Cycling adventures

[gavroche]

I read a lot of cycling books on people cycling all over the world and writing about their experiences. I admire those people, I admire their determination, their fearless attitude towards the unknown and what drives them to do it . I could never embark on such a venture as I am not brave enough. I like my comfort zone and security it gives me. Of all the CC members, I wonder how many of you have actually cycled into the unknown and what drove you to do it?

 

[uphillstruggler]

I cycled to Wales last year, there were a couple of reasons.

Firstly, I fancied it.

Secondly, my daughter's both took friends on holiday to Wales so there was no room in the car for me

One thing about a couple of days just riding and thinking of nothing else apart from finding a spot to wild camp, was I started my holiday far more relaxed than if I'd drove there.

I can recommend even the smallest trip into the unknown. I met loads of people who were friendly and helpful to me as a total stranger.

I'm off for a week on my own next year, Belgium or a coast to coast with no particular destination in mind.

Try it, you may enjoy it

Then again, I travelled around the world for work and pleasure on my own so am used to my own company.

 

[Fnaar]

I admire them too, and would love to do similar. My own escapades are limited to a 5-day camping trip round the Borders, and cycling from Northumberland to London.

 

[Fonze]

Not done it yet but am about to cycle in Geneva for a couple of days then later in the year for a bit longer.
I am very secure on the routes I use , it's where/what I know and makes me happy but I yearn for the scenic life and adore places like the Alps.
We went to Tenerife last year and I was speaking to someone who had cycled a few days and said never again there as he'd nearly been ran over/knocked off more times than he cared to mention.
There's plenty routes planned out by Cycle Switzerland and it looks amazing so best of both worlds for me.
The freedom of it and taking in such views is well worth the effort

 

[snorri]

Of all the CC members, I wonder how many of you have actually cycled into the unknown and what drove you to do it?

I've never thought of cycle touring as cycling into the unknown.
I suppose I was driven by curiosity, a sense of adventure, the pleasure/excitement of touring to new places, even although the unknown was only unknown to me, and not to the people I met along the way.

 

[Moodyman]

My first night ride (fnrttc).

My family thought I was going mad riding through the night with complete strangers. And despite reading lots of great stories about the rides beforehand, I began to think they (family) might have a point.

But, oh my...what a fabulous experience. There's nothing quite like them.

 

[Tin Pot]

I cycled through Wapping once <shudders>

Isn't every bike ride a bit of an adventure?

 

[Dayvo]

Freedom, mostly, plus the experience and adventure.

I've had two longish tours: 6 weeks from southern Sweden to Gibraltar with a mate, and another 6 weeks' solo ride from Sydney to Adelaide, via Melbourne, to celebrate 50 years on this planet.

 

[pjd57]

I find planning these trips useful.

It helps me get to sleep at night.

I don't actually go on any of them. All my cycling trips have the same start and end point. My front door.

 

[StuAff]

[QUOTE 4958194, member: 259"]Cycled from Southern India to Sri Lanka and all over the island twice in the eighties (when the ferries were still running and you could safely go to Tamil areas without being kidnapped by the Tigers). Smoked lots of grass, ate wonderful food for next to nothing, and slept outside a lot, thus feeding future generations of mosquitoes. Rode up to World's End in Horton Plains and looked out into infinity.

Cycled from East Germany in 1983 through the former Czech Republic and into Hungary, then Austria, Germany, France, Belgium and England. And I didn't have a single puncture until I hit Notts!

I probably wouldn't be able to do most of that nowadays.[/QUOTE]
[/PEDANT]In 1983 it was most definitely Czechoslovakia. The Velvet divorce between Czech Republic & Slovak Republic happened January 1 1993[/PEDANT]. Awesome trip though!!

 

[StuAff]

[QUOTE 4958247, member: 259"]Yes, whatever, you're absolutely right! The crossing from East Germany into Czecho was the scariest. They took everything apart, including a pretty mature underwear bag![/QUOTE]
Given the nature of the two regimes one would have thought their security services would trust each other. Clearly not....

 

[robjh]

It depends what you mean by 'into the unknown'. On all my trips, cycling and otherwise, I have a pretty good idea where I'm going to end up and when, but where I get to on the way is a matter of whim, serendipity and planning on the hoof. And therein lies the fun. It obviously helps if I have an idea each day that I'll find somewhere to sleep where I'm going, but the challenges of sorting out the details as I go along are one of the beauties of travel. For me.

 

[MrPie]

As they say in the North East of Scotchland 'a feint heart never sha@@ed a sheep'. An around the world trip is indeed extreme and I don't know what drives folks to even contemplate that sort of trip. For folks that have a mortgage, job, young families, whatever it my be, then something less extreme can be within reach and may even be appealing. Why not take some time out and selfishly appease your itch? Why not go get that Sheep?

I took the plunge several years ago: started with the Houston-Austin MS 150. Righto, what next? Hotter n hell 100, Raid Pyrenean, UK sportives, etc. Now sitting in a hotel in Toulouse with child like excitement about riding up and down the same mountains that my TdeF heroes have raced on for decades, and will continue to race on. It's within each. Go on, you're worth it.