Introduction: The Idea and the Journey
Living in Spain is awesome until the temperature is 40+ °C. That's why I decided to fly to the Netherlands in summer 2026. I spent 9 weeks riding a bike around the region. In a future post I'll tell more about that - but it was a great experience. It made me decide that when I turn 70 in the summer of 2027, I want to be on a bike tour in Northern Europe. I'd then ride my bike back to Spain - arriving in mid to late September.
So that's the idea. Since returning, I've been working on planning and training to ride several hundred km a week - right now my limit is around 200 but it'll need to be over 400 by June 2027.
I have developed a riding and fitness program that measures my progress against stages of progression. I'll talk more about that in a later post.
Beyond the Tour
This blog documents that training, yes—but it is also a record of my travels, my discoveries in food and culture, and the changing perspectives that come with visiting places again and again. Whether I am spending nine weeks in the Netherlands, attending plays in Paris, exploring museums in Rome, or taking a four-day trip to a nearby coastal town, I share the details of the experience: the routes taken, the meals eaten, and the lessons learned.
The summer 2027 tour is the central thread that ties this work together. But the journey toward it—and the life lived alongside it—is what fills the pages.
What You Will Find Here
- Training data: Monthly check-ins with distance, body composition, heart rate, and blood pressure readings
- Route documentation: Surface conditions, climb profiles, and e-bike assist strategies
- Travel reflections: Food, culture, museums, plays, and how cities reveal themselves differently on each visit
- Honest accounting: Failures alongside successes, corrections when errors are discovered
For Cyclists
My routes cover Spain, France, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Germany, the Low Countries, Norway, Denmark, Italy, and Switzerland. I document surface conditions, climb profiles, and the realities of loaded touring on an e-bike.
Reading This Blog
- Newest posts appear at the top.
- Every post begins with the date (DD/MM/YYYY).
- Titles include dates and distances for ride reports.
- Tagging: Posts are tagged by country and topic (e.g., #TF2027, #FoodAndCulture, #CityTrips) to help you find specific interests.
- Visuals: Photos and data charts are embedded directly in the text.
- Comments: Send to tom@travelingtomas.com—I respond within 7 days.
I'm attaching some photos of my tours in Northern Europe in July 2026 as a way to demonstrate why I enjoyed it and want to do an even more extensive ride in 2027.
Data sources: Fit e-bike app, Renpho body composition scale, Polar Flow VO2max estimates, blood pressure monitor readings taken pre-rising after emptying bladder.
Medical disclaimer: Training and nutrition recommendations should be confirmed against personal health circumstances and medication status. I have physician confirmation of no heart-rate-affecting medication and no cardiac condition. General advice to readers: consult your doctor before starting any new training program.