BIKE AND TREK …
My name is Dirk HUYGHE from GENT – BELGIUM (EUROPE)
I am “retired” … but NOT “expired” !
Since a long time I am fond of trekking, especially by bike.
With this webside I want to share my passion for this kind of travel …
I my opinion, walking and trekking by bike is the best way to discover our beautiful world.
I prefer to bike as much as possible in a natural area and camping wild at night.
I also like I like the contact with the local people.
I have a great passion for the (high) mountains of Asia .
I was lucky to make some trekkings (walking + by bike) in the Himalayas …
see “Tibet-Nepal” (passing the Basecamp of the Mt. Everest – the North face in Tibet at 5.200 m)
and also “Nanda Devi” – “Cycling Indian Himalaya”
a short impression of “Cycling the Indian Himalaya”
on https://vimeo.com/196700419
I made also splendid treks in Tadjikistan + Kirgizië (see “Tadjikistan-Kirgizië” )
But, where ever you go by bike it can be fun! You don’t have to go far to enjoy yourself.
I made beautiful travels in many countries of Europe (and still do this and enjoy them!)
Photography is also one of my interests.
I made a large movie from the trips of the last 11 years.
An impression of the photo’s + short films you can see on several pages below the page http://bikeandtrek.com/reisverslagen/ .
Apart from the “usual” bike-trips I also participated to 4 editions
of the Sun Trip (an international rally for solarbikes in 2013 – 2015 – 2018 and 2021).
Because I started this Sun Trips from my home in Gent I rode a little more than 9.000 km the 2 first times and more than 14.000 km the 3th time and 11.400 km the 4th time.
All together 50.000 km on a solarbike !
Some more explanation about these big editions of the Sun Trip :
1st edition in 2013 :
from Chambéry France to Astana, Kazakhstan (9.000 km)
2nd edition in 2015 :
from Milan to Antalya and Cappadocia in Turkey +back to Milan (9.000 km)
3rd edition 2018 :
from Lyon to Canton Guangzhou – South China (14.400 km)
4th edition 2021 :
start in Brussels crossing big part from Europe (11.400 km)
you can see some photo’s of the 4 editions on :
– “Sun Trip 2013”
– “Sun Trip 2015”
– “Sun Trip 2018”
– ” Sun Trip 2021″
and a global page on “Sun Trip”
and of course also on the site of the organisation : http://thesuntrip.com
foto agence Zeppelin
I Adore such big eco-adventures … a little bit as the rally “Paris – Dakar”, but much cleaner … and with the help of the sun … durable energy and free !
I love the spirit of challenge and the competitors who choose their own route (itinerary) according to the circumstances, desires, goals, physical (and linguistic) abilities
the logo of the 3th edition of the Sun trip 2018
from Lyon to Canton / Guangzhou in South East China
For the Sun Trip 2018 I used a classic trekkingbike of the well known brand SANTOS
(site https://www.santosbikes.com)
Together with Robbert, the manager of Santos, we selected for this big edition of the Sun Trip the new Travelmaster 3+ (wheels of 27.5 inch with big tyres and Pinion gear)
(see https://www.santosbikes.com/assortiment/travelmaster-serie/travelmaster-3-plus)
For the first 2 Sun Trips I used the Travelmaster 26 inch of the same brand Santos.
All these Travelmasters from Santos are real draft horses!
Extremely solid, with very good parts and above all very beautiful too!
Also many thanks to Stefan from bikeshop Casa de Ciclistas in Ghent for his great help !
(http://casadeciclistas.be/)
my itinerary of the Sun Trip 2018 to China …
The Travelmaster 3+ for this Sun Trip (see) was equipped with a motor from Crystalyte Europe
(site http://shop.crystalyte-europe.com/home.php). Thanks to Thijs and his team.
I pulled behind my bike a one wheel trailer with two solar panels mounted up.
Thanks to Philip and Jonas for their fantastic help to construct this solar-trailer !
The total weight of the bike (including solar-trailer and luggage) was about 85 kg.
Two solar panels are constructed by EURENER (Spain) and the help from Piet TYVAERT from PROJECT-ZERO in Waregem (https://www.project-zero.be/nl_BE/)
They helped on a fantastic way !! The 2 panels have a surface of about 80 x 120 cm, so together a profit of about 300 – 350 Watt during cycling. When the bike is not moving they will not use extra solar panels to charge.
Due to this rather small solar energy capacity, they will get rather small profit of the motor support (about 40% help and about 60 % power provided by the own muscles)
with a wink to the sponsors from 2018 whom I am very grateful !
see much more information of this Sun Trip on the site of the organisation : www.thesuntrip .com
https://www.thesuntrip.com
NEW – NEW – NEW !!!
the 4 th big Sun Trip 2021 trough EUROPE !
with the support of INNOVIRIS Brussels
Sun Trip Europe 2021
Dirk arrived after 72 days and 11.400 km on the 27th august in Lyon
He is the 6the in the category 100% sun-energy (and the first Belgian participant)
An average of almost 160 km per day
He is the only one participant who participated to all the big Sun Trips
All together 50.000 km !
Some photo’s of the Sun Trip Europ yoa can find on Facebook
zie https://www.facebook.com/dirk.huyghe.9
A good overview of this edition yoa can dee on https://www.thesuntrip.com/bilan-st-europe/
Thanks to #innoviris.brussels for their support !
small resume of all this big projects : The SUN TRIP …
A race as “Paris – Dakar”, but cleaner … and with the help of the sun …
All the international participants have to build their own electric bikes / trikes supported by solar panels …
Each competitor is empowered to choose his own route (itinerary) according to his desires, goals, physical (and linguistic) abilities.
in 2013 start in the Savoie in France and arrival in Astana, the capital of Kazachstan …
I already started from my home in Belgium … more than 9.000 km …
about 3 months on the way …
and also 2e edition in 2015 with my friend Jan Goedertier
a small trailer of the first Sun Trip 2013 you can see on http://vimeo.com/81092973
and also a short trailer of the Sun Trip edition 2015 on https://vimeo.com/144550022
! best look in HD (button down on the right)
44 participants and 14 different countries
the Sun Trip route I did in 2013 :
the track of the Sun Trip in 2015 :
!!!!
and in the past there was also something else … a special link …
link between our participation to the SunTrip in 2015
and a charity project in the Indian Himalayas …
“Children of the Himalaya”
With the benefits of a quality birthday calendar with photo’s taken by Dirk we could provide solar panels for boarding schools and villages in the Indian Himalayas where there is little or no electricity available.
So the children have the opportunity to study even in the evening !
Already 8 schools are provided with an solar installation !!
more info on the page “Project”
—————————-
a new charity project to support since 2022 :
providing hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor through the volunteer crew onboard our hospital ships in Africa
3 years ago Dirk went on board for the first time in Dakar Senegal …
In the meantime there was already a 3rd term in Sierra Leone …
eacht time about 2,5 – 3,5 monts
see more information on the page PROJECT