360 kilometers is a long way and nine other lessons I learnt on my first long distance gravel ride

Tom Couzens smiling while riding The Traka 360 in Girona

Ultra-endurance events have always fascinated me. Whether it’s crossing continents or snaking through hills closer to home, the fact remains that a bike is a vehicle for adventure like no other.

My biggest adventure yet was The Traka 360: a 360 kilometer / 220 mile gravel ride around Girona. The route takes you past coastal coves (which are only accessible by foot or boat) and mile, after mile, after mile of dry and dusty trails..