Sasch's Blog #4: Nights over the sea, magical encounters and the Tuscany Trail 🌙🚴‍♂️

From Greece, Sasch went directly to Italy. Between ship decks, rain fronts, steep gravel passes, and magical moments, our longtime companion not only rocked the Tuscany Trail but, above all, made the true essence of travel palpable.

Here is his latest report about priceless hammock spots, genuine trust, and the feeling that everything always works out in the end:

Tuscany Trail 2026 – I’m on my way…

There are nights you can pay for with money.

And there are nights that are priceless.

One of them began on the ferry to Italy. My Ticket to the Moon hammock once again became the best spot on board. Directly above the water. The soothing sound of the sea in my ears, fresh air on my face, and thanks to my now perfected headband trick, even the brightly lit ferry suddenly felt like a starry night.

It's moments like these that always remind me why a hammock is a must-have on any journey. It gives me sleeping places that no hotel in the world can offer.

However, Tuscany greeted me first with rain, wind, and plenty of upcoming ascents. I lingered at the harbor, hoping the rain would ease. NOPE! The next night was right by the train tracks, and little Saschi!? Ready to be picked up! ;-)

But that's exactly when the adventure begins.

Not when everything is going smoothly, but when you keep going anyway.

The supposed final boss was already waiting: steep climbs, Italian gravel, and the question of why one voluntarily puts themselves through this. The answer, as often, didn't come from the landscape, but from the people.

A smile in a small bakery.

A young Italian who turned back specifically to give me and my bike a lift up the last few meters of elevation.

The crazy thing?

Seconds before he stopped, I had that exact thought in my head.

“How nice it would be if someone would turn back now…”

Sometimes thoughts really do become reality.

With a wide grin, I then rolled downhill and soon found my next happy place. A small river, a fountain, a meadow, and exactly the right trees for my hammock. After two uncomfortable nights, I was floating between heaven and earth again and thought:

This is exactly why I'm on the road.

The longer I was on the road, the clearer another realization became.

Before, I wanted to cover as many kilometers as possible per day.

Today, I want to experience as many moments as possible.

An ice cream, even though the weather forecast had predicted doom. Two pizzas after 120 kilometers. A dry roof exactly when the heavens opened. Again and again, everything seemed to fall into place somehow.

Coincidence? Hmmm!? What do you think?

Grateful for every single one of these moments!

Then it was finally here…

The Tuscany Trail Event

Ask instead of assuming. Although the starting documents were actually supposed to be issued the next day, I simply asked.

“Of course.”

One word.

And the adventure began a day earlier.

The coming days had everything that makes bikepacking so special: gravel, heat, elevation gain, tired legs, magnificent views, and nights in places you'll never forget. With every kilometer, the Omnium and I became more of a unit. Thumbs up, high fives, and astonished faces made my "EGO" shine and showed once again that a lot is possible if you just try it!!

And that is probably my biggest realization from this trip.

I don't travel for the kilometers.

Not for the magnificent landscape, the numerous kilometers…

All of that is incredible.

But it's only the appetizer or dessert…

The actual journey, the main course, so to speak, are the encounters. The people. The stories. The thoughts that suddenly become reality. The trust that a place to sleep will be found again. That somewhere two trees are waiting for my hammock. That something I never expected will happen again just around the next bend.

Ideas instead of plans.

Trust instead of control.

And the courage to just set off.

Because the most beautiful stories don't wait at the destination.

They emerge somewhere in between.

Such beautiful concluding words for this blog series, we think. Thank you, dear Sasch, for taking us on your adventure! We look forward to hearing about all your future stories and encounters.