Cycling UK Forum

Slowroad

Assuming that's the German Essen? (I didn't know there were others until I put it into cycle.travel!) But it's a long way...
Goes through Arnhem and Nijmegen, and could follow the Rhine. Duisburg Nord Landschafts Park is worth a visit, its an old steelworks turned into a park.

Slowroad

Catching up with this again...
I've been on that route with a Brompton several times, and with a non-folding bike. With the Brompton I was with the foot passengers so completely separate and no stairs were involved.
I recently looked at Rail & Sail and now it seems to only include the rail tickets to and from Harwich, not the days' travel in the Netherlands. A shame but still good value.

Slowroad

Thanks both! Why does it have to be so complicated?

Slowroad

I listen to podcasts of radio programmes, and just caught this one from More Or Less in early December: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct5b7d
Cycling was mentioned so I thought others might be interested.

Slowroad

Thanks - I've looked again and it has all changed. Looking more closely, this is all about the new National Rail Journey Planner. I had not realised that what it calls a 'standard' ticket turns out to be either an advance or another type of ticket if advance are not available yet. I really don't like the new journey Planner and I think I shall use The Trainline in future - also you can book ahead as far as the end of May - without the advance option of course...

Slowroad

Hi, not totally a cycling issue, but is if you have to tour in school holidays. I've been scoping out a trip to France in the May/June half term, and as it's too far ahead I've been looking at train times in March. Surprised to see that a return from London to the south coast nearly doubles in late March, presumably due to it being the school holidays? I don't think it is the scheduled fare rise as that's earlier in March and 5 or 6%.
Any knowledge of this? I've never noticed it before.

Slowroad

I've just started this blog about what I do to entertain myself whilst cycling... https://bicyclingbotanist.wordpress.com/

Slowroad

Good choice

Image

That is a really nice bike! What size is it, and what size wheels?
Thanks!

Slowroad

Getting through the next few dark months! Would be good to maintain or improve fitness even if I don't get back to the level I was at after a week on a fully-loaded 3-speed Brompton this September...
I'd really like to go cycle camping abroad again, haven't been since 2019. So will do some planning and maybe even booking. Nothing too ambitious, just France and/or the Netherlands and Belgium. I suspect if I don't get away in 2024 it's just going to get more and more difficult.
Will also half plan some closer trips in case circumstances mean I can't get away yet again.
Would also be good to get out cycling with other people again.

Slowroad

Thanks, I enjoyed reading that!
Happy Christmas!

Slowroad

Slowroad wrote: ↑10 Dec 2023, 8:53pm
...
I've been a little confused about the information about afib. I've got (or have had?) paroxysmal afib diagnosed when I had palpitations a couple of years ago in a stressful family time. Nothing like this since, just the occasional bumpity-bump feeling. But then I read that many people have afib with no symptoms... Been trying to find info online but it is either very basic or very scientific!
...

I'll try and help with finding some useful information. But are you currently receiving medical care?

Thanks

Jonathan

Yes, went to my GP with palpitations two years ago and got an ECG done there, which they found confusing, sent it to a cardiologist at the hospital who said it was afib. No treatment as I'm too young, not overweight, non-smoker, good blood pressure, ok cholesterol! Havn't had the really bad palpitations since then, just the odd very brief ones. I was proactive in getting a cholesterol check as it's one of the few things I seem to be able to do something about. I actually first went to a doctor about odd heartbeats 15 years ago, the ECG didn't catch any so they just tols me to cut down on caffeine...

Slowroad

Sort of- I think I wasn’t getting enough carbs (maybe enough calories although I was on at least 1800 a day) on the diet I was on. That triggered low blood sugar > palpitations > AFib. By bumping the carbs (and calories to a certain extent) back up but keeping the clean diet the arrhythmia seems to have stopped. I presume I’m susceptible though - I guess there is a risk it returns at some point.

I got a clean bill of health from cardiology in September when they tested me but at that stage I’d changed my diet some months before. I have seen some papers pointing fingers at low carb diets and although mine wasn’t super low maybe it was too low for me

That's good news! I've been a little confused about the information about afib. I've got (or have had?) paroxysmal afib diagnosed when I had palpitations a couple of years ago in a stressful family time. Nothing like this since, just the occasional bumpity-bump feeling. But then I read that many people have afib with no symptoms... Been trying to find info online but it is either very basic or very scientific!
My diet is pretty good but definitely not low-carb! I've got OK cholesterol but I'm going to try to get it down further and carry on cycling as much as possible...

Slowroad

Really enjoying reading about your plans!
My list of possible tours over the next couple of years includes:
Edinburgh to Glasgow & return;
Fife;
The Maas/Meuse;
Finishing off the Rhine route from Speyer to Basel then Andermat (which will take me at least 2 weeks!);
Brittany;
Parts of the Loire and tributaries - motorcycled these in the late '90s and always wanted to return for a cyle tour;
The Seine sea to Paris & maybe beyond.
It's really going to depend what happens in life...

Slowroad

Absolutely - I've just received the news that I am to be investigated for AF... I've cut down on my caffeinated tea intake, upped the fibre/vegetable percentage, and have swapped out my usual cereal for oats for a slower sugar release. Has anyone got any advice?

Hi - no advice but a question! I've read someone else here mentioning diet, particularly carbs, but nothing seems to come up on official advice. Wondering where it's from? Thanks.

Slowroad

I think one or two others might appreciate this!
For the third year in a row I'm hoping to get abroad again. Hopefully third time lucky - didn't manage it the last couple of years... Maybe Belgium and The Netherlands, nothing too dramatic... As it's been 5 years since I've been abroad, and a few things have changed, I'm going to need to research travel insurance with an existing health condition, and any extra paperwork due to Brexit.
But, in the meantime, I'd love to hear what plans other tourers are hatching during the winter months!

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