Tonight I weighed my touring kit and panniers

[lordloveaduck]

Sorry to have got your gender wrong.....actually I've got very puny thighs

There is nothing to forgive, and from what i've heard your thighs aren't as puny as you make out

 

[P.H]

That's very impressive. The idea of my bike with camping gear being lighter than my bike without currently is appeals to me. That's bound to make a massive difference to you riding. Has the experience with Slimmers World been a good one? Do you think you would you have lost the weight without them? Do you think they will help in keeping it off (The hardest part IME)? Sorry for all the questions I'm struggling to lose weight and am looking for some sort of support.

 

[vernon]

That's very impressive. The idea of my bike with camping gear being lighter than my bike without currently is appeals to me. That's bound to make a massive difference to you riding. Has the experience with Slimmers World been a good one? Do you think you would you have lost the weight without them? Do you think they will help in keeping it off (The hardest part IME)? Sorry for all the questions I'm struggling to lose weight and am looking for some sort of support.

The Slimmers World experience has been fine. There's some bits that I find amusing - exercise has been re-christened 'Body Magic'. Talking about the success and failures of the week is called 'Image Therapy' and menstruation is called 'Star Week' and is often used as an excuse for a weight gain during "Image Therapy'.

Staying through Image therapy is useful as you can pick up all sorts of tips on using food and drink differently - balsamic vinegar and lowcalorie lemonade as a Pimms substitute anyone?

I use the Extra Easy eating plan which has an extensive list of foods that can be eaten without restrictions. It's wonderful because I like everything that's on the list of acceptable foods and i dont have to weigh or count anything out.

I doubt that I would have lost the weight without Slimming World. It has added structure and discipline to my eating. I do have lapses like the week I put on ten and a half pounds after a wild three days at a festival where I sank enough booze to float a battleship. There's no tut tutting at anyone who gains weight in the group and everyone is supportive - sometimes too supportive but I am a bloke and sometimes find the touchy feely emotional non critical support a bit too much to take at times without wanting to burst out laughing.

I'm the star performer in my group and was awarded man of the year. There were only two other fellas in the running and I'd shed more than they had to to reach their target weights. I've still got a fair way to go. I suppose i could cut myself free and go it alone. I know how the eating plan works but the public announcement of the weekly gain/loss is an incentive to carry on. I'll review the situation when I've lost another five stones.

It doesn't work for everyone. One of my colleagues who joined at the same time has yoyo'd and lost only seven pounds over the same time as it's taken me to lose nearly four and a half stones.

Yesterday I did an Imperial century as part of a 163km Audax and got round the route in eight and a half hours and arrive back at base at the same time as some of the Clifton CC riders who weren't the slowest of riders. I was two hours faster than when I last rode the route three years ago.

 

[P.H]

Thank you Vernon for such a detailed reply, I think I might give it a go.

 

[vernon]

Thank you Vernon for such a detailed reply, I think I might give it a go.

Gio to the Slimming World web site and find a local group using your post code.

You've got nothing but weight to lose.

 

[bigjim]

I was wondering about your plan to camp on the Danube trail? I rode it last year and I was suprised that I saw very few campsites and those I did see seemed to be dominated by Motorhomes. We were B&B so it did not matter and there were plenty of these.
My daughter joined Slimming World and it was very successful for her and she has kept the weight off, even now she is pregnant and still nice and slim, apart from the front of course.

 

[vernon]

I was wondering about your plan to camp on the Danube trail? I rode it last year and I was suprised that I saw very few campsites and those I did see seemed to be dominated by Motorhomes. We were B&B so it did not matter and there were plenty of these.
My daughter joined Slimming World and it was very successful for her and she has kept the weight off, even now she is pregnant and still nice and slim, apart from the front of course.

There seems to be enough sites indicated in the Bikeline Books. When we can't find a camp site then we'll resort to wild camping. I didn't have any bother finding camp sites between Donnauschingen and Passau last year.

 

[bigjim]

There seems to be enough sites indicated in the Bikeline Books. When we can't find a camp site then we'll resort to wild camping. I didn't have any bother finding camp sites between Donnauschingen and Passau last year.

Of course I've never looked in the books. I have a habit of always looking at possible campsites. I was doing this today in the Yorkshire Dales. So I was doing this on the Danube, but of course I was on the cycle path and sussing out wild camping sites, but a German guy tells me they have warden patrols but I never saw any.
Anyway enjoy your trip. I'm jealous.

 

[Noelinspain]

I read these posts with interest, since I'm tentatively planning to cycle the Danube (on my tod I expect) next year, from Donaueschingen to Budapest. Won't be camping though. I'd be driving from southern Spain, so hope there'd be somewhere secure at D where I could leave the car. Then I expect it would be a challenge to get back there by bus or train (don't want to cycle the return journey). Any advice on any aspect of the trip would be greatly appreciated!

 

[vernon]

I read these posts with interest, since I'm tentatively planning to cycle the Danube (on my tod I expect) next year, from Donaueschingen to Budapest. Won't be camping though. I'd be driving from southern Spain, so hope there'd be somewhere secure at D where I could leave the car. Then I expect it would be a challenge to get back there by bus or train (don't want to cycle the return journey). Any advice on any aspect of the trip would be greatly appreciated!

Step one would be to buy the Bikeline Books.

I found the Passau to Vienna stretch to be the most boring. Passau and Vienna are great but the bit in between was a tad tedious but busy as it's the most popular stretch. Make sure that you allocate several days for Budapest and take advantage of the thermal baths there. The Red Tour bus in Budapest is worth travelling on. Book your Budapest to wherever tickets in Austria on the outward leg dont forget to get a cycle reservation too.

I was unable to purchase tickets for the Hungarian Railways here in the UK and had to wait until I was in Austria to take advantage of the Austrian Railways booking system.

Getting back isn't a challenge apart from the number of trains that you might have to use - it took six trains to get me to Paris, five of them got me to Munich.

 

[Noelinspain]

Hi Vernon! Many thanks for your tips. Since posting my query I did a little research on the trains, discovering as you say that you can get back from Budapest to Donaueschingen, but with lots of changes. A few years ago I went on a motoring/camping tour in Europe, covering 12 countries. The furthest east I got was in fact Budapest. I then traced the Danube as far as Passau before turning north to visit friends. Unfortunately the weather, which had been excellent till I left Hungary, was wet through Austria and Germany, so I didn't stop much to sight-see.