With the emergence of the gravel bike and the power to journey most sorts of street surfaces, together with light-weight baggage and navigation by satellite tv for pc, bikepacking (because the youths now name bike touring) has turn into a big biking self-discipline. Not everybody desires to race (though there loads of unsupported ultra-distance occasions) however there are different methods to check your bodily limits and self-reliance. And, after all, within the Period of the Selfie, it’s doable to share the journey.
In July 2022, Wiebke Lühmann set out from her pal Fabienne Engel’s house in Hamburg and headed north, with the aim of reaching Norway’s North Cape, 3500 kms away, in 30 days. She was impressed by her father’s story of getting ridden his bicycle to the Arctic Circle within the eighth grade and needed to undertake the same journey. Along with her shut pal Fabienne, knowledgeable photographer since 2012, the 2 girls deliberate the journey a yr prematurely with the thought of manufacturing a movie. “On Her Personal—Biking from Hamburg to North Cape” is the end result, a 35 minute movie that introduced at showings in 4 German cities in December 2022 and may now be seen on YouTube. For non-German audio system, there are closed captions in English on YouTube that work very nicely.
The journey was a problem for a number of causes. Wiebke had by no means ridden to date in such a short while and Fabienne had by no means shot and edited such a long-format movie earlier than. In all, 20 hours of video had been made and the end result was solely the work of the 2 girls alone. Through the journey, the pair had been solely collectively for 4 days, at which era Fabienne used her cameras and drone, whereas the bulk was performed by Wiebke with a GoPro, and the ensuing edit tells the story seamlessly. There may be background music even.
After leaving the massive metropolis of Hamburg, Wiebke strikes out for Denmark after which Norway and the video reveals what one would possibly count on—tenting, ready for a ferry, assembly up with new associates on the street. Wiebke is a cheerful presence, reflecting on what the journey means to her. After all, not the whole lot ever goes utterly in line with plan on any bike journey, and there are some moments that decision on that self-reliance and persistence. A very good chunk of the journey by means of Norway appears to be in infinite rain and the gray skies don’t really feel so summery.
The North Cape attracts some 250,000 guests every year and seems to be the northernmost level of Europe that you could really drive (or journey) to. It’s a 307 m excessive cliff with a big flat plateau on prime going through the Arctic Ocean, marking the purpose the place the Norwegian Sea meets the Barents Sea. Really located on Magerøya Island and is linked to the Norwegian mainland through a 6.8 km lengthy undersea tunnel, constructed between 1993 and 1999.
“On Her Personal” reveals one particular person’s journey in a relatable style. Within the phrases of the filmmaker: “It was particularly necessary for us to inform the journey as authentically as doable and likewise to encourage different younger girls to go on adventures on their very own. We needed to indicate not solely the highlights and fantastic thing about Norway, but in addition that not day-after-day is straightforward.”
This movie is a superb instance of how proficient amateurs can share a biking journey with the world. Utilizing tools out there to most and distributed on social media, it opens up prospects for these contemplating environmentally-friendly journey in fascinating places. A small variety of sponsors, together with the Wilier bicycle firm, are credited, exhibiting nice initiative by the ladies.
Round 2,300 kms of Wiebke’s journey adopted the marked bicycle route Eurovelo 1, the Atlantic Coast Route, in Norway. The Eurovelo system is an intensive community in Europe, about which extra may be realized right here: https://en.eurovelo.com/#
“On Her Personal—By Bike from Hamburg to North Cape,” a movie by Fabienne Engle and Wiebke Lühmann
35 minutes, color, in German with English subtitles
Out there on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV6836VprNI&t=32s
Wiebke Lühmann’s travels may be adopted on Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/22478106
Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly publication to obtain updates and reminders on what’s cool in street biking?
