The Ride Back: Bikepacking 714 km in less than 48 hours
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- One day, I found an old map with a 700 kilometer long cycle route from my home in Oslo to Copenhagen. I remembered making the route as a young teenager, 30 years ago, dreaming about doing the ride in less than 48 hours.
I never did it.
I’m no stranger to the joys of bikepacking: The campsites, the sunsets, the wind in your face, the sound of the sea, the shifting seasons, the campfires.
Still, 30 years after I made the route on the map, I felt there was something missing.
I had somehow lost sight of the young teenager still living deep inside me. I needed to reconnect with my younger self, searching for the youthful joy of diving in at the deep end, not quite knowing what would happen, or if I even would make it.
And I knew that the best way of doing that, was simply to grab the map, pack my gear, jump on the bike … and go!
…
You might already have guessed it, this movie is about bikepacking, or maybe you would rather call it bike touring. We can still be friends. Let’s call it bikepacking just for the record. It’s a movie about realizing that adventure isn’t necessarily about traveling to far away places, adventure is here, right at our doorstep, we only need to open our eyes.
It’s a movie about bikepacking in Scandinavia, through Norway, Sweden and Denmark, but truth is, it could have been more or less anywhere.
It’s a movie about traveling light, and if you want to perceive that as a metaphor for a way of life, I’m perfectly happy with that. Isn’t the act of bikepacking just that? A metaphor for how many of us would like to live our lives? In other words, it’s a movie about simple living, searching for all the little things that outdoor life, or friluftsliv, as we call it in Norway, really is about. And maybe above all, it’s a movie about love.
The movie was first shown during the Norwegian outdoor movie tour Utefilm (www.utefilm.no) autumn 2022.
Filmed with Fujifilm XT-3 (equipped with XF35 f1.4 and XC15-45 f3.5-5.6) and the GoPro Hero 9.
Music supplied by Artlist.
Bike used for cycling to Denmark in less than 48 hours: A custom built Surly Cross Check.
#bikepacking #biketouring #cycling
This is why we're glad UA-cam exists. Wow. Mikkel, your gift for storytelling and filmmaking is apparently only matched by your cycling ability. That is a serious ride, and so beautifully told. (as always)
Thank you so much by your kind words, really appreciated! 😊🙏🏻🚴
How good of a story teller you are ❤️
Thanks, glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻
thats quite a ride... really like the mixture of on-camara speak and the regular narration. It gives the story a kind of a raw vibe which is really well suited here
Thanks for the kind words. I don’t usually like to talk into the camera, but didn’t have any choice riding alone as stopping and filming would have taken too long. Happy to hear it somehow worked 😊🙏
This is just a lovely watch. Thanks for taking the trip and taking the time to document it.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, really appreciated! 😊🙏
Cheers from Malaysia, may you have hundreds more adventures..
Thanks! 😄
That was incredible, thank you so much for sharing!
Happy to hear you liked the movie, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏
Juste magique! thanks for this story!!!
Thanks for commenting, glad you liked it! 😊🙏
Amazing!!Beautiful scenery, message and not to forget about the achievement either..thanks for sharing!
Thanks for all the kind words, glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻
Much respect Mikkel. Your shared thoughts are thoughts that I have deep feeling for as well. Just so amazed at how connected the cycling community is.
Thanks, Nick, glad to hear the narration resonated with you! 😊🙏🏻
Mikkel another brilliant film. Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍👍👍
There is something great about being on the bike all day despite the pain and discomfort. An epic bike ride feels like such an adventure, problem is you want to do more and more.
Thanks, much a appreciated 😊🙏🏻 My mind wanted to do the ride over again already on my way back on the boat, but my body had a different opinion 😄
awesome
Thanks, glad you liked it! 😊🙏
Great adventure story. What make and model of helmet do you use and does it come with liner to cover ears? Thanks
Thanks, glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻 The helmet I used for the 48 hour ride was the Poc Omne Air. It doesn’t come with a liner to cover the airs, but a simple, wind proof skull cap usually does the trick. If it’s really cold, I use a woolly buff underneath.
grymt imponerande
Takk! 😊🙏
I have no words... this is so incredible well made! I love the stories and the challenge! Awesome!
Wow, thanks for the kind words, happy to hear you enjoyed it! 😊🙏🏻
I must say, I wasn't giving too much for a video of 700 km in 48 hours with 15 minutes length. The ride itself is really serious ride and there is really few people who can do it. You made me cry when telling about your wife :), the film making, storytelling, the pace and the places, everything is wonderful. Got a new follower here :).
Thank you so much for the kind words and sub, really appreciated! 🤗🙏
"I never had a driver's license..." LOL. That is nothing short of modern blasphemy in the USA. Nonetheless, I can only imagine. Must have been a truly nice life. Over here we have many large trucks folks use for commuting vehicles, lots of pollution and GMO food like McDonalds that comes in plastic and small greasy bags. In short, the whole world doesn't have nice bicycle paths and educated peoples. Thanks for showing us.
Ha-ha, it’s kinda blasphemy to live without a car here in Norway too 😄 Denmark is a fantastic country for bicycle commuters with all their bicycle lanes. Norway is definitely not there, and I’ve had too many close encounters with trucks, campers and cars than I like to think about 😄
This type of cycling is of-course Brevet, and not Bikepacking.
Brevet defined as trying to ride a certain distance in a specified time. Exactly what you did.
Bikepacking is riding and camping off road several days or weeks. Not on asphalt.
BTW- I like the way you present your story.
I’m pretty sloppy regarding bike semantics and categories, but I can’t see why you couldn’t call road riding with a light load bikepacking. I agree that you could call my ride a brevet, but this wasn’t an established route as such and also run as a solo challenge, so I guess it was really just a fairly long ride from a to b to reach a ferry home on time 😊 Glad you liked the story, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏
Wow what an adventure! And so well told. Thanks for sharing, I'm inspired to pull my bike out now 😄
Happy to hear it inspired you to pull your bike, thanks for the kind words! 😊🙏
Thank you for all the work that went into this and for taking us along with you. Well done!
Thanks for the kind words, really appreciated! 😊🙏🏻
my ten year old self pisses me off sometimes... i set some pretty high standards for myself, for myself
😄👍
Great review.👍
Thanks!
This is a fantastic film. The story and writing are superb and the production value is equally incredible. "The joy of staying dry in a downpour" is an absolutely perfect summary of the feeling that I have (and the experiences I am looking for) when I am packing my bike bags and heading out on a long trip. Thanks so much for creating this.
Thanks for all the kind words, really appreciated! 😄🙏
it's great to paddle solo in the dark
I bet! 😄👍
What an achievement 👏 This is why I watch UA-cam. Like you said, you don't need lots of money just great experiences and memories. I've subscribe. 😁
Thanks for the kind words and sub! 😊🙏
Whow, this was such a pleasure to watch!! Such a heartfelt story so wonderfully told and filmed. Not to mention one heck of a crusher bicycle ride! Truly inspirational! Keeping the eventyr alive!
Thanks for your comment, really appreciated! 😊🙏🏻 And yes, trying to keep the eventyr alive 😄👍
Beautiful brother! 54 and just getting back into my bike( bad knees stopped my hiking. My love of bikes reborn!).
Bikepacking, mtn single track, pavement… i love riding!
Lmk if your in desert soth west of US( bew mexico is my home), mi casa su casa! We will ride. Blessings 🙏
Glad to hear you enjoyed the movie, thanks for your comment! 😊🙏 And thanks the offer, I have actually just started in Edward Abbey’s Desert solitaire 😄
Im glad I stumbled across your channel, I really enjoyed watching your adventures around Scandinavia
Glad to hear you enjoyed the channel! 😊
Good morning mikkel
Thank you so much for sharing a cycling adventure that’s way more about the rider’s experiences in the wondrous outdoors than the bike, its equipment, capabilities, and all the various and sundry aspects of bicycle racing and technology. Many of us ride our bikes simply because, like you, we love riding, being outside, and most of all being free.
Thanks for the kind words, happy to hear the movie resonated well with you! Thanks for commenting! 😊🙏🏻
That's awesome. You're a great storyteller and movie maker. I'm bikepacking/touring here in Florida and actually on a tour for a week just now. All the best on your bikepacking adventures 🙂
Thanks for the kind words! 😊🙏 Have a great ride in Florida!
Inspirational. I'm planning for a ride of 300km but I hv to complete it within daylight n then again return after 2-3 days. Ur ride will definitely motivate me more. 👍🙏🙏🙏
Thanks, hope you have a great ride! 😄👍
Great little film, thank you for saying it. Everyone should keep touching base with the teenager within. The teenager who didn’t worry about all the “what ifs?”, the teenager who tied a tent to his bike and set off without much of a plan other than to get there somehow. I beg everyone to stop analysing, just go and do it - small, safe adventures, all your life long 🤗
What you said! Glad you liked the movie, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏🏻
Love the video 🤗 Greeting from Hokkaido Japan 🤗 I subscribed your channel🌻
Thanks for the sub, really appreciated! 😄🙏🏻
Love your videos. I've ridden the Sweedish coast on the shortest road and would like to maybe find some nicer ways from Oslo to Copenhagen. Do you have a digital map of this trip?
Thanks, happy to hear you like them! 😊🙏🏻 The roads along the coast from Copenhagen to Gothenburg is nice to ride, but from Gothenburg, I’d head north to Vänersborg and ride Dalslandsleden before turning east towards Halden in Norway. The scenery is nice along the coast between Gothenburg and the Norwegian boarder, but the traffic can be a bit stressful in some areas.
You created a truly beautiful story. It is very moving. Thank you and wish you all the best.
Thanks for the kind words, glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻
Wow! So you peddle over 700 k in 48 hours and film a beautiful video! You Sir, are a legend! Thanks.
Thanks, glad to hear you liked the movie 😊🙏 I’m not sure about the legend bit, but it definitely was a memorable ride 😄
Loved the video 🚴♂️👏👏👏
Glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻
Very nice video and well-made. I envy people like you and you're lucky to have a beautiful wife who loves to share such things with you.
Thanks for the kind words! 😄🙏🏻 I am grateful for the way things have turned out 😊
Well done! Your narration is almost poetic. Thanks for the post! Love SURLY, btw!👍
Wow, poetic, I love that, thanks! 😊🙏🏻 And reagarding Surly, I’m not sure I even would be on this path if it wasn’t for their steel workhorses, love them! 😄
Mikkel this story is incredible to find we have something in common the love of bikes and adventure 😀 the simple joy of riding something the kids of today won't find out about. The bike is part of me and I love getting out and about on it.
Thanks, Shaun, glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻
Beatifull narrative. Congrats for the video and the challenge of finding yourself.
Big hug from Basque Country
Thanks for the kind words! 🤗🙏
Normally not the one to comment on videos, but your storytelling is stunning, a beautifully done video - thanks very much for enriching my evening :)
Glad you enjoyed the movie, thanks for the kind words! 😊🙏
Hi Mikkel ! Impressive film with loads of excellent shots in the intro and a nice way to tell your story ! Did you film the intro on your own, all alone in nature ?
Thanks for the kind words! 😊🙏🏻 Everything was shot by me except for a couple of photos of me.
A really great job of filming, editing, and story telling! Also the cycling is a bit of an achievement....
Thanks, glad you liked the movie! 😊🙏🏻
Well done, both the ride and the video. Brilliant editing and storytelling.👍🏻
Thanks for the kind words! 😊🙏🏻
If I had to choose a word to define this video I would choose INSPIRING!!!
Thanks for commenting, glad you liked it! 😊🙏
Love the story telling and superb videography and photography. Thank you.
Thanks for all the kind words, glad you liked the movie! 😊🙏
the symbiosis of tendons and chain, muscle and metal... love that! great video mate I really enjoyed it. thanks for sharing
Love that you noticed that part about symbiosis and happy to hear you enjoyed the movie, mate 😊 Thanks for commenting! 😄🙏🏻
@@BackwoodsBikepacking my pleasure. epic effort also! keep in touch!
I rarely comment on videos, but jeez. This is an amazing video. Thank you.
Thanks for commenting, really appreciated! 😊🙏🏻
Wow! You are crazy. Really captivating video:)
Glad you liked the movie, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏🏻
Love it from 1st minutes, thanks for sharing!!! greetings from Ireland
That’s great to hear, thank you for commenting! 😊🙏🏻 Greetings from Norway 😄
So good I watched it twice!
Very well done!
Congratulations on doing the ride and making an awesome video of it!
Great to hear, thanks for the kind words! 😊🙏
Great movie. What is the name of the very last song you play while you list the music? It doesn't seem to be listed there?
Thanks! You’re right, I messed up the list. The song is Come Of Age by Bob Hart, great little tune! 😄
Great production, good story line, the music vanished into the story as it should. I 'm new to your channel and very impressed. Good to see you young folks out riding and pushing yourself. Those who have never lived the life of a nomad have no understanding of the oneness with the cycles of the universe that will never understand.
Thanks for all the kind words, really appreciated! 😊🙏
Less than 4 mins in and you're already getting a thumbs up. Good stuff!
Great to hear, thanks! 😄🙏
I once cycled 7 km in 48 hours after getting drunk with some Finns.
Sounds like an adventure! 😄👍
Thank you for your outstanding movie, by far the best I have seen so far in this category.
Wow, thanks for the kind words, Jan, really appreciated! 😊🙏
Så flott! Another wonderful video from you, and this channel keeps getting better and better. Some effort doing 700km in 2 days, well done for making it.
Happy to hear you enjoy the channel, thanks for commenting! 🙏🏻😊
Wonderful story and filming. An inspiration. Thank you.
Glad you liked it, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏🏻
Awesome video! 👌
Thanks, glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻
This, my friend, is something very special. Enjoyed every second.
Thanks for the kind words, Eddie! 😊🙏
Brilliantly done ✔️ wow what’s ride where’s my bike ❤
Thanks, happy to hear you enjoyed it!😄
Maybe your best video yet. Excellent. Thank you.
Happy to hear you liked it, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏
You and your wife have a wonderful philosophy on life, have to agree with your statement, live on the cheap, we don’t need the status symbols, its memories that count 👍👍👍👍👍
Glad to hear the video resonated with you, David 😊🙏🏻
@@BackwoodsBikepacking it certainly did 👍
Thank you , for taking me with you on this great adventure. Great shots, music, editing and interesting perspective on life you shared with us.
Thanks for commenting, glad to hear you enjoyed the movie! 😊🙏🏻
Simply beautiful
Thank you
Mark from Maryland
Glad to hear you liked it, thanks! 😊🙏
A Fantastic video, and a good reminder that we should challenge ourselves now and again to keep things fresh. Great achievement! I guess our routes crossed this summer as I cycled 2000km from Finland to Denmark, through the Baltic States,however with a 3 year old and trailer our speed was something totally different 😂. Safe cycling, keep putting out the great vids!
Thanks for the kind words 🙏 Sounds like a fantastic trip with your three year old! 😊👍
“Only human were harmed in this movie”😂😂😂
And fortunately only slight damage 😄
I like the Carradice bags and the Surly bikes, I have a few of these things myself. Why not do the 700k over 7 days, as I would? Scandinavia is such a civilised place and of great beauty, an experience to remember as you pass thro, every day, a thing to be savoured to every last drop. Endurance riding like this trip is a super achievement but not for me. I pedalled thro Copenhagen and on thro Sweden in 2018, a great trip that I shall cherish but did not do any of it a night or in a state of fatigue which destroyed my appreciation of it. You should slow down. Life to some is a race, the end comes soon enough, to all of us. I do not intend to criticise as I enjoyed you're achievement enormously and I certainly could not do the same. Thanks for the effort that u put into making this vid, and posting it for all of us cycling lovers to see.
I understand your point of view and agree to a large extent. As I say in the movie, my wife and I spent 12 days riding a large part of the route earlier in the summer, riding 1000 km from our home to Copenhagen. I love the little overnighters in my local backwoods and all the little joys of being outdoors. If you look at some of my other videos, you’ll see that I’m no stranger to slowing down 😄 But this time I wanted to challenge myself a bit and see where it got me and what I’d experience along the way, knowing that the experience would be quite different from doing the ride in a week or more.
You definitely need to check out some of Mikkel's other films...!
beautiful put together and really entertaining storytelling and visuals :) Great inspiration, thanks for making such effort for this video :)
Thanks for all the kind words, really appreciated! 😊🙏
Your rides are amazing, your videos even better! Thanks for making them, we really enjoy ourselves watching.
Thank you so much, really appreciated! 😊🙏
Yes its very amazing
This is just wonderful...love the photos and storytelling.
Thanks for the kind words, happy you enjoyed the movie! 😊🙏
It's always a pleasure to follow your trips and watch the video :)!
Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated! 😊🙏🏻
😴
👍
Love it
Thanks! 😄🙏🏻
I absolutely love your stories and they are very inspiring.
Thanks for the kind words, Christopher! 😊🙏
Don’t know how I ended up watching this but I’m glad I did. Fabulous footage, editing, music choices and narrating. As someone who’s just got back into cycling from when I was a kid, all I kept thinking was … how is his arse coping? 😳🤣
Ha-ha, thanks for the wonderful comment 😄🙏🏻 Without going too much into detail, my rear end coped surprisingly well thanks to a rather generous use of chamois cream before and during the ride. I’ve never used the stuff before and was pretty skeptical, but it hands down made a huge difference. Happy riding! 😄
@@BackwoodsBikepacking I’m glad to hear it! 😂 (now rushing to investigate the magic cream 👀😉)
@@lqqkitslory 😆👍
@@lqqkitslory I used a cream from Assos because that’s what I had available, but I guess there’s a whole bunch of alternatives 😊
Magnifique. Bon courage. 🌸🎄🎄🌴🌴🌸
😊🙏🏻
Absolutely loving it!
Happy to hear you liked it! 😊🙏🏻
This was amazing, thank you for sharing!
Glad you liked it, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏
Greetings from Poland ! Keep it up !
Thanks, I’ll try to! 😄🙏
Wow, that was a delightful tale, thank you.
Thank you for commenting, glad you liked it! 😊🙏
Amazing video, thank you for the story. Do you remember what trail it is you were riding on around the 8:27 mark?
Thanks, glad you liked it! 😊🙏🏻 The trail is just south of Varberg Fortress, sort of a seaside promenade.
@@BackwoodsBikepacking thank you!
@@yeah2646 No worries! 😊
Love your films! Beautifully structured, the shooting and editing is fenomenal and the storytelling is just so engaging! We are around the same age and love riding bikes, I’m setting myself some challenges too, this weekend I have a 140km with 4,600 m elevation gain route and I want to ride it in one go, that’s half the Everest in one day! Next summer I want to ride from Trondheim to Nordkapp in less than 10 days. Just plans and dreams that i have to turn into memories!
I would love to share my stories but I lack the knowledge, gear, experience and probably talent. I rode my bike across Central America and Colombia, have a lot of footage, beautiful ride! But don’t know how to put it together. Got a free lesson from you though. Thank you so much 🙏🏻
Thanks for all your kind words, Omare. I didn’t know how to write an article or book when I started out as a writer sometime back in 2010 or so, but by looking at what others did and seeking for tips and advice where I could find it, I somehow managed to start out. The most important thing I did was simply starting. I’m not a pro filmmaker, but are still having fun making movies. If I could come with any tips, it would be that everybody has a story. Keep it simple, write down on a paper what you want to say with your movie and try to stick to that. Try to avoid lengthy shots that doesn’t add to the story. The gear isn’t important. It doesn’t matter if your first movie maybe doesn’t quite turn out the way you wanted, because you’ve already taken the most important step: You have begun telling stories! Above all, have fun! Good luck with your riding and movies and thanks again for the kind words 😊🙏🏻
Liked and subscribed. Well done!
Thanks, glad you like it! 😊🙏🏻
Oh forgot to say I like the music 🎶
Thanks, Shaun!
beautifully written and very well done
Thanks, glad you liked it! 😊🙏
wow
inspiring me to plan cycling trips
Great to hear, thanks! 😊
Nicely done 👍
Thanks, glad you liked it! 😊🙏
Wonderfull storytelling
Thanks, glad you liked the movie! 😊🙏
Wonderful and impressive! Thank you for all the effort you put into this video. I like your story telling the lot. Well done! Best regards from Switzerland.
Thank you for all your kind words, really appreciated. I really enjoy storytelling, so feedback like this is great encouragement. Thanks! 😊🙏🏻
Thanks for another great video 👍
Glad you liked it, thanks for commenting! 😊🙏🏻
What an awesome video! :) I loved the bits where you had the dog with you on earlier adventures :D What a lovely little fellow. And the road near your hometown at around 4 minutes... whoa, what a scenery. I should head out for a cycling trip in the southern Norway... :O
Anyway, quite a feat to try and succeed in such a ride, and even film some video clips while doing it. Keep on pedaling! :)
PS. What a wonderful way of living you got with your wife!
Thanks for all your kind words, really appreciated! 😊🙏
Beautiful storytelling!
Glad you liked it! 😊🙏
Hello Mikkel, what a fabulous cycle. Well done on completing it. Your next challenge if you are looking for adventure and some good old hospitality should take in Scotland 🏴. The NC 500 has your name written all over it. Throw in some haggis and a whisky or ten and what is not to like. Great video and beautiful scenery on your trip. Take care and keep those pedals turning.
Thanks, Derek 🙏🏻 The NC 500 sounds great, not to mention haggis and whisky 😄👍 I hope to come riding by one day!
This. Is. AMAZING!
Thanks! 😄🙏🏻
Really liked how raw and grainy "now" shooting from action camera accompanied by clear and vibrant "memories" shooting. Made me think about how different every outdoor activity feels after some time, how it became matured and nice in your memory, while being completely different, raw and fresh, when you experience it.
That’s a great way of looking at it. Too be honest, it was not intentional. My plan A was to film with the Fujifilm XT3 on my ride to Copenhagen, but after the first couple of clips (“bike riding stupid?”), I realized just how much fiddling it would take to get half decent shots while riding on the Cross Check and ended up embracing the simplicity of the GoPro (the film was made in a hurry with little time to testing out equipment before I left). I’m not too happy about the high shutter speed while filming with the GoPro, or the noise at night, but as you say, it has a more raw presence and could act as a contrast to our more “polished” memories of trips. Very cool observation! 😄👍
Gosh, well done...a wonderful ride and a lovely film! Lovely piece about you and your Wife which I really empathise with..I often feel my Bridgey’s still riding with me and have lots of happy memories.
Thank you so much for the kind words 😊🙏 I’m sorry to hear about your loss, all the best
This video is pure gold.
Thanks, glad to hear you liked it! 😊🙏
I am exactly like you,a little bit younger but forever in love with my bikes...Norway is a gorgeous country,I had the honor to visit being part of the merchant navy myself...you have some views over there. Congrats on everything you have done.
Thanks for commenting, glad you liked the movie! 😊🙏🏻 Norway is a great country for bikepacking for sure 😊