Chilly trip

[al_yrpal]

I read this in The Telegraph's Android app and thought you'd like to see it:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking ... a-50-bike/

Al

[david7591]

Thanks; an interesting read.

[matt2matt2002]

Thanks
Nice link
What's it called? And a link to the actual route.

[horizon]

To make it interesting rather than just competent he had to ride a silly bike. But then he had a support vehicle. So I'm not quite sure now where the nub of it all was.

[mercalia]

if he had a support van then whats the big deal? just an exhibitionist? and the point.

Now there was a lady who cycled the road of bones, with a companion, there was a picture of her I saw totally enclosed in thick warm gear, must have been height of winter snow all over the place. shocking picture. made me shiver. maybe was in a cycle magazine, any one know the one I mean?

[matt_twam_asi]

Thanks
Nice link
What's it called? And a link to the actual route.

The Eurovelo 13: http://www.eurovelo.com/en/news-items/t ... tain-trail

http://www.eurovelo13.com/

[MartinBrice]

any one know the one I mean?

almost certainly Helen Lloyd
http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/helen-lloyd/ is an interview.
her website is suspended now, maybe she's settled down into the humdrum. Knowing her, I doubt it.

[mercalia]

any one know the one I mean?

almost certainly Helen Lloyd
http://www.alastairhumphreys.com/helen-lloyd/ is an interview.
her website is suspended now, maybe she's settled down into the humdrum. Knowing her, I doubt it.

yes shes the one and the picture of her all wrapped up riding along a deserted frozen up road at the end

[John-D]

To make it interesting rather than just competent he had to ride a silly bike. But then he had a support vehicle. So I'm not quite sure now where the nub of it all was.

Support vehicle? As in his wife joined him for a few days?

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my SM-G930F using hovercraft full of eels.

[horizon]

To make it interesting rather than just competent he had to ride a silly bike. But then he had a support vehicle. So I'm not quite sure now where the nub of it all was.

Support vehicle? As in his wife joined him for a few days?

Well yes. Car, carrying his luggage etc etc. She didn't join him on his bike ride AFAIK. Massive difference IMV. I would have thought the interesting point is how he survived the loneliness, dealt with problems alone, relied on the local people, kept up his morale, dealt with being separated from family and friends and lived to tell the tale, not how he rode a silly bike in the snow with his wife somewhere in the neighbourhood in a car.

In mid-morning my support crew would pass by with a deranged volley of toots, or without one if my sober and focused son was at the wheel (in fairness, this wasn’t just his introduction to driving on the wrong side of the road: since passing his test the month before, he had yet to drive on the right one).

Many flat and easy kilometres later I would arrive at our overnight stop to find the two of them warming up the sauna or lighting the fire, and on one memorable occasion, speeding across the ice on a dog sled.

I'm not saying he didn't have a tough time earlier in his trip, I'm just saying that I lost a sense of what he was trying to achieve. The bike is a red herring but then it gives him something amusing to write about (he's an excellent writer IMV). But there, you see - I've lost it again: is this an amusing tale or a report on an amazing achievement? I don't think it's both.