Stelvio 2019: Start of a plan

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For some years I have wanted to take my bike out for a really long ride. Just me and my bike for days and weeks... Not months or years, not around the globe as I like being at home as well.
The idea of actually experiencing the country that you travel through, the journey and not only the destination.

So my grand plan is to some day take my bike from Sweden to Italy through the alps and specially the Stelvio pass. The longest ride I've taken so far is 180 km on a light road bike with no more packing then 2 water bottles. I would imagine that 1500 km would be a different thing altogether. I don't know if it is bike-packing or bike-touring and the label doesn't really matter....

This year I got diagnosed with liver cancer, or more exactly bile duct cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma) and this has kind of opened my eyes to a different part of life.
Current progress is that I've gone through 2 major liver surgeries, they have cut out half the liver and the bile bladder. I am currently on the second of eight cycles of chemo and hopefully it will be all done in January 2019.

This whole experience has forced me to start thinking what I actually want to do with life, things that I've pushed forward and thought that I could do them later... But there is no reason to not do them now directly. So hence this trip and the planning.....

Goals with this trip

• Make a trip worth it name and gain a life experience not soon to be forgotten
• Show myself that I can do it and that I'm physically recovered after cancer treatmen

Next steps

• Continue cycling, running an weight training to help with the chemo therapy
• Save money and buy touring bike that fits me
• Find 1 or 2 other persons that are equally crazy like me that can join me on the trip (my wife does not want me to go alone)
• Find out what other gear I would need
• Go for a 'test-tour' for 2 to 3 nights with wild-camping and campsites

So that is the plan so far, I'll update progress on this blog.

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