Dream tour route?

[Crankarm]

I am 55 today and had vague plans to do USA coast to coast at some point. However yesterday I had health diagnosis which means I don't want to wait 5-10 years, and to be frank I am disinclined to do the USA with the current political situation.

So I am looking at an "iconic" route across Europe. I have done the whole of France, done UK to Gib, so UK to Istanbul is one option, but also thinking Atlantic to Black Sea - gives a nice sound and Atlantic could be Spain, Portugal or France. West to east sounds like (marginally) better wind, and gets the "easy" countries out the way first.

Any views?

Julian

I would suggest if you have health problems to stay away from the US, not because of the political situation, but because of the cost of medical care. And in any case how is the political situation going to affect you on a cycle tour??? LoL.

When you say you have "done" the whole of France ........... what every single scenic road/area? LMAO. How about riding the Atlantic to the Med along the Pyrenees? Have you done this? There are numerous routes you could take which would take a lifetime to do and you still wouldn't ride them all. The same route re-ridden would likely be completely different if ridden at a different time of year. How about riding in the Alps, the Vercours and South of France, it is stunningly beautiful? I could never tire of riding there.

Or how about the Nordkapp, Norway to Cape Town? London, Munich, Barcelona, London, or London, Vienna, Cadiz, London? London, Venice, Valencia, Plymouth, London? This should keep you occupied ticking off places and countries to say you've visited.

 

[mmmmartin]

Spain has a tinge of the exotic that is lacking in France which does have a pleasant atmos and cheap muniicpal campsites.
If you want great cycling, go north - NordKapp is a worthwhile destination albeit not cheap but you can wild camp and forget alcohol so you're only buying supermarket food. You need good raingear for Norway. Just sayin'......

 

[Gravity Aided]

I would say keep on the USA idea. The federal government, while headed by a loudmouth, is not particularly present at the local level. Post office, passenger trains. That's about it. The people themselves are quite nice and friendly. Good touring routes, well mapped and detailed. Lodgings can be expensive, but camping is cheap in many cases.

 

[jay clock]

I do have friends looking at the Southern tier in 2018. My challenge is that being self employed it is hard to plan ahead.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Route 66 is getting trail along some of its length, I'm 150 miles from Chicago, and our county has a trail almost complete. Asphalt, not some gravel and mud sort of thing. I don't know about the other counties' progress, but the County McLean is quite well on with it. Bloomington Normal also has 36 miles of trail independent of the Route 66 trail, and there are many trails in Northern Illinois and Wiscaaaansiiin.(You've gotta say that all nasally)

 

[albal]

I do have friends looking at the Southern tier in 2018. My challenge is that being self employed it is hard to plan ahead.

Similar situation, being self employed, I never envisaged the start to 2017 to be so bad. I,m just throwing the balls up in the air and see where it takes me come April 23!. End of the Southern Tier for me.