By bike to the North Cape

Take the toddler son, a bicycle, the will to make it from Germany to the North Cape in just a few months and you get the story of Jasmin Böhm. The single mother is now on her fourth bike tour with her son Emil. After a three-week test trip to Lake Constance a few years ago, we then went to Spain, Turkey and now up to the north. We spoke to the author and adventurer about her travels, the bicycle as a means of transport, encounters along the way and why the journey is always the destination anyway.

Nadine:

This is the fourth time you've been on a longer bike ride with your son, this time to the North Cape. What were your motivations for this trip?

Jasmine:

It's just been so nice on our trips so far and my son and I have bonded so well. The trips were a stark contrast to our lives before and I couldn't imagine anything else. After the trip to Spain we made our way to Turkey. Then I thought, “Okay, this is the last time,” but as soon as we were home again for a few months, we wanted to go straight away. We were now in the south and the east and so I thought it was now the north's turn.

Nadine:

Can you say which was your favorite trip of all so far?

Jasmine:

No, I do not think so. They were all so different, you can't even compare them. In the east, for example, the landscape was quite barren, but the people were so friendly, which made the trip so great. Here in the north, people are more reserved, but the landscape is simply overwhelming. I would say every trip has its good and bad sides.

The bicycle as a means of transport

Nadine:

Why the bicycle as a means of transport?

Jasmine:

On the very first big tour I had the impulse to travel very slowly and decelerated. I would have loved to just go hiking, but Emil was still too small for that at the time. That's where the bike came into play. We also took a trip in the van in the meantime, but it wasn't the same. With a bike you're just outside non-stop and this slow progress and being in nature is just great. The highway can't keep up with that.

Nadine:

You had to struggle quite a bit this time – wind, weather, a lost camera. What motivates you to keep going despite so many challenges?

Jasmine:

I just have such a certainty that everything will be okay again. There is such a basic trust there. There are often one or two days where nothing really goes smoothly and then all of a sudden something really good happens again. Because we've experienced this so often, I no longer let low points get me down so badly. I recognize it and I'm angry or annoyed at the moment, but I just have faith that everything will work out again. However, if this goes on for weeks, you obviously have to ask yourself what the problem is and what you can change. The thing is, when you're traveling for so long, it can't be all good all the time. Many people confuse this with a vacation. But we're not on holiday here, this is our life and in everyday life not everything is always positive at all times.

Traveling with the child

Nadine:

Your son is with you on every trip, so you are never really alone. But how are you doing as the only adult on these trips alone?

Jasmine:

Sometimes I met more people along the way, sometimes less. Here in Norway I sometimes barely had any contact with other people. You then have a lot of time to think and come to terms with yourself. I liked that, but I also think that's exactly what a lot of people are afraid of. In my opinion, this only makes you mentally stronger and achieves a certain level of calm.

Nadine:

Do you think it's because of the vastness of the country or because of the mentality that you didn't have that much contact with locals in Norway?

Jasmine:

Definitely the mentality. You see people all the time, but they are all very respectful and polite and just let you do your thing. They don't want to bother you. They would never complain about you, they are very relaxed. But they don't come to you and ask you what you're doing. Simply because they see a lot of people here who are outdoors or on bikes and it's simply nothing special for them.

Nadine:

What does your son say about all this? How's he doing on the road?

Jasmine:

He has a lot of fun and always finds something to do. Every day he gains a lot of new impressions and learns a lot. He is also currently in a phase in which he asks a lot, which is very noticeable on this trip.

Nadine:

Does he sometimes get bored or in a bad mood?

Jasmine:

Actually never. There was one day in the three months when he said, “Wow, another mountain, I don’t want to go up there,” and he was really annoyed. I just told some jokes about the moose and then he laughed his ass off and then the ride was cool again.

Everyday life when traveling

Nadine:

How many kilometers do you drive on average per day?

Jasmine:

I would say about 50 kilometers. Sometimes there are 60 to 70, sometimes only 40, but we usually try to make 50.

Nadine:

How do you manage working on the go? Does this work well?

Jasmine:

Yes, it works, but it's stressful. Cycling takes up so much time that it is often difficult to find the time and motivation to do some work in the evening. But then I think to myself, that's what we can do here. That's why it's really nice.

Nadine:

What exactly are you working on while on the road?

Jasmine:

I write a lot of emails, communicate a lot with the press, market my book, fill my Instagram account with content and organize events such as my readings. I also taught sociology online once a week while on the road.

Nadine:

What was your highlight of the trip so far?

Jasmine:

On the one hand, all the families in Germany who welcomed us via Instagram. I am still in contact with everyone today. On the other hand, of course, all the animal sightings and the great nature with all its little moments such as colorful sunrises and sunsets and idyllic wild campsites.

Nadine:

It takes a lot of courage to embark on a journey like this. What advice do you have for those who would like to break out of their hamster wheel, but are perhaps still unsure about how, when and where?

Jasmine:

I would say start small, in Germany for example. There are lots of great bike paths there. Another tip to start with would be to only go to campsites and not to wild camp if you're afraid of it. And most importantly: Don't wait for the best equipment, just do it. This is where the courage comes from.

Nadine:

What are you taking with you from this trip for your everyday life?

Jasmine:

My biggest learning is that you shouldn't have any expectations, just let yourself be surprised, that you should approach traveling and the people you meet along the way without any thoughts, and that being alone can also be really nice.

Nadine:

Do you already have plans for your time after the trip? Do you already have the next destination in mind?

Jasmine:

We definitely want to have another summer and will go surfing, not by bike, but again for a longer period of time. We also want to do another bike tour next summer, maybe through Canada. We now have two more years until Emil has to go to school, and we want to make the most of them.

In her book “Hello, luck, you exist!” Jasmin writes about her last bicycle trip to Spain and reports on all the experiences that shaped her journey to the south with her son Emil.