FNRttC The Fridays tour 2014

[andyman]

ooh err there was me worried I might miss out on the early booking as Ive been away skiing, but no such worries

Fri overnight and Sat afternoon return all booked up for me and Jo - now to look at the other elements to this venture

mmmmartin will sort van etc on the conversation....

 

[mmmmartin]

Indeed! Excellent news!
Am whiling away the time while on holiday on the north Norfolk coast by peering at maps of France. I need to buy another map, and at the moment the main route issue is where to cross the Loire. We can't go too far off the"straight line" route as we don't want to increase the distance unnecessarily, but nor do we want to spent hours crossing the dank suburbs of huge French cities. And, trust me on this, we won't be going anywhere near those bloody huge motorway junctions with 22 ton trucks behaving like they're driven by Jeremy Clarkson. And I suspect you prefer quiet country lanes, the white ones on the map. Also, as we are among friends and I know no one will grass me up to Dellzeqq, I have noticed a rather seductive, and flat, cycle path along an old railway line that avoids a busy main road and lots of hills. The recce will check that one out, deffo. But mum's the word, OK?

 

[mmmmartin]

Maybe it's only 6.....

It is six, I think, and I need 132 not 131 which I used when I was coming back from the Med to the Manche

 

[mmmmartin]

at the risk of boring you to death with my 3rd post of the evening i wonder if you could let me know how narrow your tyres might be. this is because a cursory look on google streetview suggest that if we opt to avoid the hills and the busy roads there are some short sections that are on compacted gravel where tyres that are 18 might be a bit tricky. obviously the recce will check this out that it would be handy to know exactly what size tyres people will be running over this surface.no hurry obviously, any time before May will be fine

 

[srw]

Back in June we did a 10-mile section of Normandy cyclepath - compacted gravel - on 28mm tyres on the tandem. Probably the rough equivalent of 23mm on a solo bike. The bike got dusty but the ride was very smooth and quick - even the gates could be negotiated without a problem.

Earlier in the summer we rode a 3-mile section of canalside cyclepath in Kent (frogs! nightingales! reed warblers!) on the same bike. That was not smooth.

 

[Moodyman]

25 narrow. 37 more likely.

 

[wanda2010]

I have 23s but can upgrade if advisable.

 

[mmmmartin]

No, do not do that. the reconnaissance will have a look at this route and see if it can be done on the tyres riders will have. if it can't be done on those tyres then we will find another route. It's just that it will be good to know what tyres will be used when we see what these alleged cycle paths are like. there are very good reasons why, to quote simon, he "would rather wipe his arse with a badger than ride on a cycle path in the uk"

 

[StuAff]

25mm. Unless it's the Trek, in which case 28mm.

 

[mmmmartin]

I'd rather wipe my arse with a badger than ride down a towpath in England

Oops, it was towpaths to which he referred, rather than cyclepaths.

 

[redfalo]

I went into my local W H Smith yesterday - equipped with all the vouchers and tokens they issue - and added to my map collection.

I'd recommend the Michelin Local (yellow) maps at 1:150,000.

I can fully endorse this recommendation. Haver having used soley the GPS in recent years I rediscovered the beauty of paper maps thanks to the yellow Michelin maps in France. Precise distances are even given for the smallest D roads, gradients are shown in a very reliable way and the highlighting of scenic roads is very useful for finding nice routes.

 

[dellzeqq]

we found the Michelin maps to be quite out of date in the south of France. I've always done a double check on Google Maps.

 

[mmmmartin]

On the subject of maps and finding a route, I am whiling away my time during the current Stormaggedon by looking at maps and Google Streetview. Am now pretty confident that there should be some

• opportunities for riverside picnics,
• lovely pieces of coast to ride along
• small pretty villages (inland and coastal)
• and possibly a chance to swim in the sea

as well as the usual beautiful french countryside and empty roads.
i have avoided main roads like the plague and we are on small local roads for (almost) the entire trip. The recce will check these out, obvs.
But so far the route is coming together beautifully.
i will bring the maps to the Tourette (formerly know as the "windows & death" ride) in London next Sunday.

 

[mllond]

Ferry booked, there and back. Cabin, too! Women only need apply...[/quote
Do you still have free space in your women only cabin? May I apply?

 

[StuAff]

On the subject of maps and finding a route, I am whiling away my time during the current Stormaggedon by looking at maps and Google Streetview. Am now pretty confident that there should be some

• opportunities for riverside picnics,
• lovely pieces of coast to ride along
• small pretty villages (inland and coastal)
• and possibly a chance to swim in the sea

as well as the usual beautiful french countryside and empty roads.
i have avoided main roads like the plague and we are on small local roads for (almost) the entire trip. The recce will check these out, obvs.
But so far the route is coming together beautifully.
i will bring the maps to the Tourette (formerly know as the "windows & death" ride) in London next Sunday.

Have you enquired about SNCF group rates Martin? If we do the same for train fares and bookings as the van (i.e. everyone bungs you some dosh and you sort it) that to my mind would make more sense than umpteen bookings and probably ending up all over the train (unless people are inclined to sit by themselves, of course).