Repeat bike tour

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
pal
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Joined: 22 Mar 2008, 11:49am

Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by pal »

bohrsatom wrote: 14 Oct 2022, 5:37pm There are some bits I would try and avoid repeating though. You know you have those days on tour where the planets align and everything about the ride is just spectacular - the kind of day you know you'll remember forever, that kind of day that makes bike touring worthwhile?
I have a handful of those, and although I'd love to re-ride them I know they wouldn't be the same the second time around. They weren't spectacular just because of the scenery - the weather and events before/during/after the day have a big effect on how it is remembered. I'm afraid that if I tried again I'd be really disappointed!
I know exactly what you mean. I am strangely reluctant to go back to Iceland, because on my last trip there the weather was so perfect and the ride so wonderful that I fear that revisiting might only spoil the memories...

Otherwise, though, I quite often repeat a segment of a tour, or try to revisit a destination which I particularly enjoyed. But I don't often repeat an entire tour.
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foxyrider
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by foxyrider »

I have, on occasion revisited parts of a tour on a subsequent trip, usually to visit somewhere i didn't on my first trip. And there are plenty of places i've revisited without a bike too. That said, i don't think i'd want to repeat a whole tour - there are too many new places to see! I don't think i've gone back to anywhere on a bike tour more than once but thats not really by design, just the way its fallen.
Convention? what's that then?
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simonhill
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by simonhill »

We probably sometimes forget how spoilt for choice we are in UK and Europe for having so many cyclable roads and routes.

I'm in Northern Thailand at the moment and there aren't too many routes I can take to get to where I want to go without huge detours. Hence re riding some previously done stuff.

Earlier this year in Brittany and Normandy I was often spoilt for choice which route I took just to the next town.

Go somewhere like Oz or NZ and it's often just one road or dirt.
ANTONISH
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by ANTONISH »

In 2018 I tried to replicate a ride from Narbonne to Dieppe which I had done in 1967.
I couldn't remember the exact route but it was a close approximation.

I learned that there is a lot of difference in physical performance between the ages of 26 and 77.
Due to a back problem I had to resort to a couple of train assisted days when things got too uncomfortable.

Roads that were originally flat had grown hills :( .

In 1967 I didn't really have to consider what road to take so it was pretty direct, not so in 2018.
I used hotels instead of camping which saved some time at the beginning and end of the day.
I cycled roughly the same distance but it took a couple of days longer.
All in all quite a good experience.
Psamathe
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by Psamathe »

This summer cycling round the Netherlands I ended-up staying at some campsites I've stayed at before. Also cycling along on several occasions I was thinking "looks familiar" and later I checked and on previous tours aI had cycled that section of path/road. Happened on several occasions and I did discover some new amazing places (e.g. the Hunebeds in Drenthe - never seen them before).

Made me begin to feel that maybe I've cycled enough round NL now and maybe focus on other countries next year(s). I'd still happily cycle through NL e.g. getting to Hoek from Germany/Belgium, just maybe not to keen on spending so much time cycling round the Netherlands.

Ian
simonhill
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by simonhill »

Sorry me again.

There's another reason for following an old route, what I think of of filling in the gaps.

I rode quite a few routes with my mate in the 2 thous. They were longish point to point and by their nature very linear. For me this is the problem with end to end type tours - almost tunnel vision.

I have recently and will for my next tour, revisit many of the places en route and spend time exploring along that way.

It's a bit if a cop out of course because I will go slower, shorter days, etc but maybe more suited to my advancing years.
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MrsHJ
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by MrsHJ »

I’ve been thinking about this and I take your point in end to end tours Simon. I think that being more chilled out and selecting places I want to visit that very broadly meet a a-b route is fine- I need to figure out timing and routes back for my tours due to work so there are practical constraints. So in Italy I went fairly off route to add in a few places whilst keeping to the general Po valley theme (it’s a big valley so quite a lot of choice). I’m also now reducing daily distance so I can go on side trips and do some general touristing given that I’m generally travelling in beautiful places. I’m also selecting more carefully where I stop rather than just letting the km tick up to a minimum of 80 before I’m “permitted” to stop.

I have concluded that I wouldn’t be at all against going back and doing what is now called the Velodysee but when I did it (without the luxury of using the Nantes Brest canal except or for an afternoon) it was just “I think I’ll cycle from roscof to Santander.” I still wouldn’t be a slave to EV1 (especially as it doesn’t go to Santander). I did it around 25 years ago and I think it would be a different experience now (slower and less camping for a start).
keefwaddo
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Joined: 11 Jul 2021, 1:37pm

Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by keefwaddo »

I have never repeated and entire tour, like many have said already. But there are certain places and regions that I want to see over and over. All in Japan, where I live: Northern Tohoku, Seto Inland Sea, Kyushu, Goto Islands. Specific places, top of the list is Lake Tazawako, formed from a caldera. We have been there three times, stayed two days each time. The place is magical and changes character and mood hourly and daily. May be my favorite place on Earth! So I would say, not repeating certain tours segments would be a crime.
Slowroad
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Location: Nottingham, UK

Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by Slowroad »

Like others, I've not repeated a whole tour, but have re-visited some areas to explore in more detail. I recently re-visited Cheshire, to an area I thought I'd not been to, until it started looking familiar... turns out not only had I cycled through in 2014, I had taken two almost identical photos!
Slightly differently, this summer it was 40 years (still can't believe it) since I did my first cycle tour in my late teens. Earlier in the year I had had a good rummage in the loft and found my diary of the trip, and also my photos. Rather typically, I'd not written a first and last day in the diary, and I'd not labelled the photos... but there was enough detail to plot the route. I'd had every intention of doing it again, but oddly enough I then went right off the idea. My evident joy at finding such a wonderful way to spend time was so palpable from the diary that trying to replicate this seemed risky. Maybe in 10 years...
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
Astrobike
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Joined: 5 Jan 2019, 11:50pm

Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by Astrobike »

I rode Narbonne to Lourdes 1 year and then did Lourds to Narbonne a couple of years later visited some of the same places some not so good some the same
irc
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by irc »

I've repeated a few sections of my USA tours. Parts of Nevada, Kansas, Arizona, Colorado. Up to about a week repeating sections. Mostly in a different direction. I have enjoed it every time.

Funny how your memory works. I was in a small town in Kansas. I knew there was a decent town park with an outdoor pool and showers where cyclists could camp for free. But could I remember where it was? On the other hand, standing in the main street I immediately remembered that a side street a short distance away had an off sales.

Usually I end up camping in completely different places as well as where I am at the end of the day varies depending on wind, hills, and starting point. Some places like Kansas the small towns are spaced 50-80 miles apart and have cycle friendly town parks so the usual anser for everyone is going to the next town which can be an easy or a hard day depending on heat and wind direction.
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matt2matt2002
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by matt2matt2002 »

I can't get enough of the Scottish Islands
Shetland, Orkney, Western isles.
I've also toured Morocco, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and Pamir Highway. All impressive but during the tours I invariably wonder why I've gone there when I've so much stunning scenery on my Aberdeen doorstep.
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
RobinS
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Joined: 9 Apr 2015, 10:01am

Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by RobinS »

We have also re-ridden parts of previous tours while on "new" routes, usually in the opposite direction, though I would not rule out re-riding a week or two as part of longer tour. Would never plan to re-do an entire tour though - it will never be the same, either not as nice, new, or adventurous, or, if it was hard first time but easy second time round it somehow devalues the experience of the tough time.
tatanab
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Re: Repeat bike tour

Post by tatanab »

I cannot imagine repeating a tour, road by road and turn by turn - if that is the question here. I could not anyway because I keep no records. Many times I have recognised a piece of road or a junction, and on occasion I have revisited small areas deliberately as part of a longer tour - e.g the Marais Poitevin. Of course there are familiar sections heading away from or approaching cross channel ferries etc, but I don't think they count.
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