Advice sought (3 weeks freedom to just ride)

[sparkyman]

After having a few words with the misses (I wear the trousers now )

I have permision for a 3 week cycle trip

Planning a few routes to see what grabs me (and is possible)

Focus on europe looking for advice from people who have ridden these routes areas.

Amsterdam (provisional starting point
To Black sea (Istanbul) (either direct or via Rhine Danube routes)
Palermo Italy
Cadiz (Fez Morocco)

Not fixed on these yet and may change but favouring the Morocco trip

The Idea is to get a Plane from

Manchester/ Liverpool Blackpool to start off Point and a plane back.

I have 21/23 days depending on flights

I have ridden 100 mile hilly days in Scotland for Ten consecutive days with no real issues (until over doing it at the end and hurting my knee)

Not looking to do quite as many miles per day this trip, will be happy at 70/80 MPD

Has any body ridden these route lately and if so any advice on roads conditions prevailing wind and such?

Or ideas for other interesting 3 week rides in Europe.


Sparkman

 

[Cathryn]

If you're touring, I'd plan for 50 miles/day max. I'm sure you can do more, but you want to have fun as well, don't you? Stop off by a swiss lake to play crazy golf, sit in a french cafe in the sunshine and get quietly sozzled on a bottle of rose etc. It's a holiday as well as an expedition.

Of those itineraries, personally I'd head to Palermo, I fancy that ride as well.

 

[jags]

If you're touring, I'd plan for 50 miles/day max. I'm sure you can do more, but you want to have fun as well, don't you? Stop off by a swiss lake to play crazy golf, sit in a french cafe in the sunshine and get quietly sozzled on a bottle of rose etc. It's a holiday as well as an expedition.

Of those itineraries, personally I'd head to Palermo, I fancy that ride as well.

while reading that thread i was thinking the exact same thing.
why people have to cover big miles is beyond me.
smell the roses buddy and take it all in .sorry i can't advise on your choices but they all sound good to me. enjoy.

 

[sparkyman]

The above two post have good points.
I certainly plan to stop and do some sight seeing and once i have decided on a desination I shall be setting points of interest into my plans. Milage is a guide only for planning purposes only.

SparkyMan

 

[Cathryn]

Good. You need time for ice cream!!

So, where are you going?

 

[ComedyPilot]

I am all in for smelling roses whilst touring, but 'some' people have a distance they want/need to travel, and only a certain time to do it (work commitments/ferry/flights to meet) so larger mileages are the norm?

 

[sparkyman]

Good. You need time for ice cream!!

So, where are you going?

Still working on that, got the time booked off now so only to decide where to go.

I have been trying to find cycling info for each route (not as easy as i'd thought it would be to find)

sparkyman

 

[sparkyman]

After spending days pooring over Google maps (thank you Google)

I have decided to merge two of my initial ideas into one.


Amsterdam To Frankfurt via the Rhine.

Frankfurt to Regenburg and on to Vienna Via the Danube

Vienna to Venice

Venice to Rome


http://tiny.cc/5Xmps 1450 miles

Setting off 17 July

SparkyMan

 

[paulrw]

I did some of that route last year. Rotterdam through Holland,joined the Rhine at Kressfeldt,down to Mainz,turn left on the River Maine route to Wertheim. Then the Tauber valley route to Rothenburg,Altmuhl valley to Danube at Kelheim then Danube to Vienna. Very good surfaces lots of campsites after the Rhine and cheap accom.past Frankfurt. There are numerous good publications detailing the various bike routes but I was pleasantly surprised how relatively easy it was to keep the right way. I averaged just over 50 miles a day and I think it was about 1200 miles,maybe a bit less. I went in June and got a fair bit of rain which was hard work camping. Winds were no real problem although Ive no doubt there will be good days and bad.I got the boat to Rotterdam,easier with the bike. You can get to Vienna practically traffic free which amazed me and just puts to shame provision in the uk.

 

[jay clock]

Sparky, if you haven't already done so, well worth looking here www.crazyguyonabike.com
Jay

 

[sparkyman]

Sparky, if you haven't already done so, well worth looking here www.crazyguyonabike.com
Jay

That site leads to crazy ideas of riding arround the world, my misses hates it when i sit reading all those great adventures...

Sparkyman

 

[sparkyman]

Tickets now booked flying to amsterdam on the 17/07 Returnin 09/08 From Rome...

Sparkyman

 

[Anthony]

Tickets now booked flying to amsterdam on the 17/07 Returnin 09/08 From Rome...

Sparkyman

Good luck! I'm flying off to Norway for my summer tour at the end of July also. Lets just hope the Ash cloud has buggered off by then!

 

[sparkyman]

Cheers, kind of hoping for ash cloud issues for the return flight ) more time in rome or even better an excuse to ride back to blighty lol

Sparkyman

 

[GrahamG]

That would be a superb excuse to extend the trip. Best of luck with it mate - weather should be grand about then. if you're doing Switzerland/Austria/Northern Italy and see a couple on Surly LHT's and a trailer, give us a wave