Generic Touring Thread

Stay in Lourdes. Day loop to Tourmalet, and/or loop to Soulor and Aubisque, both around 100km.
http://www.lfgss.com/conversations/257821/#comment11936222

Bagnères-de-Bigorre. Most big climbs accessible from there. Stay in a small bed and breakfast called Allez Pyrénées.

Thanks @7VEN and @Philbythesea

Woops! I read you wrong and thought you were going the opposite way. Dunkirk - Dover - London is a full day inc the ferry.

The hills are avoidable if you stick to B roads (which may or may not be busy) but if you do get stuck in them, they're very short and steep and numerous. Annoying at the end of a journey with a boat to catch. You're going the opposite direction though so go for it!

One thing I've always wanted to do, and is on my bucket list. Is ride a pedalo from British coast to French coast and back. Think it would be awesome!

Though it's illegal. So would be dodgy.

Didn't Froome do a promo a while back TT-ing through the tunnel??

Yeah he did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeOeZxWiryM

So rad. Needs more Jaguars and motor homes.

Would be cool if they had a tunnel for cyclist always.

I would tour that erry weekend. Although some parts would creep the hell out of me.

Noting the little people in some of the pictures i the microadventure thread, I just got back from a 5 day tour of Lake Constance/Bodensee with my 9 year old. An organised jobbie I found in the back of the CTC magazine but absolutely great. Constance - Stein-Am-Rhein - Rheinfalls - Stein - Uberlingen - Langenargen - Arbon - Konstanz.
We did 170 miles, pretty much all on tracks/away from traffic, flat, beautiful, much lake swimming to cool off, decent grub, fresh cherries daily, great beer/wine, Zeppelin museum, couple of ferry trips. Would do again...

Definitely a bit of a bimble but if you are looking for something to do with a kid/kids involving a bit of touring/mayb ease them into it, I'd highly recommend it. Turns out all the stuff that end was organised by Radweg-Reisen (they have a webby).

Oh, and many many pratcical German bikes!

^ sounds rad. Saw a dad with 4 young kids in tow up in Scotland on a little tour last week, good dad.

Fantastic that. Will sub.

Speaking of, just did 16 days round the West Coast and the Isles. Fort William - Skye - Harris - Down Uist - Barra and then a couple days on Isla afterward.

The bikes and gear we took would make a lot of you weep but I value my relationship so decided to take a massive tent (6kg 3 man!). It was never going to be a lightweight tour with £35 mountain bikes off ebay so comfort > weight/speed. We got trapped in the tent some days from 4pm through to the next day so I feel vindicated...

Took too many spares/tools again but the bikes were half knackered at the beginning and they are now fully knackered so no choice.

Scotland is incredible.

My knee has totally seized up since coming back though, no pain at all on the bike but really stiff and painful to bend off it

Any ideas?

You epitomised what touring is and should be. Just getting out there to explore, with what you have.

That gravel road along the lake looks awesome.

It was awesome, it doesn't really go anywhere apart from a nasty 1:4 climb so no one really uses it apart from the loggers. Was bliss after the climb.

Just seen your TCR thread. Blimey, good luck

Pics of the bikes!

This was mine at its worst. Those £20 panniers have lasted six weeks of touring now, had serious ortlieb envy many times when we were away.

Must admit I did upgrade the handlebars and got a cheap v brake for us both. Learnt my lesson from last year, flat bars can be miserable

What? no midge??

yes yes yes yes

Smidge works a treat to stop them biting and then just have to htfu and get used to them buzzing about

Even the gentlest breeze blows them away so best sleep on the coast

Anyone had any experience with water sterilisation? Mainly looking at steripen, as the tablets leave a foul taste. http://www.steripen.com/compare/

Water source will be food grade rain water tanks.

I've been using a Travel Tap or Sawyer mini filter for the last year or so (after a friend had some unspeakable gut issues drinking straight from a stream in the Peaks). Travel Tap filter screws onto regular bottles if you're on the bike, it's a bit slow to use/drink from directly but does filter chemicals as well as all the creepy-crawly nasties - something handy when drinking from low level sources or farm areas.

The Sawyer mini can be run in-line with bottles/bladder, or pumped out of any soft bladder bag thing. Quicker but doesn't filter chemicals.

for three or four days b&b touring. How much luggage do people take?