Generic Touring Thread

Highly recommend this one I made in Suffolk - click here for ride report/pics

Can't help with the latter I'm afraid

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28830776

Just came back from the Cotswolds and loved it. 1.5h from Paddington!

My girlfriend isn't too fond of hills either and she found this to be the right amount (a few steep ones in there though)

https://www.strava.com/activities/2402539660

Planning on a trip from Cherbourg round to Dieppe taking in the D-Day beaches. It looks straightforward but any advice re campsites or places to avoid.

Municipal campsites are the way to go
http://www.camping-municipal.org

Thanks @platypus, that looks like a nice route. Was it easy to find spots to sleep along the way?

Do you think 50mm tyres are good for the tracks?

Without being too crass, once you've got used to shiting in a hole a few times, and If you adhere to the pitch late, once you are inside tent it's not much different to solo wildcamping as a man. (sandwich-bag out paper)

Girlfriend occasionally gets 'the fear' at 2 or 3 but it's usually just a small mammal, or night bird.

Yes, very easy to find spots. 50mm tyres would be more than capable. Enjoy it!

Anyone got any advice for Pacific North West of US? I'm looking at booking flights to go out there in the next week or so, for 8-10 weeks. I've previously done a road trip from Vancouver -> LA so not that bothered about the big cities and would like to spend more time in the national or state parks.

Looks like I might have to fly to Vancouver (from Manchester) and then head south into Washington and then Oregon.

I'm not sure whether it's worth flying back home from the North West or go down the coast to SF or LA and fly home from there (to London or Manchester)

Anybody done similar or have any advice? Cheers

Have you searched back on this thread? There are a few comments from tours a few years ago such as this: https://www.lfgss.com/comments/13197104/ as I remember reading them and being very impressed!

Ah yes - just after posting that I found KT_Bee and PhilPub's posts about that area - there's a lot to read up on, thanks

Looking at a last minute mini tour from oxenholme station, has anyone got any recommendations of routes? Currently planning to swing by the coast before heading up to windemere, Coniston, maybe stop in Ambleside area, then head to kentmere before heading back. Im aiming to do between 150-180km over the 2 days, with lots of stopping to look at things etc. I know the area from walking,
but never cycled.

This ride is lovely and I would definitely recommend incorporating as much of it as you can into your plans. Personally I'd stay West for as long as possible and spend time riding around Eskdale, Wastwater, Ennerdale etc as its so beautiful and so much quieter than the rest of the Lakes but, basically, most of it is beautiful so very hard to go wrong...

https://www.cyclinguk.org/route/broughton-wheelers-lakes-loop-cumbria-cycling-plus

Ace Thanks.

Have a pair of big Altura Orkneys coming up for sale soon. in grey - any interest here ? Could probably throw in a cheap barbag - 50 or so.

I've done both. I'd climb it every times.

Wasn't sure where to put this, but it's pretty cool: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/13/break-the-cycle-britains-oldest-off-road-club?

Touring/VISA/ESTA query.

In September I’m flying to Vancouver then cycling to San Francisco.

From what I understand I don’t need to apply for anything before entering Canada?

What do I need to do before attempting to enter the USA?

I thought I needed a ESTA but it says travellers arriving by air or sea need an ESTA.... I’ll be crossing the border from Canada.

I’ve never been to the states before so am a complete novice in relation to their border rules.

Thanks in advance.

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https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1132/~/citizen-of-visa-waiver-country%2C-wants-to-drive-into-u.s.-from-canada-or-mexico%2C

So you may be OK

Excellent, thanks for that.

I needed an eTA when I flew to Canada. Didn’t realise before hand so had to do it as I was waiting to check in.

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/eta.html

Ah, I must have read the wrong section last time I looked. Yes I’ll be needing one of those, thanks for the heads up.

Also, if I were you I'd get the ESTA as well. I appreciate you may not need it but in my experience the agents at the border crossings south of Vancouver (both US and Canadian ones) can be quite variable in their approach to how they handle you. I've had them wave me through after I washed my passport and my visa stamp had gone and had them make me go and wait in a line for two hours despite having my ESTA AND a visa stamp from my original arrival.

More documentation can't hurt and it's only 14 dollars.

I appreciate my statement about the capriciousness of the border people undermines my statement a bit

I flew back from Denver after going through Washington, Montana and Wyoming (and a day in Colorado). Very cheap flights back with Norwegian.

I did the same and got an ESTA and an ETA.