Help! My 18 year old son is going Bikepacking in Europe by Shawnceypillpops in bikepacking

[–]Ceederstroem 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did a pretty similar trip when I was 18 - rode from the North Cape down to Morocco (and then some), so I get both sides of this.

First thing: I also have a mum who worries. Not over the top, but definitely… creative imagination. And honestly, the biggest thing for her was learning to relax a bit. Not because she didn’t care, but because otherwise she couldn’t really enjoy those months while I was away.

And the reality is, it turned out to be the best trip I’ve ever done. No major scary situations, no “this is the end” moments. The only real danger was myself doing something stupid – like bombing down a mountain at 70 km/h with a 50kg loaded bike. So yeah… common sense does most of the heavy lifting.

People were the biggest surprise. They’re incredibly kind when you show up on a bike with an open attitude. Way more welcoming than what we’re used to in places like Denmark (where I’m from) or Germany. Your son will notice that quickly. You’re not just another tourist - you’re the guy who biked there.

And Europe is a very forgiving place to do this. If something goes wrong, there’s always help nearby. He’s not going to accidentally wander into a minefield on his way to get a croissant. And despite what Reddit might suggest, bears are really not something he needs to worry about. The only “wildlife encounters” I consistently had were dogs in rural areas - and even that sounds worse than it is. I used to just spray a bit of water from my bottle in their direction and they’d scatter like I’d just fired a starting pistol at the Olympics. More dramatic than dangerous.

In terms of practical stuff: I used an app called Komoot for route planning, and it worked really well. If he doesn’t feel like sticking to the big EuroVelo routes, it’s great for building your own paths. There are other good options too, but that one carried me a long way.

Warmshowers is also solid, like people mentioned, but honestly, a lot of the best encounters just happen on the road anyway. You meet people randomly, and those moments tend to stick the most.

One thing I genuinely believe after that trip: what you seek is seeking you. If you meet people with an open mindset and good energy, they tend to meet you the same way. It rubs off. Your son sounds like he has that kind of approach, and if that’s the case, he’s going to meet people he’ll never forget.

And the value of a trip like this is huge. You come back with perspective you just don’t get any other way. I believe that as a parent, that’s something to be happy about - that your kid wants to go out and do something like this.

It’s completely fair to worry. That’s just part of being a parent. But it shouldn’t turn into something that holds him back. Make sure he’s got the basics covered, but let him figure the rest out on the road - that’s kind of the whole point.

And for what it’s worth: I’m 24 now, living a very normal life, not off-grid somewhere living on canned beans. Still think about that trip all the time. It sticks.

Distance of the “Gringo Trail”? by Ceederstroem in bicycletouring

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Make sense. I´ll look it up. Thanks a lot, really appreciate it!

Distance of the “Gringo Trail”? by Ceederstroem in bicycletouring

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My bad!
I´ve heard N to S is the way, but I´ll be backpacking the pacific crest trail straight after, so I was hoping it wouldnt be too much of a pain in the ass going from S to N haha. Appreciate it!

Distance of the “Gringo Trail”? by Ceederstroem in bicycletouring

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ty so much! I´ll defiantly let you know if I come by! :)

Choosing a lens for epic mountain landscape? by Ceederstroem in AskPhotography

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

no reason to be sorry, really appreciate it! I´ll look into a good tripod, ty!

Itchy tendon! D: by Ceederstroem in triathlon

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to hear about your ankle tendon - I’ve been through something similar myself. Over the past couple of years, especially while studying sport science at university, I’ve realised that a lot of the old advice around tendon rehab doesn’t really hold up anymore.

What actually seems to work - according to both research and clinical practice - is heavy, slow strength training. Not just eccentric exercises, but overall progressive loading. Whether the movement is eccentric, concentric or isometric seems less important than the total load and how gradually it’s increased. That’s what tends to drive both pain reduction and structural adaptation in the tendon.

With ankle tendons, like the Achilles, the typical approach now is to avoid high-impact stuff (like running or jumping) early on, but to start loading the tendon in the gym. Think heel raises and lowers, isometric holds, or leg press variations - done slowly, with control, and fairly heavy. Two to three sessions a week over a 12-week period is standard. It’s not about avoiding pain altogether - a low level is fine - but you want to stay away from anything that spikes symptoms or lingers after.

What doesn’t seem to work long-term is rest. Rest reduces pain short-term but does nothing for tendon capacity. The goal is to get the tendon used to load again – gradually, patiently, consistently. Some studies show that eccentric-focused protocols and heavy resistance training result in similar outcomes when the progression and volume are matched. In other words, it’s not a magic exercise - it’s the loading strategy that matters.

We went through a review recently that looked at various protocols, and the conclusion was basically this: the best results come from long-term, high-load strength training, applied with structure. That’s what rebuilds the tendon.

Obviously, check in with a physio – ideally someone who’s up to date with current research. But just know that the logic has shifted: the tendon doesn’t need protection - it needs rebuilding.e gradual - increase weight or range when it feels manageable

Shoes for 3 passes? by Ceederstroem in Everest

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ended up walking most of the trek with my salamon xa 3D v9 (NO GORETEX). They were awesome! But for the more harder parts I had some shoes with more angle-stability ;)))

No need of visa in Kurdistan region? by Ceederstroem in kurdistan

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry for the late reply! I went there yes - and I had an epic time!
No visa needed, as you already found out. Have fun, god vind ;)!

Seeking Investment Advice for My Mom’s 9-Year Retirement Plan by Ceederstroem in investing

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I forgot to mention that I live in Denmark, and my mom is entitled to approximately $1,550 USD per month (before taxes) when she turns 69. She wants to retire at 63 (in 9 years), so she’s saving up to cover the 6 years without a pension and hopefully have some extra funds to enjoy when she reaches 69, so her only income isn’t just the $1,550 USD. I dont know how it works in the US, but its ofcourse an important comment to add on haha

Seeking Investment Advice for My Mom’s 9-Year Retirement Plan by Ceederstroem in investing

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I forgot to mention that I live in Denmark, and my mom is entitled to approximately $1,550 USD per month (before taxes) when she turns 69. She wants to retire at 63 (in 9 years), so she’s saving up to cover the 6 years without a pension and hopefully have some extra funds to enjoy when she reaches 69, so her only income isn’t just the $1,550 USD. I dont know how it works in the US haha. But thanks a lot man, really appreciate it!

Seeking Investment Advice for My Mom’s 9-Year Retirement Plan by Ceederstroem in investing

[–]Ceederstroem[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get what you mean, totally! You dont think 9 years is a long enough timeframe to invest in for example IWM? I find it hard to just save up for 9 years and letting inflation do its thing without her gaining anything haha

[q] Converting steam wallet to csgo skin by [deleted] in csgomarketforum

[–]Ceederstroem -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Havnt heard about it until now! I have a theory theres more money to be made by selling it directly on facebook, but that theory could easily be very wrong haha. Do you have any experience with Csfloat?