Planning a bike trip? (page 12 of 37)

ahhhhhhhhhh damn, is there really no one who wants to leave **right now** by bike to the East and Asia?!

My partner bailed 2 days before departure... I'm seeing red, or rather black lol

Please spread the word if you know anyone...

Florian, 24 - 06 75 55 30 03 - Île-de-France (78)

hi I came across your address while searching for something about biking in the Cape Verde islands... life goes on! You wanted Mongolia—here you go: My better half and I spent 6 weeks mountain biking in western Mongolia, between Ulangom and Ulgii, then in Altai Tavan Bogd Park and the surrounding areas. It was wintry at first (snow, cold, rain), scorching afterward, with lots of very dry zones in the north and many deep fords further south (big late winter from October 2009 to April 2010), storms, wind, sun, rain—typical Mongolian weather, really. You can see why Mongolians sometimes come off as a bit, how should I put it, *rustic*! A few admin bits to mention for anyone planning a self-supported tour (visa extensions, border permits...), plus a vibe that’s pretty money-focused in some areas. Mass tourism is starting to creep in there like everywhere else—lots to say about the behavior of some travel agencies or accommodations, even those hyped up by the indispensable Lonely Planet and promoted by the biggest tour operators. I’ve got names, but nobody’s perfect. There was beauty, vastness, tranquility, stunning mountains, late-season transhumance, dreamy bivouacs, noodles—*so many noodles*—friendly Kazakhs and Mongolians, and others less so (or worse). Just normal life. Our trusty, oft-repaired Decathlon 520s proved loyal once again: the only hiccup was losing a rack bolt. Not a single flat tire, all packed up by Aeroflot—disassembled, boxed, no extra fee (20 kg in the hold and 10 kg as carry-on, we packed *very* tight). I’ll post stuff online when I get around to it. DM me if you need info

Leaving Paris on July 31st or August 1st, depending on the weather.

Hi,

I’m heading out at the end of the month for 3½ weeks of bike-camping in Alaska.

I’ve been seriously prepping this trip for about two months now. My provisional route is Anchorage–Denali NP–Fairbanks, then I’ll head back down to Cantwell, take the Denali Highway to Paxson–Glennallen, then Wrangell NP–Valdez. After that, we’ll see how much time is left…

Steve

hi everyone, I’m planning to leave from ST Brevin next week, either Tuesday or Wednesday, to cycle along the Loire, the Doubs, and then the Danube all the way to the Black Sea if I can make it; all your tips are welcome—I’ve got my bike and pretty much all the gear; the only downside is I sprained my wrist last Wednesday, and it’s on the mend, which is why I’ve pushed my departure back by a few days;

looking forward to your advice, and I hope to meet some of you on the road!

Hi everyone,

Like Coulonneux42, a few gremlins and unforeseen issues have delayed my departure... I’d planned to leave on August 1st for 4 weeks, cycling from Bordeaux to Brittany along the coast, then doing a big loop of Brittany—up, down, port side, starboard, dancing a Scottish reel with the korrigans in the Monts d'Arrée, and falling under the spell of the fairies in Brocéliande...

Now looking at leaving late August / early September.

hi everyone, we’re back from our trip across Sweden with our 3.5-year-old son in a Gobug TREK trailer: an amazing bike destination. We covered 605 km in 15 days, including 3 rest days. Departure from Skavsta (Ryanair airport 100 km from STK): bike transport with Ryanair was smooth, perfect. Heading to the Gotha Canal, Then Motala, Vadstena, Gränna along Lake Vättern, Then Eksjö (really nice), Huntsfred, Oskarshamn, Öland Island, and back to Kalmar.

We rented a station wagon to fit all our gear and drive back to Stockholm.

Coasts, lakes, forests, the Baltic Sea, islands: Sweden from one end to the other. A change of scenery, not too crowded, a great nature trip. A great destination for the whole family. Some stages were pretty tough, like 74 km with a lot of climbing (it’s harder when you’re loaded down).

We’re thinking about our next destination and a follow-along bike solution for our son, who’ll be harder to tow next year!

See you soon,

Blandine

Hi there, I'm Arnaud. That’s quite an amazing loop you’ve embarked on! Maybe our paths will cross. Hope everything’s going well for you. I’m planning to leave in March 2011. My route goes from Caen (English Channel) to Tehran. Here’s my website: http://larouedalphonse.fr See you soon. Arnaud

Hello!

I’m starting to feel a bit self-conscious seeing everyone’s amazing destinations...

For me, if I get motivated, it’ll be Versailles to Grenoble in December—I’ve done it before, and it’s pretty unique and quite challenging.

Then there’s the Paris-Brest route: 200, 300, and maybe the 400 and 600 km options.

And then there’s Calais to Scotland in summer 2011—around 1,000 km in 6 days, give or take.

hi fellow cyclists, I did 15 days in 2008 between Les Vans (Ardèche), the Causse Méjean, the Jonte Valley, the Tarn Valley, Mont Lozère, and back—it’s stunning and really exotic too. good luck with your ride!

This isn't just a plan anymore—it's a really great memory. My bike trip in 2010 was in Uzbekistan: http://globecyclo.free.fr/ouzbekistan2010/ouzbekistanpresentation.htm Happy reading and safe travels...

Dalut, this was the trip I originally wanted to do, but I changed my mind since it’s really sketchy in those Afghan and Pakistani areas. I’d love to hear about your route. Chitral, I’m guessing, then the Karakoram Highway?? I switched my plan to Caen–Tehran, with a departure set for March 2011. I’ll be thinking of you! But I’ll be in Istanbul two months later, I think. Here’s my site: http://larouedalphonse.fr See you around!

Hey everyone,

So, my first bike trip is done: Grenoble to Copenhagen in June. 2,500 km through France (following the canals), then Belgium, the Netherlands (gorgeous except for the north), Germany (with a short train ride to avoid Hamburg), and finally amazing Copenhagen.

I really wanted to keep going all the way to the North Cape... Maybe next time... 😉

I’d love to see some photos from your Scottish adventure. Do you have a blog?

Not yet, no. I'll think about it when I get back.

Continuing to NC would’ve let me meet a third French traveler—French folks are pretty rare on this route this year. Best,

My next project? Uhhh ... A tour of Europe! But I don't have the money! Can you do a Europe tour that goes through Greece, Moscow, and covers Sweden-Norway with 6000 € in your pocket?

Of course!! It all depends on how you approach it—I did a little Europe tour with 20 € a day for 42 days. And I could’ve spent even less if I didn’t eat so much and drink so much beer!

I’m aiming for the American West in spring 2011 (San Francisco-L.A.-Salt Lake City). But like Harptallica, I need to find some cash! Though less than him—6,000 € would be more than enough for me to do a coast-to-coast 😉!

Thanks for this forum!

Happy trails!

Hey everyone,

Well, my first bike trip is done: Grenoble to Copenhagen in June. 2,500 km through France (following the canals), then Belgium, the Netherlands (gorgeous except for the north), Germany (with a short train ride to avoid Hamburg), and finally amazing Copenhagen.

I really wanted to keep going all the way to Nordkapp... Maybe next time...😉

Welcome to the club

Hey, same here (or almost)! Guérande to Copenhagen round trip... Such great memories! Check it out here: http://www.la-roue-tourne.fr/cyclo/randos/velo_2010.html

Happy trails! !