»I wanted to grow beyond myself, get out of my comfort zone and have a new adventure every day. On the bike, I have to push my physical limits on a regular basis.«

In 2021, Bobby, alias Alexander, discovered cycling for himself as a sporting discipline and a balance to his job as a master machinist. His first Gravel Bike was quickly organized via Jobrad and his tours have steadily expanded from Illertal towards Lake Constance, Allgäu and the Swabian Alb. What started as a two-week cycling vacation idea quickly turned into a full-blown two-month European tour and finally a cycling adventure from June to … as long as the funds just last.

The tour

At the beginning of June 2023, he and his friend Jan-Simon set off from Illertissen in the direction of Lake Constance and then continued alone through Austria and South Tyrol to Lake Garda. Overnight is inexpensive at campsites and after a few weeks of outdoor experience also wild in the forest. »Italy simply offers everything: sun, mountains, sea, dolce vita and beautiful women.😄 I also wanted to travel without a plane and only by bike, so Italy was simply obvious.«

After a stopover on Elba, he continued with Tuscany until he reached the Amalfi coast in early August. The planned route leads along the west coast towards southern Italy, Sardinia and Sicily. »How long I can be on the road depends mainly on my bike. In the first weeks I had one repair after another and had to invest unplanned 600€. If the bike makes it, it goes from Corsica by ferry to Spain and then on to Gibraltar and Portugal.« Surprising, however, were not only the ticks of the bike, but also the beautiful national parks and highlands of Italy. A dream for cyclists, far from tourism and peppered with scenic highlights and waterfalls.

His mission

»I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and start a longer journey on my own. The best way to travel cheaply and experience as much of the landscape, places and people as possible was on a bicycle. Due to the weight, you only have the bare essentials with you and you realize what really matters in life. I was surprised how open and interested people are to me as a bike traveler with a long beard. They are curious and you are immediately invited for coffee or even to spend the night in the cottage, although you do not know each other at all. These are exactly the kind of encounters and experiences I was hoping for.«

Bobby now works and lives in Switzerland near Basel, where he regularly travels by bike. He is already busy making plans for his next big tour in 2025. Stay tuned!

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