Planning a bike trip?

Who are you? Where are you from? Where are you going?

Like last year at this time, a post about bike travel ideas.

How many of us are preparing a trip planned for this year? Probably a lot.

What’s yours—the one you’ve been dying to do for so long, maybe too long? For us, it’s a modest PARIS-MARATHON by bike, followed by MARATHON-ATHENS on foot in June 2010. And you?

May the passion keep growing before, during, and after! Happy planning and safe travels to everyone.

hi, this’ll be a 2-month trip across the US in April and May—a loop east of Las Vegas, hitting up a bunch of national parks. Good luck with the prep!

http://janodou.over-blog.com/article-itineraire-gouvieux--marathon--athenes-en-quelques-cartes-38973472.html

Awesome project—it’s so inspiring! Wishing you great prep too!

We're not sure yet! But it might be Paris-Barcelona or Paris-Rome in September-October by tandem!

More details on my site once we’ve decided!

Happy planning!

Hi everyone,

Well, I’m thinking of setting off for 3 weeks in May on a bike-camping trip with my bike and trailer. Starting from Tours where I live, heading down to Biarritz, then making my way to Perpignan, and returning via Aurillac and the Creuse region. In total, about 2,000 km and quite a bit of elevation gain. After doing 1,200 km in 14 days this summer, I have a better idea of what it takes.

Anyway, just wanted to share that! I checked out your blog—it’s really cool to ride with your son! See you later, Bruno

😎 well, as a newbie, BRIANCON to SLOVENIA with a train return. When? 2010! May or June!!! You’ve been warned, cheers 😇

To celebrate my retirement, I’m doing a round trip from Valence d'Agen to the North Cape on a recumbent tricycle. Departure in early April, return in September.

Normally, I’ll pass through Charente to pick up my friend Herhyck, who has the same goal with a similar vehicle.

For the preparation, it’s intentionally vague to leave room for adventure—the idea is that beyond the destination (the North Cape), what matters is the journey there and back, the sights, the encounters... The route is just a rough outline: head straight up to Normandy, then follow the coast to northern Germany, cross into Denmark, then Sweden, up Sweden’s east coast, into Finland, then Norway all the way north, descend along the Norwegian coast, then through southern Sweden, Denmark, and roughly the same route back for the rest of the trip.

For accommodation, as much wild camping as possible.

There you go. Six months of adventure. The goal is slowness to enjoy the trip. Mileage and time don’t matter!

If all goes well, there’ll be a website to follow the journey.

See you!

Well done and good luck with the prep! If that photo is yours, I’d say at first glance you’ve got more of a Kersauson vibe than a Jalabert one!!😉 But then again, Briançon to Slovenia by boat... that’s gonna be a tough one. See ya!😎 Bruno

😎 True, the sea is definitely my first passion!!! But biking seems really fun too!! To answer you, it’s totally my thing!! Oops🤪

Awesome project!!!! Even better with the family. A lovely, original finish for a bike tour. Good luck, and looking forward to reading about your adventures on the blog.

Karine

Hi Janodou, For me, due to lack of time and certainly the culmination of many trips, it’ll be pedaling in the Promised Land—Israel in February 2010. A mix of excitement and questions, it’s the realization of a dream for me. Jordan, Egypt—nothing but pure joy, so much I’ve dreamed of...

For us newbies on the topic, it’ll be a little family tour in the southwest with trailers and kids, summer 2010. http://www.gpx-view.com/gpx.php?f=Triplot.gpx

Elisabeth

For me, it'll be a Naples-Strasbourg trip in the spring or maybe a tour of Corsica, depending on the vacation time I can get.

😎 it's true that the sea is pretty much my first passion 🤪

The world is really unfair. I live by the sea, but my passion is the mountains. I'd love to live and work near Briançon...

For my part, I’m planning to do Orly - Auch (Gers) by bike-camping in May 2010. The route isn’t set yet. Two weeks of bike-camping at the end of August or in September 2010, but I’m torn between Brittany, Alsace/Jura, or the Southeast.

How many of us are preparing a trip planned for this year?

For this year, no more trips are planned. Snow has been falling since last night—next Friday, the winter season starts at Alpe d'Huez... here we go for 5 months of skiing.

But for next year, if the various ongoing projects allow it, a trip across Canada from May/June to August/September, from Dawson City to Montreal... Halifax if I can. If I can’t get away for that period, it’ll be Japan from September to November.

The world is really unfair. I live by the sea, and my passion is the mountains. I’d love to live and work near Briançon...

Unfair, unfair... that’s a bit hasty. My thing is the mountains (and traveling by bicycle), and that’s where I live. Life’s simple 😏

And since it puts me in a good mood, I’ll say it again: it’s snoooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww

For my part, after a summer tour of Switzerland with my 10-year-old son (Jura, Rhône, and Rhine routes), we’re tackling the Carpathians next (a bit of Romania, lots of Ukraine, and Poland), this time with his big sister (12 years old). Three weeks of adventure planned...

For us, it’s the big departure—my layoff happened this Friday. We’re casting off in early March, heading east for a two-year bike trip around the world.

For us, it’ll be a long trip around the world. No set date, no precise itinerary—we’re heading east. We want to enjoy nature and discover different cultures. Along the way, we plan to lend a hand to NGOs. We’re aiming to leave in April 2010. http://www.selle-a-vie.com

Happy planning, everyone!!

Brussels (or Maastricht) to Berlin via the EuroVelo Route 1.

For my wife and me, it’ll be the northern Vietnamese Tonkin in February for a month. It’s chilly at that time of year, but it’ll also be Tet festival. Then in the summer, we’re starting a tour of France along the borders. Since it’s roughly 5,000 km, we’ll split it into two parts.

Hey buddy!!

I’d love to hear about your route! I think it might be similar (Paris-Istanbul 2012). Anyway, it’s a really great idea! No need to be modest—it’s awesome! This kind of thing is gonna inspire people!!! I remember one year, a couple headed south to take part in the Roc Azur, but they got there with a tandem and a huge homemade trailer made from their two mountain bikes!!!

Hi there,

Sticking to my habit of escaping South America every other year, I’m planning a visit to the Eastern Roman Empire, starting with Egypt. I’m aiming to leave sometime in January, probably right after the CCI festival, and I’ll return when I’ve had enough—maybe October. That’s the purple part on the map. Roughly, I’ll follow the routes suggested by Michelin guides or similar, but with no strict plan—just going with the flow. Budget is my usual 400 € per month, plus the flight ticket. If anyone wants to join me for part of the journey, you’re more than welcome.

See you soon, Pierre

For my friend and me, we're leaving on February 14, 2010, heading east toward Central Asia and then India. For now, we’ve planned 18 months, and maybe longer if the urge strikes: http://artizenvelo.free.fr

Happy planning to everyone!

Héloïse

hi there, my plan and wish: cycling the Danube from Romania to Germany in September 2010; I really want to do it, but haven’t made a final decision yet;

Normally, if I can arrange my work schedule, that should be the plan—from mid-April to mid-August.

Hey,

Love your plan! Since I bike and run a lot too, I’m totally on board.

For me, it’ll probably be one of these:

- A tour of Iceland - Crossing the Alps all the way to Slovenia - Connecting the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea (actually an extension of my 2008 trip from Montbéliard to the Black Sea)...

... but yeah, I always change my mind at the last minute, so don’t take my post too seriously 😉😊

Ciao

Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.

Good evening everyone,

For our first bike adventure, we decided to cross Mexico in 2011. The route starts in Tijuana and ends in Cancun—about 3 months of travel.

See you soon, and good luck to those who are leaving soon!

Ughhhh, still looking... If anyone could suggest something REALLY original! 😎

Also,

Bru

...well, Christmas in December, that’s pretty original, huh?...

We’re thinking June, maybe a year or more... probably West Africa, with Maïa, who’ll be 2, in a trailer. A beautiful trip... can’t wait!

"If anyone could suggest something REALLY original!"

How about circling the Paris *périph'* completely self-sufficient and on a fixed gear (28x28), for example... 🙂

What would be original in the "bike travel" section is to *not* travel by bike! 😉😉😉😉😉 Safe travels anyway

If you want, Bruno, you can follow in Gleb Travine’s footsteps... a full loop of the former USSR, with a west-to-east crossing along the northern coast... on the ice. Of course, if you want to match his conditions, you’ll need to set off with a 1930s fixed-gear bike. That’d give you something original (at least for the post-war era). I’m reading the book about his journey (*The Centaur of the Arctic*)... it’s pure inspiration...

Hi everyone,

On my end, I’m prepping for a third solo ride through the Pyrenees this spring. After that, I’ll meet up with a fellow cyclist in Agde to explore the Canal du Midi and the Garonne Canal together, taking our time to discover the area. If all goes well, we’ll then tackle part of the EuroVelo 6 from Saint-Nazaire to—well, we’re aiming for Basel! Happy planning to all! Cyclo 78

Hello! For us, it’ll be Germany—the cyclist’s paradise where everything is designed for them—from Füssen in Bavaria all the way to Berlin. By bike paths, of course, and the Romantic Road! Such a warm welcome, great beers, stunning villages, far from cars, and so safe (unlike back home). Our 5th trip to Germany, and we’ve never been disappointed. :)) Long live peace and Franco-German friendship! Minjocebo, Var

biking in Albania 15 days starting from Tirana one week in the Albanian Alps: Vermosh, Theth, Barmjam, Curri then Lake Ohrid, descending to the Albanian coast and the loop will be complete 1200 km in 15 days

Hey everyone... same plan as Ralevy, "Nor'pic (Pic de Nore) to Nordkapp. Stopping in Lyon to pick up my partner Ray, and then off on the adventure. Only downside is that Ray hasn’t made her final decision yet. I think my 68 years will be up to handling 6 months of such an amazing trip... the experience is in my panniers.

Can we get in touch, Ralevy? Cheers to everyone and to successful trips! Maxou

Hi, Well, I’m planning my annual trip to France. Next year (September) I’m going to cycle around Alsace. From the initial info I’ve gathered, it seems like a gorgeous region to explore by bike. If anyone has any favorite spots to recommend, don’t hesitate! Over the past few years, I’ve done the Périgord with the Canal du Midi, cycled through the Massif Central and a bit of the Camino de Santiago, and my most recent trip was in Burgundy. Three amazing journeys. My travel planning has changed a lot—nowadays, I aim for about 50 km of cycling per day. I book my first hotel when I arrive, and then each morning over breakfast, I reserve my guesthouse or hotel for the day. Before setting off, I pick two potential places to stay. My route is mapped out in advance, but if someone suggests a better path, I don’t hesitate to change course. Or if we love a place, we’ll decide to stay an extra day—no long deliberation needed. That’s how I plan my trips now. If you’ve got any travel tips or suggestions, feel free to share!

Happy travels!

Well hey there! Awesome plan! I know some forums that are gonna be pretty deserted while you're away... Happy trails!

Hi Luc,

I see you’re not letting anything get you down, and you’re absolutely right—you’ve done the Périgord, the Massif Central, and Burgundy, and now you’re planning Alsace. Great choice; the food isn’t bad either, and from the photo, I can see where you get your renewable cycling energy from those sunny hills. If you’re arriving in France via Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, you can stop by the house, and you’ll get to enjoy my good cooking and my wine cellar... See you online soon! http://janodou.over-blog.com/pages/PARISMARATHONATHENES-1795895.html

No way, I’ll keep you posted 😉.

And you, Escapop? Where are you taking your T800?

My T300 :)

It’ll first do the north of France :) A world tour is planned in 5-6 years. Before that, I think Europe. But for now, money’s tight (the bike’s already gonna make a huge dent in the budget...). Ah, student life! If nothing’s planned (for now) for this summer, it’s because I’m heading to Burkina for a month and a half.

Hi there, a weekend in January near my place and I’m planning a Reims/Corsica trip starting in April

More seriously, and staying on topic, I’m planning a little trip to Innsbruck by train for 2010... and if it still works out, why not a ride around Lake Geneva with the Eurovélogex crew? 😎

For me, I flew with my bike in the baggage hold to Turkey twice—one stay in Kusadasi and another in Antalya. Then I assembled the bike at the hotel and went for rides every morning at sunrise. That lasted 13 days of morning rides. This year, I went to Djerba, where I rented a mountain bike at the hotel reception. I rode around and explored Djerba for the entire stay—13 days of biking. Next year, I’m traveling to Hurghada, Egypt, where I’m looking for a bike rental. Those are my kind of vacations.

Hey janodou, Yeah, I really enjoy the finer things in life—too bad we missed out on a trip last time since I left from Charles de Gaulle. I would’ve loved to go taste and savor some good stuff. If you ever pass through Montreal, let me know! I’ll make sure you try our local dishes and ice wine instead.

Luc

Hi there,

This is where it gets tricky—20 kg max for luggage, then it’s 50 € per extra kilo.

As a result, I’m changing my next trip. I was thinking of leaving Egypt for Greece, which makes sense climate-wise for traveling in winter. But it’d cost me at least 500 € one-way with the bike. Now I’m planning to go from Greece to Egypt and back to Greece. On the outbound trip, I’ll either freeze or leave in March instead of January. 200 € round-trip with the bike on EasyJet. Spend little and adapt to reality to travel longer.

Unless I completely change my plan.

Luckily, I’m totally free.

See you soon, Pierre

Hi Karine,

Just checking in to see if you biked through the Andes Cordillera or did any climbs. If you did any climbs, which ones? Thanks

Hey Janodou, I’ve mentioned it before—traveling from North to South America by trike over a year. The project’s coming together! I had a chat with HR this morning to sort out my leave: planning to leave around Ascension Day weekend 2010 for Vancouver by plane with British Airways (they take the trike for an extra fee—need to check how much that’ll be…). Returning via Buenos Aires (maybe Montevideo or Rio?) in April 2011, also with BA.

Hi Jean-Luc, No, I’ve never cycled in South America yet (it’s a project for when the kids can pedal on their own). So far, my husband and I have climbed various peaks, from Bolivia to Argentina. There are so many! My favorite was Tocclaraju in Peru for its beauty and technical challenge. For my husband, I think it’s Aconcagua—he climbed it three weeks before our daughter was born... If you’d like any info, feel free to DM me. We did everything independently, on our own.

Karine