Nomadic Tales My perception of small countries is that the chances of finding a secluded spot to pitch a tent without being seen are very low. The land tends to be expensive and fully utilized, and I imagined that landowners wouldn’t appreciate tents on property they’ve paid dearly for. I resisted the temptation to try even a single night of wild camping in Switzerland, fearing a hefty fine. However, I did camp in Luxembourg, not one, but two nights. In Kehl, Germany, just across the river from Strasbourg, I managed one night of wild camping, but it was far from comfortable. Two men walking in the distance kept watching me for about half an hour. Despite my green tent blending into the grassy ground with a forested backdrop, and being 400 meters from the road, they appeared suspicious, stepping left and right, perhaps trying to get a better view. Since wild camping is generally frowned upon in Germany, I usually avoid it, but I wanted to try anyway. I had spent a full week near ...
Nomadic Tales
One example was a spot in Bulgaria where the pin was placed right in the middle of a lake, about 20 meters from the shore. The access road was a trail through the forest, sometimes overgrown with thickets, other times just sandy soil that made progress slow and exhausting.
Another example, also in Bulgaria, was a campsite pin conveniently placed in the city center of Kazanlak. In reality, it turned out to be an administrative building with a lawn, but fenced, locked, and completely deserted when I arrived. I suspect the person who added the pin had been allowed a one-time overnight stay. Out of habit, when I approach a city late in the day, I mark backup spots on my map, just in case. That habit paid off here, as I ended up turning back toward one I had flagged earlier. It was a rough night, though: I pitched on an abandoned rose plantation, overgrown, with uneven terrain.
Nowadays, I pick my camping spots using a combination of satellite imagery and topographic maps. I look for areas away from towns or villages, and make sure to keep a good distance from isolated houses or farms. The reason is simple: farms, especially sheepfolds, tend to have dogs, and barking disrupts my sleep.
The day I first arrived, a young couple had already parked their VW Transporter near the road. Minutes after I pitched my tent, a Dacia Duster pulled in and parked with confident moves. That evening, another van arrived, and later two more cars came to check out the spot but eventually left.
When I returned the next day from my 15 km supply run, the German couple was still parked nearby. Later, a motorhome arrived, followed by an Opel Vivaro with surfboards on the roof. I stayed put on the third day, just resting in the tent. The trees gave decent shelter from the steady rain.
That evening, a few more cars came and left. Later at night, a French guy in a VW Polo showed up. We chatted for a bit, and he asked if I’d found the place on park4night. I hadn’t, but apparently, I had accidentally chosen a popular spot with 35 reviews on the app at the time.
Normandy, Aug 2024
Unforgettable Sights & Hidden Gems
Walking on Water: Exploring the Magic of Mont-Saint-Michel
Like many famous landmarks, Mont-Saint-Michel draws crowds of tourists who pack its narrow alleys and steep stairways. Yet, what truly sets it apart is the experience beyond the walls: local guides lead walking tours across the exposed seabed at low tide. The Couesnon River, which flows into the bay, has shifted its course over time, and the powerful tides continuously reshape the terrain. This dynamic environment creates a complex maze of sandbanks and tidal streams, where only those with deep local knowledge can safely navigate the landscape, and avoid the hidden dangers of quicksand.
Roadside Hacks
One thing I miss about the Vaude bags, and regret not having, is their mounting mechanism.
Vaude uses a spring latch system that opens with a handle pull and stays open. Once the panniers are positioned on the rack, a gentle push clicks the latch closed, securely locking the bags in place. It’s a simple and elegant solution.
Ortlieb, on the other hand, uses a different approach. Their system doesn’t have a separate latch. You need to actively pull the handle to open the lock, and it automatically closes when the handle is released. While this may seem simple, user-friendly, and intuitive, it’s a pain to operate one-handed. The handle isn’t aligned with the pannier’s center of mass, so the bag tends to tilt when hanging by the handle.
When the lower hook of the pannier rests on the rack, some of the bag’s weight shifts to the hook, reducing the force exerted on the locking mechanism. In some cases, this means the mechanism closes before the bag is fully seated on the rack, making installation fiddly and frustrating.
To make matters worse, the clip that secures the roll-top closure on Ortlieb’s BackRoller panniers is attached to the mounting system with a short loose strap that naturally hangs downward. Trying to close it with one hand is a nightmare, the clip doesn’t stay in place and sometimes slips behind the rack rail.To solve this, I designed a 3D-printed cast that keeps the clip upright and minimizes its movement. Now the clip stays exactly where it should, and I can open and close it easily with one hand.
Comments
Post a Comment