The fit guys on the side of Bismarck Street were curious about our somewhat battered group that evening, wondering where we were from. Holland was their first guess. But the length of our journey was quite impressive, and in a generous gesture, they added a "machine" to the mix. That sort of thing can bring a smile to your face after a day in the saddle...

Audax, Brevet, cycling marathon - it doesn't matter, as long as it's long.

The spirit of a long-distance ride suits us perfectly, and after leaving Düsseldorf300, there was a gap in our experience. We wanted to do something with that vibe, whether it was a guided tour or a route based on GPX data. When John from Albion suggested a ride to visit our friends at Off the Map in Maastricht, the first piece of the puzzle fell into place. And the idea that Maastricht and back is a good distance, enjoyable for experienced riders, and not unreasonably far-fetched for newcomers, was also a great fit.

Given what we consider to be the more than superfluous border discussions, the title was obvious: we value a Europe without borders and believe anything else is three steps backward rather than one forward. Thus, "Crossing Borders," with its double meaning, came into play. The first tour was planned as a one-way trip because nobody knew what weather to expect in March. Luckily, we had the first summer day of the year, so while the coach that took the cyclists from Maastricht back to Düsseldorf was quite full, a good number of cyclists also opted to return the route by bike, taking a relatively direct path.

However, the XL version should naturally follow farm tracks and small country roads rather than the hard shoulders of main roads. Düsseldorf's route guru, David, offered his help and set out to find the ultimate cycling route between Düsseldorf and Maastricht. Our random refreshment station from the first edition in Linnich became a fixed point; the idea of ​​a figure-eight pattern allowed us to supply all riders at a reasonable distance with a single stop, without too much effort.

Meanwhile, our idea gained momentum, and our circle of partners expanded. In addition to John, Alex from Hunt, and Cyril from Off the Map, Max from Climaid, Max and Thorben from the German Brooks distributor Sports Nut, and Ondrej from Chimpanzee joined us. Joel and Jessica from Klub Karacho offered help, a camper van, a boombox, a camera, support, and fantastic motivation. We enjoyed the results on the road and will soon be able to view them in the form of all sorts of photos. Even more photos are coming from Peggy, who, on her long-distance debut, also shouldered a small social media package.

Fifty participants gathered at the Mütze for the start, enjoying espresso, Bulle-Mürbchen (a local pastry), and a lighthearted briefing at 8:00 a.m. As everyone knows, every beginning is difficult, but the four flat tires in the first 40 kilometers within our group of 25 were a real blow – hardly a mood booster. However, after the first visit to the aid station, everything went smoothly until Maastricht, including a partial merger and subsequent splitting up of the individual groups.

A brief stop at what is probably the largest man-made hole in the Western Hemisphere prompted the question of why renewable energies have only been expanded in recent years. Anyone who gets worked up about solar panels and wind turbines should take a look at Garzweiler.

Incidentally, long-distance rides offer opportunities for philosophical discussions about the pressing issues of our time. Not all fellow cyclists are always in chat mode; sometimes you can simply let your thoughts wander and spin around in the monotonous rhythm of your pedaling. This becomes truly exciting on rides undertaken entirely alone. Rolling along small roads between endless fields for twelve hours can certainly have an incredibly liberating effect on the mind. Of course, this always depends on the kind of thoughts that come to mind.

Our peloton covered the last few kilometers towards Mütze with ease, where chilled-out music, the entire organizing crew, and a fantastic pasta salad awaited us. Hats off to everyone who still had a bike ride of over 5 kilometers ahead of them after the break; personally, the short trip within the city was enough for me.

We will be posting more pictures in a gallery online here in the next few days, so check back again soon...

See you soon, we'll see each other again…