We made it! We cycled from the end to the middle of the world! After many hours, days, weeks and ultimately months, we acomplished our mission on july 21st 2014 at Mitad del Mundo, Ecuador.

Sitting next to our tent at the casa de ciclistas in Tumbaco, we try to come up with some sweeping statements about this trip. How was it? We definately expect that question when we come home. Maybe it´s too early to oversee it all and of course we experienced all kind of emotions, but in general we show a big smile while remeniscing.

We are grateful to all the nice people we met on our way. In our first months in Patagonia we met over 100 cyclists on their way south. They all felt like firends and gave us loads of good advises for the road ahead. Some of these meetings made deep impressions and stayed long in our minds and conversations. Like the cicling families we met. Sanne, Maike, Jouke, Petter, Guy, Mathieu, Andrew, Julien and Greg; our lives were running parallel for a while, heading north. It was great to share the route and the road with common aspiration and similar dreams. The extreme wind, endless washboard and lonesome desert were just much more fun together!

One of the frequent asked questions was why we dicided to ride a bike. It´s because we like to travel slow, to experience nature, to see the landscape changing and to get to know other cultures. Everywhere we were going we experienced great hospitality, wich made us able to see, smell, and taste the different countries. And it turned out to be a good language school! All the lovely mamitas (who cared so much about our vegetarian eating habits), friendly friends, policemen and bomberos deserve a special place in our hearts. We in Holland can learn from this spontaneity and warmth.

Some people think that the world is getting smaller nowadays. We are not sure if we agree with this statement; we cycled one hemisphere and covered a rough 11000 km and still find the world pretty big. But internet wasa good medium to stay in touch with Holland. Route related we could always consult Janneke and Benno. We might seem adventurous but they did it first! With their tips and advises we were sure we took the most beautiful route. We are looking foreward to get to know you in real. :)

It´s time to put the bikes in a box. We feel melancholy for the live we leave behind, but theexcitement for what is coming grows. Our love for the open road is bigger than it ever has has been, and one thing is for sure: the bike lifes continues!