touring companion 2013

[berty bassett]

anyone fancy calais -ish to santander late next year - i answered another bloke interested in doing it but no response as yet so thought i may as well try myself as well - nothing set in stone at all just would like a good bike ride and that sounds good - date flexible - to a point and either camping ,b&b suits me fine - would like to play in the pyennees a bit - though not take them head first if touring fully loaded - just wanted to see if anyones interested so i can motivate myself - i'm in northants area if makes a difference . if the other bloke gets back to me i will answer him as spoke to him first . can do 100 plus a day in normal conditions but wouldnt mind it coming down a bit 60-70 hopefully minimum - i guess that would be optimistic in mountains but hey they are only half up !! would rather a challenge than a ramble but i know thats not everybodies taste just i couldn't afford to be away for ever as still working - though cracking on in age 46 - thats about it - lets see if anyone thinks like me !!

 

[nigelnorris]

I can't accompany you but I did exactly that three years ago aged 46 and highly recommend it. 40-90 miles per day, 1100 miles Calais to the Pyrenees, last week or so of July, first 2/3 weeks of August. I went through the Vendee, along some parts of the coast, through Bordeaux and as far as Pau. The sight of the mountains was too much for me, I was way overloaded, also was pouring with rain when I got there and it was the middle of the French factory fortnight so I actually abandoned at the foothills and jumped on a train into Spain and got my ferry back from Santander. Get a cabin with a proper bed and a shower, a great way to unwind before getting back into the UK. The northern and middle parts were great, the south leaves a lot to be desired. Bordeaux and beyond campsites are relatively infrequent and the locals relatively unfriendly. A couple of days I arrived and everywhere was booked out so I had to stealth camp in a local park. I was glad to see the back of southern France.

I'll do something similar, but next time fewer daily miles [60/70 gives almost no time for sightseeing].

Good luck and have fun.

 

[MontyVeda]

I'm well up for touring with Berty Basset... I'll never be stuck for a snack!

 

[oldfatfool]

100 miles or km? 100k in the mountains is manageable, 80k comfortable, 100 miles fully loaded even on relatively flat terrain is a ball ache. What do you call late next year and how long are you planning to take? Not sure on what holidays I will have next year as work are altering our allocations, but could be interested.

I spent 3 weeks in the South of France this summer including the Pyrenees and I am glad to say my experience with the local populace was the opposite of Nigel.

 

[berty bassett]

thanks for input everyone
as for time taken i would like to think that i could tuck away 80-100 mile a day comfortable on the flat having all day to do it and willing to accept that it would be reduced in the mountains - late in the year means late august or start of september hopefully missing the heat holidays and cold in mountains - time taken , well nothing set in stone if we got on well with good winds we could keep going and bank miles if it was bad weather may cost a day or 2 guess would have to divide the distance by hopeful miles travelled a day to see how many days - - i know the ferry would have to be booked so maybe allow a rest day just incase
would want to treat it more of a challenge than a jaunt but at same time got to enjoy it so no head down balls out stuff - more a gentle slog stop when want but dog the miles in sort of thing light weight camping with minimum kit shouldnt be impossible

 

[bigjim]

I had an interesting time in France this September. http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=63550.0
I think the French are great. I just could not get my head round having to do 100miles a day though. No time to stop and stare or chat to the lovely eccentric/charming/annoying French. Oh and I'm also a lazy bugger.

 

[oldfatfool]

Was thinking of tackling LEL next year as my 'challenge' and more of a long lunch type tour for a holiday will keep it in mind though when I know what my holiday allocation for 2013/14 will be.

 

[Hitchington]

Maybe....

 

[berty bassett]

i dont think it will be as hard as it sounds because the daylight would be long leaving plenty of time to stop and enjoy the area - but at the same time if you dont do some big mile days then it would just take too long - i am self employed so time of work can be sorted as long as it aint too long - on saying that i am also married so time away from the better half is in her words - limited

 

[oldfatfool]

Out of interest how set are you on Santader/ Spain?

Just thinking the awkwardist/ dearest part of the trip would be getting to Calais and then home from Santander. The bike express as a coach leaving uk on 30/08 and picking up in either Bayonne or Lourdes on the 15/09. Plenty of time to tour the length of France with contingencies and camp up and play in the Pyrenees for however many days aren't spent touring, or pop over into Spain and loop back into France via a different route, plenty of passes worth riding?

 

[berty bassett]

nothing is really set in stone just would like to play in mountains for a while - didn't think ferry across would be too bad and just thought of having a little luxury on way home with a cabin and a bed . haven't worked out how many days yet but was hoping for a few less than that - but it is what it is - did think of bike bus but the thought of sitting there for that long would send me nuts - also looked at train from montpelier what was around £130 from there to london what didn't sound bad - that was with the space for bike but last year prices . first idea was calais to sete then montpelier home going down left hand side then across mountains to sete as going to be on heavy bike with flat bars so i could play with mountains if i wanted or i believe there is a road through where you basically miss most of them if i was being lazy , i wanted to go sete as i was there selling doughnuts when i was 20 but then just liked the idea of ferry back - no reason - if you want to get in touch more email is lacmarshall@gmail.com - thanks for replying