Manu and Katrien are back from their latest trip with their two boys, Aske (age 9) and Wietse (age 8).

They spent almost 3 weeks touring together in Kyrgyzstan, riding 720km with 10,000 metres of elevation gain as a family, before Manu rode Silk Road Mountain Race. Their focus as a family is never on distance, but sharing the overall experience. Spending as much time as possible in the remote areas of the Tian Shan Mountains, they didn't avoid difficult terrain or high passes, instead taking their time to tackle these sections because they often lead to the views and moments they all wanted to share as a family.

It looked like a crazy challenge for two young boys, but they were unfazed. Pushing their bikes over Jukku pass, riding over the Arabel plateau, experiencing a section of eight days with no resupply, squatting and waiting out thunderstorms and multiple river crossings. None of it bothered them, but for Manu and Katrien the biggest challenge was fueling. The energy required to haul their heavy cargo bikes up steep climbs was crazy. Finding proper, nutritious and high-calorie food along the way was never straightforward.

Aske and Wietse have now been on plenty of bikepacking trips, but for them the most recent adventure is always their favourite. They loved being outside, playing in rivers, scrambling on rocks. But for this trip their experiences of meeting local kids stood out. They really enjoyed seeing how they live, playing with them, trying to communicate a bit in English, with gestures, or using Google Translate.

Manu then went to race whilst Katrien, Aske and Wietse volunteered at a checkpoint. Manu found the family adventure made him feel mentally very ready for the race. He was better rested than usual and already felt at home in Kyrgyzstan. This made racing easier. Knowing what food could be found in the shops, getting to know the culture a little bit better. Physically though, he knows he would have felt better following his usual training routine. The first day he struggled to ride at his usual pace, which combined with the heat was a shock to his system and forced him to hold back, but he'd never trade their experience for slightly better preparation. Manu ended up smashing his rim and sourcing a new one, before riding on to finish in fourth place.

They're all home now, but keep an eye on Katrien who heads to Taurus Mountain Race in October.