What's your 2010 tour?

Jonny_road

Hi,

It's that time of year where the rain starts to get to us and the planning begins for the next tour. I'm sat surrounded by maps and have been on every cheap flight web site I can think off to get inspiration for my 2010 tour. I have a 2 week trip booked in July, cycling the route des grandes Alpes from Geneva to Nice but would like to do a week long tour as well.

So my question is what will your 2010 tour be our where would you recommend for a week long tour?

Jonny

Baybash

It's not a recommendation but I'm doing London to Cologne in May. Stopping at Bruges, Brussels, Maastricht then Cologne. Looking forward to some flat cycling,beers and plenty of moules et frites

harpo

West Coast of Scotland. Oban on ferry to Mull then down to campsite at Fidden, then up to Calgary bay (wild camp) and or onto Tbermory (balamory) then ferry onto Ardnamurchan, campsite at Ormsaigmore and day trip over to sanna bay, then onto Strontian and up oiver a killer hill to Lochaline if you want to go back to mull then oban or over to the mainland at Coran or possibly up to Fory William then back to Oban.

jc4lab

Romantic Highway - Germany + others

waltho bum gravy

I'm looking at Corsica. Bastia to Ajaccio. Still can't work out whetehr to go through the middle or to take in some of the coast roads. Assommodation might end up being the thing that decides it as there may be 3 of us or there may be 5 of us.

hisoka

I'm unsure, it will be only my third tour. But I think I will get a train to somewhere in europe and then just ride home. I don't know where yet, Germany might call to me, or Portugal. All depends on how I feel I think

Cycling Dave

I'm thinking of either just flying to Rome and riding around Italy, or flying somewhere like Greece and cycling home. It depends on whether I can get 6 weeks or two months off.

I like the idea of cycling around italy though.

Why would riding in Germany be any good? Serious question.

David

peter_andrew

What about a week size chunk of north sea route
http://www.northsea-cycle.com/default.a ... u=2&lang=1

I am thinking of a large chunk for my first ever tour
:shock:
Peter

andrew@snowrace

Hi first time for me and my 4 companions we're riding from Wales via Portsmouth Le havre to the Pyrenees taking 10 days to do about 650 miles maps are out now route planning, first 4 days are just about there. Andy

DubaiNeil

@ Waltho

I'm looking at Corsica. Bastia to Ajaccio. Still can't work out whetehr to go through the middle or to take in some of the coast roads.

I've been motorcycling in Corsica in the past, and would respectfully point out the following:

The coast road is quite narrow (or rather, was when I was there approx 6 years ago!) and driven at high speed by the locals, so quite dangerous IMHO

The central area is a fairly barren wasteland (although I was there just after they had really bad forest fires) and DAMN hot. We hit certain plains where it felt that the oven door had been left open!

The towns are superb though, and the people friendly (although the French are Moto-friendly anyway...)

We went from Bastia to Porto Vecchio, to Bonifacio, then to Calvi, and back to Bastia for the ferry back to Nice.

Neil

oilyribbons

going back to Venice from Gloucester in May. Aiming to do it a lot quicker this time- 8 days or less hopefully. Here's my last attempt www.pedallingtoitaly.blogspot.com

Then coming back, again, in Augsust, for my parents' 65th, then back out to Venice again until, well, not sure

Then it's Australia next year!!!

jibi

Next year I have given up the wheels and will be walking to Bejiing..anyone fancy a stroll????
tailwinds

cavasta

How about the Sustrans Lon Las Cymru - Anglesey to Chepstow/Cardiff. Spectacular scenery all the way, with plenty of castles and decent pubs along the way. All on your doorstep.

http://www.sustransshop.org.uk/products ... ymru-north
and
http://www.sustransshop.org.uk/products ... ymru-south

I've done this a few times now and it never fails to challenge and satisfy.

Wallace1492

harpo wrote:

West Coast of Scotland. Oban on ferry to Mull then down to campsite at Fidden, then up to Calgary bay (wild camp) and or onto Tbermory (balamory) then ferry onto Ardnamurchan, campsite at Ormsaigmore and day trip over to sanna bay, then onto Strontian and up oiver a killer hill to Lochaline if you want to go back to mull then oban or over to the mainland at Coran or possibly up to Fory William then back to Oban.

I did a lot of that in September. From Glencoe (left car) took Corran ferry, down to Strontian, well left before there, and up and over to Lochaline, then ferry to Mull and camped at Craignure. Next dat round Mull, passed Gribben, and over to Salen (chickened out of Calgary due to time and really bad weather) and up to Tobermory. Took a B&B there, again terrible weather. Next day ferry to Ardnamurchan and along through Strontian and back to Corran Ferry.

Have stayed at Campsite on Ardnamurchan, and it has superb views of Mull, though was just car camping but had MTB for exploring an did Sanna bay and the Lighthouse, superb beach and views. Watch out for the wind and Midges!!

xilios

We're planning a six month 10000km tour around southern Europe. Details on our page.

waltho bum gravy

you jammy sod.

hisoka

I've been doing some looking and thinking, and planning, and going "oooooh" and I think I have decided.
Canada for me, Calgary to Vancouver. Yes, I seem to be picking places with so many mountains but the scenery looks awesome there!

DownUnder81

I agree with JC4LAB, the Romantic Road (die romantisches Straße) is amazing. Take your time and go from Würtzburg to Füssen. The East Sea Coast (die Östseeküste) from Flensburg to Rügen is great too... That is about a week long.

Have you done much of Scandinavia?

vernonlevy

The Pyrenees for me and some serious weight loss is called for.

Jonny_road

Some great ideas guys, I've only ever toured in Europe so will be looking into going further a field. Had my eye on the North sea route for a while now so thats a possibility and a chance to take in some of Scandinavia.

Calgary to Vancouver looks like an amazing ride, how easy is it to get out to Calgary?

Pezmaldo

Hello, What a coincidence, I'm also cycling the Route de Grandes Alpes this summer and I'm doing it with someone called Jonny, but his surname is Burton not Road.

mididoctors

hopefully a credit card loop of the alps riding from London and back the whole way..septemberish

hisoka

Jonny_road wrote:

Some great ideas guys, I've only ever toured in Europe so will be looking into going further a field. Had my eye on the North sea route for a while now so thats a possibility and a chance to take in some of Scandinavia.

Calgary to Vancouver looks like an amazing ride, how easy is it to get out to Calgary?

That bit I am trying to find out still. Looking like BA is only real option, just got to find out their bike policy as I know it slightly changed of late.

Jonny_road

Yes, what a coincidence Andy, woops I mean pezmaldo.

The alps in September - are the cols passable that time of year?

mididoctors

Jonny_road wrote:

Yes, what a coincidence Andy, woops I mean pezmaldo.

The alps in September - are the cols passable that time of year?

usually but maybe not this year..

going to find out I guess

May June is worse in my experience for the really high ones

Crapaud

hisoka wrote:

I've been doing some looking and thinking, and planning, and going "oooooh" and I think I have decided.
Canada for me, Calgary to Vancouver. Yes, I seem to be picking places with so many mountains but the scenery looks awesome there!

It's stunning! Don't forget your camera, loads of batteries and memory cards. I didn't take enough memory cards and regreted it. Still, a good excuse to go back.

blackrockracer

Calgary airport is quite well serviced by airlinnes from the UK. My last trip out thhere was with Fly Zoom. Te ride from Calgary to Vancouver is fantastic , mountains at the start then lots of smaller and harder hills after the rockies . The scenery is something else too. Picture postcard stuff all the way . We cycled on average about 100miles per day for 10 days to reach Vancouver , i wish i could do it all again this year.

hisoka

Some good sounding advice there, I am looking at a 50 mile a day average for myseld due to lack of fitness and also I know I am a slow rider hehe.

So Blackrockracer how did you stop each night? did you camp? and what kinda route did you take too? If I can be that nosey to ask of course

blackrockracer

Camping ??? No way sir ! 10 of us on that trip , stayed in hotels and motels all the way. Was'nt overly expensive to do so back then . The route we took was roughly Calgary , Banff , Golden ,Revelstoke , Kelowna,Pentiction , Princeton , Hope, Vancouver. With a few detours along the way . It was actually easier than it thought it was going to be , the area around Kelowna and Pentiction is fantastic , it was very warm (august) lots of lakes and great for swimming. If you need any more info just give me a shout.

Splottboy

After busted femur in 2008, I've been "planning" a Tri, to raise funds for the N.Wales Air Ambulance. 1,Canoe or swim to Newborough, Anglesey.
2. Meet Mrs with road bike, ride thro Anglesey, then onto mainland,
3. Do Snowdonia loop,
4. Change to Mtb - isn't the Mrs great? - then do some Mtb riding back to Caernarfon.
5. Run/jog finish.
Miles Total : 2 - 4 swim/canoe, 60 - 80 road, 5 - 10 Mtb. Jog 3 - 5 miles.

Lots of people willing to assist/help out, but injuries still persisting two years later.
Please God, get me better for 2010...

FatLarry

I'm doing the Raid Pyrenean in September. Woo-hoo!