Julie & Ken Stammers are keen cyclists who completed a 4-month bicycle tour in the summer of 2011 from Spain to the UK and back again – over 6,500 kilometers.

To get ready for the trip, Julie started by reading about other cyclists’ journeys.

“I avidly read hundreds of inspirational accounts written by experienced cycle tourists, some of whom have been around the world several times over, all of whom seemed to have undertaken journeys far more adventurous than the one we were planning. Our total experience of cycle touring was a just couple of cycling holidays with an organised tour company. Not much to go on really!”

“As we set off our heads were full of doubts. Are the bikes too heavy? Are we fit enough? Can we climb the mountains? Is it too far? The questions were endless.”

This is a journal from Julie & Ken’s first week of the journey, when they learned some valuable lessons.

Day 1 – And we’re off… (April 2, 2011)
I hope the title of this entry does not give the impression of speed, as that would be misleading. Despite having spent weeks and weeks preparing for this moment, we end up spending the whole morning running around in circles, turning things off, defrosting the freezer and endless other tasks, trying to think of everything that we needed to do to leave the house for 4 months. Would we ever actually be ready to set off?

Click here to continue reading their journal.