Having done the full Sicily divide route about a month ago, may I suggest that next time you just stop any of the local cafes and bakeries that are on route? Have an arancini and a coffee and stop making out it's just fully into the wild with no infrastructure? You may also want to make contact with the Sicily divide team who provide a brevet card which is stamped at recommended sleeping and eating spots on route. Finally you might want to shed a lot of that weight you are carrying, you are going to struggle to have a good time with a 29kg setup on a climbing heavy route.
Thanks for your comment and congrats on finishing the route. How many days did it take you? Next year I will go back and do the same! My plan was to stop at cafes and bakeries but I guess I was just super unlucky because almost always when I came across one, they were closed. Doesn't matter if it was morning, noon or late afternoon. Maybe it was also due to the season? Anyways, take Salemi for instance: according to Google right in the old town's center there are several bars and cafés, a burger place and a pizzeria. Google Maps says that at least half of them are opened during the day. When I was there, however, it was a ghost town. Don't get me wrong: I am not ignorant and I am not complaining. I understand that the depopulation of villages and thereby the sinking of life quality on the countryside is a real issue for regions such as Sicily. I am just a tourist passing through. I know that. The point I want to make is: I tried to plan as good as possible, but the plan didn't hold. And yes, I got the brevet card, which is nice and helpful, if you want to sleep in a house/flat. But I prefer sleeping in a tent because it makes the whole experience more wholesome. So it didn't help me much. Regarding the equipment: I already have some of the lightest equipment there is. But I brought a lot spare parts like a chain, tires and tools. I wouldn't want to miss that. And of course the camera equipment (although being very light) is a factor, too. Maybe 5 kilograms including a strong powerbank. Anyways, the solution I chose in later bikepacking adventure is: different gearing, shorter days, and more food on my bike to be more self sufficient. So far that worked very well.
Ciao @@nonoexplores, I'm from the south of Italy and I can tell you that what you see on Google Maps doesn't really reflect the reality. The level of technology adoption is very very low there. What I suggest in the South is to plan the route according to these "rules": - General rule: everything closed from 12:30 to 16:30. This you should plan as a fact and everything you find open just take as a gift from God :) You cannot count on restaurants either for lunch, Italians in the South generally do not make use of restaurants for lunch ... mainly we use them for dinner. - Bars: you can count with them open from 6:30 to 11:00, then is very questionable. It very much depends on the mood of the owner if it stays open - Grocery stores: this is what you can count on but not all of them are the same. South of Italy is full of small, family driven, grocery stores but here, again, the opening hours are not guaranteed. If you want to have more predictability you should search bigger chains like Eurospin, Conad, Lidl, Pam, Coop. - Bring dry food with you that you can rehydrate and eat in case of emergency. - Eat enough carbs, every 30-40 minutes you need to eat something and ensure, at least one of your bottle contains electrolytes (you can bring powders that you just add to your bottle when refilling) The last thing. I failed a lot of times with these trips and, thanks to my failures I learned a lot of things. So enjoy the failures because they bring knowledge and great experiences! Enjoy cycling is a wonderful sport! See you on the roads ;)
@@marcocasamassima389 thanks mate! Just saw your answer now. Your rule of thumb for opening hours is super helpful - and it fits exactly to my experience. Many thanks. Dry food is something I now always have with me. Powder carbs for bottles, too. I just find the ratio between carbs and weight and space needed not so ideal with them for bikepacking. But I have them for the occasional bottle ...
Honestly, it has been an amazing trip you have made through Sicily. Things never go as planned. I think that leaving the route has been a good decision, and not because I would have done it, but because you have decided so, and it is correct. As in life itself, we have moments in which we achieve our goals and others in which it is not possible, but the important thing is that in some way, we continue. Be proud of what you have done, learn from it and fill your life with experiences that make you feel alive. Greetings. 👍
As a Brit that worked in Germany for 35 years and, mostly solo, bikepacked through Europe. My German girlfriend always wanted to plan to the last detail. NO, no, no. Give yourself time and don't take too much but be flexible with an overall plan that you want to do. Relax, enjoy. Eat well and drink good wine or beer in the evenings.
Ive never seen something like that scene of you eating pizza 😂 it looked like you'd pulled it over you like a blanket! I dont know how you didnt burst out laughing just seeing yourself like that but i guess you were just super drained at that point. It was very endearing from my POV though 😁 WELL DONE for attempting something so hard and getting as far as you did. Some of the stats you were throwing out were just crazy! 29kg, more than 2000m of climbing in a day with barely any food! I think youve had more than enough people telling you that you tried to do too much so im just here to say how impressive you are, and how likeable you were even in your darkest moments. I'm bike touring in a couple of weeks and will be climbing about 1000m per day, i will think of you when it gets tough and feel like i've got it easy! Thanks for the great video, keep doing what you're doing and take care of yourself bro! Much love from hilly Wales.
Do It in 4 days instead of 7 was maybe the worst decision. As someone said "It's not a race". Anyway i think that the wild sicily Is Better than the touristic sicily.
Yeah, with video production, too. For me the best part of bikepacking is sitting down and not pedalling for a while. Can't do that often if the schedule is super tight.
Have done a bit of bike packing in my time and watched more than a few bike packing vlogs and yours ranks in the top 5 . Your honesty , your attitude , your cinematography, sound, everything just brilliant . Your comment on the train about facing failure is something many aspiring bike packers should think about. Chapeau on such a great video.
Hey mate, many thanks for your kind words. Much appreciated! It's great to see all the positive feedback after being honest and vulnerable to a wide audience. But it's good to hear, that this is appreciated. I want to tell stories as they are and not polish them for social media. And if other people can learn something from my mistakes (and successes) even better.
I finished college in 2008 and decided to take my first bike tour from northern Italy, heading to Berlin across eastern Europe. I built my MTB out of quality spare parts, supplied it with two front panniers, one for food and sleep, the other for equipment and extra clothing. A compass for cloudy days, one nokia 3310 in case of emergency and little money. I ghost camped 2 nights out of 3. What I quickly learnt from the first days: eat before you are hungry, set camp before sunset, leave 1l of water for breakfast and never pass on a fresh supply of food and water. I suffered hunger climbing through Slovenia, heat in Croatia and the worst night of my life in the middle of a storm in Germany. 3000km in a month, a swollen knee, worn out cranks and chain, bent wheel rim, busted 2 wheel spikes and a close call with rural right wingers in eastern Austria. It was one of the best summers of my life!
Many thanks! Very nice to hear that you liked it. I wanted to show true emotions (including the lows) and not making the average everything-is-amazing-social-media-stuff.
Thanks for the video, one of the best bikepacking ordeals on YT in my view. I agree absolutely stunning Sicilian couintryside. Look forward to rthe next one !! and yes I have liked & subscribed
A very important thing to remember among the differences between northern and southern Europe are the opening hours. Here in Italy, for reasons mainly due to the warmer climate, we are used to eat between in the evening after 8 p.m. and there are restaurants open even until midnight. In the end, love your video and have fun discovering the "Bel Paese" by bicycle ;)
Many thanks! Happy that you liked the video! Yeah I knew that it would be lonelier during the day than - for instance - in Germany. However, I was under the impression that during lunchtime Italians would take a longer lunch break which they spend in small bars or restaurants. This was, however, not the case on the countryside, which is probably also du to its low population density. But I learned that and will rely less on local infrastructure in the future.
Hey Nono, thanks for sharing your video. I really enjoyed watching it. I recently did my first bikepacking adventure, the Tuscany Trail 2024. It was more difficult than I expected, but I achieved my goal of finishing in 7 days. I know some cyclists did it in 2-3 days, but I really wanted to do it in an enjoyable way, to take in the views, enjoy the Italian food, etc, though I did get some kind of heat exhaustion on the 4th day, got a blood nose, and so only did about 30kms on that day, but I managed to make up some time to get back on schedule doing 100kms on my last day from Volterra to Donoratico. It was such an enjoyable trip that I think I'd like to try it again next year. By the way, I liked your video, subscribed to you, and started following you on Instagram. I hope you get your 10,000 views and try the Sicily divide again next year. Think positive, plan those restaurant / shop opening hours better, and I'm sure you can do it. Cheers mate 🙂✌🚴♂
Absolutely LOVE your video! Sure, the scenery and the sunsets are great, but without the visible&audible content of you moving through this environment, without seeing your physical condition and your physical effort, without you conveying your dramatic range of emotions of perceived failures and successes...well...without those your video would just be another pretty Sicily travel ad. Not that a travel ad is bad...but dude, YOU are the star of the show...and STAR you did! In this one relatively brief video, you exhibited ability to provide dialogue evidencing uncommon ability to communicate with depth. Your German accent was just strong enough to add delight, rather than impairment. Your videography appears to be well on its way. In my humble opinion, you probably have the potential to be the next Iohan Gueorguiev. Surely, it is going to take you a while to even approach his level, but I think you might just be able to pull it off. Exceedingly rare quality potential. If you are not already familiar with Iohan, check out his See the World TH-cam videos, and take in just how huge a compliment you just received.
@bohurley2051 Wow! What a lovely comment. Many many thanks. Great to hear that you also appreciated the - let's say - more honest and true side of the video. I sometimes have the feeling that in social media many creators do not dare to show the downsides of their adventures and maybe shy away from showing what it truly cost them. I tried to show both sides and I did challenge myself on purpose to experience both. I believe that in this "sweet spot" between failing and succeeding you can learn the most. Therefore , great to hear that you appreciate that. And thanks for the comparison with Iohan. Didn't knew him before, but super interesting stuff. Not sure if I can live up to that but your comment motivates me to try at least. Enjoy your day
23:40 This is the exact problem i experienced while biking at gran canaria for the first time, no restaurants in sight, and no shops, and no food with me. It was hell experience.
Please try it AGAIN, do it in more days so you can be totally relaxed about when and where to stop. It's not a race, it's a trip. Greetings from Sicilia!
@@terrybuccambuso7917This. It looks like minimal research was done prior to this trip, otherwise he would’ve known that majority or restaurants and bars are closed from around 1pm to 4pm, unless it’s a big city like Palermo, or Catania. Cramming it in 4 days instead of 7 was also a bad call, especially considering all the time spent filming.
Next round about I imagine Hans having attached cargo bicycle trailer with an ultrilight solar powered refrigirator on it, enjoying his trip fully 100% with couple of cold beers at the end of the day and a good nutritious meal every time. Beautiful story and ofcourse best wishes to you Nomad!
Super Reisebericht! Zwei Ideen dazu: Eventuell solltest du hoch kalorige Survivalnahrung mitnehmen. Speziell für diese Tour mit den steilen rauen Anstiegen wäre ein Racehardtail geeigneter. (Bessere Bergänge, Bremsen und Federgabel). Alles Gute, Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang, danke für deinen Kommentar! Bei meinen Trips danach hatte ich tatsächlich auch Survival-Nahrung dabei. In Sizilien hat dummerweise die Kartusche, die ich am Flughafen gekauft hatte, nicht auf meinen Kocher gepasst. Deswegen hatte ich dann keins auf der Tour. Aber ab jetzt nehme ich immer was mit! Und Race Hardtail klingt sinnvoll. Recherchiere ich Mal. Danke dir.
Great video! It's true that once you start bikepacking, you can't stop just like that, no matter what kind of problems you've had during your adventures. Memories that we get from our trips will be in our minds forever.
So wise! I am still thinking a lot about this trip and I learned so much from it and about myself. More than I probably would have by just finishing the route. And for me that's the important part about challenges and adventures: learning something about myself.
Cool video. It's interesting to see not only success story. Incredible views. You need more ultra-endurance experience for trips like this to keep going day after day. Good luck with future adventures!.
Thanks for the appreciation. I personally think that failure is part of an adventure or an challenge and sometimes has to happen, so that all the successes really feel like proper achievements because you know that they are not given but must be earned. That's at least what I felt in my last bikepacking trips after Sicily.
innazitutto complimenti per le riprese e soprattutto per l'aspetto narrativo: il tuo viaggio è sembrato davvero una sorta di purgatorio ed è emerso molto bene il conflitto con la natura. Alcune volte sembrava fossi in paradiso, altre all'inferno. Dopodiché, per fare solo bikepacking è necessaria una minima conoscenza dei luoghi al fine di programmare le tappe. Arrivare in un paese quando i ristoranti e gli esercizi commerciali sono chiusi significa che si è sbagliata la pianificazione. Se penso di fare solo bikepacking in scozia, per es, devo aspettarmi orari diversi da quelli italiani e condizioni atmosferiche particolari. Detto questo, l'unica cosa che veramente non comprendo è la fissa nel finire il giro in 4 giorni invece di 7. Può essere un'idea, ma bisogna ricalcolare le variabili alla luce delle scoperte che si fanno (es le deviazioni) o delle proprie sensazioni. Se ti fossi fermato a un certo punto, per esempio dopo il giorno 2, se te la fossi presa più comoda, ascoltando il tuo corpo, sono sicuro saresti arrivato fino in fondo
Many thanks for your comment! Especially happy to hear that you liked the storytelling. I did a lot of planning, though. However, the information on Google Maps and websites of restaurants and supermarkets where not right. So that made it difficult. But you are right: My learning is to have more wiggle room or more buffer so that if something goes wrong or is unexpected I can react to it. In Sicily, though, I couldn't do this because I only had very few days of vacation left for the year 😅. So I went with the risk and hoped for the best. Especially because I did a very similar route (8000m up, 400km long) before also in 4 days. But it was a risk and it didn't work out. In my later bikepacking trips I arrived two days earlier and left two days after the planned end of the route. That worked quite well so far.
Amazing video. I always like to see the true side of an adventure, as most videos show only the good times and I feel like it's only me having hard times. You made a lot of mistakes but showing them to us and discussing about it, is the best/free/painless lesson we can have. Thanks again, I hope some day you return and do this in 7-8-9 days, as many needed to have a great time without stress and pressure.
The secret: four hours riding slowly, 9 hours sleeping in a secure hiding place, eating and taking selfies the remainder... don't forget the tea set, umbrella, and proper clothing... no cotton... in January 2022 I rode from Prague to hamburg, stealth camping in sub zero... riding slow enough to never break a sweat. Eat the heavy food right when you buy it... stop occassionally for a coffee and charge the phone...
Many thanks! I am also looking forward to it and I will give it more time. At least I will plan a buffer. So that I don't have to catch a flight directly after the day of my planned arrival so that I have more time if I need it!
@@nonoexplores yeah, that would be great and beneficial to you because you also don't need to push yourself to the limit and you can have more time for recovery between days of riding. Ride safe always Nono!
Your drone footage is epic. The bridge collapse and the history were my favorite parts. Your emotions juxtaposed to the beauty were stunning. Just keep pedaling man!
I have a feeling that one day you will go back to beat this route :) Great video! I was thinking about this route but now have the idea how it really looks like!
That's motivating. Many thanks! I am super sure that I will beat this route next time! And you should do it, too. It's an amazing route with stunning nature, landscape and interesting sights and places.
Hallo Nono, sehr hochwertig umgesetzt, schönes Color Grading und grafisch schön aufbereitet, gratuliere zum Video!👍🏻Respekt, dass du angesichts der gefahrenen Kilometer dermaßen hochwertige Aufnahmen zusammengebracht hast. Als Solo-Bikepacker mit Filmen geht einem einfach die Zeit aus, ich schaffe bei anspruchsvoller Strecke nicht viel mehr als 70 km pro Tag. Ohne Filmen hättest du das ja locker geschafft 😉 Abo hast dir verdient! LG Daniel
Hey vielen Dank für deinen Comment! Freut mich sehr, dass von jemand zu lesen, der das auch einschätzen und wertschätzen kann. Ich habe bereits ein weiteres Video abgedreht und habe deutlich mehr Zeit fürs Filmen (und Pause machen und Essen) eingeplant und das lief dann auf jeden Fall besser. Waren dann tatsächlich im Schnitt auch ca. 70km mit 1100hm pro Tag. Und danke fürs Abo. Haste zurückbekommen! LG
Burgos to Valencia? Maybe we accidentally met. Because I just finished the Montañas Vacías route which is in the same area 😅. Anyways, sorry to hear that you had a rough experience, too. But somehow good to know that there are others too 😅. What's your biggest learning?
@@nonoexplores My biggest lessons were to take less stuff on the bike, and just to keep going at your own pace no matter what . A lot of riders abandoned this on the very first day due to mud (or clay). Don't worry about the GPS data and how many miles are left, just focus on getting to the next stop or village. Lastly, simply enjoy the ride, you may never go back!!
Enjoyed watching your video. This looked a tough route indeed. Thanks for showing us those abandoned villages. Interesting. Great drone shots. And you fitted all that in when cycling these vast distances on this rough trail! But looks like you also learned a lot on this trip. Hope you keep it up and take us along again. As I am older now and not an athlete at all ( never have been), I try to do fewer km so there is also some time to enjoy. 😉
Lovely, thanks for the comment and the appreciation ☺️. Next trip will be in Spain - this time with my girlfriend and not alone, though 😅. But solo-bikepacking is also on the list for this year ☺️
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I'm sure you've learned a lot. However, here's some thoughts... Don't over plan and be happy to abandon the planning you do. Plan appropriately e.g. know where to restock. Give more wiggle room time-wise. Allow an extra day or two when booking your flight home. Pack 80% less stuff and the stuff you take needs to be multi purpose - e.g down jacket is a pillow or an extra layer for your sleep system. Ditch the tent for a simple bivy bag. You spent time and energy putting up a tent in a perfectly good shelter - a building!! You even injured yourself doing it!!! Take a water filter. Always have some hi energy food with you. Big block of chocolate, peanut butter, cheese, bread - and piece of fruit and restock every shop / convenience store/ supermaket - if you need it or not. When I go on long multi day trips, aside from the stuff I take on my normal rides, I take: a bivvy (270 grams), a lightweight tarp sometimes, only when needed (180 grams), an ultra light down jacket (320 grams), and sleeping bag (390 grams)... and that's it. I'm sure you've learned all this now though. Thanks for the vid and good luck with your next trips. Always test your gear and choices locally first and if you want to go back to finish what you started do it regardless of subs and stuff like that. Good luck. Dave xx www.goinglong.co.uk
Hey thanks for the advice and the comment. Some of your suggestions are definitely learnings I also made. the most important is: wiggle-room. My mistake was not to plan with more time buffer (I basically didn't have more vacation days left at work😅) . In my latest trip I arrived two days earlier and flew home two days later so that I would have the chance to react to unforeseen circumstances and could for instance include a rest day if needed. A bivvy is something that I will definitely try in the future. However, I currently believe that I would find it hard to get enough deep sleep in it (more a mental thing). And my tent is so light that a bivvy is not much of a weight save. However, the building time might be an argument. I'll think about it. Thanks! What I already did in Sicily and on later routes even more is to always stop for food when I find something and to buy stuff even when I don't need something in the moment. In Sicily, though, I was incredibly unlucky because so many shops were closed although my research on Google Maps and their websites (if existing) said they should be open. But hey, that's part of the adventure. Anyways, on my latests trips I also packed more hiking meals that only needs some hot water. And yes: I will definitely go back to Sicily and do it again! Thanks for your comment!
Wow. That was amazing. What an adventure. What a beautiful video capturing that experience. I hope you take in all the learnings such an experience gives. Looking forward to your future videos and adventures!
There are 3 simple rules in life (which do not just apply to bikepacking). 1) Know what you get yourself into. 2) Have a plan B if plan A is not working out. 3) Give it enough time. Checking all 3 and you play it safe. Have 2 and your good in 99% of the cases. Check 1 and you will get mostly away with it. Having non (sic) is the best recipe for disaster.
Great video, great adventure, i try to be a little more flexible while on a bike ride because things don't usualy go as planed, but i love it when all gose wrong, that's where the adventure is!
I gave this video a like, but i'd prefer you to go back and enjoy yourself instead of suffering. Take more time, stop for restaurants, enjoy the scenery, shoot more video. Good luck with your projects.
I have been exactly there brother. The walking up 20% gradients in the dark, solo, past hungry and big caloric deficits literally screaming at the abyss of darkness. But you learn from it. And you are always better for it. Keep going man.
Hey mate, that's good to hear. Many thanks. As you said: it's a learning experience. And I personally think that exactly these hard things and especially failures can teach you the most. At least I learned a lot! The last two bikepacking trips already went way smoother.
Hey Nono. Great video, amazing trip and I'd like to do something like this. Love the places you visited, especially the concreted village that was hit with an earthquake. I only suggest one thing - keep profanity to a minimum as TH-cam algorithm might decrease the amount of times this video is shown to the public or ban it all together as any audience can watch it but overall great job, well done. Liked, subscribed, commented! :)
Das ist so schade, dass Deine Pläne nicht funktioniert haben. Im Süden Italiens, also auch auf dem Festland, wird regelmäßig Siesta gehalten, d.h. dass zwischen 13 Uhr und 17 Uhr nichts geöffnet hat. Insbesondere abseits der Touristen-Routen. Dies sollte man unbedingt immer mit einplanen. Und am besten hört man auf die Locals. Aber danke für diese zauberhaften Bilder!!!
Would you have benefitited from more gear range? Sad that the bike was over 25kg.... I perfectly understand the feel of 25 beacause my full enduro ebike is 25 kg,. With 900W Battery (range 100km+) With lot of rear suspension travel. but having it as cargo must be harder. I do the warm ups in flat lands and barely move it, uphills i havent even attempted it.
Good job, I am in Sicily this week and the one thing I have learned is this place is always throwing curve balls. Google maps is on crack and expect the unexpected. Hope you go back and do the adventure again with more time, and show off the amazing countryside. I personally would love to do the route but in 9 days.
Yeah, totally right. Google Maps cannot be trusted there. I knew that I couldn't fully rely on it, but in regard to opening times and places, that only existed on the map, its a far cry from reality. I wasn't expecting such a stark contrast. Anyways, I learned that and I am allowing for more stopping time now so that I can wait for a restaurant to open, If I have to.
Despite your negativity in many sectors, it was interesting that by the end of the trip that you wanted to experience more in the future. This is the only way we grow, as we learn from our experiences. You don't need others to get on here and tell you what to do or not to do. Im sure you know. Keep it up and stay positive!
Thanks mate for the wise words. They are exactly my thinking too! You learn through hardships. And I am in the privileged position to "chose" my hardships - and being able to end them if they become unbearable.
Im not a bike packing professional but I have done a few and the longest one I did was 900+ kms in the peak of summer from France across Spain in 10 days. What I found from experience is if you want to enjoy the ride and have enough time to rest and take tons of pictures and drones shots is to ride a maximum of 50miles (80kms) a day. if you start early then you will also have enough time for unplanned stops, re-routes and mechanical problems. its really not ideal to set a challenge like doing crazy mileage and elevation and have limited time to do it, specially if you are vlogging because you will end up with many stops and ride backs to take a 3rd person shot. I guess you either need to add more days to your trip or minimize vlogging. but ifs that the challenge you have in mind then its great but you really need to mentally prepare your self for hopeless situations.
Nono I read you're planning to do it again next year. I don't know if you're aware but April is a weird month, 25th April and 1st May are national holiday and everything is kinda closed outside the big cities during that week, it may last more or less, like this year 25th was monday so many businesses closed on friday 22th and reopened on may. Next year there will be easter on 20th of april which is also a national holiday so if you're thinking of trying it again I strongly suggest you to plan on doing it either in the first half of april or after 1st of May. Also plan a day only for mt. etna, it is wonderful. And don't think this was a failure, it's a challenge, if it was as easy as walking it wouldn't be a proper challenge and you also added some extra difficulty. It's a failure only when you think of it as that.
Nice to see your experience. Have switched from mtb pedals and clickshoes to flexibel trailrunners and flat pedals. It will make up our hikeabikes much easier. Especially on lose soils
People are welcome to do what they want, how they want, but I think they would have a LOT more fun NOT trying to be 'epic', and instead spending more time meeting some locals at the best-rated bakeries and cafes. Sicily is way too beautiful and full of good food to be experienced as just mile-grinding.
Thanks for your comment! After a boring winter where I additionally had COVID I wanted a real challenge and was indeed looking forward to "mile-grinding". However, you are right, that this way of doing things does not allow for absorbing all the beauty of the Sicilian countryside. In my latest trip in Spain I found a good balance, though. Around 8-10 hours of riding and more time for stopping, eating and checking out sights and highlights.
I'm impressed you can take footage when you're having a bad day, it's not easy to multitask when you're just trying to make it through the day. My personal take is when someone says a trip should take 7 days I take 9 days and spend more time taking pictures and eating lunches. Nice video, the riding looked beautiful despite the hardship, thanks for sharing.
Hey many thanks for the comment. The filming definitely took a lot of time - although I did a test ride with filming before it took more time than expected and was one reason why does Sicily trip did not really work out. In my latest bikepacking trip in the Spanish mountains (video is currently being edited) I planned more time for filming while still making it hard enough to be a proper challenge that excites me. This time I think, I found a good balance.
It did look hard, and extremely remote. It's difficult re weight. Its tempting to travel light, but you are alone in such a remote area you don't know, and would be taking a huge risk if the weather turned bad. Maybe next time try an easier route, an have a good chance of finishing. Well done for your later route. So many beautiful places in Germany
I am curious why you would want to turn a seven day ride into a four day ride, is it just the physical challenge? I haven't bikepacked yet but I imagine I would be way more into seeing local sites along the way.
Thanks for the question. So I personally like hard mental and physical challenges. That's why I enjoy triathlon, bikepacking and even open ocean sailing. I personally find, that if you reach a certain limit and overcome certain challenges you can learn a lot about yourself. That's what motivates me and what was motivating me especially for this trip. But exploring and seeing new places was another part that excited me. However, as I learned, the combination of both is hard to achieve. It's better to focus either on "racing" only or on easy riding and allowing time for stops and sightseeing. In my later trips I think I found a better mixture.
Great video. Just came back from Badlands solo in 12 days. Incredible ride. If I may, one tip: just take a few chainlinks, unlikely you would need an entire replacement chain. I had a few Hotpot meals with me to deal with possible lack of restaurants. My bike was also heavy at 35kg excl. water. Would defenitely try to go with max 29kg on a next trip, taking a bivy instead of a small tent. Good luck on your next adventures!
Congrats on finishing badlands! One day, I'll attempt it myself. Smart tip with the chain. You are probably right that a few chain links should do the job. Good thinking because the spare chain is super heeeeavy. And yes, since Sicily I always carry hotpot meals with me too! It's adding weight but I find it's definitely worth it. Good luck to you too!
You should go back. Go in October, after summer, when conditions are drier, not wet after winter. Allow the 7 days (or more) that the route recommends. We never have a tight schedule or a ticket we can't change. Things happen, your bike breaks and you have to take an unplanned day off while you get it fixed etc...
Yes absolutely trough. Since Sicily I now always plan two days time buffer before and after the trip so that I have the chance to react to any unforeseen circumstances.
I enyoyed your trip but I should schedule the stages a bit slower. You certainly hot a heat stroke and that can be dangerous. Do it again with a friend, take your time and give your body more time to adapt to the climate.
Man you didn't find food in Salemi because the footage you shown is from another place Vita, i'm from there (it's a very small town and you shown also the old part) you would find bar and restaurant open even at 1.00 2.00 p.m
Italy observes siesta. It's too bad you weren't aware before this trip. When I first traveled to Italy it was a shock for me too. Also, wish you would have given yourself more rest the first day and not ridden so late into the night. Seems like you're wearing yourself out, and potentially making things unsafe for yourself. Enjoying the video nonetheless because you're sharing your feelings and the scenery is beautiful. Have no idea how you're managing to film this too.
Thanks for your comment! Yeah it was all a bit much but I was also looking for a challenging and uncomfortable experience. This time , however, I guess it was too much. In later trips I found a better balance. 🤟
Congrats man , From Costa Rica! Pura vida Mae ! , hey it would be nice another video comparing the weight and the list of items between 1st ride, 2nd ride, and last ride, so we can also learn from you. \thanks this is definitely very inspiring . God bless you and keep you safe all times.
Many thanks for the nice comment! I just finished a 10 day bikepacking trip in Spain and I am planning to do a equipment video showing all the stuff that I brought with me. Stay tuned!
Thanks for your comment! I think 'failing' is also just a part of an adventure. But good to hear that there are others😅. I hope you still had a good time (or at least during later tours).
haha, I was there in April and despite the up and down of the weather, it is the best month, flowers everywhere. I am sicilian from Catania, but not living there anymore. I'll finish to edit my video hopefully in June. I did my own route, a round trip of 800km, 10,000 mt elevation, going through Etna and Nedrodi then to Corleone, Favara, Ragusa and Catania. I had several challenges too. I know you were new of Sicily, but there is much more than this "divide"; actually, the proper divide would be to cycle the Nebrodi Dorsale, cutting green forests on the watershed/mountain range which is north of your route. Neverthenless, Sicily is interesting indeed, but not properly functional when it comes to bikepacking. Sundays closures, lunch closures, bad country roads and lot of elevation, with dogs. One must adapt or being aware. In order to cycle the inland of Sicily with an average of 120 km a day, one must be totally devoted to the ride: time for drone images and film must be reduced to the minimum. It is fundamental to stop riding before it gets dark. This is south of Europe, there is no twilight after dawn. Having said that, Italy is pretty amazing and mostly better looking and cleaner than Sicily along the "divide". Villages are in better shape, facilities are better. PS: I have the same bike ;)
Hey mate, that's great to hear that from a Sicilian. I was hoping for a comment from a local. Many thanks for your insights. Funny that you mention Etna and Nebrodi. During planning the route I also thought about that part of Sicily which looked super beautiful and interesting. Initially I was also thinking about making my own loop from Catania up to Messina and back. Maybe one day. Looking forward to your video, though! Anyways, good to hear, that you agree that it's difficult to bikepack in the inland due to lacking infrastructure and closures of restaurants and DOGS! I didn't put much dogs in the video, but they were definitely a factor to consider. Most of them were super aggressive. Anyways, thanks for the comment and I will definitely go back to Sicily and do it again!
@@nonoexplores good good. I am eager to see the interests upon the "sicily" subject and releasing the video would be interesting for that. The most of my followers/subscribers are americans. As I said, I did it in April (12th-25th) and I wasn't properly fit for the season. The Etna day was the first day, and it was pure climbs. The Nebrodi is a MTB route, it gets rough in several spots and one must push the bike. Not fun, but the place is solitary and pleasant. In general, sicilian minor roads are very steep, meaning that having a car, one would go with the second gear. The island has few plains and valleys are narrow. Mountains are all over. Anyway, you did a great editing/filming job and that is something that I look on a video. There is a good story behind. I am working on mine right now. Next time, try to book these hilly terrain tours at the end of the cycling season, like in September or October, when the body/mind is kinf of used to respond to the bike-touring hard days. At least, that applies to me. As I live in Sweden, I don't cycle during the winter and in April I was still pale and unfit for the challenge. My legs pain lasted days. Since I'll present my docu-film on an exhibtion (it won't be the same video as per TH-cam but still based on Sicily), I had to do it in April. BTW: you did not film the trash, but i'm sure you didn't find the island to be properly clean :D
@@vladywashere Yeah, I guess I was also not yet fully ready for the tour because it was early in the year - and I had COVID 3 months before the trip. Maybe that was also a factor that killed my fitness. Anyways, next time I will maybe do it in September or October. Oh and in fact the areas I was in were not that dirty with trash and stuff. Catania was though^^ But I don't mind. Anyways, looking forward to your film!
Hills ain't an issue with a recumbent trike. Have a rohlof on the back, 44/32/22 chianrings. Taking it easy , goes up a 15% at 2-3 mph , spins out in highest gear at 30mph
Sehr geile Doku. Das mit dem zu hohen Puls vorm ins Bett gehen ist eine guter Gedanke, werde ich mal drauf achten. Mit welcher Airline und welche Flughäfen hast du genutzt? VG Daniel
Hey Daniel, danke für deinen Kommentar. Ich bin von Hamburg aus über Mailand nach Catania geflogen, habe einen Mietwagen genommen und bin mit dem dann nach Trapani gefahren. Theoretisch gibt es auch einen Zug, den ich lieber genommen hätte, aber ich habe einfach nirgends Infos oder Antworten bekommen, ob ich mein Rad in den Zug mitnehmen kann (scheint aber doch problemlos zu gehen). Bin mit Ryanair geflogen, was ätzend war, weil durch den Stop in Mailand waren es nicht 2 sondern 4 Flüge und ich musste demnach 4 mal für den Radkoffer zahlen.
Many thanks. I rode a Canyon Grizl AL 7. Its an older version. I love the bike but cannot recommend the gearing which is not suited to bikepacking with slot elevation. Canyon's newer Grizl bikes are better suited.
Hey, danke für die Frage. Ich habe sonst auch 45er. Habe aber für Sizilien extra 40mm genommen, da es ja doch relativ viel Straße gibt. Für die erste Hälfte der Strecke war das auf jeden Fall die richtige Wahl, finde ich. Zumindest wenn man es eher auf Tempo anlegt.
Which month did you do this? If during summer there is a chance that many of these restaurants are just closed for summer holidays. I noticed that in Catalunia at less touristic areas.
I did it in April. Maybe everything was still closed ? I don't know. I just think that this is just something one has to expect in depopulated areas. At least that's what I learned now.
Ya I think what killed your trip was not packing enough food and planning around Siesta. All of Italy closes from 1-3pm at least and many dining restaurants don't open until 7pm. So if you can plan the stops around that you should be able to do it Great attempt and cool ride to Poland as well. I was in Hamburg in 2000 and it was a cool city.
if this broke you, consider it a lesson for life. because in reality, nothing bad really happened to you. this is where the cycling culture is right now. underprepared folks (in terms of local realities, of packing, and even of fitness) are going out there, doing stuff that supposed to be beautiful but having a horrible time. also, filming yourself for half of the screentime seems to be a new rule.
Yeah those "deep" thoughts were just too much. Especially in the end. "Even if you plan everything". Aside from not running a proper gear ratio, not testing a 29kg bike on steep climbs beforehand and informing yourself about refueling opening hours ahead. It was designed to fail, so cut the mentoring, please.
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Having done the full Sicily divide route about a month ago, may I suggest that next time you just stop any of the local cafes and bakeries that are on route? Have an arancini and a coffee and stop making out it's just fully into the wild with no infrastructure? You may also want to make contact with the Sicily divide team who provide a brevet card which is stamped at recommended sleeping and eating spots on route. Finally you might want to shed a lot of that weight you are carrying, you are going to struggle to have a good time with a 29kg setup on a climbing heavy route.
Thanks for your comment and congrats on finishing the route. How many days did it take you? Next year I will go back and do the same!
My plan was to stop at cafes and bakeries but I guess I was just super unlucky because almost always when I came across one, they were closed. Doesn't matter if it was morning, noon or late afternoon. Maybe it was also due to the season? Anyways, take Salemi for instance: according to Google right in the old town's center there are several bars and cafés, a burger place and a pizzeria. Google Maps says that at least half of them are opened during the day. When I was there, however, it was a ghost town. Don't get me wrong: I am not ignorant and I am not complaining. I understand that the depopulation of villages and thereby the sinking of life quality on the countryside is a real issue for regions such as Sicily. I am just a tourist passing through. I know that. The point I want to make is: I tried to plan as good as possible, but the plan didn't hold. And yes, I got the brevet card, which is nice and helpful, if you want to sleep in a house/flat. But I prefer sleeping in a tent because it makes the whole experience more wholesome. So it didn't help me much.
Regarding the equipment: I already have some of the lightest equipment there is. But I brought a lot spare parts like a chain, tires and tools. I wouldn't want to miss that. And of course the camera equipment (although being very light) is a factor, too. Maybe 5 kilograms including a strong powerbank. Anyways, the solution I chose in later bikepacking adventure is: different gearing, shorter days, and more food on my bike to be more self sufficient. So far that worked very well.
Ciao @@nonoexplores, I'm from the south of Italy and I can tell you that what you see on Google Maps doesn't really reflect the reality. The level of technology adoption is very very low there. What I suggest in the South is to plan the route according to these "rules":
- General rule: everything closed from 12:30 to 16:30. This you should plan as a fact and everything you find open just take as a gift from God :) You cannot count on restaurants either for lunch, Italians in the South generally do not make use of restaurants for lunch ... mainly we use them for dinner.
- Bars: you can count with them open from 6:30 to 11:00, then is very questionable. It very much depends on the mood of the owner if it stays open
- Grocery stores: this is what you can count on but not all of them are the same. South of Italy is full of small, family driven, grocery stores but here, again, the opening hours are not guaranteed. If you want to have more predictability you should search bigger chains like Eurospin, Conad, Lidl, Pam, Coop.
- Bring dry food with you that you can rehydrate and eat in case of emergency.
- Eat enough carbs, every 30-40 minutes you need to eat something and ensure, at least one of your bottle contains electrolytes (you can bring powders that you just add to your bottle when refilling)
The last thing. I failed a lot of times with these trips and, thanks to my failures I learned a lot of things. So enjoy the failures because they bring knowledge and great experiences! Enjoy cycling is a wonderful sport!
See you on the roads ;)
@@marcocasamassima389 thanks mate! Just saw your answer now. Your rule of thumb for opening hours is super helpful - and it fits exactly to my experience. Many thanks. Dry food is something I now always have with me. Powder carbs for bottles, too. I just find the ratio between carbs and weight and space needed not so ideal with them for bikepacking. But I have them for the occasional bottle ...
Honestly, it has been an amazing trip you have made through Sicily.
Things never go as planned. I think that leaving the route has been a good decision, and not because I would have done it, but because you have decided so, and it is correct. As in life itself, we have moments in which we achieve our goals and others in which it is not possible, but the important thing is that in some way, we continue.
Be proud of what you have done, learn from it and fill your life with experiences that make you feel alive.
Greetings. 👍
As a Brit that worked in Germany for 35 years and, mostly solo, bikepacked through Europe. My German girlfriend always wanted to plan to the last detail. NO, no, no. Give yourself time and don't take too much but be flexible with an overall plan that you want to do. Relax, enjoy. Eat well and drink good wine or beer in the evenings.
Ive never seen something like that scene of you eating pizza 😂 it looked like you'd pulled it over you like a blanket! I dont know how you didnt burst out laughing just seeing yourself like that but i guess you were just super drained at that point. It was very endearing from my POV though 😁
WELL DONE for attempting something so hard and getting as far as you did. Some of the stats you were throwing out were just crazy! 29kg, more than 2000m of climbing in a day with barely any food! I think youve had more than enough people telling you that you tried to do too much so im just here to say how impressive you are, and how likeable you were even in your darkest moments.
I'm bike touring in a couple of weeks and will be climbing about 1000m per day, i will think of you when it gets tough and feel like i've got it easy! Thanks for the great video, keep doing what you're doing and take care of yourself bro! Much love from hilly Wales.
Do It in 4 days instead of 7 was maybe the worst decision. As someone said "It's not a race". Anyway i think that the wild sicily Is Better than the touristic sicily.
Yeah, with video production, too. For me the best part of bikepacking is sitting down and not pedalling for a while. Can't do that often if the schedule is super tight.
Have done a bit of bike packing in my time and watched more than a few bike packing vlogs and yours ranks in the top 5 . Your honesty , your attitude , your cinematography, sound, everything just brilliant . Your comment on the train about facing failure is something many aspiring bike packers should think about. Chapeau on such a great video.
Hey mate, many thanks for your kind words. Much appreciated! It's great to see all the positive feedback after being honest and vulnerable to a wide audience. But it's good to hear, that this is appreciated. I want to tell stories as they are and not polish them for social media. And if other people can learn something from my mistakes (and successes) even better.
I finished college in 2008 and decided to take my first bike tour from northern Italy, heading to Berlin across eastern Europe. I built my MTB out of quality spare parts, supplied it with two front panniers, one for food and sleep, the other for equipment and extra clothing. A compass for cloudy days, one nokia 3310 in case of emergency and little money. I ghost camped 2 nights out of 3. What I quickly learnt from the first days: eat before you are hungry, set camp before sunset, leave 1l of water for breakfast and never pass on a fresh supply of food and water. I suffered hunger climbing through Slovenia, heat in Croatia and the worst night of my life in the middle of a storm in Germany. 3000km in a month, a swollen knee, worn out cranks and chain, bent wheel rim, busted 2 wheel spikes and a close call with rural right wingers in eastern Austria. It was one of the best summers of my life!
Beautiful vidéo and shared feelings. Looking Forward to tour next adventure
Many thanks! Very nice to hear that you liked it. I wanted to show true emotions (including the lows) and not making the average everything-is-amazing-social-media-stuff.
Thanks for the video, one of the best bikepacking ordeals on YT in my view. I agree absolutely stunning Sicilian couintryside. Look forward to rthe next one !! and yes I have liked & subscribed
Ahhh that's so amazing. Many thanks for the appreciation . The next video was already shot and I am currently starting editing. 🙌
A very important thing to remember among the differences between northern and southern Europe are the opening hours. Here in Italy, for reasons mainly due to the warmer climate, we are used to eat between in the evening after 8 p.m. and there are restaurants open even until midnight. In the end, love your video and have fun discovering the "Bel Paese" by bicycle ;)
Many thanks! Happy that you liked the video! Yeah I knew that it would be lonelier during the day than - for instance - in Germany. However, I was under the impression that during lunchtime Italians would take a longer lunch break which they spend in small bars or restaurants. This was, however, not the case on the countryside, which is probably also du to its low population density. But I learned that and will rely less on local infrastructure in the future.
Hey Nono, thanks for sharing your video. I really enjoyed watching it. I recently did my first bikepacking adventure, the Tuscany Trail 2024. It was more difficult than I expected, but I achieved my goal of finishing in 7 days. I know some cyclists did it in 2-3 days, but I really wanted to do it in an enjoyable way, to take in the views, enjoy the Italian food, etc, though I did get some kind of heat exhaustion on the 4th day, got a blood nose, and so only did about 30kms on that day, but I managed to make up some time to get back on schedule doing 100kms on my last day from Volterra to Donoratico. It was such an enjoyable trip that I think I'd like to try it again next year. By the way, I liked your video, subscribed to you, and started following you on Instagram. I hope you get your 10,000 views and try the Sicily divide again next year. Think positive, plan those restaurant / shop opening hours better, and I'm sure you can do it. Cheers mate 🙂✌🚴♂
Absolutely LOVE your video! Sure, the scenery and the sunsets are great, but without the visible&audible content of you moving through this environment, without seeing your physical condition and your physical effort, without you conveying your dramatic range of emotions of perceived failures and successes...well...without those your video would just be another pretty Sicily travel ad. Not that a travel ad is bad...but dude, YOU are the star of the show...and STAR you did! In this one relatively brief video, you exhibited ability to provide dialogue evidencing uncommon ability to communicate with depth. Your German accent was just strong enough to add delight, rather than impairment. Your videography appears to be well on its way. In my humble opinion, you probably have the potential to be the next Iohan Gueorguiev. Surely, it is going to take you a while to even approach his level, but I think you might just be able to pull it off. Exceedingly rare quality potential. If you are not already familiar with Iohan, check out his See the World TH-cam videos, and take in just how huge a compliment you just received.
@bohurley2051 Wow! What a lovely comment. Many many thanks. Great to hear that you also appreciated the - let's say - more honest and true side of the video. I sometimes have the feeling that in social media many creators do not dare to show the downsides of their adventures and maybe shy away from showing what it truly cost them. I tried to show both sides and I did challenge myself on purpose to experience both. I believe that in this "sweet spot" between failing and succeeding you can learn the most. Therefore , great to hear that you appreciate that. And thanks for the comparison with Iohan. Didn't knew him before, but super interesting stuff. Not sure if I can live up to that but your comment motivates me to try at least. Enjoy your day
23:40 This is the exact problem i experienced while biking at gran canaria for the first time, no restaurants in sight, and no shops, and no food with me. It was hell experience.
Please try it AGAIN, do it in more days so you can be totally relaxed about when and where to stop. It's not a race, it's a trip. Greetings from Sicilia!
Where’s the fire dude. Are you racing or bikepacking? And you’re doing content for TH-cam at the same time. A recommendation, do it for you not us.
More cynicism, please, he's doing it not for us, but for our advertising dollars.
Less whining, more riding. Less swearing would help. Next time more realistic daily mileage, better food planning, etc
The bike is to heavy for only 480 kilometers, too much stuff on the bike.
@@terrybuccambuso7917This. It looks like minimal research was done prior to this trip, otherwise he would’ve known that majority or restaurants and bars are closed from around 1pm to 4pm, unless it’s a big city like Palermo, or Catania. Cramming it in 4 days instead of 7 was also a bad call, especially considering all the time spent filming.
Next round about I imagine Hans having attached cargo bicycle trailer with an ultrilight solar powered refrigirator on it, enjoying his trip fully 100% with couple of cold beers at the end of the day and a good nutritious meal every time. Beautiful story and ofcourse best wishes to you Nomad!
Love your Video man. I hope to see another video from you
Super Reisebericht! Zwei Ideen dazu: Eventuell solltest du hoch kalorige Survivalnahrung mitnehmen. Speziell für diese Tour mit den steilen rauen Anstiegen wäre ein Racehardtail geeigneter. (Bessere Bergänge, Bremsen und Federgabel). Alles Gute, Wolfgang
Hi Wolfgang, danke für deinen Kommentar! Bei meinen Trips danach hatte ich tatsächlich auch Survival-Nahrung dabei. In Sizilien hat dummerweise die Kartusche, die ich am Flughafen gekauft hatte, nicht auf meinen Kocher gepasst. Deswegen hatte ich dann keins auf der Tour. Aber ab jetzt nehme ich immer was mit! Und Race Hardtail klingt sinnvoll. Recherchiere ich Mal. Danke dir.
Every trip is a learning experience 👍
Great video! It's true that once you start bikepacking, you can't stop just like that, no matter what kind of problems you've had during your adventures. Memories that we get from our trips will be in our minds forever.
So wise! I am still thinking a lot about this trip and I learned so much from it and about myself. More than I probably would have by just finishing the route. And for me that's the important part about challenges and adventures: learning something about myself.
Cool video. It's interesting to see not only success story. Incredible views. You need more ultra-endurance experience for trips like this to keep going day after day. Good luck with future adventures!.
Thanks for the appreciation. I personally think that failure is part of an adventure or an challenge and sometimes has to happen, so that all the successes really feel like proper achievements because you know that they are not given but must be earned. That's at least what I felt in my last bikepacking trips after Sicily.
innazitutto complimenti per le riprese e soprattutto per l'aspetto narrativo: il tuo viaggio è sembrato davvero una sorta di purgatorio ed è emerso molto bene il conflitto con la natura. Alcune volte sembrava fossi in paradiso, altre all'inferno. Dopodiché, per fare solo bikepacking è necessaria una minima conoscenza dei luoghi al fine di programmare le tappe. Arrivare in un paese quando i ristoranti e gli esercizi commerciali sono chiusi significa che si è sbagliata la pianificazione. Se penso di fare solo bikepacking in scozia, per es, devo aspettarmi orari diversi da quelli italiani e condizioni atmosferiche particolari. Detto questo, l'unica cosa che veramente non comprendo è la fissa nel finire il giro in 4 giorni invece di 7. Può essere un'idea, ma bisogna ricalcolare le variabili alla luce delle scoperte che si fanno (es le deviazioni) o delle proprie sensazioni. Se ti fossi fermato a un certo punto, per esempio dopo il giorno 2, se te la fossi presa più comoda, ascoltando il tuo corpo, sono sicuro saresti arrivato fino in fondo
Many thanks for your comment! Especially happy to hear that you liked the storytelling. I did a lot of planning, though. However, the information on Google Maps and websites of restaurants and supermarkets where not right. So that made it difficult. But you are right: My learning is to have more wiggle room or more buffer so that if something goes wrong or is unexpected I can react to it. In Sicily, though, I couldn't do this because I only had very few days of vacation left for the year 😅. So I went with the risk and hoped for the best. Especially because I did a very similar route (8000m up, 400km long) before also in 4 days. But it was a risk and it didn't work out. In my later bikepacking trips I arrived two days earlier and left two days after the planned end of the route. That worked quite well so far.
It was a really nice watch, wish you good luck in adventures to come
Many thanks! I am currently on the Montañas Vacías bikepacking route! Video will come! 🤟
Amazing video. I always like to see the true side of an adventure, as most videos show only the good times and I feel like it's only me having hard times.
You made a lot of mistakes but showing them to us and discussing about it, is the best/free/painless lesson we can have. Thanks again, I hope some day you return and do this in 7-8-9 days, as many needed to have a great time without stress and pressure.
The secret: four hours riding slowly, 9 hours sleeping in a secure hiding place, eating and taking selfies the remainder... don't forget the tea set, umbrella, and proper clothing... no cotton... in January 2022 I rode from Prague to hamburg, stealth camping in sub zero... riding slow enough to never break a sweat. Eat the heavy food right when you buy it... stop occassionally for a coffee and charge the phone...
Looking forward to seeing you again doing the Sicily Divide. We know you can do it! 🙌
Take at least 7 days this time please!
Many thanks! I am also looking forward to it and I will give it more time. At least I will plan a buffer. So that I don't have to catch a flight directly after the day of my planned arrival so that I have more time if I need it!
@@nonoexplores yeah, that would be great and beneficial to you because you also don't need to push yourself to the limit and you can have more time for recovery between days of riding. Ride safe always Nono!
Your drone footage is epic. The bridge collapse and the history were my favorite parts. Your emotions juxtaposed to the beauty were stunning. Just keep pedaling man!
That's amazing to hear. Many thanks. Very motivating. The next video is already in the making. 🤟
Give yourself enough time to enjoy it man. If you have the mind set that you need get it done as quickly as possible, it will never be a pleasure.
Zu Beginn des Video hab ich schon gemerkt, was ein Brett dieses Video ist. Hast einen Abo verdient und bitte hör nicht auf !!!
Mega! Vielen Dank für den Kommentar und das Abo! Nächstes Video is in the making.
I have a feeling that one day you will go back to beat this route :) Great video! I was thinking about this route but now have the idea how it really looks like!
That's motivating. Many thanks! I am super sure that I will beat this route next time! And you should do it, too. It's an amazing route with stunning nature, landscape and interesting sights and places.
OMG, sorry. traveling in Italy and eating plastic shit salami from the supermarket. What an awkward moment.
Yeah, that was definitely a weird experience. I was also hoping for more culinary experiences 😅.
Great! Inspirational! we learn a lot when things don't happen like we're expecting...
Hallo Nono, sehr hochwertig umgesetzt, schönes Color Grading und grafisch schön aufbereitet, gratuliere zum Video!👍🏻Respekt, dass du angesichts der gefahrenen Kilometer dermaßen hochwertige Aufnahmen zusammengebracht hast. Als Solo-Bikepacker mit Filmen geht einem einfach die Zeit aus, ich schaffe bei anspruchsvoller Strecke nicht viel mehr als 70 km pro Tag. Ohne Filmen hättest du das ja locker geschafft 😉 Abo hast dir verdient! LG Daniel
Hey vielen Dank für deinen Comment! Freut mich sehr, dass von jemand zu lesen, der das auch einschätzen und wertschätzen kann. Ich habe bereits ein weiteres Video abgedreht und habe deutlich mehr Zeit fürs Filmen (und Pause machen und Essen) eingeplant und das lief dann auf jeden Fall besser. Waren dann tatsächlich im Schnitt auch ca. 70km mit 1100hm pro Tag. Und danke fürs Abo. Haste zurückbekommen! LG
Just completed my first unsupported bike packing ride from Burgos to Valencia and had almost the same experiences as you! Its really tough!!
Burgos to Valencia? Maybe we accidentally met. Because I just finished the Montañas Vacías route which is in the same area 😅. Anyways, sorry to hear that you had a rough experience, too. But somehow good to know that there are others too 😅. What's your biggest learning?
@@nonoexplores My biggest lessons were to take less stuff on the bike, and just to keep going at your own pace no matter what . A lot of riders abandoned this on the very first day due to mud (or clay). Don't worry about the GPS data and how many miles are left, just focus on getting to the next stop or village. Lastly, simply enjoy the ride, you may never go back!!
Enjoyed watching your video. This looked a tough route indeed. Thanks for showing us those abandoned villages. Interesting. Great drone shots. And you fitted all that in when cycling these vast distances on this rough trail!
But looks like you also learned a lot on this trip. Hope you keep it up and take us along again.
As I am older now and not an athlete at all ( never have been), I try to do fewer km so there is also some time to enjoy. 😉
Thanks for the appreciation! And yes, I definitely learned a lot. Mainly, as you say, to reduce the km per day. Ride safe and enjoy!
Really enjoyed your video. Quite the challenge and adventure you had. Well done and looking forward to the next one.
Lovely, thanks for the comment and the appreciation ☺️. Next trip will be in Spain - this time with my girlfriend and not alone, though 😅. But solo-bikepacking is also on the list for this year ☺️
Ride and learn, tri-guy/cry-baby ;). Nice documentation, enjoyed watching.
"I'm faster!! Whoa!!" Super rad video. I didn't know how beautiful Sicily is. Wonderful video.
Many thanks! ☺️
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I'm sure you've learned a lot. However, here's some thoughts... Don't over plan and be happy to abandon the planning you do. Plan appropriately e.g. know where to restock. Give more wiggle room time-wise. Allow an extra day or two when booking your flight home. Pack 80% less stuff and the stuff you take needs to be multi purpose - e.g down jacket is a pillow or an extra layer for your sleep system. Ditch the tent for a simple bivy bag. You spent time and energy putting up a tent in a perfectly good shelter - a building!! You even injured yourself doing it!!! Take a water filter. Always have some hi energy food with you. Big block of chocolate, peanut butter, cheese, bread - and piece of fruit and restock every shop / convenience store/ supermaket - if you need it or not. When I go on long multi day trips, aside from the stuff I take on my normal rides, I take: a bivvy (270 grams), a lightweight tarp sometimes, only when needed (180 grams), an ultra light down jacket (320 grams), and sleeping bag (390 grams)... and that's it. I'm sure you've learned all this now though. Thanks for the vid and good luck with your next trips. Always test your gear and choices locally first and if you want to go back to finish what you started do it regardless of subs and stuff like that. Good luck. Dave xx www.goinglong.co.uk
Hey thanks for the advice and the comment. Some of your suggestions are definitely learnings I also made.
the most important is: wiggle-room. My mistake was not to plan with more time buffer (I basically didn't have more vacation days left at work😅) . In my latest trip I arrived two days earlier and flew home two days later so that I would have the chance to react to unforeseen circumstances and could for instance include a rest day if needed.
A bivvy is something that I will definitely try in the future. However, I currently believe that I would find it hard to get enough deep sleep in it (more a mental thing). And my tent is so light that a bivvy is not much of a weight save. However, the building time might be an argument. I'll think about it. Thanks!
What I already did in Sicily and on later routes even more is to always stop for food when I find something and to buy stuff even when I don't need something in the moment. In Sicily, though, I was incredibly unlucky because so many shops were closed although my research on Google Maps and their websites (if existing) said they should be open. But hey, that's part of the adventure. Anyways, on my latests trips I also packed more hiking meals that only needs some hot water.
And yes: I will definitely go back to Sicily and do it again!
Thanks for your comment!
This is an incredible video. I really felt it!
So happy to hear, that the emotions (the ups and downs) translated and you could feel it. Many thanks for watching
Bruder, you did a really good job with filming and editing! Come to Croatia and other Balkan countries!
Good idea. I would love to! Do you have any routes you can recommend?
Wow. That was amazing. What an adventure. What a beautiful video capturing that experience. I hope you take in all the learnings such an experience gives. Looking forward to your future videos and adventures!
Many thanks! Very cool to hear that you liked it. More videos will come!
There are 3 simple rules in life (which do not just apply to bikepacking). 1) Know what you get yourself into. 2) Have a plan B if plan A is not working out. 3) Give it enough time.
Checking all 3 and you play it safe. Have 2 and your good in 99% of the cases. Check 1 and you will get mostly away with it. Having non (sic) is the best recipe for disaster.
Great video, great adventure, i try to be a little more flexible while on a bike ride because things don't usualy go as planed, but i love it when all gose wrong, that's where the adventure is!
So true! And yes, I added a bit flexibility into my later rides too. But it should still be a bit "tight" to keep the thing "interesting" ^^
bro the path with the dogs at night was insane LOL. Dogs really hate bikes so muccant understand why
Super Video, toller Schnitt und gute Musik. Danke fürs mitnehmen! Hat echt Spaß gemacht!
Gerne geschehen und vielen Dank!
I gave this video a like, but i'd prefer you to go back and enjoy yourself instead of suffering. Take more time, stop for restaurants, enjoy the scenery, shoot more video. Good luck with your projects.
I will! Many thanks
I have been exactly there brother. The walking up 20% gradients in the dark, solo, past hungry and big caloric deficits literally screaming at the abyss of darkness.
But you learn from it. And you are always better for it. Keep going man.
Hey mate, that's good to hear. Many thanks. As you said: it's a learning experience. And I personally think that exactly these hard things and especially failures can teach you the most. At least I learned a lot! The last two bikepacking trips already went way smoother.
@@nonoexplores looking forward to your next trip.
wow..... Waiting for next Ep.
Hey Nono. Great video, amazing trip and I'd like to do something like this. Love the places you visited, especially the concreted village that was hit with an earthquake. I only suggest one thing - keep profanity to a minimum as TH-cam algorithm might decrease the amount of times this video is shown to the public or ban it all together as any audience can watch it but overall great job, well done. Liked, subscribed, commented! :)
The quality of this video was worthy of a GCN special. Amazing and well done for how far you got.
Thanks a ton! That's amazing to hear. CGN's longer documentaries are definitely something to aspire to.
Das ist so schade, dass Deine Pläne nicht funktioniert haben. Im Süden Italiens, also auch auf dem Festland, wird regelmäßig Siesta gehalten, d.h. dass zwischen 13 Uhr und 17 Uhr nichts geöffnet hat. Insbesondere abseits der Touristen-Routen. Dies sollte man unbedingt immer mit einplanen. Und am besten hört man auf die Locals.
Aber danke für diese zauberhaften Bilder!!!
Thanks for sharing your great adventure. Your friends from Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Thanks for watching!
Would you have benefitited from more gear range?
Sad that the bike was over 25kg.... I perfectly understand the feel of 25 beacause my full enduro ebike is 25 kg,. With 900W Battery (range 100km+) With lot of rear suspension travel. but having it as cargo must be harder. I do the warm ups in flat lands and barely move it, uphills i havent even attempted it.
Good job, I am in Sicily this week and the one thing I have learned is this place is always throwing curve balls. Google maps is on crack and expect the unexpected.
Hope you go back and do the adventure again with more time, and show off the amazing countryside. I personally would love to do the route but in 9 days.
Yeah, totally right. Google Maps cannot be trusted there. I knew that I couldn't fully rely on it, but in regard to opening times and places, that only existed on the map, its a far cry from reality. I wasn't expecting such a stark contrast. Anyways, I learned that and I am allowing for more stopping time now so that I can wait for a restaurant to open, If I have to.
Go light!
Despite your negativity in many sectors, it was interesting that by the end of the trip that you wanted to experience more in the future. This is the only way we grow, as we learn from our experiences. You don't need others to get on here and tell you what to do or not to do. Im sure you know. Keep it up and stay positive!
Thanks mate for the wise words. They are exactly my thinking too! You learn through hardships. And I am in the privileged position to "chose" my hardships - and being able to end them if they become unbearable.
Im not a bike packing professional but I have done a few and the longest one I did was 900+ kms in the peak of summer from France across Spain in 10 days. What I found from experience is if you want to enjoy the ride and have enough time to rest and take tons of pictures and drones shots is to ride a maximum of 50miles (80kms) a day. if you start early then you will also have enough time for unplanned stops, re-routes and mechanical problems. its really not ideal to set a challenge like doing crazy mileage and elevation and have limited time to do it, specially if you are vlogging because you will end up with many stops and ride backs to take a 3rd person shot. I guess you either need to add more days to your trip or minimize vlogging. but ifs that the challenge you have in mind then its great but you really need to mentally prepare your self for hopeless situations.
Nono I read you're planning to do it again next year. I don't know if you're aware but April is a weird month, 25th April and 1st May are national holiday and everything is kinda closed outside the big cities during that week, it may last more or less, like this year 25th was monday so many businesses closed on friday 22th and reopened on may. Next year there will be easter on 20th of april which is also a national holiday so if you're thinking of trying it again I strongly suggest you to plan on doing it either in the first half of april or after 1st of May.
Also plan a day only for mt. etna, it is wonderful.
And don't think this was a failure, it's a challenge, if it was as easy as walking it wouldn't be a proper challenge and you also added some extra difficulty. It's a failure only when you think of it as that.
great music and video thank you
I hope you do Sicily again and take some more time to make it enjoyable.
I will!
Great video and camera work, ride safe everyone !
Nice to see your experience.
Have switched from mtb pedals and clickshoes to flexibel trailrunners and flat pedals. It will make up our hikeabikes much easier. Especially on lose soils
wow! great video
Many thanks 🙏. The next video is already in preparation ☺️
People are welcome to do what they want, how they want, but I think they would have a LOT more fun NOT trying to be 'epic', and instead spending more time meeting some locals at the best-rated bakeries and cafes. Sicily is way too beautiful and full of good food to be experienced as just mile-grinding.
you my man! ;)))
Thanks for your comment! After a boring winter where I additionally had COVID I wanted a real challenge and was indeed looking forward to "mile-grinding". However, you are right, that this way of doing things does not allow for absorbing all the beauty of the Sicilian countryside. In my latest trip in Spain I found a good balance, though. Around 8-10 hours of riding and more time for stopping, eating and checking out sights and highlights.
I'm impressed you can take footage when you're having a bad day, it's not easy to multitask when you're just trying to make it through the day. My personal take is when someone says a trip should take 7 days I take 9 days and spend more time taking pictures and eating lunches. Nice video, the riding looked beautiful despite the hardship, thanks for sharing.
Hey many thanks for the comment. The filming definitely took a lot of time - although I did a test ride with filming before it took more time than expected and was one reason why does Sicily trip did not really work out. In my latest bikepacking trip in the Spanish mountains (video is currently being edited) I planned more time for filming while still making it hard enough to be a proper challenge that excites me. This time I think, I found a good balance.
Brilliant, if brutal film. Thank you.
Great comment. If there would be a DVD, I would print that on the cover 🤣
Ich habe so mit dir gelitten und mitgefiebert - ein echter Krimi! ☺️
Many thanks! Much appreciated. That makes the hardships more worth it.☺️
ja ja der me me me ich ich ich wahn, auch ICH have gelitten!
It did look hard, and extremely remote.
It's difficult re weight. Its tempting to travel light, but you are alone in such a remote area you don't know, and would be taking a huge risk if the weather turned bad.
Maybe next time try an easier route, an have a good chance of finishing.
Well done for your later route. So many beautiful places in Germany
I am curious why you would want to turn a seven day ride into a four day ride, is it just the physical challenge? I haven't bikepacked yet but I imagine I would be way more into seeing local sites along the way.
Thanks for the question. So I personally like hard mental and physical challenges. That's why I enjoy triathlon, bikepacking and even open ocean sailing. I personally find, that if you reach a certain limit and overcome certain challenges you can learn a lot about yourself. That's what motivates me and what was motivating me especially for this trip. But exploring and seeing new places was another part that excited me. However, as I learned, the combination of both is hard to achieve. It's better to focus either on "racing" only or on easy riding and allowing time for stops and sightseeing. In my later trips I think I found a better mixture.
Du bist sehr berühmt nächstes Mal, bocklradweg! 😂😂. Ich liebe jetzt in Sizilien. Ja no infracture!!!
Great video. Just came back from Badlands solo in 12 days. Incredible ride. If I may, one tip: just take a few chainlinks, unlikely you would need an entire replacement chain. I had a few Hotpot meals with me to deal with possible lack of restaurants. My bike was also heavy at 35kg excl. water. Would defenitely try to go with max 29kg on a next trip, taking a bivy instead of a small tent. Good luck on your next adventures!
Congrats on finishing badlands! One day, I'll attempt it myself. Smart tip with the chain. You are probably right that a few chain links should do the job. Good thinking because the spare chain is super heeeeavy. And yes, since Sicily I always carry hotpot meals with me too! It's adding weight but I find it's definitely worth it. Good luck to you too!
You should go back. Go in October, after summer, when conditions are drier, not wet after winter. Allow the 7 days (or more) that the route recommends. We never have a tight schedule or a ticket we can't change. Things happen, your bike breaks and you have to take an unplanned day off while you get it fixed etc...
Yes absolutely trough. Since Sicily I now always plan two days time buffer before and after the trip so that I have the chance to react to any unforeseen circumstances.
I enyoyed your trip but I should schedule the stages a bit slower. You certainly hot a heat stroke and that can be dangerous. Do it again with a friend, take your time and give your body more time to adapt to the climate.
Tolles Video und mega spannend!
Danke dir! :) Freut mich
Bravooo
what a shitty good time ;+) your editing ist wunderbar!
Haha, wunderbar comment. Many thanks!
Man you didn't find food in Salemi because the footage you shown is from another place Vita, i'm from there (it's a very small town and you shown also the old part) you would find bar and restaurant open even at 1.00 2.00 p.m
Mensch, super Video. Das mit dem Futter ist aber wirklich blöd gelaufen.
Hey, danke dir, Ulle. Ja, ohne Futter ist's hart😅
Davvero molto bello. Complimenti 👏👏
grazie molto 😊!
Sorry mate but this is nuts. Bikepacking is for enjoyment not trying to kill yourself.
Italy observes siesta. It's too bad you weren't aware before this trip. When I first traveled to Italy it was a shock for me too. Also, wish you would have given yourself more rest the first day and not ridden so late into the night. Seems like you're wearing yourself out, and potentially making things unsafe for yourself. Enjoying the video nonetheless because you're sharing your feelings and the scenery is beautiful. Have no idea how you're managing to film this too.
Thanks for your comment! Yeah it was all a bit much but I was also looking for a challenging and uncomfortable experience. This time , however, I guess it was too much. In later trips I found a better balance. 🤟
Congrats man , From Costa Rica! Pura vida Mae ! , hey it would be nice another video comparing the weight and the list of items between 1st ride, 2nd ride, and last ride, so we can also learn from you. \thanks this is definitely very inspiring . God bless you and keep you safe all times.
Many thanks for the nice comment! I just finished a 10 day bikepacking trip in Spain and I am planning to do a equipment video showing all the stuff that I brought with me. Stay tuned!
in which month did you go?
@@dariodiblasi487 in April 2023 ☺️
In may I had to abandon a gravel tour in sardegna due to several mistakes on my side and errors in open streetmap. It was sad but you learn and go on.
Thanks for your comment! I think 'failing' is also just a part of an adventure. But good to hear that there are others😅. I hope you still had a good time (or at least during later tours).
@@nonoexplores all good, already planning to go back better prepared next may 😄 safe travels!
haha, I was there in April and despite the up and down of the weather, it is the best month, flowers everywhere. I am sicilian from Catania, but not living there anymore. I'll finish to edit my video hopefully in June. I did my own route, a round trip of 800km, 10,000 mt elevation, going through Etna and Nedrodi then to Corleone, Favara, Ragusa and Catania. I had several challenges too. I know you were new of Sicily, but there is much more than this "divide"; actually, the proper divide would be to cycle the Nebrodi Dorsale, cutting green forests on the watershed/mountain range which is north of your route. Neverthenless, Sicily is interesting indeed, but not properly functional when it comes to bikepacking. Sundays closures, lunch closures, bad country roads and lot of elevation, with dogs. One must adapt or being aware. In order to cycle the inland of Sicily with an average of 120 km a day, one must be totally devoted to the ride: time for drone images and film must be reduced to the minimum. It is fundamental to stop riding before it gets dark. This is south of Europe, there is no twilight after dawn. Having said that, Italy is pretty amazing and mostly better looking and cleaner than Sicily along the "divide". Villages are in better shape, facilities are better. PS: I have the same bike ;)
Hey mate, that's great to hear that from a Sicilian. I was hoping for a comment from a local. Many thanks for your insights.
Funny that you mention Etna and Nebrodi. During planning the route I also thought about that part of Sicily which looked super beautiful and interesting. Initially I was also thinking about making my own loop from Catania up to Messina and back. Maybe one day. Looking forward to your video, though!
Anyways, good to hear, that you agree that it's difficult to bikepack in the inland due to lacking infrastructure and closures of restaurants and DOGS! I didn't put much dogs in the video, but they were definitely a factor to consider. Most of them were super aggressive.
Anyways, thanks for the comment and I will definitely go back to Sicily and do it again!
@@nonoexplores good good. I am eager to see the interests upon the "sicily" subject and releasing the video would be interesting for that. The most of my followers/subscribers are americans. As I said, I did it in April (12th-25th) and I wasn't properly fit for the season. The Etna day was the first day, and it was pure climbs. The Nebrodi is a MTB route, it gets rough in several spots and one must push the bike. Not fun, but the place is solitary and pleasant. In general, sicilian minor roads are very steep, meaning that having a car, one would go with the second gear. The island has few plains and valleys are narrow. Mountains are all over. Anyway, you did a great editing/filming job and that is something that I look on a video. There is a good story behind. I am working on mine right now. Next time, try to book these hilly terrain tours at the end of the cycling season, like in September or October, when the body/mind is kinf of used to respond to the bike-touring hard days. At least, that applies to me. As I live in Sweden, I don't cycle during the winter and in April I was still pale and unfit for the challenge. My legs pain lasted days. Since I'll present my docu-film on an exhibtion (it won't be the same video as per TH-cam but still based on Sicily), I had to do it in April. BTW: you did not film the trash, but i'm sure you didn't find the island to be properly clean :D
@@vladywashere Yeah, I guess I was also not yet fully ready for the tour because it was early in the year - and I had COVID 3 months before the trip. Maybe that was also a factor that killed my fitness. Anyways, next time I will maybe do it in September or October. Oh and in fact the areas I was in were not that dirty with trash and stuff. Catania was though^^ But I don't mind. Anyways, looking forward to your film!
Hills ain't an issue with a recumbent trike. Have a rohlof on the back, 44/32/22 chianrings. Taking it easy , goes up a 15% at 2-3 mph , spins out in highest gear at 30mph
Sehr geile Doku. Das mit dem zu hohen Puls vorm ins Bett gehen ist eine guter Gedanke, werde ich mal drauf achten. Mit welcher Airline und welche Flughäfen hast du genutzt? VG Daniel
Hey Daniel, danke für deinen Kommentar. Ich bin von Hamburg aus über Mailand nach Catania geflogen, habe einen Mietwagen genommen und bin mit dem dann nach Trapani gefahren. Theoretisch gibt es auch einen Zug, den ich lieber genommen hätte, aber ich habe einfach nirgends Infos oder Antworten bekommen, ob ich mein Rad in den Zug mitnehmen kann (scheint aber doch problemlos zu gehen). Bin mit Ryanair geflogen, was ätzend war, weil durch den Stop in Mailand waren es nicht 2 sondern 4 Flüge und ich musste demnach 4 mal für den Radkoffer zahlen.
Me: I need to go to Sicily
31:50 "Why would anyone eat a pizza like this?"
Great video. Wich bike do you ride, and how many kg does it weight? Good luke for the next attempt .
Many thanks. I rode a Canyon Grizl AL 7. Its an older version. I love the bike but cannot recommend the gearing which is not suited to bikepacking with slot elevation. Canyon's newer Grizl bikes are better suited.
Hi, fahre die gleiche Strecke im September mit meinem Grail und 40mm Reifen. Würdest du mir auch 45mm empfehlen wie auf dem Grizl?
Hey, danke für die Frage. Ich habe sonst auch 45er. Habe aber für Sizilien extra 40mm genommen, da es ja doch relativ viel Straße gibt. Für die erste Hälfte der Strecke war das auf jeden Fall die richtige Wahl, finde ich. Zumindest wenn man es eher auf Tempo anlegt.
@@nonoexplores Danke für deine Antwort
Which month did you do this? If during summer there is a chance that many of these restaurants are just closed for summer holidays. I noticed that in Catalunia at less touristic areas.
I did it in April. Maybe everything was still closed ? I don't know. I just think that this is just something one has to expect in depopulated areas. At least that's what I learned now.
Ya I think what killed your trip was not packing enough food and planning around Siesta. All of Italy closes from 1-3pm at least and many dining restaurants don't open until 7pm. So if you can plan the stops around that you should be able to do it Great attempt and cool ride to Poland as well. I was in Hamburg in 2000 and it was a cool city.
if this broke you, consider it a lesson for life. because in reality, nothing bad really happened to you.
this is where the cycling culture is right now. underprepared folks (in terms of local realities, of packing, and even of fitness) are going out there, doing stuff that supposed to be beautiful but having a horrible time.
also, filming yourself for half of the screentime seems to be a new rule.
Amazing video and story! Loved it!
That's so great to hear. Thanks for watching! The next video is currently in edit :)
Very beautiful images. Personally I don't need all that ongoing explain talking, and ""healing" talking even less.
Yeah those "deep" thoughts were just too much. Especially in the end. "Even if you plan everything". Aside from not running a proper gear ratio, not testing a 29kg bike on steep climbs beforehand and informing yourself about refueling opening hours ahead. It was designed to fail, so cut the mentoring, please.
@@karlhungus6388be gracious. It was just his second back packing adventure, and he has learnt a lot. I enjoyed the detail he provided.
2:56 eating process chips in a bag... in Sicily... land of culinary art...
Yeah that was sad... Was imaging it differently 😄
A lesson in pisspoor planning and preparation.
Just bad planning and a bit of bad luck! , less weight, realistic goals, planning foods and you will make it next time!
That's the plan!