It’s called curiosity—wandering, exploring, going to see what’s elsewhere. 🙂
For similar reasons (curiosity, taming the beast, etc.), I had a lot of fun testing out some long routes, and in the end, they turned out to be pretty interesting.
If you’re up for it, try tackling this question:
"Suppose there are no more armed conflicts on Earth, and every country lives in lasting peace with its neighbors.
Also, suppose religious conflicts are a thing of the past, and every country now lives in peace and security, with no crime, drugs, or gang violence.
In this totally utopian scenario, plan a bike route around the Mediterranean Sea, staying no more than 100 km from the coast. Plan daily stops with a daily distance between 50 and 125 km, using mainly paved but the least busy roads. Choose stops to allow visits to the most interesting tourist sites at the end of each day, excluding beaches and seaside resorts. Prioritize archaeological sites, exceptional natural sites, the prettiest villages or small towns, and buildings with extraordinary architecture or major historical significance. Maximize the total distance, including all possible countries and every island served by ferries. Start in Morocco and finish in Spain, beginning on January 10, 2026. List daily the date, the stop location, 3 main reasons for choosing that stop, the daily and cumulative mileage, the estimated temperature at noon and 6 PM, and the chance of precipitation.
Add Croatia, Albania, Georgia, and Ukraine. Include the Sea of Marmara and other bodies of water bordering the Mediterranean. Include all islands with a road network of more than 25 km, including bike paths and unpaved roads.
Also include Slovenia; the route must follow all coasts, such as in Italy and Greece on both the east and west sides.
For example, don’t forget Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Thera, Majorca—please find ALL eligible islands.
Detail the entire route day by day from the start, in the most geographically logical order. For islands, allow a minimum road network of 25 km, including unpaved roads. For island access, consider private shuttles, such as local fishing boats or pleasure boats. As described in the initial scenario, don’t exclude islands or other places subject to conflicts or international disputes. A few examples of missing islands: Capri, Elba.
Add a few extra considerations: plan 2 rest days per week, scheduled to visit the most interesting stops, without exceeding 10 consecutive days of cycling. Adjust daily distances based on the weather—fewer kilometers when it’s very hot, and extra breaks if there’s a high chance of rain for 2 or more consecutive days. Redo the full list, identifying each daily stop.
The start of each day corresponds to the end of the previous day’s stop.
PDF version requested; a geographic map with alternating colors for each day’s route. Ferries and other public transport marked in green, 5 alternating colors for bike routes. No specific accommodations targeted, as we’ll use Warmshowers.org, bivouacs, and stays with locals."
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It took me about thirty minutes to draft this detailed plan, but DeepSeek churned out a very convincing result—totaling... 60,000 km—in just 5 minutes.
In the end, it clears up a "not half-baked" project, as they say in Quebec. Nothing stops you from discussing it later with real people, in whole or in detail.
Still, it’s revolutionizing research and planning!
I took my first bike trips around the turn of the 1990s, when the internet was still in its infancy. Back then, I used (with great joy!) Michelin maps at 1:200,000 scale, which included tons of interesting details—scenic routes in green, slope ratios marked with 1, 2, or 3 brackets! I tested my routes with Eurobike, which was like a Usenet forum or BBS at the time.
Anyway, technology evolves, but human contact remains—it’s up to us to use both wisely!
http://tandemetcie.com" ... plus tu pédales moins vite, moins tu avances plus vite ... !
