EN- From Viana do Castelo, Portugal, to Antalya, Turkey — solo, by bike, to COP31.

4,700 km. 37,000 m of accumulated elevation gain (more than 4x Everest). 11 countries. 2 ferry crossings. Zero motorized support.

From Peneda-Gerês to the Castilian Meseta, crossing high mountains, the Pyrenees and the Alps, the karst of the Balkans, the Katara Pass, and the remote Taurus plateau in Turkey, with passes reaching around 1,700–1,800m in altitude. About a month living with only what fits on a bike, to ask one question: if it's possible to cross an entire continent by bike, what's stopping a city, a country, or an entire system from finding sustainable ways to move?

This journey represents Viana Ciclável and the work we do every day for lighter, healthier, and fairer mobility — in community workshops, in schools, and on the streets of Viana.

Follow the journey. Become a member. Make a donation. Help us go further — literally and symbolically!

https://linktr.ee/Vianaciclavel

Follow the expedition here: https://www.polarsteps.com/mendesdavid/29176118-from-viana-do-castelo-to-antalya-turkey-solo?referral=true

100% of funds raised go directly toward Viana Ciclável activities to make streets safer, empower new riders, and change local transportation policy.

PT - De Viana do Castelo a Antália Turquia — de bicicleta, até à COP31. 4.700 km. 37.000 m de desnível acumulado (mais de 4x o Evereste). 11 países. 2 travessias de ferry. Zero apoio motorizado.

Da Peneda-Gerês à Meseta Castelhana, cruzando altas montanhas, os Pirenéus e os Alpes, o carste dos Balcãs, o desfiladeiro de Katara e o remoto planalto de Taurus na Turquia, com passagens a rondar os 1700/1800m de altitude. Cerca de um mês a viver apenas com o que cabe na bicicleta para lançar uma pergunta: se é possível atravessar um continente inteiro, de bicicleta, o que impede uma cidade, um país ou um sistema inteiro de encontrar formas sustentáveis de se mover?

Esta viagem representa a Viana Ciclável e o trabalho que fazemos todos os dias por uma mobilidade mais leve, mais saudável e mais justa — nas oficinas comunitárias, nas escolas e nas ruas de Viana. Associamo-nos à COP31 Bike ride, International Degrowth Network, MUBi - Associação pela Mobilidade Urbana em Bicicleta, e à Câmara municipal de Viana do castelo para levar compromissos e mensagens ao mais alto nível da COP exigindo uma mudança de paradigma quanto à mobilidade urbana e sustentabilidade e apoio a nível local para essa mudança.

Segue a viagem. Torna-te associado. Faz um donativo. Ajuda-nos a chegar mais longe — literal e simbolicamente!

Mais detalhes em Português no linktree:

https://linktr.ee/Vianaciclavel

Segue a expedição aqui: https://www.polarsteps.com/mendesdavid/29176118-from-viana-do-castelo-to-antalya-turkey-solo?referral=true

‍EN - Why This Journey Matters: Living Within Planetary Boundaries

Our current transportation system uses far more energy and resources than the Earth can sustain. It has transformed our cities into congested, dangerous spaces, forcing children off the streets and into car seats.

The bicycle is not a thing of nostalgia—it is one of the most efficient, space-saving, and health-yielding technologies ever invented.

David's expedition is a living question to the world: If a regular cyclist can cross an entire continent using only human power while remaining within our planetary boundaries, what stops a city, a country, or an entire system from finding sustainable ways to move?

David carries the voice of Viana Ciclável NGO to demand a shift toward lighter, human-scale transit. He rides in memory of cyclists like Fátima Linhares, killed at age 38 in Barcelos simply for riding a bike, Finlay Tarley killed at age 19 due to lack of care towards cyclists. These are just two of the many lives cut short every year in the Viana and worldwide, showing the immense cost of inaction.

️ Bringing Active Mobility and Degrowth to the Global Stage

This expedition is Viana Ciclável’s vehicle to reach COP31. We are partnering directly with key national and international organizations to bring concrete, non-market solutions to the climate table. However, policies on paper are not enough: we are demanding specific, binding targets for active mobility and the dedicated financial funding required to actually build them. David is carrying these urgent demands to Turkey alongside three critical partners:

COP Bike Ride: David is carrying official policy commitments from the Viana do Castelo city council and its local parishes directly to the negotiating tables in Turkey. While the wider movement operates as a giant global relay, David is delivering these specific local demands in one continuous, self-sufficient trip and joining the relay in Turkey.

International Degrowth Network (Rede para o Decrescimento): David will deliver an official position paper exploring how cheap, low-resource tools such as the bicycle can radically maximize human well-being, equity, and health without depleting a finite planet.

MUBI (NGO for Urban Mobility by Bicycle): David will deliver the “Manifesto Cidades Vivas” (Living Cities Manifesto) to build global support for reclaiming public spaces for people over individual cars. This is aligned with Viana Ciclável's own localized version, "Viana Cidade Viva," which has already been subscribed to by various local political forces.

Who is Viana Ciclável?

Founded in March 2025, Viana Ciclável is a volunteer-run cycling advocacy association in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. We have zero paid staff and we work daily to remove the physical and social barriers that keep people from choosing a bicycle over a car.

How Your Donation is Used (100% Impact)

Your support directly funds our core community programs, which we use to prove that sustainable mobility is possible right now:

Community Bike Workshops (Cicloficina): Free sessions providing tools, repair training, and community spaces to keep people riding.

Bike Bus to school: Volunteer-guided group rides ensuring children can cycle safely to school while reducing local car dependency.

Bike Buddy Program: One-to-one mentoring where experienced volunteers accompany adult beginners on their daily commutes to build route confidence.

School Outreach: Instilling early habits in children to view the bicycle as a legitimate, desirable mode of transport. We are working with the schools and the council to ensure every child learns how to ride a bike.

Institutional Advocacy: Keeping the pressure, highlighting the urgency and working with the City Council to ensure safe, connected cycling infrastructure becomes the rule, not the exception.

Empowering the Next Generation: enabling massive "Kidical Mass" rides for over 100 children at a time, working hand-in-hand with local schools and police to make safe streets a reality for kids.

Building Community on Two Wheels: Supporting grassroots, decentralized initiatives like regular "Critical Mass" rides, allowing everyday citizens to experience the joy, comfort, and safety of cycling together.

Breaking Barriers to Mobility: Championing true inclusivity and equity across all social, demographic, and gender lines, ensuring that sustainable transit is accessible to everyone in our community.

Make a Lasting Impact: Become a Member

Whether you give €5, €20, or €100, every euro stays in the community to equip volunteers and run programs.

If you want to support our mission long-term, please consider becoming a friend or our association by registering as a member. There is no fixed fee to join, but a strong membership base is vital: we are working to become a recognized Environmental NGO (ONGA) in Portugal, which will unlock critical public funding and policy influence.

Help us carry this message from Viana do Castelo all the way to the plenary halls of COP31—and right back into the streets of our hometowns where it belongs!

Thank you for supporting this bold adventure for the people and the planet.

The Viana Ciclavel Team

visit our Viana Ciclável Linktree.

https://linktr.ee/Vianaciclavel