This summer, the “Suedelbridder” (Luxembourgish for “saddle brothers”) are biking from Filsdorf, Luxembourg to Kaunas, Lithuania. Pit Dahm and Ken Rischard, who have known each other since childhood and went to the Conservatory of the City of Luxembourg, are planning a trip of 14 days. It will cover 1,800km, pass through four countries, over 34 rivers and include a stop on the Baltic Sea. We caught up with them on day two of their trip while they had a lunch break in Cologne, Germany.

Origins of the expedition

Dahm’s wife is from Lithuania and has family living in Kaunas, which is how he settled on his destination. He then invited Rischard, and together, they decided to make this trip into a charity project and raise money for the Plooschter Projet, an initiative that both of their mothers have been involved with.

Launched by Yannick Liener, who was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia at the age of 25, the initiative encourages people in Luxembourg to register as bone marrow donors. It’s an action that could help save the life of someone with leukaemia. “Plooschter Projet carries out important work in our society, and we’re really happy to be able to contribute to their efforts thanks to this trip,” said Rischard.

“Having had health problems myself a year ago, I discovered cycling--or sports in general--could be a strong tool of getting back into shape,” added Dahm.

So far, so good

Although neither of the Suedelbridder have experience with such long-distance trips, their journey so far has gone pretty well, they told me during our phone call. The first day--28 July--was quite fun as family, friends and supporters joined them for the first 40-some kilometres as they set out from Filsdorf, and it hasn’t been too hot as they’ve been able to cycle close to rivers.

It was on the second day--when Delano spoke to the pair--that they started to feel the effects of the biking in their legs and bums! But it was something that they were anticipating and expect things to get better once their bodies have time to get used to the physical activity.

“The whole trip is about persistence and endurance,” Dahm and Rischard highlighted. Leukaemia patients need to be persistent and endure when faced with their disease and the treatment; in comparison, the pain they experience while cycling is minimal.

Days four and five are likely to be the most difficult, they noted, as their route will take them through mountainous terrain in central Germany. Dahm and Rischard will experience roughly 2000 metres of altitude change over 140 kilometres.

€4,300 already raised

Dahm and Rischard’s original goal was to raise €1 per kilometre biked, for a total of €1,800. At the time of our call, they had already raised €4,300 for the Plooschter Projet. Their revised goal, they told Delano, will now be €3 or €4 per kilometre.

Besides making donations to support the Plooschter Projet, the Suedelbridder noted that people can follow their adventure on their Instagram account.

Check out their or donate money to their Gofundme .