The Bicycle Chronicles Photo Tour

Some years ago, two young men - Dick of Hamilton, NY and John of New York City - took to bicycles with 50 pound packs to explore the world.  It was a time before responsibilities, wives and children.  A time to see the world and learn about themselves.  This is the story of their journey, covering some 13 European countries/principalities and more than 4,000 miles.  

It was their second summer long bicycle trip, the first being a cross country 6,000 mile trip five years prior, culminating with a dip of their wheels in the Pacific.  That trip started in Nazareth, PA through the Appalachians, past the St. Louis Arch, north to Yellowstone (to avoid the desert), then all the way down the Pacific Coast Highway to San Diego, CA.  It whet their appetite to do it again but on a grander scale through the vineyards of France (left) and over the Alps.   This time though, jobs needed to be abandoned, if only temporarily.

Most all of the following record was transcribed from actual dialogue captured by a pocket tape recorder detailing what was happening, as it happened -- capturing the interaction between the succinct vegetarian Dick, and narrating chronicler John and his tendency towards understatement.   

Part of John's focus was to capture the scenery, culture and experience in photographs.  There were hours spent pedaling, visualizing and daydreaming. There's a certain freedom in being able to stop anytime to capture an observation.  A break in the clouds, a stream of light, an interesting character, an event and then the click of the shutter.

The trip begins in Belgium.  And, will eventually end in Amsterdam if and when the final materials are ever posted.  

Clicking on a picture will show you a larger version. 

[ Belgium ] [ France ] [ Riviera West ] [ Riviera East ] [ North Italy ] [ Venice ] [ Central Italy ] [ Florence ] [ Pisa ] [ Corsica ] [ Rome ] [ Vatican ] [ Switzerland ] [ Grimsel Pass ] [ Swiss West ] [ Austria ] [ Vienna ] [ Bavaria ] [ Germany ] [ Berlin ] [ East Berlin ]  

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