Search found 44 matches

by kawa9999
30 Apr 2015, 12:45pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: UK or Ireland this year?
Replies: 5
Views: 1000

UK or Ireland this year?

Hi,
as every year we are in process of deciding where will we be traveling this year.
A few facts:
- we have round about 4 weeks
- we are bound to travel middle July to middle August
- I think round about 1000/1200 miles
- we start from South Germany (by Plane we can fly to London)

One of the options we were evaluating was to fly to London (because we have some people there which could store the bike cardboxes).
From there either go west, cross from Wales to Ireland, take a tour of ireland, and then cross back from Dublin and go back to London.
But if you have suggestions of other possible tours, even completely different, we are open.
Other options would be switzerland/France (all the way east to West across to Brest) or East Europe (Hungary/Romania).

Taking a Train here and there if it gets too long is also fine.

I have not a clue at all what to expect in UK/Ireland in regards to
- climate (is it really raining that much? We do not like much rain, I mean from time to time is fine, rain multiple days is not much fun)
- roads (traffic, scenery)
- costs for eating and rooms/camping (is it really that expensive)
- how "interesting" is the scenery?

I get the feeling that UK/Ireland is someway much less frequented than let's say France.
France would be the easies logistically, but I have a feeling it would be someway boring.

Regarding our interests:
- Nature and scenery
- not much in cities or architecture or history
- the less people the better
- we like smaller roads with beatiful scenery, animals and so
- did I mention nature? :wink:

For our background, we have some photos of our Tours on our page to get an Idea: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Withthis ... 9666345700

Do you have any advice?
Any Suggestion on possible tours?
I tried to look for some tour reports but did not find much.
Thanks a lot !!!!
manuel
by kawa9999
1 Apr 2015, 2:49pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: cycling to Italy
Replies: 12
Views: 5180

Re: cycling to Italy

Hi,
we passed twice the Appenini last year.
One was was basically Parma to Aulla (near La Spezia), passo cisa. Very nice, but I suggest you to take the smaller road via felino calestano berceto, it hast almost no traffic and is very very nice. From Berceto on you can take the SR62 up to the pass.
The other we did was Genova to Piacenza. here there are a lot of tunnels between Passo Scoffera to genova.
So we did take the "old road" which was the one being used before they built the big new one. Again almost free of traffic, very very nice and very nice scenery.
That is from genova - you follow the Bisagno river upstream, but just after Struppa, you get out of the main road and head toward davagna. there is a little steep ascent there (depends which way you go) but it is nothing dramatic. Then you follow the road up to passo Scoffera.
From passo scoffera, laccio, cugne, torriglia, costafontana, montebruno, then all the way down to piacenza. This way you will not have almost any tunnel. Road is also very nice. You basically follow SP62.
We got both suggestions from locel cyclist and local people.

Manuel
by kawa9999
1 Apr 2015, 2:34pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Sardina
Replies: 13
Views: 3901

Re: Sardina

Hi,
we did last year Corsica and north Sardinia in September.
Weather was quite good, well actually even too hot, towards 30 degrees.
You can have a look at some photos here:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?tag_mode=all&sort=relevance&user_id=14297862%40N07&tags=sardegna&view_all=1

We did Santa teresa di gallura, Castelsardo, Porto Torres, Stintino, Alghero.
Castelsardo was very nice.
Stintino probabl one of the nicest beaches I have ever seen in my life.
On the Coast there were campings everywhere, as it is quite touristic. In September there was always place.

manuel
by kawa9999
9 May 2014, 7:55am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bikes on Trains in Turkey
Replies: 4
Views: 3615

Re: Bikes on Trains in Turkey

I also don't think you can put the bike on trains i Turkey.
Anyway, I confirm that Bus service is excellent. We used it twice last year for long trips (once about 6 hours, once I think about 10), and that was no big problem.
As for the company, we did both times take Metro, which was pretty good. Bus was quite big, you get drinks and something to eat, in both cases, we could put the whole bike in the bus luggage space.
Just had to take off the bags from the bike, and could put the whole bike in the bus.
by kawa9999
17 Mar 2014, 9:22am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: What did you forget?
Replies: 28
Views: 8941

Re: What did you forget?

I still remember that evening when we arrived at the camping site (I think it was somewhere in Slovenia, in the countryside, middle of nowhere) arranged to get a place for the tent, unpacked everyhing and started mounting the tent, only to find out that we did only carry the outer layer of the tent, no tent inner, no poles, no nothing.


Once we also forgot somehow to bring the lid of the cooking pot. I still remember searching all the hardware store, no way you could just buy the lid. Cooking spaghetti took ages, till we found some "alternative" solution.
by kawa9999
4 Mar 2014, 2:51pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bar Ends Cable routing
Replies: 14
Views: 7790

Re: Bar Ends Cable routing

Thanks :wink:
by kawa9999
4 Mar 2014, 10:34am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bar Ends Cable routing
Replies: 14
Views: 7790

Re: Bar Ends Cable routing

Hi,
yes that is what I meant.

I have currently more or less like this:
http://home.comcast.net/~dont_think/pics/IMG_0442.jpg
I want it like this:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7ZVM09nSdLg/S-7qXSQbGzI/AAAAAAAABPM/cGWHcV2638I/s1600/SANY0146.JPG

But I fear heving issues with shifting because of cable routing.
by kawa9999
3 Mar 2014, 3:51pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Bar Ends Cable routing
Replies: 14
Views: 7790

Bar Ends Cable routing

Hi,
anyone using bar ends shifters with cables completely wrapped under the bar tape?
Any issue with shifting?
I have currently Shimano 9 speed bar end shifter with cables routed the old way on my drop bars (just a few centimeters under the bar tape, but plan to mount a front rack, and would like to have the cables all under the tape, unless I do get troubles with shifting.
Thanks!
by kawa9999
24 Feb 2014, 9:29am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Anybody cycled through Bosnia?
Replies: 11
Views: 8054

Re: Anybody cycled through Bosnia?

Hi,
we did Ploce-Mostar-Sarajevo-and then further on to Nis in Serbia last summer on the way to Istanbul.
We did not have any sort of problems, just be prepared to some (sometimes pretty long) tunnels, and quite a heavy traffic (cars and trucks) on the Ploce-Sarajevo road. Lights were for us a must-have.
Scenery is very nice, food is cheap. Food an bakeries pretty much available everywhere, accomodation only in some cities (not necessarly related to the size of the city), anyway quite cheap. We had a map prepared via Google before leaving, to see in shich cities there was accomodation. I do not remember seeing almost any Camping, except in the coastal area.
If you can and you love mountains you can think of secondayry roads, but I would not adventure too much on offroad sections alone. Be aware there are some land mines still laying around, anyway if you stick to the roads there is no problem.
People outside major cities speak little or no english, but we managed it someway. Be prepared that sometimes the road can get pretty steep.
I would avoid if possible the Ivan tunnel south of Sarajevo, take the old road few hundreds meter north of it.
If you need some more specific informations, fee free to ask. Balcan is wonderful, one of the best places we have been.
manuel
by kawa9999
24 Feb 2014, 9:18am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Touring in Japan
Replies: 9
Views: 14416

Re: Touring in Japan

For the language problems something like this could be helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EHaczJ30vc

That will not work anyway for City names :-)
by kawa9999
30 Jan 2014, 12:43pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Venice to Nice via Switzerland
Replies: 13
Views: 12878

Re: Venice to Nice via Switzerland

20th of June should be pretty good, the summer season will have just started, schools closes around 10th of june.
Anyway the weather could get pretty cold on the top of the passes, I do not think you should have snow there, but it could be fresh.
by kawa9999
30 Jan 2014, 7:48am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Venice to Nice via Switzerland
Replies: 13
Views: 12878

Re: Venice to Nice via Switzerland

I can definitely help if you need any basic informations. Just ask.
When do you plan to be there?
They do indeed all speak Intalian, as mostly italian is the official language. With some exceptions: Older people in small villages mostly speak diaclet, but still do understand and speak italian. I would say starting from bolzano more or less they will speak german and italian. In most of the touristic areas like dolomites the mostly speak german, italian and some english. In general if you have to ask for directions, most likely young people will speak english.
If you go in the summer it can be pretty hot, most supermakets and so close between 12:30 and 15:30.

The road I suggested you has indeed a couple nice hills, I think you will enjoy it.
by kawa9999
29 Jan 2014, 7:55am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Venice to Nice via Switzerland
Replies: 13
Views: 12878

Re: Venice to Nice via Switzerland

Hi,
just one more suggestion.
From Treviso Airport (I suppose you land there) to trichiana I would suggest you to take this way:

https://maps.google.it/maps?saddr=Via+Noalese&daddr=45.6771143,12.2135116+to:45.7522816,12.0848187+to:45.8628692,12.0338929+to:45.9756744,12.1752761+to:Strada+sconosciuta+to:46.200818,12.0303021+to:SR203&hl=it&ll=46.4783,12.047195&spn=0.206396,0.308647&sll=46.211675,12.036552&sspn=0.207405,0.308647&geocode=FSiguAIdph66AA%3BFTr6uAIdB126ACltZE5AsDd5RzEPhKO0Ea7pbw%3BFdkfugIdUma4ACkvaLzi0jp5RzGt7hZL0uDKjQ%3BFdXPuwIdZJ-3ACn1S7voHyJ5RzGeVmddVlLIUg%3BFXqIvQIdrMe5ACmRoRwkeRp5RzFJcXK4ED1TJA%3BFYIJvwId8Qa5AA%3BFfL3wAIdXpG3ACn_SQwYhVV4RzGtLyyHV4lwsA%3BFTwtwgIdtK23AA&mra=dpe&mrsp=6&sz=12&via=1,2,3,4,6&t=m&z=12

It is all on secondary small road with nice scenery, it is not the route I would take if I want to see all nice areas there, but it is the most direct one with staying on secondary roads.

For the second leg, be aware that Giau is a pretty steep beast. I did last summer Giau and forcella staulanza, and it was more than enough for me in 1 day. And, even if I am definitely no climber, I was on a lightweight bike.
Also keep in mind that in summer an especially during weekendsthere is quite a lot of traffic on those passes, especially one-day tourists and "wannabe Rossis" :wink:

Hope this helps.
manuel
by kawa9999
28 Jan 2014, 8:07am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Venice to Nice via Switzerland
Replies: 13
Views: 12878

Re: Venice to Nice via Switzerland

Hi,
I come from treviso so I know those first two streches quite well.

Venice (Treviso) to Selva di Cadora: S13, P34, P4, P635 to Trichiana for lunch. Then via Sedico, R203 via Agordo and Alleghe and P20 to stop at Selva di Cadora

Selva di Cadora Bolzano to Bolzano: via Passo Giau 2233m, Passo Valparola 2198m, Passo di Campolongo 1875m, Passeo Pordoi 2239m, to Canazei, via S48 to Vigo di Fassa and S241 to Bolzano.

I can give you some advice for smaller and much nicer roads, but from your description I have some difficulties to identify the exact path you want to follow.
I would definitely avoid like hell SS13, traffic is mad there, especially on working days. Lot of Trucks also.
In would also need to know if it is ok to have some small climbs. There are some very nice stretches you could take, but that is probably not the fastest way to get from A to B.
So from Treviso to Trichiana for example you could pass places like this instead of SS13:
http://img855.imageshack.us/img855/6892 ... nboldo.jpg
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4294298
by kawa9999
23 Jan 2014, 9:14am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Italy/Garda and the ~500 miles to get there, paths, GRs etc?
Replies: 14
Views: 20509

Re: Italy/Garda and the ~500 miles to get there, paths, GRs

Hi james,
well that is a lot of different options you have there.
If you fly to Innsbruck or Salzburg, then you want to have a look in google "transalp mtb" or "alpencross".
Sorry only in German: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transalp_% ... querung%29
There are many different routes across the alps, it a pretty popular thing to be done both with road bike as well as with MTB. Unfortuantely I do not have much experience on the MTB tracks, but I suppose you really need a MTB with just a few luggage.
I suggest you have a look here, maybe search for transalp: http://www.gps-tour.info/en/tracks/112.html
You can also filter the type of track you are looking for.
Just an example: http://www.gps-tour.info/en/tracks/detail.106140.html or http://www.gps-tour.info/en/tracks/detail.75016.html
If you prefer to use small roads, there are a couple of variants from Innsbruck, the Brenner I would not recommend it, lot of traffic. Alternatively, passo resia is very nice (http://www.gist.it/public/577405035Bici ... 0Resia.JPG)
If you are really into big mountains there is also passo rombo, but it goes up to 2500 m.
For both, better avoid weekends, especially during summer. As said, there also a lot of paths but these are really for MTB as far as I know.
From Bolzano, there is then a very nice cycle path, all the way to lago di garda. But if you go to paso resia I qould suggest you head south over to Merano, if you go to Bolzano there is one more pass inbetween.
From Salzburg, I think you either take the INN radweg, in the valley to Innbruck, or you go up into the mountains.
Alternatively, there is a very nice cycle path from Lienz to Bolzano, did it 3 years ago and it has some offroad sections but still easy.
If you fly to Bergano, then I think the shortest was is the PO plain, there is some kind of cycle path there, but it is all flat and maybe a little bit boring for you. Alternatively you have to head north in the mountains.
From Pisa you are in a totally different area, if you go to garda then you still get some mountains inbetween, the appennino, the last part anyway basically from modena/parma/bologna is flat. Are is also very nice, but kind of different than the alps.
Hope this helps.
manuel