acted like a spread: cheese, pâté, mayonnaise. Afternoon bonks were solved by gorging on bananas, chocolate, and peanuts. At this point, we were able to make a fair guess about where our legs could take us and Googled campsites in that area. Generally, we covered between 60 and 70 miles, depending on weather and what the route gave us. The day ended with a glass of beer, unfurling our tent, hanging wet gear, and eating pasta of one shape or another. The main reason to relinquish control to the route lies in the logic of listening to the region itself. The Loire Valley has been strategically important since the Romans. It’s safe to say this swath of historic land is more astute at offering up its riches than all the preride research I could gather. No website or magazine article, for instance, could tell me how it truly feels to roll my bicycle through the riverside town of Ancenis — our first overnight along the ride — to buy fruit and drink coffee in the morning market, dew still clinging to kiosks. Try as it might, no

ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG/MEMBERS 15 guide book could accurately describe the “The EuroVelo is a tool to get people, and politicians, to think. sun flooding the stained-glass windows and playing tricks on the medieval cathedral’s intricate façade in the Gallic The great aspect of cycling is that people do new things. city of Tours. Words couldn’t relate the taste of an ice-cold beer in Amboise, which buzzes with cafés and shops, as They meet people and learn about each other.” perspiration steamed from my jersey. No blogger could instill me with the pride felt perfecting the art of packing my rig cupolas rose from crenulated walls, region in a different way, at your own every morning: a Tetris-like puzzle that salmon-colored in the late afternoon. pace, and favors a softer way of traveling. combines utility and self-reliance. Nor In the foreground, fishermen moored You can take your time, stress less, and could they create that sense of belonging wooden, single-masted fûtreau boats. have more meetings between cyclists. when men and women working the Behind them, ancient stone arch More and more tourists want to travel river’s canal locks and tending the bridges and their rippling reflections like this these days. Plus, when you nearby fields shouted “bonne route” and traversed the river and acted as the cycle, you feel less guilty about drinking “bon courage” as we whirred past. No tableau’s rule-of-thirds synapse. a glass of wine and eating a good meal in top-10, best-of list could pedal for me Though regularly occurring along the the evening.” across this region’s 175-mile stretch of route, each scene stopped me. My gut By the time we cycled through the protected UNESCO cultural landscape. (or fear) told me I was constantly on rolling hills and famous Sauvignon Blanc I had to create my own path in real the verge of missing something I may vineyards surrounding the village of time to witness the succession of one never experience again. Sancerre, France, and then made the chateau estate after another — like “Traveling by bike gives a sense of turn toward the southern portion of the the ones in Blois and Sully-sur-Loire freedom,” said Julie Percher, Cycling Alsace region — changing rivers along built by centuries of French royalty Promotion Officer with the Loire Valley the way to the Saône, Doubs, Ill, and the — that appeared as silhouettes in the Tourism Bureau. “The EuroVelo and Canal du Rhône — my philosophy about distance. Then towers, turrets, and Loire à Vélo allow you to discover the tourism had begun to shift. With hours

16 ADVENTURE CYCLIST oc tober /nov ember 2019 NUTS & BOLTS EuroVelo 6

CAN’T-MISS STOPS Tours, France: Built from the 13th and 16th centuries, the Cathédrale Saint-Gatien is a Flamboyant Gothic masterpiece complete with gargoyles and exquisite stained-glass windows. tours-tourisme.fr

Blois, France: Construction of the Royal Château de Blois — the residence of seven French kings and 10 queens — took place between the 13th and 17th centuries. en.chateaudeblois.fr

Sancerre, France: Out of nowhere, hills brimming with the vineyards of Sancerre, famous for Sauvignon Blanc white wine, will appear as you ride between Orléans and Nevers. tourisme-sancerre.com in the saddle every day, my thoughts turned while making selfies easier for tourists who to the detrimental global effect of travel- flitter between cruise stops long enough to , Switzerland: inspired transport, and cycling’s potential as buy a trinket, use the toilet, and raise prices. Loaded with museums, a mitigating salve for the growing number I did, though, over and over again. fantastic restaurants, bridges of tourists using more and more resources Without hyperbole, cycle tourism, and spanning the Rhine, and a in the name of personal discovery. As we specifically the EuroVelo 6, changed my storybook Old Town, this approached the three-country point of life. Cycling as a way to travel — earning Swiss city is great place to France, Germany, and Switzerland in Basel, one’s miles through self-locomotion, visiting spend an extra day. 12 days into the journey, and then began villages, and patronizing local businesses myswitzerland.com/en/ riding along the Rhine River, my feeling — allowed me to seek solutions rather than destinations/basel about my role in, and contribution to, the be blind to problems. At the very least, it travel industry had also made a sea change. provided a momentary release from my Rhine Falls, Switzerland: Like many, I’ve traveled with a sense of existential meltdown. The largest waterfall in Europe entitlement for as long as I can remember. Luckily, I’m not alone in this evaluation. — complete with restaurants, Unlike most, I’ve made a living from Cycle tourism’s popularity is soaring and, gift shops, and viewing tourism all of my adult life. As a journalist, as I pedaled, it became clear that EV6 stations — is a must-stop I have covered new and emerging locales communities had bought into the concept. before making the turn onto for newspapers and magazines. I have also From the Atlantic to the Danube, the trail was the Danube. selfishly written about places swarming a string of festivals, campsites, bistros, bike rheinfall.ch with tourists — or about to be — all for shops, and village centers that understood a paycheck. Along the way, my articles local and visiting bicyclists’ value. That have added to overtourism. Full stop. I infrastructure, paired with polite motorists didn’t consciously set out to help ruin who often pulled onto the grass to allow the environment. I didn’t try to exploit room for bikes through tight passages, made any country, city, or coastline. I wasn’t the ride, if not easy, relatively hassle-free. conspiring to make a cup of coffee too Statistics and reports also bear out cycle expensive for locals in “exotic” destinations tourism’s popularity. Revenue from European

ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG/MEMBERS 17 bicycle travel, for instance, represents We took a day off to rest and explore NUTS & BOLTS approximately €50 billion annually. Yearly Basel. Straddling the Rhine, Switzerland’s double-digit-percentage increases in cyclist third biggest metropolis was built on EuroVelo 6 populations are common around the world. Celtic foundations dating back more than EuroVelo reports a nearly 30 percent 21 centuries. We crisscrossed bridges that CAMPSITES WORTH A VISIT increase in new visitors to its website connect the mural-covered City Hall in All have pitch sites for tents, from 2017 to 2018, and almost 5.5 million the bustling Marktplatz to museums, the all welcome bicycles, and all pageviews. The dramatic rise of eBike sales well-heeled boutiques to everyday beer have showers. — with predictions of 150 million more units gardens, and cafés to the spires of city’s sold in Europe alone during the next decade calling-card red-sandstone cathedral, the Camping La Poterie, Mosnes, France — has enabled a new demographic to leave Basler Münster. on the Loire River the car keys at home. A well-documented Leaving town — and as the eclectic camping-la-poterie-37.com/en/ growth in travelers seeking “adventure” collection of Romanesque, Gothic, vacations rooted in unique experiences and Renaissance, and Modern architecture Camping Touristique de Gien, fueled by self-reliance and authenticity has faded behind us — Thierry and I were Gien, France begun to drive the marketplace. noticeably stronger. The EuroVelo 6 had on the Loire River “The EuroVelo is a tool to get people, ridden us into shape, both physically and camping-gien.com/en/ and politicians, to think,” said Jens Erik mentally. With our changing endurance Larsen, the founder of EuroVelo. Larsen and mindsets, so too had the EV6’s Camping Du Pasquier, Dole, France served as chair of the first working group, landscape morphed. The route hugged on the Doubs River back in 1995, that established the route the Swiss-German border through woods camping-le-pasquier.com/en/ network. “It is also a good tool to get and opened to reveal villages before people to cycle in different ways. The dipping back into dense stands of trees Camping de l’Ill, Mulhouse, France great aspect of cycling is that people and then, suddenly, fields of sunflowers. on the Ill River do new things. They meet people and We became buoys: bicycle helmets camping-mulhouse.com/en/ learn about each other. Cycle tourism is bobbing above and below the surface of a increasing — but it is important to know hopeful yellow sea. Camping , that the EuroVelo’s purpose is not just to Just before , we Feuerthalen, Switzerland have people cycling in the villages and stopped at the Rhine Falls, the largest on the Rhine scenic areas. It is also meant to be used waterfall in Europe. Mist filled the air camping-schaffhausen.ch/index.html for commuting and is a reason why the from the mighty river, which made a hard routes go through cities.” dogleg left here on its way north while

18 ADVENTURE CYCLIST oc tober /nov ember 2019 NUTS & BOLTS Gear BIKE Specialized Sequoia Elite: SRAM Apex 38T crank combined with a SunRace 11-speed, 11–42T cassette

Specialized Airnet helmet with ANGi crash sensor

Specialized Stix Elite tailight and Flux 900 headlight

CAMPING From Big Agnes: • Copper Spur UL3 Bikepack tent slamming rocks at 75 feet per second. If Alberta, Canada, her book, With You By • Battle Mountain 2 Switzerland was our transition between the Bike, tells the story of her and her husband’s Footprint ground cloth Loire-dominated landscape of the west and ride around the world. “Locals, who you’d • Flume UL 30 (long) the stages that would deliver us east to the never see by car, suddenly stop you for a sleeping bag Black Sea, this was the gateway. conversation or invite you in. I personally • Insulated AXL Air pad We continued to Schaffhausen for our last love escaping the noise of a busy road and • AXL Air Pillow night before the Danube. At the campsite, large cities. I love strolling through small I met Katrina Rosen, who was cycling villages, ones I wouldn’t have noticed in a LUGGAGE with her husband, six-year-old son, and vehicle, but mostly I love what is in between From Ortlieb: parents. During this journey, I met plenty of those small villages.” • Gravel-packs (front) couples and individuals, like myself, with an As we drank coffee with the sunrise and • Handlebar-pack (9L) assortment of personal agendas. The future then packed up our bikes the next morning, • Frame-pack of cycle tourism seemed somehow most it felt like the beginning of a completely • Seatpack (16.5L) validated when I met families, who were different odyssey. We rode into Germany’s • Accessory-pack determined to see Europe at human speed — Black Forest to find the source of the • Cockpit-pack embracing the challenge of pulling a trailer Danube River. In doing so, we crossed an for the kids, hauling big tents, and packing invisible threshold and signed on with a Tubus racks kitchen equipment. new guide. That guide would lead us to new “Cycling immerses the rider into the cultures and levels of self-exploration. land,” Rosen told me after washing her family’s dishes at the campsite’s communal Alex Crevar is a journalist based in Zagreb, Croatia. See sink. An outdoor guide and author from more of his work at alexcrevar.com.

ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG/MEMBERS 19