Aaron Rolph and Paul Guest cycled 1800km in seven days to visit 14 countries and break the official Guinness World Record for most countries visited by bicycle in a week. In his own words Aaron kindly looks back and recounts the key moments of this record breaking ride.

I rekcon anyone who grew up in the UK in the 90s must have watched BBC’s Record Breakers, right? We sure did. And after browsing Guinness’ catalogue of impressive World records, I began to research how feasible breaking the existing record of visiting 13 countries by bicycle in seven days might be…

Turns out, it was possible enough that we fancied a crack at it. After months and months of planning our train pulled into the remote southern tip of Poland and we were ready to start our record-breaking attempt. Despite the serious mountain passes and high probability of experiencing adverse weather, we went with the ‘just back yourself’ mentality.

Deciding to ‘credit card tour’ by staying in Hotels was the key to packing relatively light, but in order to be prepared for the -10-degree temperatures, it was essential we had enough warm and light kit with us. Safe to say, though pleased with our 260km first day, day two revealed some seriously challenging conditions and unlike when you’re out at the weekend, losing time or seeking shelter wasn’t going to be an option if we were to hit our goal.

We faced brutal head and cross winds and at a particular low point, I physically couldn’t even stay upright on the bike having my bike blown from under me and hitting the tarmac hard. Eventually our direction changed, to receive a partial tail wind and we’re back in the game! After three days we’d manage to charge through seven countries.

Despite being roughly on track, we knew the following days would be make or break for the trip heading into more mountainous terrain and for us personally, what was unfamiliar territory. Cycling over the bridge into Bosnia and leaving the EU was a big moment. Despite a lack of English, people were welcoming, drivers were courteous and the roads quiet – a cyclist’s dream. But being in the saddle for 14-15 hours per day whilst battling cold temperatures was definitely taking its toll.

The following couple of days were characterised by high peaks and deep troughs - thankfully we were blessed with some sunshine that kept us moving. We were undertaking some seriously isolated mountain passes with 35+km long ascents and similar descents. The remoteness of these cold areas should not be underestimated – we could even hear howls in the depths of Kosovo’s mountainous forests!

The 3-4 hours after dark each night was undoubtedly some of the most mentally challenging riding of our trip but the promise of a warm hotel and some food kept us moving. Braving the dusty and dark roads into Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, signified our last stopover. Having completed the bulk of the big hills, and the shortest day to come, crossing over to Bulgaria and then finally to Greece was a more relaxed and enjoyable conclusion to our journey. Seven days later, we’d cycled over 1800km and visited 14 countries by bicycle, something that had never been done before.

Although the World Record status of our Breaking Borders challenge was at the core of every early morning start and the 15 hours ride each day, curiously very soon after it didn’t seem quite as significant.

In retrospect, I’m probably prouder of the journey we took from Poland down to Greece and every experience along the way than the record in particular. Despite every challenge, potential excuses we could find or adversity we faced, we had the time of our lives - so whether you want to break a World Record or not, go and explore these regions by bicycle because I promise you won’t look back.

Aaron Rolph & Paul Guest

www.britishadventurecollective.com

Oct 03 2018
/
Rides