We use the gravel bike as a means for multi-stage rides, reframing the idea of the touring cyclist. Long distances don’t weigh as much anymore.
The road runs well under our wheels, we ride stages of 150 or more miles a day stretched out over a week without discomfort.
We like stay up late to prepare ourselves as best we can when we have a bikepacking trip in sight. We pack everything we’re going to wear in 7 days and leave at dawn, after 3 hours of sleep. We set off without even deciding the various details of the route and even if we are a little hesitant, as soon as we hook the toe clip to the pedal, all thoughts disappear in a while. If we catch sight of the sea, we can try to go towards it by pedaling on the beach, even if every now and then we get unbalanced by sinking into the sand. On the other hand, in the mountains we can reach refuges or cottages, even if we can only get there by military or forest roads.