Bicycle Touring In Ukraine – Brutal Winter

Every day in Ukraine got colder, darker and wetter. I’d wake up early, break camp as quickly as I could and hit the road. I would spend the first hour or so on the bike trying to find the right mix of clothing layers so that I was neither too cold nor too hot. Then I’d ride for another couple hours before it became dark once again and I would need to scramble to find a place to sleep before the sun went down completely and I was trapped in a pitch black, freezing cold landscape. I loved bicycle touring across Ukraine (there were a lot of things I really enjoyed about cycling across Ukraine in the wintertime), but the days were so short and I was almost constantly cold (and wet). I’d love to come back to Ukraine and see it again… but next time I think I’ll visit in the summer.