This year i did fracigena with bicicletta in Italia. From Pavia to Roma. I started in Nederland, first i used the camping (D FR CH) then in Italia i used the guest house or Hostels for the pilgrims . They cost from donation to max 20 euro, sometimes i had single room, many of them u can also use the kitchen.
I've done hundreds of miles of wilderness hiking and never once carried anything electronic. I say that because it seems that so much time, effort, energy, and money is spent on various types of gadgets and keeping them safe, charged, and connected. It would seem that one way to lessen the hassles of bicycle touring would be to disconnect from the internet, stop checking in with momma via phone every day, and maybe stay off of Facebook, TH-cam, et al until the trip is over. Thus far on my bicycle tours, I'm using paper maps, no phone, no GPS. But to each their own. Of course you are creating content for us to enjoy and learn from, but I would hope that those of us not doing so and touring just for the joy of touring would think a long time about the real versus imagined need for electronic gadgets. Mr. Mike, I greatly enjoy your videos and the information you've provided is very helpful. Thanks.
Great info. The campgrounds in Italy seem pretty posh compared to the rustic ones here in California. Reasonable price too. The pizza in Italy is the best, that and the gelato.
I only got through one minute cuz to me in Canada ..child of sixties and seventies..wild camping! Its adventurous and its free. Bicycling is supposed to be free...if not take your car or the train. I do several days of wild camping then 1.or 2 lovely days in Airbnb discount price. I guess its easier in Canada than Europe.
Good video. I like all of your travels. Have you tried a small solar panel to charge your power packs up? Also, that bike lock doesn't seem very strong to secure your most expensive item?
Excellent video with very valuable information. My first impression is that camping fees are quite cheap (they're about $50+ in Ontario). Important point about bringing valuables with you, even though it translates to having to take a pannier with you. Also, thanks for a tip about the trees! Wouldn't have thought of that. Thank you for putting this together.
Just watched your video when someone tried to steal your bike. A valuable lesson for me. I must confess that sometimes lazyness wins over security for me. I guess it has to do with growing up here in northen Sweden where people are super honest. Sometimes I don't even lock up my bike outside my local supermarket. But when I'm out on tour in other countries I try to get a feeling about the place before I leave my bike unattended. I've learned over the years to always trust my gut feeling. But I should probably think about getting a better and stronger lock after watching your video. Anyway, I was impressed by how you handled the situation and glad you got the bike back!
@@BikeTouringMike Thanks for watching! And yes, that was a big lesson I learned about never letting my guard down when it comes to bike security. You're lucky to live where bike theft is not much of an issue. I think that situations such as this are there to remind us to pay attention.
I've used an Anker solar panel the last 2 years in Portugal but don't take as much camera stuff I guess. Mike , I normally tour like you but struggling a bit due to age and no longer commuting/riding as much ,so taking my bike in a trailer at the back of my motorbike from uk . Going up through Norway to Trondheim then crossing into Sweden for return ( and a drink). Whole trip is about 5 weeks . What would you recommend as a route in Sweden to include a of 2/3 day centre based stops for cycling. Glad to see you had a good trip and thanks for any advice you can give. Cheers.
I guess it's the Scandinavian in me that associate the morning sun with lying there all sweaty in a tent that’s as hot as a sauna. That's usually what happens around here if you don't plan where you place your tent. Regarding pasta, I ate pasta every other day, pizza every other day. Sometimes all the meals don't make the final edit, and sometime I re-use footage as I did in this video, so it might look as I had the exact same meal twice.
@@BikeTouringMike I'm not sure what classes as a typical Scandinavian meal, in the UK we tend to think live on cereal, fish and meatballs-of course we live on fish & chips and beef ...lol. Italy has the best gelati and pasta, it would expand my waste. Bonne fortuno signor.
Hey Mike...good point on avoiding the trees. I've found even the night's dew causes that gunky discharge. Also regarding the power box...the fact that there were, in this case, six outlets, does this mean you have potentially five nearby campers running extension cords? ...or is the typical practice to leave your things at the box charging? Just curious...anyway, hope you enjoyed the trip, anxious to hear about the next adventure.
No, I was probable the only one that didn't bring an extension cord since most other guests were RVs. At some campgrounds there were cords lying around everywhere. This one was a bit bigger, so I got that box all to myself.
About charging: I recharge only my powerbank, not other devices at camping sites (using two powerbanks interchangeably, as you do). From my experience in Poland, Germany and Estonia, even if there is an extra cost of for using boxes/sockets in the campground for permanent access to electricity, they allow to plug in a powerbank for free in the kitchen, reception desk or in the bathroom. Does it work the same way in Sweden?
Mike come on. Do you know anything about food, italien food? They have so great food, but i see u eat pitzza everyday. You miss out the great taste of italia. You need learn about that! 😁 but thx for your vlog. Take care man
Hej, being an Italian living abroad (lived even 5 years in beautiful Sweden) I cannot but agree with Mauritz! Go get try some typical local food, every village has something different! Cheers! Hej då
Haha, I used last weeks footage as B-roll in this one, hence the same food/wine. I tried to eat pasta and pizza every other time. I know I could probably switch it up more than that, but sometimes after a long day the crawing for something salt is too big.
There is actually a reason. By taking two larger panniers instead of my usual 2+2 I was able to fly with my bike for feto Italy. I took one of them as a carry-on and strapped the other one to the frame of my bike and made sure that the total weifhtatayed under 23kg/50 lbs. Hard to explain how I did it text, but there will be a video about it pretty soon. And I didn't need to pack that much either. I knew it was going to be pretty warm and dry in Italy, plus I didn't bring my stove either.
I'm just using the drop bars that came with the Kona Sutra. What's a bitt different with them than your usual drop bars is that they have bar end shifters. I was a bit hesitant in the beginning, but after a couple of times riding the bike it's lie second nature.
@@BikeTouringMike I've got bar end shifters on mine but those bars look quite a lot different. They look wider and more angled out. Anyway, thanks for the reply and take care. JP
Another nice bit of wine. :) I have a question about a topic ithat may be a bit dull, but your comment about removing socks made me think of it. On tour I stay in a room so generally have an en suite WC where I can wash my socks, jersey and cycling shorts after the day's ride. When camping, do you find that ypur laundry does or does not dry out overnight? Or, do you stretch out the time between laundry days a bit?
Oh, I totally forgot to mention that. Every campground I visited had a laundry room with washer and dryer. I never used them though since I was only away for about a week. But if you’re away for a longer period those facilities might come in handy.
I usually bring ting two sets of cycle clothing on trips. Washing i do in a wash basin, shower or while swimming. Drying happens at night or while riding the next day. Just tie to your panniers or seatpack and ride, the wind n sun will do the rest.
I love your video tutorials...
Terrific video Mike, I hope to do the Rhine next year. I’ve learned so much from your videos. 👏👏
thanks Mike, i hope to make it to Italy one day, before i do i will re-watch your vids, great stuff
Thanks Mike. I’m really enjoying the Italy videos. Thank you!
Thank you Doug! Glad you enjoyed following along.
Fantastic trip, appreciate the handy tips. You are motivating me to plan my first trip next year. Many thanks
So glad to hear this. Love to hear more about your trip later on.
Hi Mike. Holy cow the showers looked great!! The pizza as well. You are living good my friend. Take care.
This year i did fracigena with bicicletta in Italia. From Pavia to Roma. I started in Nederland, first i used the camping (D FR CH) then in Italia i used the guest house or Hostels for the pilgrims . They cost from donation to max 20 euro, sometimes i had single room, many of them u can also use the kitchen.
Bra videos! Fortsätt så!👍
Tack så mycket Klas!
I've done hundreds of miles of wilderness hiking and never once carried anything electronic. I say that because it seems that so much time, effort, energy, and money is spent on various types of gadgets and keeping them safe, charged, and connected. It would seem that one way to lessen the hassles of bicycle touring would be to disconnect from the internet, stop checking in with momma via phone every day, and maybe stay off of Facebook, TH-cam, et al until the trip is over. Thus far on my bicycle tours, I'm using paper maps, no phone, no GPS. But to each their own. Of course you are creating content for us to enjoy and learn from, but I would hope that those of us not doing so and touring just for the joy of touring would think a long time about the real versus imagined need for electronic gadgets.
Mr. Mike, I greatly enjoy your videos and the information you've provided is very helpful. Thanks.
Great info👍
Thanks Jens! Hope you got something useful out of watching the video.
Great info. The campgrounds in Italy seem pretty posh compared to the rustic ones here in California. Reasonable price too. The pizza in Italy is the best, that and the gelato.
Excellent Mike 🤩 thanks for your share 🙂
Thank you! Glad you liked it.
@@BikeTouringMike our pleasure 🙂
I only got through one minute cuz to me in Canada ..child of sixties and seventies..wild camping! Its adventurous and its free. Bicycling is supposed to be free...if not take your car or the train. I do several days of wild camping then 1.or 2 lovely days in Airbnb discount price. I guess its easier in Canada than Europe.
Good video.
I like all of your travels.
Have you tried a small solar panel to charge your power packs up?
Also, that bike lock doesn't seem very strong to secure your most expensive item?
Excellent video with very valuable information. My first impression is that camping fees are quite cheap (they're about $50+ in Ontario). Important point about bringing valuables with you, even though it translates to having to take a pannier with you. Also, thanks for a tip about the trees! Wouldn't have thought of that. Thank you for putting this together.
Just watched your video when someone tried to steal your bike. A valuable lesson for me. I must confess that sometimes lazyness wins over security for me. I guess it has to do with growing up here in northen Sweden where people are super honest. Sometimes I don't even lock up my bike outside my local supermarket.
But when I'm out on tour in other countries I try to get a feeling about the place before I leave my bike unattended. I've learned over the years to always trust my gut feeling. But I should probably think about getting a better and stronger lock after watching your video. Anyway, I was impressed by how you handled the situation and glad you got the bike back!
@@BikeTouringMike Thanks for watching! And yes, that was a big lesson I learned about never letting my guard down when it comes to bike security. You're lucky to live where bike theft is not much of an issue. I think that situations such as this are there to remind us to pay attention.
I've used an Anker solar panel the last 2 years in Portugal but don't take as much camera stuff I guess.
Mike , I normally tour like you but struggling a bit due to age and no longer commuting/riding as much ,so taking my bike in a trailer at the back of my motorbike from uk . Going up through Norway to Trondheim then crossing into Sweden for return ( and a drink). Whole trip is about 5 weeks . What would you recommend as a route in Sweden to include a of 2/3 day centre based stops for cycling.
Glad to see you had a good trip and thanks for any advice you can give. Cheers.
Thanks for the info, Mike! Where do you find the information of these campsites? Is there any website where I can search them?
Showers, also known as stand up clothes washers.
I like sun to wake me up in the morning. I'm surprised you don't pick a diet with more pasta for energy. Anti Paste is better. Bon Appetito
I guess it's the Scandinavian in me that associate the morning sun with lying there all sweaty in a tent that’s as hot as a sauna. That's usually what happens around here if you don't plan where you place your tent. Regarding pasta, I ate pasta every other day, pizza every other day. Sometimes all the meals don't make the final edit, and sometime I re-use footage as I did in this video, so it might look as I had the exact same meal twice.
@@BikeTouringMike I'm not sure what classes as a typical Scandinavian meal, in the UK we tend to think live on cereal, fish and meatballs-of course we live on fish & chips and beef ...lol. Italy has the best gelati and pasta, it would expand my waste. Bonne fortuno signor.
Hey Mike...good point on avoiding the trees. I've found even the night's dew causes that gunky discharge. Also regarding the power box...the fact that there were, in this case, six outlets, does this mean you have potentially five nearby campers running extension cords? ...or is the typical practice to leave your things at the box charging? Just curious...anyway, hope you enjoyed the trip, anxious to hear about the next adventure.
No, I was probable the only one that didn't bring an extension cord since most other guests were RVs. At some campgrounds there were cords lying around everywhere. This one was a bit bigger, so I got that box all to myself.
About charging: I recharge only my powerbank, not other devices at camping sites (using two powerbanks interchangeably, as you do). From my experience in Poland, Germany and Estonia, even if there is an extra cost of for using boxes/sockets in the campground for permanent access to electricity, they allow to plug in a powerbank for free in the kitchen, reception desk or in the bathroom. Does it work the same way in Sweden?
Mike come on. Do you know anything about food, italien food? They have so great food, but i see u eat pitzza everyday. You miss out the great taste of italia. You need learn about that! 😁 but thx for your vlog. Take care man
Hej, being an Italian living abroad (lived even 5 years in beautiful Sweden) I cannot but agree with Mauritz! Go get try some typical local food, every village has something different! Cheers! Hej då
Haha, I used last weeks footage as B-roll in this one, hence the same food/wine. I tried to eat pasta and pizza every other time. I know I could probably switch it up more than that, but sometimes after a long day the crawing for something salt is too big.
You're absolutely right. I would love to have some tips on what I should try next time I'll go to Italy.
@@BikeTouringMike I will prepare a long list for you! LOL
Every region have diffrent. Next time i make a list to that region. Hope u tryed tryffel dish?
Mike, any reason you chose two larger rear panniers instead of 4 smaller ones with 2 in the back anc 2 in the front?
There is actually a reason. By taking two larger panniers instead of my usual 2+2 I was able to fly with my bike for feto Italy. I took one of them as a carry-on and strapped the other one to the frame of my bike and made sure that the total weifhtatayed under 23kg/50 lbs. Hard to explain how I did it text, but there will be a video about it pretty soon.
And I didn't need to pack that much either. I knew it was going to be pretty warm and dry in Italy, plus I didn't bring my stove either.
Some great tips. I'm sorry to go off topic but could you please tell me what handlebars you are using and why this kind. Thanks, JP
I'm just using the drop bars that came with the Kona Sutra. What's a bitt different with them than your usual drop bars is that they have bar end shifters. I was a bit hesitant in the beginning, but after a couple of times riding the bike it's lie second nature.
@@BikeTouringMike I've got bar end shifters on mine but those bars look quite a lot different. They look wider and more angled out. Anyway, thanks for the reply and take care. JP
Do you get any noise disturbance by camping right next to the electricity box . ie. a humming noise that might keep you awake.
Mike, why do you not ride in hiking sandals? Then your feet don't get so hot and smelly ;-)
Does the Italian restaurant do delivery?
Another nice bit of wine. :) I have a question about a topic ithat may be a bit dull, but your comment about removing socks made me think of it. On tour I stay in a room so generally have an en suite WC where I can wash my socks, jersey and cycling shorts after the day's ride. When camping, do you find that ypur laundry does or does not dry out overnight? Or, do you stretch out the time between laundry days a bit?
Oh, I totally forgot to mention that. Every campground I visited had a laundry room with washer and dryer. I never used them though since I was only away for about a week. But if you’re away for a longer period those facilities might come in handy.
I usually bring ting two sets of cycle clothing on trips. Washing i do in a wash basin, shower or while swimming. Drying happens at night or while riding the next day. Just tie to your panniers or seatpack and ride, the wind n sun will do the rest.
By the way, it was the same jug of wine and pizza as the night before Brent. I used re-used the footage as B-roll for this video ;-)
All of your discussions regarding security have me wondering...how often have you had items stolen?
Isn't that modern life for you? Ten-minute video and he spends 4 and a half minutes charging his stuff.