Travelling around the world on your bike is the most incredible thing. So whenever you get the chance it is not to be missed. To me these adventures are the best way to create experiences; moving from one place to another every day, watching how the landscape changes, meeting people on your way, and constantly going from being excited, to exhausted, and back again. Sharing this with people who enjoy it as much as you do on the way is amazing.

I really wanted to make a trip that was challenging, but achievable. Where we would have to reach our limits and see how far we could push past them. To, at one point or another, be in doubt of how we would do it, or even if we could do it. Each day should bring scenic climbs, stunning nature, hard mental and physical challenges, and some unexpected surprises.

Venice to Tolmezzo.
Arriving and meeting the other girls for the first time. I was excited to meet them as I would spending the next five days with these women. And the only things we knew that we have in common is that we loved to ride our bikes and be part of adventures on the bike.

You could sense that everyone was excited to get riding, just get out there on the road, but also, nervous and cautious of the unknown, what the days would bring and how we would respond to this.

I was excited to finally get going. This is actually one of the best feelings, the first pedal stroke on the journey. The mark of beginning of your adventures. You know you have epic days ahead. The unknown, surprises, senses, and that emotional rush. I had been craving this: the warm pavement, the intense sun, Italy. And my legs were feeling good.

"Going on an adventure on the bike with five women, where four of them I have never met before. I have no idea who they are as humans or riders, but now we are going to spend the next five days together – from early morning to late evening. This is maybe as big a challenge as riding.

As a group of women not knowing each other from the beginning, we are still more than able to push and pull each other through hard days. Where had I been on my own I would have quit several times because it would all seem too overwhelming, and I would start to doubt myself every minute of pain."

- Birgitte

"There was something really special about riding with only women. It never felt like we were competing with each other to get to the top first, but celebrating those who did and admiring each other for our strength and perseverance.

A trip like this makes you pretty vulnerable; you connect with people on the bike in ways that would to take years with other people. You see each other at your rawest moments and can deeply empathize with each others feelings."

- Pauline

There are days when cycling is as much a psychological effort as it is a physical one. Days when, had you been alone, you would have quit. The distance seems too far, the climb too steep, the heat too oppressive, the fatigue too great.

But those thoughts fade away when riding with a group of strong women, all pushing themselves and at the same time pulling each other through moments of pain, anger, exhaustion and defeat. You think you know your breaking point, but realize it’s far beyond what you had in mind. And sometimes you can’t see that on your own."

- Jenna

Rolling into Vienna.
An ‘easy’ day with rolling hills. We got up very early to avoid the heat from the previous day. And this day held a mixture of feelings. I was looking forward to arrive in Vienna to relax. To Austrian beers, schnitzel, apfelstrudel, wearing normal clothes, and not having to sit on a bike for hours in the blistering heat. Only 30 km from Vienna and then that was it. That feeling of having ridden for such a long time, in an instant, faded into what felt like we had only just begun.