Aventures à vélo solaire

Visits: 46

Raf Van Hulle crosses his first camels in Kazakhstan!

Visits: 74

Today, 21th day since the departure of Chamonix, at 13h57, Raf Van Hulle passes the milestone of 5000 km with his solar bike!

Visits: 92

Several suntripers passed the border between Ukraine and Russia together: Catherine and Didier Pozzobon each on his trike, Juergen Burkholz with his little caravan coupled with his trike and Michael Polak with his DIY recumbent bike.

Visits: 69

The second fastest solar cyclist, Stéphane Bertrand crossed the border of Russia and began his long crossing of the steppes of Kazakhstan. He delivers his impressions in this video. The scenery is impressive for those who do not know these lands.

Visits: 53

In every country crossed, solar bikes are of interest to people. For the suntripers, it is the occasion of rich meetings and often the hospitality is offered to them.

Visits: 68

Youssef and Mohamed, on their adapted tandem, have now surpassed Istanbul and total 3000 km from Lyon. They opted for the southern route, as well as Jean-Claude and Alain Viguier who are right before them, and that Justin and Anne-Sophie who are currently in south of Ankara. Patrice Polzner follows them but he has not yet arrived in Istanbul.

Visits: 72

They will soon be leaving Ukraine and will pass the Russian border tomorrow.

Visits: 80

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Since 3 days, Mickaël Joguet and Éric Morel are on the road together, it's good for moral!

Visits: 75

This morning, Raf Van Hulle was the first to embark on the crossing of the Kazakh steppes. Hundreds of kilometers in a straight line await. Fortunately, Ares has a period of rain and average time in Ukraine and Russia, the weather will now be favorable.

Visits: 83

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With solar vehicles that are prototypes, rolling thousands of kilometers, hours during, on uneven roads inevitably leads to problems of different nature: mechanical, electrical, electronical and sometimes human. This is the case of Stéphane Bertrand who found to repair his support of solar panels, but one of his rims is cracked. Sometimes you have to know how to improvise solutions like Herman Segers with his wrench. Some even hesitate to trade their vehicle for another!?

Visits: 69

Except incidentally, the 4000 km heading will be reached and surpassed tonight by Raf Van Hulle, the fastest solar cyclist on Sun Trip 2018. 4000 km represents 1/3 of the estimated total distance to Guangzhou in China, or 12000 km. Stéphane Bertrand follows him some 300 miles back. Because of the itinerary he chose, he has already exceeded this heading of 4000 km.
The 37 suntripeurs has been pedaling since the grand start in Chamonix for 17 days.

Visits: 88

The moments of shared conviviality do a lot of good to the morale of the suntripeurs, support them in their efforts in the face of a weather that is not always lenient. They share these moments at random meetings on the road, they take advantage of halts around a beer or a meal. Sometimes they decide to roll together if their rhythms match. The moment of separation is then more difficult…

Romain Neauport / Herman Segers

Laurent Souchet / Bernard & Yann Cauquil

Laurent Souchet got caught up by Yann and Bernard “J'ai partagé la chambre et un complément de repas. Et surtout la compagnie. Ça fait du bien.” https://t.co/aewJT75wSI #thesuntrip2018 pic.twitter.com/X8PBLpL0GJ

— The Sun Trip (@TheSunTrip) 4 juillet 2018

Daniel Jenni & Michael Polak / Paul Baudry

Romain Neauport / Bernard & Yann Cauquil

They sadly bade farewell to their friend Romain Neauport – Team @o2feel with whom they had cycled in the last few days. Parting was hard for all three men. https://t.co/l4LrC6Q7Or Romain is now in #Russia, in #Rylsk pic.twitter.com/M7vK3N4N2M

— The Sun Trip (@TheSunTrip) 3 juillet 2018

Visits: 75

While the majority of cyclists have chosen the northern route, some have chosen a route to the south. Alain and Jean-Claude Viguier had explained to me that they preferred this route more mountainous for the beauty of landscapes, despite a greater distance to arrive in China: 15000 km instead of 12000. When you love, you don't count! (french proverb)
Today, Justin and Anne-Sophie, pedalling and rowing on their tandem, are the first to approach Istanbul. Jean-Claude and Alain Viguier are right behind them. A little further behind, arrive Youssef El Haouass and Mohamed Said Jeberi, in tandem, then Patrice Dhanshri in trike.

Visits: 74

Today Françoise Denel, the dean of Sun trip 2018, leaves Lviv (Львів) in Ukraine, she has just exceeded the heading of the 2000 km travelled in 16 days. Some favorable days, she managed to make more than 200 km in the daytime. Bravo Françoise!

Visits: 72

Tonight, Raf Van Hulle sleeps in Podstepnoye (Подстепное). He has covered 3650 km in 16 days with his solar bike, he still has more than 8000 km to go. The others follow the same route: Stéphane, Auguste & Camille, Eric, Jack, Mickaël, Herman, Laurent, Bernard & Yann etc … (except 7 participants who chose a route much further south).

Visits: 68

At 11am today, Raf Van Hulle crossed the border between Russia and Kzazkhstan with his solar bike. Stéphane Bertrand follows him closely, he is 300 km from the border.

Visits: 73

After an accident involving cars and a break in Saratov (Саратов), Raf Van Hulle continues his road, he sleeps tonight at Dergachi (Дергачи) only 90 km from Kazakhstan. Tomorrow, the 16th day after its departure, Raf will cross the border of Kazakhstan and exceed the 3500 km!

Visits: 223