As editor-in-chief, chief talkative or at least explorer, 2023 was not the best year in my existence. I eventually managed to complete the 5500 kilometres, but in terms of destinations and routes, it was relatively a lot of familiar routes. Physically, too, I didn't quite make it. That was galling. In December 2023, I resolved to cycle more in 2024. Now, so far, that is succeeding pretty well. At the time of writing, we are on day 50 of the year. On this day, I rode my 50th ride. More cycling, in other words. Where last year I reached 5500 kilometres, I am now almost halfway, with ten months to go in this year. From cycling more, you also cycle more. Johan Cruyff could have said it.
Cycling more laps
With that phrase in mind, I recently bought Lonely Planet's book 'Epic Bike Rides of the World'. I'm quite prone to the bucket list principle myself, so I was able to add 50 destinations to my already long list right away. That trip to the ''Outer Hebrides' in Scotland just has to wait another year. The book contains lots of cool routes. Some suitable for a day trip, others for a 'week of cycling' and of course there are also projects you can take a year to do. My eye immediately fell on a well-known route in Europe. The Lake Constance, also called Konstanzsee or Lake Constance, is a beautiful lake sandwiched between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A tour around the lake, that's what you want, right? More cycling, in other words.
Another round, sir?
When I was young, our home sometimes talked about Lake Constance. That sounded very distant then. Bodensee, as if it was something dirty. We didn't go there. When I visited Friedrichshafen in 2019 for an event, on that same Lake Constance, I didn't understand that unpleasant aftertaste. It was and it is beautiful there. A round of Lake Constance, totalling 273 kilometres, is recommended for everyone. Sometimes flat, sometimes rolling, where you cross several national borders and where you can also add variations by taking the boat. Where you can gaze at Zeppelins, or enjoy the many castles and palaces along the shore.
Another round
Around Lake Constance, that soon tasted like more. Previously, explorer Robert wrote about the possibility of rounding Lake Annecy. This is also a classic route, in the French Alps. Not only there you can indulge yourself. How about the Netherlands? If you think a round IJsselmeer is too far (and if the afsluitdijk is actually closed), you can always opt for the round Markermeer, the a round Veluwemeer, round Eemmeer and so on, and there are more variations on that theme. Ruben and I also rode in 2022 in the north of the Netherlands around the Lauwersmeer. Whichever way you look at it, that was brilliant.
I want more
With this theme in mind, I will soon be taking out the map of the world. Just thinking of all the reservoirs that can be found within Germany's borders. You could devote an entire book to that. I will come back to this topic. Because more cycling, that's always good. Which lake do you think we should definitely not forget? Let us know in the comments
