Touring Destination 2 Months Mid Oct to Dec - Any Ideas

[Jdsk]

Not much covid outside of LA. overall a lot less than the UK

What measure of prevalence are you using there, please?

Thanks

Jonathan

[simonhill]

Please, please, please let's not get into Covid discussions. Anyone who is thinking of going somewhere is more than capable of checking the F&CO website.

Let's just have suggestions, even if it's just wishful thinking.

[ChrisF]

What about a fixed base in one of the spanish resorts rather than a moving on tour?
.......
A self-catering apartment not far from the coast, with good access to inland cycling roads and walking countryside, and with shops/a supermarket within short walking distance might be ideal.

Excellent idea, if C***d allows. Just inland from Benidorm/Calpe/Denia there's some excellent cycling.

You would not even have to return by 31/12/20, since the EIHC card will still be valid after that date for holidays commenced before 31/12.

I didn't know that! Could be useful.

[climo]

Not much covid outside of LA. overall a lot less than the UK

What measure of prevalence are you using there, please?

Thanks

Jonathan

My family live on the California coast. It's like here in that if you keep away from the cities there's not much risk. I would expect that getting health insurance may be an issue though.

[PH]

I had a non cycling holiday in Cyprus about a decade ago, two weeks in November, rained on a couple of days but not for long, otherwise pleasant sunshine (Not guaranteed) though it's probably better described as mild rather than hot. It's on the list of places I'd like to revisit with a bike, though if/when I do it'll be as a pat of a longer tour. Not sure there's two months cycling to do, though there's plenty of other stuff.

[djb]

If not for covid, I would have recommended Mexico for the winter months. Have ridden twice there during their dry season (Jan, Feb, March ish) and found the people very friendly and in rural areas, drivers very courteous with cyclists. Have recently been reading how bad the covid situation is there now--which makes me wonder about how Morocco is ?

I totally get wanting to go to a warm and dry place, I have enough trepidations with the thought of thinking of coming over to bike around your neck of the woods one year, not that keen on wet, but realize that it's just part of the package.

[MartinBrice]

Re Portugal: when I last looked it has the fourth most dangerous roads in Europe, I think. Why was I looking? Because I'd walked a pilgrim route from there into Spain. Some of it was along roads. Much money has been spent on motorways but nothing, I thought, on other roads which are still narrow, often with stone walls and nowhere to escape the traffic which is fast and heavy. Bits of it are very hilly. I'd suggest Spain which is very different. If you have to quarantine just get into Portugal for a week or so.
Or do what the prime minister's adviser did and simply ignore the UK rules. That's what everyone else seems to be doing anyway.

[HarryD]

Our experience is different to Martin's. We were there in January and February this year and did a number of rides. None were near the coast which I know tends to be busy traffic wise. Very much like Spain. Many motorways are costly toll roads as are many of the upgraded IC roads (which usually ban bikes anyway) so lots of drivers tend to avoid them.

Inland we tended to define many roads as 30 minute, 45 minute or 60 minute roads. The designation being the time between seeing motorised vehicles. Even on the bigger roads linking towns traffic was light and considerate. Many of the roads were in an excellent state and had been rebuilt. In towns it was different. Our rides were round Alfanga da Fe in the NW, Serra da Estrella which is more central and Monchique in the Algarve. Hilly in places yes but that's where they tend to keep the scenery and it is easier to find satisfaction at a job well done at the top of a hill.

One thing I would advise is to use OSM maps to route plan and navigate in Portugal as the Michelin maps lack a huge number of minor quality roads. OSM maps can be used on Garmins'. Just google for how. Otherwise we found maps of Portugal to be hard to get and often lacking in detail.

Looking at EU cyclist fatality statistics show that Portugal has more per population than Spain but in Spain 50% occur outside urban areas whereas in Portugal the number is 30%. The rates for November and December are worse in Spain.

Although our experiences have been different to Martin's and I would I avoid some parts myself Portugal has plenty left to enjoy. And of course Spain is never far away. Do both

[ConRAD]

Sicily looks nice around then. Sure Conrad on here has some write ups of doing at that time.

... indeed looking ahead for doing something like that.

[matt2matt2002]

Sicily looks nice around then. Sure Conrad on here has some write ups of doing at that time.

... indeed looking ahead for doing something like that.

I'm interested. Fly in, fly out?

[ConRAD]

... fly in, fly out?

Palermo and Bari seem to be the closest international airports which, for sure, you can rely on.

[borisface]

Whilst it is not untrue that Portugal has a high incidence of traffic accidents, the majority of these are either around Lisbon, Porto, parts of the north and the Algarve and tend to involve cars rather than cyclists and include tractor accidents. Other regions of Portugal are virtually traffic free.

[simonhill]

Boris, I've pm'd you.

[Graham O]

Another vote for Portugal. The roads are pretty quiet in the central region outside the big towns and generally drivers are considerate. However, they are so used to empty roads, that they panic when in traffic. Most traffic is along the coast region from Lisbon upto Porto where most people live, but inland, you can expect a fews cars an hour. I did 2 tours down the border region from the Douro Valley south and just wonderful cycling. Generally good road surfaces and although hilly, the gradients are gentle if a bit long.
Last November was exceptionally wet with rain for probably 5 and half days a week, from late October through to December, but it was never cold. I was in shorts most of the winter and can only remember a couple of cold days with longs on. However, that rain was exceptional and according to locals, it's not normally like that.

[nsew]

Well here we are, midway through October and December. How’s the tour going? Meeting lots of new people?

I normally start my touring year at the end of September, heading off till just before Christmas. Usually somewhere warm out Asia way. Given that all those countries are not accepting tourists from the UK, has anybody any thoughts for alternative destinations?

I like to tour, but would be happy to limit the moving on and use a few centres to do day rides or overnighters from. It must be reasonably warm and dry(ish).

I am well aware of problems with insurance, quarantine, etc and it would be good if people could contribute without the same old Covid argy bargy that usually starts up after a few posts.

Edit: I realise that I am probably talking about somewhere in Europe.