Am I mad? Advice please

[vernon]

If not a bit boring on your own.

I've never been bored on any of my cycle tours.

Generally folk are curious about cycle tourists and will strike up conversations with you. Equally asking locals questions usually leads to extended conversations.

Personal best was five hours, a slab of cider and a couple of bottles of wine as social lubricant at a campsite in Somerset. The caravanner who shared it with me would hear nothing of my offer to pay for some of it.

 

[Crackle]

Have to agree with Vernon. Touring on your own often works out to be quite social. I've cycled many a day in the company of others who've picked me up on the road or vice-versa.

 

[Sun Superlight]

I'm in full agreement with the last two comments.
On your own you are more approachable than when you are with a group, and you will almost certainly meet many more memorable people.
Keep a diary, write up everything about each days experience every night.
When you look back at the diary years later, you'll be glad you did.
Remember also to enjoy each days ride and not to look on it all as a challenge.
Hope you have good weather.
Good luck.

 

[Auntie Helen]

I did a tour on my own last month and I have to say that I did get a bit lonely which meant I cut it short. Perhaps I appear less approachable, perhaps because I was staying in B&Bs/Hotels I didn't have as many chances to chat to people, perhaps because I was cycling more quickly than most others on the cycle paths. Anyway, I still had a great time, but I did feel quite alone in the evenings (it was fine when I was riding though). That was Germany.

 

[Bodhbh]

I'm not a very outgoing or talkative person, but have been suprised how many people will strike up conversations or show an interest when you're touring (so you don't need to be). If you meet any it's also very easy to get chatting to other cyclists, people in hostels, etc. You get to talk to people, it's not boring! It's not boring even if you don't! Also, as Vernon mentioned, acts of hospitality seem to come out of nowhere - one I remember the most stopped farmer for directions in Croatia, next thing his sons were being commandered to fill up water bottles, I was invited in first for coffee, then the soup was put on the boil, then some meat, more coffee, icecream, beer, 2hr later can hardly get on the bike. Then ofc you're your own boss with schedule, what to do, how fast, how many miles and all the rest. With friends you're not and living out of each others back pockets within a couple of days you can start to irritate each other with silly things (3-5 day honeymoon period imo then it starts). Main thing I dislike about solo touring is you're having all these experiences and whatnot and no one to talk/share/compare notes with (without offloading them when you get back and boring people silly).

 

[belairman]

Interesting and thanks for the views ...

I am happy with my own company and I am tempted to do it solo, certainly if I have to, it won't stop me.

Alternatively I have a friend who lives in Rotterdam and cycles a lot (of course), I thought of asking him to ride down and meet me somewhere in northern France so we could do the second half together. Or another friend here has expressed initial interest, but I don't know how long that will last!

Thanks also for the tips re tents etc. Maybe the pop-up is not such a good idea.

Anyway nothing I have heard here or elsewhere has put me off yet, although there is still a lot to plan, not least getting enough sponsorship to make it worthwhile. But let's say, for now at least, it's on...

Thanks again

Tim (Belairman)

 

[canadiense]

Jack the Lad offers some great advice. Basically just start riding and riding and riding. You have lots of time to get into cycling condition which will make your tour an absolute pleasure.

Personally I am 62 years old and have just completed a ride from Bangkok to Hong Kong. More than the climbs (which actually are a pleasure if you have the right gear ratios) the heat is what got to me. In a couple of months I will tackle South America. I think you are well within reason to take on your challenge and I bet it will be the start of a new obsession.

The only thing I would add is that there is no such thing as a gear too low which may be a good argument for the mountain bike over the tourer. Check out the ratios on both bikes and maybe look at changing the cluster on the tourer to achieve a nice low "granny gear". There are many that travel the world on converted mountain bikes.

 

[willem]

Just take the bike that is technicaly the best and that fits best. Hopefully it is the same bike.
I would spend serious money on a good tent: getting whet in a tent or having your tent blown over is not my idea of fun. Personally I would rather go with a mediocre bike than a mediocre tent. Unfortunately quality tents such as Hilleberg are expensive, an dperhaps more unfortunately the middle segment of the market is not as good as it was in the past. Of the three things that matter here, weight, quality and price, the middle segment now usually sacrifices quality rather than weight.
Willem

 

[vernon]

Anyway nothing I have heard here or elsewhere has put me off yet, although there is still a lot to plan, not least getting enough sponsorship to make it worthwhile.

Tim (Belairman)

The pleasure of the ride should be sufficient justification - why should the amount of sponsorship make any difference?

Sponsorship worked in the opposite sense for me. My friends and acquaintances were surprised when i turned down their offers of sponsorship for my LEJOG, JOGLE and Channel to Med rides. Sponsorship would put me under an obligation to finish otherwise I'd have felt like I'd let the sponsors down. For me that would have robbed the rides of their primary purpose - a means of relaxing and having a laissez faire attitude to the rate of progress.

 

[Cathryn]

You'll have a wonderful time, it'll be amazing. Don't stress about it. Just take enough money to get at least one ice cream per day!!!

There's a flat route in to Geneva...from Aix les Bains/Seyssel. We did it last year and it was easy. But hills are brilliant, you'll grow to love them. The minute you see the sign at the top, the adrenaline kick just buzzes you away. Then you want to do bigger, steeper, higher ones.

 

[belairman]

Thanks again

Some interesting observations on the bikes, late on Wednesday I did go out on the tourer for a short ride, about 7 miles and found it less comfortable than the mountain bike and the gears somehow less intuitive although that may partly just be a matter of getting used to them. So I can see what you mean Canadiense, and Willem.

The problem with the mb may be in fitting racks etc. to it.

Vernon, I see your point, but the idea for the ride came from the desire to raise money, for personal reasons as a tribute to a friend. It will give me the motivation to do it and to finish it. But in one sense, yes I woulld like to do it anyway. At the moment I can't wait, I would set off tomorrow if I could

And thanks for the tip about the route Cathryn. One of my next steps is to invest in some Michelin maps.

Cheers Tim

 

[belairman]

Anybody know a good source of maps of Switzerland in a suitable scale for cycling? Michelin don't cover 'La Suisse' as far as I can tell, I can take the relevant pages out of a European road atlas but it is very small scale, not much use for back roads and small villages.

Thanks Tim

 

[Cathryn]

My best tip ever (that I received, and dish out) is to buy a standard road atlas at 1:200,000 and tear out the relevant pages. Much cheaper and also much lighter each day as you only have a page to carry.

 

[HJ]

It is also worth having a look at the Verlag Esterbauer website (even though most of it is in German) as they have some excellent touring guides. If you poke around the website you can find lots of useful maps etc.