The beauty of a holiday is that you can do heaps or almost no planning!
But a bit of planning might be smart for a bike trip, so I'll tell you what I did (wrong)!

Let's start with planning the route. For some, this will be an important thing to do ahead of departure, while others will prefer to leave it open-ended and figure it out on the go. Both options are of course totally fine. However, I did love the fact that I 'overplanned' my routes for the trips. ​ Maybe a good thing to start is to decide where you want to start and finish. For me, I knew I wanted to do a loop, starting and ending in my hometown of Delft. I tried to avoid having to worry about packing my bike and bags up for a train or a plane ride. Plus I felt that riding a loop would also give me a greater sense of achievement.

With a start and end point the battle to find the in-between starts. I wanted to stick to either cycleways, forest trails or smaller roads in Europe. I didn't want to have to battle all the traffic I do day in and day out in Australia. Luckily in Europe, you have something called "The European Cycle Route Network". Also known as the EuroVelo routes, which are signposted, long-distance, cycle routes between various countries. These routes are where I started my planning for my trip off and which I followed for most of the time. I love Google MyMaps for a lot of reasons, which I will get to in more detail in a bit. So because the EuroVelo website wasn't giving me the right detailed overview in map form, I decided to plot all the EuroVelo routes in a MyMaps. This gave me an overview of which part of which EuroVelo route I could do, then connect to the next one and build out the entire loop. You can find that map here so you can use it to plan your trip, if you are a bit particular like me with maps. If you are not in Europe and don't have the EuroVelo routes, you will need to start a little more from scratch. However, some other websites can help you out. A good one is the bikepacking website. This website has a lot of well-mapped out routes, tips to go with that route and also just a lot of great reviews of gear. Another would be Komoot or using heatmaps on Strava to see where people ride in the parts you want to ride through. ​ I had my start and finish point; Delft, and I figured out the points I wanted to hit between. These points were cities I wanted to experience or where family/friends were living. By connecting some different EuroVelo routes, I found a rough line I wanted to take and from there I started. Some people will stop here with the planning. They know the rough line between the points they want to go to and just follow the signs along the way or plot a simple GPX file on their bike computer. This will absolutely be enough info to manage.

That line, that was and is not enough info for me though. Me and my overplanning went a bit further. I cropped all the gpx files of the EuroVelo routes I wanted to connect to only the pieces of these long routes that I needed. This I did with this gpx studio website where you can upload gpx files, then cut parts away and merge different bits to a single gpx file again. It's a lot to explain here. So if you decide to do this, don't be alarmed if you don't get how it works in one go. Another way to do his would be with RideWithGPS, but you will need to have the paid membership to be able to cut down gpx files. ​ Once I had combined the cropped EuroVelo gpx files into files, I of course made another Google MyMaps so I could visualize the trip. Note that I did not use this Google MyMaps to actually navigate. That is what I used my bike computer for, but I often also just followed the EuroVelo signs along the road. The map for the trip in 2023 you can find here, where I knew I wanted to go to Basel, Vienna and Berlin. The reason I love Google MyMaps: - They let you put points, routes, photos and descriptions in. - You can then open the link to the MyMaps in your Google Maps app on your phone without having to do something extra - Bonus point is that you can see not only the locations and routes you plotted, but you can see your current location alongside it. So with a Google MyMaps, I had an overview of the route I wanted to take. In 2023 I went overboard and added in points of interest along the way as well as all campsites. Looking back after this trip, I knew that this was way too much planning as I maybe only used that layer like 30x along the way. In 2024, I made the Google MyMaps and the gpx files for it, but I didn't add points of interest or campsites to the map as I didn't feel I needed it. ​ I ended up using the app Campy to find campsites along the way, the website Camping info, as well as just typing in camping in the Google Map app. ​ You can see the layers with campsites and the other 'stuff' by clicking on the expand button left of "Europe 2023".

After all this, I had the route and a rough idea of how long the trip between the cities I wanted to go was. This made it possible to figure out how long I roughly needed. I wanted to know this so I could inform friends and family when I would be able to meet them in these cities. ​ In 2023 the plan looked something like this when I left on my trip. But in 2024 the plan looked more like this. I calculated the distances with the parts of the EuroVelo. The reason I created a 'ride plan' was to figure out how many days I had and how fast/slow I could go. In 2023, I had a hard deadline of the 3rd of August to be back in The Netherlands for a wedding. So I didn't feel I could go 'with the flow' and risk being way too far away from Delft at the start of August. In 2024, I didn't really have a hard deadline, and this made the trip a lot more flexible and ended up different than I planned for initially. ​ The routes I cut down and created, I loaded into the app MapOut where you can easily select parts of the course and then see how many kilometers and meters of elevation the selected bit is. During the planning phase in 2023, I thought about riding 60-70km a day. So I took chunks of that amount of kilometers for each day and built a rough plan in a spreadsheet to visualize when I would be where. For each of the parts I also built in 'Bufferdays' to make up for staying an extra night in a city, if I wanted to take a detour or for any unforeseen circumstances I would run into. Having these extra days worked out well in the end because it made me more flexible, while still sticking to the plan. ​ Besides being an overplanner, I'm also a data nerd. So in the above-mentioned spreadsheet, I also kept track of the kilometers I'd ridden, the elevation I tackled and how much money I spent paying for a campsite each night. See the screenshot below of the first 27 days of my 2024 trip.

I guess that is all that I did for the planning of the route. It was a lot and as said, I didn't do all of what I did in 2023 for the 2024 trip and it was still perfect. If I were to ever do a trip like this again, I would still get all the gpx's and load them into the app MapOut. I would also make a spreadsheet to see a rough plan of how many days I'd need to complete the plan.

In April 2021 I bought a Checkpoint ALR 5 so I could hang out with my friends on the gravel paths. Immediatly I loved it! But I also missed the electric gearing and hated how heavy the bike was. So, while I was still working in the TREK store in Port Melbourne I put a pre-order in for an Checkpoint SL 6. It took till February 2022 to come in, but it turned out to be worth the wait. The RIVAL SRAM 1x drive train works means it has one chainring at the front and 12 sprockets on the cassette. The ability to go up and down the gears with this Di2 system, with just the control of one button on the left lever and one on the right is so damn easy. The battery of the gearing can be taken off the bike to charge and makes that with a spare battery, you'll never end up with a dead Di2. ​ I changed the handlebars on the Checkpoint straight away to the Salsa Cowchipper as they are a little bit more flared but with a small drop. Also changed the saddle to a women specific one that TREK doesn't sell anymore, but I am stocking three of them because... Once you have found a saddle you like, you don't want to change. ​ Before I left Australia for Europe, I had also asked the guys at ParkBikes, my favourite bike shop in Sydney, to change my front chainring. The bike comes with a 40 chainring, but I suck at hills and imagined I would need all the grandma gears I needed for doing steep inclines with a loaded bike. So I put on a 38 chainring and it helped way more with the hills than I would have thought. ​ For my trips, I decided to go with a 38 or 40c tyre, with enough profile to withstand rough paths. Along the way on the trips, I had to get new tyres as they were completely destroyed halfway through. This piece of equipment is definitely one that has many options and is super personal to what one likes to ride. I like to have my tyres slightly bulkier and more knobbly than others. The three tyres I loved on my trips: - WTB Riddler - Continental Terra Trail - TUFO Speedero

Starting to plan my first trip in 2023 and what to take with me, I did ask Google about a lot of things. But the most helpful thing was my mate Mark. We went on a couple of small trips in Australia at the end of 2022 and the start of 2023 and he just gave me bags to try. Then after trying he told me 'You can take them with you to Europe, just make sure to return them to me in person...' Well, won't say no to that as I loved them. ​ I ended up with no panniers on the back of my bike, which I realized during my trip was almost a given with the bike packers. Do I regret that? Absolutely not. I managed fine with the space and adding panniers would have given me additional space and extra added weight. Of course, extra space would have been helpful, especially for storing more food. But I was glad I didn't have the extra added weight as getting up those steep inclines would be even harder, probably even impossible. ​ So what bags did I end up taking? Let's start at the front of the bike and make our way to the rear. Handlebar bags In 2023, I had a small, Rockbros 5L, bag that rested over the front roll. It is the perfect bag for storing valuables, cutlery and a few snacks. However, it was a bummer that it doesn't have smaller pockets or something because it isn't the easiest to open and close when it is full. But I did overstuff it a lot of times when I was searching for space to put food. So for the 2024 trip, I got the Acepac handlebar bag and I liked it a lot more. It has a separate dry bag in it, has a front pocket with a zip as well as side pockets and was way easier to attach. Underneath this smaller bag, I put this 15L 'dry' bag which has clips on both ends to close it by rolling it up. This bag is not fully waterproof, which just means I had to ensure whatever was in there that shouldn't get wet, was in a separate dry bag. The bonus was that if this bag got wet, it really only took a few minutes to dry as the fabric was super light. In this bag, I stuffed my sleeping bag, sleeping mat, pillow, fleece jacket, towel, washing line, extra gas canister (if I was carrying one), tent poles and pegs and sometimes some cans of food. When using a bag like this, I would recommend a roll that can open from both ends as it makes searching for items on the go a lot easier. The above two bags were attached to my handlebar via the EXP Series Anything Cradle from Salsa. Attaching the bags this way versus for example using an Ortlieb roll makes a difference in the way that you can still place your hands in the middle of the handlebar. There is space between the cradle and your handlebar, which also means space for a bike computer with an out-front mount. Forkbags On my front fork I had on either side more Salsa bags, the EXP Series Anything cage. In these two I stashed my tent on one side and on the other side cooking stuff, plus some extra food. Strapping the cylinder bags (and the front roll one) with Voile Straps, with an extra one to attach my shoes and bike lock on either side. ​ The last bags attached to my handlebar were the very overpriced Wizard Works Voila Stem Bags, but I spent the money on them because the splatter design is just so cool! You can for sure find cheaper feed bags like this. These kinds of bags are so ideal for things you need quick and easy access to while riding. Which most of the time meant I had a lot of snacks in there. They also were surprisingly waterproof! Frame bags I also have a frame bag underneath the top tube: Bontrager Adventure Boss Frame Bag. That one just stored some very random bits and pieces like a first aid kit, a spare battery for my gearing, a chair (aka a garbage bag), a bike pump, electrolytes, headphones, coins and some more crap. ​ Between my top tube and my seat post, I had another small storage unit: the Acepac Tube Bag MKIII. I filled this one with some bike mechanics stuff, chain lube, spare sealant, a cloth and some repair kits for my sleeping mat. Saddle bag The last bag on the bike, I absolutely love it! If you're looking for a saddle bag, this is the one!! Why? Well, because the biggest win here is that it will never sway left to right due to the way it's attached to the bike. The Revelate Spinelock has a special attachment system that you screw onto your saddle rails. Then a pin goes through that bit and the other side of the attachment on the top of your bag. A few more straps that attach the bag to the system on your saddle and you're in business. This bag won't move even when you're dancing on the paddles trying to make it up a steep incline. It is fully waterproof, has an air vent in it to ensure you can let all the air out and make it as small as possible and heaps of handy spots on the top to turn the bag into your drying rack. I have the 10L version, but there is also another bigger 16L one.

During my 105-day trip in 2023, I camped 73 nights. And in 2024, I camped 66 out of the 103 days. On both trips, I spent a few nights with friends/family, a few in a hotel and a few with Warm Showers hosts. Most of the nights in my tent were epic. I loved getting woken up by the light instead of an alarm. The fresh air coming in without having to open the windows. The sounds of the birds or the winds through the trees. Of course, some nights were terrible. Especially those where it was two degrees, where the rain was just absolutely non-stop or when it felt the wind was going to blow my tent away. Tent My tent for this trip was 'It's the cheapest one you can find on AliExpress' And boy, I don't think I can recommend it enough!! In 2023 and the start of 2024 I used the older version of this Flame's Creed LanShan, and halfway through my trip in 2024 I replaced it with this newer one as the zipper broke and was beyond repair. The tent comes with a waterproof outer shell, a mesh inner tent and pegs. You will need a tent or hiking pole (120-125cm long). ​ The things I love about this tent: - You put the outside up first, by putting the pegs in on the corners and then lift it up with your one pole. This means that even if it's pouring rain, your inner tent stays dry. I often also just put it up quickly to shelter in there till the rain had slowed or stopped. - It is so light and small! The inner and outer tent both fit in only one of my fork bags. It only weighs about 1kg. ​ The things that are not that great: - Because it is so lightweight, it isn't warm in there. Which is fine when it's nice weather, but I had some really cold nights in 2023 and those weren't great. - It's a bit fiddly to get the tension on all four corners correct so that the outer tent isn't pulling one way and is slacking in the other corner. Sleeping stuff Of course, this sleeping in a tent business is never going to be as comfortable as your bed at home. But I was pretty okay with my setup. I had a Rab Neutrino 200 sleeping bag. I am a cold person, and this lightweight one was a struggle when temperatures were in the single digits. But for camping in the summer, it was absolutely great and sometimes even way too warm. ​ I used a sleeping bag liner at the start for extra warmth and then, when it got hot, I slept only in that instead of the sleeping bag. And when it got really, really hot, I would put my sleeping mat in the sleeping bag liner. That way I wasn't sticking to the mat because of the heat. ​ My sleeping mat was the one thing that caused me headaches on my trip in 2023. The ThermaRest NeoAir UberLite had a lot of benefits: super small, really light and comfy. But it started to slowly leak only three weeks into my trip. I managed to fix the smallest holes around the valve multiple times with the Exped field repair kit with some nifty UV light-activated glue. Would recommend that repair kit as it worked so quickly! The mat also started to bulge at the feet, so as soon as I got back to The Netherlands, I went into the store where I bought the sleeping and got a warranty replacement. I did go with a slightly different one. The ThermaRest NeoAir XLite has a higher R-value (better in the cold) and it is a bit bigger because the fabric it's made of is sturdier. But on my trip in 2024 it proved to be the absolute best. Not one leak, better insulation against the cold and the difference in size was barely noticeable packing it in the bike bag. ​ A pillow was the last sleeping item I brought. The one I used was a SeaToSummit Aeros Premium pillow. It did the job but of course not as great as a normal fluffy pillow. Washing line and more There were a few other camping items that I took and absolutely would recommend: - Washing line. The one I have is from de decathlon. It's 5m long, has hooks on either end so you can attach it to literally anything and you don't need pegs because of the little bead system. - Chair. Well, in my case it was just a garbage bag. But damn, it really works to make sure you don't get a wet butt, get itchy from freshly cut grass or get bitten by a nest of ants. - Mesh veggie nets, which I used to decipher which of my undies and socks were dirty and which were clean.​​

Food and cooking are definitely in my top 3 things in life for sure. Cooking while camping is a whole different kind of cooking. But I do think it's possible to make tasty and nutritious things on a one burner stove. Check out the on the road page for some photo inspiration of meals I had. ​ The key items of my 'kitchen' were: - MSR PocketRocket 2. It folds up super small but still has the ability to control the flame. I put a small, 100gr, canister underneath it. This would generally last me about 2 to 3 weeks and I would try to get a spare one as soon as the current one was halfway empty. Run out of it once and then it was a hard task to find a new one! - Primus Essential Trek Pot Set. For cooking, I wanted to have more than one single pot so I could use a pot to also mix things in or drink out. It also needed to be less than the diameter of a fork bag so I could slide it in there. It was a long online search, but eventually I found this Primus one and it was jackpot. It had 3 (!) pots that all fit into one. Still has enough space to slide a small canister inside as well as my burner and some small random items. The large pot was ideal to mix salads in, the small pot with lid was perfect for a soup or hot chocy and the top was the lid for the big pot as well as a frying pan. - I initially made a mistake by having a plastic spork, but that one melted quickly when I stirred in a hot pot. So I bought this Primus Field Cutlery set. This worked a lot better and having separate utensils was a lot easier than one spork. - Opinel Pocket Knife. The best for any task. That's all I can say. Just get it. - Tupperware container. I had one that fitted exactly in my fork bag. It was super handy to store left over food. If I didn't have any food left over, it was filled with some kitchen things to create more space in the fork bag. - Salt & chilli flakes in a small jar - Olive oil in a small bottle - Dishwashing soap, a small cloth for drying/cleaning and the best sponge a camper can get: Onion netting! It proved to be the best way to scrub things clean. Plus the netting is light and dried very quickly.

The fine line between bringing too much and not enough is very thin with clothes. I tried to bring pieces of clothing that I could wear in different situations. Of course, you're not going to go to the pool in your cycling bibs and ride your bike in your swimmers. But I think what I packed in the end worked well for both trips. Cycling items 2x Attaquer cargo bib 2x Attaquer socks 2x Decathlon mesh undershirt 2x Decathlon merino t-shirt 1x Northwave Corsair cycling shoes 1x Decathlon rain jacket 2x Sports bra 1x Long sleeve 1x Thin gloves 1x Buff 1x Oakley sunnies 1x Kask Mojito helmet Casual items 1x Decathlon fleece sweater 1x Uniqlo casual lightweight pants 1x Black sport shorts 1x Cotton t-shirt for sleeping 1x Short sleeve summer dress 1x Teva's​ 1x Denim thin button down shirt 1x Short jumpsuit 2x Casual t-shirt 1x Long sleeve casual t-shirt 1x Bra 6x Undies 1x Batoko swimmers

There were a lot more random items, but you can check those on the complete list. But want to highlight a few here that I think are a winner and I would recommend. ​ - Decathlon foldable backpack. This made doing groceries right before hitting the campsite so easy. - SeaToSummit Airlite quick drying towel. Look, it was not the best for drying myself and that crazy amount of hair on my head. But it did dry so damn quickly and packed super small. - Garmin Edge 840 bike computer. Of course to keep track of all the kilometers I was riding, but also to navigate. - Anker PowerCore. A powerbank is a must. There aren't a lot of opportunities to charge your phone and other device. Sitting next to your item that is charging in the toilet is sometimes needed. But it worked well for me to leave the powerbank charging overnight in a dark toilet block or with some friendly neighbors so that I could use it the next couple of days to charge my phone, e-reader and Garmin. - Bontrager Mini Charger floor pump. Great small pump that even has a pressure gauge and a foot so you're not standing pumping there with two hands like a crazy person. - Roll of toilet paper. You never know when a campsite isn't going to have any toilet paper and I can tell you that you then really are going to have a shitty time... - Ziplocks. Can never have enough of these to ensure you can pack away items that need to stay dry. I had some simple plastic ones and some silicone ziplocks because the normal plastic ones tear way too quickly for some items. - Plugs. If you are running tubeless tyres like I did, you absolutely need to bring plugs. And I would recommend more than one of them. It might be a while before you can find a bakeshop and a new tyre, and then you will need more than one plug to get yourself there. - E-reader. I loved being on my own, but your own company might get boring. You won't have enough battery to spend all hours watching Netflix on your phone or scroll to social media. I spend hours reading books on my trip and would highly recommend an e-reader. Their batteries also last forever, so there is no need to worry about running out of battery on it after a good day of reading. - Litelok GO Flexi-U. You're going to need a bike lock. You'll need one that your insurance acknowledges, but also one that isn't weighing a thousand kilos. I went with the Litelok one after a lot of researching on the lightest lock that my insurance would accept. I would definitely recommend this one as it was handy to carry, locked my bike to almost every pole and was for sure not as heavy as most of the U-locks. - Voile straps. They literally can strap anything to everything. I use them to attach my bags to my bike, as well as strapping random items to my bags or bike.

You can find my full list of items I packed via this link. Just remember this is my list. There are for sure items that you want to bring that I didn't and other things on here that you don't think you need. But it is a good start!