Girolcán 2024: Volcanic Heights, Family Ties, and the Joy of Suffering “So what’s the point of suffering by choice? Isn’t there enough pain in the world already? Why would anyone voluntarily push their body beyond its limits?” That little existential whisper showed up somewhere above 4,000 meters above sea level—the highest I’ve ever cycled. My legs were burning, the air was thin, and still, I pedaled on. As tradition goes, every February I head back to Colombia for two weeks. One week working remotely (thank you, work perk gods), and one week exploring my country on two wheels. This time I skipped the organized events and decided to design my own adventure—a handcrafted route that would be both unfamiliar and satisfyingly masochistic. A Ride Is Born: The Girolcán Last summer, my sister’s partner Dani—a hardcore trail runner with a growing love for cycling—and I decided to cook up a plan. He drew up a 250 km route with nearly 7,000 meters of elevation that would take us to the fla...
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Basilicata Trail 2024
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Pedals, History, and the Mystery of Montemurro Why would a large portion of the population in one Italian region share the same last name? And what does that have to do with my latest bikepacking adventure? It all began about six months ago when I signed up for this year’s edition of the Basilicata Bike Trail (BBT). In 2023, the BBT joined the growing list of bikepacking events, providing the perfect opportunity to explore new places and meet people you'd otherwise never encounter. These types of unsupported cycling events range from 300 to 700 km (187-437 miles), taking riders through unique territories. It’s the perfect way to pursue my goal of bikepacking through all 20 regions of Italy, both on the mainland and the islands. The Basilicata region was one of those places I’d only heard of, and not many Italians, let alone foreigners, seem to have visited it. Recently, though, it's gotten some well-deserved attention since Matera, its second-largest town, was named a UNESCO ...
Romagna Trail 2024
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Have I Listened to My Smart Self? It’s 9 PM, the sky is pitch-black, and my front light is running out of juice. After nearly an hour struggling through a sticky, peanut-butter-like section of less than a kilometer, I now stand at the entrance of a farm with a large "DO NOT ENTER" sign. Not quite the adventurous, freewheeling moment I envisioned earlier this morning, full of excitement and anticipation. This year, in my quest to complete at least one bikepacking ride in each of Italy’s 20 regions, I signed up for the Romagna Bike Trail —a 310 km mixed-terrain adventure. The route is designed to showcase the lesser-known paths of the northern Emilia Romagna region, famous for Bologna and coastal gems like Rimini. I’ve been hooked on bikepacking long before the gravel scene exploded and before a slew of events promised a laid-back experience connecting with nature. For a lifelong off-road enthusiast like me, the idea of extending the ride beyond just one day was irresistible. ...
Transcordilleras Rally 2024
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Crossing the Andes, Bonding, and the Magic of Gravel "Vamos, vamos!!" (go, go!) yelled my breakaway companions as we followed the winding silhouette of the Cauca River in Colombia. It was the third stage of the Transcordilleras Rally , a bikepacking event that takes place annually in my home country. The concept is simple enough to explain but harder to execute: hop on your bike and ride a predefined route across one of the most rugged sections of the Andes, through a mix of surfaces—everything from asphalt on main and secondary roads to unpaved paths that sometimes resemble a riverbed. With less than 50 kilometers left until the finish line, the heat and humidity were relentless. I had probably sweated out liters in just two hours, regretting the extra layers I’d packed for the cold. Following the organizers’ advice, we had to be prepared for extreme temperature swings, as some stages climbed more than 2,000 meters above sea level. But so far, I’d only encountered three type...