Generic Touring Thread

Thinking about it! Would love to go Denmark...seems cash...

Just poking about RWGPS and spotted one route that mentioned Eurovelo.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38132197

I think only if you want something to eat and drink while you’re there…

I’ve booked the ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo for the coronation weekend. Three of us heading to Murcia (well one is going half way and getting the ferry back from Santander or Bilbao). It’ll be a camp/hostel trip with a very short break in Pamplona. I’ve booked a business class flight with BA back from Alicante, it’s €95 and includes 2x23 kg bags or 1 bag and a bike box.

Don't tell anyone but Eurovelopacking around Holland is the next craze after gravel. It's all the fun of gravel (no cars, spending loads of money on kit and flannel shirts) with the added advantage of not drowning in mud as soon as it rains.

It is fantastic, if I win the lottery (which is the plan) I will get a place in Durmitor. Guaranteed.

Will be cycling from Tours to Treignac in June (near Limoges). Should anybody have any recommended routes or places of interest to tie into the journey, please don't hesitate to make a suggestion! The whole journey looks delightful to be honest - that pure, unadulterated, effortless Frenchness that can only be achieved with the perfect ratio of ramshackle farm to sun-dappled forest .

Can recommend Loches as a nice place to stop off to the south east of Tours. I'm out that way at the end of May with my bike, so stay tuned for updates. That looks a great bit of the county to ride. Nothing ridiculous but some lovely undulating terrain.

How do people know what they're doing 5 months in advance? Incredible

Planning holidays is a great way to make winter a bit less painful and booking rail/ferries ahead sometimes makes them cheaper...

Cheers @ketsbaia, will stop by. The lack of excessive climbing is very appealing - much less fit than the last time I was touring.

@pastry_bot. It's my new years resolution to book a holiday more that 3days before I need to go on it.

https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/essays-culture/bike-touring-dream-job-nightmare/

As someone who conducts 12 mile city tours, I cannot relate to this. But I could have seen me falling for such a "dream job" scam as this a few years ago.

I got my MTB guiding qualification (the easy one) and did the three day course for the Level 3, absolutely way too much responsibility is what I discovered. After the consolidation period I decided it wasn't a job worth doing and never completed the 2 day assessment required.

I get stressed about the slight danger inherent in tackling a slow paced, widely traffic free ride on simple terrain within a relatively quiet city.

Anyway, touring on your own is hard enough, never mind dragging strangers around. I dont even want my friends there.

touring on your own is hard enough, never mind dragging strangers around. I dont even want my friends there.

Slightly off topic, but I thought this was an interesting point.

I’ve been thinking a bit about touring alone lately. A lot of people are dumbfounded when you tell them you’re going on a three week tour, solo. For me it began out of necessity; I didn’t really have anyone who was willing to join. So it became the norm for me, now almost seven years ago.

But last year I discovered that touring with someone who's on the same ‘wave length’ (both physically and mentally) can actually make some things easier, mainly when it comes to decision making (something I more often than not struggle with). It can also help with motivation.

Somewhat surprising to me, a feeling of ‘why am I doing this alone?’ came over me, when I set off on my own again from Leipzig after having toured with @Tijmen for five days prior. I still like touring solo and will continue to do so, but I’m definitely more open to sharing the experience with someone else now.

Most of my travelling (I'm lucky that is pretty extensive) has been alone. I'm an only child I don't know if that makes a difference but ultimately if I wait for company it'll never happen.

I find often that I wished someone was there to share certain experiences and loneliness was a real thing, more so when my mental health in general was on the floor. I've since solved that.

My only bike tour was 4 months and over all I'm heavily more in favour of the solo type with chance meetings along the way. Ups and down but they were mine alone, no having to worry about anyone else. Stop n push on as I please, it's invaluable to me. I now really appreciate my own company so I've worked out where I'm at, which is cool.

Edit: one thing that seems to sting in my memory is that a few of my friends that cycle a bit were asking about my exact route for the last leg home. I got it in my head that they'd join me at this certain point and no body was there. And when I got back, to my dad's house, he wasn't home either. I washed and sat in front of the TV like nothing happened. Was quite surreal.

Ups and down but they were mine alone, no having to worry about anyone else. Stop n push on as I please, it's invaluable to me.

This is definitely something I appreciate as well about touring alone. The amount of freedom to do as you please is fantastic.

Overcoming challenges alone also gives an extra sense of adventure and accomplishment to me personally. I wouldn't mind sharing the ups more with other people though.

Also when you're alone, you can swear and be moody as much as you want. Major advantage.

i no rite

If my missus wasn't so patient we'd never have completed the stuff we have. God knows what working with strangers would entail. I reckon I'd be ok keeping people in line and happy(ish) but the reviews I'd get would kill my business :)

When single, I think solo touring is great. You're more open to meeting people so you put yourself out there more. When in a relationship, going solo I find I'm a little bit sad I can't share some amazing things with my partner. So, good and bad to both, I reckon. Also, if you ride as a couple you tend not to be as open to meeting new people because you can exist in your own bubble a lot.

Wait, I'm not supposed to be moody, swearing arsehole when I'm riding with someone? Oh.

I've been riding with a lady friend recently, she's amazing (her palmares proves it) but ultimately quite a bit slower than me but it does seem to work quiet well. I put in efforts then ease off and stop or soft pedal at the top and we spend the flats together. I think her being a sweetheart, experienced and no ego are the main factors.

BUT on long distance touring it's not the riding its the down time, im a boring lazy bastard off the bike, so I'm sceptical about the success of that. I'm sure we'll find out...we have Rwanda pencilled in.

On the business side reviews are absolutely everything but when people turn up and physically cannot ride a bicycle...its challenging.

My missus is now quite strong on the bike so if I keep degrading at my current rate, she'll be waiting for me at the top of most climbs. I can still crush her on the flats but we just spent the year doing hilly shit so I didn't get to show off much. Off the bike, she just about tolerates me and I think I still recover better so she's probably lazier than me. :)

moody, swearing arsehole when I'm riding with someone

Feature, not a bug.

:-*

Sensational title, it would be a dream job for many and it sounds like she had some great memories. I could put up with a lot if being paid to cycle tour. Hippy you would be good at it!