Cycling UK Forum

Thanks Patrick - and thanks especially for the link to your other photos/article. Really making me impatient now!

John Gray

eileithyia wrote:I guess ultimately it comes down to why you are (or are becoming) vegetarian.
If it is for health reasons then the moral issues are not necessarily part of the equation.
If it is for moral reasons then clearly all aspects of food production need to be considered, ie can you be a morally objecting vegetarian and yet still drink cow's milk/products ( remember the calf has been taken from it's mother so you may have the benefit of the milk).
yes ok I am playing devil's advocate again.

Good questions, and I know there are totally committed vegetarians/vegans who avoid animal products completely, and who would no doubt regard me as a lightweight, but I simply take a common sense approach, try not to let it restrict me too much. I don't eat any meat/fish/ whatever; I do drink milk, eat cheese, wear leather shoes, and a few other things. I use Worcester Sauce (which contains anchovies) - it really is too much hassle to seek out alternatives. Although I do know they exist, they are not on the shelves at the local shops. I take the view that any effort to protect animals is better than no effort at all.

And here is a story which caused much hilarity in my family. Cycling the North Sea Route through France /Belgium a couple of years back with a friend, Sunday afternoon, we spied a cafe/bar open and thought we would stop for lunch. We ordered a couple of drinks and I summoned up my meagre French to ask about sandwiches. No bread available was the reply - 'cherchez la boulangerie'! 'Mais c'est Dimanche' I replied. (Find a bakery - but its Sunday!) This was met with the famous Gallic shrug, but a few minutes later I saw the lady send a man out and he returned with bread from somewhere ! Then a plate of ham sandwiches arrived at our table. We could not possibly refuse such generosity, of course. But they were difficult to eat.

John Gray

Thanks for the info guys. My plans have firmed up a bit now. I intend to fly Easyjet to Copenhagen and cycle across to Tonder (in SW Jutland) and loop back by a different route. I am a committed hosteller, so will be designing my route accordingly. Only a couple of small worries to deal with - the train, Korsor/Nyborg and back again, where bicycle reservations seem to be required, but of course I can't be quite certain what time I will reach there; and my usual concern about the availability of vegetarian food. Otherwise, already excited, and looking forward to visiting a new country!

John Gray

PS - i'nt CTC brilliant!

I am planning to visit Denmark at the end of August (Tonder Folk Festival, for folkies among you). Before I start looking into routes and accommodation, I could use some advice on getting there! Is the ferry the preferred option? Harwich - Esbjerg, or is there another route I don't know about? Flying? I am in Lancashire, and Tonder is 108.5 km south of Esjberg, following the North Sea Cycle Route. Any suggestions welcome!

John Gray

Thanks Chris - very helpful. Although - TOCs?

Just reading the 'Long Distance Europe' feature in the new issue of 'cycle', and am interested in the Rhine route. Getting home from the Hook of Holland is easy enough; but does anyone have any experience/advice on travelling to Switzerland for the start of the route - the source of the Rhine, Andermatt?


thanks
John Gray

I need to replace the foam sleeves on my butterfly bars. The existing ones are shaped, with hand grips, and were from Gearshift. I see from their website that they are selling up, and no longer have them in stock. I can't find shaped ones anywhere else - I can find plain foam 'tubes' but that's all. Anyone seen any?

John Gray

Dohhhhh!!! Thank you so much!

John

It seemed like a good idea to try and sell some surplus wheels here. I have packaged the wheels up in the box they originally arrived in and the overall weight is about 10 lbs – 22/23 kilo. Royal Mail Standard Parcels will not take anything over 20k. Split into two parcels would be £13.33 each. Parcelforce would be £24.65. Far too much to make it worthwhile - does anyone know of a cheaper option?

John Gray