City couple pedals 500km from France to Swiss

“I was more confused about how to pack my things into a small bag that can be carried on a cycle more than the cycle tour itself!” said Gomathy Nivedena who is married to Jayendran. While Jayendran is an adventure junkie and has been on three cycling expeditions including Taiwan, Cameron Highlands in Malaysia and Manali-Leh, this trip is Gomathy’s maiden cycling tour.

“I am an avid runner, but I had never thought of cycling before. I rode the cycle many times and worked out target muscles to prepare for the ride,” said Gomathy. They covered 80 kilometres in six hours and prepared for the long ride with pre-workouts before embarking on their expedition.

“The secret is getting your pre and post workout stretches in, and wearing padded pants,” she advised.

The couple carried their own bikes and biking gear all the way to Paris, stayed in hotels that promoted cycling, and booked their hotels in the intervals that met their target 80 kilometres per day. “There was 15 hours of sunlight since we went just as the spring set in, so we could meet our target,” revealed Gomathy.

“Although it sounds tiring, the scenic route through Fontainebleau, Fleury-la-vallee, Semur-en-Auxois, Beaune, Courlans, Lons -Le-Saunier helped us keep our spirits up,” she said. The couple is planning another long cycling expedition within the country in the coming months.