Skinny goes Touring. Bike and gear.

Day 8 is particularly striking: the route from Glasgow to Ft William is lovely, full of lakes and winding roads. The kind of place you should enjoy instead of rushing through (Glen Coe is probably the highlight of that route and it's likely you'll get there when there's little daylight left).

ps — nice trip!

Lochs, not lakes.

the A82 out of glasgow is not the best cycling route. Glen Coe is awesome though. An alternative is taking a ferry to Dunoon and following one of the routes along the west coast up to Loch Leven. Much quieter and fantastic views out to the islands.

I guess if you are wanting to get into the highlands quickly then it's ok but I would definitely try to pass through Glen Coe before dark. Head for the Clachaig Inn!

Any trip to Scotland should mandate a visit to Loch Lomond, especially in late autumn when the colours will be astounding, and avoiding the A82 out of Glasgow is pretty straightforward. They've made huge improvements to the loch side road, including dedicated cycle paths, and there will be less traffic in October/November. Most of the traffic heads across to Arrochar at Tarbert anyway. Although that route itself is worth considering, Arrochar is a hidden gem in terms of scenery, and the climb up to the Rest and Be Thankful is beautiful.

Dunoon is a shit hole and best avoided.

Day 8a you are going to go on my dad's ferry.

Do 8a not 8. Will be more scenic.

See above.

Dunoon isn't great, but unless you are stopping off you won't see much of it. Rest and be Thankful is great though. I maybe inured to the charms of Loch Lomond through familiarity.

Meh. Six of one half a dozen of the other. It all beats the shit out of anything down here.

He said, he said.

Where to go!? Ha

I spent most of my childhood not far from Loch Lomond and still don't tire of the views.

My favourite remains the view of the south end of the Loch, from the road up to Stoneymollan farm;

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Balloch&hl=en&ll=56.000733,-4.597392&spn=0.013895,0.035791&sll=51.48931,-0.08819&sspn=0.495098,1.145325&oq=balloch&hnear=Balloch,+West+Dunbartonshire,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=15

You can see the Highland Fault coming across from the west, then across the Loch and out the other side. Amazing.

If you go through Yorkshire try following most of the route of the Etape Du Dales. Looks like your planned Yorkshire route already covers some of it.

Also, you might as well just catch a train to Skipton and go North from there (unless you are going to Wales). There is nothing to see in the South.

To be really honest, there are more beautiful parts of Wales. If I were you I would ride up over the Beacons and then via Rhayader > Elan Valley > take the Aberystwyth road at the top of the Elan Valley. That would really be the most stunning ride - the loop around the Elan Valley is one of my favourite routes anywhere in the world.

I know you're a really strong rider, but I've ridden extensively in Wales (my Mum has a house there and half my family is from there) - it is really tough. 100k there is like a very hard 170k in Surrey/Kent.

This and this.

Etape du Dales really is the best Yorkshire has to give. Maybe miss out the Coal Road, would not like to tackle that fully loaded.

And Yorkshire miles are very similar to Welsh miles. Bumpy.

As a general observation; having a pre-defined route is fine but always be prepared to change it as you go. The best tours I've done have been the ones where we know where we need to be that evening and start out in the morning with an idea of the route, then changed it due to the weather, or traffic or what looks interesting.

7 hours a day is easily do-able too, even with food stops, pausing to take the view etc. I don't know if you've read any of Jobst Brandt's accounts of his trips in the Alps, but he does huge daily distances so must in the saddle for 10 or more hours.

scotland favourites:

A836 Tain, Bonar Bridge, Lairg to Tongue

A897 Helmsdale to Halladale Bridge

Also, you might as well just catch a train to Skipton and go North from there (unless you are going to Wales). There is nothing to see in the South.

What about most of Devon and Cornwall, large swathes of Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Kent and Sussex? An area I've only touched upon, the Welsh Borders, looks amazing.

Isn't part of the plan to see more of the country? Sometimes you need to see the dull bits to appreciate the best bits.

Yeah - I was trolling.

I'm wondering if I really need panniers and a front rack.

Or if I can just stuff everything in a large drybag and then the sleeping back in a sea2summit compression sack and the tent and strap it all via a bungee to the rear rack. Seems simpler, easier and less stuff. As i don't think i'll be taking much stuff.

Scoble? What do you think?

I only plan on taking, that I won't be wearing cycling

**Wearing
**bib shorts
merino top
jersy
softshell
socks
shoes spd
hat
helmet
gloves
sunglasses

**Not wearing
**
Down jacket small
goretex jacket small
Shoes
Light trousers
Merino top
leg warmers
socks 1 spare pair
gloves 1 spare pair

cooker
pot & mug
little food

powerpack
chargers

toothbrush
toothpaste
wash gel
vasaline

Sleeping bag separately
Tent separately

Akin to this;

Skinny, if you have rear rack anyway, why not have a basic pannier that's going to weigh 300g or so? All your stuff will fit in there. If you need to bungee more to the top of your rack, you can do that too.

Mudguards!

I agree. Ignore Ed's advice about front panniers only, ditch the front rack and use rear panniers. I think you might struggle to carry food etc without.

Also: one pair of bibshorts? Is that wise?

Given the time of year, I'd take two pairs of bibshorts and some leg warmers or tights.

Take another pair of socks - wet feet bad for morale!

Yeah, the list is crude.
I'll take legwarmers. And knee warmers. As if it's not cold but raining then less is better. One nanoflex bibshorts and one assos one, so 2. Couple pairs of gloves, so I can swap them out if my hands get cold.

+1 one socks.
Maybe a woolen cap?

have you thought about planning a clothes and environment changing rota?

how are you going to get from wet to dry, from dirty to clean, and keep it up for a month?

+1 for exploring Loch Lomond. Also, once you're up as far as Lochcarron, you should head over west to Applecross, you wont regret it and it will take you over this - Cycling Bealach na Ba and Kayaking at Applecross - May 2012 - YouTube

R

Been away in wales on holday, but progress this week.

I tink I'm going to need 1 pannier and then put the rest on the rack, this is simply due to the size of the 3season sleeping bag, that I doubt I'll regreat when it's minus cold at night.

Started to pile everything together, not all there yet, still picking up little bits.
If it weren't for the sleepingbag and mat, I'd have very little stuff really.

List of bits

Tent
Sleeping bag

• Sea 2 summit dry/compression bag
  self inflating mat
  
• compression bag
  msr rocket
  alpkit pot
  alpkit mug
  alpkit cutlrey
  lighter
  fuel cannister
  
• alpkit drybag
  
  

2x merino baselayer
gore cycle top
castelli nano bib shorts
assos bib short
leg warmer no rain
knee warmer (don't like leg warmers, unless it's cold and rain)
goretex jacket
rapha softshell
-edscoble dry bag

2 merino socks
shimano mw81 shoe

defeet wool gloves
waterproof gloves
gore countdown
silk liners

oakley sunglasses
merino hat
merino scalf
helmet

hope front light
cateye rear

charger
battery pack
2x garmin 800
nokia 105 - phone and radio
book or 2

Salomon goretex shoe
walking trousers
marino leg baselayer
uniqlo light down
small light towel
toothbrush
toothpaste
all in 1 wash

pump
3x spare inner tube (don't want to fix them during the day)
quick links
glue
rubber strips pre cut
1x gear cable
1x brake cable
lube

swiss knife

Seems like a lot now I written it out. Any adjustments? Suggestions?

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I ummed and arrd over what shoes for a while. I think SPD will be best so I can walk a bit too when looking for somewhere to camp etc. And I think goretex mw81 are good idea so I don't need overshoes and my feet should stay dry/warm.
I would like to take SPD-SL but don't think it's best idea. The shimano seem really comfy and warm just in the house. As they would!

multi tool, zip ties and electrical tape?

What more can a man need?

If you fit 2 rear lights you don't need to stop and waste time changing batteries when one runs flat.

multi tool, zip ties and electrical tape?

Yup actually included. Just not witten down.

Back light idea is good, but only one.