Karla Sanders

World Cycle Adventures Featured

Timeline of the Adventure So Far

In a nutshell, we've cycled close to 9,000 miles (14,500 km) in England, Scotland, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Wales, Ireland, the United States and Canada. This post shares a super broad overview of our world cycling journey so far, including some

World Cycle Adventures

The Line We Rode in Four Countries

The sands of England, Holland, Belgium and France touched our wheels as we crossed the English Channel twice and rode a 400 mile line between natural and built landscapes. There is a pulse that runs through this line connecting all life. It is a braid of energy churning with desires;

World Cycle Adventures

What to do with the Baby?

We almost missed her. That day of rain and 44 fire salamanders already had us saturated with an overdose of adventure. It’s not every day you cycle through tunnels of the Italian Alps, dodging confused reptiles as rain turns your view into a misty veil. At first we tried

World Cycle Adventures

Crossing Mountains on the Alpe Adria Cycle Path

“I don’t think we should stay here,” I said as a rock tumbled down the steep slope, landing not far from our impromptu camp spot. Another train rumbled by, drowning out our words. We waited in the dark. We stood some miles outside of Salzburg along the Alpe Adria

World Cycle Adventures

Wild and Wondrous Encounters in Salzburg

What do tree felling, elephant roaring and vegan pizza have in common? Not much. Only that we experienced them all in a whirlwind cycle tour of Salzburg. The ride into Salzburg was a gem. We crossed a river from southern Germany and hopped onto the Tauernradweg, a cycleway following the

World Cycle Adventures

Winter is Coming: Cycling in Frosty Germany

We chased the summer that October, 2022. Apple trees still hung heavy with their bounty while leaves shed a lively dance. We crossed a patchwork of farm fields and forests making our way south toward Salzburg, Austria. Along the way we encountered some frostry nights and vibrant sunny days, as

World Cycle Adventures

From Germany to Croatia: Embrace the Unknown

We set out from Einbeck on a lowering early October sun; fall leaves skirted our tires and winter’s promise urged us forward. “Today is all vibrant warmth, but it will not last,” the breeze whispered. Our departure felt tentative after several weeks of respite and family reunion in my

World Cycle Adventures

Weathering the Storms, Ticks and Rocks with a Bit of Magic

"I may be vegan but I'm allowed to defend myself," Steven asserted as he carefully detached the tick from himself. We'd just come to realize how many ticks were crawling in our midst, finding out the hard way when mysterious dots appeared on our

World Cycle Adventures

Bikepacking a Day in the Life: Common Questions Answered

What does a day look like whilst bike touring? Here we paint the scene of a typical day, although we smile at those words. No two days are ever the same. Read on to see photos from our UK chapter in spring of 2022, addressing many common questions along the

World Cycle Adventures

Ode to the Rains and Obstacles of the Road

Here’s to the rainy days of seeking shelter beneath bridges, trees and Co-Op awnings; In tunnels too, for making us feel just a bit better with shivering limbs and patience waning, we thank the structures who helped us under pressure. On days of cutting hands with knives while preparing

World Cycle Adventures

We are All Musical Threads of a Vibrant Tapestry

“Do you have a gun?” These direct words were delivered with a sparkle of mirth from the elderly person before us. She wore plump diamond earrings that caught the sun and distracted my attention. Steven and I were packing up our tent when this individual came walking by with her

World Cycle Adventures

Nourish Your Sense of Wonder

So many of us feel the immense energy of our natural world and there can be a kind of environmental grief paired with this love of nature. Those of us with a sensitivity to what happens in the world are often deep thinkers and there was a time when I

World Cycle Adventures

In Memory of the Pigs

Encountering the pigs in The Netherlands inspired a memorial illustration honoring the pig within this web of life. I wove in our vision for a different fate, one where the pigs experience a peaceful life of love and respect. Below are two poems I wrote alongside the artwork. Featured here

World Cycle Adventures

The Hardest Day Yet: Why It’s Time to Change

We heard them screaming from the road. It was a sunny day and people cycled by as if nothing unusual was happening beyond the road. We'd just cycled across the border from Belgium into The Netherlands. Two big lorry trailers sat in a farm yard, completely packed with

World Cycle Adventures

Summertime Bikepacking from England to Germany in Photos

We cycled from southern England to central Germany in July and August via France, Belgium and The Netherlands. Here's a brilliant photographic introduction to the journey created created by Steven: The No Catch Co is a delicious vegan fish & chips shop, a must visit! Read about the

World Cycle Adventures

Why is Wool so Baaad? An Introduction to the Lives of Sheep in Slavery

"Just keep riding and don't look to the left," Steven said with a sense of urgency. We were on a public trail crossing through a farmer's field and the narrow path took us straight through a cluster of barns, a common occurrence in the

World Cycle Adventures

9 Epic Ways to Help Our Planet Today

Do you sometimes feel like a very small person facing a very big wave of seemingly endless global woes? That’s a loaded sentence and a matter of perception. The truth is that the question itself paints a limiting belief: The idea that even small actions don’t matter is

World Cycle Adventures

Where are all the Trees?

This post features a poem inspired by our experience of cycling through miles upon miles of farmfields and deforested lands. The poem is a creative reflection on the causes of deforstation, largely linked to the oppressive angimal agriculture system, and unchecked consumerism. A poignant question emerges, one which you can

World Cycle Adventures

In Search of the Fairytale Lands

I often imagined Great Britain as a forested fairytale land, the place where Tolkien’s elves roamed and witches dwelled deep in the Oak wood among dancing fairies and King Arthur’s knights. Cycling across the UK revealed a different narrative. Farm field upon farm field often made us feel

World Cycle Adventures

Meeting the Famous Midge of Scotland

They'd warned us. Told us to prepare and buy the proper headwear. "If you're going into western Scotland in June, get ready for the swarm." Several people we met on our way north loved to bring up the midges. By the time we got

World Cycle Adventures

Mother Ocean: Fish Sentience and the Power of Change

When I first met Chloe Moers through her non-profit organization, Empathy for All Animals, I greeted a vibrant spirit who radiates love and compassion for all. When she asked if I'd enjoy illustrating the cover of her upcoming book, it felt like a dream project, and it certainly

World Cycle Adventures

Blood and Trails: Periods while Cycle Touring

There in the rugged Scottish Highlands I dropped down by my bike and sat in the rough terrain, tears spilling onto dirty leggings. Steven stood at a respectful distance, giving me the silent space I needed. The lands seemed empty but they actually thrived with life. Sun rays glittered upon

World Cycle Adventures

Footsteps in the Woods, Who Goes There?

What do the Scottish Highlands and Marie Antoinette have in common? Probably more than we know, but in this story we have a hunch there may be a portal linked with her spirit in an unassuming Scottish wood. Our journey continued from Altnahara, peacefully retracing the miles back to a

World Cycle Adventures

Serendipitous Encounters in northern Scotland

We were on our way to Ullapool after retracing our wheels 40+ miles along a long, long single lane road through deforested timberlands. We'd already cycled this road in one direction, but following a series of (un)fortunate events, we'd turned around and decided to go

World Cycle Adventures

A Series of (Un)Fortunate Events

Knowing when to turn around is a fine art. We were making our way to the northern coast of Scotland and at some point decided John O' Groats no longer felt like a place we needed to see. Steven already had a memory of reaching the popular tourist destination