First tour complete

[Randommoose]

Hi,

I got back yesterday from my first ever tour and it was great fun! Me and a friend went from Reading to Bristol over 4 days, 2 of which were half days. We also had to ride from Cheltenham to Tewkesbury at the end as the train was cancelled and the coach driver would not have bikes on the coach. So yesterday ended up being about 45 miles.

In total the trip was abour 110 miles on a mix of roads, mainly towpath and some VERY rough towpath. We camped in a tent and that was good fun.

The most extreme bit was when the canal towpath did a landslide as I was riding over it (about a 2 foot wide, 4 foot long section came off into the water) dumping me into the canal. Luckily, I keep all my stuff in dry bags so nothing got wet but I was soaked! The next day we managed to find a laundrette and dried my clothes and my shoes a bit.

I know to most of you, this will seem like a very small trip without many miles but considering neither of us had done any touring or ever done more than 20 miles in one day before, it was a satisfying achievement. We got better and had more energy as we went on. I now want to go again.

Before I go on a tour next time I think I might get some padded shorts though!

Moose

 

[HJ]

Good to read that you enjoyed it, padded shorts are highly recommended, so where are you going on the next one?

 

[Cathryn]

Don't make any apologies for your tour, it sounds brilliant...and adventure packed as well!! You've got a few more weekends spare before winter for another tour..and yep, padded shorts are the way forward!!!

Can't believe you fell in the canal. Weren't you freaked out?

 

[Randommoose]

Thank you for the replies. I will hopefully be getting some padded shorts soon.

Hmm, I wasn't freaked out - I was laughing (once I was out). I do a lot of canal boating and have never fallen in, so it amused me so much that the first time I fell in was while cycling. When I actually fell in I was thinking more about keeping my bike out of the water. I went in head and right hand side first and thought the bike was going to hold me under as it felt heavy. But I wiggled out and picked up the bike to stop it going all the way under and my friend helped me out. It was very funny. Cycling all the next day with wet shoes wasn't great but it was warm enough to not be much of a problem.

Moose

 

[rich p]

Good start, RM. Great trees from little acorns grow and all that!

 

[Garz]

Hehe, sounds like fun. Cant wait to hear from the next episode of 'Randommoose - Canal man'.

 

[Randommoose]

Randommoose - canalwoman

 

[chris667]

Congratulations! Welcome to our marvellous hobby. Where to next?

Whereabouts were you when the bank collapsed? That's seemed to happen a lot on the K&A around Reading this summer.

 

[Randommoose]

About 1-2 miles east of Wilcot. There were quite a few sections along the towpath that had collapsed.

As for where to next - I'm not sure. The current plan is to aim to cycle for 10 miles a day until my muscles get used to that, then increase it. I would like to get to the stage where I can do a 25 mile round commute 3 days a week. As for the next tour, I have no idea. I might do some day trips first, then a weekend, then something in half term but I haven't really thought about it yet.

Moose

 

[chris667]

I'm guessing you're in Reading.

One of my favourite mini-tours which I've used to start (or not) quite a lot of tourists has been Reading - Oxford, staying at the brilliant, cheap campsite at Day's Lock.

 

[Randommoose]

Hi,

Actually I live in Tewkesbury. Reading to Bristol just seemed like a nice round number as it is 100 miles and good for a first tour as it is flat.

Moose

 

[chris667]

Ah well, it's still a nice tour. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Garz]

'Canalwoman' My apologies!

 

[srmex]

The towpath collapsed?

I bet you wish you had a video camera!

 

[Randommoose]

Yes, it was hilarious! My friend took a photo of me dripping wet once I had got out. My only concern was that the bag of sweets might have got wet, but they didn't so it was fine!

Moose