Cycling travelogues from Erik Nomden - the 'Lonely Cyclist'

Being outside and enjoy the landscape like here in Albania

Me in action. One of the true delights of a bike journey is to simply enjoy the landscapes, the people, the villages and the cities that are passing by and tobe happy to abide some precious time on our beautiful planet

Couleur locale at a tea ceremony in the Sahara

A tea ceremony in Morocco takes some time but offers perfect possibilities to lay contact with thelocal people and learn a thing or two from each other

The highest road of the world under our wheels in the Himalayas?

Today we know that it is not true but at the time Jeroen, Willem and I thought to be on the highest road of the World: the 5.356 meter high Khardung La

Cycling on the highest road of Europe. Sierra Nevada, Spain

From Granada there is a rideable road to the 3.402 meter high Pico Veleta. Very difficult descent possible (big stones) to the Alpujerras

Adrenaline on the most dangerous descent of the World in the Andes in Bolivia

There are a lot annual victims of the Death Road from La Paz in the Andes to Coroico in the jungle. The Bolivians are working on a new, safer road

Experience of the power of the sun in the Sahara of Morocco

The desert crossing from Zagora to Tazzarine offer some physical, logistic and orientation challenges, as Marco, Willem and I experienced, but there are also devastatingly beautiful desert landscapes

Arctic adventures on the way to the Nordkapp in Norway

Cycling to the Nordkapp means accepting bad weather, although I was lucky with only one full rainy day and three laf rainy days in one month Norway

Connections with ancient civilizations in Peru

The immensely popular Inca Trail draws thousands of tourists per year but is still a wonderful experience

Going back in time on the big unpaved roads

The whole World is turning into pavement but there are still great unpaved roads; maybe the most beautiful unpaved raod is the challenging Parpaillon in France

Tune in on the quiet flow of time in India

The search for wisdom may be a long and difficult road but sometimes wisdom just lies on the street or in a teahouse - Inshallah - Shanti - Om - Peace

Die a thousand deaths on the steepest road of the World in Italy

The Scanuppia climbs 1.300 altimeters in a little more than six kilometres with maximum grades of 45 %

On pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain

Every year a caravan of thousands of pilgrims goes to Santiago de Compostela by foot or on a bike: a living connection to European history and to old spiritual traditions

Cycling in the Alps

It is great to cycle the big cols from the Alps...

Cycling in the Pyrenees

Marvelling at the Worlds rich cultural heritage

There are a lot of beautiful cities in the World that can easily be travelled on a bike journey, for example in Italy

Enjoying nature, on a bike but also by foot

The Lonely Cyclist loves cycling but loves trekking as well like here in Nepal the trekking around Annapurna

Enjoying nature, on a bike but also climbing

The Lonely Cyclist also loves climbing, although cycling is no. 1. On top of the Huanya Potosi (6.081 m), Bolivia

Making friends with the whole World on a bike

The bike traveller finds friends on the road everywhere he or she goes - like here in a village in Rajasthan, India

Scanuppia and other Bike Trails in the Lago di Garda Area (2010)
Daytripping in the mountainbike paradise of Lake Garda: Spectacular routes to the Monte Tremalzo and Monte Baldo as well as an attempt of the infamous Scanuppia - possibly the steepest road in the world:
1) Daytrips in the Lake Garda area
2) The Scanuppia: the steepest road of the World?

The Lonely Cyclist in the Pyrenees (2010)
Travelogue of my bike journey to the Pyrenees and the double traverse through the Pyrenees. The Spanish Pyrenees from east to west and the French Pyrenees from west to east. Famous Tour de France and Vuelta cols but also exciting off-road biking:
1) Cycling from Holland to the Pyrenees
2) Cycling in the Spanish Pyrenees
3) Cycling in the French Pyrenees

Europe on two wheels - A Cycling trip through Europe (2009)
Travelogue of my 6.730 km cycling odyssey through Germany, Austria, Italy and France. Cultural and natural highlights and some of the most spectacular cols of Europe:
1) Cycling from Holland to Italy through Germany and Austria
2) Cycling from the Italian Alps to Sicily
3) Cycling in Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica
4) Cycling from Southern France back to Holland

Shanti Shanti - Cycling and Trekking in India & Nepal (2008)
Travelogue of our cycling and trekking journey through Northern India and Nepal. Cultural highlights, meeting loads of interesting people and great atmosphere. Cycling and trekking through the dazzling Himalayas:
1) Cycling in Rajasthan - India
2) Cycling from Varanasi (India) to Pokhara (Nepal)
3) Walking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal
4) Cycling in Nepal

The Lonely Cyclist in the Alps (2007)
Travelogue of my bicycle journey through the Alps from east to west. More than three thousand kilometre cycling across the big cols of the Alps from Vienna to Nice and Avignon. Famous Tour de France and Giro d'Italia cols but also some exciting dirt trails:
1) Cycling in Austria
2) Cycling in Slovenia
3) Cycling in the Dolomites
4) Cycling in the Swiss and Italian Alps
5) Cycling in the Italian and French Alps

Discovering Albania - Cycling in Albania and Greece (2007)
Travelogue of my bike journey with Marco Duiker, Marc Dirkx and Willem Hoffmans through Albania. Meeting the people and spirit of Albania. Half a World away in a different part of Europe:
1) Cycling in Albania and Greece

Arctic Dreams - Cycling Norway to the Nordkapp (2006)
Travelogue of my bike journey from Stavanger to the Nordkapp along fjords and icecaps, across islands and highlands:
1) Cycling from Stavanger to Trondheim
2) Cycling from Trondheim to the Noordkapp

The Wheel of Life - Six weeks cycling in the Indian Himalayas (2005)
Travelogue of my bike journey with Jeroen van Meijgaarden and Willem Hoffmans through the Indian himalayas, across some of the Worlds highest passes. A world of Tibetan buddhism and incredible mountain landscapes in the Indian Himalayas:
1) Cycling from Shimla to Manali and Leh
2) Across the Khardung La to the Nubra Valley
3) Cycling in Spiti and Lahaul
4) Cycling from Manali to Amritsar

Highlands & Volcanoes - Cycling in the French Massif Central (2004)
Cycling through a world of hills, gorges, volcanoes, highlands and beautiful villages in atmospheric Massif Central in France with Willem Hoffmans:
1) Cycling in the highlands of the Massif Central
2) Cycling in the volcano landscapes of the Massif Central
3) Cycling back across the highlands

Blue Skies and Dust Trails - Three months cycling in the Andes in Peru, Bolivia & Chile (2003)
Cycling travelogue of my journey through the deserts, jungles, mountain ranges, volcano landscapes, cities and the Altiplano. Cycling, trekking and climbing through the adventure wonderland of the Andes in South America:
1) Cycling in Central Peru
2) Trekking and cycling in Southern Peru
3) Climbing and cycling in Bolivia
4) Cycling in Northern Chile
5) Cycling in Central Chile

Rock the Casbah - Cycling in Morocco (2003)
Travelogue of a cycling journey from the Marrakech across the Atlas into the deep Saharan desert: a journey to the heart of mysterious Morocco with Marco Duiker and Willem Hoffmans:
1) Across the Atlas from Marrakech to Zagora
2) Through the Sahara from Zagora to Merzouga

La douce France - Cycling to the South of France (2002)
Travelogue of my early spring bike journey to Southern France through Champagne, Burgundy, Massif Central and the Vercors with Willem Hoffmans:
1) Cycling from Holland to Southern France

Via Roma - Cycling from Utrecht to Rome (2001)
Cycling travelogue of my journey from Utrecht to Rome with Willem Hoffmans. Across the Vosges, Jura and the Alps into Italy and subsequently through Piemonte, Liguria, Tuscany, Lazio and Umbria:
1) Cycling from Utrecht to the French Alps
2) Cycling from the Italian border to Rome

Santiago and beyond - Cycling to Spain (2000)
Travelogue of my bike journey from Holland to the West and South of Spain. Following a pigrimage to Santiago de Compostela and subsequently cycling through Portugal, Central Spain and across Europes highest cycling road - across the Sierra Nevada - to Gibraltar:
1) Cycling from Holland to Spain
2) Cycling from the Spanish border to Santiago de compostela
3) Cycling through Spain and Portugal from Santiago to Gibraltar