Cycle Exped to Finland & Japan - Adventure Travel Blog

Welcome to my Alzheimers WAI-cycle Expedition - from Swiss to Finland and then to Japan. I’m Mark & this is my re-TYRE-ment project! My aim is to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and as a candidate myself, discover what I/you must do now to avoid it. - Pebbls Adventure Tracking App

Transport Types Used

Legs of this Journey:

START Stage 1 ETAP/day1 Apr 27 2024

Day 1 Luzern - Rapperswil target but only got to Einseideln = 86.5 Total now = 86.5 Up 705. Total now = 705 Down 345

Stage 1 ETAP/day 2

Rapperswil walensee and the Rhine Total = 136.4. Total to date = 222.90 Up = 727. Total up = 1432 Down= 1215

Stage 1 ETAP 3/day 3

Into Austria and Leukirch Germany Total = 94.97. Total to date = 317.87 Up = 685. Total up = 217 Down = 470

Stage 1 ETAP/day 4

From Leukirch my target is Bergheim (which Garmin doesn’t know exists! ) so I hope I find it!! Note - google changed route so I never did! Total = 93.2 Total to date = 411.07 Up = 153. Total up = 2270 Down = 350

Stage 1 ETAP/days 5&6 1&2 May 24

Another 2 days towards Marktbreit = 185.2 km 5 total = 90.61. Total to date = 501.68 Up = 926. Total up = 3196 Down = 941 6 total = 92.19 Total to date = 593.87 Up = 638 Total -=.3807 Down = 881 6 total = 92. Total to date =

Stage 2 ETAP/day 1 27 May 2024

Leaving Marktbreit & the Alzheimer family home towards Northern Germany and the Nordics

Stage 2 ETAP/day 2

Heading North towards Hamburg and hoping the rain holds off. Yesterday was lovely by the river Main and then into the vineyards. 616m of gentle climbing. Rain at the start and rain at the end.

Stage 2 ETAP/day 3

Yesterday cooler and windy with a lot of cloud but no rain. Up steep on rough forest tracks eventually down and gentle on old railway. Hard to find a place to stay! Feeling good this morning 👍

Stage 2 ETAP/day 4

From Bad Sooden-Allendorf (the town of ancient wood-frame houses towards Hanover and Hamburg. Its a long holiday weekend and raining!

Stage 2 ETAP/day5

Rain rain rain yesterday! Cloud but no rain yet and off to Hanover

Stage 2 ETAP 6 June 1 2024

Yesterday pm route became an urban drag to Hanover. That can sometimes happen anyway - but especially so if we make the destination more important than the journey. Today I will put journey first 👍

Stage 2 ETAP 7 Sun 2 June

Following Garmin from Soltau into Hamburg. Windy and overcast. No breakfast yet!

Stage 2 ETAP/day8 3 June 24

Quite a ‘blended’ experience yesterday cycling through Hamburg from south to north and ending at the impressive Hafer-city project. Heading towards the end of Germany in the next days.

Stage 2 ETAP/day 9 June 4 2024

It took a few attempts to find a place to stay and they even made a 30 euro donation. Waited for the rain to ease to get started. My goal today is to cycle as close to Sylt as possible My goal today i

Stage 2 ETAP/day10 - 5 & 6 June

Long 120 km ride yesterday and eventually found a place to stay. Sunny breezy day today as I head to the furthest north west of Germany and onto Sylt Island and kampen beach to complete Stage 2. Thu 6 I will go the south of the island.

Stage 3 ETAP1 Sylt 18 June 2024

The sun is shining through fluffy clouds 🤗 I will ride up to the North of Sylt island and then take a ferry across to the Danish island of Rømø. I cycle across a causeway to Jutland and then SE.

Stage 3 ETAP 2 June 19

This morning I head to Fynshav on ALS for the ferry to Fyn and island hop/cycle towards Copenhagen

Stage 3 ETAP 3 June 20

The sun is shining. More islands Eastwards: Täsinge - Siø - Langeland - Lolland before crossing to Sjælland and heading up towards Copenhagen

Stage 3 ETAP 4 June 24

Long 150 km day yesterday island hopping but less to ride today! About 85km to Copenhagen

Stage 3 ETAP 5 June 23

After a weekend in Copenhagen it’s time to head North to Helsingør and by ferry across to Sweden at Helsingborg

Stage 3 ETAP 6 June 24

It is sunny here in Sweden, I slept well, had a nutritious breakfast and now heading out to a peninsula to Kullaberg and then North along the coast towards Gothenburg

Stage 3 ETAP 7 June 25

It’s a beautiful warm and sunny day to cycle towards Gottenburg

Stage 3 ETAP 8 June 26

Sunny and warm. Continuing route 1 towards Gottenburg

Stage 4 ETAP 9 final June 27

Blue sky day. Gotta get to Gottenburg!

Stage 4 ETAP 1 July 9 2024

Rain yesterday but sunny this am as I head back across the water from Lindholmen to Gottenburg and continue my ride up the west coast of Sweden towards Norway.

Stage 4 ETAP 2 July10

The thunder, lightening and heavy rain has paused and so I leave this Swedish fjord and head towards Oslo Norway

Stage 4 ETAP 3. July 11

Woke in my tent to the sound of thunder. Rain again today so need to pack up before it arrives! I want to get 100km towards Oslo. Hilly around here though.

Stage 4 ETAP 4 - July 12

It would be great to make Oslo today but plenty of buts why it will be difficult. Not least it is hilly and over 120km! Let’s see …..

Stage 4 ETAP 5 - July 13

Well, I did make it to Oslo last night after 127 hilly km and 1230m of climbing. I am going to go for the Telemark ‘Kanal Ruta’ from here to Skein - Dalen- Stavanger. It is a sunny warm day to begin

Stage 4 ETAP 6 - July 14

Leaving Drammen in the rain and a hilly (100 + ) day ahead to get to Skein and watch the Euros final!

Stage 4 ETAP 7 - July 15

Getting to Skien! Rain, wind, fog. I waited. Now it is a pause I set off ready for anything except a repeat of yesterday!

Stage 4 Final ETAP 7 - July 16

Telemark Canal to conclude this part of my journey into Norway.

Stage 5 ETAP 1 Aug 4

‘A bit on the side in Norway’ Reunited with her bike and her bag after they were ‘lost’ in Oslo my wife joins me as we cycle on the west coast from Stavenger to Bergen and up to Ålesund.

Stage 5 ETAP 2 Aug 5

An Islands ferry and hilly day yesterday crossing Fjords. Stunning scenery and hopefully today will be great too. A long and hilly ride to Stord.

Stage 5 ETAP 3 Aug 6

More Island hopping and hills to reach Bergen today

STAGE 5 ETAP 4 Aug 7

Leaving Bergen in pouring rain and heading north

Stage 5 ETAP 5 Aug 8

A few more islands today and we head north. Rather exposed to weather. It was raining hard this morning and then some sun and now dark clouds gathering as we set off.

Stage 5 ETAP 6 Aug 9

Another rainy day as we leave Leivik and head to Åskvoll.

Stage 5 ETAP 7 Aug 10

Getting to Forde. Today the old road we wanted to take is closed with landslides so we need to take a completely different route around this island to Forde. Still wind, rain & low dark clouds!

Stage 5 ETAP 8. Aug 11

From Førde we are heading to the port of Fløro at the end of a ‘peninsular’ where we need to make the only ferry today to Måløy. It is raining a soft rain but the forecast is to improve later.

STAGE 5 ETAP 9 Aug 12

Really in fjord land now! And the sun is shining this morning as we cycle from Måløy to Fiskå for pre-ordered meatballs!

Stage 5 ETAP 10 Aug 13

Aug 13 was the last ETAP of this Fifth stage from Fiskå to Ålesund. On Aug 14 was a boat journey from Ålesund through the fjords to Geiranger and back.

Ship From Ålesund To Bergen Aug 16

Looking forward to Stage 6 in September

Stage 6 ETAP 1 September 6 2004

Back in Oslo and now heading across Sweden towards Finland.

Stage 6 ETAP 2 Sept 7

Camped in Skillingsfors Sweden in an old caravan last night and woke up to fog and a flat tyre. The fog has now lifted but late start. Heading sw to Arvika and towards Karlstad

STAGE 6 - ETAP 3 Sept 8

Arvika is an area of many lakes. Today my target is to reach KARLSTAD which I think is on the largest lake in Sweden. One of my motivations is I have a place booked with food, as on Sunday all shut!

STAGE 6 ETAP 4 Sept 9 From Karlstad

Rain through the night and pouring this am seems to have stopped now. Today 90 km to Karlkoga by…a lake

STAGE 6 ETAP 5 Sept 10

Autumn day but hope no rain. From Karlskoga to Köping. Watching google maps carefully today as it cost me 25 km and 3 hours extra yesterday!

STAGE 6 ETAP 6 - Sept 11

I really didn’t sleep well after the attack and detention yesterday so starting late again from Köping to Uppsala - another day over 100km. It’s raining!

STAGE 6 ETAP 7 - Sept 12

Sun and cloud but cool. From Uppsala to Kepallskär, the ferry port on the east coast of Sweden.

STAGE 6 ETAP 8 - Sept 13 Finland

1 hour ahead and off the ferry at Naantali, an old sea-side town famous for it’s preserved village of wooden houses AND apparently even bigger star attraction, Moomin. No, I don’t either, but many Japanese make the pilgrimage.

STAGE 6 - ETAP 9. Sept 14

Raining today and cool. Towards Helsinki and expect to arrive tomorrow. Giving bikemaps a turn today!

STAGE 6 ETAP 10 - Sunday 15 Sept

Into Helsinki. Remembering why I am here. According to WHO, Finland has the highest rate of Alzheimer deaths per capita on the planet. A stark counterpoint to also judged the happiest place on earth!

Stage 7 Etap 1 Helsinki To Tallinn

Last year I reached Helsinki after 4500 km. Now in 2025 I am re-united with my bike and continuing my journey towards Japan with a fresh set of tyres

Stage 7 (2025) Etap 2 25/4 Tallinn

Leaving lovely Tallinn and heading east along the north coast.

260425 Sta 7 Etap 3 Loksa - Rakvere

Snowing this morning! But now the sun is shining and less wind. Going around two more peninsulas and heading south to Rakvere to examine the castle!

Stage 7 Etap 4 27.04.25 Rakvere

It is Sunday and sunny but cold wind. Off to see a castle and then southwest to Tamsalu.

Stage 7 Etap 5 Monday 28.04.25

Tamsalu south and west to Paide. Strong head and side winds slow progress. Then it pours rain in addition!

Stage 7 Etap 6 Paide 29.04.25

Stomach problem so late leaving. Thought I would check the wind and head west towards Rapla while it is dry. Wind was strong and blustery so hard to make progress and when change plans no accommodation where I needed it. so stopped short at Türi, where I was told there were rooms at the local pool. Think I will head more south rather than fight that west wind with heavy rain also forecast tomorrow.

Stage 7 ETAP 7 TURI to West Coast

Rain is forecast but not started yet. After half a rest/planning day yesterday, today will be just over 100km

Stage 7 Etap 8 From Pärnu Southeast

Raining all day yesterday and today mixed forecast. Heading sw towards Mõisaküla

Stage 7 ETAP 9 Viljandi to Tartus

Had a nice look around so a bit late leaving. It is sunny and breezy today and I am feeling strong👍

Stage 7 ETAP 10 Tartu - Otepää

Stage 7 ETAP 11 Otepää Into Latvia

My last day in Estonia and glad I decided to explore the lovely coast and inland areas as well as appreciate their rich history in evidence everywhere

Stage 7 ETAP 12 Latvia 05.05.25

Poured rain for my ride in Latvia from the border to Strenči. Found a place to stay there to regroup and today head in cold sunny conditions to Cẽcis on my way to the capital Riga.

Stage 7 ETAP 13 Cēcis to Sigulda

A nice short Etap through the National Park towards Riga.

Stage 7 ETAP 14 - May 7 2025

It rained a lot yesterday so I am hoping for a dry ride from Sigulda to Riga today. This is the last Etap in stage 7. Stage 8 in June will begin in Riga and take me through Latvia to Lithuania - and be my 100th country!