Alpine tour, what can I take without getting into trouble

[martinn]

Hi all,

I am planning a trip to the Alps later this year, ( a friend is doing the actual planning) and whilst I have done a number of 200, 300 and 400km rides, I have very limited experience of multi day rides. I normally take homemade flapjacks, and for a 200 I would have a bottle with an energy drink in it.
What do other tourists do? Can I bring some energy drink with me, or flapjacks, or just it just best to avail myself of an extra pastry from the hotel in the am?
The route plan is only around 100-120km per day, but a lot of vertical with this as well. I seem to need to eat a lot when i ride, otherwise I do run out of steam. ( I suppose the other option is slowing down)

Thanks
Martin

[ChrisF]

You can take as many flapjacks as your weight limit will allow - you probably won't find any flapjacks in European shops (I never have anyway!). In the past I've taken a few flapjacks and used those while I find what local shops offer instead. You certainly can't take energy drinks if you're flying, but you could take the powdered versions.

[Cyril Haearn]

Take lots of different energy foods, dried fruit, chocolates, biscuits
Have a good breakfast (porridge = slow-release carbohydrates)
Take plenty to drink, several litres (or fill up on the way)
Never tried energy drinks, but they do smell interesting

[ANTONISH]

Most supermarkets stock cereal bars which are easy enough to carry.
I don't go for energy drinks - water or water with an electrolyte tablet should be ok and a tube of electrolyte tablets isn't a massive weight addition.
If you eat sensibly you shouldn't suddenly run out of energy.
IMO gels are for racing if you are touring you should have time to rest for a few minutes and consume some solid food.If you have time you could stop for a meal - an omelette is a popular choice.
Alternatively boulangeries often have quiches available which provide some protein and fat as well as carbohydrate.
Like others suggest you need a good breakfast - my experience of hotels is that this can be very light or quite substantial - I can't speak of porridge and I certainly couldn't eat it - not that I remember it being offered ( I presume you are not camping ).
Cemeteries have taps with drinking water.

[mjr]

Cemeteries have taps with drinking water.

Sadly they seem to be increasingly locked like in the UK. Still many open but fill up water bottles whenever you get the chance, including café stops.

[whoof]

I've done a few trips to the Alp and they are well catered for in supermarkets and cafes.

We usually camp usually a day's eating will be something like

Breakfast: Bowl of cereal, pan au chocolat and milky coffee.

Dinner: Bread, cheese, yogurt and fruit.

Tea: Start, bread and olive + salad, main of pasta or rice/torillas or dahl/rice or omelette followed by some dessert often chocolate mousse or perhaps eat out.

Snacking: Banana and some Lu fruit biscuits (see link below)

https://www.frenchclick.co.uk/p-308-lu- ... -120g.aspx

Plus there's always the patisserie and ice creams.

For drinking, water unless we stop at a café where I will probably have a tea and Mrs Whoof will have some form of pop if the weather is hot.
Water fountains in town squares are not as wide-spread as they were, many now say 'non-potable' but 1.5 litres of basic water from a supermarket is something like 25 cents. As long as you are aware that some may shut in the middle of the day finding water shouldn't be a problem.

[Sweep]

Water fountains in town squares are not as wide-spread as they were, many now say 'non-potable'.

I tend to take that to just be legalistic buttock covering.

Its not likely that they are plugged into the public sewers surely?

[whoof]

Water fountains in town squares are not as wide-spread as they were, many now say 'non-potable'.

I tend to take that to just be legalistic bottom covering.

Its not likely that they are plugged into the public sewers surely?

But they could be fed by a stream that at some point runs through farm with slurry run off. I'd rather pay a few cents and buy some water than risk spending my holiday sitting on a toilet rather than a bike.

[foxyrider]

Everyone seems to assume you are going to France but my experience is in Switzerland/Austria for the most part.

You are touring not doing an Audax so stop for food.

On my alpine rides I always make sure that i've got water on board - you can't pour energy drinks over your head! Good breakfast, stop for coffee/drink at summits and take it steady.
Do have a good dinner and breakfast - eating and digesting when climbing isn't the best idea, do it on the downhills or when stopped. Oh and fill those bottles at every opportunity if it's a warm day - you can easily get through 4-5 litres a day.

[Sweep]

Water fountains in town squares are not as wide-spread as they were, many now say 'non-potable'.

I tend to take that to just be legalistic bottom covering.

Its not likely that they are plugged into the public sewers surely?

But they could be fed by a stream that at some point runs through farm with slurry run off. I'd rather pay a few cents and buy some water than risk spending my holiday sitting on a toilet rather than a bike.

You are suggesting this is likely in any european public fountain?

[HarryD]

Cafes & bars will generally fill up your water bottles

[whoof]

I tend to take that to just be legalistic bottom covering.

Its not likely that they are plugged into the public sewers surely?

But they could be fed by a stream that at some point runs through farm with slurry run off. I'd rather pay a few cents and buy some water than risk spending my holiday sitting on a toilet rather than a bike.

You are suggesting this is likely in any european public fountain?

I know for a fact that mains water in this country have been contaminated by a farmer cleaning out a slurry tank with a large hose which resulted in back-flow into the mains system, the poisoning of there neighbours and the farmer's prosecution. If you want to drink from a fountain that has a sign on it saying do not drink on it go ahead, I won't being doing so for the reasons I've set out above.

This isn't the case I've mentioned above but will do.

In July 2012 Yorkshire Water identified E. coli, Clostridia spp, coliform bacteria and elevated nitrate in samples after a customer complained about the taste of their mains water. This naturally led to an investigation from the WRAS Water Regulations team.
One of their Water Quality Scientist’s provided information regarding the possible sources of the contamination and narrowed down the issue to several agricultural businesses near the affected properties. Based on that info Regulations Inspectors inspected all agricultural premises.
At one of these properties, the inspectors identified a private borehole distribution system with a direct cross connection to mains water supplying the farm. A private borehole company had installed this without any backflow protection. In fact, the only means of separation was a gate valve which had been left partially open.

[Sweep]

But according to your horror stories I'd be best to avoid drinking from my own taps**

Each to their own.

** The only time I have ever been poisoned by water was actually from the mains when a UK water company fouled up a large part of its supply. Which shut loads of places, catering establishments. But not before it had got to me.

But one has to live.

[whoof]

But according to your horror stories I'd be best to avoid drinking from my own taps**

Each to their own.

** The only time I have ever been poisoned by water was actually from the mains when a UK water company fouled up a large part of its supply. Which shut loads of places, catering establishments. But not before it had got to me.

But one has to live.

I live quite happily thank you and also appear to have a far better understanding of how public fountains are supplied with water.

[fausto copy]

When we cycled the Route des Grandes Alpes from Geneva to Nice, my main problem was getting a decent breakfast in the hotels /B&B's.
I live on cereals in the UK and we were only offered that in two establishments while touring (and one of them was plain cornflakes with crumbled sugar lumps on ).
I found the white baguettes unfulfilling too, so we visited a local shop each morning, stocked up with bread, fruit, yoghurts and as much water we could carry.
We ate good meals in the local cafes or hotels each evening and at the end of the tour I was over a stone lighter.
Flapjacks would have been a real boon.