We made it!! With tired legs and happy hearts we arrived in Lisbon on Tuesday after riding the entire way from St. Petersburg without once hitching a ride in the van.
Our staff had gourmet snacks and champagne waiting for us on the street in front of the hotel and an afternoon of photos and celebration ensued along with bicycle packing and bag hauling.
It is amazing to look back over the ride:
According to my Strava records we rode 3951 miles and climbed 127,005 feet, a slightl underestimation since my Garmin battery went dead one day. I had no flat tires, (Jim had three). Jim & I had no serious crashes (one case of “road rash” for Jim), two broken derailleur cables, two “lost & found” bikes, no significant illnesses, two occasionally sore “sit-upons”, many days of sore leg muscles, occasional melt-downs (mainly by me), and many magical moments. We met interesting people, riders and residents of the countries we traveled though. We did not encounter snow but we enjoyed or suffered through rain, winds, hot, cold & perfect riding conditions. Wonderful pavement, bumpy cobblestones, gravel, dirt, sand, patched and unpatched potholes–you name it, we rode over it. We road along the Baltic Sea, the Adriatic, the Mediterranean, and finally ended at the Atlantic Ocean. We ate more peanut butter than you can imagine & developed a new propensity to drink cold beer at the end of the day.
I developed a few strong opinions about bike touring in Europe. I do not like European camping (crowded, dirty & noisy in many places) and Jim and I acquired a reputation among the riders for finding indoor accommodations whenever possible.
I like hill climbing more than headwinds. I crave sun/heat when its cold and rain when its hot. Perfect weather riding days only happen once in awhile but boy are they sweet! Most drivers are really pretty gracious, especially in Spain, but not so much in Slovakia and Hungary.
A special thanks to Vilma for the great food and many of the photos I have used. Some of the photos were also taken by Peter, her husband, and bicycle mechanic extraordinaire who kept our bikes working, sometimes rescuing us at the side of the road.
Thanks to our fellow riders who shared the journey, all or sections, and inspired us with their athleticism and grit.
And finally, thanks again to those of you who followed this blog and encouraged us along the way & inspired us to pay attention to the world around us.
oldfolkswithbikes 
Congratulations! What an adventure!
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Congratulations and well done! Looking forward to seeing you in a few days. Weather here is delightful, sunny & 70*. Safe travels.
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May I add my congratulations also. Had to take a lot of determination at times – admire you both for never giving in to the elements encountered.
Really hope to travel west to catch up for all the years/decades that have passed and meet Jim.
So – where to next?
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THANK YOU for taking us along with you! Your blog really got to the heart of what riding in places unknown is all about and I am so glad that we got to share in your journey. I am also glad that your neck is okay and you and Jim didn’t suffer any physical injuries, outside of the road rash.
Wow! I am impressed that you had no flat tires and Jim only had three!
I am going to venture that after some time at home, you’ll do another bike journey? Where to?
Thank you again for bringing us along!
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You guys are the best…Nike needs you for their next “just do it” campaign.
Thank-you so soooooo much for keeping us in the loop.
xo
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Congratulations! Truly an unforgettable journey, and a major accomplishment that most of us could never even dream of accomplishing. special congrats to Jim as the oldest rider (but I’m sure not the weakest).
Hope all is well when you return home, and look forward to hearing more about your journey in person. Lots to catch up on once your feet are on terra firm, you are caught up with family etc. Love to get together, Portland, Spokane, Walla Walla, or wherever.
Thanks for keeping us posted on your blog. By the time you get caught up, hopefully we will have finished our property purchase for Richard’s business (which has consumed our spring and summer, now our fall!)
Mary and Streve >
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Dear Barb and Jim,
Kudos to the two of you!! The trip looked great. The last part sounded pretty strenuous. I think that you are both pretty tough cyclists.
Fondly- Kathy Herson
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Hello Barb and Jim, Your photos and journals let each of us imagine that we were riding along with you–or at least sharing your stories at the end of each travel day.
Many thanks to each of you. I hope you decide to publish some version of the photos and journal. I think it would be well received and much enjoyed by readers. with Love, Margy and Dick
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