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Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 31 Jan 2013, 5:13pm
by tonupgilly
Wow! That's quite a trip Pete (Jack). I'm jealous as I'm itching to tour in USA (I live in UK), especially Montana, Wyoming and Oregon. Have fun and keep us posted.

Tonupgilly

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 31 Jan 2013, 6:43pm
by PJ520
Thanks Tonup. I urge you to do it if you possibly can. Getting here may be the most expensive part. Food is quite a bit cheaper than in the UK. So are bikes for that matter. i met a man in my LBS who had flown from the UK, bought a new bike and was setting off across the country with an organized tour. I've done quite a bit of long distance riding here a lot of it on my own. Get the excellent Adventure Cycling Association maps (There's no equivalent of OS maps over here and the place is so big you'd need a trailer to carry them) They also have useful info on accommodation and eating places, don't be put off by notes that say for example "No services for 78 miles" etc.. That's all part of the adventure. It's hard to imagine riding 78 miles in the UK without seeing a petrol station or cafe but you can in a few places here. You'll find people in small towns incredibly friendly. If you want somewhere to camp ask the volunteer fire department if there is one. Those guys are great. In Missouri we actually stayed in a fire station sleeping between the fire engines, I must have been tired because they were called out in the middle of the night, sirens blaring, flashing lights, the lot and I slept through it. Must have been the free spaghetti feast they gave us for supper. Then there's always the unexpected. It's quite common in Europe to have a road blocked by a herd of sheep in the Sierras in California we had a road blocked by a herd of pigs

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 31 Jan 2013, 11:15pm
by tonupgilly
Many thanks for the very interesting info Pete - very amusing about the fire station. I already am a member of the Adventure Cycling Association and look with longing at their rides, although I haven't bought any of their maps - yet. I would have to do it on my own though, i.e. not an organised ride as the cost is too prohibitive now - I recently took early retirement. I just need to get my b/side in gear and get over there and do it. I'd really like to bring my own bike, but flying with it is one of the things I find offputting, so its nice to hear that bikes are reasonbly priced over there. I can feel myself going into planning mode - I will do it.

I will be genuinely interested to hear how your trip pans out. Once again - many thanks and good luck.

Tonupgilly

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 1 Feb 2013, 12:14am
by PJ520
Organized rides are spendy. My bike club Cascade Bicycle Club has a tour ever year around Washington state; roughly $1000 for a week with a sag wagon. You can do a longer tour for about half that if you tote your own stuff. As far as I can see all the sag wagon does is allow people who don't have touring bikes to tour.

British Airways used to allow 2 checked bags for free from LHR to Seattle, one of which could be your bike in a box. They now only allow one free checked bag, any extra are £50 each but it's still OK if one of them is a boxed bike. Last September I flew with my bike from Manchester to Seattle without any problem. For 2014 I have a problem I come from about 5 miles from the Tour route (I went to school in Keighley).

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 2 Feb 2013, 8:35pm
by tonupgilly
We've never done an organised holiday of any sort, so I don't really intend to start now - way too costly. We also like the freedom of being able to change plan if we feel like it, stop-over a bit longer somewhere etc etc. We both loved being self contained on our trip to France last year - it's something that really appeals to me and I wouldn't want to do a trip with a sag waggon now.

Didn't realise you were a Brit Pete. We live in Kent now, but originate from N Wales, near to Chester. It's good here, really close to the ferries - miss the mountains though.

I can't remember where I saw it, but someone on this forum said they put their panniers in another big bag, these large sturdy carriers with webbing straps you get when you buy something big in a shop - then you only have one bag to fly with. Are all airlines doing this - only one checked bag?? When you say you have a problem in 2014 - I assume you mean a baggage problem??

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 3 Feb 2013, 1:21am
by PJ520
Putting panniers in a bag works. This way they only count as one bag. Last summer I got a suitcase for £2.50 at a charity shop in Settle and put my four paniers in that. If you do something like that you can toss the bag or suitcase at the other end (or give it to another charity shop) I didn't toss my suitcase because it was such a good 'un but you get the idea tonup. I'm sure it's OK with all airlines s long as you keep the weight below 23 kg (50 lb in the US)

The 2014 problem. I had a tour in the Canadian Rockies penciled in. Then they announced the Tour route in Yorkshire. It goes within 300ft of a mate's house.

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 4 Feb 2013, 5:52pm
by anniesboy
My plan is for 2015 , my wife and I are hoping to do the end to end of France on our tandem (from the Med to home in Oxfordshire).
We have done it before, but in 2015 would be special as it will be to celebrate our golden wedding anniversary.

I'm just hoping our joint health holds up

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 4 Feb 2013, 6:11pm
by PJ520
If you are going via Dieppe plan on arriving on a Saturday. It's market day and quite entertaining, it is so busy that the banks open on Saturday and close on Monday. Because I forgot my debit card PIN number I ended up taking travelers checks - a major blunder. I was able to cash them in Dieppe but in small towns further inland even he banks wouldn't touch them. There's a fabulous cycle route heading S from Dieppe, flat as a pancake for about 40 miles. Just the thing to get you both loosened up.

I had a great time in France I'm sure you will too. And yes, I do envy you.
Pete

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 4 Feb 2013, 11:00pm
by tonupgilly
Pete Jack wrote:The 2014 problem. I had a tour in the Canadian Rockies penciled in. Then they announced the Tour route in Yorkshire. It goes within 300ft of a mate's house.


No contest really - the Tour that close to mate's house has got to win. Canadian Rockies the next year.

Mind you, having said that - I took my (then) small children to see the Tour when it passed through Canterbury years ago. Having cajoled, persuaded, bribed and physically pushed them on their bikes the 20 odd miles to a country road en route that headed towards Canterbury, we waited for an hour or so, then the commercial caravan train came past - that took about an hour, followed by a long lull, then French ( I think) police outriders who rode very fast along the gutter, presumably to put one off from stepping off the grass into the road. And then it happened, there was a big swoosh - we just had time to shout "Come on Chris" to our hero Chris Boardman, and they were gone. Ah well! We did come away with a model bike that cost £4 and the kids rode farther than they had ever done before.

Have fun!

Gill

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 4 Feb 2013, 11:04pm
by tonupgilly
Anniesboy - that's a trip we'd quite like to do too. From Med to Kent. What route are you going - or is that open?

Gill

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 6 Feb 2013, 12:19am
by Gillsman123
Cycling the Danube River trail from Germany to Hungary, then a few days around Lake Balaton in May. In July, plan to do a bit of riding around Brittany. Cannot wait!!!

Calais to Krakow

Posted: 7 Feb 2013, 10:26am
by cyclingdreaming
Hello,

Was just wondering if anyone had cycled from Calais to Krakow - or maybe part of the route?

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 24 Feb 2013, 1:43pm
by fatty
Thinking of trying esberg to skagen Denmark....

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 26 Feb 2013, 12:46pm
by CJBill
Well if I can get the house sold the plan is Manchester to Cape Town down the East of Africa.

Re: Your plans for 2013 - make me jealous?

Posted: 2 Mar 2013, 8:17pm
by Malky 1422
I did the Semaine Federale last year, I want to do it again this year, but due to divorce and the low pay for skilled workers in the UK I decided to work contract out in Hamburg in the Aircraft industry, the other side of it though is I am not cycling much at the moment. I am hoping to get the bike over at Easter and will have to make the most of it. Plan B would be , pack in work, sell the house, load up and cycle round the world until I am 65 in another 5 yrs, then get my pension and a maisonette.
Not that easy though is it???