After leaving Krakow, Hélary and Schiettecatte had difficulty climbing into Slovakia's High Tatras mountains. The long hill climbs came after a 10-day break, making for a tough reintroduction to their bikes. However, the climbs also brought beautiful views and some exciting descents.

The weather has also been challenging. “It was hot this summer. Very hot. Abnormally hot. The asphalt became lava, the fields were completely burnt, shade was sometimes hard to find,” they wrote in a recent update. To cope, they’ve been sticking to backroads and trails, where there are more trees for shade and less concrete to reflect the heat.