~ European adventures ~
Motorbikepacking expedition 2: Riding to Nova beach from Tallinn
My second trip this year, is to visit a public camping site on Estonia’s northern coast that I’ve found thanks to the super useful forest management agency, Riigimets’ (RMK) online map of all hiking routes, camp spots, and nature places.
I load my Yamaha Tenere up with my winter expeditions tent, some food, water, a sleeping bag, and other essential items for what I’ve started referring to as ‘motorbikepacking’ trips. As you’ve probably already guessed, Motorbikepacking trips are essentially the same regular bikepacking trips, albeit with a motorbike instead of a pedal bike. The main advantage is you can explore places that are further away, yet still a moderately low cost.
Bikepacking the Eurovelo 11 route across Estonia
The Eurovelo cycling routes are one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Waymarked by blue signs with occasional directions to the next town, the routes criss-cross European countries.
The entire Eurovelo 11 route is c.6500 kilometres, starts at Nordkapp (the most northerly point in Europe) and finishes at the southern tip of Greece, covering 11 countries on the route. It’s apparently referred to as ‘the Beast of the East’ (according to the official website) and completing it in stages is quickly becoming a personal goal.
Bikepacking expedition 3: first multi-day test ride for the Eurovelo 11 attempt
My third bikepacking trip is a test ride for a big multi-day trip I want to do later in summer that would see me riding all the way across Estonia following the Eurovelo 11 cycling route towards the end of summer when the weather has got a little cooler. It would be 500 kilometres (c.300 miles) so I will need to be used to spending multiple days out on the road.