Name: Christian de Vries Lindstrøm
Residence: Norway
Year of birth: 1965
Bike: Salsa Fargo Ti
Riding period: 21 July 2024 – 30 October 2024
Most favourite part:
Finland and Sweden with its endless forests and lakes, so peaceful.
Spain and Portugal with some beautiful landscapes, interspersed with small villages where the local bar/restaurant offer coffee, food or maybe even accommodation. The mountains of Sierra de Cazorla was probably the highlight.
Random Thoughts:
After cycling Finland and a bit of Sweden I got problems with very swollen legs from hundreds of mosquito bites. The problem was resolved with antihistamine treatment, but I certainly learned my lesson not to underestimate those small creatures. I now understand why some say the mosquito is the national bird of Finland.
And I hate wild boars as well after been scared by this animal while in my tent after dark in Catalonia/Spain. As a sweet revenge I will order a double portion of wild boar stew if I ever encounter a restaurant with this on its menu.
In France and Spain when busted a few times for wild camping on someone’s farmland, google translate and a smile has turned an unpleasant encounter into a friendly handshake.
The EDT is for the most part nice to ride. However out of the blue I sometimes found myself really struggling with either really tough hike-a-bike sections, having to carry my heavy bike over numerous obstacles in rough terrain or simply getting lost. And sometimes it felt more like participating in a fitness test for the Army’s Special Forces rather than being on a bikepacking trail.
Being able to tackle the EDT may at times make you feel a great sense of achievement, but you also realize how much you appreciate getting a little help from others or just being met with friendliness, be it from someone at home, other travelers or locals.
So very nice to meet others doing the EDT: Jan, PL & Kristen, Max & Vera, Nestasia and Andy. Especially enjoyable to ride the mountains of Sierra de Cazorla together with Jan.
Being a nomad for months is really nice, but never knowing where (and if) you will sleep the following night makes eventually coming home just as nice.
Instagram:
Christian’s trip in pictures
unbelievabel. the guts one must have to start a tour like this , but fo finish it, is worth a real herostatus. So many goattrails has to be conquered by biking, the weather not being your best friend all the time makes that we, his family, are proud to have a Christian amidst us.
Super Christian, gratis experience. Could have slept at our place. Quinta da Adarnela.com. Greetings Clive