Farawayistan

Category: Gravel rides and races

Road and Gravel Cycling in Lysebotn – The Ultimate Adventure Guide

Lysebotn, a small village nestled at the end of the Lysefjord in Norway, is a hidden gem for cycling enthusiasts. The area offers a unique combination of climbs, breathtaking fjord views, and remote gravel paths. Whether you’re drawn by the challenging climb or gravel cycling in Lysebotn on lesser-known backroads, Lysebotn provides an unforgettable outdoor experience. This guide will take you through the must-do rides and practical tips for planning your trip.

Conquering the Lysebotn Climb: A Cyclist’s Dream

Lysebotn is perhaps best known for its iconic climb, a must-ride for any serious cyclist. The road winds up from the fjord in a series of 27 hairpin turns, rising to an elevation of 932 meters over 8.9 kilometers. This climb is a true test of endurance and skill, with an average gradient of 10%. The Lysebotn climb is famous in the cycling world, revered for its challenging switchbacks. Those who reach the top are rewarded with the stunning views of Lysefjord from the Kjerag Cafe & Restaurant Øygardstøl.

The Hidden Gem: Gravel Cycling in Lysebotn

But while the climb is the star attraction, real adventurers go gravel cycling in Lysebotn just north of the fjord. Accessible via a service road used by a hydroelectric company, this route offers rough asphalt and an entertaining section of gravel/singletrack, with virtually no traffic. The ride begins with a climb, but the effort is well worth it as you pedal through one of Norway’s most serene landscapes.

A highlight of this route is the tunnel leading to Strandavatnet Lake. It’s unlit, so be sure to bring lights and a wind jacket—the temperature inside the tunnel drops significantly. Once you reach Strandavatnet, the road continues towards Breidavatnet, offering more stunning views. Although the road ends here, the journey back is equally beautiful, with new perspectives on the surrounding mountains and lakes.

Expect a bit of adventure as the road quality deteriorates on the return along Strandavatnet. A section of the route turns into a true “hike-a-bike” experience, where you’ll likely have some friendly sheep guiding your way. The effort is rewarded with a thrilling descent on a smooth, traffic-calm road back to Lysebotn.

Exploring Lysevegen: A Journey Beyond Lysebotn

The Lysebotn climb is just a small part of the much longer and equally spectacular Lysevegen road. This popular tourist route stretches from Lysebotn to Sirdal, offering an epic 30-kilometer journey through some of Norway’s most dramatic landscapes. Built in the 1980s as a service road for the Tjodan hydroelectric plant, Lysevegen was once the only link between Lysebotn and the outside world, apart from the fjord.

Due to snow conditions, Lysevegen is usually accessible between May and October/November, making it a seasonal treasure. The narrow, single-lane road is shared with cars, campers, and motorcyclists, so stay alert. The views along Lysevegen are nothing short of breathtaking, but they can become distracting for fellow motorised road companions.

Hiking in the Lysebotn Area: Trails Worth the Trek

With such an abundance of natural beauty, it would be a crime not to explore the famous hikes around Lysefjorden. The area is a paradise for hikers, offering trails that range from gentle walks to challenging treks. Popular hikes include the trail to Kjeragbolten, a boulder wedged between two cliffs, and the hike to the Kjerag viewpoint, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Lysefjord. Another must-see on the other side of the fjord, is the iconic natural landmark Preikestolen: a unique flat-topped cliff formation at 604 meters above sea level.

Practical Information: Getting There and Where to Stay

For the best experience, take the ferry from Lauvvik to Lysebotn. The ferry ride itself is a scenic journey through the fjord, offering a preview of the stunning landscapes you’ll explore on your bike. Be sure to check the timetable, as the ferry runs daily but doesn’t always take cars. The car ferry runs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

We opted for a rental car from Stavanger Airport, driving to Lysebotn with our bikes packed in the back. Once in Lysebotn, you’ll find a small village with more tourist beds than residents. We stayed at the Lysefjorden Tourist Cabin—simple yet comfortable. Besides tourist cabins and B&Bs, there’s ample space for tents and campers.

Plan to spend 3-4 days or a long weekend in Lysebotn to fully enjoy the cycling, canoeing, hiking, perhaps even base jumping and of course the tranquility of the fjord.

Road and/or gravel cycling in Lysebotn

We didn’t need to choose between road or gravel cycling in Lysebotn, as we brought our Fara F/All-Roads. This bike seamlessly blends the speed of a road bike with the toughness needed for gravel adventures. Its lightweight carbon frame, wider tire clearance, and stable geometry make it a reliable choice for cycling in Norway.

The Ultimate Lysebotn Adventure Awaits

Lysebotn is a paradise for classic road cyclists, gravel enthusiasts and outdoor explorers alike. Whether you’re tackling the legendary Lysebotn climb, exploring the quiet roads, or hiking to breathtaking viewpoints, this spectacular part of Norway offers an adventure like no other. Pack your bike, lace up your hiking boots, and get ready to experience the beauty of Norway.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram and make sure to explore the related posts for more information! And curious about gravel cycling and bikepacking in Norway? You can find more stories here and here.

1 September 2024
Girona’s best Coffee Rides for Gravel Cycling

There’s a good reason why so many pro cyclists choose Girona as their home base, and it has less to do with endless days in the saddle than you might think. This Spanish-Catalonian cycling hotspot is perfect for sportive coffee rides.

With that notion, I set off on my annual cycling trip with my dad and brother. Our goal? Discover Girona’s best coffee rides for gravel cycling, and enjoy the finest café con leches, espressos, and café cortados the area has to offer. These are my 5 favourite gravel routes starting and ending in Girona – perfect for the coffee cyclists among us.

Banyoles Gravel Coffee Route

Starting off the ride at Girona’s old town, at one of the many classic coffee places like La Fabrica, Espresso Maffia. Leaving the city centre and heading in the northern direction, it won’t take long before hitting the first gravel roads. Within just 6 kilometres, you’ll find yourself along the banks of the river Ter on smooth gravel. Although the route is considered flat for Spanish standards, be prepared for climbs through the idyllic countryside and farmlands.

A long descent and plateau lead the way to the picturesque town of Banyoles, famous for its beautiful lake and starting point of the iconic climb to Rocacorba. We’d recommend keeping the momentum going a bit further to Les Estunes for lunch break. This restaurant is packed with locals and delicious regional dishes are served. Carbloaded and caffeinated, it’s time to head back to Girona along stunning gravel roads.

Susqueda Gravel Coffee Route

Today’s route contains quite a bit of climbing. The first 35 kilometres are steadily going up, first via shaded gravel roads alongside the river, and finally via tarmac roads toward the gigantic dam. There isn’t any resupply mid-ride, so bring some proviand yourself. We stopped for a quick coffee in Bonmati before tackling the climb. Be sure to make a stop at the reservoir before continuing and to enjoy the views.

After the dam, the road turns into rocky gravel and starts to ramp up. The views are incredibly beautiful, so we’d say it’s worth the suffering. You could go all around the reservoir by a stunning gravel road if you’re feeling it, but this will add a significant amount of altitude metres to the ride. We opted for heading back towards Girona, but firstly conquering another climb: Sant Grau, with stunning views.

Caldes de Mallavela Gravel Coffee Route

This route can be marked as a ‘gravel coffee recovery ride’. We’re not entirely sure if that’s a category, but the route definitely ticks off all the parameters. The route is easy-going and follows ‘Vies Verdes’ – a network of greenways over former railway lines converted to recreational paths. Later on, the route follows a section of the EuroVelo 8 on beautiful gravel roads through orchards and farmlands.

There are a few Catalonian style cafes in Caldes de Mallavela, serving coffees and food. The little bar we visited even served complimentary olives and bread with tomato and Jamón Serrano. The route contains a little section with a stunning single trail, but not too technical at all.

With only 50 km and 350 metres of elevation, the route is perfect for an easy recovery spin. Plus it gives you plenty of time to sit on one of the many terraces in Girona. Personal favourite: Idle Hands.

Rustik Emporda Gravel Coffee Route

A must-visit for the coffee cyclists is Rustik Emporda, located roughly 35 km east of Girona. Keep in mind they close early (around 13:00 o’clock), so an early start is recommended. Expect more awesome gravel roads on the ride, most of them are in the wide open fields. And even though the route is slightly longer, there isn’t too much elevation found. If the legs are good today, you could extend the ride with a loop through Parc Natural del Montgrí.

The gravel road between L’Escala and L’Estartit offers wonderful views over the ocean. Rustik Emporda serves great coffees and breakfast/brunch style dishes. From here it’s roughly 35 km back to Girona. The last kilometres are easy, with more tarmac than gravel. A fun little stretch is around the church in the town of Jafre and crossing the Ter via an odd-looking bridge.

Els Angels Gravel Coffee Route

Visiting Girona isn’t complete without climbing the famous Els Angels. Don’t be surprised to get overtaken by one pro-cyclist after another. But before it’s time, the route’s heading south circling around nature reserve El Balconet de les Gavarres. And we hope you’ve got your climbing legs with you, cause before going up Els Angels, there’s three other climbs to survive.

The Puig Gros climb – with a staggering 461 metres above sea level – is probably the most challenging one. Don’t underestimate the climb by thinking 461 metres isn’t a lot, the climb has sections with double digit inclines.

A little detour to the highest hilltop Els Angels with its church for a photo selfie is mandatory. Be careful on the gravel descent to Girona, it’s steep and rocky. For a safer descent, and a bigger chance of spotting more pro-cyclists in the wild, you could consider taking the main road GIV-6703.

Did you ride one of Girona’s best coffee rides for gravel cycling? Make sure to comment your experience below. And remember: us mortals don’t need to feel bad when our trips to Girona aren’t brutal training camps but lovely cycling holidays fueled by lots of coffee stops.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.

24 April 2024
Farawayistan does Trans Balkan Race

It is almost race day. Our very first ultra bikepacking race, the Trans Balkan Race starts June 3rd at 8am sharp. We will cross four former Yugoslavian countries and cover 1.356 kilometres and 26.680 meters of elevation in the short period of 10 days.

We have trained for months, studied every meter of the route meticulously and dialled in the bikes to fit our setup to the millimetre. Emotional support to get us through this unfathomable challenge will mean the world to us. You can reach out to us throughout the race on our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farawayistan/. We will do our best to share some snippets from the road as we are racing!

Dotwatcher: see our live location

Dotwatcher covers the race with race reports and a GPS map with the live location for all riders here: https://dotwatcher.cc/race/trans-balkan-race-2022.

Sabina Knezevic – cap numer 42

https://www.instagram.com/sabina.knezevic/

Robin Patijn – cap number 64

https://www.instagram.com/robinpatijn/

For first time Dotwatchers

Find a short guide how to dotwatch here: https://dotwatcher.cc/how-to-dotwatch. Below you find some additional wisdom when following off-road and remote ultra races. There are a number of circumstances that could affect the race and how our dot is moving. So, no need to panic when our dots stop moving.

Tracker/Battery issues: first of all the trackers need to be recharged from time to time. So if our dot shows a red light, it could possibly mean that it ran out of battery.

Tiredness: second, sometimes we might just be tired and in need of a long stop to rest and refuel. Look at our dot history to understand if a long stop could be expected (midday sleep is not at all uncommon).

Mechanical/puncture: lastly, remember that mechanicals are always lurking and some may require a bit of time (and engineering) to solve.

To better monitor our dots, try some useful techniques such as studying the surrounding dots. Has the general riding peace slowed down? It’s highly possible we’re on a rough uphill section or in a very demanding weather condition. Satellite mode is also a good trick to spot a pause in a hotel/restaurant.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.

30 May 2022
Gravel cycling in Dalsland – Sweden in Miniature

When we moved to the south of Sweden, we set out to discover as much of the country as possible. Two years later, we are still discovering new places. This time we headed north to go gravel cycling in Dalsland, a province in Västra Götaland famous for its beautiful lakes and forests.

Dalsland is known as “Sweden in Miniature”, and has all the best things Sweden has to offer. There are lots of fun things to do, such as water sports, hiking, kayaking, and, of course, cycling! The countryside is a gorgeous mix of lakes, rivers, forests, and fields, and the quiet gravel roads take you to charming little towns, impressive country houses, and even castles.

West Sweden invited us to travel around Dalsland and tipped us on the best places for cyclists in the area, and we’ve got to say—we are absolutely blown away by the beauty of Dalsland!

Gravel cycling in Upperud, Dalsland

From Malmö, it was a 5-hour drive to Upperud 9:9, where we spent the first night of this gravel getaway. The hotel is set in an old grain silo and the five unique rooms are nestled into the old structure. Kerstin, the owner of the hotel, welcomed us with open arms and swiftly sent us on our way with a packed lunch for the road. We went cycling on gravel roads through the forest, and came across many beautiful sights along the way.

Back at Upperud 9:9 we had the premier of the newly built sauna! The big glass window offers a relaxing view over the lake, and we watched the birds as we wound down. In the sauna, we also met the other guests. One family had been hiking the Pilgrimsleden and two friends were there on a kayaking trip.

After the sauna, we took a plunge in the cold lake to cool off and prepared ourselves for the 3-course dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. On Saturday, the café is open to everyone, so if you’re cycling in the area, this is the place to fika!

Dalsland canal

The next morning it was time to move to our second Dalsland destination, and after a beautiful Swedish breakfast buffet we loaded our bikes into the car. Along the way we passed the Dalsland aqueduct. It was fascinating to see the spectacular meeting of road, rail and waterway. We love to travel over gravel, but we can definitely picture ourselves paddling along the Dalsland canal too!

Gravel cycling in Dalsland

A twisting and turning road carried us through the forest to Dalsland’s Activities located in Steneby Prästgård in the heart of the Dalsland region. The perfect starting point for a beautiful gravel bike ride. We cycled parts of the Unionsleden, a 350 kilometre long cycle path which takes its travellers from Moss in Norway to Karlstad in Sweden. We rode on a pleasant mix of sparsely trafficked country roads, gravel paths and cycle trails.

Tip: contact Dalsland’s Activities and ask them about renting a gravel bike!

Miles flew by as we enjoyed the breathtaking views over the lakes and waved to the residents we passed by who were tending their gardens to prepare their homes for summer.

We stopped for a hearty lunch at Not Quite, a former paper mill turned into a cultural centre. The café is run by two Belgian sisters, which explains the not so Swedish ‘Uitsmijter’ on the menu. As two Dutchies, we could not pass on such a familiar dish.

Newly refuelled, we continued our ride. After a testing tarmac climb, we dove into the forest via an almost hidden gravel road. The best thing about going up, is that you get to go down again afterwards. We raced and slid over perfect gravel roads, and the technical sections kept us focused on the terrain.

Back at Dalsland’s Activities, we got some ice cream and rode the last 800 meters to where we’d spend the night. It was safe to say that our jaws hit the floor, when we saw where we were sleeping.

Sleeping in a glass cabin

On the shore of Lake Iväg are four unique glass cabins, and one of these was ours for the night. Completely secluded from the outside world, we got to enjoy life in the forest, with the comfort of a big bed, cosy blankets and a beautiful sitting area on a wooden deck over the water. The chef from the activity centre had prepared a barbecue, perfect for two hungry cyclists like ourselves.

If the glass cabin itself wasn’t special enough, we got to use of the wood-fired hut tub as well. After a steaming hot bath, we cosied up in the cabin and watched the treetops gently sway in the wind. After the sun had set, we watched the full moon rise over the lake, casting a long white shimmer on the surface of the water.

Dalsland has so much to offer for cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts. Luxurious stays like ours ensure that you go back home fully recharged. Cyclists who crave more adventure and have strong legs can discover this beautiful region by bikepacking and sleep in one of the many wind shelters.

Gravel cycling in Dalsland is truly an unforgettable experience. Visit westsweden.com for more inspiration.

23 May 2022
Ride report: The Dirty Halland gravel ride ’22 Grusfest

Sweden’s gravel calendar starts in March with the Dirty Halland: A 165 kilometre gravel ride, organised by Team CYKLAMERA. We rode the 2022 edition, and it was a day filled with sun, gravel and climbs: a success formula for a first-class gravel event.

The organisers create a brand new route each year, and this year’s ride was fast and scenic. The start was in Steninge, a lovely little coastal town located 20 kilometres northwest of Halmstad. From a logistics point of view we opted to rent a car for the day. Like real Swedes we drove a (rented) Volvo station car to Steninge. With our 3T Exploro gravel bikes stacked in the trunk

Grusfest for every type of rider

On the road we already spotted some gravel bikes on cars with bike carriers, a telling sign that we were in for a big group ride. No one counted, but the organisers estimated that over 200 riders started, divided in three categories: Muddy (20 km/h), Dirty (24 km/h) and Dusty (28 km/h). We optimistically categorised ourselves in the Dirty group.

At the start line we reconnected with friends that we met over the last two years of grus grinding all over the country. We started the ride with a peloton of about 75 riders. A short bit of tarmac, and then the first gravel section of the day. As in every group ride, the pace was high from the get go. Combine that with a bumpy gravel surface and the water bottles started shooting off bikes and onto the road.

Post-COVID gravel cycling

We chose to let the big group go and ride at our own pace. Two weeks before the event we both tested positive for COVID, so we weren’t in the best shape to begin with. This also explains why you mainly see Sabina in most of the pictures, and no big groups of cyclists. The fun thing about an event with so many participants, is that you almost always catch up with someone, or they will catch up with you.

The 2022 Dirty Halland route

The Dirty Halland 2021 went through a lot of dense forests, whereas the 2020 route reminded us a bit of Skåne. Rolling hills, open fields, and agricultural lands. But way less populated than our Southern province. The route included typical Swedish scenery, with needle leaf trees, icey blue lakes and rocky ‘grusväger’.

One of the prettiest sections starts at the 65 kilometer mark. We crossed a national road and then a long gravel section began. Team Cyklamera made a Strava segment of this section. It’s 9 kilometres in length, but don’t start too hard along the lake. The segment includes two small but tough climbs in Yttra Bergs Naturreservat.

We also loved the section on the Ätranbaneleden, between Ullared and Fegen. The trail goes over old railway embankments. Not exactly an easy rolling bike lane, but this challenging double-track gravel road is the reason why you bring a gravel bike and not a road bike.

Resupply at the fika stop

Team CYKLAMERA made sure that bonking wasn’t an option by including an amazing bakery halfway on the route. Vallsäters Skafferi, after 84 kilometres in Ullared, was the perfect place for a fika break with coffee and pastries. Ullared is also home to Gekås, which for us makes it one of the weirdest places in Sweden. Gekås is a super store with a shopping area of over 30.000 square metres. People from all over the country come here to shop in bulk. The area even includes a bungalow park, a camping area and Sweden’s biggest parking lot.

Finishing 160 km

Halfway through the Dirty Halland gravel ride the finish still felt very far away, especially with the headwind that played a small, but still a present part. Our physical condition had taken a noticeable hit from COVID. But as soon as we turned southwards, our spirits got a pick up from the tailwind and we reached the finish in what felt like no-time. We might not be very fast, but we can steadily ride very far – which happens to be exactly what we’re training for!

Back in Steninge, we were welcomed by Robin and Gustavo from Team CYKLAMERA with an ice cream followed by a big meal. Big thanks to everyone on the team for organising this amazing ride. By the way, if you rode the Dirty Halland this year and are missing a glove, we handed it over to the organisation. And if you lost a banana because it fell out of your pocket, sorry but we ate it.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.

14 April 2022
Ride report: A Day in Hell – Gravel cycling in rain, mud and soaked bibs
We all know that in cycling you don’t just train your body, you train your mind too. And there is no better way to train your mind than gravel cycling in rain. Add some snow, hail and a brutal headwind. Some might even call it a day in hell, which it just happened to coincide with.

For us, it wasn’t cobblestones that made April 11th a day of torture. It was the hail in our faces and the mud grinding between our teeth. In the weekend of (the postponed) Paris-Roubaix the Rapha Clubhouses and collaborating cafés have created rides all over the world. The routes are all inspired by the French pavé, (cobblestones) but since Sweden lacks these we ride over gravé instead.

The ultimate rain cycling gear test

The route that Malmö’s Rapha café Musette had planned for us consisted of gravel, trails, fields, rubble and thanks to the rain, tire-sucking mud. After sharing an inspirational story on our Instagram account, upselling cycling in the rain the day before our own ride we should’ve seen it coming. Time to practice what we preached.

One of the positives sides we talked about was getting to test your rain gear. We learned that smart layering is really important. Robin learned it the hard way, because after only ten kilometres even his base layer was soaked. The strong west wind was doing its uttermost best to keep us from picking up speed. We were hit with a mix of wet snow, rain and hail. And hail hurts when it hits your cold face.

How long until you cave?

If you follow us on Strava you may have already seen that we are both training a lot in preparation for an ultra race. We are both getting stronger, but Robin has a lead on Sabina. So when we cycle together, the headwind and loose gravel climbs launch Sabina to heart rate zone 3 where Robin comfortably stays in the lower region of zone 2. Because she was working so hard Sabina didn’t get that cold, even when wet. Robin did.

About 32 kilometres in we had to stop for a short snack break. With our big gloves completely soaked up by the rain, it was almost impossible to get at our bars and banana. When balling our hands in a fist we could feel the water running down our sleeves. Getting the gloves back on again proved to be even harder. The inner fleece lining stuck against our skin while we wiggled our cold fingers back in. After a few very silent moments Robin finally said it out loud: ‘I don’t want to ride the entire loop’.

Enjoying cycling in the rain

Here we can insert a bunch of excuses, explaining why shortening the route was the only reasonable and logic thing to do. But we won’t. Instead, we chose to not turn straight around, but make another little loop on Häckeberga’s gravel roads.

We were surprised by the biggest herd of deer we have ever seen. It must’ve been hundreds, and they all crossed the road right in front of us. As we slipped and slide over the muddy single trails everything got covered in mud. It must have been the most comic thing to see. By now we had also got used to the excruciating sound of the dirt sanding down our chain and breaks. Knowing that we had to endure the cold not four, but only two more hours also helped cheer up our mood a bit.

Strengths and weaknesses

This ride really pointed out our strengths and weaknesses. Sabina is mentally strong and is good at keeping a positive mindset. Even when the road ahead isn’t looking all peaches and cream. Physically Robin has the advantage where he isn’t just stronger, he can also push his body a bit further.

Finding your weaknesses is an amazing opportunity. It gives you space to grow and become a better cyclist and human being. But to be able to see them, from time to time, you do have to put yourself through a Day in Hell.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.
12 April 2021
Ride report: The Dirty Halland gravel route – An epic cycling adventure in Sweden
We have been on long rides before, but a 160+ kilometre gravel route? That’s something new. Last Friday we rode the Dirty Halland, and we can highly recommend it to every gravel fanatic that is looking for a good challenge. With tired legs, but a camera roll filled with awesome shots we share with you our ride report.

The Dirty Halland 2021

The Dirty Halland was initially planned as an event, but we all know how small the chances are of those happening these days. Luckily organizer Team Cyklamera decided to change the setup and released the route for everyone to cycle it independently. The route consisted of an extremely well put together combination of hard packed gravel roads, a few punchy climbs and some single trails to keep the mind sharp.

Gravel, sandy single track and rocky climbs

We started the route at the train station in Halmstad and climbed our way out of the city. Cold muscles and steep gradient, a perfect way to start every ride. After about six kilometres we finally hit the gravel in Sperlingsholm, a nice little teaser as turned out. After another short stretch on asphalt, we wouldn’t see much of that for a while. From here on it was gravel, sandy single track and rocky climbs almost all the way.

Our long distance cycling technique

Our longest route to this date had been about 120 kilometres, so we knew we needed a bit of a strategy. Something that had worked really well for us in India, was breaking up the long rides in blocks. We decided on 25 kilometres and breaks timed at 5 minutes each. The first break happened to be at a beautiful little lake, the Bredaredssjön.

Gravel cycling in Halland’s nature reserves

We followed the trail along the lake through the Hule Nature reserve. The gravel road kept going on and on in one straight line. Perfect for picking up some off-road speed. The road ran parallel from the main car road, and we were so pleased not to have to ride on that. We need more of those secondary gravel roads here in Skåne too.

After one of those typical sleepy little countryside towns, where the entire yard is covered in memorabilia such as rusted old Volvo’s and a big pile of other unrecognizable machinery, we rode into Alenäs nature reserve. The gravel here was made up of slightly bigger rocks and the short but sharp climbs rapidly followed one and another. At the 50 kilometre mark we stopped for our second break, again timed on 5 minutes.

Mind tricks of cycling with headwind

It was after this break that a slight panic set in for Sabina. There was still more than 110 kilometres to go, and headwind can play dirty tricks on someone’s mind. Luckily the road turned and as the wind stopped gushing in our face, the worry made place for enjoyment of the beautiful surroundings.

Steep gravel riding climbs

For about ten kilometres the trail went up and down, testing our climbing legs, but the real test was still to come. After a long descent we had a big climb ahead of us on chunky gravel. It was here Robin realized he couldn’t shift to his biggest gear. While Sabina was spinning up slowly on her 52t sprocket like Froome, Robin clenched his jaw and grinded it up all the way up to the top. The spectacular view at the top was the perfect reward for our effort.

All this hard work had started to wear a bit on Robin, it’s a good thing we usually take turns in when we feel the lows on our rides. On one of the long straight gravel stretches in a deforested area we had a very silent break at the 75k mark.

Refuelling in Torup

Up until this point we had been fuelling on nuts, energy and candy bars, so we were quite happy when we came to Torup the first town that had an actual supermarket. We always struggle a bit to find which foods are right on long rides like these, so we usually just pick whatever we crave for that moment. So not exactly your healthy well-balanced diet.

Sabina’s shopping list

chicken teriyaki wrap

banana (which she didn’t eat)

donut

protein chocolate milkshake

triple shot espresso energy drink

Robin’s shopping list

pulled pork wrap

iced cappuccino

Coca-Cola

salami chips

2 kex chocolate bars (which he didn’t eat)

candy

bottle of water (which was unnecessary since there turned out to be a water tap next to us)

Why gravel beats road cycling

After our meal in the supermarket corridor, next to the gum ball machine we followed the road to continue our Dirty Halland tour. It was turning noticeably darker and the overcast was turning in to a dark shade of grey. A few spatters of rain fell down on us, but absolutely not enough to drown our spirits. We did decide to skip out on the little sidetour to Mossared and just follow the beautiful puddle filled stretch of gravel from Häshult all the way to the Bosgårdsvägen. Plenty of climbs to come and a long way still to go.

We zigzagged through beautiful forest and nature reserves and the kilometres were flying by. When we hit a few stretches of asphalt we could really feel the difference in speed. Tarmac is faster, but those cars are a pain. The majority of Swedish drivers are very friendly and ride around us with a lot of room between us. But some really don’t seem to understand how dangerous it is when they race so close by, one even pushing Robin off the road onto the verge.

Gravel cycling in Biskopstorps Nature reserve

The part through Biskopstorps Nature reserve was yet another highlight of this route. After a long climb, with a short breather to pet the curious cows, we descended all the way to Kvibille. Here we bought a sugary drink, to get us through the last stretch. Blue hour had set in and Sabina was at the end of her rope. With just 20 more kilometres to push through, Robin somehow felt stronger now at the end than at the start of the ride.

Cycling in the dark

We had calculated that we would ride in the dark, but we didn’t have a lot of experience with that yet. So a technical descent in the nature area just east of Gullbrandstorp became a whole new challenge. Our torches were bright enough to light up all the tree roots, potholes and big rocks on the trail. But our tired minds were not sharp enough to catch all of them in time. So we carefully made our way down and bumped and hopped over the mud piles and rocks that we missed catching on time, but our chunky tires could easily handle for us.

Making our way down we could see the city lights of Halmstad in the distance. The finish line was now literally in sight. We crossed the farmlands on the last stretches of gravel, and before we knew it we recognized the road along the open air museum Hallandsgården which we had passed this morning at the start of the route.

The train back to Malmö

Back at the train station we had exactly 5 minutes to quickly buy something to eat for the two-hour train ride back to Malmö. In the train scrolling through our camera roll we knew that we wanted to share this adventure with you as soon as possible. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have. A big thank you for Team Cyklamera for piecing the route together, it was a beautiful day!

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.
27 March 2021
A new Farawayistan adventure, join us in the fascinating Ultra endurance cycling world

Farawayistan has always been the place where our passion for bikepacking and storytelling come together. We have loved to show you the world from our handlebar perspective, and took you on a grand adventure, all the way from the Republic of Georgia to India and Indonesia.

Regular readers may have noticed that our website recently got a makeover. A sleeker look and a brand new logo. That’s because from now on we would like to add something new to our storytelling and talk about ancient Egyptian archeology.

Just kidding. We’re still doing what we love most – sharing our cycling adventures. But we are adding another aspect to it. We are entering the world of ultra endurance cycling.

The Atlas Mountain Race 2021

Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith. So when the opportunity arose to compete in one of the most heroic off-road ultra-cycling events, we jumped in the deep. As a pair, we entered the Atlas Mountain Race to be held in October 2021.

We’ve done some crazy things before. Like when we tried to cover a bikepacking route in the Georgian High Caucasus with heavy steel touring bikes or that time when we pushed our bikes over one of worlds highest mountain passes in the Nepali Himalayas. But this one might just top them all.

The Atlas Mountain Race is an unsupported cycling race across the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. The fixed and single-staged route starts in Marrakech and ends after roughly 1,200 kilometers in the coastal town of Agadir. There is very little tarmac and the race mainly follows gravel roads, single tracks and old colonial pistes. If the harsh environment of high mountains and dry deserts aren’t hard enough, we’ll need to conquer approximately 17,000 meters of elevation. And we have no more than eight days from start to finish.

Why ride an ultra endurance race?

But don’t call us crazy just yet. We both thought long and hard about entering, and we have good reasons to do so. Robin: “Ultra cycling has always intrigued me. I don’t really have an explanation for this, and it doesn’t rhyme at all with the way I used to ride before. Purely in a recreational way and getting me from point A to B. But for some reason looking at ultra-events always made me feel excited. In particular the endurance aspect of physical and mental abilities. I’m not competitive in any way. Therefore I’m not going to Morocco to race other participants, but I’ll be racing mostly against myself.”

Life after travel

“After the journey I found it hard to motivate myself to ride” Sabina says, “because I didn’t have a goal. But while I was not riding I poured all that excessive energy in to my work. A bit too much. The balance was gone. Cycling made me happy, and being so over focused on my job didn’t. I’m someone who goes all in, and have proven to myself time after time that I actually am capable of doing more than I initially thought. I used to look at ultra cyclists as super humans doing the impossible. But now it got me wondering: ‘could I also do that?’ Only one way to find out.”

Shaping the new normal

Our lives changed quite drastically in a very short period of time. From freely roaming around with our loaded bikes in exotic places like India and Nepal to fulltime jobs with sales targets and deadlines. We went out as much as we could, but since we’re both working from home days quickly started to all look the same.

Introducing something brand new into our lives, in this case preparing for an ultra-event, brings excitement and a renewed focus. If we want to stand any chance of succeeding we have no choice but to be disciplined. The mental and physical training gives us structure and the excitement makes us feel awake.

Come along on our journey

We may have some experience cycling in challenging conditions, but we’re total newbies in the world of ultra-cycling. So we thought you might find it interesting to come along on our journey to the race. If you’ll have us, we will share our thoughts, experience, progress and setbacks and we’ll talk about anything to kit lists, training and bike fits.

Those who come here just for the pretty pictures, no worries we got you too. We will still be posting about our weekend adventures and bikepacking trips. Those are luckily also part of our preparation. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram and we’ll take you along. With a little bit of luck and a whole lot of hard work all the way to the finish line in Agadir.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.

3 February 2021
#Festive500: The 500KM Holiday challenge

Christmas usually comes with loads of food at family gatherings. But for many cyclists the days between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve have a whole different priority: the #Festive500. The global challenge is to ride 500 kilometers in eight days. So this year we spent a big chunk of the holidays on our bikes.

We, well one of us.. completed the challenge with a mix of different rides: road, gravel and virtual in two different countries. Here’s our photo report.

Day 1: Volcano Circuit

We kicked off the challenge with a bunch of laps around Watopia’s Volcano Circuit. Indeed, a ride on the indoor trainer. Of course, cycling outside is way more enjoyable, but the Swedish climate during December isn’t really pleasant. We only had six days of time, so the head start was a warm-welcome begin. It was Robin’s longest ride so far indoors. Mentally it was actually pretty okay. Sabina rode it in two different rides, one at midnight and one during the day.

Robin: 108 km / 537 m / 3:43:14 h / Zwift
Sabina: 110 km / 542 m / 4:01:48 h / Zwift

Day 2: Frosty road ride around Häckeberga

On day 2 it was time for an outdoor ride. The route was based on a ride Robin did back in September, during much warmer temperatures. The day began with frosty vegetation, frosty roads, frosty everything. Roughly halfway in we had to shelter in a supermarket with a hot chocolate to defrost our fingers and toes. Yet again, a fairly easy ride with photo breaks.

Robin: 101 km / 556 m / 4:24:14 h / Sweden
Sabina: 101 km / 637 m / 4:26:14 h / Sweden

Day 3: Skåne to the volcano

While the cold but beautiful scenery on day 2 made up for a lot, the cold and grey during day 3 was a bit more challenging. The wind near Skåne’s coastal gravel roads combined with the wind chill of minus 2 degrees Celsius were tough. After 55 km and rain showers about to start, We decided to move to somewhere warmer – to our sweaty pain cave. Here we both rode a few more laps through the virtual lava fields.

Robin: 92,5 km / 345 m / 3:57:06 h / Sweden + Zwift
Sabina: 89 km / 317 m / 3:54:26 h / Sweden + Zwift

Day 4 Teanu island

Waking up on day 4 of the #Festive500, motivation was nowhere to be found. Opening the curtains of the sleeping room definitely didn’t help. With sore legs Robin hopped on the trainer once again. YouTube videos, Spotify, a video call with his mum and a phone call with Michael from @BikepackingSweden luckily killed the time. He managed to ride a little over 80 kilometers.

After the long ride on day 2 Sabina’s knee had started to act up. We raised the saddle on day 3 but it was too little too late. On day 4 it was still too painful to ride. After a mini warmup she already had to stop. Maybe some rest will help?

Robin: 82,2 km / 334 m / 2:59:56 h / Zwift
Sabina: 13,1 km / 64 m / 29:41 h / Zwift

Day 5: Mandatory rest day

No time for cycling today, as we flew to The Netherlands to visit our relatives! Sabina tried her sore knee out, but it was still too soon.

Sabina: 4,2 km / 11m / 11:31 h / Zwift

Day 6: Hometown ride

After the mandatory rest day Robin’s legs no longer felt like his feet were stuck in a bucket of concrete. Sabina’s knee was still a mess, which unfortunately ment she had to give up.

No Sweden, no Zwift. Instead we had a typical Dutch winters day with rain and wind. We totally forgot how densely everything in the Netherlands is. The amount of cyclists is gigantic. On a single day you see more cyclist than we see in Sweden in a whole year. Robin: “It felt really good to cycle on familiar ground around my hometown. Even more so because I was in company of my father! The fact that I came home completely soaked didn’t mind me at all.”

Robin: 71,6 km / 26 m / 3:02:55 h / the Netherlands

Day 7: South-Holland

On Robin’s sixth riding day – and the seventh day of the challenge – he was about to complete the #Festive500. A ride of just 45 kilometers was enough to mark 500 kilometers. Robin: “The weather was pretty good and I had planned a ride I rode a lot when I was still living in the Netherlands. The route follows the Waterweg (canal), the shoreline and back zigzagging through the greenhouses. I was planning to ride on New Year’s Day too, but the next morning I couldn’t be bothered. After all it was time to bake ‘oliebollen’ – a Dutch delicacy of deep-fried round doughnuts eaten with New Year’s Eve.”

Robin: 60,5 km / 70 m / 2:36:29 h / the Netherlands

Robin managed to cover 516 kilometers in six days of riding. Unfortunately Sabina had to call it quits after 318 kilometers because of a knee injury. Luckily her knee felt better after a few days of rest and soon we were able to ride together again. Not because we had to accomplish a challenge, but simply because we love to ride our bikes.

Follow all our adventures on Instagram.

12 January 2021