Hello from Aberdeen.

[Milemuncher]

Hello everyone, this is my first post as a complete newbie to the forum. My wife and I started cycling about five years ago. After a few years on our bike to work bikes, we retired last year and splashed out on a couple of Thorn tourers we hope will 'see us out' over the next 20 years - nothing like being optimistic! Looking forward to being part of conversations around here - I am sure I'll learn heaps - all there best, Norman

 

[ianrauk]

That's all we need... another Scot on Cycle Chat......we have enough already thank you...

Not, really,

A very warm welcome to Cycle Chat Milemuncher

 

[ACS]

 

[HLaB]

Hiya fae doon the coast

 

[snorri]

Looking forward to being part of conversations around here - I am sure I'll learn heaps - all there best, Norman

Welcome Norman, looking forward to seeing contributions from Furry Boot land.

 

[Scoosh]

Milemuncher and

to CycleChat

The likes of ianrauk just don't have a clue what cycling Ecosse is really like

.


How far/where do you plan on touring ?

 

[Milemuncher]

Milemuncher and

to CycleChat

The likes of ianrauk just don't have a clue what cycling Ecosse is really like

.


How far/where do you plan on touring ?

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. Scoosh asks where we want to tour. We have promised ourselves a month + tour since we retired, but being a bit cautious we fancy Europe first. So we are currently thinking about taking the train/ferry to St Malo then cycling to Algoz in the Algarve. We have done week to 10 day trips in France and Portugal before and enjoyed them. I've not done the sums yet, but think we can do the trip to Algoz in 6 weeks. We are plodders. Our longest day to date has been 66 miles, but that was from Villamoura to Castro Verdi in Portugal - not exactly flat! We'd like to do the Anne Mustoe thing of doing 50ish miles a day for 5 days, then have a rest day or two. We are too old for tents so it would be B&B or hostels or the like. I have been looking at the Canal de Gironne and Canal du Midi, but I am not sure I could hack the surfaces. I like smooth D Roads whenever possible. Any thoughts on routes will be much welcomed.

 

[aberal]

Fit like, min...

As to your question....

Any thoughts on routes will be much welcomed.

Try asking on the touring forum, being as specific about what you want to know as you can be.

 

[Telemark]

Welcome, from another CC Ecosse member!

Touring is something I really enjoy, most of our tours have been in bonny Scotland, with the odd raid across the Border, to sunny Northumberland.
I fancy France (Loire source to sea, for example), northern Italy, Austria, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands/Denmark. I've also got a hankering for cycling round Iceland, but suspect that would be quite hard going, on mainly gravel roads ...

Make sure you post your touring experiences (with photos!) in the Touring section, for the rest of us to drool over and be jealous.

T

 

[Milemuncher]

Thanks aberal, will do. I am still finding my feet around here. Its a bit like navigating the back roads of Portugal. 50% of the time you don't know where you are: the other 50% of the time you are merely lost!

 

[Milemuncher]

Welcome, from another CC Ecosse member!

Touring is something I really enjoy, most of our tours have been in bonny Scotland, with the odd raid across the Border, to sunny Northumberland.
I fancy France (Loire source to sea, for example), northern Italy, Austria, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands/Denmark. I've also got a hankering for cycling round Iceland, but suspect that would be quite hard going, on mainly gravel roads ...

Make sure you post your touring experiences (with photos!) in the Touring section, for the rest of us to drool over and be jealous.

T

Thanks, Telemark - I know, so many roads so little time (while you are working!)

 

[Scoosh]

..... So we are currently thinking about taking the train/ferry to St Malo then cycling to Algoz in the Algarve. We have done week to 10 day trips in France and Portugal before and enjoyed them. .........

I have been looking at the Canal de Gironne and Canal du Midi, but I am not sure I could hack the surfaces. I like smooth D Roads whenever possible. Any thoughts on routes will be much welcomed.

The Bike Express could be another option.

<green with envy smilie>

 

[Milemuncher]

Thanks Scoosh. I know I ought to look at bike express, but I think we will be happy to start from St Malo off the ferry, or Paris off EuroStar, or maybe even Santander off the ferry. I know we are lucky to be able to put 6-8 weeks to it, but we have worked for almost 40 years for the opportunity and it is instead of a retirement boat cruise or whatever. I am kind of caught at the moment, not sure whether to go for a round trip or a north south, or just a meander to wherever we end up. A bit of me thinks we ought to just leave and see where we end up day by day and week by week. Another bit of me thinks we ought to research and plan it all. What do you think?

 

[snorri]

A bit of me thinks we ought to just leave and see where we end up day by day and week by week. Another bit of me thinks we ought to research and plan it all. What do you think?

From posts on the forum I've discovered that some folk get as much enjoyment from the pre tour planning and research as they get from the tour itself. My eyes have glazed over very quickly in the past when attempting to plan, so now I usually just set off with a very basic plan and a rough date in mind for getting home again. I would suggest that you start planning, and if it gets tedious then just forget it and get on your bike with minimum info.. Last summer I set out to tour in Switzerland but found myself touring Luxembourg instead!
If you are using public transport to start your tour it can be advantageous to book this as it can give cost savings and it creates an immovable date for departure, otherwise days can slip by as things crop up which you feel you have to deal with before getting off on tour. I wouldn't book any return tickets as the date is best left flexible should you wish to extend or curtail your tour.

Are you really too old for camping? A tent can give that extra option which can come in handy when accommodation proves difficult to find. You don't need to do your cooking on site,you can usually find a restaurant for meals if you wish, but it is handy to be able to brew a cup of tea or coffee. The toilet facilities on the majority of campsites nowadays are maintained to high standards, i think you would be pleasantly surprised.
Friendly tip.... don't get fixated on France, there are lots of other cycle friendly touring areas well worth a tour and equally accessible from the UK.

 

[Milemuncher]

From posts on the forum I've discovered that some folk get as much enjoyment from the pre tour planning and research as they get from the tour itself. My eyes have glazed over very quickly in the past when attempting to plan, so now I usually just set off with a very basic plan and a rough date in mind for getting home again. I would suggest that you start planning, and if it gets tedious then just forget it and get on your bike with minimum info.. Last summer I set out to tour in Switzerland but found myself touring Luxembourg instead!
If you are using public transport to start your tour it can be advantageous to book this as it can give cost savings and it creates an immovable date for departure, otherwise days can slip by as things crop up which you feel you have to deal with before getting off on tour. I wouldn't book any return tickets as the date is best left flexible should you wish to extend or curtail your tour.

Are you really too old for camping? A tent can give that extra option which can come in handy when accommodation proves difficult to find. You don't need to do your cooking on site,you can usually find a restaurant for meals if you wish, but it is handy to be able to brew a cup of tea or coffee. The toilet facilities on the majority of campsites nowadays are maintained to high standards, i think you would be pleasantly surprised.
Friendly tip.... don't get fixated on France, there are lots of other cycle friendly touring areas well worth a tour and equally accessible from the UK.

Snorri, thanks, this all has the ring of sense and experience about it. Aiming for Switzerland, but ending up in Luxembourg takes a bit of explaining, however!

I like the idea of committing to an outward booked train. I have seen sense in taking a wee tent - for 'emergencies'. It does make sense as you say.

As you say, contemplating all of this over the next few months of freezing weather up here in the North East is a real pleasure in itself. And the help and encouragement from this forum is a real bonus. Thanks again, Norman