Project VELAIA

After 1.5 months (not years) of planning and preparations I set out from Gundelsheim, my hometown in the south-west of Germany. The first 200km of nightride brought me to the manufacturer of my recumbent bicycle where I had it checked and some parts changed. Together with 2 friends I cycled to the Special Bikes Show in Germersheim, the annual gathering of the whole special bikes community of Germany.

Afterwards I went up to Cologne/Bonn and further through Holland and Belgium to Brussels – a small detour to make and visit friends in a place where just 6 decades ago my grandfather was fighting in WWII. In Brussels the CouchSurfing meeting and the VeloCity kind of critical mass ride just the next morning were just taking place

On the way to Paris, the official start of the Carfree Rallye, I met Claude Hanras and his wonderful family who saved me from the rain for at least one day. But the next 2 weeks, including May 10, the day I left Paris, were packed of rain and headwinds – a first hard probe for the beginning adventurer.

All through Europe I didn’t sleep in a hotel/motel/youth hostel/B&B a single time but under the sky, in farms, chimneys, ruins and not finished buildings. I met some CouchSurfers who often hosted me for a night or two and connected to the internet with my laptop mostly through open wireless networks.

The rainy weather followed me to every single country I visited and even in Greece I had a shower at least once a day (2 months later the Greek had to fight heavy bush fires all through the country). In Thessaloniki Nasta and Vasilis, very nice and enjoyable people and my CouchSurfing idols, hosted me in their special CS unit.

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Continuing my way along the Black Sea coast in Turkey a stunning scenery and constant up-and-downs together with stomach aches caused by grapes slowed me down a bit.

Surviving and continuing through Iran, the center of the Axis of Evil, was one of the hardest tasks as I was overwhelmed by the hospitality and warmth of the people over there, especially my long-time host and friend Saber and his friends from Tehran and his great family. Getting the visa for the Central Asian countries in Tehran caused a month long delay (”assholes Uzbekistan”’s fault (quotation from the movie “Borat”) – there are in fact many friendly and welcoming people in these countries!).

The nightrides through the deserts that had been possible in Iran would have very likely caused severe accidents with probably deadly outcome in Turk- and Uzbekistan. But as the temperatures were often above 40degrees C combined with heavy headwinds the 5 days transit visa for Turkmenistan was a tough nut.

Through Uzbekistan I speeded as fast as I could but still missed my fellow Beijing to Paris riders on their way in the opposite direction.

Together with Goska and Herve from Paris I had 4 beautiful days in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and cycled the first pass above 3000m (3615m) to Sari Tash and the stunning Pamir mountain range in the background with 7000m+ Peak Lenin in the center.

Because I got a 3 month visa and a planning mistake I got a chance to cycle through Tibet just after arriving in China. And even though my style of traveling was absolutely minimalistic and some of the equipment not make for the extreme conditions on the Roof of the World, I made it, together with my friends Marc (not a minimalist at all) and Boris (same style as I). The biggest extremes were a pass of 5400m, a night at -31 deg C temperatures (when the thermometer in the cycling computer stopped working), and a 1.5 month period with only 3 or 4 days below 4000m altitude!

Having left Tibet behind I made a big mistake in leaving some of my clothes behind in expectancy of warmer temperatures on the way through Inner Mongolia to Beijing. This and some problems with my heels and changing money made the 2 remaining weeks to the capital, Olympic City 2008 and finish line Beijing an adventure in itself.

And what a coincidence: Just 3 days before my arrival in Beijing I met French Sebastien from Lyon-Pekin again and together we had a lot of fun and a pleasant ride to the finish line of our tours, the Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing.

When do you start?

There are two starting dates. First, I’ll start in Germany at the Special Bikes Show 2007 in Germersheim April 28 + 29. This will mark my kilometer -700 or so. Then I’ll cycle to Paris where I will have my official start of my Paris to Peking trip right under the Eifel tower at 10 May. I’ve chosen this date because it’s in the middle of the dates of the other starters of the great Beijing to Paris 2007 Carfree rallye and because this seemed to give me enough time for both preparation and maybe even reaching Chine before winter.

How did you get involved with Beijing to Paris?

By pure fate! I happend to donate a one year subscription of the Carbusters Magazine to my sister when she got 18 and by that the drivers license. I thought that was a good compensation for her not to get too much into the motorists way of thinking and to open up far better alternatives for her. As we come from an car manufacturing area it’s normal for parents to pay the drivers license to their kids when they get 18 and many even bind their children to their first car by giving it to them to top it all of.

Are you riding solo?

I hope not! There’s one other rider doing the tour in the same direction but starting from Istanbul, as he cycled the Paris-Istanbul trip last year. He wants to start in Istanbul May 15th or so. We wanted to cycle together but don’t know whether the large time lag can be compensated some way.

Besides that I’m alway happy to cycle with others and with locals. So if you want to cycle with me (and are quite fit) or want me to participate in a local race or cycling tour/event that can in some way be combined with my tour, please please get in contact! I want to get to know (cycling) culture and that is cyclists and locals from all around the world!

How long do you plan to take for the whole trip?

I am planning with 100km / day and therefore about 220 days, so about 7 to 8 months. If I get problems with the weather (winter in Himalaya) or with bureaucracy it could take somewhat longer and I would even consider a more southern or northern route.

What do you want to do after the tour?

I’ve thought about continuing with physics at the university even though I’m tending to change to a more environmental study. It would also be great to get involved in environmental or bicycle activism through the tour and continue therewith after the tour. I’m also planing to learn at least French but maybe also some other languages. And of course I will continue touring (hiking, cycling, whatever!) around the planet as long as I can afford – I don’t want to work too much – Henry David Thoreau worked only for 60 days a year in 1850 – so why sould I work more with a tremendously increased productivity and therewith even destroy our beautiful planet further?

How do you finance the tour?

I primarily try to live with less. That is 5-10€ per day in Europe and in developed countries for food, internet, insurance, repair parts and 3-7€ per day in Asia for the same + visa. Many relatives and friends have offered me their help and I will use it if I need to – thanks! Especially my father, mother and sister support me. Thank you very much!

What about the toilets since Turkey?

No big deal!

When have you decided to continue?

The idea of continuing was already in my head before I actually started – it’s just the perfect time to do that kind of adventure, very likely a ‘once in my life’ chance. And during the tour it got more and more likely that I want to see more of this beautiful planet, this jewel that has been given to us.

Why have you changed to mountainbike?

First: I regret that I have changed! I will change back again. And here the reasons why I have changed:

• the publicity and curiosity of people since Central Asia and all through till Beijing was so big I often felt uncomfortable and annoyed alone on the recumbent – they were touching sensitive parts of the electronics, jumping on the bike while I was away … it was easier when I cycled with someone else
• the StreetMachine GT I had was too heavy – an estimated 20kg is not what an ultralight cyclist traveling at an average of over 100km/day even in bad terrain wants to invest too big proportions of his energy in to get it over steep and high mountains
• city cycling was not as much fun with the recumbent as with a normal bike – but only because of too many cars in the city! So it’s more like a problem with modern cities and the traffic planing in the same ones
• while riding you can’t “stand” like on the normal bike, e.g. when cycling uphill – just a bit less agility
• I planed to go more off-road, leave the main roads and start cycling trails – therefore a mountain bike with 26″ wheels

How many kilometers do you average per day?

That’s in fact a very frequent question. I used to average almost exactly 110km per day of riding with my recumbent, including the long and hard ride through Tibet. But on the new bike I take things a bit more relaxed and average maybe 50 to 70km per day of riding. Contributing to this recent laziness increase is also the new tent I got since New Zealand and the more exhausting position on the upright bicycle.

Do you use a wide angle lens or a wide angle converter lens?

I’m using a 18-200mm lens from Sigma and am so far really happy with it. It’s a really nice lens for traveling as you get a big range including wide angle. I got the tip from a book called “Digital Photography Vol. 2″ by Scott Kelby.

How do you do panorama photos…do use a special software….?

I have a software for Windows called Autopano PRO which automates a lot of processes in stitching a panorama image. I bet you can find a listing of the features online.

Additionally I had been using another free (of price) software called autostitch that also does a pretty good job.

These days I’m using a dirt slow iBook 600MHz with 640 MB of RAM and the stitching software that came with my Canon Digital Rebel XSi camera – the results are not what I’m hoping for and it takes ages to stitch a panorama – a really hard job! That’s probably why I”m not putting a lot of panos online any more, a fast notebook with decent processor would help a lot.

I’ve also read that the professional Adobe Photoshop software stitches panoramas but I’d call it an overkill to buy such a big and mighty software just for stitching panos.

And what camera are u using currently….?

Since San Diego I’ve been using a Canon Digital Rebel XSi. It’s a wonderful camera and allows me to set the theories and the knowledge about digital photography that I acquired through a lot of reading and testing as well as tips from other photographers I’ve met on my tour into practice.

My old 12x optical zoom Sony DSC-H5 is also a great camera but definitely came to its limits. My father is shooting with it these days (since South America).

The lens is the Sigma 18-200 mm with OS (image stabilization) for Canon EOS cameras.

Additionally I’m currently using a circular polarizer filter, a remote control, a pretty cheap travel tripod – that’s about it.

As I’ve grown up with the internet and technical equipment all around me I wanna try to use it during my tour for communication. I’m always keen on trying out new stuff, equipment and techniques especially under extreme conditions and in daily use. I’m not interested in sleazy stuff but in sustainable and durable products which won’t become a burden for me but enable me to do things better, more intelligent and efficient – Ivan Illich called these tools convival (Tools for Convivality, 1973); that also implies that a tool doesn’t get to an end in itself.

A perfect example for such a tool is the bicycle: “El socialismo puede llegar sólo en bicicleta.” ( José Antonio Viera-Gallo, Assistant Secretary of Justice in the government of Salvador Allende)

I’ll make intense use of the internet. For me it’s one of the greatest things humans have invented ever! I won’t start waxing lyrical about it now and here but maybe you’ll find a fusillade of compliments somewhere else on these pages sometime

On the subpages you can learn more about my Software and Services and the Hardware I’m using.

The first part of my tour I cycled with my StreetMachine GT full suspension recumbent. Getting it used from the German HPV list (see hpv.org) with already 3000km I cycled more than 20.000 km with it without a major technical defect. So with the focus on quality the higher price was in no way lost money but a good investment. The benefits for long distance travel compared to a regular upright bicycle are big:

1. You have a much more comfortable sitting/lying position with a big and soft contact area which results in a painfree riding
2. You have a relaxed panorama view and the optional headrest is especially useful for long distance stages
3. Even on wash board dirt roads the full suspension makes the ride comfortable and enjoyable
4. You can use the seat pad as a sleeping pad and save some weight
5. More attention resulting in advantages (getting access, help) in some places
6. Easier to get back when stolen and in many places not a target of thieves because it can’t be sold

The components on the recumbent were:

• HPVelotechnik StreetMachine steel frame
• Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 gearing system (14 gears in one hub)
• Magura H33 hydraulic rim brakes (back)
• Magura Louise 2001 hydraulic disc brakes (front)
• special light setup and Forumslader batter/mobile/GPS charging unit
• Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires
• Busch & Müller light (have extended that with DIY dual Seoul 3.5W star LED front light – thanks to Ulli Horlacher!)
• additional Lucido 1 watt Luxeon light mounted to the top – with red blinking function for additional safety in tunnels, at night and bad weather conditions
• SON (Schmidts Original Nabendynamo) hub dynamo – extremely efficient maintenance free

(using the recumbent at home with front and tail fairing)

(detailed shots with special parts and modifications)

But the upright also has some advantages compared to the recumbent and that’s why, beginning in Australia, I continue with an upright MTB:

1. Lower weight, allowing you to go faster especially in mountain terrain, and be more flexible when off the bike
2. Higher flexibility when cycling in the city (going on (empty) sidewalks, cycling between cars, not having to get off when waiting, etc.)
3. Higher agility and therefore more fun
4. Less attention (from the police (some countries), crowds, interested touch-everything people)

The MTB is equipped with these components:

• Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 gearing system (14 gears in one hub, sponsored)
• Shimano Deore XT Disc brakes
• DTSwiss 4.20 rims
• Manitou Sliver suspension fork
• Centurion Backfire 40 frame (want to get a better, lighter one!)
• Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires (changing depending on terrain, using the Marathon XR for long off-road parts)

I can’t make a final conclusion about what bike is better for extreme long distance tours at this point. The fully suspended recumbent is far ahead as long as you don`t leave the road/gravel road/dirt road/any kind of road. Going on paths and trails over mountain ranges is definitely better done with normal touring(mountain)bikes

I’m Daniel, I’m 21 years old (at the beginning of my tour), 1,83m high an weigh about 70kg. These are my interests, hobbies, habits and so on in the order of crossing my mind:

• cycling (mountainbiking, recumbents and velomobiles, cycling culture, cycling physics, commuting, …) – bicycle enthusiast
• hiking (in the Alps and the German Black Forest) and jogging
• reading (online and real books) and searching (the internet)
• renewable energies (mainly photovoltaics, solar thermal) and sustainability
• vegetarianism, alcohol-free and non-smoking advocate, of course CARFREE, mass media free with few exceptions
• environmentalism and creative and constructive solutions to environmental problems
• efficiency and sufficiency in everyday life and efficiency techniques
• philosophy (ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, transcendentalism, Thoreauvian, skeptics, discordianism), pacifism and physics, mathematics
• computers, open source and interactive models and modern tools, especially their social and societal implications
• cooking and baking (cakes)

Here’s a not biometrically suitable picture showing me on a downhill on the Rallarvejen, Norway

Daniel on HighWay 50, USA, by Randy Jorgen, Moab, UT

This is the website and travelogue of The Project VELAIA. 23 year old thinker, velosopher, environmentalist, photographer and outdoor adventurer Daniel N. Lang has decided to go around the world by recumbent and upright bicycle after finishing an epic journey of more than 17.000km from Paris to Beijing as a rider of the Beijing to Paris 2007 Carfree Rallye, following coastlines for hundreds of kilometers, crossing deserts during mid summer in the Middle East, Central Asia and China and climbing some of the highest passes of the world under extreme conditions in the starting Tibetan winter.Check the summary of the journey through Europe and Asia to see what happened so far.

You can follow Daniel on his tour and stay updated on the latest adventures on the travelogue and receive latest updates per e-mail (right sidebar). Every posting includes a selection of pictures and some include small video clips. For all the pictures check out the flickr-account and go to YouTube for the clips.

Additional to the latest travelogue entries you can get general information about the tour on this website – just browse around a bit. You will find subpages in the “Page Menu” on the right side of the page – more information to the category you´re browsing at the moment can be found there!

Walking the recumbent bike in Tibet

To stay in touch with friends and to make the journey more interesting for readers links to the homepage of other travelers met on the way will be provided in the sidebar.