Distance
- Scale rewrites judgment.
- What feels urgent at sea level dissolves at latitude.
- Plan for weather, not optimism.
71°10′N · 25°47′E · Nordkapp
Long Circle North
A solo motorcycle expedition through Northern Europe, Scandinavia, the Arctic Circle, and remote northern regions.
The road ends. The journey continues.
Expedition chart
71°10′N · 25°47′E · Nordkapp
Loading route data…
71°10′N · 25°47′E · Nordkapp · field log
Mission overview
Following roads to the edge of habitation.
Long Circle North documents a solo motorcycle expedition toward the edge of habitation — where paved roads thin, weather dictates pace, and distance is measured in silence as much as kilometers.
This site is an expedition log: daily dispatches, navigation records, field photography, and live position when the journey is underway. Not a travel guide — a permanent archive of the ride north.
Follow the Expedition
Receive route updates, field notes, and photos as the journey unfolds.
Email Updates
New entries delivered to your inbox. No spam.
Private tracking
Live position access
Request access, get approved in admin, then sign in on /tracking or /map. We never email you. Not public.
Expedition route
Northern loop · planned track in steel · ridden track in arctic blue
Loading route data…
Daily journal
Latest dispatches from the road
Today's dispatch
Pre-departure brief
No field image
Segment 60Lithuania100 km
Curonian Spit via Klaipėda
strongest Baltic landscape day
- Curonian Spit/Nida/Klaipėda
Expedition statistics
10,785kmKilometers planned
—Kilometers traveled
0 / 71Days on road
—Arctic Circle crossings
—Ferry crossings
—Weather events logged
—Countries crossed
Field conditions
Weather log · operational telemetry
Ferry crossings
5 logged
Forced reroutes
1 events
Storm exposure
2 days flagged
Gallery
Documentary field photography
Field photographs will appear as the expedition progresses.
Lessons from the road
Leadership, resilience, uncertainty, and decision-making
Uncertainty
- The map is provisional.
- Ferries fail. Roads close. Fog arrives without notice.
- Decisions are made with incomplete information — and owned anyway.
Resilience
- Self-reliance is not bravado.
- It is maintenance, rest, and knowing when to stop.
- The archive exists so the ride can be understood, not performed.
Live position
Field notes
What is The Long Circle North?
A solo motorcycle expedition through the north — sister journey to Long Circle South. South followed roads through history; North follows roads toward the edge of habitation. A 71-day route skeleton is published here; GPX tracks and daily dispatches follow as the expedition is prepared and ridden.
When does the expedition depart?
Departure is targeted for 2027. Subscribe for calendar updates as planning is confirmed.
Can I follow the journey in real time?
During the expedition: live GPS via Garmin inReach, daily journal entries, field photographs, and newsletter dispatches on this site.
Are GPX navigation files available?
GPX bundles will be offered when planned segments are published — structured for navigation, not tourism.
What motorcycle is used?
BMW R 1300 GS adventure platform, configured for long-distance touring in remote and weather-exposed conditions.
Who is the rider?
René Gilvert — Switzerland-based motorcyclist documenting long-distance expeditions with route logs, photography, and field notes.