René used leave for a special cycling journey: ‘I did it for the experience’

A giant pan of paella

At the end of May 2023, René departed from his hometown of Zeeland in North Brabant for his nearly 2,800-kilometer cycling journey through Belgium, France, the Pyrenees, and northern Spain. He chose to go alone. “It seemed like a good mental reset. When you’re alone, you don’t have to accommodate anyone, and you connect with others more easily.” That expectation came true. “After two days, I had completely let go of work. On the road, I met many pilgrims, all with the same goal of reaching Santiago. That created a sense of unity.”

He especially felt that bond around the hostels where he stayed. “One evening in northern Spain, I ended up on a plaza with eleven strangers, all sitting around a table with a giant pan of paella. Suddenly we realized we represented twelve different nationalities. Truly special.” His knee pain did return once during the trip, in southern France. “I took a rest day and some anti-inflammatories. It was an unpleasant moment, but luckily I was fine the next day.”

René recalls entering Spain as one of the highlights. “From Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port onward, I enjoyed the natural beauty and started seeing more and more Santiago walkers on my route. That strengthened the sense of camaraderie.” Arriving at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela was unforgettable. “I had goosebumps on my arms, because I had reached my goal. After that, I continued cycling to the village of Cabo Finisterre, which medieval pilgrims believed to be ‘the end of the worl..’ There, I watched the sun set into the sea. An indescribable feeling.”

Lucky and admirable

Along the way, René kept his family, friends, and Radboud colleagues updated through the Polarsteps app. “They were really involved. Even now, people often tell me what a great accomplishment it was. But I averaged only about 80 kilometers per day. If you take it easy, almost anyone can do it. I met a Dutch couple aged 76 who were cycling the same route. That’s what I call admirable.”

René is already thinking about his next cycling adventure. “Maybe to Rome next year. That route is supposed to be beautiful too.” He highly recommends using Radboud’s generous leave policy for such a cycling trip. “Of course, you have to enjoy cycling. Along the way, I met walking Americans who had quit their jobs to do the Santiago journey. In that sense, we’re lucky with the generous leave arrangements at Radboud University. I’m increasingly aware that you shouldn’t postpone your dreams, you never know how much time you have left. I wouldn’t have missed this experience for anything.”

Have you been inspired by Rene and would you also like to use your leave for your personal purpose? Check your leave balance here.

Did you use your holiday leave for a hobby, a special trip or something else and would you like to tell about it? Send an e-mail to communicatie [at] ru.nl (communicatie[at]ru[dot]nl)!